Thursday 20 September 2018

How To Cook The Perfect Sausage.

- How To Cook The Perfect Sausage - Our Guide | Farmison™ - All about Sausage!

- Remove the sausage from the chiller 20 minutes before cooking, this will enable the sausage to cook evenly & stop the skin from splitting on contact with the heat
- Use a heavy based non stick frying pan, place on a low to medium heat
- Add a tsp. of duck or goose fat to the pan, then swirl around until the base is fully coated then tip away any excess fat.
- Place the sausages in the pan, making sure there not touching each other & keep on a constant heat, turn regularly so the sausages get a light golden colour, 10 to 12 minutes for a traditional thick sausage.
- At this point turn the heat up a little to create a rich dark caramel colour, this will only take a few more minutes turning the sausages regularly.
- Once cooked the sausage will be firm to touch, with a internal temperature of 70°C, the secret now is to let the sausages rest for a few minutes, just like you would a steak allowing the expanded protein cells to relax, giving you a tender, juicy sausage.

How to cook pigs cheeks to perfection.

- How to cook pigs cheeks to perfection
Remember to remove your pigs cheeks from the packaging, pat dry and bring to room temperature

Pre heat your oven to 135C

Next choose a suitable sized oven proof casserole with a tight fitting lid

Season the meat just prior to coloring with good quality sea salt

Make a mirepoix* by neatly chopping equal amounts of onion, carrot and celery or my preferred choice of celeriac - the root of the celery plus a bay leaf, sprig of thyme and a few black peppercorns, another nice addition can be a head of garlic split in half

Take a large, heavy based frying pan, and add a few drops pomace/olive or vegetable oil

Fry the cheeks on all sides then transfer to the casserole dish
Next fry the mirepoix until lightly coloured

Then add half a bottle of red wine, cider or a favorite local ale and reduce by two thirds then add 500 ml of essential cuisine veal stock and reduce a little, thicken with a tablespoon corn flour mixed with a little cold water and stirred into the boiling broth

Pour the sauce over the cheeks and cover

Place in the centre of the oven and cook for approximately 3 hours, the meat should be tender when pierced with a meat fork

Remove from oven, carefully take out the cheeks and keep warm

Pass off the juices through a fine sieve into a clean sauce pan and reduce to a glossy finish then pour back over the cheeks ready to serve

- *mirepoix - a mixture of sautéed chopped vegetables used in various sauces.

Wednesday 19 September 2018

Pig's cheeks.

- Nigel Slater's pig's cheeks recipe | Food | The Guardian
Braised* pig's cheeks.
The main ingredient is something that has recently started to appear on the shelves of our local Morrisons - £1.40x3 pieces (£5.40 1kg).
Remember to remove your pigs cheeks from the packaging, pat dry and bring to room temperature.

The accompanying potatoes produce a creamy, almost "wet" mash of a very soft and velvety texture.
Serves 4.
olive oil a little
pig's cheeks 8
carrots 3
onions 2
red onion 1
celery 2
garlic 4
flour 2 tbsp
thyme a generous bunch
orange peel a short piece
bay leaves 3
red wine 1 bottle, rich and bold (OR - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar+2 cups hard apple cider+chicken stock; OR perhaps cider/calvados or stout)
sugar or fruit jelly 2 tbsp or so
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika (optional)

...in one word:
- equal amounts of onion, carrot and celery or my preferred choice of celeriac - the root of the celery plus a bay leaf, sprig of thyme and a few black peppercorns, another nice addition can be a head of garlic split in half.

- Warm a thin film of oil in a heavy roasting tin over a moderate heat, then season the cheeks with salt and pepper and brown them lightly in the oil.
Remove and set aside.

Cut the carrots into thick slices, peel and roughly chop the onions, cut the celery into short lengths and peel and slice the garlic.
Add the carrots, onions, celery, orange peel and garlic to the pan in which you browned the cheeks, letting them soften and colour very lightly.
...in one word:
- Using the same frying pan, add the **mirepoix of vegetable and colour.

- Set the oven at 140C/gas mark 3.

Return the cheeks to the pan, tucking them among the vegetables, scatter over the flour, season with salt and black pepper, cook for a minute or two then add the thyme, the bay leaves and the wine.
Bring to the boil, cover loosely with foil or baking parchment, then bake for 2.5 to 3 hours until tender.
Check occasionally to make sure the liquid isn't reducing too far.
After an hour or so, it might be prudent to taste and add up to two tbsp of sugar, or some apple or other fruit jelly/runny honey to the gravy.

Taste and correct the seasoning and serve with the potatoes.

Tuesday 11 September 2018

Quince.

- Quince | SimplyRecipes.com

Veal escalopes with prosciutto and chicken livers.

Scaloppine alla Perugina - Veal escalopes with prosciutto and chicken livers.

Ingredients
Serves 4
450g of thinly sliced veal fillet/scaloppine
55 g of prosciutto, diced finely
3 salted anchovies, bones removed
1 chicken liver, chopped as finely as possible
2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
the juice and zest of half a lemon
half glass dry white wine
plain flour, for dredging
a few sprigs of parsley leaves picked and chopped finely
a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop the prosciutto, anchovies, chicken liver and sage leaves as finely as possible.
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and cook the anchovies, prosciutto, chicken liver and sage leaves for 3 minutes.
Add the capers, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Stir constantly until all the ingredients are combined and soft.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the white wine and leave to reduce for a minute or two.
Add a tablespoon of butter and mix well.
Set aside and keep warm.

Dust the veal fillets with the flour.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and butter on a high heat.
Cook the veal for a minute on each side.
Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.
Serve the veal and pour the sauce on top.
Scatter parsley leaves on top.
Serve with rosemary potatoes.

MORE:
- Scaloppine di Pollo alla Perugina - Italian Market
Chicken Fillet with Prosciutto, Chicken Liver and Lemon

Farro Bean Soup from Mimi Thorisson.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 ounces finely sliced Prosciutto
1 onion finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
2 small carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (14 Ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 zucchini, diced
100 g/ 3/4 cup green lentils
150 g/ 1 cup farro

A good handful of freshly chopped fresh Basil
Red hot pepper flakes (optional)
Salt & Pepper
To Serve:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or
Grated Parmesan, to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the prosciutto for a few minutes.
Add the carrot, celery and onion and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and zucchini, continue to cook for 2 minutes.
Add the can of diced tomatoes.
Season with salt & pepper, and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes (optional).
Add the equivalent of 3 to 4 cans of water.
Bring to a simmer.
Add the farro and green lentils.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and continue to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables, farro and lentils are tender.
If the soup is too thick, add more water and season accordingly.
Serve with leaves of basil, grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Saturday 8 September 2018

Baked cheesy aubergines by Rachel Roddy.

- Rachel Roddy’s recipe for baked cheesy aubergines | Food | The Guardian





Richard Olney’s aubergine, tomato and ricotta gratin.

- Rachel Roddy’s recipe for aubergine, tomato and ricotta bake | A kitchen in Rome | Food | The Guardian
Serves 4
800g aubergine (ideally, the small elongated variety)
Olive oil, for frying
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
500g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and black pepper
Sugar (optional)
250g ricotta
1 large egg, beaten
150ml double cream or mascarpone
60g parmesan, grated, plus more for topping
A splash of milk (optional)
A small handful of basil leaves

- Cut the aubergine into 3mm thick slices lengthways, or if you are using large aubergines, across.
If you wish, salt the slices.
Pour oil into a frying pan until it reaches 25mm up the sides, then set over a medium heat.
Once hot, fry the slices in batches until golden on both sides, then lift from the pan and blot on plenty of kitchen towel.
You may need more oil; don’t let it get too hot.

- Dispose of the oil, wipe the pan, return it to the heat and add 3 tbsp of fresh oil.
Fry the onion until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic, tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then cook until most of the water has evaporated away and the tomatoes are thick and saucy – which usually takes about 15 minutes.

- Mash the ricotta.
Add the egg, cream, a pinch of salt and half the parmesan.
Beat into a thick cream – it should pour slowly, so if it is too thick, add a little milk.
Taste and add salt, as needed.

- Set the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
Line the bottom of a small, deep gratin or baking dish with the aubergine slices, season with pepper, rip over some tiny pieces of basil, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and then spoon over half the tomato sauce.
Repeat: another aubergine layer, more basil, more parmesan and the rest of the sauce.
Finish with a layer of aubergine slices, then spoon over the cream and dust with parmesan.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190C/375F/gas 5 for another 15 minutes, or until the surface is set and a rich golden brown.
Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Roast sausages with fennel & red wine gravy from Mimi Thorisson.


Ingredients: (serves 4)
12 good quality pork sausages (or any good quality meat sausages of your choice)
1 large fennel bulb, coarsely sliced
1 large onion, coarsely sliced
240 ml/ 1 cup red wine
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp mustard
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
Coarse salt & black pepper, for seasoning

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F
In a small bowl, mix olive oil and mustard.
Place sausages in a baking dish, drizzle olive oil and mustard – mix well.
Let the sausages cook in the oven for 20 minutes, add fennel, onions, thyme, salt and pepper (salt very lightly as the sausages and mustard are already salty).
Cook for a further 25 minutes, stirring the pan halfway.
Add the red wine and butter, and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, until the wine has reduced and the sauce has become slightly thicker.
Serve with mashed potatoes.

Spinach & gorgonzola balls from Mimi Thorisson

(for 8 balls)

750 g/ 1 & 2/3 pounds frozen spinach (about 1 pack)
2 small slices of stale bread
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 teaspoons gorgonzola cheese
Parmesan cheese, grated/to serve
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the butter sage sauce
A large handful of sage leaves
80 g unsalted butter
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Steam the spinach until soft and drain.
Squeeze out the excess water (very important otherwise the balls will be watery), and chop as finely as possible.
Place 2 small slices of stale bread in the food processor and pulse until you get fine breadcrumbs.
In a large bowl (or you can mix everything in the food processor, just pulse lightly) combine spinach, breadcrumbs, milk, nutmeg, flour, salt & pepper and mix until well blended.
Roll out approximately 8 walnut-sized balls. While shaping the balls, insert a small teaspoon of gorgonzola inside and reshape.

Heat a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil.
Cook the spinach balls for 8 minutes and drain.

While the spinach balls are cooking, prepare the sage butter sauce.

In a large pan, melt the butter on a medium heat.
When the butter starts to sizzle, wat until it turns light golden brown, then lower the heat and add the sage leaves.
Season with salt & pepper, and shake the pan for about 30 seconds.

Drizzle the sage butter sauce on top of the spinach ball. Grate parmesan on top before serving.

Friday 7 September 2018

Plantia’s Tarte Tatin by Mimi Thorisson.

- Plantia’s Tarte Tatin by Mimi Thorisson Recipe | AGFG
Sweet Tart Dough:
1 1/2 cups / 180 g plain (allpurpose) flour, sifted, plus more for rolling
1/3 cup / 65 g caster (superfine) sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 large egg yolk
7 Tbs / 100 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for the pan

Apples:
1/2 cup / 100 g caster (superfine) sugar
1 vanilla pod (bean), split lengthways, seeds scraped and reserved
6 1/2 Tbs / 90 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 pounds / 900 g apples, peeled, cored and quartered
Crème fraîche, for serving

Method
Sweet Tart Dough:

Make the dough.
Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add the sugar, salt and egg yolk and mix slowly with your hands.
Add the butter and mix well until you have a smooth and homogenous dough.
Form it into a ball, cover with cling film (plastic wrap), and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
Butter a 9-inch/23-cm ovenproof frying pan (skillet).

Start the apples.
Mix the sugar with the vanilla seeds.
Sprinkle the vanilla sugar over the bottom of the frying pan, scatter the butter over the sugar, and then tightly pack the apples in the pan in a circular fashion with one flat side down.

Put the pan on the stove over a medium-high heat and cook until the liquid starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the juices turn a golden caramel colour, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch/3mm thickness.
Using a sharp knife, cut a round of dough just slightly larger than the top of the frying pan.
Drape the dough over the apples to cover and carefully use your fingers to tuck the dough between the pan and the apples on all sides.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes.
Wearing oven mitts or using tea towels (kitchen towels), carefully (the caramel is hot) remove from the pan by placing a large serving plate on top and inverting the cake onto the plate.

Serve with crème fraîche.