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4 Shred the cooked chicken (I find that chicken legs left over after Sunday lunch are ideal for this). Remove the pan from the heat and add the shredded chicken to the soup together with the sweetcorn. Mix in the cream at this stage.
5 Return the pan to the heat and bring back to a very gentle boil. If you would like a thinner soup, now would be the best time to add any additional stock or cream to thin it down. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
6 Divide the soup among serving bowls or cups, garnish with a sprig of thyme if you like and serve.
TIP
I like to serve this soup as a nice chunky chowder-style soup, but alternatively, you can blitz it down to make a puréed soup.
OXTAIL SOUP
Oxtail soup has been around for ever. It is a gravy-like soup, which became popular in the UK in the eighteenth century and is now enjoying a renaissance.
SERVES 6–8
25g/1oz/¼ stick butter
150g/5oz turnip, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
50g/2oz/1/3 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tsp tomato purée (tomato paste)
900g/2lb oxtail, jointed
1.25 litres/2 pints/5 cups beef stock (see Chapter 5)
1 glass red wine
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Crusty bread, to serve
1 Heat a large saucepan with the butter, add the diced vegetables together with the thyme sprigs and sauté for a few minutes until lightly browned.
2 Next add the flour and tomato purée and stir until all the vegetables are coated. Place the oxtail on top of the vegetables then pour in the stock and red wine and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to very low and skim the scum off the surface with a slotted spoon. Continue to cook the soup over a very low heat for about 3 hours, adding a little additional stock if necessary.
3 Remove the oxtail from the soup and allow to cool, then shred all the meat from the tail.
4 Using a hand-held electric blender, blitz the vegetables and liquid into a thick soup, again adding some additional stock if you would like a soup of a different consistency. Alternatively, use a food processor. Add the shredded oxtail to the soup and gently reheat. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.
CRAB BISQUE
Crab is such a delightful starter (appetizer) ingredient. After extracting all the delicious crabmeat for other dishes (such as the Asian Crab Cakes in Chapter 2), I love to use the shells to make this wonderful bisque.
SERVES 6–8
15g/½ oz/1/8 stick tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 fresh tarragon sprigs
4 crab shells, broken into pieces
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée (tomato paste)
1 small glass white wine
25ml/1fl oz/1/8 cup brandy
1.25 litres/2 pints/5 cups hot fish stock (see Chapter 5)
3 tbsp double (heavy) cream
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Melt the butter in a large frying pan until foaming, add the onion, carrots, celery and herbs and stir well. Fry for 2–3 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the crab shell pieces, cayenne pepper and tomato purée and cook for a further 1–2 minutes.
2 Pour in the white wine and brandy and remove the pan from the heat. Set the mixture alight with a match, taking care to keep the flames away from your face, hands and other objects in the vicinity, and ensuring your extractor fan is turned off. Let the flames flare up then die down, and return the pan to the heat. Add the hot stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3 Remove the pan from the heat and remove and discard the crab shell pieces. Allow to cool slightly then transfer the mixture to a food processor and blitz to a purée.
4 Press the puréed mixture through a fine sieve (strainer) set over a clean pan. Add the cream and lemon juice to the pan, season to taste with salt and pepper and reheat gently before serving.
CHAPTER 2
STARTERS
Some people underestimate the value and importance of starters (appetizers). A good starter should excite and test all of the senses, setting the ball rolling for a most enjoyable meal.
In the restaurant, we find that the starters are where our guests are most daring with what they order and willing to experiment with something new. Often, they may even select two starters instead of a main course.
There are two occasions when you’ll want to use this chapter. You may need a starter for a dinner party, but there are also many recipes here that are suitable as light lunch options. I have tried to give a variety of meat, fish and vegetarian ideas to help with your home entertaining needs. I also believe that a main prerequisite for a dinner party is that at least one of your courses can be prepared in advance, so many of the recipes in this section can be prepared ahead of time and enjoyed later, when you are ready for them.
VEGETARIAN SPRING ROLLS
These spring rolls are a great ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card, in that you can turn to them when you need a kitchen shortcut. They can be quickly made up from fresh, or made ahead and kept in the freezer until needed. In this recipe I have used only vegetables, but of course you could add some duck, chicken, fish or beef into the mix as well. If you can’t find spring roll pastry then use filo (phyllo) pastry instead but put two sheets together as it isn’t as strong as spring roll pastry.
SERVES 8 (V)
Sunflower oil, for cooking
½ green chilli, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger (gingerroot), peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, sliced into 5cm/2in strips
1 leek (white part only), sliced into 5cm/2in strips
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into 5cm/2in strips
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into 5cm/2in strips
1½ (bell) peppers, mixed colours, sliced into 5cm/2in strips
50g/2oz cabbage, shredded into 5cm/2in strips
50g/2oz/½ cup beansprouts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
8 sheets spring roll pastry
EGG WASH
1 egg
50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup milk
1 Heat a large wok then add a little oil. When the oil is hot, add the chilli, garlic and ginger and cook gently for 2–3 minutes. Add the vegetables and season lightly with salt and pepper and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add the chilli sauce. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool completely.
2 For the egg wash, mix the egg and milk together and set aside.
3 Lay one sheet of the spring roll pastry on the work surface (counter) so that one of the corners points towards you. Brush around the edges with a little of the egg wash and then spoon about 1 tablespoon of the vegetable filling in a line near the top corner. Fold over to enclose then roll it towards you a little. Fold in the sides and continue to roll up into a nice cylindrical shape. Place the roll on a non-stick baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have eight spring rolls in total. Lightly brush with the remaining egg wash and chill for 30 minutes.
4 When ready to serve, pour enough oil into a deep-fat fryer or deep-sided saucepan to a depth of 6–7.5cm/2½–3in and heat to 180°C (350°F) or until a small piece of white bread turns golden brown in about 30 seconds. Deep-fry the spring rolls for 3–4 minutes or until crisp on all sides and lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper (paper towels).
5 To serve, use a sharp knife to cut off the very ends of each spring roll so that they will sit well on the plate, then cut each one in half on the diagonal. These are delicious served with some additional sweet chilli sauce.
SPICED CHICKPEA CAKES
These spicy cakes are a delicious vegetarian starter and will definitely be a favourite with your guests.
SERVES 6 (V)
1 x 400g tin (can) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Sunflower oil, for frying
½ red chilli, finely chopped
1 (bell) pepper, diced (½ green and ½ red)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger (gingerroot), peeled and chopped
1 tbsp natural (plain) yoghurt
2 tsp curry powder 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
Large salad, to serve
1 Put the drained chickpeas into a food processor and blitz to a coarse purée.
2 Heat a little oil in a pan, add the chilli, peppers, garlic, onion and ginger and fry until soft. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
3 Transfer the chickpea purée to a large bowl, add the vegetable mixture and mix together until combined. Add the yoghurt, curry powder and coriander. Using floured hands, divide the mixture into 12 balls then shape into little patties.
4 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.
5 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan and fry the chickpea cakes, in batches, on both sides then bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes until piping hot. Serve immediately with a large salad.
POACHED PEARS WITH CASHEL BLUE CHEESE
The flavour of blue cheese works wonderfully with poached pears. I chose to include this recipe in the starters chapter, but it could also be served as a dessert because it’s almost a cross between a pudding and a cheeseboard.
SERVES 4 (V)
4 firm, ripe pears
1 small lemon, cut into quarters
1 small orange, cut into quarters
250g/9oz/1¼ cups caster (superfine) sugar
500ml/18fl oz/generous 2 cups red wine
350g/12oz Cashel Blue cheese
1 Peel the pears, leaving the stalks in place, and remove the cores. Stand them upright in a pan large enough to fit the pears comfortably and add the lemon, orange, sugar and wine. Add a little water if the pears are not completely covered in liquid then bring to a simmer. Cook for 40–45 minutes or until the pears are completely tender. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool in the liquid for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
2 When ready to serve, drain the poaching liquid from the pears into a small pan and simmer over a low heat until reduced by half or until thickened and syrupy.
3 To serve, arrange the pears on four serving plates and, using a knife, cut into slices, leaving the stalks intact, then fan out the slices decoratively. Drizzle a little of the reduced syrup over each one – the remainder can be served in a small jug (pitcher) separately.
4 Slice the Cashel Blue cheese into thick wedges and arrange decoratively on the plates with the pears.
TIP
A soft goat’s cheese also works very well with the pears.
ROASTED GARLIC RISOTTO
Many people panic at the idea of making risotto, but it is actually a very simple dish to create. The critical stage is at the addition of the stock – the best approach is to add just a little at a time and to continue tasting the rice until you are happy with its consistency.
SERVES 6–8
1 head of garlic, unpeeled
Salt and cracked black pepper
700ml/1¼ pints/3 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 5)
25g/1oz/¼ stick butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
½ tsp chopped fresh thyme
350g/12oz/generous 1½ cups Arborio (risotto) rice
½ glass dry white wine
100ml/3½fl oz/scant ½ cup pouring cream (optional)
75g/3oz/¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve (optional)
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.
2 Cut the garlic in half across, place in a small roasting tin and sprinkle with some salt. Roast the garlic for 35 minutes or until it has softened. Allow to cool and then squeeze all of the flesh out.
3 Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan.
4 Slowly melt the butter in a wide heavy-based saucepan over a low heat, add the diced shallots and thyme and cook very gently until the shallots have completely softened. Add the rice and stir well to make sure that it does not stick to the base of the pan, then cook over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly. This allows the rice to become glazed with the butter. Next, add the white wine and continue to stir until the wine is absorbed.
5 Add a ladleful of the boiling stock to the rice and stir. Continue to stir and add the stock little by little and never adding the next ladle until the previous one has been absorbed. It is important not to rush this process and to continue to add all of the liquid until the rice is plump and tender.
6 Season the risotto now with salt and pepper and stir in the roasted garlic purée. If you wish to have a nice rich and creamy risotto, add the cream and Parmesan cheese now. Adding just Parmesan will also make the risotto creamy. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese, if you like.
TIP
It’s important to keep the chicken stock hot at all times. If the stock is allowed to cool it will make the risotto stodgy.
BAKED EGGS WITH SPINACH AND PARMESAN
What a lovely option for a tasty breakfast in bed! For a spicier version, try adding a little chorizo to the spinach. If you don’t want to use spinach you could use thinly sliced leeks.
SERVES 4
A small knob of butter
110g/4oz/3 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and thoroughly dried
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
8 eggs
4 tbsp pouring cream
75g/3oz/¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cracked black pepper
Well-buttered toast, to serve
EQUIPMENT
Four small ramekins or ovenproof dishes
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5.
2 Begin by heating a frying pan with the butter and cooking the spinach over a high heat for about 1 minute or until the spinach has wilted. Once this has happened, sprinkle the spinach with the nutmeg – not too much, or it makes the dish very highly flavoured, which is undesirable.
3 Transfer the spinach to a fine sieve (strainer) and allow it to drain all the excess liquid. Push the spinach with the back of a spoon if that helps.
4 Divide the spinach among the four ramekins and then crack two eggs on top of each portion of spinach. Pour 1 tablespoon of cream over the eggs and then sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the top. Season with cracked black pepper.
5 Put the ramekins on a flat baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the eggs have just set. Serve immediately with slices of well-buttered toast.
DEEP-FRIED BRIE WITH PLUM CHUTNEY
I love all types of cheese, but I love it even more when it’s cooked. This is an old-fashioned style of recipe, but it is one of my favourites that I make quite regularly as a starter (appetizer) for Sunday lunch. The tartness of the plum chutney contrasts nicely with the soft creaminess of the cheese.
SERVES 4–6 (V)
450g/1lb Brie
50g/2oz/1/3 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg beaten with about 100ml/3½fl oz/scant ½ cup milk
175g/6oz/3½ cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Salad leaves (salad greens), to serve
PLUM CHUTNEY
4 plums, stoned (pitted) and diced into rough chunks
1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and diced
50g/2oz/1/3 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
2 tsp sunflower oil
50g/2oz/¼ cup (solidly packed) brown sugar
50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup red wine
50ml/2fl oz/¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 small cinnamon stick
1 Begin by making the plum chutney. Place the diced plums into a large saucepan with the diced apples, sultanas and the oil and cook gently until the pan is slightly heated. Next add the brown sugar and stir until it has dissolved and coated the fruit in a light caramel layer. Pour in the red wine and wine vinegar and bring to the boil. Pop in the cinnamon stick and allow the mixture to cook for at least 10 minutes over a medium heat or until all of the liquid is reduced. Transfer to a sterilised jar and store until required. This chutney will happily keep for 5–7 weeks.
2 To make the deep-fried Brie, cut the Brie cheese into large wedges.
3 Prepare three bowls, one with the flour with the addition of a little salt and pepper, a second with the beaten egg and milk and a third with the breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.
4 Put the cheese wedges into the seasoned flour and turn until coated, then shake off the flour. Transfer the cheese wedges to the egg and milk mixture, turn until coated then shake off the excess and place in the breadcrumbs and turn until coated. If you are nervous of the cheese melting too much in the deep-fat fryer, you could repeat the entire process again to give a second coating. Transfer the cheese to the fridge and allow to rest until you are ready to cook it.
5 Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep-fat fryer or deep-sided saucepan to 180°C (350°F) or until a small piece of white bread turns golden brown in about 30 seconds. Carefully drop the cheese wedges into the hot oil and deep-fry for about 2 minutes or until the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper (paper towels). Serve immediately with a large spoonful of the plum chutney and some fresh salad leaves.
POTTED SHRIMP
The beauty of this starter (appetizer) is how few ingredients it needs and how quick it is to make. One of my personal favourites, Catherine and I often have this for supper, but I also like to make it for dinner parties as it’s a stylish dish, perfect for formal occasions.
SERVES 6
110g/4oz/1 stick butter
450g/1lb raw langoustines (Norway lobster), peeled and de-veined
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 small fresh thyme sprigs
TO SERVE
Brown bread
Lemon wedges
Green salad
EQUIPMENT
6 small pots or ramekins
1 Heat the butter in a large wide-based saucepan, add the langoustines together with the cayenne pepper and heat gently without boiling. Once the langoustines are gently cooked, season lightly with a little salt and pepper then divide the langoustines among the small pots or ramekins and press down gently.
2 Divide any of the remaining butter still in the pan among the pots or ramekins then put a small sprig of thyme on top of the butter and, using a spoon, press it down into the butter slightly. Grind some black pepper over the top.
3 Place the pots or ramekins in the fridge for a few hours until set. Serve the potted shrimp with some brown bread, lemon wedges and a large green salad.
ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD
This salad is substantial enough to serve on its own, or can be served as part of a barbecue or buffet. You could also try adding some Parmesan shavings or chunks of feta or goat’s cheese for an extra element. The salad will keep happily in the fridge for 3–4 days.
SERVES 6–8 (V)
2 aubergines (eggplants), chopped into large chunks or slices
3 red (bell) peppers, chopped into large chunks or slices
3 green (bell) peppers, chopped into large chunks or slices
2 courgettes (zucchini), chopped into large chunks or slices
1 red onion, unpeeled and quartered
1 garlic bulb, unpeeled and chopped
3 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped into large chunks
5 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of chopped fresh rosemary
A pinch of chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5.
2 Place all the vegetables in a large roasting tray and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil then season lightly with a little salt and pepper. Add the chopped rosemary and thyme to the tray and roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
3 Once the roasted vegetables are cool, peel the onion and garlic and place them with the remaining vegetables in a large bowl with the rest of the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar and parsley. Season to taste and stir gently to combine. Either use immediately or chill, covered with clingfilm (plastic wrap), until ready to use. Just make sure to give it enough time to come back up to room temperature first. To serve, spoon the roasted vegetable salad on to serving plates.
TIP
Alternatively, cook the sliced vegetables on a hot barbecue (grill). Mix together the remaining olive oil, the vinegar and the parsley and pour over the roasted vegetables.
WARM SALAD OF GORGONZOLA CHEESE AND HONEY ROASTED PEACHES
The sweetness of the fruit in this salad works wonderfully alongside the delicious creamy flavour of the cheese. It’s a beautifully simple recipe but one that looks and tastes gorgeous and your guests will be talking about it long after the meal has finished.
SERVES 4
25g/1oz/¼ stick butter
4 large peaches, halved or quartered and stoned (pitted)
150ml/5fl oz/2/3 cup runny honey
Juice of ½ lemon
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Mixed lettuce leaves (salad greens)
110g/4oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 Melt the butter in a large frying pan until bubbling, add the peaches and mix them around until they are coated in the butter. Cook gently for 2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the honey to the pan together with the lemon juice and the thyme, then bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 1–2 minutes until the peaches are fully caramelised, which will happen because of the honey reduction. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly for a moment or two.
2 Arrange the lettuce leaves in large bowls. Top with the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and neatly arrange the roasted peaches on top. Drizzle with the thyme-infused honey left in the pan and serve.
ROASTED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS SALAD
Couscous itself can be quite bland, so it’s important to add lots of different flavours, such as these roasted vegetables, to really bring it to life.
SERVES 6–8
1½ mixed (bell) peppers, such as red, green and yellow, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
