recipe: canelé w/ mandarin honey & thyme reduction & milk ice cream

canelé w/ mandarin honey & thyme reduction & milk ice cream

classic french dessert - canelé w/ a dark caramelised crust & a custardy centre served w/ a thyme infused mandarin sauce & topped w/ milk ice cream

IngredientsMakes: 1572g (12)

1152g		canelé w mandarin honey & thyme reduction	(recipe below)
420g		milk ice cream no7	(recipe below)

Method

This makes for a super easy Christmas day dessert because you can make the canelé at the begining of December, freeze them, then cook them from frozen in about 10mins when you need them.

They come out nice and crispy on the outside w/ a lovely soft centre.

Same for the ice cream and the syrup will last for months in the frdge!!

canelé w/ mandarin honey & thyme reduction

classic french dessert - canelé w/ a dark caramelised crust & a custardy centre served w/ a thyme infused mandarin sauce

IngredientsMakes: 1152g (12)

912g		canelé no4	(recipe below)
240g		mandarin honey & thyme reduction	(recipe below)

canelé no4

classic french dessert - canelé w/ a dark caramelised crust & a custardy centre

mandarin honey & thyme reduction

mandarin & apple syrup infused w/ cinnamon & thyme

IngredientsMakes: 360g

200g	(5)	mandarin juice
2g		mandarin zest
100g		apple juice
1g		ground cinnamon
150g		caster sugar
50g		set honey
3g		picked thyme

Method

Zest 5 mandarins then juice them, put the zest aside.

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, keep going until the liquid has reduced by half.

Remove from the heat then add the zest and a tsp of picked thyme.

Leave to infuse w/ the lid on for 15-20mins.

Strain and use as required - great topping for chelsea buns, pastries & cakes.

milk ice cream no7

really light smooth textured super white milk icecream

IngredientsMakes: 1000g

5g	(3)	sheets gelatine
400g		whole milk
200g		double cream
397g		condensed milk

Method

Soak gelatine sheets in cold water.

Bring 300g milk to simmer, squeeze excess water from gelatine and add it to the hot milk, stiring until fully dissolved.

Add the condensed milk to that, then add the rest of the cold milk & cream.

Churn until set ~45min.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: pancetta wrapped venison sausage (pigs in blankets but w/ deer & smoked pancetta!! deers in blankets!)

pancetta wrapped venison sausage

pancetta wrapped venison sausage - pigs in blankets but with deer & smoked pancetta!! deers in blankets!)

IngredientsMakes: 648g (12)

200g	(12)	thick sliced smoked pancetta
630g		venison meat ball mix	(recipe below)

Method

Make the meatball mix, place it onto a large piece of cling film or baking paper.

Fold the sheet over and make a rectangle of meat - think 4x3 mini sausages - just under an inch thick, then pop it into the fridge to set.

. . . 30mins later . . .

Slice it into strips as wide as the slab is thick to make sausages. 4 long 3strips cut into thirds.

Wrap each one in a slice of smoked pancetta and bake 180C / 10mins

I know what your thinking . . . did he smoke 11 pigs or 12?

Quality control from the neighbours dog!! Grunts & snorts approvingly! Wag, wag looks up any more?? No $%&* off.

Coming soon . . . venison wellington . . .

venison from Philip & Preece Hereford

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: venison meat balls - Christmas treats

venison meat balls

venison meat balls - juicy & tasty

IngredientsMakes: 576g (16)

748g		venison meat ball mix	(recipe below)
30g		plain flour
30g		olive oil

Method

Divide the mix into half. Repeat for each half until you have 16 chunks.

Roll into balls and coat with flour. Shallow fry until golden on the bottom, the turn and repeat.

Put to one side to drain, keep warm until needed.

venison meat ball mix

IngredientsMakes: 748g

65g		eggs
55g		milk
35g		bread crumbs
160g		mushrooms
125g		onions
145g		smoked streaky bacon
300g		minced venison
3g		salt
3g		black pepper

Method

Whisk the egg & milk & add it to the bread crumbs. The breadcrumbs soak up the liquid and give a juicier meatball!

Dice the mushrooms 1/4 inch / 1/2cm, cook until browned.

Repeat for the onions in the same pan.

Dice the bacon in the same way nice and small.

This adds fat content and keeps the meat ball juicy but we don't want big stringy bits of fat so fine chop!

Add all the ingredients to the pre-soaked breadcrumbs and mix until homogenous.

Fry off a small patty to check the seasoning and adjust as necessary. This mix is heavy on the black pepper - goes well w/ the venison!

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: turkey croquettes

turkey croquettes

king of christmas leftovers - the turkey croquette - giza bit of cranberry sauce to dip that in!

IngredientsMakes: 1700g (26)

500g		stuffing
25g		crispy bacon
450g		turkey
125g	(1)	leek
140g		onions
300g		turkey gravy
75g	(3)	egg yolks
220g	(4)	eggs
220g		milk
300g		plain flour
400g		multigrain toast

Method

~65g each

-

This is without a doubt one of my all time favourite recipes that me mum used to make at Christmas.

They were creamy & crunchy and tasted of Christmas dinner and reminded me of Spain . . . . sooo goood!

. . . . and they used up the lefovers!

Stuffing, bacon - probably some pigs in blankets - leeks & onions, some gravy & egg yolks to thicken it - a smooth bechamel vibe to set the croquettes in. (1 egg yolk per 100g of turkey gravy)

-

Use any turkey meat you want, I like a 50/50 dark / light meat mix, mum always went 100% turkey breast.

Blend it in a food processor to bread crumb texture.

Or chop it up fine - can't get more rustic than this anyway!!! : )

Fine dice the leeks and onions, and sweat them down in an oil glazed sauce pan until soft and translucent.

Add the gravy, stuffing, & bacon/sausage bits and stir into a homogenous gloop!

Season it w/ salt & black pepper then add the egg yolks to o thicken it and give it that smooth bechamel texture.

Stir with a wooden spoon until it stops thickening then opur it out into a baking tray.

Cover it w/ some baking paper or cling film and leave it to set in the fridge for about an hour.

Toast the mutligrain bread and blend it to bread crumbs.

Make an egg was from the eggs & milk.

Table spoon out croquette sized scoops of mix into the flour, rolle them, coat them in egg wash and then breadbrumbs, shallow fry, making sure to turn them to make them gold all over.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a sieve, and then to some kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

Keep warm and serve asap!

Nice w/ cranberry sauce . . . . .

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

experiment recipe: chocolate & pear tart

For this experiment I leant on an old favourite flavour profile pear, orange & vanilla it's a blissful combo! My thinking was pear & chocolate go well, orange & chocolate . . . there are no clashes here . .  . full steam ahead! See the bottom for all the pear, orange & vanilla refs and experimental notes to self!!

chocolate & pear tart

tart of windfall pears poached in syrup, covered in chocolate

IngredientsMakes: 1632g (12)

350g		sweet short pastry	(recipe below)
540g		pears
500g		sugar
390g		OJ
10g		vanilla essence
400g		butter
400g		dark chocolate 70%
120g		espresso

Method

For a 29cm 11.5inch fluted tart tray (loose bottomed) Using up the last of the windfall pears poached in orange and vanilla syrup.

-

Make the pastry, bake blind 180C / 15m + 5m w/o baking beans.

Macerate the pears in sugar, then add OJ & vanilla, BTB, the take off the heat.

Leave for 30mins to soften & absorb flavour. [after this they make your tastebuds melt w/ delight]

Make the chocolate top.

Put, butter, choc, espresso into a small bowl > uW 1m at at time until all liquid.

Mix into a smooth chocolate sauce.

Pour a 3mm layer onto the pastry base > FZ ~30m to set the chocolate.

Drain the pears, keep syrup for mousse cake. [ding - see notes]

Place the pears into the case & cover w/ chocolate goodness!

Leave to set in the fridge - or FZ ~30m

sweet short pastry

IngredientsMakes: 1400g

750g		plain flour
30g		caster sugar
450g		butter
110g	(2)	large eggs
60g		ice cold water

Method

Flour, sugar, butter > crumb texture.

Add water & eggs bring together into pastry. Experimental notes to self: OK so the chocolate obliterated the OJ & vanilla and there weren't enough pears. Boo! It felt like it was a bit mean in terms of choc coating! : / Better next time - improvement on the experiment: x2 pears, use same amount of sugar, and just enough OJ to cover the pears after macerating. x1.5 choc coat . . . To the butter choc mix, add the orange syrup plus the same weight of chocolate so it sets properly, lightens the chocolate & matches the flavour of the fruit . . .  fingers crossed! Abbreviations: BTTB / BTB - Bring to the Boil BTBS - Bring to the Boil & Simmer uW - microwave FZ - Freezer FR - Fridge If memory serves this flavour combo came up in a few places:

Champagne Poached Pears w/ Vanilla,  Cured Serrano Ham w/ Champagne Poached Pears,  Campaign - Fight Hunger: Eat In,  Picnic At Henley Royal Regatta With Ryvita

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

visual recipe: preserved yellow cherry tomatoes (slow roasted tomatoes / blushed tomatoes)

start w/ fresh tomatoes

 two jars worth of tomatoes per jar

 on trays before slice

place on counter or board

place board on top & slice w scalloped blade

very quick - better than one at a time!

season & dress w a little oil optional

place in oven 50C or 122F - open door every hour let out steam

After 5hrs

pick 12g each rosemary sage thyme

place in oil and heat to . . 

heat to 90C or 194F to kill bacteria

place oil & herbs in jar followed by tomatoes

add gauze & top up w oil

preserved yellow cherry tomatoes . . . use as desired : )