recipe: goats cheese pecans & apple salad

goats cheese pecans & apple salad

apples & chunky goats cheese dressed w/ honey pecan & thyme

IngredientsMakes: 440g - Serves: 2

47g		salted honey pecans	(recipe below)
100g		cherry tomatoes
120g		apple
7g		lemon juice
30g		lettuce
90g		goats cheese
30g		snapdragon dressing	(recipe below)
5g		thyme
1g		salt flakes

Method

Make the salted honey pecans first to give them time to cool and harden.

Slice the tomatoes in halves - these where gorgeous sweet yellow ones from the garden.

Slice the apple in wedges & squeeze fresh lemon juice on to stop them oxidising.

Slice the goats cheese, mix everything together and dress w/ thyme.

salted honey pecans

honey caramelised toasted pecans w/ a hint of salt

IngredientsMakes: 47g

30g		pecans
15g		honey
15g		sugar

Method

Add the sugar to a non stick pan on a high heat. Distributed evenly across the surface.

Add soon as all the sugar has melted and started bubbling add the honey.

Mix w/ a wooden spoon. (Or use the pan and no spoon takes practice!)

Once evenly mixed add the pecans & toss to coat, turn the heat to low and toast the pecans being careful not to burn the sugar.

Turn out onto a grease proof mat (silpat) or grease proof paper

snapdragon dressing

balsamic vinegar, honey & olive oil w/ toasted sesame seeds

IngredientsMakes: 95g

30g		balsamic vinegar
30g		honey
30g		olive oil
5g		toasted sesame seeds

Method

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan then mix all the ingredients.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local for great locally produced veg using organic practices well worth signing up for!

Experiment / Recipe: Duck and Apple Quinoa w/ Wild Garlic & Duck Butter

by Simon Fernandez of ferdiesfoodlab

For this recipe I added a little lemon and  sugar to the apples to stop them oxidising & give the salad some light notes for a sunny spring day! If it’s a rather greyer colder day, it comes out rather well if you caramelise the apples. Add just a touch of sugar with a little cinnamon, and add some chopped dates to the salad too! 

This make a pretty decent vegetarian dish if you drop the duck, and replace the duck butter with 50/50 salted butter and creme fraiche!!

for the wild garlic & duck butter (makes 350g)

150g duck butter (recipe)

200g wild garlic (blanched and refreshed)

1/2 lime (juiced)

~

Blanch the wild garlic for 10 minutes tops, then drop it into cold water to stop it cooking and preserve the colour.

Probably best to do all the wild garlic at the same time and keep a third back for the salad!!

Chop it up so it doesn’t cause problems for the stick blender. Blend the leaves and lime juice in a high side jug

Once you have a relatively smooth paste add the butter in thirds until you have a loose puree.

Check it for seasoning, adjusting the salt and lime as necessary, then put it in the fridge to set

for the duck and apple quinoa salad (serves 2 - light lunch)

100g quinoa

250ml chicken stock

1 quarter confit duck leg (picked, recipe)

1 onion (brunoise)

1 clove garlic (crushed, chopped)

100g wild garlic (blanched, refreshed and chopped)

1/2 lime (for garnish / extra dressing)

~

Put the the quinoa and boiling stock in a pot with a lid, cook for approximately 10mins.

When it’s cooked the quinoa should have a little bite and have white circular whispy bits.

In the mean time put the picked duck into an oil coated pan on medium heat and leave it to crisp up.

Put the onions garlic and oil in a pan and cook until soft and translucent, then add them to the quinoa once it’s cooked. Chop the wild garlic and mix it, the apple and the duck into the quinoa too.

to serve

5g coriander (chopped)

1/2 lemon juiced

~

Add the coriander and lime juice, season and mix through well. Place in a serving bowl and top with wild garlic puree and a wedge of lime. No huge rush to serve, it should be at room temperature 

notes

Quinoa water grain cooking ratio: 450:250 stock:grain - yields a cooked weight of 640g - a lot!

Cooking time ~15mins.

Recipe: Duck Confit & Duck Butter on Toast (Wild Garlic Duck Butter)

by Simon Fernandez of ferdiesfoodlab

Confit duck is so simple to make it’s unbelievable! It’s also a way to preserve you duck so it will last longer. You can do the legs plain without any additional herbs and spices and flavour them later or you can let them infuse with flavours for the dish you have in mind!

I like to add a lot of garlic, onions and a little chilli to the mix. These slow roast to great tasting warm kind of soft reduction with beautiful savoury flavour. When mixed with a little cream and butter this makes a great alternative spread!

for confit duck legs

2 duck legs

3 onions

1 bulb garlic

2 chillies

big sprig of rosemary

250ml vegetable stock

~

Brown off the duck legs in a frying pan seasoning them well.

Place all ingredients into an oven prof pot with a lid.

The stock should almost cover the duck.

Top up with a little olive oil and place the oven at 150C for 2-3hours

for duck butter

80g confit garlic and onion (from confit duck legs)

80g creme fraiche

80g butter (s)

~

Bring to boil, or microwave in favourite high sided microwave proof container.

Blitz to a rich confit duck flavoured sauce.

It’s not quite puree when it’s warm but it sets into a luxurious spread.

Great on toast or for croutons.

This is also a great base for wild garlic & duck butter . . . next post!

Recipe: Smoked Mussel Salad W Baked Mash Potato

smoked mussel salad w baked mash potato

light fragrant summer salad w smoked mussels dressed w tangerine juice & zest served w half baked mash potato & tomato - light lunch (just bump up the quantities for a great lunch)

IngredientsMakes: 350g (1)

250g		smoked mussel salad	(recipe below)
100g		baked mash potato & tomato	(recipe below)

smoked mussel salad

light fragrant summer salad w smoked mussels dressed w tangerine juice & zest

IngredientsMakes: 467g (1)

85g		smoked mussels inc oil	(recipe below)
40g		cucumber
100g		bistro salad
3g		tangerine zest
40g		tangerine juice
20g		carrots
80g		apple
80g		grapes
15g		spring onion
3g		thyme
0.5g		salt flakes

baked mash potato & tomato

variation on a baked potato, with added tomato - faster too!

IngredientsMakes: 700g (4)

620g		potatoes
60g		butter
160g		tomatoes

Method

2 large baking potatoes - makes 4 halves . .

Cut potatoes in half and boil until soft. 10m?

Once boiled leave on counter until they stop steaming & they're cool enough to handle.

Scoop out the soft centre and mash adding the butter and salt and pepper.

Fill the empty potato skins and place on a baking tray.

Dot some tomatoes about including on top of the potatoes.

Bake 180C / 20m

Recipe: Chicken w/ Cavolo Nero & Red Pepper & Goats Cheese Baked Potato

by Simon Fernandez of ferdiesfoodlab

Quick notes / order

1. Prep the sauce, put it on 

the stove to simmer.

2. Prep the chicken.

Get that on the go next.

3. Cavolo nero next.

4. Pop the potatoes in 

the microwave.

(uW for short)

5. Blend the sauce & assemble!!

ingredients (serves 2 - hungry people)

for the red pepper sauce

1 red pepper (cored & diced)

1 red onion (chopped)

30g goats cheese (rindless)

1 chicken stock cube

10g red wine vinegar

350ml water

~

Put all the ingredient except the goats cheese in a sauce pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 45mins.

(Crack on w/ the chicken in the mean time . . )

Once the pepper is soft, blend it with a stick blender until smooth then add the goats cheese, and pulse until fully incorporated.

Leave the sauce on minimum heat to keep warm until needed. (If you’re feeling naughty & luxurious, add a little butter too!)

for the chicken

4 chicken thighs (skinless & boneless)

zest 1/2 lemon

1tbsp veg oil

~

Pat the thighs dry and remove any excess fat.

Put them in a tupperware box, and add the oil, mix to coat the thighs

Season them and them place them in a hot frying pan - they should sizzle.

Turn the heat down and leave them to brown. (get on w/ veg - steam the Cavolo nero)

Once browned turn them over and top w/ the lemon zest. (get on w/ the potatoes)

Once the other side is done keep warm on a saucer. (or in the finished sauce)

Use the pan to finish the cavolo nero.

(Tip if you’re cooking with the skin on cook almost entirely skin side down - for ultra crispiness - then finish off the other side for a minute or two.)

for the cavolo nero

10g butter

2 spring onions (chopped)

100g cavolo nero (black kale, 1cm slices)

1/2 lemon (juiced)

~

Steam the kale for for 10mins.

Put the butter into the pan you used for the chicken and melt w/ the spring onion.

Add the drained steamed kale, season, squeaze the juice in from the half lemon and toss.

for the baked potatoes

2 baking potatoes (forked & nuked)

~

Prick all over w/ a fork and microwave for 8-12mins (depending on your microwave.)

Cut open and dress.

for the garnish

70g cooked prawns

lemon zest

black pepper

apparatus / equipment

stick blender

microwave

to serve

Cut the potato open, top with cavolo nero & chicken then pour over a generous helping of sauce.

Top w/ some cooked prawns, lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper.

Awesome Sauce Recipes . . .

Ribeye Steak Wrap - Medium Rare please!! Lush!

Awesome Sauce Panko Coated Gnocchi - Recipe up soon. .
served here in a crispy potato skin with: Pigeon Sous Vide, Beetroot & Raspberry Sauce and a Beef & Port Pie

Awesome Sauce coated Tagleatelli w/
Asparagus, Greek Basil & Artichokes . . so so good!

Recipe: Simple Naan Bread (& Supporting Local Business)

by Simon Fernandez of ferdiesfoodlab

This is a simplified naan recipe, that will give you a pretty good fluffy naan to go with your favourite curry. I’ve simplified it so you can make them with the kids! Bit of fun for a Sunday afternoon! (and you end up with a tasty naan bread) It also gives me an excuse to promote Bhavin Mistry’s great curries! (Available at Bruton Convenience Store)

Tadka Daal & Samosa made by Bhavin Mistry available from Bruton Convenience Store

Ingredients for the naan bread (makes 8 naans)

500g strong flour

200ml water    

7g yeast (dried)

30g sugar

5g salt

50 ml extra virgin olive oil (or olive oil)

1 large free range egg (beaten)

4g  garlic (1 clove, finely chopped - optional)

Note if you want to make 4 naans instead of 8 halve all the ingredients and use a medium sized egg!

Method

First activate the yeast: Boil a third of the water (simply put in the microwave for 1 minute). Mix it with the rest of the water and stir in the sugar and dried yeast until they are both dissolved. Put to one side.

(the mix will be around 35C perfect temperature to activate the yeast, any hotter and you’ll kill it!). 

It’s ready to use as soon as it’s frothy on the surface. (about 10-15 minutes)

Beat the egg and add the oil to it. (If you have a food processor skip the next two steps)

If not: Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until they come together into a dough.

Knead the dough on the counter for 8-10mins. (the purpose here is to get gluten forming in the dough to give elasticity)

IF YOU HAVE A FOOD PROCESSOR WITH A DOUGH BLADE:

Once the yeast mix has started to froth put all of the ingredients into a food processor fitted with a plastic blade (dough blade).

Pulse the ingredients until they come together into a dough - it should be coming away from the side of the mixer cleanly. 

Knead the dough by running the machine for another 2 mins (it feels like forever!!) 

Take the kneaded dough and place in an oiled container with a lid, or cover the container with cling film to stop it forming a crust. 

(the oil will make it much easier to get out once it’s proved, and stop the dough sticking to the cling film)

Leave it in a warm place until it’s doubled in size.

When the dough is ready turn it out and cut off a 100g piece of the dough (about the size of your fist) and roll it out until its 1cm thick. Then use your hands to stretch it out and make it naan bread sized . . . . drop it into a hot non stick pan and cook until bubbly on the top and brown on the bottom, then flip it, and finish cooking the top.

Brush with garlic or plain butter if you like!

Serve with your favourite curry! In this case I’ve been dying to try Bhavin’s curry and samosas, so I had it with a Tadka Daal. I put the samosa in the oven to crisp up the pastry, absolutely lovely!! 

I mixed a raita while they were heating up . . .

Ingredients for the raita:

150g plain yogurt (low fat)

150g cucumber (2mm dice)

2tbsp chopped coriander

1 spring onion (chopped)

1/2 lime (juice)

~

Simply mix all the ingredients together. Job done!

Thanks Bhavin for a great curry! 

(Available at Bruton Convenience Store)

Naan related posts . . .

* Turkey Kebab w/ Mango & Yoghurt Sauce

* Black Garlic King Prawn Kebab w/ Cucumber & Lime 

* Salt and Pepper Fillet Steak Kebab w/ Green Peppers