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Smoked Haddock and Leek Tart

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Another one to try from my favourite fish man, Mr. Stein. Let’s translate this into French and call it a Quiche, eh? Something like: Quiche d’Aiglefin Fumé et Poireaux .

Planning

serves: 6-8
preparation time: 1 hr
cooking time: 50-60 mins

Ingredients

  • 25g/1oz butter
  • 225g/8oz leeks, cleaned & thinly sliced
  • 350g/12oz undyed smoked haddock
  • small bunch of chives
  • 3 1arge eggs
  • 284ml/9½ fl oz carton double cream
  • 3 tbsp finely grated parmesan (optional)
  • Savoury Rich Shortcrust Pastry made with 225g/8oz flour

Method

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry in to a round large enough to fit a 25cm/lOin loose-bottomed flan tin about 4cm/1½in deep. Prick the base here and there with a fork and chill for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan, add the leeks and some seasoning and cook gently, uncovered, for 15 mins, stirring occasionally until they are very tender. Bring some water to the boil in a large shallow pan. Add the haddock and simmer for 4 mins, until just cooked. Lift out onto a plate and leave until cool enough to handle, then break the fish into flakes, discarding any skin and bones.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with non-stick baking parchment and baking beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake blind for 15 mins. Remove the paper and beans, and return the empty case to the oven for 5 mins until cooked and lightly golden. Remove from the oven. (The pastry case, leeks and haddock can all be prepared up to a day ahead to this stage. When cool, store the pastry in an airtight container, and the leeks and fish in the fridge.)

Turn oven down to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Snip the chives into the leeks and scatter them over the base of the pastry case. Scatter the flaked fish over the top. Beat the eggs with the cream, parmesan and some seasoning, then pour over the leeks and fish. Bake for 30-35 mins until just set and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving.


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Posted in Fish Tagged with:

Spring Vegetables

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An odd title considering that the canned artichoke hearts are a somewhat less-than-usual ingredient; I’d have thought a title featuring them might be appropriate. Nonetheless, this came from an Easter publication tossed out by the Radio Times. The artichokes remind me of Spain, where they are very popular and readily available, so I decided to try this with Merluza a la Plancha (Spanish griddled hake) – and very successful it was, too. 😉

Planning

serves: 4
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 6 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only chopped
  • 280g/10oz jar/tin artichoke hearts (~4), drained and halved
  • 350g/12oz peas
  • grated zest 1 lemon, plus squeeze of juice
  • knob of butter
  • small handful parsley leaves, chopped

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic and spring onions, then cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until the onions have softened.

Add the thyme, artichokes and peas, stir to combine. Tip in lemon juice, then cook for 5-10 mins until the peas are just done. Stir in lemon zest, butter and parsley, season to taste, then serve.


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Posted in Veggies Tagged with:

Sweet Rich Shortcrust Pastry

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This crisp and crumbly mouth-watering pastry made with self-raising flour breaks all the rules but gives a special taste and texture to all sweet pies, large or small.

Planning

serves:  
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time:  

Ingredients

  • 8 oz self-raising flour
  • pinch salt
  • 1 oz caster sugar
  • 2 oz butter
  • 2 oz block margarine
  • 1 oz lard
  • 1 egg yolk
  • milk, to mix

Method

Sift the flour, salt and caster sugar (if using) into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter, margarine and lard with the finger tips to the fine breadcrumb stage.

Add the egg yolk and enough milk to mix to a pliable dough using a round bladed knife.

Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and kneed lightly until smooth and even. Chill wrapped for 30 mins before using.


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Posted in Basics Tagged with:

Savoury Rich Shortcrust Pastry

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Planning

serves:  
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time:  

Ingredients

  • 8 oz self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 oz butter
  • 2 oz lard
  • water, to mix

Method

Put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and pulse together until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs (or make pastry the traditional way, rubbing in the butter by hand). Stir in 1½-2 tbsp of water with a round-bladed table knife until the mixture starts to come together into a ball. Turn pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cover and allow to rest for 20 mins in the fridge before using in y9ur chosen recipe.


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Posted in Basics Tagged with:

Potato Gnocchi

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Unlike fresh pasta, the commercial versions of which are so good now that it hardly seems worth making it yourself (unless for special ravioli), commercial potato gnocchi are relatively heavy compared to their homemade equivalents. Making your own is, therefore, worth the effort.

Be warned: they do not store well so cook them soon after you have made them.

Planning

serves: 4
preparation time: 30 mins
cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients

  • 800g floury potatoes such as King Edward or Maris Piper
  • 2 medium egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 200g plain flour
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Peel the potatoes and cut into large, even pieces. Boil them in salted water for 8-12 minutes, depending upon th esize, until just tender. Drain thoroughly, then return to the pan and place on a very low heat for 3-5 minutes to drive off all the excess moisture from the potatoes.

Mash the potatoes, preferably with a mouli or potato ricer, then mix in the egg yolks, flour, seasoning and nutmeg. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth.

Divide the dough into workable pieces (about fist-sized) and work with one piece at a time. Roll each piece into a sausage about 2cm in diameter, then cut this into 2cm chunks. Use a fork to flatten the chunks slightly and print the traditional lines on the gnocchi. Place them a floured tray, making sure they do not touch.

Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Drop in as many gnocchi as will comfortably fit the pan and simmer gently. Don’t stir or the gnocchi may disintegrate. As they cook, they’ll bob to the surface. Give them about 1 minute from the time they surface, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Drain them on a plate lined with kitchen paper, then transfer them to a warm dish. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi until all are cooked.

Toss with your chiosen hot sauce or melted butter with fresh sage leaves and serve immediately.


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Posted in Basics Tagged with:

Stufatino alla Romana

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This is quite strongly flavoured Italian beef stew that I cooked, originally, more years ago than I care to remember. I remember its being quite interesting largely. I think, due to the combination of celery with beef. Other than that, it’s a pretty standard “Beef in red wine” kind of meal but it tastes pretty good. Here I go reviving a wintery blast from the past.

Planning

serves: 4
preparation time: 25 mins
cooking time: 1½ hrs

Ingredients

  • 2 oz flour
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 2 lbs beef top rump, cubed
  • olive oil
  • 6 oz green streaky bacon, rinds removed & chopped
  • 1 medium onion, sliced & pushed into rings
  • 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbs fresh marjoram, chopped
  • 8 fl oz red wine
  • 4 floz beef stock
  • 2 tbs tomato purée

Method

In a large plastic bag, combine the flour, pepper, salt and dried marjoram. Add the beef cubes, seal the bag and toss it about to coat the beef with the seasoned flour. Set the beef aside on a plate.

In a large flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil and fry the bacon pieces, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp and have rendered their fat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add the onion and celery to the pan and fry gently for 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown. Shake excess flour off the beef cubes and add them to the casserole, stirring occasionally for another 6 to 8 minutes to brown them lightly. Add the fresh marjoram, reserved bacon, and stir in the stock and wine. Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until th eliquid has reduced by about half. Stir in the tomato purée and continue to simmer for a further 30 minutes.

The sauce should be thick and dark by the time the stufatino is cooked. We’re trying it with some homemade gnocchi and some tenderstem broccoli.


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Posted in Meat Tagged with:

Tuna with JC’s Thai Salad

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This is my modification of one of Rick Stein’s excellent ideas. Rick (or should I say Mr Stein?) makes a noodle salad but I prefer this variation using blanched oriental vegetables. The tuna needs to be thick enough (1 inch or more) to glaze it in the sauce. If it’s thinner, to avoid overcooking, just sear it plain on a very hot ridged griddle pan. (Or of course, if you prefer it plain, just griddle it anyway!)

Planning

serves: 4
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 lb bean sprouts
  • 4 oz mangetout or snow peas
  • 4 oz baby sweetcorn
  • 2 mild red chillies
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander
  • juice and zest of 1 lime
  • 2 tbs Thai fish sauce
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 4 thick tuna steaks
  • 6 tbs. dark soy sauce (optional)
  • 4 tbs balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method

First, make the salad. Cut the peas and sweetcorn into 1½ cm pieces. Drop them into a large pan of boiling, salted water over high heat. As soon as it returns to the boil, add the bean sprouts. When it returns to the boil again, drain the vegetables and refresh them immediately in cold water to arrest the cooking. When cool, dry them in a salad spinner and add to a salad bowl. Deseed and finely chop the fresh chillis and add these to the salad. Strip the coriander leaves and add these whole to the salad, too.

Now make the salad dressing. Mix the lime juice and zest, Thai fish sauce, sesame and sunflower oils, and let them infuse until you are ready to serve. Do not dress the salad until immediately before serving.

If you are doing the tuna with the sauce, mix the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar together. Lightly oil a frying pan and set it over moderately high heat. When hot, drop in the tuna steaks and flash fry them on both sides just to seal them. Throw in the sauce mixture keeping the heat up. It will bubble vigourously and start reducing. Turn the tuna steaks a couple of times to get both sides well coated with the glaze as it reduces. It should take about 2-3 minutes.

Alternatively, without the sauce option, heat your griddle pan and sear the tuna on both sides. Either way, please make sure you leave the tuna very pink in the middle.

Dress the salad and serve it with your chosen tuna.


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Posted in Fish Tagged with: ,

Roasted Red Pepper Salsa

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Roasted red peppers and tomatoes are natural companions. This accompanies plain grilled or pan-fried fish fillets very well.

Planning

serves: 2
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 large red pepper
  • 2 plum tomatoes
  • 1 mild red chilli
  • 10-12 leaves basil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • olive oil
  • salt

Method

Remove the pith and seeds from the red pepper, split it in half and flatten it. Grill under highest possible heat until the skin blisters and blackens. Put it in a bowl covered with cling film and let it steam for a few minutes. (This helps release the skin.) Skin it and cut into fine dice.

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute and skin them. Deseed the tomatoes and cut these into fine dice also.

Top, tail and deseed the red chilli and chop it finely.

Add these three ingredients to a bowl and tear in the basil leaves. Skin the garlic clove and grate it into the mixture.

To use it cold, add the olive oil and salt to taste at this stage and mix all to combine the flavours. Chill until required.

Alternatively, you can use it warmed: add the olive oil to a small skillet and warm it over gentle heat. Add the salsa ingredients and stir constantly to warm it through. Be careful not to cook it.


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Posted in Accompaniments Tagged with:

Red Onion Marmalade

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One of those little accompaniments with a bizarre name that became trendy in the early part of the new millennium. Still, just because a thing is trendy it doesn’t mean that it isn’t worthy of some attention, does it? I think the name is fun and it works well with baked or grilled cheeses, particularly goat’s cheeses.

Planning

serves: 4
preparation time: 10 mins
cooking time: 1 hr

Ingredients

  • 350g red onions, peeled, halved & finely sliced
  • 25g butter
  • 1 tbs thyme leaves, picked
  • 225ml dry red wine
  • 50ml red wine vinegar
  • salt & pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, stir in the onions and the thyme and let them soften for about 10 minutes. Now add the wine and vinegar, bring it to a gentle simmer and add a little salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook gently, uncovered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the liquid has evaporated. You are aiming for a jam-like consistency.

This works warm or cold, depending upon what it is accompanying.


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Posted in Accompaniments Tagged with:

Puy Lentil Salad

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Puy lentils have a natural peppery taste and make a good salad to accompany cold chicken or guinea fowl.

Planning

serves: 4
preparation time: 5 mins
cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 8 oz Puy lentils, rinsed
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tbs good olive oil
  • salt

Method

Cover the lentils with water in a small saucepan and add the sprigs of thyme. Do not add salt. Bring to the boil and simmer gently. After 5 minutes, add the chopped shallots. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender but retain their shape.

Drain the lentils and remove the thyme sprigs. Put them into a bowl and stir in the olive oil. While still warm, add salt to taste, stirring gently to dissolve. Due to the natural peppery taste of Puy lentils, adding pepper should be unnecessary.

Allow the lentils to cool before serving.


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Posted in Veggies Tagged with: