Recipes from this autumn’s cookery demonstrations – Mary Berry & Valentina Harris (see below)
MARY BERRY
SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE WITH CUCUMBER AND DILL
Serves 6
A very attractive first course. If you haven’t metal rings, take 2 dessert spoons of the mousse and carefully shape like oval quenelles and arrange on salad leaves. Then a pile of diced cucumber in the centre and dill on top. Smoked salmon trimmings are usually vacuum packed in their salmon section.
Ingredients
175g (6 oz) good quality smoked salmon trimmings
50ml (2 fl oz) pouring double cream
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon creamed horseradish, from a jar
dash tomato puree
dash of Tabasco
2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
100ml (4 fl oz) double cream, lightly whipped
Decoration
½ cucumber
Mixed salad leaves
6 small slices smoked salmon
6 small sprigs of dill
Salad dressing
Line a baking tray with cling film. Arrange 6 x 7cm ( ¾”) metal rings on the baking tray.
Measure the smoked salmon trimmings into the processor and whiz briefly just enough to be the size of peppercorns, (do not over chop). Add the 50ml cream and whiz again until combined. Tip into a bowl, stir in the lemon juice, horseradish, tomato puree, Tabasco and half the chopped dill. Season with black pepper and stir to combine. Lightly fold in the whipped cream. Spoon into the metal rings and level the top surface. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to set overnight. Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthways and using a teaspoon scoop out the seeds and discard. Chop the flesh very finely into neat cubes. Tip into a bowl, add little salad dressing, just to coat, season with salt and pepper and stir in the remaining chopped dill. To serve, sit a little salad leaves individual plates (or on a large platter) and dress with salad dressing. Sit the rings on top and remove the rings. Spoon a little cucumber salad on top of each mousse. Arrange a small rosette or ruffle of smoked salmon on top of the cucumber and sprinkle with a sprig of dill. Serve with small bread rolls.
Preparing ahead
The mousses can be made completely up to 2 days ahead. The cucumber salad can be made up to 6 hours ahead add the dressing and seasoning just before serving. The plates can be arrange up to 6 hours ahead and chilled until served. Not suitable for freezing.
HADDOCK, SPINACH AND POTATO BAKE
Serves 6
Full of flavour with a quick white sauce, hint of lemon and cheese. Just serve with petit pois or just crusty bread. A great change from the classic fish pie.
Ingredients
Knob of butter
650g (1lb 4oz) undyed smoked haddock fillet, skin on
650g (1lb 4oz) potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and each cut into eight
225g (8oz) young spinach, washed
50g (2oz) butter
50g (2oz) plain flour
300ml (½ pint) hot milk
200g tub full fat crème fraîche
Juice of ½ a lemon
75g (3oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚ Fan/Gas 4. You will need a wide 2litre (3½ pint) fairly shallow ovenproof dish. Lay a piece of foil on the worktop and grease with butter and season with salt and pepper. Lay the haddock fillets, skin side up, in a single layer and wrap the foil around to make a parcel. Cook in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes until the haddock is just cooked. Set aside to cool, remove the foil and peel off the skin. Flake the haddock into large pieces. Increase the temperature of the oven to 200˚C/180˚ Fan/Gas 6. Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks. Boil in salted water for about 10 minutes or until just cooked. Drain well. Wilt the spinach in a frying pan, season with salt and pepper and tip into a colander and push to squeeze out any excess water. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and whisk until a smooth roux. Heat and gradually whisk in the hot milk and crème fraîche. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened, season with salt and pepper and add half the cheese. Stir in the lemon and the cubed cooked potatoes. Mix well. Arrange six piles of spinach evenly across the base of the dish. Spoon over the haddock fillets and the hard boiled egg pieces and season with little salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes and sauce and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake the dish for 25-30 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling around the edges.
Preparing ahead
Can be made up to a day ahead and baked on the day to serve. Not suitable for freezing.
AGA
Bake on the second set of runners in the roasting oven for 20-25 minutes.
FRESH LEMON AND HERB TURKEY SALAD
Serves 6
Just serve with fresh salad leaves and your favourite bread.
Ingredients
Lemon Dressing
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh basil pesto
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon caster sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
750g (1½ lb) cooked boneless, skinless turkey, cut into thin strips
1 x 290g jar red chargrilled peppers, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
200g (7oz) feta cheese, broken into small pieces
To make the Lemon Dressing, measure the ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together using a hand whisk until combined. Add the turkey strips to the bowl and toss in the dressing. Add half the slices of pepper, basil, parsley and two thirds of the feta pieces. Season with salt and pepper and toss carefully to combine. Arrange on a platter and scatter the remaining pepper and feta cheese along the centre of the turkey in a pretty arrangement. Serve chilled
Preparing ahead
The turkey salad up to the end of step 2 can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Not suitable for freezing.
APRICOT AND CHESTNUT STUFFING
Serves 6
This stuffing is cooked in a separate dish rather than inside the bird, so it becomes very crisp. It is really good with turkey, goose or chicken.
Ingredients
225g (8oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots
600ml (1 pint) water
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
225g (8oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
75g (3oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
225g (8oz) frozen chestnuts, thawed and roughly chopped
a generous bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/Fan 170ºC/Gas 5. You will need a shallow ovenproof dish, about 20 x 28 x 5cm (8 x 11 x 2in). Chop the apricots into small pieces the size of raisins. Measure the water into a pan, add the onion and apricot pieces, and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well. Put the breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Melt the measured butter in a non-stick frying pan, and pour half of it on to the breadcrumbs. Add the chestnuts to the remaining melted butter in the frying pan and brown lightly. Mix together with the apricots, onion, parsley and breadcrumbs. Season well with salt and pepper. Turn into a buttered ovenproof dish. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes until crisp.
Preparing ahead
Prepare to the end of stage 4. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 1 day before cooking. Cook as above but for a little longer. If preferred cook the day before and reheat until piping hot on the day. You could also freeze it cooked, for about 1 month then reheat it on Christmas Day.
AGA
Slide the dish on to the floor of the Roasting Oven for about 25-30 minutes until crisp.
SEVILLE MINTED CHICKEN
Serves 6
Perfect for a special dinner party.
Ingredients
12 chicken thighs
Topping
4 tablespoons thick cut marmalade, chopped
1½ tablespoons mint sauce from a jar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Sauce
400ml cold chicken stock
2 level tablespoons cornflour
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 large orange
A little gravy browning
Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚ Fan/Gas 6. Arrange the chicken thighs in a large roasting tin. Measure the marmalade, mint sauce and garlic into a small bowl and mix together. Spoon over the chicken. Roast in the pre-heated oven for about 35-45 minutes, basting once until tender. Remove the chicken from the tin into a serving dish and keep warm. Skim the fat from the in and sit on a low heat. Slake the cornflour with the orange juice and rind in a bowl. Add the stock to the roasting tin, bring to the boil, add the cornflour mixture, bring to boil, stirring until thickened. Check seasoning, add a little gravy browning and serve with the chicken.
Preparing ahead
The completed chicken dish can be frozen up to 3 months.
AGA
Roast the joints on the second set of runners in the roasting oven for about 35 minutes.
ROYAL GAME CASSEROLE
Serves 6
The ideal winter recipe. Can be made with half braising beef and half venison stewing steak if preferred.
Ingredients
1kg (2.2lb) cubed game casserole meat
1 x 140g packet cubed pancetta or smoked bacon
2 onions, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
200ml red wine
200ml cold game or chicken stock
12 large pitted prunes, chopped
25g plain flour
6 sprigs thyme
About 1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly
Little gravy browning
Preheat the oven to 160˚C/140˚ Fan/Gas 3. Heat a large deep frying pan and brown the game meat on all sides until lightly golden all over. You may need to do this in batches to get an even colour. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the pancetta to the pan and fry over a high heat until crisp. Add the vegetables and fry for a few more minutes. Add red wine, prunes and boil for a couple of minutes, add two thirds of the stock. Measure the flour into a bowl and whisk in the remaining cold stock until smooth and pour into the pan. Bring to the boil, stirring and thickened. Add the thyme, redcurrant jelly and salt and pepper and add the game meat. Cover and transfer to the oven for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove the thyme sprigs and serve with mash and a green vegetable.
Preparing ahead
The casserole can be made up to a day ahead. Freezes well.
AGA
Cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 3 hours until the meat is tender.
FRANGIPANE MINCE PIE
Serves 8
This tart is very special. It freezes well too. Use a bought 500g pack of short crust pastry if time is short. This mixture will also make 24 individual mince pies.
Ingredients
Pastry
175g (6oz) plain flour
75g (3oz) butter, cubed
25g (1oz) caster sugar
1 egg
Generous half (410g) jar good mincemeat
Frangipane topping
75g (3oz) butter
75g (3oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
75g (3oz) ground almonds
25g (1oz) plain flour
½ teaspoon almond extract
Icing
about 75g (3oz) icing sugar
juice of ½ lemon
about 50g (2oz) toasted flaked almonds
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/Fan 170ºC/Gas 5, and put a heavy, flat baking tray into it to heat up. You will need a 33cm x 10cm x 3cm rectangle tin. First make the pastry, either by the usual rubbing-in method by hand or measure the flour and butter into a processor and process until rubbed in. Add the sugar and mix for a moment, then add the egg and water. Process until the mixture just holds together. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and use to line the flan tin. There will be ample pastry. Prick the base of the pastry using a fork.Next make the topping – no need to wash up the processor. Process the butter and sugar until creamy, add the eggs and blend, then mix in the ground almonds and almond extract. Spread a thin layer of mincemeat over the base of the pastry and spoon the almond mixture on top. Sit the tart tin on the hot baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. To finish the tart, make a glacé icing from the icing sugar and lemon juice, adding water to make it a pouring consistency. Spread over the tart and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Serve warm.
Preparing ahead
The pastry-lined flan tin can be kept, covered with cling film, in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Filled with the mincemeat and almond filling, it can be kept for about 1 hour, covered and refrigerated. You can also freeze the completed tart. Cool, wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
ORANGE PANNACOTTA
Serves 6-8
Literally translated this is “cooked Cream”. It should be barely set and it is delicious with a sharp fruit or fruity coulis. If you prefer to make vanilla flavoured ones, replace the orange rind with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. As an alternative the pannacotta can be made in a 1.2 litre (2 pint) glass dish.
Ingredients
1½ pints (900 ml) single cream
3 oz (75g) caster sugar
grated rind of one orange
1 x 11g packet powdered gelatine
2 tablespoons cold water
Orange zest to garnish
You will need 8 small metal pudding basins. Lightly oil the inside leave upside down on kitchen paper to allow excess oil to drain out. Measure the cold water into a small container and sprinkle the gelatine over evenly. Set aside to sponge. Measure the cream, sugar and orange rind into a saucepan and bring the cream to scalding point (just below boiling), stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, cool very slightly. Add dissolved gelatine in a “lump” and whisk till smooth. Pour into the moulds and allow to set in the fridge, for about 6 hours or ideally overnight. To turn out – release the pannacotta in the moulds and invert onto individual plates. Garnish with orange zest to serve.
Preparing ahead
These pannacottas should be served from the fridge. To prepare ahead, they can be made up to 2 days before and turned out onto glass plates on the day. Once turned out keep the inverted ramekin dish over the pannacottas and leave in the fridge until ready to serve. Just before serving remove the ramekin and garnish.
VALENTINA HARRIS RECIPES NOVEMBER 2011
SALVIA FRITTA / DEEP FRIED SAGE LEAVES
Serves 4
Ingredients
32 fresh sage leaves, washed and dried
2 tablespoons anchovy paste
40 g plain white flour
5 to 6 tablespoons water
salt
1 egg white, chilled
150 ml olive oil (NOT extra virgin)
METHOD
Sandwich together pairs of sage leaves with a little anchovy paste. Beat the flour with enough water to make a batter with the consistency of double cream. Season to taste with salt. Beat the egg white until stiff then fold it into the batter. Dip the leaf sandwiches into the batter to coat them. Heat the oil until sizzling and fry the sage leaves for a few minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and serve very hot.
ZABAGLIONE
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
4 tablespoons cold water
6 tablespoons marsala
6 tablespoons caster sugar
METHOD
Put all the ingredients into the top half of a double-boiler and whisk them all together with a balloon whisk off the heat. Fill the bottom of the double boiler with hot but not boiling water and place the pan over a gentle heat. Whisk constantly at an even rhythm, always beating in the same direction, and keep beating for about 20 minutes until the mixture has become light, foamy and pale yellow. It should be the consistency of semi-melted ice cream. If you undercook it, the liquid will separate from the egg yolks. If the mixture appears to be scrambling, take it off the heat immediately and beat hard until it is smooth again. Never allow the water in the bottom of the double-boiler to come to the boil. Serve warm or cold in stemmed glasses. For extra luxury, leave the zabaglione until just cool then fold in 6 tablespoons of whipped cream and chill. It is a good idea to serve some biscuits with this dessert for a contrast in texture.
RISOTTO AL GORGONZOLA / GORGONZOLA RISOTTO
Serves 4
The very strong taste of good, ripe Gorgonzola is unmistakable and absolutely delicious. If you find it a little too strong, try using half the quantity or alternatively use Dolcelatte, which is younger than Gorgonzola by about six months but is still the same cheese. Incidentally, it is only made for foreign export. Follow this risotto with a mouth cleansing salad.
Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon dried sage leaves, very finely chopped
100 g (4 oz) unsalted butter
400 g (14 oz) risotto rice
1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken or vegetable stock, simmering
100 g (4 oz) ripe Gorgonzola
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons single cream
4 fresh sage leaves, washed and chopped very finely
To serve : freshly grated Parmesan offered separately
METHOD
Fry the onion and the sage together in half the butter until the onion is soft and melting. Add all the rice and raise the heat slightly to toast the grains and cover them with onion, sage and butter by stirring. Don’t let any of these ingredients brown but make sure you get the rice really hot before adding the first ladle full of stock. Begin to add the hot stock, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. About half way through, stir the Gorgonzola into the risotto. It will melt quickly and soon become distributed through the rice if you keep stirring. Continue to cook the rice, making sure that the grains always absorb the stock before you add more liquid. When the risotto is creamy and velvety, but the rice grains are still firm to the bite take it off the heat and stir in the rest of the butter and the cream and the fresh sage. Adjust seasoning, bearing in mind that Gorgonzola is very salty so you probably won’t need to add more salt, though you will probably like a little pepper.
RISOTTO CON I FUNGHI / MUSHROOM RISOTTO
Serves 4
There are many versions of this favourite, so many people seem to love Mushroom Risotto above all others! Here is my own version, which uses a touch of garlic and rosemary to really bring out the flavour of the mushrooms. If you cannot find wild mushrooms, use ordinary cultivated mushrooms instead. For a really strong mushrooms flavour you can of course use dried porcini mushrooms
Ingredients:
200 g (7 oz) mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and chopped coarsely
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 small sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
75 g (4 oz) unsalted butter
1 large glass dry white wine
350 g (1 lb) preferably Arborio rice
1.2 litres (2¾ pints) chicken or vegetable stock, kept just below boiling point
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
freshly grated Grana Padano – served separately, (optional)
METHOD
Pick over the mushrooms carefully, making sure they are clean and free of any forest debris, wipe them clean where necessary and trim off any hard corners before chopping coarsely. Put the onion, garlic and rosemary into a large, heavy bottomed saucepan with half the butter. Fry gently together until the onion is soft. Add the cleaned, chopped mushrooms and stir together thoroughly. Cook the mushrooms until just soft. Add the white wine and stir. Wait for the alcohol fumes to boil off, then add the rice and seasoning and begin the cooking process, adding a little hot stock at a time and waiting for the rice to absorb it, stirring thoroughly each time you add more liquid. Continue in this way until the rice is tender and all the grains are plump and fluffy. Remove from the heat, stir in the rest of the butter and cover. Leave to stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to a warmed platter and serving. You may offer Grana Padano cheese separately, but if the mushrooms are very strong, the cheese may be unnecessary.
SALTIMBOCCA ALLA ROMANA
Serves 4
8 veal escalopes or thin turkey breasts or chicken breasts weighing about 100 g/4 oz each, trimmed and flattened
1 tablespoon plain white flour
2 tablespoons butter
16 fresh sage leaves
8 slices fresh Italian mozzarella
8 slices Prosciutto crudo or cured ham
¾ glass dry white wine
salt and pepper
METHOD
Make sure all the slices of meat are about the same size and thickness, batter them thin as required. Cover each slice of meat with a slice each of mozzarella and ham, slipping the remaining sage leaves between the meat and the mozzarella. Season lightly. Melt the butter in a pan with half the sage leaves, dip the underside of each saltimbocca in the flour, then fry the meat cheese side down until the ham and cheese have stuck to the meat and then turn over and finish cooking on the other side, until the cheese is oozing out from under the ham and the meat is cooked all the way through. Season to taste. Take the saltimbocca out of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and pour the wine into the pan and boil quickly, stirring and scarping, for about 3 minutes. Return the meat to the pan to heat through for one minute, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm. Pour any remaining sauce over the meat and serve at once.
BISTECCA ALLA PIZZAIOLA / STEAK PIZZAIOLA
This is the classic Pizzaiola, made with beef and using Passata, sieved and pureed canned tomatoes, for a very speedy dish. You can or course use chicken, pork or even fish as an alternative to the beef.
Preparation time : 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
4 minute steaks, trimmed and flattened with a meat mallet.
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
9 tbsp passata
1 heaped tsp fragrant dried oregano
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped (optional)
2 tbsp black olives, stones removed and chopped coarsely (optional)
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
METHOD
Prepare the meat carefully, making sure it is evenly thinned. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the garlic for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the passata and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Slide the meat into the sauce and cook together quickly for about 4 minutes. Transfer on to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve at once.
TORTA DI ZUCCA (PUMPKIN CAKE)
The quantities for this cake are calculated in raw weight of pumpkin, so in other words for a cake large enough for 4 you will need 600 g of pumpkin, double this for a larger cake. Choose your cake tin once you have made the cake batter.
Ingredients:
600 g pumpkin (preferably the Barucca variety from Chioggia)
150 g unsalted butter
pinch salt
150 g granulated sugar
50 g. crushed almonds
50 g candied citron
50 g sultanas, soaked in grappa until swollen
grated zest of 1 lemon
80 g plain white flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs separated
oil for greasing
icing sugar for dusting
METHOD
Peel and cube the pumpkin, then put it into a saucepan with the butter and cook it until soft. Mash it thoroughly with a pinch of salt. Stir in the sugar, almonds, candied citron, the sultanas and the grappa and the grated zest. Beat all this together very thoroughly. Sift in the flour and the baking powder and stir. Beat the egg yolks until light and foamy, then fold in. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold in lightly. Turn into a greased and lined cake tin and bake in a fairly shallow tin in a moderate oven at Gas mark 4 for about an hour, or until a wooden stick slid into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Turn out on to a cooling rack and then dust with icing sugar.