Classic Fish Bisque

Serves : 6
Prep : 1 hour 20 min
Cook : 30 mins

Ingredients:
8oz/225g shrimps or prawns with shells on
2 bay leaves
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
6 peppercorns
2oz/50g butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1oz/25g plain flour
2 tblsp/30ml tomato puree
3 tblsp/45ml dry sherry
8oz / 225g cod fillet, skinned
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tblsp/15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tblsp/45ml double cream
Salt and pepper

Croutons:
4 slices white bread
3 tblsp/45ml olive
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tblsp/30ml chopped fresh parsley
4 tblsp/90ml single cream

Step One : Peel the shrimps or prawns, reserving the shells and set aside. Place the shells in a large pan with the bay leaves, leek, celery, carrot and peppercorns. Pour over 1pt/600ml cold water and bring to boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Step Two : Strain the stock through a sieve lined with muslin and set aside. Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the chopped onion very gently for about 10 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Step Three : Gradually pour the stock over the onion, stirring until thickened slightly. Stir in the tomato puree and dry sherry. Add the peeled shrimps or prawns. Cut the cod fillet into bite-sized cubes and add to the pan. cover and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.

Step Four : Stir in the cayenne and lemon juice. Allow to cool a little then liquidise in a food processor, in batches, until very smooth. Return to a rinsed out pan and stir in the cream and seasoning to taste. Heat through until almost boiling.

Step Five : To make the croutons, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into small squares. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic for 1 minute. Add the cubes of bread and cook gently on both sides until just golden. Drain croutons on absorbent kitchen paper then toss in the chopped parsley.

Step Six : Spoon the fish bisque into warmed serving dishes, top with a few croutons and add a swirl of cream to serve.

Herby Christmas Turkey

Recipe courtesy of Prima Magazine.

Sorry but I had to do a one turkey recipe 🙂

The butter and soft cheese eased gently under the skin of the turkey keeps the flesh wonderfully moist and full of flavour, while the rich fruity stuffing is really something else again.

turkey picture

Ingredients

Stuffing:
1oz (25g) butter
4oz (125g) onion, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
4oz (125g) smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
4oz (125g) field or brown cap mushrooms, roughly chopped
3oz (75g) white bread
3oz (75g) no-soak dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 tblsp (15ml) chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp (7.5ml) dried tarragon
12oz (350g) good quality pork sausage-meat
4 tsp (20ml) wholegrain mustard
rind of 1 lemon
1 tblsp (15ml) lemon juice

For the butter:
8oz (225g) butter
4oz (125g) soft cheese
3oz (75g) toasted pine nuts, finely chopped
6 tblsp (90ml) chopped fresh mixed herbs, eg. parsley, thyme and chives
rind and juice of 1 lemon

10lb (4.5kg) oven ready turkey

Step One : To make the stuffing, heat butter in a pan and cook onion and garlic until beginning to soften. Add the bacon and mushrooms, and cook until all excess moisture has evaporated. Cool.

Step Two : Cut the bread into 1/2 in (1 cm) cubes. Add to mushroom mix with apricots, herbs, sausage-meat, mustard, grated lemon rind and 1 tblsp juice. Season.

Step Three : Mix butter, cheese, pine nuts, herbs and grated rind and juice of lemon with seasoning. Place mixture in a piping bag with a large plain nozzle.

Step Four : Preheat the oven to Mark 4 (350oF / 180oC). Place your fingers in between the skin and the breast meat at the neck end of the turkey and release the skin, making a pocket over the breast. Be careful not to rip the skin. Gradually pipe butter under the skin. Run your hands over the skin of the turkey to spread the butter evenly underneath.

Step Five : Spoon stuffing into neck end and secure with skewers.

Step Six : Cook in a roasting tin, covered with foil, for 3 1/2 – 4 hours, basting occasionally, or until golden brown. When cooked, the juices will run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg. Cook for a little longer if necessary

Step Seven : Leave the bird in a warm place on a serving dish for 20 minutes before carving.

Tip: Prepare ahead: Make the stuffing and butter the night before and refrigerate.

Classic Fudge Brownies

This recipe courtesy of Easy Living Magazine

Do you like yours fudgy and soft in the centre, or cake-like and full of nuts? There are probably more variations on the basic brownie than any other chocolate treat. These are definitely the gooey version. Brownies need no decorating, serve as they are with perhaps a dusting of cocoa or icing sugar.

Makes : 15 – Prep time : 20 mins – Cook time : 25 mins

Ingredients:
300g (10oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped (look for chocolate with at least 50% cocoa solids); 300g (10oz) unsalted butter, chopped; 5 free-range eggs; 400g (13oz) caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 150g (5oz) plain flour; 50g (1 ¾ oz) cocoa powder; ½ tsp baking powder; pinch of salt; 100g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate chips

Method:

Heat the oven to 180^oC (gas mark 4). Grease a shallow 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 in) baking tin and line with baking paper (leave a little overhanging the two long sides to help remove the brownies from the tin).
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). All to cool.
Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for about 4 minutes or until thick, pale and fluffy. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture.
Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and fold in using a large metal spoon, until smooth. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface.
Bake for 30-35 mins or until the top has formed a crust. It should be firm to the touch but still a bit moist in the centre. Allow to cool in the tin, then remove and cut into squares. Store the brownies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Banoffee Pie

A crisp biscuit base filled with the delicious combination of chewy toffee, bananas, cream and chocolate, this pudding is a real winner! The filling takes a little time and attention to make – it needs to be stirred continuously to prevent it from burning – but it’s well worth the effort.

Serves: 10; Cost: £3.20; Time to prepare: 20 mins; Time to cook: 23-33 mins; Cals per portion: 510

Ingredients: Base: 225g (8oz) oaty biscuits like hobnobs crushed; 75g (3oz) butter, melted
Filling and Topping: 405g can skimmed sweetened condensed milk; 100g (4oz) butter; 45ml (3 tbsp) maple syrup; 300ml (1/2 pt) double cream; 2 small bananas, peeled and sliced; 15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice; cocoa powder and chocolate curls

1. To make the base, place the crushed biscuits in a large bowl and stir in the melted butter. Mix thoroughly then press mixture into the base and up the sides of a 20cm (8in) greased loosed-based fluted flan tin. Chill while making the pie filling.
2. To make the filling, place the condensed milk and the butter in a heavy-based pan and heat, stirring all the time, until the butter has melted. Simmer very gently, stirring all the time for 20-30 mins until the mixture thickens and turns a caramel colour.
3. Stir the maple syrup and 30ml (2 tbsp) of the double cream into the mixture and leave to cool for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Then spread the cooled mixture into the prepared biscuit case and level the surface. Leave to cool completely.
4. Toss the banana slices in the lemon juice then arrange them over the cooled filling. Whip the rest of the cream until softly peaking, then spoon in large swirls over the bananas. Dust thickly with the cocoa powder and decorate with the chocolate curls.

Pork Stroganoff

This variation of a classic recipe uses boneless loin chops instead of the more expensive pork fillet or strips of beef steak. It’s perfect for a filling family meal but special enough for entertaining. Serve with boiled rice, creamed potatoes or buttered noodles and a crisp green salad.

Serves: 6; Time to prepare: 25 mins; Time to cook: 25-30 mins; Cals per portion: 320

Ingredients: 45ml (3 tbsp) flour; 10ml (2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper; 6 boneless loin pork chops; 2 onions, peeled; 350g (12oz) mushrooms, wiped; 1 red pepper, deseeded; 30ml (2 tbsp) oil; 40g (1 ½ oz) butter; 10ml (2 tsp) Dijon mustard; 425ml (¾ pt) meat or vegetable stock; 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh chopped parsley; soured cream to serve

Mix the flour and black pepper together on a plate and season with salt. Dip each pork chop in the flour mixture to coat completely. Reserve any remaining flour mixture. Slice the onions into rings and slice the mushrooms and the red pepper.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions for 8-10 mins until soft and browned. Add the mushrooms and red pepper, then fry for a further 4 mins until the mushrooms are just tender. Remove from the frying pan and set aside.
Add butter to the frying pan and heat until it has melted, then add the pork chops. Cook chops for 6-8 mins on each side until golden brown all over and just cooked through. Remove and set aside with the onions, mushrooms and pepper.
Add mustard to the pan, then stir in reserved flour. Gradually whisk in the stock and simmer for 2-3 mins until thickened. Return chops and vegetables to the pan and simmer for 5 mins. Garnish with parsley and serve with soured cream.
Tip: To make this dish extra special, replace half the stock with dry white wine or add a splash of brandy when frying the pork chops.