Author: bridgete

Categories
Vegetarian

Cheese souffle

  • 6 tablespoon butter
  • 6 tablespoon flour
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups milk
  • 5 eggs 2 cups cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chives

can make it ahead of time and cook later.

Make a blonde roux by melting butter and then whisking in the flour. Add the milk all at the same time and whisk and once its thick, let it cool in a bowl.

Break 6 eggs in a bowl and whisk. Add salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the roux and whisk. Then add the cheese and chives.

Use a terracotta gratin dish buttered. Pour in the batter. Decorate the top with thin slices of cheese and lay over. (not completely covered) Making stripes.

400c for one hour. Feeds 6

Categories
Desserts

Salted Caramel Custard

  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 c cream
  • 1/4 tsp fleur de sel
  • 4 tablespoons butter (2 for caramel and 2 for custard)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1/3 c corn starch
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • vanilla bean

CARAMEL

In a high sided pan, put the sugar on medium high and wait BUT KEEP WATCHING. The sugar will melt. Swirl the pan but DO NOT STIR, When its caramel color, lower the heat to let all the sugar melt but not burn.

Add the cream. It will rise and bubble. Once it settles, whisk in sea salt. Add the butter and vanilla. Put into a heat proof container (like a glass measuring cup) Set aside. (will make about 3/4 cup of salted caramel sauce)

CUSTARD

Add the yolks and the corn starch and whisk. Set aside

In a pot on the stove add the milk and cream and a scraped vanilla seed (and pod) and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the milk mixture and add a little bit (temper) into the eggs. Then mix and then add the rest. Put it back in the pot on the stove and cook. Once thick, take it off the stove and add 2 tablespoons butter and whisk. Add the caramel sauce.

Pour into ramekins. In the fridge for 2 hours uncovered.

Serve with a little salt on top. And whipped cream (toffee bits or crushed nuts)

Categories
Fish

Butter-Roasted Halibut with Asparagus and Olives

  • 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise if thick, divided
  • 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1tsp. Aleppo-style pepper
  • 2½lb. skinless halibut, salmon, or arctic char filletKosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 2 bunches ramps or scallions, trimmed
  • ¾cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, torn
  • ¼cup finely chopped chives
  • ¼cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped tarragon, plus leaves for servingBoiled small waxy potatoes and lemon wedges (for serving)

Preheat oven to 325°. Thinly slice one-quarter of asparagus into coins and place in a medium bowl; set aside.

Heat butter and 2 Tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium. As soon as butter is melted, add Aleppo-style pepper and remove from heat.

Season fish with salt and black pepper on both sides and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter ramps and remaining asparagus around fish; season with salt and black pepper. Pour butter mixture over fish and vegetables. Give vegetables a toss to evenly coat. Roast, undisturbed, until fish is just opaque in the center and asparagus is bright green and tender, 15–25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.

Toss olives, chives, lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. tarragon, and remaining 5 Tbsp. oil with reserved asparagus; season with salt and black pepper.

Transfer fish to a platter; top with ramps and asparagus. Spoon some olive mixture over, then scatter tarragon leaves over. Serve with potatoes, lemon wedges, and remaining olive mixture alongside.

Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Orecchiette with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Almonds

  • ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • ½cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
  • ½cup parsley leaves with tender stems, chopped
  • 1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 2tablespoons plus ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, dividedKosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, large caps torn in half
  • 2large leeks, pale-green and white parts only, halved, sliced into ¾-inch pieces
  • 2garlic cloves, grated
  • ¾cup vegetable stock
  • 12ounces orecchiette

Heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook almonds, tossing frequently, until lightly golden, 1–2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer almonds to a medium bowl, leaving that almondy-oil goodness in the skillet.

Let almonds cool 10 minutes. Toss with parsley, lemon zest, and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil to almond oil in skillet. Heat over medium-high and cook mushrooms, undisturbed, no matter how much you may wish to give them a toss, until browned on 1 side, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, undisturbed, until browned on underside, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are tender but still retain their shape and have some bite, about 2 minutes more. Add leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until leeks are bright green and just getting tender, 4–5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Drain and transfer to skillet with mushroom mixture. Add remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan and cook, tossing, until sauce is nice and silky and creamy and lightly coats pasta, 2–3 minutes.

Serve pasta topped with reserved almond mixture.

Do Ahead: Pasta can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Categories
Pasta Vegetarian

Spinach & ricotta cannelloni

Ingredients

  • 400 g spinach
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ a bunch of fresh basil , (15g)
  • ½ a lemon
  • 1 large free-range egg
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 250 g ricotta
  • 150 g cannelloni , about 14 tubes
  • 2 x 125 g mozzarella balls

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  2. Cook the spinach and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the nutmeg, season with salt and pepper, cover . Place in a sieve to drain into a bowl and set to one side to cool.
  3. Dice the onion and cook in a drizzle of olive oil. until soft. Put aside
  4. Make tomato sauce. Break apart the canned tomatoes in the pan and add crushed garlic and bay leaf. Pick in a few basil leaves and grate in the zest of the lemon half, then let it gently simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Squeeze the moisture out of the spinach into the bowl. Chop the spinach on a board so you can chop it up. Return the spinach to the liquid in the bowl.
  6. Beat the egg and grate 2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese. Stir the ricotta, egg and Parmesan into the spinach. Season to taste.
  7. Spoon in the spinach mixture into the cannelloni shells. Lay them in a 20cm x 25cm oven dish.
  8. Spread the tomato sauce over the cannelloni. Pick the remaining basil leaves and scatter most of them over the tomato sauce. Slice the mozzarella and lay the slices on top, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season.
  9. Place in the oven and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or till the top is golden and the pasta tender (if the top browns too fast, cover the dish with foil). Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving with the remaining basil leaves.
Categories
Salad

Iceberg Wedge with Blue Cheese

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 4 oz. blue cheese, such as Maytag
  • 2 tbsp. heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire
  • 1⁄4 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and halved lengthwise
  • 4 strips cooked bacon, torn
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 8 basil leaves, torn
  • 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese, such as Maytag
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Flatbread or toasted pita, for serving

Instructions

  1. Make the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine blue cheese, cream, mayonnaise, milk, oil, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and shallot, and process until smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds. Season dressing with salt and pepper and transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
  2. Arrange lettuce cut side up on two plates. Spoon dressing over each wedge and garnish salad with bacon, tomatoes, basil, and blue cheese. Season with black pepper and serve with the flatbread, if you like.
Categories
Fish

Squid with sweet potato and lemon salsa

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g (net weight) sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
  • 2 small lemons
  • 150g trimmed celery, cut into 1cm dice
  • 1½ tbsp pitted Kalamata olives, cut into quarters lengthways
  • 2½ tbsp capers
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 6 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
  • 6 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 2½ tsp maple syrup 
  • 5 tbsp olive oil 
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 800g cleaned squid, cut into rings, or butterflied and cut into pieces
  • 60g rocket
  • Chilli oil, to finish
  1. Place a medium-sized pan of salted water on your stove top and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the sweet potato, simmer for five to seven minutes, then test for doneness – they need to be tender but still retain their shape, so watch out that they don’t turn into mush. Drain into a colander and leave to cool down.
  2. Next, take the lemons and, with a small, sharp knife, trim off their tops and tails. Now cut down their sides, along their round curves, to remove the skin and white pith. Over a medium bowl – to collect any juice that escapes – remove the individual lemon segments by cutting between the membranes. Put the segments in the bowl, then squeeze any remaining juice from the desegmented lemons over the top.
  3. Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the lemon bowl, then gently stir in the celery, olives, capers, garlic, anchovy (if using), parsley, maple syrup, three tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. The salsa can now be left at room temperature for a couple of hours, or refrigerated and used the next day.
  4. To cook the squid, heat up a ridged griddle pan or a barbecue until really hot – again, this is an essential factor in the cooking process. Throw the squid pieces in the pan a few at a time, without crowding, grill for about one minute each side, then remove, and repeat with the remaining squid.
  5. Once all the squid is cooked, toss it gently into the salsa ingredients. The heat of the squid will turn this into a warmish salad.
  6. As you plate it, dot with the rocket and finish with a trickle of chilli oil.
Categories
Vegetarian

Seared Halloumi with Peanut Dukkah and Honey

  • ¼cup skinless raw peanuts
  • 2Tbsp. toasted white sesame seeds
  • 1Tbsp. black sesame seeds
  • 1tsp. coriander seeds
  • 1tsp. cumin seeds
  • ½tsp. finely ground black pepper
  • 28-oz. packages Halloumi cheese
  • ¼cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼cup honey, warmed

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool. Crush with a mortar and pestle or finely chop. Transfer to a medium bowl, add both sesame seeds, and toss well.

Step 2

Toast coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes; let cool. Coarsely grind in spice mill or with mortar and pestle and add to peanut mixture along with pepper; mix dukkah well.

Step 3

Cut each piece of Halloumi in half on a diagonal. Working with 1 piece at time, place Halloumi cut side down on a cutting board and slice lengthwise into triangular planks. (You should have 12 total.) Pat dry with paper towels.

Step 4

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, cook Halloumi until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to fresh paper towels to drain.

Step 5

Arrange on a platter; drizzle with honey and sprinkle with some dukkah.

Step 6

Do Ahead: Dukkah can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Categories
Vegetarian

Lentil Burrito

  • 2 red onions
  • 2 cans lentils
  • 150 grams sundried tomatoes
  • 200 grams green olives (in lemon)
  • 750 grams cabbage
  • 100 grams cream cheese with garlic and herbs flavoring
  • 8 tortilla wraps
  • 175 grams grated Gouda jong cheese

Shred the onion. Rinse the lentils and drain in a colander. Drain the sun dried tomatoes. Save 2 tablespoons of the oil. Cut them into strips.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the tomato oil and fry the onions. Add the lentils and olives and cook stirring for 5 minutes. Add pepper and salt.

Cut the cabbage into strips. Heat the remaining tomato oil and fry the cabbage for 3 minutes. Then stir in the cream cheese, then add the lentils, olive and sun dried tomato mixture.

Warm the tortillas and rool them up

Categories
Fish

Baked Fish in Tahini Sauce (Siniyet samak bil tahineh)

For the tahini sauce

  • 1⁄2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (5¼ oz.) tahini
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (2 tsp.)
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt

For the fish

  • 1⁄4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (3⅓ cups)
  • Six 5¼-oz. cod, hake, or halibut fillets
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
  • 1½ tsp. ground cumin, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2 medium-hot green chiles, such as serrano or jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced (⅓ cup)
  • 3 Tbsp. pine nuts
  • 1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves
  • 1 tsp. ground sumac
  • Lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

  1. Make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and ¼ cup cold water to make a thick and creamy sauce. Set aside.
  2. To a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil; when the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 10–12 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons cool water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have completely softened but have not taken on any color, 8–10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large, shallow bowl, stir together the lemon juice and zest, and ½ teaspoon cumin; season to taste with salt and black pepper, then add the cod fillets and turn several times to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. (Don’t leave it for much longer than this, otherwise the fish will start to break down.)
  5. To a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil. Sprinkle the flour over a large plate and, one at a time, lift the fish pieces from the marinade and lightly dredge in the flour. Add the fish to the skillet (without crowding the pan) and cook, turning once halfway through, just until both sides are golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  6. Stir the cooled onions and the chiles into the reserved tahini sauce, then pour the sauce over the fish, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, transfer to the oven, and roast until the fish is just cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and continue cooking until browned and bubbly, about 3 minutes more. Sprinkle with parsley and sumac and serve warm or at room temperature, with lemon wedges on the side.