Butternut squash & Red Pepper Tartlet / Parsley & Chive dressed salad

image courtesy of cookstr.com

*Part of the sizzling-staffordshire menu series*

This dish is similar to a dish I used to do several years ago when working in a small hotel. Granted back then it was as a main course, in this case it will serve extremely well as a starter or a side dish viable for a light lunch.It uses ingredients that available year round, although seasonally it would be better suited from late autumn to early springtime.That said it is mainly all down to viability, and as a result it can be easily and cheaply produced whenever.

You will need (per tartlet):

1/4 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thickness.
1/2 red pepper, de-cored and trimmed, and sliced into 1/4 inch thickness..
1/2 an apple decored and sliced 1/4 inch thickness(any eating apple will do)
6'' x 2.5 inch pliece of rolled out puff pastry
3 tbsp Seasoned soft white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan
Tbsp roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tbsp roughly chopped chives
Handful of rocket
tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
cracked black pepper

The doing bit:

In a pan add a little butter and moderately heat until the butter melts. Sear the butternut squash slices with the apple until they are coloured and begin to soften. Remove from the pan and layer on the puff pastry sheet, alternating each slice. Repeat the same for the peppers and also lay evenly onto the tartlet.

In a small bowl mix the breadcrumbs and the parmesan and add a little black pepper. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the top of the tart and place on a baking tray in a moderate oven (180C) until the pastry has risen and golden brown, and the breadcrumbs are of similar colour. Remove from the oven and serve with the salad.

For the salad: In a bowl combine the rocket, chives, and parlsey and dress with the olive oil and lemon juice. season with pepper if necessary.

Butternut squash & red pepper soup

With having half a butternut squash left over from this dish it seemed foolish to waste it, so I decided that I was going to make this wonderful soup that provides aromatic tones and sweetness - as well as a hearty small meal ideal for winter lunches or evening starters. We once had this on our xmas menu a while back, and never had any complaints or non empty bowls. I guess it went down well (he smiles).

You will need

1 red pepper (cut into 1cm pieces)
1/2 butternut squash (cut into same size as peppers)
250 ml milk
vegetable or chicken stock cube
pinch cinnamon
2 cloves
1 small red onion (top and root cut off and scored)
pinch nutmeg or mace
dash white wine
salt and pepper for seasoning.

Preparation

In a heavy bottomed pan on low heat, put in the pepper and the squash and the cinnamon. Add a little olive oil if youre worried about it sticking but i like to leave it out. Its up to you. Put the lid on the pan and keep it stirred every few minutes. we're aiming to get the most sweetness out of the squash and pepper so longer is better.

In a seperate pan add the milk, scored onion, nutmeg and cloves and bring to temperature on a low heat while the peppers and squash are fettling nicely.

When the squash has begun to soften (and turning to mush), keep stirring then add the white wine. Cook out for a few minutes, then add the milk infusion (strained) keep the onion though, and add it to the mix. Turn the heat up a little and allow our soup to come to a tempered simmer. add the stock cube (crumbled) and stir in, if the mix is a bit too tight feel free to add water - if it gets too thin it can always reduce and enhance flavour.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally, tasting each time. Season with salt and pepper where neccesary and blend.

Serve, and devour.

Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup

Image courtesy of fxcuisine.com

With having half a butternut squash left over it seemed foolish to waste it, so I decided that i was going to make this wonderful soup that provides aromatic tones and sweetness - as well as a hearty small meal ideal for winter lunches or evening starters.

You will need

1 red pepper (cut into 1cm pieces)
1/2 butternut squash (cut into same size as peppers)
250 ml milk
vegetable or chicken stock cube
pinch cinnamon
2 cloves
1 small red onion (top and root cut off and scored)
pinch nutmeg or mace
dash white wine
salt and pepper for seasoning.

Preparation

In a heavy bottomed pan on low heat, put in the pepper and the squash and the cinnamon. Add a little olive oil if youre worried about it sticking but i like to leave it out. Its up to you. Put the lid on the pan and keep it stirred every few minutes. we're aiming to get the most sweetness out of the squash and pepper so longer is better.

In a seperate pan add the milk, scored onion, nutmeg and cloves and bring to temperature on a low heat while the peppers and squash are fettling nicely.

When the squash has begun to soften (and turning to mush), keep stirring then add the white wine. Cook out for a few minutes, then add the milk infusion (strained) keep the onion though, and add it to the mix. Turn the heat up a little and allow our soup to come to a tempered simmer. add the stock cube (crumbled) and stir in, if the mix is a bit too tight feel free to add water - if it gets too thin it can always reduce and enhance flavour.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally, tasting each time. Season with salt and pepper where neccesary and blend.

Serve, and devour.

Grilled Asparagus with Poached Egg & Caesar Dressing

image courtesy of closetcooking.com

I absoloutely adore asparagus. Its one vegetable that from a flavour perspective isnt too invasive, and because of its mild nature it goes very well with lots of things successfully. Due to the immense buying power of supermarkets asparagus is available year round nowadays, and although i abhore the idea of using things out of season i cant complain too much about it being available as i'm immensely fond of it.

As a starter or even a breakfast (which is where i normally devour asparagus) it is very good, and nutritionally its almost a superfood. It is very rich in vitamins, fibre and a certain amount of protein. Its also good for your liver and kidneys too. Its the favoured vegetable of many dieters for this reason, and is one of the few things that can be enjoyed on a low carb diet also.

The use of caesar dressing in place of hollondaise traditionally gives a nice edge and a variation for this dish. If you want to make your own caesar dressing you can find one here.

Ingredients

6 Asparagus spears
White wine vinegar
1 egg (you can use a ducks egg if you want an extra treat)
35ml caesar dressing.
Parmesan shavings
Black Pepper
Chopped parsley
Olive oil

Preparation

In a saucepan bring water, agood helping of black pepper and about 4tbsp white wine vinegar to the boil. Turn down to a simmer once boiling. Well add the egg when were almost ready

Trim the bottom section of the asparagus spears as these aren't easy to eat. You can keep them to one side and freeze them like i do in saving them for some asparagus soup. Its up to you.

Heat up a griddle pan or heavy bottomed frying pan. Add the olive oil and then the asparagus. When coloured on one side, turn them over and allow to colour in a similar fashion. When you've turned them over once turn up the heat on your poaching pan and add the egg. Turn the heat down on the poaching pan to a moderate heat. When your asparagus is coloured the other side, your egg should be ready.If not to preferred level of cooking turn the heat off the asparagus pan and allow to rest and keep warm whilst your egg finishes.

Remove asparagus and plate it. add the egg atop the asparagus and finish with parsley black pepper and chopped parlsey. Bon Apetit!

Anchovy & Roast Red Pepper Compote

Ingredients:

150ml of olive oil

6 Large red peppers roasted and skinned then seeded, sliced into a 5mm dice

50g of thyme

15 Anchovy fillets

Hand full of torn basil leaves

50g of capers diced

50ml of balsamic dressing

4 Cloves of garlic, crushed

Heat the oil, add peppers, garlic and thyme sauté for about five minutes

Add anchovy and cook till anchovies are melted into the peppers

Season carefully as the anchovies can be salty

Finish with capers, gurkins, balsamic vinegar and basil

Red pepper mousse

This recipe comprises all the things i love about peppers, their sweetness their texture and their wondrous flavours that complement such a wide spectrum of accompanying ingredients. When experimenting with this recipe and mousses in general i was trying to move away from the standard "salmon" and similar mousses that everyone uses for starter and side dishes. Instead the use of a red pepper gave opportunity to the vegetarian frontier - which are often as an audience can be found to be neglected or offered "token" gestures. 


This recipe makes a large batch (about 14 portions so feel free to divide by two or three for a more family size. 

*** (Makes about 14 timbales)

Ingredients.

5 Red bell peppers

4 egg whites

300g cream cheese

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 Tsp paprika

1 clove peeled garlic

Pinch Salt

Pinch Pepper

Preparation: 

Grease and line with cling film about 8 timbale moulds (metal!).

Cut cheeks from peppers and place in small roasting tin. Add water to tray (just enough to cover the peppers half way up) and cover tray with tinfoil. Cook peppers in oven until the flesh begins to soften. Allow peppers to cool then peel cut away the flesh from the skin. We are going to use the skin for a decoration so do not discard. Instead, put the skin (shiny side down) into the bottom of each mould. Any skin left over add to the food processor.

Whip up egg whites until foamy.

Combine in food processor pepper flesh, and all other ingredients. Add the egg whites last.

Pour mixture into moulds, leaving about ½ centimetre from the top

.

Cover moulds with foil tightly. Poach timbales in bain marie until mixture is firm to touch. Allow to cool and refrigerate.