Confit duck legs

Image courtesy of foord.rlove.org

Confit duck legs are one of those dishes that's incredibly hearty, comforting, homely and generally almost impossible to refuse. Its easy to prepare and cook, and has a long shelf life when stored int he fridge (not that it would need it in my opinion). This recipe makes a batch of 10 legs, which are ideal as a main course or as a starter depending on what you want to do with it. I guarantee enjoyment.

These can be served in a multitude of ways, as a simple part of a roast meal, with salads or even with a puree where necessary. They're incredibly versatile.

You will need (makes roughly 10 servings):


10 Duck Legs
2 kilo of duck fat

For the dry marinade

500g of rock salt
4 Star anise
100g of Juniper berries
50g of cinnamon
50g of Cracked black pepper
4 Lemons zested
60g of Ginger
2 Sticks of Lemon grass

The doing bit:


Blend the star anise, berries, rock salt, cinnamon and black pepper in a food processor.

Peel and chop the ginger in to strips, and break down the lemon grass into small pieces

Place the duck legs in a plastic container, cover the legs with the salt mixture and the ginger, lemon zest and lemon grass cover with cling film and stand in a fridge for 12 - 24 hours

Wipe off the salt, place in a roasting tray; cover in melted duck fat, cover the tray with greaseproof paper, cook 2 to 2 ½ hours in a low oven (roughly 150 / 160C, until the meat is tender

Remove from the oven leave to cool in the duck fat, decant the legs into a clean container, recover the fat by passing through a sieve and placing in a cool area

To roast and crisp up place duck leg in a hot oiled pan and seal over in the oil then finish in the oven

Buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon

image courtesy of gourmet.com

*part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

This is an excellent breakfats dish but also serves well as a light lunch or even as a main course for supper. The buckwheat pancakes play on the confort factor but dont feel guilty, - buckwheat is particularly nutritious and gluten free.

You will need (Serves 5-6):

85g buckwheat flour
85g plain flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1.2 tbssp sea salt
1tbsp caster sugar
200ml semi skimmed milk
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter or oilive oil
2 egg whites
small amount of butter for cooking

TO serve:

10-12 slices smoked salmon
6 tbsp soured cream
3 tbsp capers (drained)
handful rocket to garnish (optional)

The doing bit:

Pancakes:

Mix the flours, baking powder salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the milk and melted butter. Gradually mix in the flours to the oil and mix to a smooth batter. leave to rest for a few mins.

Whisk the egg whites together in a seperate bowl until they form soft peaks then fold into the pancake batter.

Melt a small amount of butter into a blini pan on a medium heat and when melted add a small ladelful of the mixture.After roughly 2 minutes (until golden brown on the underside) turn the pancake over and cook again the other side. When done remove from pan and repeat until pancake mix is turned into pancakes.

To serve:

Take a dollop of the sour cream and add it to each pancake (or 2). add the smoked salmon and a few capers to garnish and the rocket to finish.

Devour.

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.

Fish Cakes

Image courtesy of redsnapperseafoods.co.uk

The fish cake I suppose is a bit of a misnomer - no two are ever the same. Everyone has their own tweaks here and there as to their preferences of the fish cake, and everyone makes them differently. This recipe makes a large batch for an appetiser sized fishcake, or enough for a few larger ones for meals and main courses. (they're lovely with parsley sauce)

I've included this recipe with that in mind - you can shape and coat these fish cakes as big and small as you like - i like to do bitesize ones for warm nibbles for guests, or even as a starter - a pyramid of tiny fishcakes with a chilli jam dipping sauce always goes down well.

As a fish cake these can be done with any white fish meat such as crab, whiting, cod, etc. Whichever is cheapest will suffice. If you can get fish trimmings from the fishmonger even better. They'll be very cheap and perfect for these.

You will need....

250g plain unseasoned mash potato
250g of Flaked Poached Salmon
75g of Smoked Salmon
30g of chopped dill
1 Lemons juiced
Pinch of Nutmeg
50g of crushed anchovy’s
Seasoning

The doing bit

Once all the ingredients are cold blend together, shape and coat them in crushed Jacobs cream crackers, crushed cornflakes, or seasoned breadcrumbs (sieved)

Fish related joke: "A man walked into a fish and chip shop with a salmon under his arm. He asks 'have you any fishcakes?' - the man behind the counter says 'sadly not, all gone today'. The man gestures towards the salmon and says 'awww! Its his birthday!'"

To cook, sear in a pan and leave to rest in a warm oven until warm throughout. Alternatively they can be deep fried.

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!

Colcannon Parcel

This cute little appetiser works well from autumn to late spring - utilising flavours and ingredients which originate and compliment the original colcannon. I like to use colcannon around Hallowe'en, yet it holds great merit in winter and spring too with its earthy flavours. Currently in use as a starter on our table d'hote menu at the Foxlowe hotel in Leek, Staffordshire, it sets the palate in readiness for a myriad of other springtime flavours which emerge as a wondrous variation from the stodginess of winter.

Ingredients (Per serving):

1 rasher of streaky bacon

1 large leaf of savoy cabbage

1 large cooked salad new potato

1 tsp creamed horseradish

salt & pepper

tsp butter

For the sauce:

50ml double cream

tsp dijon mustard

Dash dry white wine

Method

In a small mixing bowl, crush the new potato and stir in salt & pepper and the creamed horseradish. Lay out the bacon on a chopping board with the cabbage leaf on top. Spoon into the centre of the leaf the potato mix, tuck in the edges of the cabbage and roll into a parcel shape. Wrap with the bacon until it overlaps itself.

In a small roasting tin place the parcel(s) with a little water & cover with foil. Cook in the oven until bacon is cooked & cabbage is bright green. Remove from oven and in a small pan add the butter and sear the parcel until bacon gains more colour (like a golden brown).

For the sauce: In a saucepan add the wine and heat until boiling. Stir in the mustard then add the cream. Reduce volume by half.

Cut the parcel in half then stack centre plate. Drizzle sauce over or around parcel & serve.

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.