Cooking for a crowd

You want to make an impression on some guests you’re having around for dinner.  Well I have to say this menu just says it all, it’s classy,  not very complex and will ensure that everyone remembers your dinner party!

The Menu:

STARTERS

Crostini with Tomatoes and Olives

French loaf sliced

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Basil leaves

Salt & Pepper

Dried Chillie

METHOD:

Slice the tomatoes in half and toss in the olive oil, balsamic, salt & pepper and dried chilli.

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the sliced bread and toast.  Then top with the tomato mixture and garnish with the fresh basil leaves.

MAINS

Rolled Shoulder of Lamb with Feta and Spinach Stuffing

2kg boned shoulder of lamb

STUFFING

1 small onion, chopped

50ml olive oil

1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped

250ml cooked brown rice

125g feta cheese, crumbled

5ml dried mint

5ml dried dill

salt and milled black pepper to taste

BASTING SAUCE

1 lemon, juice

50ml butter

50ml olive oil

METHOD:

Lay meat out flat. STUFFING: Sauté onion in olive oil until transparent. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add rice, feta cheese, herbs and seasoning and mix well. Spread stuffing over lamb, roll up and tie with string to secure. BASTING SAUCE: Mix all ingredients. Calculate roasting time for a medium-done roast, allow 20 minutes for every 500 g, plus 15 minutes extra. Place lamb on rack of a roasting pan and roast at 180 ºC, basting often.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Ginger Dressing

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise

120g cherry tomatoes

45ml olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

125ml pine nuts

150g baby spinach leaves or mixed lettuce leaves

Half avocado sliced OR

6 baby avocados, halved

DRESSING

65ml ginger in syrup

30ml sherry wine vinegar

45ml olive oil

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200 C.
Place sweet potatoes and cherry tomatoes in a baking dish lined with baking paper, toss with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft and golden.
Sprinkle pine nuts over and bake for a further two minutes or until pine nuts are golden.
TO MAKE DRESSING
Remove ginger from syrup and chop finely.
Whisk together ginger syrup, vinegar and oil and then add chopped ginger.
TO ASSEMBLE
Arrange spinach or lettuce leaves on individual plates or a large serving platter.
Top with avocado, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts.
Pour over the dressing and serve.

Wild Savoury Rice

1 cup of wild rice cooked according to instructions

1 onion finely chopped

1sml green pepper chopped

1 carrot sliced into thin Julienne strips

METHOD:

Fry the chopped greens in a pan with some butter and combine with the cooked wild rice and serve.

DESSERT

Strawberries and Chantilly Cream

500g fresh strawberries

250ml fresh cream

45ml castor sugar

45ml Grand Marnier (or any other liqueur of your choice)

METHOD:

Hull and wash strawberries, slice in half and place in container.
Whip cream, gradually adding castor sugar and liqueur, until soft peaks form.

To serve:
Spoon over strawberries.

Menu 2:

STARTERS

Baby spinach leaves with Gorgonzola, pears and caramalized walnuts

1 Bag baby spinach leaves

125g Gorgonzola Cheese

250g Caramalised walnuts

125g tinned pears chopped

METHOD:

Arrange y our spinach leaves on a plate, then arrange your pear pieces, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or cranberry infused vinegar.

MAINS

Grilled Fish with a sticky apricot marinade served with Julienne carrots, baby garlic potatoes and lightly fried green beans.

1 whole fish (snoek works well)

125ml Mayonnaise

125ml Apricot jam

10ml fresh thyme

1 onion finely chopped

1 green pepper finely chopped

Salt & Pepper

METHOD

Firstly combine all the ingredients mixing well.  Then open the fish and evenly pour in the mixture.  Wrap in tin foil and bake / braai for approximately 25min on 180 degrees, or until fish is tender and cooked.

Note:  Snoek works very well with this mix and has large bones that are removed easily.

For the vegetables –

Carrots: Slice into Julienne strips and steam.  Then add them to a pan of butter with freshly chopped large garlic cloves, onions and finely chopped fresh parsley.  Fry for about 3min.

Beans: Top and tail the beans and steam till done.  Then in a separate pan fry up some chopped bacon, onions, salt & pepper, garlic then add the beans and fry for a further 3min.

Baby Garlic potatoes: Boil baby potatoes in the jacket till done.  In a separate pan fry some freshly chopped garlic, some thyme, salt & pepper, butter.  Then combine the two and serve.

DESSERT

Lemon Cheesecake

250ml Cream

250ml Cream Cheese Plain

250ml Condensed Milk

1 sachet Gelatine

3 Lemons

1tsp Vanilla Essence

1Pkt Tennis Biscuits

100g Butter Melted

1Tbls Syrup

3 Eggs (separated)

METHOD

1. Crush biscuits finely, add melted butter and syrup and mix.  Then press into the base of your dish / cake tin.
2. Beat Cream till peak stage
3. Beat egg whites to peak stage
4. Grate the rind of the lemons, add egg yolks, cream cheese, condensed milk, vanilla essence, and lemon juice in a separate bowl and mix on med.
5. Fold in the egg whites and then cream into the above mixture.
6. Mix the gelatine and about 30ml of boiling water in a cup ensuring no lumps and gelatine has dissolved then add to mixture and fold in quickly to prevent lumps of gelatine.
7. Pour on top of biscuit base and refrigerate for approximately 2hrs.
8. When cutting to serve ensure the knife is sharp with no separated edges and is dipped in hot water for each slice. Serve with Coulis if desired.

Happy Cooking

Four course menu for 2!

Browsing the net I managed to come across this d’vine four course menu for two, perfect for that special Valentines evening with your partner!

Avocado Salad for Two

Ingredients:
Lemon Balsamic Dressing

1 lemon, juice from one
1 Tbls Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbls Lemon Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper to taste
Smoked Sea Salt or Sea Salt

Salad

1 avocado, cut in half and seeded
1/4 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
Romaine Lettuce, chopped
2 greens onions, chopped

Directions:

Make a Lemon and Balsamic vinegar dressing , simply mix well the juice from one lemon, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon olive oil and salt and black pepper to taste. I used smoked sea salt, but regular salt would be fine too.

I took an avocado and halved it. You should end up with two perfect halves, discard the seed.

I then used a melon baller to scoop out the avocado, but I was careful not to go too close too the skin, as I wanted to preserve the outer shell for serving the salad.

Next I used a little of the lemon and balsamic vinegar dressing and brushed the surface of the avocado shell using a pastry brush, and set them to one side.

I placed the avocado I had scooped out into a bowl and to it I added some chopped tomato , chopped celery , chopped romaine lettuce and chopped spring (green) onions . I mixed them together and added enough of the dressing to adequately coat them.

I then filled the avocado shells with the salad, and garnished with some chopped and whole pea shoots.

Then second course…..

Sizzling Scallops and Shrimp

Ingredients:

½ lb Scallops, large
½ lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined – tails left on
1 tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
5-6 Key Limes
¼ cup Flat-leaf Cilantro, finely chopped
2 Corn Tortillas, shredded with knife into strips
2 Tbls Olive Oil
2 Shallots, finely shopped
¼ cup Roasted Red Jalapeños, finely chopped
1 clove of Garlic, finely chopped
1 small can mild Green Chilies, finely chopped
¼ cup sparkling wine

Directions:

Seafood:
After cleaning scallops and shrimp, pat dry with paper towel. Make a mixture of the Kosher Salt, Cumin, Chili Powder, and Cayenne Pepper. Dust the seafood in the mixture and let them sit in their spices like a dry rub, meanwhile shred the Corn Tortillas, and fry them in olive oil until crispy and toasty brown.

Sauce:
In a skillet mildly sear and sauté the shrimp in olive oil, cooked until just underdone (they’ll warm up in the sauce later and finish cooking); then the same with the scallops, except I put more of a sear on one side (the side that will later be the presentation side). Toss the shallots in the same searing pan to soften up a bit and brown in the leftover olive oil. The garlic goes in during the last 30 seconds or so of this: Then, toss in a ¼ cup sparkling wine to deglaze the pan and scraped up all that lovely caramelized stuff (what the French call fond ) on the bottom. The pan cooled off to a mild simmer, and reduce it a little bit to get rid of most of the alcohol and incorporate that fond into the wine.
Add the juice from the squeezed Key Limes, Red Jalapeños, Flat-leaf Cilantro, and Green Chilies. Mildly simmer to incorporate the flavors. Then, add the shrimp and scallops back in, turn off the heat, and let the shellfish warm up for a minute, maybe two.

Plating was scallops and shrimp on bottom, sauce poured over the top, garnished with crispy tortilla strips.

Almost there…third course…

Chocolate Pudding with Raspberries

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed
Optional Garnish: White chocolate, shaved into curls

Directions:

Stir together sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch in a medium saucepan until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in
milk. (If you add the milk all at once, the pudding will turn out lumpy. “Slowly whisk in milk” is kitchen code for the technique used to mix dry and liquid ingredients without lumps. It’s simple to master. First, make sure the dry ingredients are completely mixed. Here, that means that no lumps, even tiny ones, of sugar, cocoa or cornstarch remain. Work out any last remaining pesky ones with the back of a spoon pressed against the saucepan).

Next, pour the milk into a liquid measuring cup, that is, one with a spout for easy pouring. Pour a tablespoon or two
of milk into the cocoa mixture and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. Repeat tablespoon by tablespoon until the combined mixture is more liquid than dry, then add the remaining milk. Cook until thick over medium heat, stirring regularly, especially as mixture gets hot. Stir in vanilla. Pour into two small dishes and refrigerate at least 15
minutes to continue the thickening process.

How to Make White Chocolate Curls:

Instructions :

Warm your block of white chocolate by placing it on a piece of waxed paper, then microwave on MEDIUM (50
percent) power for 10 second intervals, until the chocolate starts to soften slightly. The chocolate should soften
slightly, not melt.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Grip the chocolate chunk with a folded paper towel so that your hand
does not melt the chocolate. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, scrape one of the edges of the chocolate chunk
in a downward motion, forming loose shavings. As you form the curls, let them fall onto the waxed paper.
Continue making curls until you have enough to garnish just the top of your cake or other dessert.

Chocolate curls may be refrigerated in an rigid airtight container for up to 1 month. Curls may also be frozen

Finally ending off with the fourth course….

You need..
1 Nicely chilled bottle of Champagne
.. a champagne bottle cork for the leftovers…
2 Crystal Champagne flutes
Optional garnish… fresh raspberries, rinsed

Directions:

When opening your bottle of champagne have on hand a bar towel that you can cover the “cork” with when opening
the bottle… as to not have the “cork” create a hole.. in your ceiling tile…. (don’t laugh.. I had this happen.. on a
cruise ship.. oops!!).

However these days I prefer to get the full effect of the “ceremony” of opening the champagne.. by uncorking it outdoors.. and aiming the bottle so that the escaping cork.. will fly high into the sky and kerrrplunk.. in the middle
of the pool!!

Once the champagne glasses are poured you can drop 1-2 raspberries to the bottom of each flute. The manditory
“Cheers”.. the TING of the flutes.. and a beautiful love message shared with your sweetheart will make this a
celebration to remember….

Food of Love….

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
Harriet Van Horne, Vogue 10/1956

  

14th of February – Valentines Day…the critics “love” to scorn the day dedicated to unconditionally spoiling your loved one, however as a foodie, I thrive in the joy it brings me to fuss in the kitchen over a romantic meal, prepared delicately, paying attention to every detail so that the love expressed may shine through in the meal I’m preparing.  It’s the one day you can honestly pull out all the stops and literally give it all you’ve got!  As a hopeless romantic with my head often firmly stuck in the clouds, I have managed to come up with a few delectable recipes sure to win over any heart!

 

To start off with we have “lovers kiss Cocktail”

Ingredients:

For the cocktail
15ml  Amaretto.
15ml Cherry Brandy.
15ml Creme de Cacao (brown).
30ml  Cream.

To Dress
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Shavings
Cherry

Preparation Instructions:

1. Shake the Amaretto, Brandy, Creme de Cacao & Cream over ice. Pour into a glass.
2. Top the drink with the Whipped Cream, Chocolate Shavings and the Cherry.

For starters we have …

Fig and Orange Salad

Ingredients

• 3 Oranges
• 4 fresh Figs
• 150g toasted Walnuts
• 150g Red cabbage, shredded finely
• 175g Rocket

For the dressing

• 150g Shropshire Blue Cheese
• 200ml Crème fraîche

Method

1. Slice the top and bottom off each orange and peel down the sides with a sharp knife. Cut between each membrane to remove the orange segments. Put into a bowl with any juices.

2. Wipe and quarter the figs and add to the orange segments with the toasted pecans, shredded red cabbage and rocket leaves. Toss together well and divide between 4 serving plates.

For the dressing:

Crumble the Shropshire Blue into a small heavy-based pan and cook, stirring, over a gentle heat until cheese melts. Whisk in the crème fraîche and heat gently (don’t allow mixture to bubble) until you have a smooth creamy dressing.

4. Drizzle over each plate of salad and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Parma Ham Tart

Ingredients:

• 150g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 Egg
• 2 red onion, finely sliced
• ½ tbsp extra virgin Olive oil
• 3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1½ tbsp dark brown sugar
• 4 slices Parma ham
• finely chopped Rosemary, for sprinkling, plus extra sprigs to garnish
• 50g Feta cheese, cut into chunks
• 1 Figs 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll the puff pastry and cut out two 12cm squares. Using a sharp knife, cut heart shapes from the two pastry squares then score 5mm from the edge of the hearts around their perimeter.

2. Place the pastry hearts on a baking sheet and prick the inner hearts with a fork. Brush the pastry with beaten egg, season with cracked black pepper and bake for 10 minutes, until beginning to brown.

3. Take the pastries from the oven and use your knife to trace the line that was scored before cooking. Very carefully, peel off the top of the inner heart to leave a heart-shaped pastry case. Repeat with the second pastry heart.

4. Fry the onions in olive oil until golden. Add 2½ tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, stirring until the onions have caramelised, then season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper.

5. Tear up a slice of parma ham and put it into the base of one tart. Repeat with the second tart. Share the caramelised onions between the tart cases, sprinkle with rosemary and chunks of feta and return to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.

6. Meanwhile, quarter the fig and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with the remaining balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and season with cracked black pepper. Place in the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until soft and caramelised.

7. Remove the tarts from the oven and top with the remaining slices of parma ham. Serve with the roasted balsamic figs and sprigs of fresh rosemary.

On to our Main Course selection….

Roast Duckling with Champagne and Orange Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen duckling, thawed
• 2 oranges, peeled
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons champagne
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
• salt and pepper
• orange segments for garnish

To make:

Wash duck and pat dry inside and out. Stuff with peeled oranges. Prick skin all over with fork. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place on rack in roasting pan. Roast in a preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes per pound.

Remove and cut into 4 sections; discard orange pulp. Arrange on a hot serving platter and keep warm while preparing sauce.

Place cream and egg yolks in a shallow pan; heat gently. Add orange juice and champagne a little at a time. Add a little salt to taste. Allow sauce to come to a simmer; continue to heat for 15 seconds. Do not boil. Pour sauce over duck and garnish with fresh orange sections.

Rack of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce

 Ingredients:

• 2 racks of lamb
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion or shallot
• 1 cup dry red wine, Pinot Noir is very good
• 1 teaspoon minced rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon minced thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Heat oven to 400°.

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place racks of lamb in skillet, meaty side down, until nicely seared. Turn to brown bottoms, letting the racks support each other. Transfer to a foil-lined roasting pan. Place pan in oven; roast for about 20 to 30 minutes.

In the same skillet, saute onions until tender. Add wine and herbs; simmer briskly until the wine has boiled down to a syrup. Add broth and continue to simmer until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Add the butter; stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sauce with the lamb. Makes 3/4 cup.

Cut lamb into portions and serve with the red wine sauce.

Grilled Tuna with Honey & Mustard Marinade

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds tuna medallions or steaks
• Marinade:
• 2 tablespoons dijon honey mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar

Preparation:

About 1 to 2 hours before grilling, place tuna in a glass bowl. Combine marinade ingredients; pour over tuna and turn to make sure all pieces are well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it’s time to grill. Spray a clean grill or grilling container with non-stick cooking spray. Grill over hot coals for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until nicely charred on the outside and still a bit pink in the middle.

 Chicken Breasts stuffed with Brie and Thyme

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tart apple, cored, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3/4 cup apple cider, divided
• 1 Full piece of  Brie cheese, without rind, cut in small chunks
• 4 medium chicken breast halves, bone-in, with skin (2 lbs)

Preparation:

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until quite tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add chopped apple, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 cup cider; cook until apples are tender, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, Stir in Brie. Divide stuffing into 4 equal portions.

Heat oven to 400°.

Run fingers under breast skin to separate from meat. Put 1/4 of the stuffing under the skin of each chicken breast; press gently to distribute filling evenly under skin. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.

Bake at 400° until chicken is tender and juices run clear when pierced with a fork, about 35 to 45 minutes. The chicken should read about 180° on an instant-read meat thermometer. Remove chicken to serving dish and keep warm.

Prepare sauce: Skim fat from baking dish and spoon drippings into small saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup apple cider; simmer briskly to reduce by half. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon over chicken.
(note this serves 4)

Sole with Dill Mayonnaise

Ingredients

For the goujons of sole
2 lemon sole fillets, skin removed
70g/2½oz cornflour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3½oz fresh breadcrumbs or Japanese panko breadcrumbs
2 free-range eggs
250ml/8¾fl oz groundnut or grapeseed oil (or as needed, depending on the size of pan)
For the dill mayonnaise
200g/7¼oz mayonnaise, preferably organic
small handful fresh dill, finely chopped
½-1 tsp lime juice, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. For the goujons of sole, cut the sole fillets in half lengthways, then slice each fillet half into about four long strips on the diagonal. This will give you eight goujons from each fillet.
2. Place the cornflour into a shallow bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the breadcrumbs or panko into another shallow bowl, and beat the eggs together in a third bowl.
3. Dip each fish goujon first into the seasoned cornflour, coating it well, then into the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs.
4. Lay the goujons on a cooling rack (or at this point you can freeze them between layers of baking parchment in an airtight container.). Place the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-based saucepan and heat until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
5. Carefully place the goujons into the hot oil and deep fry for about two minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
6. For the dill mayonnaise, place the mayonnaise and chopped dill into a small bowl and mix well. Stir in some lime juice and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7. To serve, place the goujons onto serving plates with a dollop of the dill mayonnaise.

Finished off by a decadent dessert….

Nuttella Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

 
1 C. whipping cream, very cold
1/2 tsp. high-quality instant coffee granules
1/2 C. Nutella (or other chocolate-hazelnut spread)
Whipped cream, to garnish
Fresh raspberries, to garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine whipping cream and instant coffee.

2. Refrigerate 5 minutes, then stir until coffee is dissolved.

3. Stir in Nutella.

4. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat mixture until soft peaks form. Scrape bowl occasionally with rubber spatula as you mix.

5. The mousse will be very soft here– don’t worry. It sets up as it chills.

6. Divide among 4 serving dishes. Chill at least four hours, or overnight.

7. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Cupids Chocolate Liqueur Fondue

Now the idea behind a fondue dessert is simply romantic!  You can lay a blanket out on the lounge floor with candles for atmosphere, have your soft music in the background, and literally just enjoy eachothers company with this dee’lish dessert!  (my idea of perfection)

Ingredients

 170g Semisweet chocolate cut into sml pieces

 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

2 1/2 tbls white sugar

2 tbls light corn syrup

1tsp vannilla extract

1/4 cup Nutella (optional)

1 tblsFrangelico or other liqueurs such as Grand Marnier or brandy

To make:

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl and set aside.

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. 

Remove from heat and pour immediately over the chocolate.  Let stand until the chocolate has melted, then whisk until smooth.

Whisk in vanilla extract, Nutella (if using), and alcohol.

Place the chocolate sauce in a fondue pot and serve with fresh fruits, chunks of pound, butter, sponge, or angel food cake and cookies (amaretti, ladyfingers, rolled wafer cookies, or biscotti). Reheat the sauce if it becomes too thick.

Well I know that with these recipes and a bit of luck from cupid your Valentines day is going to be just perfect!   Let me know how it goes and feel free to send me your pictures and comments! 

email:  jacqui@dee-lish.co.za

Happy Cooking!