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(not yet)More Hot Entrees................
Serves 4 - 6
5 sheets Filo Pastry, thawed if frozen
100g/4oz Butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
Filling
25g/1oz Butter
1 Onion, finely chopped
450g/1lb fresh Asparagus Spears, trimmed and blanched
OR
450g.1lb Frozen Asparagus, thawed and drained.
100g/4oz Mature Cheddar Cheese, grated
100g/4oz Flaked Almonds, toasted
6 tablesp single cream
Salt and ground black pepper
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Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a frying pan (Skillet) and saute onion until softened.
Cut asparagus into 2.5cm/1in pieces and fry briefly with the onions.
Stir in almonds, cream, cheese and seasonings. Set aside to cool.
Pre heat oven to 200C/400F.
Lay one sheet of filo pastry out on working surface. Cover remaining sheets with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.
Brush the first sheet of filo with melted butter and cover with a second sheet. Brush with butter again and repeat process three times.
Spread the filling over the filo pastry, leaving a 2.5cm/1in border around the edge. Fold in the 2 shorter sides, then roll up.
Place the filo roll onto a buttered baking tray. Brush the pastry thoroughly with remaining melted butter and cook for 20 minutes.
Turn the oven down to 180C/350F and cook for a further 10 minutes until crisp.
Serve sliced, either hot with julienne vegetables or cold with salad.
Serves 4
8 Pancakes (thin)
3 skniless chicken breasts cubed
3 tblsp oil
1 leek, sliced
3 sticks celery, sliced
25g/1oz flour
150ml/ 1/4 pint chicken stock
300ml / 1/2 pint milk
ground black pepper
75g/3oz gruyere cheese, grated
chopped parsley for garnish
celery leaves for garnish
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Preheat oven to 220C/425F
Fry chicken in hot oil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Fry the leek and celery for 3 minutes until tender, not brown.
Add flour, stock and milk and bring to boil stirring continuously until thickened. Add chicken and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender.
Season with ground black pepper.
Divide the filling between the 8 pancakes. Spread along centre of each pancake and roll up.
Place pancakes side by side in a ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the gruyere cheese and reheat in oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and garnish with celery leaves.
Serve with a simple tossed salad.
These can be prepared the night before, stored in the fridge, separated with greaseproof paper and covered
Serves 4
25g/1oz Butter, plus extra for greasing
1 egg yolk
2 tblsp fresh coriander leaves
salt and pepper
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
175g/6oz frozen white crab meat
15g / 1/2oz piece creamed coconut
Juice from 1/2 a lime
2 egg whites
Lime wedges for garnish
Coriander leaves for garnish
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Preheat oven to 170C/325F
Butter 4 ramekin dishes
Process egg yolk, chopped coriander, seasoning, garlic, crab meat, coconut and lime juice in a food processor to a smooth paste.
Whisk egg whites and fold them into the paste. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins.
Bake, sitting in a roasting pan filled with 12mm/ 1/2in of boiling water for 25 minutes until set.
Remove from oven, cool and turn out.
Just before serving, fry the cakes very gently in butter to brown and reheat them.
Serve crab cakes garnished with lime wedges and fresh coriander leaves.
Creamed coconut can be bought in blocks which can be kept refrigerated. Or thick creamed coconut can be bought in a can.
Serves 4
There is a bit of fussing around with this recipe, but it's well worth the effort
1/2 quantity Choux Pastry (see end of recipe)
15g/1oz butter, plus extra for greasing
15g/1oz flour
150ml / 1/4 pint milk
1 bay leaf
3 tablesp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper
100g/4oz cooked breast of chicken, diced
1 tablsp melted butter
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Preheat oven to 200C/400F
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Grease 4 brioche moulds, divide the choux pastry between the tins, placing a small spoonful of the dough on the top. Cook for 30 - 35 minutes until well risen and golden brown.
Place the butter, flour, milk and bay leaf in a pan and heat gently, whisking until the sauce thickens and boils. Remove the bay leaf.
Stir in 2 tblsp chopped parsley, thyme, cream and seasoning into the sauce, then add the chicken. Stir well until the chicken is coated in the sauce and heated through.
Remove the choux from the tins and cut off the tops. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
Spoon the filling into the choux buns and replace the tops.
Serve hot with a fresh salad garnish.
The choux pastry buns cam be made ahead and frozen.
Choux Pastry
This is the bit that's the pain. BUT you can do it ahead and freeze a.s.a.p. for future use.
There are only four basic rules for Choux Pastry... follow the instructions carefully. Don't guess the quantities...don't tip the flour in before the water is boiling and don't add all the egg at once
Only half of the pastry below is needed for the above recipe, the rest can be cooked and then frozen a.s.a.p. for future use.
75g/3oz butter
95g / 3 3/4 oz flour, sifted
pinch of salt
3 eggs
Place the butter and 215ml or 7- 1/2 fl oz of water in a heavy based saugepan. Bring slowly to the boil so that by the time the water boils the butter has completely melted.
When the mixture is boiling shoot in all the flour at once and take the pan off the heat.
Now, working as fast as you can, beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon; it will soon become smooth and thick and leave the sides of the pan. Beat in the salt.
Stand the bottom of the saucepan in a basin of cold water to bring down the temperature.
Beat the eggs together in a bowl. When the mixture is cool beat in the eggs, a little at a time making sure the egg is well incorporated before adding any more.
If the eggs are large it may not be necessary to add all of them. The mixture should be of a dropping consistency.
(It should drop off the spoon reluctantly in one blob. Avoid adding too much egg so that it tends to be runny. If it won't fall off the spoon, even when jerked, add a little more beaten egg.)
Now follow the instructions in the recipe above.
Serves 4
2 tablsp butter
2 shallots, chopped finely
3 slices streaky bacon
400g/14oz tinned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
125ml/4fl oz double cream
50g/2oz parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg yolk
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Preheat oven to 200C/400F
Melt 1/2 the butter in a saucepan, add shallots and cook gently for 3 minutes or until softened.
Transfer to a bowl, add bacon, artichoke hearts, cream, half the cheese, egg yolk and chopped tarragon.
Season with salt & pepper.
Spoon mixture into 4 ramekins, sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese over the top and dot with the rest of the butter.
Put the ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes.
Serve hot.
These may be served as an entree as a starter to a light main course OR as a main course with a mixed salad and some warmed crunchy rolls or french bread.
Serves 4
Take care not to overcook or the squid will become rubbery.
100G/4oz flour
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
1 tblsp melted butter
175ml/6fl oz beer
2 tb;sp mixed herbs, chopped
Salt & pepper
Oil for deep frying
450G /1 lb cleaned squid cut into thin rings
Boiled Rice, to serve
Dill, to garnish
Sauce
6 tablsp mayonnaise
2 teasp mustard powder
2 tablesp worcestershire sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teasp tabasco sauce
1 tablesp dried basil
400G/ 14oz tinned tomatoes
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Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl making a well in the centre. Add the egg yolk, egg whites, melted butter and beer and gradually draw in the flour, using a wooden spoon.
Beat well and stir in mixed herbs and seasoning.
Heat oil for deep frying.
Add squid rings to the batter. Coat each ring and place a few pieces at a time to the oil and cook for 1 minute or until golden brown. Drain each batch on kitchen paper.
Sauce
To make the sauce, combine all ingrdients in a blender and then pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the tomato seeds.
Serve the squid rings with the sauce and boiled rice.
Garnish with dill.
If you want the easiest method in the world to make rice check HERE for the way my late Dad taught me, absorption method, it's so simple and tasty.
