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Chester Food & Drink Festival 2006

Lesley Waters' Recipes

Recipe 1: TROUT FILLETS WITH TARRAGON AND BACON Recipe 2: GRIDDLED ASPARAGUS SALAD Recipe 3: HOT BEETROOT AND DILL WITH SOUR CREAM & SMOKED SALMON Recipe 4: BRUNCH MUFFINS Recipe 5: APPLE STRUDEL Recipe 6: MUSSELS COOKED IN BORDEAUX WITH BAKED GARLIC LOAF Recipe 7: GREMOLATA PORK WITH LEMON SPINACH AND PEPPER JAM Recipe 8: FRESH RED PEPPER JAM Recipe 9: CHOCOLATE CUPS WITH CHILLI CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE CREAM

Recipe 1: TROUT FILLETS WITH TARRAGON AND BACON

Serves 4

8 small trout fillets, skinned 1 bunch tarragon leaves Juice 1 lemon 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon, stretched Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

4-5 tablespoons sour cream 2-3 tablespoons grainy mustard 2 lemons 1 small rustic loaf 115g / 4oz rocket and watercress salad

Take 4 of the trout fillets and cover each generously with tarragon leaves, squeeze over a little lemon juice and season with black pepper. Top with the remaining 4 fillets and wrap each in 3 rashers of the streaky bacon.

Place in hot griddle pan and cook for approximately 5/6 minutes each side until the bacon is crisp. Remove the trout and keep warm. Place the slices of bread in the pan to absorb pan juices and lightly toast on each side.

In a small bowl combine the sour cream and mustard together, season to taste, spoon into a small serving bowl.

To serve place toasted bread on a warm plate top with a mound of salad, lay over the trout fillets and serve at once with the mustard sauce.

Recipe 2: GRIDDLED ASPARAGUS SALAD

Serves 4

450g (1lb) young asparagus, trimmed 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil 250g (9oz) baby plum tomatoes 30ml (2tbs) balsamic vinegar 200g (oz) feta cheese 30ml (2tbsp) extra virgin olive oil

Place asparagus and olive oil into a bowl. Grind over some black pepper and toss well together.

Heat a griddle pan until really hot, add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes (you may have to do this in two batches). Remove from pan and divide between four serving plates.

Add the plum tomatoes to the griddle pan and cook for 2 minutes until soft but still retaining their shape. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and shake the pan to coat the tomatoes. Spoon the tomatoes and any juices over the asparagus.

Scatter over the feta cheese, drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil, grind over a little black pepper and serve straight away.

Recipe 3: HOT BEETROOT AND DILL WITH SOUR CREAM & SMOKED SALMON

Serves 4

425g (15 oz) raw beetroot 55g (2 oz) butter 1 bunch dill salt and black pepper 1 lemon, zest and juice 175ml (6floz) sour cream 115g (4oz) smoked salmon slices

Peel the beetroot and shred it through the food processor or hand grate it on a coarse grater.

In a large frying pan, melt the butter. Toss the beetroot in the butter and stir fry for 2 minutes until very hot. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the dill, roughly chopped. Season with salt, black pepper, lemon juice and zest.

Top the hot beetroot with some sour cream and sprinkle with a little extra dill. Serve at once with the smoked salmon and warm muffins.

Recipe 4: BRUNCH MUFFINS

Makes 8

225g (8oz) self-raising flour 85g (3oz) mature cheddar, grated 2 tablespoons chopped chives 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons olive oil 200mls natural yoghurt 3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5 /190C/375F. Lightly grease an eight well non-stick muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cheese and chives.

In a jug, whisk together the eggs, oil, yoghurt and water.

Add the wet ingredients to the flour and cheese and quickly combine, taking care not to over stir. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Recipe 5: APPLE STRUDEL

Serves 6

For the pastry

200mls (1/3 pint) lukewarm water 1 large egg, lightly beaten ¼ teaspoon white wine vinegar 25g (1oz) melted butter 285g (10oz) plain flour ¾ teaspoon salt

For the filling

85g (3oz) melted butter 4 large cooking apples, peeled cored and sliced thinly 85g brown sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 85g sultanas grated zest 1 lemon 100g ground almonds

Thick cream or ice cream to serve

Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl or jug mix together the water, egg, vinegar & butter, (all at room temperature). Pour the wet mix into the flour and salt and stir together for approx 5 minutes until the mixture becomes a firm dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and kneed for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Leave the dough to sit on a floured surface, covered with a warm earthenware bowl for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6/200C/400F. Cover the table with a large tea towel or cloth and sprinkle with flour.

Roll out the dough on the floured cloth until 5mm thick and brush with a little melted butter. Then using the backs of your hands, lift and stretch the pastry until it is almost paper thin, working as quickly as you can. Brush the entire dough with melted butter.

In a bowl, mix together the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, sultanas and lemon zest. Scatter the almonds over the pastry, followed by the apple mixture. Using the cloth to help you, roll up the strudel in a jam roll fashion and transfer onto a non-stick baking tray, in a horse shoe shape.

Brush the strudel with more melted butter and bake in the oven for approx 35/40 minutes until golden brown.

Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with custard or thick cream or ice cream.

Recipe 6: MUSSELS COOKED IN BORDEAUX WITH BAKED GARLIC LOAF

Serves 4 as a starter

1 Large round rustic style loaf of bread 4 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 red chilli chopped 900g of cleaned, scrubbed mussels 300ml fresh tomato sauce 300mls red Bordeaux handful fresh thyme

Pre heat oven to gas mark 6 (200c). Using a bread knife cut the top off the bread and reserve as a lid. Using your fingers pull out the soft bread from the centre taking care to keep the shape of the loaf.

Mix 2 cloves of the crushed garlic with three tablespoons of the olive oil and rub over the inside of the bread and the soft part of the reserved lid. Place the bread case and lid on a baking tray and cook for approx 10/ 12 minutes until crisp and toasted.

Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a large pan. Stir in the remaining crushed garlic and chopped chilli and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mussels, fresh tomato sauce, red wine and fresh sprigs of thyme. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes or until all the mussels have opened. Ladle the mussels and sauce into the garlic bread case and top with the lid.

Bread from Dai

Recipe 7: GREMOLATA PORK WITH LEMON SPINACH AND PEPPER JAM

Serves 4

4×75g / 3oz boneless pork chops 1 tablespoon basil oil 55g / 2oz fresh breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped Zest 1 lemon Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the spinach

225g / 8oz young spinach, finely shredded 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving Juice ½ lemon Freshly ground black pepper

Trim off any excess fat from each pork chop. Place between two pieces of cling film and using a rolling pin bat out each piece to ½ cm / ¼ in thickness.

Place the pork in a bowl and pour over the basil oil. Season with black pepper, cover, refrigerate and leave to marinate for two hours.

Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest and season with black pepper. Place on a plate and coat the pork on each side with the crumb mixture.

Heat a large frying pan, add the pork and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the pork is cooked through.

Meanwhile, place the spinach in a large bowl and toss through the olive oil and lemon juice.

To serve, place a mound of spinach on each plate and top with the pork. Drizzle over the olive oil and finish with freshly ground black pepper

Recipe 8: FRESH RED PEPPER JAM

Serves 4

2 red peppers 2 yellow peppers 2 orange peppers 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and finely sliced on the diagonal 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 tablespoon sugar Juice 1 lemon

Halve, deseed and finely slice the peppers.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the peppers, chilli, garlic, sugar, lemon juice and the lemon halves. Place a piece of wet, crushed greaseproof paper over the peppers and cover with a lid. Gently cook for 35-40 minutes or until the peppers are meltingly soft.

Remove the paper from the pan and increase the heat to reduce the liquid for approximately 3-4 minutes. Season.

The jam will keep in a sterilised jar in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Recipe 9: CHOCOLATE CUPS WITH CHILLI CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE CREAM

Makes 8

140g butter, softened 140g sugar 2 large eggs 110g self raising flour 55g cocoa powder 3 tablespoons milk

For the orange cream

1×250g tub mascarpone or cream cheese 100mls double cream Grated zest 1 large orange and segments Icing sugar to taste

For the sauce

3 tablespoons golden syrup Juice 1 orange 100g dark continental chocolate 1-2 teaspoons red Tabasco sauce

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5.(190c) Grease 8 large non stick muffin wells

In a food processor blitz the butter and sugar. Gradually beat in the eggs. Sift together the flour and cocoa. Add to the processor with the milk and pulse briefly until just mixed in.

Spoon the cake mix into the prepared muffin wells. Bake in the oven for approx 8/10 minutes until just cooked. Allow to cool slightly in the tins for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together the mascarpone, cream, orange zest and sweeten to taste with icing sugar.

Place the golden syrup and orange juice in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently heat. Break in the chocolate and stir until smooth. Add the Tabasco sauce and mix well.

Place the warm muffins on a serving plate spoon over the hot chocolate sauce and serve with a dollop of the mascarpone and a few orange segments.

 

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