From
http://moonlitherbals.blogspot.com/
Terrine
5 pink grapefruits
5 blood oranges (or other seasonal orange as available)
3 passion fruits
3 oz sugar syrup
2 1/2 sheets of gelatine
Segment all the fruit and place on a tea towel to dry. Chill for 2 hours, change the tea towel and chill again for 1 hour. This is important as the segments must be dry, or they will bleed into the jelly and stop it from setting.
For the jelly, cut the passion fruits in half and squeeze out the seeds. Force them through a sieve with the back of a ladle and throw away the pulp. Mix the juice with the stock syrup and bring to a simmer. Soften the gelatine leaves in cold water, squeeze off any excess and dissolve into the juice. Leave to cool. In a large bowl, place all the segments and pour over the liquid. Mix well and leave to set very, very slightly.
Line a terrine mould with cling film and then lay the fruits into it. Top up with any remaining juice and chill in the fridge overnight. Carefully remove from the mould and cut into slices of about 2cm thick.
Marmalade ice cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
5 egg yolks
Peel of 1 orange
7 oz cream
7 oz milk
1/2 jar good marmalade
Bring the milk, cream and orange peel to the boil and infuse for 15mins. Whisk the yolks and sugar until pale and pass the infused milk over them. Return to the pan and bring to just under boiling point and then quickly pass over an ice bath and leave to go completely cold. Once cold, churn in an ice cream machine. When it's half way, add the marmalade and continue to churn until ready.
To serve, cut the terrine into equal slices and serve with the marmalade ice cream.
Pumpkin Risotto with Roasted Mushrooms
Serves 4
1 medium pumpkin (approximately 2 pounds* )
2 tbsp whole butter
Roughly chop pumpkin into small pieces. Sweat in a sauté pan with whole butter until soft. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return to a sauté pan and simmer until the liquid is dissolved and the puree is dry.
For the Risotto
4 cups risotto rice
6 quarts vegetable stock or salted water
2 cups mixed mushrooms, cooked
Bring half the stock to a boil and season with salt. Boil the rice for 6 minutes or until al dente. Strain and transfer to a baking tray and cool.
To Finish
Cooked risotto rice
The remaining vegetable stock or salted water
Pumpkin Puree
2 shallots minced
1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
2 oz white wine
2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cooked mushrooms
Salt and pepper
Olive oil for sautéing
Sweat the garlic and shallots with olive oil. Add white wine and reduce until almost dry. Add risotto rice and in small amounts add stock until rice is cooked. Finish with the pumpkin puree, mascarpone, cooked mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parmesan cheese.
*can substitute w/ butternut squash if necessary
Pumpkin Pie with Maple Syrup and Pecan Ice Cream
Makes 1 9-inch pie
Pumpkin pie crust*
10 oz sweet pie dough
Roll out the pastry to line one 9 inch/23cm pie tins with removable base. Chill for 20 minutes, then blind bake for 15-20 minutes at 375°F until golden brown and cooked through. Cool slightly.
Filling
1 lb pumpkin puree
6 large free-range eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 cup double cream
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 level tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Mix together all the ingredients for the filling. Pour into the pastry shell then bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until the filling has puffed up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre. Cool completely before slicing.
Maple syrup and pecan ice cream
2 1/2 cups vanilla crème Anglaise (see recipe to follow)
1 cup pecan nuts, toasted and chopped
Maple syrup
Churn the crème Anglaise in an ice cream machine until almost firm. Stir in the pecan nuts. Transfer to a container and ripple through the maple syrup to finish. Freeze until firm.
To serve, slice the pie into equal parts and top with maple syrup and pecan ice cream.
*may replace with pre-made pie crust.
Roasted Tomato Soup
Serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
10 plum tomatoes, halved
1 white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, halved
2 thyme sprigs
1 tsp white sugar
2 bunches of basil
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
2 tbsp olive oil
4 small clusters of cherry tomatoes on the vine
4 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Combine the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a mixing bowl and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay out on a baking tray and sprinkle with the thyme, basil and sugar. Roast in the oven at 425 degrees until caramelised.
Pour the tomatoes into a blender and puree. While the blender is running, ladle in hot stock to smooth the soup. You may not use all of the stock.
For garnish, heat olive oil, lightly sauté the tomato clusters on the vine. Serve on top of the soup with thin sliced basil.
Fillet of Beef Wellington with Roasted Carrots and Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4
Beef Wellington
1 lb center cut, filet mignon
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
10 medium white mushrooms, roughly chopped
butter, room temperature
1 sprig Thyme
bay Leaves
3 egg yolks, whipped (for glaze)
I sheet of puff pastry
In a hot pan, sear the filet of beef on each side then brush with mustard and allow to cool.
Rough chop and sauté the mushrooms. Season with thyme, salt and pepper.
Place plastic wrap on a cutting board or flat surface. Place the beef on plastic wrap and cover with mushrooms.
Use the plastic wrap to wrap the mushrooms around the beef and twist to secure firmly. Set in fridge for 10 minutes. Remove plastic wrap.
Roll out pastry and wrap around the beef, pressing the pastry edges to seal at the base and trimming away any excess.
Brush once with the egg wash and bake in a 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes. Check halfway with a thermometer, the internal temperature should be approximately 115°F for medium rare. Pastry should be golden brown.
Red Wine Sauce made with Brown Chicken stock
1 pint Brown Chicken stock (or veal stock) Found in frozen section
1/2 bottle of Red Wine
In a small sauce pan, reduce the red wine until almost dry. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Roasted Carrots
8 baby Carrots, whole & peeled
salt and Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Season the baby carrots with salt and pepper and olive oil. Roast them at 425 for 8-10 minutes until soft but not mushy.
Mashed potatoes
3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled
2 tbsp whole butter, room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
salt
white pepper
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20-30 minutes, until soft. Strain and let sit for 5-10 minutes until dry. Crush potatoes with a potato masher or fork and add butter and cream. Season with salt and white pepper.
To serve, with a serrated knife slice the Wellington into equal portions. Arrange 2 slices of beef with the potatoes and carrots. Finish with the sauce before serving.
Buttermilk Pannacotta with Mango Blackberry Compote
2 tablespoons of warm water
2 teaspoons of unflavored powdered gelatin
1 cup of heavy cream
6 tablespoons of sugar
3/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 cups of buttermilk
1 fresh ripe mango
2 pints of fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cup of water
Take 6 ramekins and spray interior with non stick cooking spray. Stir the gelatin into the warm water in a small bowl until it dissolves. In a small saucepan, heat the cream and sugar until it is almost to scalding temperature (about to boil). Whisk the sugar to dissolve. Take off the heat and whisk in gelatin then the buttermilk and vanilla. Strain into a bowl with a mesh sieve. Pour mixture into prepared ramekins and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to chill.
Combine blackberries, water, and sugar, in a saucepan and simmer for about five minutes until mixture is syrupy. Peel and dice mango then add to blackberry compote.
To serve, unmold each pannacotta by dipping the bottom of the ramekins into a bowl of hot water for about 10 seconds. Go around the edge of each pannacotta with a butter knife. Upturn the ramekin onto a dessert plate with a sharp tap. This should loosen the pannacotta onto the plate. Spoon over the pannacotta some of the compote.
Magical Aspects
