Individual Beef Wellingtons

The Beef Wellington (not named after the 1st Duke of Wellington, it was apparently invented for a civic reception in Wellington, New Zealand) is a very famous and decadent dish. There are many variations and mine is an adaption of Gordon Ramsey's where he uses Parma ham around the fillet opposed to a crepe, which helps to keep the moisture away from the puff pastry. Instead of using a whole fillet of beef (a bit expensive and you'd need 8 hungry mouths) this recipe is for individual steaks. It's quite a simple recipe so give it a go you'll be glad you did! I served mine on dauphinoise potatoes with purple sprouting broccoli and a red wine reduction.

Ingredients (serves 4)
For the Wellingtons:
4 8oz fillet steaks
250g ready made puff pastry
6 chestnut mushrooms
1/2 red onion finely diced
Handfull of washed spinach
2 gloves of crushed garlic
4 slices of Parma ham
1 sprig of thyme
1 egg beaten
For the dauphinoise potatoes:
4 maris piper potatoes
1/2 red onion sliced
1/2 pint double cream
1 garlic glove crushed
For the red wine reduction:
1/4 of an onion chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1 pint quality beef stock, thickened
1 glass of red wine
2 tbsp red currant jelly
12 purple sprouting broccoli stems

Method
First take your steaks out of the fridge and let them get to room temperature. Splash a bit of olive oil into a frying pan and get smoking hot, seal the steaks and set aside. Pour some of the red wine into the pan to
de-glaze it and lift up the intense steak flavours left over from the sealing process, keep this liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry them in a pan with the onion, thyme and garlic, when it's cooked (after 2 mins) add a splash of red wine and the spinach and keep cooking until the spinach has wilted, season. Roll out or unroll the pastry on a floured surface and let it get to room temperature (makes it easier to work with). Instead of covering the entire steak in pastry we're going to make a lattice effect with the pastry. You can buy a small roller that does it for you but it can easily be done with a knife:

 
Using a knife measure out the width of each steak and measure it out on the pastry and cut it into a rectangle. Then with a sharp knife cut through the pastry like the picture above. When you've done this gently stretch out the pastry like the picture below:

Top each steak with the fried mushroom and onion mixture (duxelle) and wrap them in the Parma ham. Then carefully lay the pastry over each steak and tuck the pastry underneath and brush with the beaten egg:

The Wellingtons are now ready for cooking and can be stored in the fridge for around 12 hours if needed to. Now it's time to make the dauphinoise potatoes, peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Fry the sliced onions in a little olive oil for a minute then add the garlic and double cream. Then add the potatoes and bake in an oven proof dish at 220C for half an hour or until a knife slides easily through the potatoes.
For the sauce fry the chopped onions for a minute in a little olive oil then add the garlic and red wine. Simmer this mixture for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol then add the stock and redcurrant jelly. Leave to simmer until it reduces by half.
Cook each Wellington on a greased baking tray at 220C, when the pastry is golden brown then they are medium rare and ready! If you prefer your steaks cooked a little more turn the oven down to 175C and add a further 3 minutes for medium or 7 for well done. Boil some water in a pan and cook the broccoli, once it comes back to the boil add 2 minutes and it's cooked. Place the potatoes in a circular cake cutter in the middle of a plate, pour the sauce around the potatoes put the Wellington on top and place the broccoli on the plate. Now you're ready to impress! Good luck and have fun......

 

How to make a tasty burger

Homemade burger topped with Gruyere avocado and mayo served with fries. 

Since the horse meat scandal local butchers have seen a huge increase in sales with people not trusting the big super markets which is great news for local business. Ready made super market burgers have seen a big dip in sales for obvious reasons. Burgers are super easy to make and there are an unlimited variations all you need is a binding agent (egg and/or bread crumbs) and your'e off! The recipe below is one of my favourites and used to feature on the menu in various pubs I have worked in in the past.
Ingredients:
300g lean mince beef
1 egg
2 tsp ketchup
1 tsp mustard (I used Dijon but any will do)
1/2 red onion diced
1 garlic glove crushed
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method:
First mix all the ingredients in a bowl, to mix really well squeeze it all through your fingers (if you wear a ring I'd take it off!). When it's all mixed really well shape them into patties, to do this form some of the mixture into a ball a bit smaller than a tennis ball then flatten it. Leave them to chill in a fridge for at least 20 minutes so they firm up. The longer you leave them the better as this allows the flavours to enhance. To cook get a frying pan hot with a splash of oil. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes then under a grill for another 5. You can use steak mince to make you burgers and if you do then you can have them medium rare or well done etc., which ever is your preference. Serve in a toasted bun with what ever topping you like. We had Gruyere cheese with avocado and mayonnaise and a side of fries. Enjoy! (No horse meat was used in the making of this burger)

Making pizza with my kids

Another wet day here in Wiltshire and the school run was a total wash out. My two boys and I looked like we'd been for a swim in our clothes, riding bikes in the rain isn't it's all cracked up to be. After getting home, changed and putting the heating on I decided it was time the boys learnt a bit about cooking and after talking it through with our eldest (5 and three quarters) Pizza was on tonight's menu. Total carnage was what I was expecting and got!
Here's the recipe for the pizza base (made by James and Ollie):

Ingredients
(Makes 3-4 pizza bases)
500g strong white bread flour
1/2 tsp fine salt
7g sachet of dried yeast
1/2 tsp caster sugar
325ml (about 1/2 a pint) lukewarm water
Extra flour for dusting

For the child friendly version I first got all the ingredients ready in separate bowls and made sure we had a large work surface (we used the dinning room table). Most recipes say to put all the flour onto a surface, make a well in the middle then add the water, not such a good idea with little chefs so we opted for a large mixing bowl to try and contain as much mess as possible, it kinda worked.
First mix the sugar, yeast and water together. Mix well and leave for 5 minutes. Then put the flour into the bowl with the salt.

James mixing the yeast, Ollie taking care of the flour.

So far no mess! Next make a well in the middle of the flour and slowly pour in the water mixture stirring as you do.

Boys concentrating!

Mix the mixture with a fork or wooden spoon, it should start to look like stodgy porridge. When it gets to hard to stir with a fork it's time to use your hands. Flour the work surface with quite a bit of flour and empty the mixture onto it. Start stretching the flour with the bottom of your hands and do this for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and springy. However if your'e working with 2 little chefs let them punch it as hard as they can!

James showing the dough who's boss, Ollie shouting because he can.

Now you should be getting a mess that can only be described as a flour explosion! Put the dough back into the mixing bowl, dust with flour, cover clingfilm and leave for around 20 minutes. In the mean time, time to thank the boys for their hard work, put on Power Rangers (I really don't see the appeal) and clear up the mess.

What mess?

After the dough has had 20 minutes to do it's thing (double in size) it's time to roll out the bases. Flour your work surface and separate the dough mixture into 3 balls. Roll out into a rough circle finishing with the dough nice and thin. Heat the oven to 230C, now its time to apply your toppings. The tomato sauce is relatively easy - fry 1/2 an onion with a diced garlic glove, add chopped tomatoes and oregano and simmer for 10 minutes. Put the rolled out base onto a floured baking tray and add your ingredients, try not to over load your pizza! The boys had cheese and tomato and my wife and I had chorizo, Parma ham, asparagus, mushroom and mozzarella, and very nice it was too. Have fun!

Chorizo, Parma ham, asparagus, mushroom and mozzarella pizza 

  

Bailey's and chocolate cheesecake

Rather indulgent Bailey's and Chocolate cheesecake 

This dessert is a big favourite and always impresses, my wife and I liked it so much we had it as our wedding cake! Bailey's and chocolate are perfect together, any type of chocolate will do (white, dark etc.) and as we're using chocolate it will set the cake so no gelatin or baking is needed. It's quite a simple dessert and can be made in under half an hour, so here goes:

Ingredients:

Serves 4

300g soft cheese

3 digestive biscuits

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

75g good quality chocolate

75ml Bailey's 

15g butter

3 tsp icing sugar

Method:

First melt the butter then put it in a food processor with the digestives, vanilla essence and caster sugar. Blitz until it looks like wet sand. Cover the bottom of the cheesecake tin with grease proof paper and put the mixture onto it and press down with the back of a spoon making sure it all sticks down. Pop it in the freezer to set. 

Melt the chocolate in the microwave (in 20 second bursts) or in a glass bowl over simmering water. When it's melted leave it to cool slightly, mix all the other ingredients in a bowl add the chocolate and mix well. Spoon the mixture on to the base and smooth the top of the cheesecake with the back of a large knife. Leave to set overnight in the fridge. Serve with vanilla ice cream or chocolate dipped strawberries. Enjoy!