Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Prawn cocktail

Prawn cocktail Serves 4
Recipe
Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

1 lemon

Approx 250g of cooked small peeled prawns

Lemon wedges, to garnish

For the Marie Rose Sauce:

Approx 200g fresh mayonnaise

2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup

Pinch cayenne pepper

Dash Tabasco, to taste

Dash Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Splash of brandy, to taste

½ iceberg lettuce

do this

1. Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and carefully score each half using a small knife to create a criss-cross pattern. Squeeze each half generously with lemon juice to prevent it from dis-colouring.

2. To make the Marie Rose sauce mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, cayenne pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice together in a large bowl. Season to taste with Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of brandy. Stir to combine.

3. Place a spoonful of Marie Rose sauce into the bottom of 4 serving glasses. Shred the lettuce and divide equally among the glasses. Scrape out the flesh from the avocado using a spoon and scatter over the lettuce. Spoon another layer of sauce on top.

4. Arrange the prawns on top and finish with a final spoonful of sauce (reserving any remaining

sauce for future use). Sprinkle with a touch of cayenne pepper and garnish with a lemon wedge in each glass to serve.



Gordon Ramsay recipe


Stir fried beef with peppers and egg noodles

Stir fried beef with peppers and egg noodles Serves 4
Recipe
Ingredients

500g lean beef steak, such as fillet

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 large red pepper

3 spring onions

1 red chilli

150g bean sprouts

300g medium egg noodles

Handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Soy sauce

Groundnut oil

Toasted sesame oil

Salt and pepper

For the sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

do this

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil for the noodles.

2. Trim and cut the beef fillet into thin strips, place into a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, a little sesame oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Crush in the garlic, add the grated ginger and mix well. Leave to marinade for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the vegetables.

3. Heat a wok or a large frying pan until hot then add a little groundnut oil, and a touch of sesame oil, swirling the wok to coat the surface evenly. Add the beef strips and stir-fry for a couple of minutes until nicely browned. Strain into a colander and catch the juices in a bowl underneath.

4. Slice the pepper, spring onions and red chilli and toss together in a large bowl. Add a little more groundnut oil and sesame oil to the pan and stir-fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes. Add the beansprouts and half the chopped coriander for the last 30 seconds. Remove the vegetables and transfer to the colander with the beef.

5. For the sauce, pour 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, the oyster sauce, rice vinegar and the reserved beef juices to the pan and allow to reduce to a syrupy glaze.

6. Blanch the noodles in the boiling water for about 3-4 minutes, until tender but still retaining a slight bite, then drain and immediately toss with a little sesame oil and the remaining coriander. Divide equally among serving bowls.

7. Return the beef and vegetables to the pan with the sauce to warm though. Spoon the beef, vegetables and sauce over the noodles and serve at once.



Gordon Ramsay recipe



Gordon's hot bananas

Gordon's hot bananas Serves 4
Recipe
Ingredients

3 medium bananas

75g caster sugar

15g unsalted butter

½ red chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

50ml dark rum

60ml coconut milk

Vanilla ice cream, to serve

do this

1. Sprinkle the sugar over the base of a wide, heavy, non-stick frying pan and place over a high heat until it melts and begins to caramelise around the edge of the pan. Chop the chilli and add to the sugar.

2. Peel and roughly slice the bananas on the diagonal.

3. Add the bananas and coat in the caramel, then add the butter. Allow the bananas to caramelise for 2-3 minutes before pouring in the rum and flambéing. Let the flames burn out, then pour in the coconut milk and swirl to combine. Cook out for a further 1-2 minutes before removing from the heat.

4. Spoon the hot bananas into the bottom of the serving glasses/bowls and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to serve.

Gordon Ramsay recipe

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Chickpeas and spinach

Chickpeas and spinach Serves 4
Recipe
Ingredients

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, finely diced

1 celery stick, finely diced

A few sprigs of thyme

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

300g streaky bacon or pancetta, diced

200g vacuum packed or jarred whole chestnuts, roughly chopped

1 tsp pimenton (hot smoked paprika)

100g young spinach leaves, washed and drained

350g dried chickpeas, cooked in boiling water until tender (reserve 150ml of the cooking liquid)

or 2 x 410g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, to garnish

Do this

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion for 3 - 4 minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in the carrot, celery, a few sprigs of thyme and the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the garlic, bacon or pancetta, chestnuts and pimenton. Gently fry until the vegetables become golden and the bacon is crisp. Stir in the chickpeas and 150ml of their cooking water, or plain tap water.

3. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until the chickpeas are hot. Scatter the spinach over and stir through the chickpeas and bacon. Remove from the heat, season to taste and serve immediately, garnished with chopped flat leaf parsley.



Tommi Miers recipe

Mixed game spit-roast feast

Mixed game spit-roast feast Feeds 6
Recipe
Ingredients
3 grouse or partridge
1 pheasant
1 mallard
120ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
For the rosemary salt:
Leaves from 2 large sprigs of rosemary, shredded
2 tablespoons Maldon sea salt
1 teaspoon peppercorns
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar


Do this

1.First joint the pheasant and mallard. With a pair of game scissors, cut out the backbone of the grouse or partridge and cut each bird down the middle into two halves.
2.To make the rosemary salt, using a pestle and mortar grind all the ingredients into into powder. Put the birds on to a large plate and rub all over with the salt. Drizzle over the olive oil and vinegar and leave to marinate for at least an hour.
3.When you are ready to eat, spear or thread each piece of meat on to a hazel spear or skewer. Cook over a direct flame (or, if indoors, under a hot grill) for 10–15 minutes, depending on how you like your game. I think the only way is pink but some like it better done, although flavour and a tender texture are sacrificed.