April Recipes
06/04/2007
Rhubarb Crumble Tart
Shirley Spear, chef/proprietor of The Three Chimneys restaurant on the Isle of Skye, shares her ever-so-slightly sophisticated variation on the theme of traditional rhubarb crumble. "I always use rolled oats, chopped nuts and brown sugar in my crumble topping for flavour and texture," says Shirley. "In our early years, apple crumble and rhubarb crumble were frequently on the pudding menu. We sold lashings of it, served with Blood Orange Sorbet and Stem Ginger Ice Cream."
Read our interview with Shirley Spear here
Stage 1
Line an 8" (20cm) loose-bottomed flan tin with sweet shortcrust pastry and
bake blind.
Stage 2: Cook the Rhubarb
Ingredients
500g rhubarb cut into diagonal chunks approximately 4cms in length
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 small orange (or a blood orange)
4 thin slices of root ginger
200g of soft light brown sugar
Lay the pieces of rhubarb in a single layer in a shallow, oven-proof dish. Hide the pieces of root ginger in the rhubarb. Pour over the orange juice. Sprinkle the sugar mixed with the orange rind over the top and mix through roughly. Cover the dish with a layer of greaseproof paper.
Make a tight-fitting lid of foil to cover the dish. Place dish in the centre of a moderate oven and bake slowly for approximately 20 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft, but still retains its shape.
Stage 3: Make The Crumble Topping
Ingredients
125g wholemeal flour
125g butter chilled from the fridge and cut into small pieces
125g soft light brown sugar
100g jumbo oats
100g nibbed almonds, or chopped nuts of your choice
Half a flat teaspoonful of ground ginger
Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Keep the mixture loose and crumbly. Work with the butter while it is still quite cold.
Stage 4: Assemble and Bake The Tart
Place one third of the crumble mixture in the base of the baked flan case. Remove the slices of root ginger and place the cooked rhubarb on top of the crumble mixture in an even layer, filling the flan case. Finish with an even layer of all the remaining crumble mixture. Return to bake in the centre of a moderate (Gas mark 5, 190C, 375F) oven for 20/25 minutes until golden. Serve warm with whipped cream, crème fraiche, tradtitional custard or ice cream.
Cajun Blackened Saithe with Colcannon and Lemon Crème Fraîche Dressing
Jim Cowie, head chef at The Captain’s Galley, in Scrabster, Caithness, was named Chef of the Year at this year’s Seafood Awards for his use of sustainable seafood caught in season and sourced from within a 50-mile radius of the restaurant. During April and May he'll be sharing three of his favourite fishy recipes. In this second installment he cooks up a Louisiana-style meal using saithe.
Ingredients
4 portions of saithe 180-200g
Sunflower oil for cooking fish
For colcannon
800g mashed potatoes
1 Leek roughly chopped
500g Kale roughly chopped leaving ribs attached
25g unsalted butter
50ml milk
For dressing
150ml crème fraîche
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons and finely grated rind of 1
Tablespoon of finely chopped chives
For Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup coarse salt
1/2 cup sweet paprika
1tbsp garlic flakes
1tbsp onion flakes
1tbsp dried thyme leaves
1tbsp dried oregano
1tbsp black pepper
2tbsp white pepper
2tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp ground bay leaf
Cajun seasoning method
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix. (Fingers work better for mixing than a spoon or whisk does). Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat or light; it will keep for at least 6 months.
Method
For the dressing, put the crème fraîche in a mixing bowl then add the finely grated lemon rind and juice mix thoroughly then add chives, keep refrigerated until required, you can add more of either ingredient depending on your taste or preferred consistency.
Blanch kale in pan of boiling salted water for 1-1 1/2 minutes, refresh in iced water until cool, then keep aside. Heat a knob of butter in small saucepan and sweat off leeks under low heat until softened
In a medium saucepan slowly melt butter and infuse milk stirring until mixed thoroughly together, add mashed potato and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed and hot, fold in the kale and leeks heat through then keep to the side warm. Put the Cajun seasoning in a tray and dust the fish until fully coated all round,
Heat a heavy bottom pan (I use a cast iron skillet) until searing hot, add oil and heat until smoking, (I use sunflower, olive oil will burn before you get the fish in the pan)
Place the seasoned fish in the pan skin side down, cook for 1-2 minutes before turning round on other side and cooking for a further 1- 2 minutes take pan off the heat squeeze the juice of remaining 1/2 lemon over the fish and rest until ready to serve
Quenelle the colcannon with 2 serving spoons place the fish on top add the dressing to suit your taste and serve immediately
Asian Steamed Pollock with Thai Jasmine Rice
Ingredients
4 portions of skin on pollock (180-200g)
Knob of finely diced ginger
Finely chopped chives
Strands of zest from 1 lime
Juice from 2 limes
1/2 cups Thai jasmine rice
2 cups fresh water
1 x 4inch square sheet of Kombu (Japanese dried seaweed)
Sweet and sour cabbage (see attached recipe)
4 pak choi if large half them length ways
Soy ginger chilli dressing
Sweet and sour cabbage ingredients
1/2 a medium white cabbage
30g salt
150ml sesame oil
50g icing sugar
100ml white wine vinegar
50ml sweet sherry
20g finely diced root ginger
1 red chilli sliced
100g golden sultanas
Salt & pepper
Sweet and sour cabbage method
Break the cabbage into individual leaves, remove the thick ribs or stem, and shred very finely (chiffonade) with sharp knife.
Sprinkle the cabbage with the salt cover in cling film and leave in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or preferably over night, then wash thoroughly and squeeze gently drain well, without damaging the cabbage
Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan and add the cabbage. Stir well for 30 seconds. Push the cabbage to one side, add the sugar and cook until it starts to caramelize. Stir back the cabbage and mix well.
Add the vinegar, sherry, fresh ginger, chilli and sultanas and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. The cabbage should be a light golden colour and slightly crispy. Allow to cool before adjusting the seasoning.
Main Recipe Method
Cook the sweet and sour cabbage as per attached recipe and set aside in a warm place.
Place rice in a mixing bowl, it is preferable if it’s not too smooth an inside surface, you want some abrasion to clean the rice, while bearing in mind you are just washing it and if you are too heavy you can cause bruising and damage. Add small amounts of water and mix vigorously with your opened cupped fingers, for few minutes then add more water and drain out all discoloured water, repeat the process three more times getting more gentle each time when stirring, when finally drained allow the rice to rest for 30 minutes covered with a damp cloth.
If you have one, put the rice in a rice cooker, add 2 cups of fresh water and the square of kombu, (you can season with a little salt, if you don’t have kombu). When cooked keep the rice cooker on “keep warm” setting. This will hold the rice at the correct heat to allow you time to cook the fish.
Add the required amount of sweet and sour cabbage in small saucepan and heat gently and keep warm.
In a small saucepan gently heat the soy ginger dressing and set aside in warm place
Place the pollock in steamer (I use Thai bamboo steamer on a wok of lightly simmering water) sprinkle the surface with the diced ginger, lime rind and chopped chives, put the lid on the steamer and place it in the wok above the simmering water, to steam approximately 6 minutes or until cooked through.
After 2 minutes place the pak choi in the steamer and cook. (if your steamer is not big enough for everything cook the fish first and then cook pak choi for 2 minutes as you are plating up).
When you remove pak choi from steamer, you can lightly season with salt or brush with a little butter.
When cooked remove the fish from the steamer into a warmed metal tray, lightly season with rough sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and lots of the freshly squeezed lime juice.
To serve, put the fish on the plate followed by the rice in a small cupped bowl and turn out on to the plate then the sweet and sour cabbage and pak choi and lastly the soy ginger dressing to your preference.
Nick Nairn’s Turkey Parma Wraps
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 turkey escalopes cut from breast, about 85-110g each
8 slices prosciutto or Parma ham
Freshly ground black pepper
16 large fresh sage leaves
3tbsp olive oil
Lemon wedges, to serve
Buttered tagliatelle and rocket salad to serve
Put each piece of turkey between sheets of cling film and bat out thinly with a rolling pin. Season with black pepper.
Put a sage leaf on each escalope then lay a slice of Parma ham on top, making sure it is long enough to cover both sides of the escalope. Turn the escalope over, place another sage leaf on the other side then fold the remaining half of the Parma ham over. Bat down again gently on both sides until the ham merges with the turkey. Don’t worry at this stage if it tears a little and the sage leaf pokes through.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the escalopes two or three at a time over a high heat, for 1 1/2 minutes, then flip over and fry for another minute until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and keep warm while you cook the remainder. Serve piping hot with plenty of lemon to squeeze over and with some buttered tagliatelle and rocket salad.
Read our news Digest story about Nick Nairn's turkey recipe here
Warm Potato, Spinach and Bacon Salad
Serves 2 for a light lunch, 4 as a starter
Ingredients
500g new or salad potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thick slices
1tbsp olive oil
240g pack smoked back bacon, chopped
2tbsp. white wine vinegar
2tsp clear honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
225g baby spinach leaves, washed
Place the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the bacon until crispy. Add the potatoes and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the vinegar, honey and seasoning and cook for a further minute. Allow to cool slightly before tossing onto the spinach leaves. Serve immediately.
Cabbage with Sausage and Caraway
Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
450g good quality, coarse sausages
450g small salad potatoes, halve any large ones
Tiny pinch caraway seeds
2tbsp olive oil
2 small cabbages
Salt and ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ gas mark 6.
2. Put the onion, sausages, potatoes and caraway seeds in a roasting tin easily large enough to hold them all in one layer. Drizzle over the olive oil and put in the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes, or until almost cooked. Stir occasionally to brown everything evenly.
3. Just as the sausages and potatoes are turning golden brown, halve the cabbages from tip to root and drop into a large pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes.
4. Drain the cabbage leaving a little of the cooking water still clinging to the leaves. Stir into the roasting tin making sure the cabbage is coated with the oils from the pan.
5. Return the roasting tin to the oven and cook for a further 5-7 minutes or until the cabbage is just beginning to turn golden at the edges. Stir well then serve immediately.
To view archived recipes:
For March, click here
For February, click here
For January, click here
copyright © 2008 allfoodscotland | disclaimer
12 SOUTH CHARLOTTE STREET, EDINBURGH EH2 4AX
T: +44 131 624 9854 E: info@allfoodscotland.com
12 SOUTH CHARLOTTE STREET, EDINBURGH EH2 4AX
T: +44 131 624 9854 E: info@allfoodscotland.com
designed and developed by flamegreen 