Mon 5 Nov 2007
Artichoke Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb (450g) artichokes juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper 1 clove garlic
1oz (25g) butter or margarine 1oz (25g) plain flour
1 pt (600ml) hot milk 1 pt (600g) well flavoured chicken stock
½ tsp 2.50ml ground mace 3oz (75g) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
1. Peel the artichokes and sprinkle immediately with lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Cut into dice and boil in salted water for about 30 minutes or until tender .
2. Meanwhile, peel and crush the garlic. Melt the butter or margarine in a pan. Add the garlic and fry gently for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook gently for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove pan from the heat and gradually stir in the hot milk, beating vigorously after each addition.
4. When all the milk is incorporated, return pan to the heat. Stir in the chicken stock, mace, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes. Drain the artichokes when tender and stir into the sauce.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Puree
soup until smooth in a liquidizer or work through a fine sieve.
7. Return the soup to rinsed out pan. Stir in 1oz (25g) Parmesan and reheat soup until
cheese melts, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add more milk if the soup is
too thick.
8. Pour into warmed soup bowls and serve hot with remaining
parmesan served separately.
Chicken cooked with Tarragon
Ingredients:
3 lb (1.5kg) roasting chicken 2 oz (50) butter
salt and pepper 1 clove garlic
¼lb (100g) mushrooms 6 shallots or onions
2 tbsp (30ml finely chopped tarragon bouquet garni
1 pt (600ml) stock 1 oz (25g) kneaded butter
Side Note: Kneaded Butter
1oz (25g) butter
1oz (25g) plain flour
1. Cream the butter until soft. Then add the flour and work in well until it forms a smooth paste. Divide up into small pieces and use as required to thicken sauces and casseroles.
2. If liked you can make up kneaded butter in larger quantities and store in the refrigerator for future use.
Instructions:
1. Set oven at 325oF (160oC) or Mark 3.
2. Melt the butter in a pan and when foaming put in the chicken, breast side downwards. Brown the bird all over on a slow heat for about 15 minutes, turning as necessary.
3. Peel and crush garlic clove with a little salt. Wash and roughly chop the mushrooms.
Peel the shallots and leave whole.
4. Place the browned chicken in a deep casserole dish. Add the tarragon and garlic and lightly season with salt and pepper. Arrange the mushrooms and shallots round it. Pour over the stock and tuck in the bouquet garni.
5. Cook in the pre-set oven for about 1¼ hours. Lift chicken,
Mushrooms and onions onto a heated serving dish. Remove bouquet garni, thicken the cooking liquor with kneaded butter and pour over.
Side Note: Kneaded Butter
1oz (25g) butter
1oz (25g) plain flour
1. Cream the butter until soft. Then add the flour and work in well until it forms a smooth paste. Divide up into small pieces and use as required to thicken sauces and casseroles.
2. If liked you can make up kneaded butter in larger quantities and store in the refrigerator for future use.
Dessert: Cherry Pie
Ingredients:
8 oz (225g) sweet short crust pastry 1 tbsp (15 ml) melted butter
1 lb (450g) cooked, stoned red cherries almond essence
2 tbsp (30ml) castor sugar extra castor sugar for dusting 1 tbsp (15 ml) 1 egg white tapioca
Instructions:
1. Set oven at 400oF (200oC) or Mark 6.
2. Make the sweet short crust pastry and line a 7-8inch (18-20cm) diameter deep pie dish with half of it.
3. Strain the cherries and place in a bowl with 8fl oz (220ml) cherry juices. Add the sugar, melted butter, tapioca and a few drops of almond essence. Mix together and leave aside to stand for about 15 minutes.
4. Pour the cherry filling into the pie dish and cover with the remaining pastry, sealing the edges well.
5. Bake in the pre-set oven for 30-40 minutes.
6. Take the pie out of the oven, brush with lightly whipped egg white and sprinkle with a little castor sugar. Return the pie to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes or until glazed.
If you are interested in losing weight Click Here!
