Recipe: Fillet of Venison, Pomegranate and bean Cous Cous

Ingredients

One red pepper, diced
Two diced shallots
1/2 Red onion diced
75g Cous Cous
Up to 1/2 litre vegetable stock
Two 200g Venison Fillets, loins or Haunch, marinated in a glass of red wine, Thyme, Rosemary and garlic for 8 hours
1/2 tin mixed beans
One pomegranate, seed capsules removed
Chopped chives
Oil and butter
Seasoning

Method

Heat a large sauce pan, saute the red pepper, shallot, red onion in a little oil and butter until soft
Stir in the cous cous and enough stock to cover, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and cover with cling film or a lid
Remove the venison from the marinade and season them
Heat a frying pan, add a little oil and fry the Venison, 15 minutes at a medium heat should mean they will be medium rare.
Ensure the Venison is allowed to rest
Add the beans, pomegranate and chives to the cous cous
Place the cous cous on the serving dish, slice the venison and place on top, reheat the juices in the venison pan add a little butter, shake until the sauce is thick and glossy, spoon the glaze over the Venison

Recipe: Northsea lemon sole

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
Chopped dill or parsley
Two lemon sole
Flour for dusting
Olive oil
One shallot diced
Juice of one lemon
150ml white wine
100g samphire

Method

Make a herb butter by softening the butter, mix the chopped herbs
Pre-heat the oven to 200c
Heat a large oven proof frying pan. Dust the fish with a little flour, add a little olive oil to the pan and seal both sides of the fish.
Add the shallot, lemon juice and white wine to the pan and place in the oven for ten minutes or so depending on the size of the fish.
When cooked, remove the fish from the pan and keep warm.
Heat the juices in the pan and drop in butter cut into cubes, constantly shaking the pan until the butter is melted and the sauce is shiny.
Drop in the samphire to warm through, remove and place onto warm serving plates with the fish on top and the sauce spooned over the top

For this dish fresh fish is always required, here in the Northeast we can buy fansastic produce, Myself, Zoe and the kids love Latimers of Whitburn, once you have visited this fish counter you will never go anywhere else.

Recipe: Baked Seabass

Ingredients

60g softened butter
Two whole prepared seabass
One large sprig of Thyme
30g Black olives
40g sun-dried tomatoes
15g wild mushrooms
Four slices of lemon
Two sprigs of parsley
Olive oil
Seasoning

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200c
Place two pieces of double foil on the kitchen bench, rub the foil with half the butter and place the fish on top.
Stuff the cavity of the fish with the Thyme, olives,tomatoes and mushrooms. smear the fish with the rest of the butter, season and place the lemon and parsley on top, drizzle with a little olive oil.
Fold the foil and crimp it tightly all around to make a well sealed parcel, when doing this ensure there is space for the steam to circulate.
Place the parcels on a baking tray and bake in the oven for twenty minutes.
Once cooked open the parcels and serve the seabass.

Recipe: Sardines, parmesan salad

Ingredients

Olive oil
Eight cherry tomatoes on the vine
Maldon sea salt, Ground black pepper
Balsamic reduction
Butter
Four sardines
One diced red onion
One handful Black olives
Diced cucumber
One handful rocket
One handful red chard
One handful Endive
Fresh Parmesan

Method

Heat a frying pan, add a little olive oil, add the tomatoes and season. gently colour the tomatoes and add a little balsamic reduction, remove from the heat
Heat a second pan and add the olive oil, add the sardines and fry, when nearly cooked add a little butter and remove from the heat, this will allow the sardines to finish cooking in the natural juices.
In a bowl mix the red onion, garlic, cucumber and leaves, dress with a little olive oil and season.
Shave the fresh parmesan on to the salad and finsh with the roast tomatoes.
Top the salad with the sardines and pour over some of the cooking juices, finish with a wedge of fresh lemon.

Recipe: Crab and Tomato Tart

Ingredients

One handful of diced red onion
Two handfuls of washed and chopped leeks
Two handfuls washed and chopped spinach
Olive oil
Two handfuls of washed rocket
One cup of crab meat
A small carton of double cream
Two hens eggs beaten
A handful of sun-dried tomatoes- chopped
Seasoning

Method

Bake four tart cases ( please see blog for pastry recipe)
In a saucepan gently saute the onion, leek and spinach in a little olive oil for a few minutes until the onion is soft.
Remove from the heat and add half the crab and rocket, with enough cream to bind the mixture together, then mix in the beaten eggs.
Spoon the mix into the pastry cases and bake in the oven until set.
To serve, mix the tomatoes crab and remaining rocket together, place the salad on to the plate and put the baked tart on top

Recipe: Peas Pudding

Ingredients

350g split peas
100ml walnut oil
4tbls Tarragon vinegar

Method

Soak the peas overnight, drain and place in a pan
Cover with cold water
Cook until tender
Drain and blend, adding the oil and vinegar

place in a container, store in the fridge for upto three days

Recipe: Crab Cannelloni, Lemon and Vine Tomato

Ingredients

4 sheets fresh egg pasta
50g salmon fillet
2 scallops
2ooml double cream
100g white crab meat
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
Seasoning
8 blanched and deseeded diced tomatoes
4 lemons segmented
Chooped tarragon

Method

Puree the salmon and scallops, add the cream and place the mix in a bowl over ice
Fold in the crab meat and add the herbs
Place the pasta sheets onto cling film, place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe the mix onto the pasta
Roll the pasta in cling film and allow the cannelloni to chill in the fridge
Mix the tomato with the tarragon and season well
When you are ready poach the cannelloni for five minutes
Once cooked allow to rest for 1 minute, remove the cling film
To serve place the tomato salad on the plate and top with the cannelloni
Spoon over a little balsamic syrup and finish with fresh herbs

Recipe: Celeriac puree

Ingredients
1kg Celeriac
2 Garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
Milk
Salt
Butter

Method
Peel the celeriac & cut into 1" dice
Cover with milk and add the garlic and bay leaf
Season lightly, bring to the boil and simmer until soft
Drain & remove the bay leaf, keep the cooking liquor to one side
Blend the celeriac until smooth, add a little butter, re-season if required
Blend once again, add the left over cooking liquor to thin the mix if required

You can store the celeriac puree in the fridge in an air tight container for upto 3 days

Recipe: Sweet onion Soup

Serves four
One tablespoon olive oil
50g butter
Six large red onions – peeled and sliced
One clove of garlic – peeled and crushed
Two sprigs of thyme – leaves picked off and chopped
Two sprigs of rosemary – leaves picked off and chopped
30g plain flour
One litre of beef stock
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Four slices of white bread – torn into lumps
100g smoked cheese – grated

Method

In a large pan, melt the butter in the olive oil, add the onions and gently fry until they’re soft and tender – probably about 15 minutes – but be careful they don’t burn. Add the garlic and chopped herbs and gently cook for another couple of minutes before sprinkling in the flour and stirring to combine with the onions. Pour in the stock, a little at a time at first whilst stirring until all the flour is combined and the rest can be poured in without making lumps. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for around 20 minutes before adjusting the seasoning to taste.
To serve, first, pre-heat the grill. While it’s heating, pour the soup into warmed bowls (or, for a difference, large coffee cups as we have here) making sure you get lots of the onion in each. Top each one with the lumps of bread, sprinkle on some cheese and place the bowls or cups under the grill until the cheese is melted.

Recipe: Gluhwein (mulled wine)

When we lived in Germany winter for me was the best time of the year.
My Mam and Dad ensured we enjoyed the local culture and we experienced alot of different foods at local Markets and festivals, this was fantsatic especially in the snow as Dad made me and my Sister Mandy bespoke sledges, these turned out to be some of the fastest sledges in the camp and they went everywhere with us.

Anyone that knows me will tell you i love the simple things in life and have done since i was little, Bockwurst, Bratwurst, Currywurst and Frikadeller are what i would call the foods of my childhood.

Winter for most people is dull, wet and depressing. For me its about bringing back memories that i love. If you have ever been lucky enough to experience a German market you will understand what i mean.

When i was young we used to hang around wooden huts in a market squares, watch the man cook sausages over open coals and smell the most amazing smells on a winter evening, a child eating a Bratwurst with semi stale bread and mustard out of a cardboard take away tray was nothing unusual, even more special when you got Paprika chips to go with them.

Now a grown man life has moved on and changed in so many ways, My family are growing up and lifes busy!

One thing that has never changed is my love of Gluhwein and speciality sausages. Zoe my wife being half Swiss shares my passion and its great that i can share my childhood memories with her.

Today i would like to share a recipe that i have used for many a year, on a winters evening we enjoy lighting the wood burner roasting chestnuts and sharing a Gluhwein

This recipe is one that has been used, adapted and we like the balance of flavours it delivers, although it may not be to everyones taste. The good thing about this is you can alter the recipe until it is right for you.


1 bottle red wine
1 cinnamon stick
Fresh grated nutmeg
75g brown sugar
1 orange, sliced
1 dried bay leaf
Four cloves
Pour the wine in a pan and add all of the ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer.
Pour the Gluhwein into glasses and serve.

Recipe; Beef Wellington

Serves two
Two 175g fillets of beef
100g mushrooms  chopped very finely, possibly in a food processor
Two shallots chopped very finely
Two cloves of garlic crushed
Two slices of Parma ham
One packet of frozen puff pastry defrosted
Half a bottle of red wine
One litre of good beef stock Vegetable oil for frying
One egg
Butter straight from the fridge
Pre heat the oven to 230C (gas mark 8).

Method

Heat a medium saucepan and, in a little vegetable oil, sweat the shallots and garlic until soft. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and what you are left with is your duxelle.
While the mushrooms are cooking, heat a frying pan and, in a little vegetable oil, sear the fillets of beef on all sides and remove.
Place half the mushroom duxelle on top of each steak and wrap each one in a slice of Parma ham.
Roll out the puff pastry into two pieces and wrap each fillet leaving the folds underneath to make it look neat. In a small bowl, beat the egg and, with a pastry brush, coat each parcel.
Place the parcels on a baking tray and place in the oven on the top shelf for 15 minutes.
Remove and allow to rest for five minutes before serving.
Once the pastry is cooked, this will give you a steak cooked rare.
If you wanted it cooked more like a medium steak, take longer over the sealing, possibly doing it for a total of five minutes before wrapping.
While the fillets are cooking, bring the red wine to the boil in a large saucepan and reduce by two thirds.
Add the stock and reduce until you have a light sauce consistency.
Add a few cubes of butter and shake the pan or stir with a fork whilst it melts, which will result in a slightly thicker, shinier sauce.
This dish goes well with a few roasted new potatoes and some green beans.
Serve the potatoes in the centre of the plate, place the Wellingtons on top and the beans alongside.
Pour the sauce around and serve.

Recipe: Gnocchi with beef

Serves two
2 fillets of local beef
2 handfuls of gnocchi
2 handfuls of rocket
60g chestnut or button mushrooms - sliced
1 onion - peeled and sliced
2 tablespoonfuls of peppercorns - lightly crushed
1 glass of white wine
One tablespoon of pesto - let down with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil Seasoning Cooking oil and butter for frying

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C (gas mark 6).
Place the crushed peppercorns on a plate and press the fillets into them to produce a layer of peppercorns on both sides of the meat.
Add a little cooking oil to a hot frying pan, seal the meat on all sides and place in the oven for about 20 minutes for a medium steak.
Remove and allow to rest for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, saute the onion and mushrooms in a little oil and butter until soft.
Add the gnocchi and the white wine, cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes until the gnocchi is cooked.
Remove the lid, add the rocket and one tablespoon of the pesto mix, stirring gently.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Spoon this gnocchi salad on to two warmed plates, place the meat on top and drizzle a little more of the pesto around.

Recipe: Baked Asparagus with goats cheese

Serves two
10 asparagus spears
4 slices of Parma ham
200gm of goat's cheese ( sliced
150gm of black pudding ( sliced
8 baby tomatoes on the vine
Sunflower oil
A couple of handfuls of salad leaves
Pesto thinned with a little olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 230AC (gas mark 8).
With a sharp knife, cut the woody tough end off the asparagus. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the asparagus until just cooked but don't over-cook. Remove and refresh in cold water.
Roll five spears of asparagus, half the goat's cheese and half the black pudding in two of the slices of Parma ham to make open-ended parcels. Repeat with the rest. Heat a frying pan, add a little sunflower oil and seal the parcels on all sides, placing half the tomatoes on the vine in with them.

Recipe: Chocolate pot, Berry compote

Serves six
For the chocolate pot:
400ml milk
250ml double cream
200gm chocolate
Four egg yokes
45gm caster sugar
A few drops (half a teaspoon) of vanilla essence – not vanilla flavouring

Method
For the blueberry compote:
200gm blueberries
Juice of one lemon
20gm caster sugar
One whole vanilla pod
Pre-heat the oven to 140°C (gas mark 1).
To cook and serve the chocolate pot you will need six ramekins. First, in a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until creamy. Gently heat the milk and cream together in a pan until boiling. Reduce the heat and add the chocolate until it melts. Immediately, pour the milk and cream onto the eggs and sugar, whisking as you do so.
Divide the mixture equally into the ramekins and place them in a roasting dish into which you then pour hot water, half way up the ramekins. Place the roasting tin in the oven and bake until set. How long? It depends on a number of factors but probably around 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
To make the blueberry compote, place all the ingredients into a pan and, stirring, bring to the boil. Remove the vanilla pod and allow to cool.
To serve, place the chocolate pot onto a plate with, perhaps, some fresh fruit (strawberries are sublime with chocolate) and serve the blueberry compote alongside.

Recipe: slow roast pork, braised red cabbage