Recent recipes and ramblings...

I've been busy entertaining friends and had guests to stay and some simple supper parties and a luncheon too!  It's been fun, the recipes are always easy and often made ahead, giving me lots of lovely time to chat, most important and catch up with some of our lovely friends, both old and new, before it gets busy with the B&B.

I've made a special trifle, sponges soaked with Lychee liqueur topped with mixed berries (frozen packet mix, defrosted) and topped with home-made custard and whipped cream...
We've a glut of eggs so I've made extremely naughty but nice rich chocolate pots......it's my absolute favourite pud,  just eggs and good quality chocolate!

Wild Duck Breasts....found these in the freezer. Suggest one breast for the ladies and 2 for the men.
The duck breasts with the skin on - I marinated in red wine and balsamic vinegar for a couple of hours, then tossed in seasoned flour.  Saute a little onion and crushed garlic in butter/oil, then pan fry the breasts hot on both sides for 5 mins.  My handle comes off the frying-pan so I popped pan in the aga to cook for another 10 minutes. Leave to rest before serving, very tender and tasty with a delicious flavour.
Lovely with dauphinoise potatoes and lightly cooked green cabbage..that wasn't so successful, forgot the water and cooked the cabbage to the bottom of the saucepan...dam! 
 

                                                PEA SOUP with basil oil
                                           My favourite recipe of the moment!

A guest recipe and it’s so easy!  Always keep a packet of peas in the freezer just in case someone unexpected arrives!  Love the colour but it’s the basil oil drizzle that makes it look special, oh and a dribble of cream too.  Good enough to serve at a dinner party, in white bowls, make the basil oil before hand and keep in fridge, and then any left over make into a dressing.

For basil oil: Plunge 1 oz of fresh basil into boiling water and remove immediately.
Refresh in cold water.  Drain and pat dry.
Liquidise adding 5½ fl.oz olive oil and strain through muslin and store in fridge.
You can cheat and use pesto mixed with a little olive oil!!

For soup: 

Small onion chopped
packet frozen peas, can be any size

Melt a knob of butter in large saucepan and sweat onion.  Season with salt and pepper.
Add the peas and sweat again for 5 minutes.
Add enough water to cover, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Push through sieve.  Or just blizz in a food blender, much easier!
Drizzle with basil oil, a swirl of cream and then serve with crusty home-made bread.


                              Caramel Nutty Squares

Oven 180C, gas mark 4, aga - bottom shelf of top oven with metal shelf to reduce heat!
This is a rather special pudding which Lin & Norm loved!  Keeps very well in the fridge, so make ahead or freeze.
Be careful when toasting the nuts as they can burn, watch them and use assorted nuts, whatever you have in the cupboard.
Serve as a pudding with cream or cut into small squares to hand around as a little something sweet after your meal or packaged in pretty cellophane and ribbon-tied these nutty squares made a lovely gift.
Don't take flowers to your hostess take a cake! 
I've had 2 delicious fruity fruitcakes, thanks to Sue & Pauline

Pastry:

6oz/175g          plain flour
2oz/50g           icing sugar
3oz/75g           cold butter
½ tsp                vanilla essence and 1 small egg beaten

Filling:
3oz/ 75g          granulated sugar
6oz/175g          honey
2oz/50g           butter
Small carton     double cream
4oz/100g          each of pecan nuts, flaked almonds, whole hazelnuts & pistachios – toasted
2oz/ 50g          dried cranberries

Whizz the pastry ingredients in the food processor, add the vanilla and beaten egg, pulse to bind.
Work pastry together and wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out pastry and line a 9” square or a round tin and pre-bake.
In a saucepan bring the honey and sugar to boil, without stirring.
In another pan heat the butter with the cream until hot.
Pour the hot cream onto the boiling sugar and honey stirring for several minutes.
Mix in the nuts and cranberries and spoon into the hot pastry case.  Cook for approx 7 minutes.
Remove, cool then cover and pop in fridge for 3-4 hours. 

Mincemeat Crumble; Again use this lovely sweet pastry, pre-bake as above then spread with mincemeat, top with a fine crumble and bake for a lovely xmas pudding or cut into small squares when cold and serve instead of the usual mince pies.

P.S.  No photos.............too late, we ate it all!