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Welcome to Yet Another Cooking Blog.

As you may have guessed, this is a blog about cooking - in particular my cooking. It has been mentioned to me several times that I seem a little obsessed with food, so I have decided to blog about my menus, my successes, my failures and anything else that springs to mind

Monday 9 May 2011

3 course meal with duck

Its not very often that I cook a full 3 course meal, and wanted to do something lovely for my husband before he goes away for work for 2 weeks.  Partly because it was a surprise, but mainly because I'm very much a 'think about it at the last minute' kind of person when it comes to my meal planning, I decided on the final menu on the day of the meal.

Starter - Scallops on crispy black pudding with crushed minted peas
Main - Duck in honey and clove sauce, with rosti potato and creamed cabbage with bacon
Dessert - Apple strudel tart with cinnamon cream

Scallops on crispy black pudding with crushed minted peas





Ingredients


3 scallops per person
1 large slice of black pudding per person
Approx 1 tbsp petit pois per person (I prefer frozen for the flavour)
2 tsp mint sauce
Sunflower or other tasteless oil
Large knob of butter

1.  Put water on to boil, add the mint sauce and cook the peas for a minute or two depending on the size of the peas
2.  Whilst the peas are cooking, put a little oil into a frying pan, and when hot put the black pudding in.  Cook for approx. 3-4 minutes per side
3.  When the first side of the black pudding has cooked, put the knob of butter into a separate frying pan and heat.
4.  When it has foamed, put the scallops in, in the order of a clock face (this to make it easy for turning in the correct order).
5.  Leave the scallops for approx 2 minutes (depending on the thickness) to cook halfway through, and for the side to caramelise, and then turn in the order they were placed in the pan.
6.  Once the black pudding has cooked, drain on kitchen towel to remove the excess grease.
7.  Lightly break the peas with a masher or fork, taste, season and add extra mint sauce if required.
8.  Put the black pudding on the plate, put the peas on top, and then put the scallops on.

Duck in honey and clove sauce with potato rosti and creamed cabbage with bacon




This was my first time cooking duck (why did I wait so long!!) so I used a recipe.  I knew what sort of flavours I wanted, and eventually found this recipe from Ainsley Harriott which I used.  The sauce is delicious, and my husband really loved the creamed cabbage.  I used turkey bacon to make it (as it was open) and it went very well with the cabbage and onion.

Apple strudel tart with cinnamon cream




For dessert I wanted something light (especially as we don't normally eat 3 courses) so decided on a filo tart.  I will be honest from the start here, and say that I had no intention of making filo pastry, so it is very much shop bought.

This recipe needs individule tartlet tins.  Due to how delicate filo pastry is, I would advise getting tins with the removable base.

Ingredients (4 tarts)


1 large Bramley apple
Small handful of sultanas
Juice of 1 lemon
Demerera sugar
Melted butter (approx. 25g)
2 sheets filo pastry
1/2 tsp cinnamon plus extra for dusting
Double cream

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (180 degrees fan assisted).
2.  Cut the pastry into squares a little larger than the size of the tins.
3.  Brush the tin with melted butter, then little put in the first piece of filo pastry.
4.  Brush lightly with melted butter, then lay another piece of filo in at 45 degrees to the first one.  Do this until all the pastry is used between all the tins.
5.  Peel, core and chop the apple, and add the lemon juice, cinnamon, sultanas and sugar, then mix together.
6.  In a heavy based pan heat to a medium heat and add the apple mix.  Heat through, stirring occasionally so that the sugar melts and the apple softens slightly.  If any of the melted butter is left, it can be poured over the mix.
7.  Once the apple has softened slightly put into the tart cases and then put into the oven for about 5-8 minutes (depending on how many layers of pastry you have) to cook the tart case through.
8. Whilst the tarts are cooking, whip the double cream and then put onto the plate.  Dust with a little cinnamon.
9.  When the tarts are ready, carefully remove from the tin and serve immediately.

2 comments:

  1. Oh wow. This looks amazing! Specially the duck, I must try that.

    http://irishwishesarespecial.blogspot.com/2011/05/time-for-3-course-feast.html

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  2. Glad you liked it, I would definitely suggest the duck, I even have some of the sauce in the freezer!

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