Tag: apple

Jamie Oliver’s 12-hour (overnight) Roasted Pork Shoulder

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Serves: 12

I don’t cook a lot of Jamie Oliver recipes.

His stuff is always great though a little mass-market for what we are often aiming for on a Saturday night. (Please, don’t get me wrong here: he is amazing! We just try to stretch a bit further when given the opportunity.)

Though lordy, when it comes to a roast – which I rarely do, grumbles Nat – Jamie Oliver and his Italian roasts are in an incredible league. This Arrosto Misto I typed up years ago is a testament to the point.

This particular roast was even more outstanding.

A labour of love – and time – it was the sort of 1-hat roast you would die for in a great Italian restaurant on a ‘Sunday roast’ afternoon. Add in the crackling and this is bravo level.

I embellished the gravy component over what Jamie called for.

I served up steamed green beans on the side.

An extra serving of those incredible potatoes and wow.

Play with the apple cider vinegar though get it right and this is just an epic meal. Sunday lunch or dinner, this is what I am talking about.

Ingredients*

* I halved the recipe successfully.

5kg shoulder of pork, bone-in, skin removed and reserved
Olive oil
4 onions
2 – 3 eating apples
3 sticks of celery
1 bulb of garlic
1 bunch fresh sage
4 fresh bay leaves
500ml bottle of cider
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 whole cloves
2 dried chillies
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
Steamed green beans to serve

Fennel and Potato Gratin

1.5kg potatoes
5 bulbs of fennel
4 cloves of garlic
4 anchovy fillets
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
100gm Parmesan cheese
400ml double cream
200ml single cream
Salt and freshly cracked pepper

For the Gravy

1 c chicken stock
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
Reserved drippings from the cooked pork

Zingy Salsa

2 eating apples
1 tbsp cider
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 bunch mint
Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 250c. Toss the reserved pork skin in a little oil and sea salt, lay it flat on a tray and roast until golden and crisp. Set aside. Reduce the oven to 130c.
  2. Peel the onions and cut them into wedges with the apples. Trim and roughly chop the celery and slice the garlic bulb in half horizontally. Scatter it all in your largest roasting tray with the sage and bay leaves, pour in the cider and add a good splash of water.
  3. Bash the fennel seeds, cloves, dried chillies and 1 heaped tsp salt into fine dust in a mortar and pestle, then massage all over the pork with a drizzle of oil. Sit the pork in the tray, cover tightly with a double layer of foil, place in the oven and roast for 10 – 12 hours, or until the meat pulls easily away from the bone. Drain the drippings from the tray and set the pork aside, covered in a couple of clean tea towels to keep warm. Turn the oven up to 200c.
  4. Whilst the pork is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut lengthways into wedges along with the fennel. Parboil the potatoes for 7 minutes and the fennel for 6 minutes, then drain and leave to steam dry completely. Place in a large roasting tray. Peel the garlic and blitz until fine with the anchovies, rosemary leaves and a good splash of boiling water in a blender. Finely grate in half the nutmeg and most of the Parmesan and pour in the cream. Add a pinch of pepper and salt, blitz again and pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and bake for 45 – 50 min, or until golden and bubbling.
  5. For the gravy, in a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock, apple cider vinegar and reserved drippings. Stir in the flour, combine and season.
  6. For the salsa, chop the apples into fine matchsticks and toss in a bowl with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Finely slice the mint leaves and toss into the bowl with salt and pepper
  7. Serve the pork with the gravy and the salsa on top, potatoes and beans at the side. If you haven’t had a wine by this point, pour a double. You have earnt it!

Hubert Keller’s Pork Chops with Calvados Sauce, Sautéed Apples and Roasted Creamed Corn

.Reading time 6 minutes.

Serves: 2

A lot to unpack here.

Nat’s turn to wow with a late, midweek lunch. Something to look forward to during the week, something to smile about afterwards.

French Bistro the theme locked in.

Nat started with a freshly baked baguette: cheese, pâté, cured meat.

What a way to start with a cold lager!

And then this dish.

Something to smile about afterwards? You absolutely bet!

This was French Bistro as good as you could imagine. Absolutely impossible to fault.

So Hubert Keller? I’d never heard of him, though he trained under Paul Bocuse, the father of modern French cooking who undisputedly set the benchmark for this style of French cuisine. (Fun fact: my parents went to a dinner he hosted in Sydney and Mr Bocuse signed a menu for me. I still have it!)

And then this cut of pork. I’ve mentioned our amazing local butcher Hummerstons and a quick text to Steve and he had it under control. 2 double pork chops with 1 bone removed, about 4cm thick. Talk about a dramatic presentation!

Nat and I debated using a thinner pork chop as an easier entry to this dish, though absolutely do not cut corners. If ever there was a time to engage your butcher and have the double chop, it is this.

The roasted cream corn with the spring onions and parmesan is just luxury and pairs perfectly with the pork and the apple. Did I mention smiles?

Occasionally you wander onto a dish that is a hero and this is one of them.

It is rude however to suggest that Nat wanders into anything when it comes to food.

This was always going to be an extraordinary meal and mopped up with a homemade baguette and glass of light red, very hard to argue that life isn’t great.

P.S. Nat says start the corn first.

Ingredients

2 double pork chops with 1 bone removed, 4cm thick
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
4 Fuji apples
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c Calvados apple brandy*
1 c apple cider
1 c chicken stock
2 tbsp chives, thinly snipped

Creamed Corn

2 ears corn, husks removed, both ends trimmed
2 tbsp softened butter
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
1 c heavy cream
1/2 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 stalks spring onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c Parmean cheese grated

Method

  1. Peel the apples and cut each into 6 wdges. Cut out the cores, and trim each wedge into a football shape. Reserve all peels and trimmings.
  2. In a small sauté pan, melt butter and add apple wedges. Coover over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are browned and softened, 10 – 12 minutes. Set aside. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper and in a sauté pan large enough to hold both pork chops, heat oil until smoking.
  3. Lay pork chops into hot oil and sear approximately 7 minutes on each side until golden brown and the internal temperature is at 62c. **
  4. Remove from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm whilst you make the sauce. Discard half the fat and trimmings from the pan, then add apple trimmings and sauté over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
  5. Add Calvados and apple cider, and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, or until it becomes thick, with a syrup-like consistency. Add chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pushing down on the apple trimmings with the back of a spoon to remove all juices.
  6. Put the sauce back in the pan over low heat and add the chives. Taste and adjust for seasonings.
  7. For the creamed corn, heat the oven to 180c. Brush the corn with butter and season with salt and pepper. Warp each corn ear in foil and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the corn starts to brown.
  8. Unwrap the corn and when cool enough to handle, slice off the kernels. In a small saucepan over a medium-heat, combine cream, ginger, salt and pepper and reduce by one-third, 5 – 7 minutes. Add the corn kernels and chicken stock to reduced cream and cook for 10 minutes, or until cream thickens and is absorbed by the corn.
  9. Remove corn from the heat, and stir in the spring onions and Parmesean cheese.
  10. Served the pork, with apple wedges, corn alongside and the sauce ready to pour.

* Substitute 1/2 c brandy and 1/4 c apple juice.

** This will take longer. Potentially finish off in the oven if the internal temperature is rising too slowly.

Claudia Roden’s Apple Chaussons

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Makes: 8 pastries

I’m not the pastry or dessert person in our house, though I have come to appreciate that the French really did understand that you really don’t need to go overboard to achieve something truly delicious.

And this is a classic example of that. Chaussson aux Pommes.

This is such a classy, self-contained number.

Largely pre-prepared and something you could happily eat the next day with a coffee.

I spend my time on the savoury. The first and second course. Decanting the wine. Etc.

Though jeez I am happy for the slight stretch to include these in our last meal.

Won’t be the last time.

I have very slightly adjusted the recipe.

Ingredients

2 sheets of puff pastry
4 apples
1 tbsp lemon juice
100ml apple juice (or water)
50 – 60gm caster sugar, to taste
4 egg yolks, plus 1 to glaze
80ml crème fraîche or double cream
Sunflower oil for greasing
Icing sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Take the puff pastry out of the fridge to dethaw and preheat the oven to 200c.
  2. Peel, core and quarter the apples, dropping them into a bowl of water with the lemon juice to stop them discolouring. Drain them and put in a pan with the apple juice, put the lid on and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes until they are very soft. Remove the lid and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.
  3. Mash the apples with a potato masher, stir in the suggar and cook over a medium heat, stirring, for about 2 – 3 minutes to allow for liquid to evaporate.
  4. Beat the 4 egg yolks with the crème fraîche. Add this to the apple mixture and cook over a low heat, stirring vigourously, for 1 – 2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Leave to cool.
  5. Lightly oil a large baking sheet with baking paper. Mix the remaining egg yolk with a drop of water.
  6. Cut the 2 pastry sheets into four squares. Lightly brush the tops with the egg yolk glaze and bake for 20 minutes until puffed up and browned.
  7. Leave the pastries to cool slightly, then slice through the middle with a serated knife and fill each one with about 2 heaped tbsp of the apple cream. Dust with icing sugar.

Banana Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

.Reading time 1 minute.

Makes: 12

I made these muffins a while ago and they prove once again that a good muffin – like these – are a no brainer when it comes to little boys and their lunchboxes.

Tom of course ate three off the bat and by the next day, they were all gone; only two making it to school.

No doubt there is a revolution in muffin technology I am missing out on because they are pretty simple.

Keep it to the basics however and you’ll have a hit on your hands.

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal self raising flour
1 cup self raising flour
3 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp bicarb soda
3 apples, peeled and grated
1 banana
¼ cup honey (or brown sugar)
2 tbs maple syrup
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
Extra apple slices to top

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180c and grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
  2. Sift flours, cinnamon and bicarb soda into a bowl. Stir in the grated apple, banana and honey.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla essence. Add into the flour mixture and mix until combined.
  4. Spoon into the muffin pan, top with apple slices and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

Apple and Sultana Muffins

.Reading time 1 minute.

Makes: 12

We went on a bit of a muffin crave a few months back.

Every Sunday, we would whip up a batch for lunches and snacks, usually doubling the recipe on account of Tom (6) hoovering six (6) of them as soon as they could be handled.

These muffins are pretty down-the-line muffins though the boys whole-heartedly helped cut and mix all the ingredients. And any recipe that the boys participate in is one to type up; because getting participation and having fun in the process is half the point.

Our craves move on and the muffin ship has sailed for the moment, though if I did a batch of these one night as a treat, I have no doubt the ship would be back in port.

Keep it simple, treat yourself and enjoy.

Ingredients

200gm self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
50gm wholemeal flour
100gm caster sugar
2 eggs
125ml skim milk
4 tbsp sunflower oil
2 apples, grated
100gm sultanas

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180c.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.
  3. In another bowl, mix the eggs, milk and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well and then fold in the apple and sultanas.
  4. Divide between 12 greased muffin cases and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and hand them to your Tom.

Energy Muffins

.Reading time 1 minute.

FullSizeRender (6).jpg
Tasty, filling… energy.

Energy Muffins

Serves: 15 – 18

There are muffins and then there are these muffins: energy muffins.

I found them in Delicious Magazine.

They’re dense, they’re soft, they’re incredibly tasty. And they’re really filling. Have one at 10 and you won’t need lunch until 2.

Read the ingredient list and you’ll know where the energy comes from.

You should whip up a batch for the week.

Seriously good.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sultanas
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup, grated apple
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing sugar, to dust

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Use paper cases to line the muffin pans or grease muffin pans.
  2. Sift sugar, flour, cinnamon and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sultanas, carrot, apple, coconut and walnuts.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and fold until just combined; do not overmix.
  4. Spoon into muffin pans and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Warmed Red Cabbage Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Goats Cheese

.Reading time 1 minute.

Warmed Red Cabbage Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Goats Cheese

Serves: 6

This is a really great salad.

Really, really great.

The melting goat cheese, the toasted walnuts, the apple, the balsamic vinegar. It’s warm, crunchy, rich and sweet.

This is a real treat.

Serve with lamb koftas, beef or chicken kebabs, BBQed pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

1 small head, red cabbage, cored and sliced into strips
1 small apple, cored and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 – 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
200gm goats cheese
½ cup walnuts, toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. In a frypan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and add the garlic and cook until fragrant though not browned. Add the onion and 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and cook for a minute.
  2. Add cabbage and stir well; cook for 5 minutes or so until slightly wilted and softened though still bright coloured.
  3. Add apple, walnuts, season and stir well. Add the goats cheese and stir to gently incorporate. Taste for seasoning and add additional balsamic vinegar if it needs some acidity.
  4. Serve immediately.

Apple and Cinnamon Galette

.Reading time 4 minutes.

Serves: 8

I can’t remember screwing up a dessert and so I don’t know why I don’t do them more.

(Of course, it’s possible that desserts always work no matter what, because butter, sugar, cream, chocolate in any combination and baked any which way are going to be fine!)

When I do cook dessert, I’ve gotten into the habit of doing the dessert early in the morning when I’m fresh and have plenty of time for the entrée and main.

Otherwise, if I did the dessert last, I’d probably never get to it in lieu of getting the meat and vegetables right.

What I have resolved about desserts is that simple desserts can work just as well as sophisticated desserts: whilst I’d love to make a vanilla bean mascarpone ice cream every time to accompany said 17 types of chocolate Gordon Ramsay dessert, a simple tart with some pouring cream is still bloody good.

This particular dessert is very simple and while you probably wouldn’t see it in Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, you might find it in my bistro if I had one.

Try it. You’ll be very happy you did.

Ingredients

120g digestive biscuits (Milk Arrowroot etc)
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbs plain flour
190g caster sugar
1kg small, sweet apples (I used Fuji, though Pink Lady or Gala would be fine)
40g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
2 tsp vanilla extract
Icing Sugar to dust
Pure (thin) cream to serve

Shortcut Pastry

1 ½ cups plain flour
125g chilled, unsalted butter, chopped

Method

  1. For the shortcut pasty, place the flour and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor and whiz together. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. With the food processor running, pour 3 tablespoons iced water in through the feed tube and process until the dough forms a ball around the blade.
  2. Tip the dough onto a board and shape into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disc and tightly enclose tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 50 minutes until dough is firm.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200c and line a pizza tray or baking tray with baking paper.
  4. In a food processor, whiz the biscuits to fine crumbs with the cinnamon, flour and 1 ½ tablespoons sugar. Set aside.
  5. Peel, halve and core the apples. Slice very thinly into half moons, ideally with a mandolin.
  6. Melt the butter in a large frypan over a medium-low heat. Ad 2/3 cup sugar (150g) and stir to combine. Add the apple and vanilla and cook for 2-3 minutes until the apple is coated and slightly softened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the pan.
  7. On a floured board, roll out the pastry into a round, 2-3mm, 28cm ring (or to fit tray); it should be 5cm longer than the end of the pizza tray (or baking tray) so that the pastry can be overlapped a small way back over the apple.
  8. Press the dough into the corners of the tray. Spread the biscuit mixture evenly over the base.
  9. Pile the apple mixture evenly over the biscuit mixture including any juices. Gently fold the overhanging dough over fruit. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons over the pastry rim.
  10. Bake for 35 – 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
  11. Leave to cool for 40 minutes and transfer to serving plate. Sift and dust lightly with icing sugar.