Blogs & Recipes

Blogs and Recipes

October - Wild Duck and Wild Mushrooms

Wild Duck is mostly mallard, as well as teal and wigeon. Whole Ducks are good for roasting. Other portions are also available either skin on or off, on the bone or boneless including breasts which can be dry fried, sauté, grill or roast and legs are used in casseroles, confit or stew’s. Sloes or Blackthorn are very small, green-fleshed, inky-skinned, wild plums with an acid flesh and bitter skin. They're commonly found in hedgerows in England and perfect for fatty meat dishes such as duck or Lamb and also for making Gin. The Wild or Forest Mushroom and Pumpkin season is winter and these ingredients complement wild duck perfectly. Forest mushrooms found in dark woodland just need to be fried in a little butter and pumpkin can be roasted, pureed, steamed or used in soups.

Wild Duck with Pumpkin, Sloes and Wild Mushrooms

6 Covers

6 Female Wild Duck Breasts (or 3 ducks if you wish to make your own stock)

800g Pumpkin

100g Sloes

500g Mixed Wild Mushrooms

100g Chopped tarragon

200ml Double Cream

100g Butter

1 litre Game or Duck Stock

250ml Red Wine

Seasoning

Method

• Make a pumpkin puree by peeling the pumpkin and mixing in a food mixer with some seasoning and butter
• Cut the stalks off the wild mushrooms and keep to one side. The stalks can go in your stock if making yourself
• Start by pan frying the duck in a pan skin side down to render out any excess far. When golden brown turn over and roast in the oven 160c 10-12 mins until pink
• Remove and rest. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, add the sloes and reduce by half. Add the stock reduce by half again and correct the seasoning (the sloes will be quite sharp.
• In a separate pan fry the wild mushrooms for a minute until soft, add the double cream, finish with the chopped tarragon
• To serve slice the pink duck breast and serve with the mushrooms, pumpkin and sauce made with the sloes

September – Grouse

Roast Grouse with Game Chips, Butternut Squash and Braised Cabbage with Bacon

6 Covers

6 Grouse

18 slices streaky bacon or pancetta

2 Potatoes

1 Butternut Squash

600g Savoy Cabbage

½ Onion sliced

100g Butter

Seasoning

3-4 Tbspn Oil

250ml Game Stock

150ml Red Wine

Method

• Take 6 Slices of bacon or pancetta and cut into small pieces
• Make some game chips by slicing some peeled potato finely and deep fry until crispy
• Wrap 2 slices of the remaining bacon around the grouse using a cocktail stick to keep in place
• Make a butternut squash puree by roasting the squash in the oven after removing the seeds. Puree the flesh with butter and seasoning, keep warm
• Roast the grouse by sealing in a pan on all sides the roast for 15 mins until pink
• While the grouse is roasting slice the cabbage and cook in a little onion and the bacon slices
• When the grouse is cooked rove from the pan and rest. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and reduce by half. Add the game stock reduce by half again and correct the seasoning
• Carve the grouse and serve both legs with the breast, the game chips, butternut squash puree and the cabbage.
• Serve with the reduce sauce

August - Venison

Venison is a general term pertaining to the meat of Venison can be used to refer to any part of the deer, so long as it can be consumed. Species of deer normally are Monjack, Roe, Silka, Red and Fallow and come into season September time. Venison use is very similar to Beef. The steaks are the most tender and juicy and better when cooked medium rare as Venison has very little fat content. The haunch and Shoulder are perfect for slow cooking and braised dishes and burgers made from mince need fat added due to low fat content. Beetroot has come a long way since being cooked and pickled in jars and now is served as a juice, roasted, soused and made into purees. There are also several varieties on the market and are classed as a superfood. Beetroot are from the same family as spinach and chard and seasons are April till July and October until December. 

Venison Haunch and Stout Pie with Roasted Beetroot and creamed Potato

6 Covers

750g Venison Haunch, cut into bite-sized chunks

2 tbsp. Butter

4 Whole Shallots

100g smoked lardons of bacon

100g Fresh Thyme

2 Onions, finely chopped

1pt Guinness

500ml Game Stock

2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

375g Ready-to-roll puff pastry

1 Egg, lightly beaten

3-4 tbsp olive oil

100g Butter

500g Raw Beetroot (Red, Candid and yellow)

500g Potatoes

250ml Double Cream

Seasoning

Method

• Heat the oil in large casserole dish and fry the Venison over a medium heat until browned all over. Remove and and set aside.
• Melt the butter in the pan and add the shallots. Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the Venison back in.
• Add the bacon, garlic, thyme and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Remove and set aside. Add the Guinness to the pan and stir in the cooked bacon and onion mixture. Cook on  allow heat until the meat is soft, cool
• Peel the different beetroot, blanch and then roast separately in a little oil and butter, season
• Make the creamed potato by boiling in water then beat with the double cream and a little butter, season
• When ready set the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Roll the pastry out to cover the top of the casserole dish and crimp the edges neatly. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is risen and golden
• Serve with the roasted Beetroot and some creamed potato

July - Strawberries and Peaches

This succulent, fragrant fruit is as beautiful as it is flavourful. Traditionally, part of the strawberry's former appeal is that its short, six-week season, from early June until mid-August, coincides with the brief, long-awaited British summer. These days, however, the British strawberry season extends from mid-April until mid-December, thanks to the increased use of plastic polytonal, which provide the berries with a warmer, more protected environment and a much longer growing season. Varieties are also grown all year round in South Africa and South America but the flavour is never as good hence being known as a British summer fruit.

The first strawberries know were found in France around 1714 and they have been a favourite ever since. The appeal is that they are so versatile. They can be eaten raw with cream or just a little sugar or can be used for jamming, purees, creams or in fruit mousses and puddings. Recently consumers have been serving with black pepper or balsamic vinegar which brings out the flavour perfectly. 

Strawberry and Peach Melba, Strawberry Compote and Peach Ice Cream

6 Covers

6 Whole Peaches

500g Fresh Strawberries

1 Vanilla Pod

1 Cinnamon Stick

300g Caster Sugar

6 Meringue Nests

Few Leaves of Mint

For the ice cream

200g Peach Puree

6 Egg Yolks

200ml Double Cream

200g Caster Sugar

1 Vanilla pod

Method

• To make the ice cream, bring the cream to the boil with the vanilla pod with the seeds scraped out
• Cream together the egg yolks and the sugar until white. Add the boiled cream a little at a time
• Return to the stove and cook gently without boiling until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, cool
• Add the peach puree and churn in an ice cream maker or place in the freezer stirring every 15 minutes until set and smooth
• Poach the peaches until soft covered in water with half the sugar, the vanilla pod and the cinnamon stick, cool and bar mark on a char grill with a little sugar
• Take half the strawberries and dice, cook the remainder of the strawberries with the rest of the sugar and a little water and turn into a puree, strain
• Add a little of the puree to the chopped strawberries and add to some finely shredded mint
• To build the dish place a ball of peach ice cream onto the meringue and top with the strawberries and mint, finally  top with the grilled peaches
• Serve with the peach melba immediately with the remaining strawberry sauce

June - New Season Lamb

New season lamb is very popular due to its delicate flavour and succulent tender texture. The younger the animal the sweeter, more tender the meat and milder the flavour, which means you don't need to add many other flavours when cooking other than a bit of seasoning; this is one reason why new season lamb is so popular.

Young lambs start to each grass from three to four weeks of age, eventually becoming totally dependent on their forage diet. The majority of early season lambs are reared almost entirely from grass. As the grass growing season slows down this can lead to a more variable type of meat and fat, but the meat should always be moist with a deep, rosy pink colour but not red or bloody. Early season lambs have a softer whiter fat. Fat coverage is important as a small quantity as it enhances the succulence and overall flavour of the lamb during cooking.

A lamb will be any age up to 12 months old. Popular cuts are the Best End, Saddle and Rump which are normally used for quick cooking such as pan frying or grilling. Larger cuts such as the leg is fantastic for roasting and the Saddle, Neck End and Breast great for long slow stews, casseroles and tangines.

Pulled Lamb Shepherd's Pie, Lamb Cutlet and Fresh peas

Ingredients

1 Lamb Shoulder

6 Lamb Cutlets

2 Carrots peeled

1 Leek

1 onion peeled

400g Mashed Potato

½ Bunch each of Thyme and Rosemary

1 litre Lamb Stock

100ml Red Wine

100g Tomato Puree

400g Fresh Pea Peas podded

50g Chopped Mint

Seasoning, oil

Method

• Cook the Lamb shoulder in a low oven 120c for 6 hours, cool and at room temperature with two forks pull into strands with a few stalks of Thyme and Rosemary, chop the rest.
• Chop the onion, leek and carrot into 2cm dice and fry in the lamb fat left over from roasting
• Add the pulled lamb, tomato puree and red wine, reduce, add stock and cook leaving the sauce slightly thin with the rosemary and thyme
• Strain some of the sauce and place the lamb into dishes
• Seal the Lamb Chop and place in the middle of the meat with the bone sticking up
• Mix the mashed potato, season and pipe onto Lamb
• Cook the lamb 20 mins in hot oven 180c, Chop the mint
• Cook the peas and toss in a little butter and the mint. Serve on the side of the lamb

May - National Asparagus Month

Both asparagus and wild garlic come into season in late April, and throughout the month of May. They have short seasons of around 6 weeks, which is why they are not found on menus all year round. Wild garlic is plentiful and grows in abundance in woodlands and is the favourite food of the wild boar.

Asparagus is from the Lilly family and grows in crowns that last for 10-15 years. Once planted, it will take the crown 2-3 years before producing its first crop. One type of asparagus is totally white as it is grown in the dark. As the season progresses the asparagus gets larger, which is why it is best to eat before the end of the season as it can become woody. Asparagus is perfect steamed, pan fried or cooked on a bbq or char grill.

Asparagus and Wild Garlic Risotto with Deep Fried Duck Egg

Ingredients

300g new season asparagus

100g wild garlic leaves

100g chopped shallots

50g chopped leek (white part only)

250g risotto rice

1 litre boiling vegetable stock

100g shaved Parmesan

100g butter

6 duck eggs

100g flour

2 hens’ eggs

100g panko breadcrumbs

25ml truffle or good olive oil

Seasoning

Method

• Poach the duck eggs, cool in iced water, then dry. Chop the wild garlic into thin strips.
• Pane (coat) the eggs in flour first, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Follow the egg and breadcrumb step again and keep to one side, or in a fridge.
• Prepare the asparagus by cutting 3 inches down from the top of the spear, and then peel the bottom end to remove any woody outsides. Chop the rest of the stalks.
• Blanch and cool the asparagus tops and keep to one side.
• Start the risotto by frying gently without colouring the shallots. Add the risotto rice and cook for 2 minutes, making sure every grain is coated in butter.
• Add the boiling stock, a little at a time, until the risotto becomes softer.
• At this stage, add the chopped asparagus and continue cooking and adding stock until the rice is cooked.
• Deep fry the eggs until golden brown, and drain on a dry cloth or kitchen towel.
• When the rice is cooked, add the chopped wild garlic, half the Parmesan and check the seasoning.
• Place in a bowl with the deep fried egg and garnish with the reheated asparagus spears and some more Parmesan.
• Drizzle with olive or truffle oil.

Phone: 02382 027097

Email: restaurantmgr@hiltonageasbowl.com