Recipes

June 2, 2020 – Published in Design & Decor Spring 2012 issue

Feasts for a crowd

 

Mouthwatering earthy flavours you won't be able to resist.

Words: Liz Said

(All ingredients in the recipes may be purchased from Scotts Supermarket)

SPINACH RAMEKINS WITH STILTON CHEESE SAUCE

SERVES 6

• 350g frozen leaf spinach, thawed

• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 3 eggs beaten

• 8 tablespoons single cream

Cheese sauce:

• 300ml full cream milk

• ½ small onion

• 1 bay leaf

• 15g butter

• 15g plain flour

• 75g Stilton crumbled into small pieces

• 15g parmesan cheese grated

• Freshly grated nutmeg

• Salt

Drain the spinach thoroughly and mix with the nutmeg, salt and pepper, the eggs and cream. Spoon the spinach mixture into 6 individual ovenproof dishes or ramekins, greased with oil or melted butter.

Stand the dishes in a roasting tin and add sufficient hot water to come halfway up the sides. Bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully run a small knife around the edge of each dish and unmould the ramekins and serve with the cheese sauce.

Cheese sauce:

Put the milk into a saucepan with the onion and bay leaf and bring almost to the boil; remove the pan from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes; strain the milk through a sieve into a jug.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and heat until bubbling. Tip in the flour and stir quickly to combine; cook the mixture gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes to make a smooth, pale roux.

Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the warm milk, stirring constantly until the sauce is completely smooth. Return the pan to a moderate heat and cook, stirring, until the sauce comes to the boil.

Add the cheeses and the nutmeg to the sauce and cook over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy.

CAULIFLOWER OVENBAKE

SERVES 6

• 1 cauliflower about 1.5kg

• Salt

• 150g onions

• 120g streaky bacon

• 375g Maltese sausage

• 2 tablespoons oil

For the sauce:

• 50g butter

• 60g flour

• 1 litre milk

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 egg yolks

• 200ml cream

• 120g Havarti cheese grated

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Trim the cauliflower, cut off the stalk and divide it into medium-sized florets. Wash the cauliflower under cold running water then cook it in boiling, salted. Water for 5 minutes; strain and leave to drain well.

Peel and finely dice the onions and finely dice the bacon; chop the Maltese sausage into pieces about 5mm thick. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the bacon in this; add the onion and sausage and fry briefly; season with salt and pepper to taste and add the cauliflower florets; mix all the ingredients well together.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, sprinkle in the flour and stirring continuously, cook for 1-2 minutes without allowing the roux to discolour; pour in the milk and stir to a smooth consistency, then season with salt and pepper.

Beat the egg yolks with the cream in a bowl and stir into the sauce to bind it; stirring continuously, bring the sauce briefly to the boil, then strain it through a fine sieve.

Return the sauce to the pan, reheat, add the grated cheese and stir until it has melted; take off the heat and add the chives.

Butter an oven dish and turn the cauliflower mixture into this; pour the sauce over the mixture and place the dish in a preheated oven at 200°C to bake for 30 minutes.

CRÉME BRULEE

SERVES 6

• 600ml fresh whipping cream

• 4 medium egg yolks

• 75g caster sugar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla sugar

• 25g demerara sugar

• Strawberries, chocolate curls and mini Easter eggs to decorate

Preheat the oven to 150°C, Gas Mark2. Pour the cream into a bowl and place over a saucepan of gently simmering water; heat gently but do not allow to boil.

Meanwhile whisk together the egg yolks, 50g of the caster sugar and the vanilla essence; when the cream is warm, pour it over the egg mixture briskly whisking until it is mixed completely.

Pour into 6 individual ramekin dishes and place in a roasting tin; fill the tin with sufficient water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes; bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until the puddings are set; to test if set, carefully insert a round bladed knife into the centre, if the knife comes out clean they are set.

Remove the puddings from the roasting tin and allow to cool; chill in the refrigerator preferably overnight. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of each dish and place the puddings under a preheated hot grill.

When the sugar has caramelised and turned deep brown, remove from the heat and cool; chill in the refrigerator once more for about 2-3 hours before serving.

Decorate with the strawberries, chocolate curls and eggs. 

 See more recipes from Design & Decor Spring 2012 issue