Pan Fried Sea Bass with Caraway Pumpkin Puree and Middle Eastern Radicchio Salad

The sweetness of Pumpkin with the bitterness of Radicchio, the saltiness of Seabass Skin with the tangy taste of orange are just heavenly.I chose three good  sized sea bass, and had enough fillets to feed four.

3 Seabass scaled and filleted skin on
4 tbsp olive oil
2 small radicchio
1 celery stick
1 small onion finely sliced
1 lime
1 orange cut into segments
1 tbsp sultanas
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
500 g Pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon Caraway Seeds
50ml cream
Salt & Pepper
Few mint leaves
Small Bunch Parseley
Broad Bean Flower to Decorate

Heat oven to 200c. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil on the pumpkin (leave with skin on but remove any seeds) add a little salt and sprinkle with caraway Seeds.  Bake in the oven for 1/2 an hour.

In a medium bowl, add finely sliced onion, then pour over freshley squeezed lime juice. Segment the oranges and add to onions.  Add radicchio leaves and finely sliced celery. Tear the herbs and add them to salad, add capers and sultanas and drizzle with two tablespoons olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss gently. 

Scoop the flesh from pumpkin to a saucepan, add cream and blend to a smooth paste.

Season Sea Bass skin with salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining olive oil.  Heat a large frying pan and add seabass skin side down and fry for 3 minutes, then cover and continue to fry for just 1 minute.  Serve immediately and decorate the plate with broad bean flowers.

Beef and Sausage Stew

I usually prepare these kind of dishes in the morning before I go to work! I set the oven with temperature and time I want it ready and off  I go to face the day.  The smell that welcomes me back home, brings me a notion of how super rich people must feel towards their Private Chef!

500g Beef Shank or Brisket cut into cubes
200g Pork Sausages (Cumbrian or Maltese)
100g Panchetta cut into small cubes
1 onion finely chopped
3 long fresh garlic chopped
1 celery stick
1 carrot
2 medium potatoes
200g button mushrooms
400g Can Chopped Tomatoes (Polpa)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig Thyme
1 small Beef Bone (knuckle best)
1 cup white wine
500ml water
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
Fresh ground Pepper
Salt for Seasonings

Heat a heavy based casserole dish and add oil and butter.  Add  chopped garlic onions and pancetta and fry gently. Add flour, curry and paprika and stir.  Cook for one minute then add wine stir, then simmer till it nearly evaporates. Add water and turn heat on to boil. Remove skin from sausages and divide to make small balls the size of a walnut. Add beef, beef bone and sausage balls to onion mixture and cover with lid.  Cook for just two minutes then add canned chopped tomatoes.  Dice the celery stick, carrot, potato and mushrooms and add to stew. Finally make a bouquet garni by tying together the remaining celery leaves, bay leaves and thyme and add them to the stew. Season with salt and pepper and cover with oven proof lid.  Place in a 170c oven and cook for 2 hours so that flavours mix and develop.  Serve with hot crusty bread.

 

Gateaux Saint Honore

Once you master the choux pastry, this is the first cake you should go for. It taste as good as it looks!

1 quantity choux pastry
Choux recipe
1 quantity Creme Patissiere
Creme Patissiere Recipe
250ml fresh cream
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp white sugar crunch sprinkles

Beat the cream with a hand whisk until light and fluffy. Take two tablespoons of whipped cream and stir them into the cold Creme Patissiere. Fold in the remaining cream into the Creme Patissiere, cover and refrigerate. 

Heat the oven to 210c. Lightly oil two baking sheets. Transfer choux paste to a piping bag fitted with 1 cm nozzle. Pipe from centre out circcles of choux paste to form a round base for the cake. Pipe small balls of dough on the other tray the size of a cherry. You will need 12 nicely formed choux puffs for this recipe. Bake base and buns until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. 

Put one tablespoon water in a pan, then pour sugar on top and turn on heat to medium. Cook the sugar until golden and turn off heat just before you think it's ready.(it will keep on cooking and dark caramel taste horrible) carefully dip in the choux buns. Have sprinkles ready on a plate so that you can press six buns in them while caramel is still hot and sticky. Just before caramel cools make caramel springs by lifting some caramel with a spoon and make spiral forms around an oiled cylinder. ( I use the knife sharpener!) 

Make a small hole underneath each choux bun and pipe to fill with cream. Place the baked and cooled choux base on a serving tray, pipe cream on top. Place the twelve buns on the outer side and decorate the middle with caramel spirals.

Choux Pastry

If you are a keen cook, then this is a recipe worth practicing. You have to be precise with ingredients for a great success. I never add sugar as some sweet recipes suggest as such delicate pastry is easily sweetened with cream or a dust of icing sugar. Choux puffs freeze well after cooked and cooled completely. Simply pack loosely in a freezer bag and defrost straight in the oven when needed. Choux pastry is very versatile as it can be used in savory canapés or in delicious desserts. Further on I will give a recipe in which choux paste is mixed with chopped broad beans and feta cheese and deep fried! 

1 1/2 cup water
Pinch salt
65g butter
125g flour
4 eggs

Put water and butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts. As soon as butter melts turn heat to high to boil rapidly. When mixture boils, turn off heat and tip in flour and salt at one go. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth thick paste forms. Return mixture to low heat and continue to beat for just one minute so that mixture dries a little. Transfer mixture to a mixer and leave it to cool slightly. Attach the k beater and mix in the eggs one at a time on medium speed. The finished dough must be glossy and should fall off the spoon. Pipe small choux buns the size of cherry tomato, on oiled baking sheet using piping bag fitted with plain 1 cm nozzle. Bake in 210c oven for 15 to 20minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.

Pappardelle with Saffron and Mushroom Sauce

Fresh Pasta taste better but this is ready made dried egg pasta.... and still taste delicious.  Use good quality saffron and if possible home made chicken stock. Pappardelle are pasta ribbons which I think are the perfect match to this creamy yellow sauce.

500g Egg Pappardelle
300g button mushrooms
generous pinch of saffron
1 small onion finely chopped
100g smoked bacon or pancetta cubed
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp hot water
100ml single cream
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan shavings to finish

Put saffron in a small bowl and pour over hot water to infuse and release the golden colour.  Slice mushrooms and set aside. Heat a large frying pan, add pancetta and fry until fat is rendered.  Add finely chopped onion and fry until golden. Add mushrooms and fry for further two minutes. Add chicken stock, saffron water, and cream then reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and add pappardelle.  Cook for five to six  minutes or until al dente. Lift pasta and transfer to sauce.  Toss gently on low heat so that sauce is nearly absorbed.  Serve topped with parmesan shavings.

Green Marrow Soup with Baked rikotta and Poached Egg

This is a truly Maltese hearty Soup called 'Soppa ta l-Armla' which means Widow's Soup.  It is a traditional Lent food as it contains no meat.  Normally the egg is poached in the soup but I thought poaching it separately will give a cleaner finish. I also added fried green marrow slices for different texture and to me the plate looks more appetising.  This soup is poor man's food as ingredient costs are minimal, yet it has extraordinary  taste and nutritional value.

1 Kilo Green Marrows or Zucchini

1 large Potato

1 Large Onion

3 Fresh Long Garlic

2 medium tomatoes

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

4 eggs

300g ricotta cheese

Salt & Pepper

4 tbsp short pasta of your choice (ditalini are the best)

Slice thinly 1 small green marrow and set aside.  Cut into small cubes, the remaining marrows, onion, potato and tomatoes. Finely slice the long fresh garlic.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a heavy based soup pot. Gently fry the onions and garlic.  Add one tablespoon flour and stir.  Add 1 1/2 litres of water and stir.  Add chopped marrows, potato, peas and tomatoes. Season well with salt & pepper, cover and cook for 30minutes.

Cut the ricotta into 1 inch thick slices and place in an oven proof dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with Salt & Pepper.  Bake in a 200c oven for 20minutes.

Poach the eggs by breaking in salted boiling water and lift after 2 1/2 minutes. Lift them using slotted spoo and set aside on a plate.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and fry marrow slices for two minutes on each side. Do not overlap. Lift and drain on kitchen paper.

Using a hand blender, give a few pulses to the soup, do not blend it! Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes.  Turn heat off and cover for further 5 mintues.

Ladle soup into deep plates, arrange poached egg on one side and ricotta on another and garnish with fried marrows.

Veal with Anchovy Caper Salsa and Paprika Wedges

For this recipe I use capers in Vinegar and to reduce the sharpness I put them in Cider Vinegar.  Ask your butcher to give you tender cuts of Veal and ensure to have them thinly sliced.

500g Veal thinly Sliced
2tbsp flour
1 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp Salt
Cracked fresh pepper
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 fresh long garlic finely sliced
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp capers in Vinegar
4 anchovy fillets finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
10 cherry tomatoes halved
1 chopped fresh green chilli
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
Olive oil for Shallow Frying

Paprika Potato Wedges
4 large potatoes
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
2 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chicken powder
1 tsp dried mixed Herbs
Salt & Pepper

Prepare Anchovy Salsa by heating two tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan, add garlic and anchovies and fry gently. Add one tablespoon butter and green chilli. Stir until butter is melted.  Add capers, honey, vinegar and lemon rind and stir. Turn off heat, add halved cherry tomatoes and ground fresh black pepper. Cover and leave aside until needed.
Meanwhile, wash potatoes thoroughly, cut in half and then each half into 4 equal wedges. Put in a large pan, cover with water and 1 teaspoon Salt.  Bring to boil and turn off heat.  Drain liquid but leave potato in pan.  Add Olive oil, Paprika, chicken powder, mixed herbs, curry powder and salt & Pepper, cover with lid and shake well so that seasoning cover all wedges equally.  Transfer potato to baking tray arrange loosely and bake in 200c oven for 30 minutes.
Prepare Veal by putting flour and corn flour in a large flat plate and season with salt & pepper. Mix well. Heat a large frying pan and approx two tablespoons olive oil. Press each veal escalope in flour mixture on both sides, shake off excess flour and fry for a minute or two on each side until golden.
Serve Veal with a spoonfull of Salsa and crispy Paprika Potatoes.

Fusilli with Chicken,Pesto and Sundried Tomatoes

500g Fusilli
200g Chicken tigh fillets
75g Pancetta cubes
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
8-10Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tablespoon Basil & Pine Nut Pesto
200ml cream
2 tbsp grated Pecorino Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cut chicken tigh fillets  into small cubes. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add chicken and pancetta and fry for 2 minutes until chicken is just opaque.  Add stock and wine and simmer for further 2 minutes.  Add pesto and cream stir and cook until sauce thickens.  Meanwhile cook pasta in plenty salted water until al dente. Drain and transfer to sauce pan, add sun dried tomatoes and toss for 1 minute. Serve with grated pecorino cheese.

Pan Fried Chicken with Artichoke Hearts

It's the heart of winter and perennials start to show in market stalls.  I made justice to one of my favourites... the Artichoke.  Lemon is a must to avoid discoloration.

1 Large Chicken Breast
6 small Artichokes
2 lemons
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar 
1 tsp chicken powder
1 tsp corn flour
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp butter

Remove the skin from Chicken Breast and using a sharp filleting knife cut slices at an angle to have nice flat escalope pieces. Put chicken pieces in a large bowl and add crushed garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, dried oregano, sugar, soy sauce, chicken powder, corn flour, ground pepper and mix thoroughly with clean hands so that all chicken get some seasoning. Cover and set aside. (Wash hands with hot soapy water.). Fill a large bowl with cold water, cut one lemon in half and squeeze the juice in the water and add what's left from the lemon. Prepare artichokes by removing all outer leaves and leave just two inches of the stem.  Using a sharp knife cut the remaining leaves leaving just a third. Peel the stem, cut the artichoke in half lengthways and remove the hairy core. Put in the bowl of water and lemon to avoid discoloration.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large non stick pan and add chicken pieces a fiew at a time. Fry for just thirty seconds on each side.  Remove from pan and transfer to a warm plate. Continue with all the remaining chicken slices. When ready, deglaze the pan with wine, then add the chicken stock and artichoke hearts. Squeeze half a lemon, cover and let them simmer for 15 minutes on medium to low heat. Add butter to reduced sauce and stir. Top with fried chicken cover again and cook for just 1 minute.  Serve with boiled rice. Garnish with thinly sliced lemons.

Wild Asparagus Gourmet Breakfast

I have just discovered a wild delicacy! It is February and I never thought that this small Island is yielding with wild Asparagus! The bramble bushes along the country pathways have these tender shoots of which I took a picture so that you look out for them on your next country walk! They are so delicious and packed with flavour and I've learned that they are so good to your health. They will keep well in the fridge..... well mine lasted till the next breakfast!

Bunch of Wild Asparagus
2 eggs
2 tsp olive oil
6 slices Parma Ham
salt & pepper
Reduced Balsamic Vinegar and Oil for decor.

As for normal Asparagus, the wild variety also have that natural snap point.  So using just your fingers snap them and keep the tender part.  Bring a small pan of water with 1 tsp salt to boil add asparagus and boil for two minutes.  Lift with slotted spoon and transfer to ice cold water to retain their colour.  Lightly beat two eggs and add salt & pepper.  Heat oil in a small frying pan add egg mixture a little at a time as you do for pancakes, fry thin omelettes for just 30 seconds on each side. I made six omelettes out of two eggs! Take one omelette fold one third in, arrange few Asparagus on top, then fold the other third and roll. Roll one slice of parma around so that each roll will hold its shape.  Arrange two per person, and drizzle some reduced balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Serve with brown buttered toast!

Champagne Dinner for Two

As much as I like eating in a good restaurant, nothing beats quality home-made food.  If your partner is like mine, a good bottle of bubbly, candles and fresh ingredients kindle the Romantic Mood!

All can be made in advance and served warm or room temperature to guarantee no interruptions from one course to another! Happy Valentine!

Salmon and Mascarpone Bagels
650g Flour
20g Dried Active yeast
1tbsp Sugar
2tsp Salt
1 egg yolk
3tbsp oil
175ml WarmWater
175ml Warm Milk
1tbsp water extra
1egg yolk extra
Poppy Seeds

100g Mascarpone Cheese
200g Smoked Salmon

In a food mixer add flour, yeast, salt 1 egg yolk, oil, water and milk and using the hook attachment knead on low speed for 10 minutes. Lift the hook, cover the bowl with cling film, then tea towel and place in a warm place to prove for 1 hour or until double in bulk. Knead again for 2 minutes, then divide the dough into 32 equal portions.  Roll each portion to approx 7inches long roll. Shape each roll to bagel pinching the ends together.  Place on an oiled baking sheet leaving enough space from one another to prove. Put in a cold oven with lights on to prove for 30 minutes.  Bring a  large pan of water to boil, boil bagels few at a time for just one minute on each side then lift with slotted spoon and brush with extra yolk and extra water mixture. Sprinkle poppy seeds and bake in a 220c oven for 25 minutes or until golden and sound hollow when tapped from underneath.  When cold cut across in two and spread a teaspoon of mascarpone cheese, layer with smoked salmon and serve on rocket salad.

Honey Lime and Chilli Mussels
1kg Fresh Mussels
1tsp honey
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
chopped fresh parseley
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp mussel juice
Salt & Pepper

Wash mussels under cold running water and remove beards.  Discard any that remain open when tapped. Put all mussels in a heavy based pan, close the lid and turn on low heat. After 5 minutes open lid and check mussels are opening, as soon as they open turn off heat, lift with slotted spoon and take just one tablespoon of the mussel liquor, to use in marinade. Remove shells and discard any that remain closed.  Prepare marinade in a glass bowl by adding honey, lime chilli flakes parseley and mussel juice, and using a small whisk, whisk together and adding the oil a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper then add mussels to marinade, stir so that each mussel is coated in marinade and leave aside until needed.  Serve garnished with celery stick.

Dill and Butter Lobster
750g Fresh Lobster
1 tbsp Salt for boiling
20g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt & pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Freeze the lobster for 1 hour, meanwhile bring a large pot of water with 1 tbsp salt to boil.  Carefully add lobster and boil for 10minutes.  Remove from heat and let it cool to handle. Put the lobster flat on board and using a large chef's knife, cut in two. Remove the vein, then lift the meat and alter sides so that the meat attached to the shell becomes on top. Like so, it will be more presentable.  Detach the claws, hit with the back of the knife and open to extract more meat.  Arrange in the shell with other  meat.  Heat the wine, add  lime juice in a small saucepan, then add olive oil and butter, stir for a smooth sauce. Turn off heat add chopped dill and spoon over Lobster.  Garnish with dill cuttings and lime wedges.

Baci Heart
350g Roasted Hazelnuts Skinned
2 tbsp Icing Sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 espresso
2 tbsp Tia Maria
4 tbsp Nutella
150g Plain Chocolate
100g Plain Chocolate for Decoration
50g White Chocolate for Decoration

   

Melt 150g Plain Chocolate over baine Marie, add espresso coffe and stir.  In a food Processor, add 300g hazelnuts, (reserving 50g for later) icing and cocoa powder and whizz to get  a fairly ground mix.  Add nutella, melted chocolate with espresso, and Tia Maria, and pulse to obtain a thick paste. Pour mixture in a heart shape of approx 7inch x 7inch and press the whole remaining almonds on top.  Cool in refrigerator for at least two hours. Remove from fridge, then insert a knife along the mould so that it will be released better.  Lift mould.  Melt the chocolates in separate bowls.  Spread the dark chocolate over the heart then white chocolate on top and make swirls with teaspoon.  Serve with champagne or sweet wine.

Brie Sun Dried Tomato and Mushroom Pork Rolls with Tangy Brussel sprouts

This is another quick dinner.  Brussel Srpouts are in season so I though i should give them the punch with Orange Marmalade. Serve Three pork rolls per person and a good quantity of Sprouts and nothing else!

9 slices Pork Escalopes
2 sliced mushrooms
100g brie cut into short fingers
9 sun dried tomatoes
1  tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp butter
1 tsp English Mustard
Fresh Ground Pepper

Tangy Brussel Sprouts
600g Brussel Sprouts
1 tablespoon Orange Marmalade
1 tablespoon butter
Salt & Pepper

Fill each escalope with two slices mushrooms one sundried tomato and one brie stick, fold sides over filling and shape into a roll. Secure with toothpick if necessary. Heat a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, add pork rolls and fry gently. Remove from heat and put on a warm plate.  Deglase pan with 1 cup chicken stock, and reduce by half. Add mustard, pepper and butter and stir to thicken. Sprinkle chopped dill and turn off heat. Arrange three rolls per person spoon over sauce and serve with Tangy Brussel Sprouts.

For the Tangy Brussel Sprouts, Boil them in plenty salted water  for ten minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer sprouts to a bowl of ice cold water so that the green colour becomes more vibrant. Heat butter in a frying pan, add marmalade and stir to combine, toss in brussel sprouts and season with salt and pepper.

Snails with Aniseed gravy and Red Arjoli Paste (Bebbux bl'arjoli)

Well this food is not for the faint hearted! The snails cooking gravy is to die for and the red garlic paste is such a perfect accompaniment. We normally eat this poor man's food on Good Friday when we are supposed to fast but somehow, all the family look forward to this day as we eat our hearts out! Afterwards we all get the guilt sensation, much needed to enter in the day's Mood!

These quantity are enough for four hungry persons! Serve with loads of crusty bread....Maltese is best!

2kg snails
1 tbsp salt
1 large onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 chilli deseeded and chopped
2 large tomatoes peeled and chopped
2 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 celery stick
Bunch fresh marjoram
4 bay leaves
Bunch parsley
Small bunch mint
1 star anise
1 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 gravy cube
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp fennel seed
2 tbsp anisette or ouzo
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Wash snails thoroughly in plenty salted water. Put in a large pan add 1 tbsp salt and cover with water. Close the lid and bring to boil. Remove from heat and drain. (you can freeze snails at this stage, when completely cold). make a bouquet garni by tying together celery stick, bay leaves and marjoram. In a pestle and mortar pund the fennel seeds. Heat oil in a large pan, add onions chilli and garlic and fry gently till golden. Add curry powder and powdered fennel seeds and stir. Add vinegar and anisette and cook till nearly evaporates. Add chopped tomatoes, potatoes, and 1 litre water stir and simmer on medium heat. Add gravy cube, Star anise fish sauce, salt and pepper. Finally add snails and top up with more water until it covers all snails. Cook on medium to low heat for nearly two hours, keep adding water until the last half hour in which you need to let the gravy reduce and thickens. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Chop fresh parsley and mint and add to snail the last minute. Turn off heat and serve with red arjoli paste.

Red Arjoli Paste

The inside of small Maltese Crusty bread, or 4 slices white bread
2 small cloves garlic
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar
Dash tabasco
Ground black pepper
4 tbsp tomato paste(kunserva)
1 small can anchovy fillets
1 60g tuna in oil
Small bunch fresh parsley
Few sprigs of mint
Chilli flakes and extra oil to drizzle

In a food processor put bread, water and crushed garlic and pulse, add anchovies, tuna, tomato paste and pulse few more. Add olive oil and process to smooth paste. Add tabasco, vinegar pepper and herbs and pulse till well mixed. If mixture is too dry add few more tablespoons water. Spoon paste into a serving dish sprinkle with chilli flakes and drizzle with olive oil.

Flour Less Cherry Torte

This is an alternative to cherry clafoutis, in which almonds are used in exchange of flour.

450g Fresh Ripe Cherries
140g Caster Sugar
250g Ground Almonds
1 tsp grated Lime or Lemon rind
4 eggs
1 tbsp rice flour
few drops almond essence
1 tbsp caster sugar extra

Remove the stones from cherries using a cherry pitter. Pre heat oven 170c. Line a 10inch baking dish with baking paper.  Arrange cherries evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle with 1 table spoon extra caster sugar.  Mix ground almonds, caster sugar, eggs, rind, rice flour and almond essence in a food processor.  Using pulse button only so that you do not over beat.  Pour mixture over cherries and even out with a spatula.  Bake for 40 minutes until firm and springy to the touch and golden in coulour.  Turn on to a wire rack to cool and serve with clotted cream or mascarpone cheese! Yum

Pesto Chicken Ballotine with Pumpkin Mash

To bone a chicken may put you off but when you have guests you will find that it really pays off. You can set the juicy pieces such as tigh fillets on the outside, and the bits that usually dry out quicker like breast on the inside, like so, everyone will enjoy a tender piece of chicken. You can be very artistic in plating this dish and get the wow from everyone!


1 whole Chicken approx 1.5kg
2 tablespoons pine nuts
bunch fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 large potatoes
500g pumpkin
100ml fresh cream
Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoon dry sherry
4 cloves garlic
2 cups chicken stock
sprig rosemary
sprig thyme

1 tablespoon cold butter

Prepare the chicken by carefully removing the skin and try to obtain two rectangular pieces without tearing.  Bone the chicken so that you will have meat from tighs and two breasts. Using a sharp knife, flatten out the chicken breast, and open evenly the chicken tigh.  On a clean board arrange two pieces of cling film on top of another, place one of the chicken skin, rough side down.  Season with salt and pepper. Layer the meat from tighs and smear with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Layer one of the breast  evenly on top and roll.  Roll tightly so that it shapes like a small salami.  Repeat the process to make another ballotine. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and lower down the ballotines.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from water, and cool slightly. Remove the cling film and place on a baking tray.  Continue to cook in a pre heated oven 200c for 20 minutes until skin is golden.  Take out from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before carving.  Slice each ballotine into 6 slices, arrange three slices per plate, spoon pumpkin mash aside and pour over sherry sauce.

Pesto
Gently toast the pine nuts, then using a mortar and pestle crush garlic then pine nuts then chopped basil, add oil slowly to obtain smooth paste.  Add parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Pour over some oil to avoid discolouration.

Sherry Sauce
Chop the chicken carcass, wings and other bones into pieces and fry in a large pan with garlic rosemary and thyme.  Add salt and pepper. When brown add sherry to deglase pan.  Add chicken stock and cover.  Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain  the juices through fine sieve.  Reduce sauce in  a small pan, add chopped butter and stir to obtain a nice silky sauce.

Pumpkin Mash,
Peel potatoes and boil with pumpkin in plenty salted water until tender.  Strain water, mash thoroughly, and add cream.  Season to taste.