Salmon, Creme Fraiche, Lemon, Peas & Pasta

Salmon, Crème Fraiche, Lemon, Peas & Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillet about 12-16oz
• Small tub of full fat crème fraiche
• 2 cloves garlic chopped or crushed
• handful of frozen peas
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of half the zested lemon
• Small handful of chopped fresh dill
• 200g of good quality dried pasta.  I used an artisan made penne.  Add more or less pasta depending upon your appetite.

• Oven temp 190 degrees Centigrade or a medium hot oven.

Method:

1. Lightly season the salmon, place on oil roaring tray or dish and roast at 190 for about 15 minutes.  Aim to cook it just under-done as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
2. Place a large pan of salted water to the boil, for the pasta. Cook the pasta (typically 10-12 minutes) at the same time as the salmon goes in.
3. About 5 minutes before the salmon is due to come out the oven, fry the garlic in a knob of butter until just starting to turn brown, add crème fraiche, lemon zest and juice.
4. Remove salmon from oven, take skin off and flake into big pieces with two forks.
5. Add the salmon and frozen peas to the crème fraiche along with the dill.  Heat through until the peas have cooked. Check and adust the seasoning.
6. Drain the pasta, toss the salmon and crème fraiche through the pasta. Top with a little more dill and serve immediately.

Roast Stuffed Peaches & Amaretti

Roast Stuffed Peaches
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 yellow peaches, skinned
2oz Amaretti (or Macaroons)
1 egg yolk
1oz butter
10z sugar
¼ pint dry white wine


Method:

Cut the peaches in half and remove the stone.
Make the hollow where the stone was a bit deeper with a teaspoon. Reserve the removed flesh
Crush the Amaretti and mix with the reserved peach flesh, egg yolk, butter and ½ oz of the sugar.
Use this stuffing mix to fill the hollows of the peach halves.
Place peaces in a lightly buttered ovenproof dish and sprinkle the rest of the sugar over. Pour over the white wine.

Bake in oven at 180 degrees C for 25-30 minutes.

This can be served hot or cold

Butternut Squash, Sage & Chilli Risotto

Butter Nut Squash, Sage & Chilli Risotto

Ingredients:

Serves 2

• 1 mug of carnaroli risotto rice
• Appx 1 litre good quality chicken stock
• About 4 oz butter
• Good glug of white wine (optional)
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1-2 dried chillis, de seeded and finely chopped
• Half a butternut squash, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 3oz/75g freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Salt & white pepper

Method:

1. Heat large saucepan, heat half the butter and a splash of olive oil. Add the onion and cook gently until softened but not brown.
2. Add the chilli and cook for one minute
3. Add the butternut squash and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft. I like mine to still have some bite, it is up to you how soft you have your squash. Remember it will cook for another 20mins in the risotto.
4. Stir in the rice and cook for a minute or two.  You want to ensure all of the grains of rice have a coating of butter / oil.
5. Add a good glug of dry white wine. The pan should sizzle as you add the wine.  Stir the rice until all of the wine is absorbed.
6. Add the chicken stock a little at a time.  Stir continuously until each addition of stock is absorbed.
7. Continue this way until the rice is tender and creamy.  The rice should be cooked but still have some bite, about 15-20 minutes.
8. Taste and add salt and white pepper to season. You can of course just use black pepper. I think the white pepper adds something extra. Add the remaining butter, the sage and the parmesan. Stir to combine and then cover and leave to rest for a couple of minutes and then serve garnished with just one small sage leaf.

N.B.

Risotto should always be stirred in the same direction in the pan. This ensures the grans of rice all lay in the same direction.