Food Diary - Saturday Night Dinner at Home

There are few things I enjoy more than catching up with friends at home over a good meal and a glass of wine. We were long overdue in catching up with our friend Kim (who actually only lives close by - isn't that always the way!) so last night we did something about that and invited him over for a moochy Saturday night dinner at home.

To start, I came up with a dish that is basically posh eggs on toast - a crunchy base of toasted rustic garlic rubbed bread, piled with Prosciutto, fresh greens, a soft poached free range egg - and finished off with luxurious black truffle butter sauce. The combination of the crunchy bread, velvety eggs, salty Prosciutto and fresh greens created a gorgeous contrast of textures - and that decadent black truffle butter sauce created an entree that was wickedly good.

 Soft Poached Egg on Garlic Toast

With Prosciutto, Greens and Truffle Butter Sauce

I recently purchased a small bottle of Tetsuya's Black Truffle Salsa - which is designed to be used to create the famous truffle butter that he serves in his restaurant. I've been lucky enough to dine at Tetsuya's quite a few times now (in fact we are heading there in a couple of weeks for our wedding anniversary dinner) and the truffle butter is something we always look forward to. Lots of other people clearly think so too, so he now sells the base of it so that people can create their own. I decided to make up a batch of the butter and just warm it through, to create a luxurious sauce. The result was an eye rollingly delicious entree.

If you want to get your hands on some of Tetsuya's Black Truffle Salsa for yourself, you can find it in good gourmet stores, or online. If you are searching for it, it comes in a tiny jar that looks like this -

For the basis of main course, I chose something that I haven't cooked at home for ages - venison. Regular readers of Gourmet Goddess would know that I'm a big fan of game meat, and in the last week or so had been thinking that I wanted to get my hands on some venison to create a dish using Autumn produce. I used a beautiful piece of venison loin, which I marinated in olive oil, some garlic, a splash of raspberry vinegar, crushed juniper berries, pepper and allspice.

I then seared the meat in a very hot pan and transferred it to a 200C oven to cook for 10 minutes. After resting the meat, I carved it and served it with a rich, velvety puree of cauliflower and potato (I used the Dutch Cream variety), roasted beetroot ( which I cut into uniform circles with a cookie cutter, to improve the presentation), toasted hazelnuts, beetroot leaves and a jus that I made from beef stock and Pinot Noir jelly (similar to redcurrant jelly, but made with Pinot grapes) and flavoured with bay leaves from my garden. Yum.

Loin of Venison with Cauliflower & Potato Puree, 

Roasted Beetroot, Hazelnut and Pinot Noir Jus

Venison is a fantastic flavoursome and super lean meat that is not hard to cook with, as long as you choose the right cut for the kind of dish you are making. I chose the loin of the venison, which is cooked for a short time and served medium rare, to rare. The only real thing that you really need to watch for is overcooking. It isn't a meat that is really suited for people who like their meat well done, so if you are making it at home, know your diner's preference. Cooking venison to a well done order will just result in a grey, tough piece of meat. A waste of really excellent produce.

I decided not to make a dessert and to serve a selection of cheeses, fresh pear and some quince paste - but after what was a rich entree and main, we decided that we were all satisfied, and that a cheese plate would just be overkill. The cheese platter might end up being Sunday lunch.

If you like game but have never had a go at cooking venison at home, I really encourage you to give it a try. It isn't hard and makes a great key ingredient for a special meal, whether you are sharing it with guests or not.

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Festive Season Food Diary

I'm always a bit bemused about the Christmas/Festive Season hysteria. And yes, it really is hysteria. Why people blindly buy in to it and put themselves through the ringer about this time of the year I just don't know. In our household we take a very laid back approach to the whole thing. For us, it's less about parting with large amounts of cash to buy "stuff" most people don't want, or putting pressure on yourself to cook what all the glossy mags or smug TV chefs tell you that you should be cooking - and more about having much valued time off work and enjoying each other's company. Usually we bypass the traditional Christmas palaver altogether, by heading off on our own somewhere quiet, and staying there till new year. The downside to this of course is that it tends to be expensive staying anywhere in December, and as we are currently in saving money mode, (to buy our longed for plot of nature in Tasmania) we stayed home this time around.

Instead, we headed up to the NSW Central Coast to enjoy a laid back Christmas Day with my in laws, Kate and Peter. I volunteered to cook the four of us Christmas lunch, and thought that I would take a "mystery box" approach to the cooking, bringing with us a selection of seasonal ingredients that I liked, and then making up a menu pretty much on the day. Until Christmas morning I wasn't 100% sure what I was cooking - I had a few ideas in my head - but I just ended up cooking according to the ingredients and my mood. The exception to this was the dessert, which I did make the day ahead. Having one of the courses already sorted made the rest quite easy. Only cooking for four people also helped a lot too of course, and I could focus on quality over quantity.

Kate had requested a fairly light menu, so I thought that seafood and a fruit based dessert were obvious choices. We have recently returned from Western Australia, and thanks to my Mum's boyfriend John, had been given some beautiful W.A Rock Lobsters that he had caught for us. These became the basis of the main course. We grabbed some fresh local prawns on Christmas eve from the local fish lady at Ettalong Beach, and along with an esky full of bits and pieces - and what was growing in Kate's garden, created our lunch menu.

First up was a bit of a take on the Prawn Cocktail, but with a salsa of home grown tomatoes, avocado, lime, chilli and herbs from the garden. As I was preparing this, I noticed a leftover bread roll from lunch the day before in the bread basket. I turned this into crispy, oven baked parmesan toast to serve on the side. It was tasty and gave a nice crunchy textural element to the entrée. I served the cocktails in insulated coffee glasses that I found in the cupboard. Great to keep the cocktails nice and cold.

Prawn Cocktail with Avocado Salsa

and Crispy Parmesan Toasts

Main course was based around that gorgeous W.A lobster. I didn't want to mess with it too much, so just sautéed it gently with a little butter, a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper and a small squeeze of lemon. I served this with grilled asparagus, a super velvety cauliflower puree spiked with a little cream, and Red Oak and Sorrel micro herbs. I drizzled the pan juices over the lobster just before serving. It was really delicious and a big hit with the family.

Sauteed W.A Lobster

with Cauliflower Puree, Asparagus and Micro Herbs

My do ahead dessert was based on mangoes and passionfruit, which are great at the moment. I made a passionfruit and mango mousse and layered it in a big bowl, with fresh mango and Savoiardi sponge fingers soaked in Limoncello (from New Zealand, that I had picked up at the Sydney Food and Wine Show last year.) I served the dessert with some fresh cherries and raspberries for a bit of a festive touch.

Mango and Passionfruit Mousse

with Italian Sponge and Limoncello

 

 

So that was Christmas day. Two days later, we ended up having what looked a lot like a traditional Christmas dinner when I decided to cook some free range, organic turkey breast that we had bought from our favourite meat supplier, Feather and Bone. I stuffed the turkey breast with some left over zucchini and parmesan stuffing I had in the freezer (I always do a big batch of stuffing when I make it and freeze some. Really worth doing, and it freezes very well) Served it with all the trimmings - vegetables, cauliflower and broccoli gratin and gravy -  and also invited friends over to share it with us. It was really delicious and made us all ponder why we don't eat turkey more often.

 

 Stuffed Turkey Breast

with all the trimmings

 

 

Andrew has been asking me for what feels like forever (years!) to a make pavlova, so I thought I would finally give it a try. I was a bit unsure about it, so consulted Stephanie Alexander's "The Cook's Companion" (aka "The Bible") to find out what to do. I was really thrilled with the result - crispy on the outside, marshmallow on the inside, just as it should be. Stephanie rules. I topped the pavlova with a vanilla cream, and more mangoes and passionfruit.

 

Stephanie Alexander's Classic Pavlova

Only down side to my pavlova success is that now I think I am going to have to add it to the regular cooking repertoire. Andrew loved it. I have an idea to do one with a salted caramel and fresh fig topping at some stage.

Ready to eat - Summer Pavlova

Now, I really hate wasting food, and I am the queen of recycling ingredients and turning leftovers into another meal. After our turkey dinner, we had turkey and some of the cauliflower and broccoli gratin left, so I turned it into brunch the next day - made into fritters with the addition of sweet corn and herbs from the garden. Served with a quick tomato salsa and a spoon full of light sour cream, it made a lovely tasty summer dish.

Turkey and Corn Fritters

with Tomato Salsa

So that is what I have been cooking and eating over the festive season. There is a whole lot of really wonderful produce in season at the moment, and I would encourage you all to enjoy it while you can. The season will be over before you know it. My favourites are stone fruit, berries, cherries, mangoes and fresh pineapple - and seafood of course.

New Year's Eve is only a few days away, and we have a tradition of ringing in the new year by having dinner at Restaurant Atelier, our favourite local eatery and an exceptional place to dine. This year will be a little sad as the evening of 31 December will be their last service ever, after over a decade of consistently serving magnificent food and wine. This restaurant is very special to us, as they have shared in so many celebrations and great meals - we even visited on the night before we were married. We will be sitting at our favourite table on New Year's Eve and raising a toast to Chef Darren Templeman and his wife, Maitre d' and Sommelier extraordinaire Bernadette in gratitude for the amazing meals and evenings we have spent at Atelier. They will be sorely missed. Word is, they may be heading south to Melbourne. Lucky Melbourne!

I wish all of my Gourmet Goddess readers a very happy, healthy and delicious 2014. May it bring you all of the good things.

Me, enjoying a swim in the rain on Christmas Day,

 while everyone else was having a nap

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Cauliflower and Speck Tart

So the weekend is approaching and you want something home baked that tastes luxurious, can be eaten for brunch, lunch or dinner and isn't too much of a drama to put together. Look no further than today's dish - a delicious creamy cauliflower and speck tart. The tart is richer tasting than a plain old quiche, with gorgeous Gruyere cheese, white cauliflower and the delicious salty/savoury character of the speck making it super flavoursome. It has a creamy, melting texture that will make it hard to stop at just one slice.

A hint about cooking the tart - don't be tempted to overcook it - you want it to be in the oven until the egg/cream mixture has just set. This ensures that it retains a lovely creamy texture. You can eat it warm or cold, but warm is my preference. The flavours seem to really come alive and you get to enjoy that rich, creamy texture at it's best.

I have chosen speck for this recipe as I love having that lovely smokey, salty hit that those small cubes of speck give you - but if you can't get it where you are (most delis should have it) you could substitute plain bacon - although the flavour will be a lot milder.

You could easily make smaller individual tarts if you wanted to - the ingredients below will make 4-6 small tarts or one large one.

Straight out of the oven
 

Cauliflower and Speck Tart

 

 

You will need: 1 large sheet shortcrust pastry, 1/2 cooked cauliflower cut into florets, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 1 large brown onion finely chopped, 250g speck cut into small cubes, 6 free range eggs, 1 cup cream, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese, 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese, salt & pepper, pinch cayenne pepper, 2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives.

 

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a large quiche or tart tin with baking paper. Press the pastry into the quiche tin. Lay another sheet of baking paper over the top. Fill with baking beads if you have them – if not, you can use dry beans or rice. Blind bake the pastry for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the baking beads and the paper and allow to cool.

 

Heat a pan and add the olive oil, onion, garlic and speck. Cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes until the onion is transparent and the speck has browned a little. Season with a little salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture evenly into the pastry case. Arrange the florets of cooked cauliflower evenly on top of the speck mixture.

 

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, pepper and about 2/3 of the cheese. Pour the mixture into the pastry case. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with the fresh chives.

 

Bake at 200C for 35-40 minutes or until the egg mixture is just set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before cutting into slices.

 

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Winter Sunshine

As most of you would be aware, each week the Gourmet Goddess kitchen receives a delivery of local, organic and chemical free produce from the fabulous folks at Food Connect in Sydney. One of the great things about this, apart from the first rate, ethical produce - is that they often include seasonal vegetables or fruit that are not terribly common on most dinner tables. This was one of those weeks. Amongst the cornucopia of seasonal produce was a stash of freshly dug Jerusalem artichokes - dirt still attached. At first glance I thought they were ginger roots, but I was thrilled when I realised that they were in fact the first Jerusalem artichoke crop of the winter.

Native to the eastern part of North America, also called sunroot or earth apple, the Jerusalem artichoke is in fact not an artichoke at all. It is actually a tuber vegetable related to the sunflower and does not resemble the well known green globe artichokes in any way, either in looks or in taste. So if you started reading this post and immediately thought - "Ick. I hate artichokes" - don't despair. These are artichokes in name only. Just to confuse things, they also have absolutely nothing to do with Jerusalem. So the name is not only 100% misleading, it is also geographically incorrect. On top of the identity crisis, they are also - let's be frank here -pretty damned ugly looking. Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk flavour. Nutty, slightly creamy and delicious, these gorgeous winter vegetables taste great roasted', fried into crispy chips or pureed with potatoes for a beautiful tasting mash. Because they are in season at the moment, now really is the time to enjoy them at their best.

Jerusalem Artichokes

- not an artichoke and not from Jerusalem.

Go figure.

Today, I decided to team them with fresh seasonal cauliflower and create a creamy winter soup. These flavours work in perfect harmony and make a change from the usual repertoire of winter soups. This soup is not only great served in a rustic style with a hunk of freshly baked bread, it is also perfect all dressed up, as part of a dinner party or degustation menu.

Cauliflower and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

So, give these mis-named, not so pretty winter vegetables a try. They are absolutely delicious - however you choose to cook them -  and will become part of many a winter menu once you discover their inner beauty. It's cold outside - let this relative of the sunflower bring some winter sunshine in!

You will need: 2 large brown onions, 2 large peeled potatoes, 1/2 cauliflower, about 400g jerusalem artichokes, 3 cloves garlic, 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, 1/2 cup milk (if you want something really sumptuous, use cream), 1 apple, 1/2 cup flaked almonds, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, pinch of cayenne pepper, parsley or chives and a drizzle of fruity olive oil to serve.

Method: Scrub the artichokes to clean any dirt off them - you do not need to peel them. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Roughly chop the onion, potato and artichokes into generous chunks. Roughly chop the garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a pot and add the onion. Cook it gently for about 5 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and the artichokes and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add the potato and the cauliflower, season generously with salt and pepper, add the pinch of cayenne and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to the boil and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Remove from the heat and blend the mixture until smooth with a hand blender or food processor. Add the milk (or cream) and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as required.

When you are ready to serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with a little of the parsley or chives. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4-6 people

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70's Restaurant Revisited - Salmon En Croute

Ahhhhhh.... pastry!!! Is there nothing that can't be enhanced by being enveloped in a golden, puffy shell of buttery goodness? I will happily knock up a batch of shortcrust pastry, however I think I join most people in being a bit daunted by making my own puff pastry and opt for buying those super convenient sheets that can be pulled out of the freezer on a whim.

Recently at the Good Food and Wine Show in Sydney I was lucky enough to come across a producer of beautiful pre made pastry called Careme. Based in the Barossa Valley, they produce a variety of gorgeous hand made pastry varieties, rolled and ready to use. The quality will knock your socks off - like nothing you will find on the supermarket shelf. I am a complete convert to their gorgeous products and although they cost more and may be a bit harder to find, they are definitely worth it for the top notch results they give. To find out how to get your hands on beautiful Careme pastry, check out their website for more information:  http://www.caremepastry.com/

Today's recipe used a sheet of Careme puff pastry and is actually what I would classify as a super retro and frankly out of fashion pastry dish - up there with Vol au Vents! But let's be honest here, who doesn't still love a Vol au Vent? I decided to totally embrace the 70's trend for wrapping things in pastry and thought I would resurrect an old 70's restaurant/dinner party favourite - Salmon En Croute. Salmon, pastry.... what's not to like? I have taken this dish and added a delicious creamy cauliflower puree to the mix and also included some lovely fresh herbs. The result is a delicious, easy dish that looks a bit more posh and technically difficult than it actually is. So, pretend it's 1975 and get your Salmon En Croute on!

Layering the ingredients.........

Wrapping, glazing and finishing with poppy seeds........

Fresh from the oven, ready to be plated up.......

Salmon En Croute

with sugar snap peas and asparagus

You will need: 1 large fillet of salmon (about 500g), 1 sheet puff pastry about 30cm x 30cm. (I use Careme brand but any kind will work) 1 egg, 1 teaspoon water, 1/2 whole Cauliflower, 3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons cream, 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped continental parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped dill, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme or lemon thyme, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, salt and pepper.

Method: First, make the cauliflower puree. Cut the cauliflower into florets and boil in salted water until soft. Drain well and puree. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, cream, parmesan and season very generously with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside to cool.

Carefully remove any bones from the salmon using a pair of tweezers. Now remove the skin and season the salmon with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 220C. Mix all of the herbs together in a small bowl.

Line a tray with baking paper and place the sheet of puff pastry on the tray. Spoon the cooled cauliflower puree on to the pastry and sprinkle half of the herbs over the top. Now place the salmon on top of the puree and sprinkle the rest of the herbs over the fish. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in small bits over the fish. Season again with salt and pepper.

Whisk the egg in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of water. Fold the pastry until it meets in the middle and pinch the edges together well (you don’t want it to pop open during cooking) Do the same with the ends. Brush the parcel with the egg mixture and sprinkle the poppy seeds over the top. Put a few holes in the pastry with a knife to let any steam escape while the parcel cooks.

Bake at 220C for about 20-25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.

Serves 2-4 people

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Frenchified Fish

As you would all be aware, I recently returned from a stint in Paris where I was lucky enough to not only indulge in some beautiful French food and produce, but to also attend cooking school there. I learned a lot in the process and today I would like to share a dish inspired by my time there that also uses a brilliant technique for cooking fish that is so simple - but yields the most superb results.

This cooking principle uses a bed of fresh herbs on which to cook the fish, so that it is not only cooked gently and away from a direct heat source (thus retaining all the moisture and flavour) but also giving the fish the most goregous fresh aroma and taste of the herbs at the same time. The method is fast and simple and I swear that once you try it, you will be as blown away by the result as I was! This is how fish is meant to taste. You could use whatever fish you wanted to, but don't choose fillets that are too thin or fragile. I used Jewfish (Mulloway) for my version today. In Paris we used large Bream fillets. Just choose what you like and what looks super fresh. I am keen to try this technique with salmon too - I think it would be beautiful. If any of you do try the salmon option, let me know how you go.

I chose to serve my fish with a rich and creamy gratin of fennel and cauliflower and a wedge of lemon. It would also be great with mash and asparagus, or even just a simple salad of endive for a lighter option. But however you serve it, I promise it will be the juiciest most delicious fish you've ever tasted. This cooking technique is that good.

French style baked Jewfish with fresh herbs

and fennel and cauliflower gratin

For the fish:
You will need: 1 piece of fish per person - use fish that is reasonably thick and not too delicate.
1 bunch each of continental parsley, tarragon and dill - plus salt, olive oil, lemon to serve.

Method
First, line a shallow baking tray with foil or baking paper and preheat the oven to about 220C.

Take the fish fillets and ensure that there are no bones embedded in the flesh. If there are, remove them with tweezers (the cheffy term for this is called "pin boning") Cut them into individual portions if necessary and cut each piece across the skin in 3 places. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and set it aside.

Tear all the leaves off the herbs and discard any tough stalks. Chop the herbs roughly and combine well. Drizzle the baking tray with olive oil and then pile the herbs in a thick pile/layer straight onto the tray.

Rub the fish on both sides with olive oil and salt. Place skin side up onto the layer of herbs and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Bake in the oven for 6 - 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. It should be super moist so be careful not to overcook it. Allow to sit for 2 minutes on the tray before serving (be sure to scoop up the fresh herbs with the fish so that these can also be enjoyed) Serve with a slice of lemon.

For the gratin:
You will need:
1 fennel bulb - green part removed and cut into thick slices, 1 small or half a large cauliflower cut into florets, 2 tablespoons salted butter, One and a half tablespoons plain flour, 3 cups milk, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg,1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Method:
Place the cauliflower in a pot of salted water and cook until just soft enough to easily stick a knife through. Add the fennel and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and fennel and place in an ovenproof dish. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and when it starts to foam, add the plain flour. Stir it in well, to make a roux. I use a whisk for this - it means you can remove any lumps that might appear in the sauce quickly and easily. Let the roux cook for a minute or two (you want to cook the flour well, but be careful not to let it brown. If it does, start again!) Add half of the milk and whisk quickly and thoroughly. Keep whisking and gradually add the rest of the milk. Dont be insipid with your whisking - put your back into it - you don't want lumps!

Let the sauce cook for a few minutes, until it thickens to a custard like consistencey. Add salt, pepper and the nutmeg and cook for another minute. Pour over the cauliflower and fennel. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and bake for about 30 minutes until the crust is golden. Let it rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

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Degustation Delights

On Friday night I entertained dinner guests and decided to put together a degustation menu using new season's ingredients. I haven't done a degustation menu for a while, but I always love creating a menu in this style. I enjoy being able to have a little of this and a little of that, and the joy of creating something that will flow from course to course. The challenge is always to balance variety and texture - to have enough contrast to make things interesting but to not make those contrasts jarring to the palate.

The menu began with a creamy chilled soup of cauliflower and leek, flavoured with a hint of roasted garlic and finished with cucumber and delicious salty salmon roe. The soup can also be served hot, but I really enjoy starting a degustation menu with something cool and fresh tasting. Although the soup is velvety and creamy, serving it cold gives it a lighter dimension. The natural sweetness of the vegetables is a nice contrast to the salty explosions of salmon roe and the fresh cucumber.

Course number two was a mushroon ragout tart - the ragout was made with four different types of mushroom - Porcini, Shitake, Enoki and Oyster varieties. I used a simple shortcrust base and teamed this with a horseradish cream - a combination of horseradish, organic natural youghurt and creme fraiche. The earthy, savoury nature of the mushrooms really shines through when teamed with the tang of the horseradish cream.

Course number three was duck and fennel ravioli served simply with sauteed asparagus and parmesan. The filling was made with duck breast meat, parmesan, caramelised onions and fennel, garlic and a touch of nutmeg. I bought the duck breasts on the bone and after I removed the meat that I needed, used them to make a batch of rich duck stock which I have stored in the freezer. I am already thinking about what I will use the stock for. The rich flavour of the duck meant that it did not need an overly complex sauce - I used Danish Lurpack butter, a touch of salt and some pepper and the asparagus and that was all. This allowed the flavour of the duck to take centre stage.

After the richness of the duck it was time to lighten things up - I chose a salad of watercress, sweet roasted pumpkin, buffalo mozzerella and pomegranate seeds. I made a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic, garlic and a touch of maple syrup. I like using watercress as a salad base - the peppery bite is a nice contrast to sweeter ingredients such as the pumpkin and maple. The tartness and texture of the pomegranate seeds works well with the creamy mozzerella - and who can resist that gourgeous ruby colour?

I really love game, so I decided on venison for the fifth course. I marinated vension rump for 24 hours in olive oil, garlic, crushed juniper berries, a splash of white balsamic and a touch of dijon mustard. The meat was then cooked in a pan with a touch of butter and allowed to rest for 10 minutes before carving. I teamed the venison with a puree of potato and parsnip, caramelised balsamic beetroot and a stuffed zucchini flower, which I filled with fresh herbs, ricotta and a touch of lemon rind. For the sauce, I did a stock reduction with redcurrant jelly and a touch of bitter chocolate. The chocolate works beautifully with the venison - but it is only used in very small amounts, just enough to add some richness and complexity to the sauce.

And finally, dessert - I took fresh figs, split them in the centre and baked them for 10 minutes drizzled with honey. Once they were out of the oven, I filled them with tangy fresh raspberries. I accompanied them with honey, pistachio and glace pear icecream that I made ealier in the week. I made the icecream in a loaf tin and served slices instead of scoops. Figs and raspberries are my two favourite fruits, so this was a great way to indulge in both!

One of the challenges of doing a degustation menu is the logistics of the menu - choosing dishes that will not require you to be stuck in the kitchen for the whole evening when you should be drinking wine and being fabulous with your guests. For the above menu, I made the icecream a few days before. I did the filling for the duck the week before and froze the filling - that way all I had to do was defrost it and complete the final tortellini making at the last minute. I also made the caramelised beetroot and stuffed the zucchini (which can be a bit fiddly) the day before. I pre chopped all of the salad ingredients a couple of hours before the guests arrived and also made the sauce for the venison and the potato/parsnip puree. On the night, all I had to actually cook was the zucchini flowers and the venison, heat the figs and do the tortellini.

If you have never tried a degustation menu, don't be daunted. Just make sure you plan well and that you don't choose overly complex dishes that require lots of attention for every course - balance it with some simple dishes such as salads, or soups or terrines that can be made ahead. I find that the work of creating a degustation menu is totally worth the rewards of seeing delighted guests feeling pampered and indulged. I had a ball creating this menu for my guests on Friday night - it was a fun night full of lots of laughter and lots of wine.

And finally, a good degustation menu is nothing without good friends to share it all with, so choose your guests well. Thanks to Chris, Michela, Susan, Mary-Lou, Damon and Andrew for being such fabulous company and riotously entertaining dinner guests on Friday night - a fantastic evening :)

*****

Soup of the Day - Cauliflower and Fennel

It was feeling a lot like comfort food weather today, so I decided to make a pot of soup. It was also feeling a lot like "I don't want to get out of my pajama pants and walk to the shops" weather too, so this soup was inspired by what I had in the fridge and pantry. (And my own laziness!)Although I served it hot, it would be great as a chilled soup, topped with chives and creme freche or a few slivers of smoked salmon. Another option would be served in little shot glasses as part of a cocktail or degustation menu.
Those that know me also know of my love affair with fennel and this soup has the lovely aromatic fragrance of my favourite vegetable and a beautiful velvety texture.

Cauliflower and Fennel Soup
with almond and parsley oil
Makes 4-6 servings

For the soup:
3 large brown onions, sliced (they can be quite thick slices)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 large potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large fennel bulb, stalk and green part removed, sliced
Half a cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup chopped celery
Chicken stock (or water if you are a vegetarian) I just used Campbell's stock for this one!
Olive oil
Milk (or cream if you are feeling decadent)
Butter
Salt and pepper

For the topping:
Handful each of almonds and fresh continental parsley
1/3 of a cup good olive oil

Method:
Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a pot and cook the onions, garlic, celery and fennel until the onion starts to look a bit translucent. You do not want the ingredients to brown, so be gentle and turn down the heat if you have to.

Add the potatoes and cauliflower and combine well. Cook the mixture for another 5 minutes.

Cover the vegetables with stock/water and simmer on a medium heat until the vegetables are soft. While the veges are cooking, put the almonds, olive oil and parsley in a food processor or mortar and pestle and blend together, ready to use as the topping.

When the vegetables in the soup are done, puree the mixture till smooth. Add a splash of milk (or cream) and a tablespoon of butter - as little or as much as you want, depending on how rich you want the soup to be. Season well with salt and pepper. I like lots!

Serve hot or cold drizzled with the almond/parsley oil.

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