Sage Winter Squash Gratin
Ingredients
2 winter squashes sliced and deseeded
Olive oil
30g clotted cream
250ml double cream
2 Tbsp All purpose flour
25g butter
1 Tsp English mustard
100g grated Gruyère cheese
25g fresh bread crumbs
1 small knob of butter
8 fresh sage leaves
Method
Preheat your oven to 180’c
Thinly slice the squash and remove the seeds.
Rub oil and salt over the sliced squash roast in the oven for 20 minutes until slightly soft. Remove and leave to cool.
In a medium pan heat the butter, add the plain flour, stir until combined, add the double cream mustard & then stir in the clotted cream.
Finally add the cheese and continue to heat until a thick sauce is formed.
Place & layer your cooked roasted squash in a pie dish pouring the cheese sauce over each layer.
Sprinkle your fresh bread crumbs and a little bit more grated cheese on top.
Roast in the over until golden.
Fry the butter in a pan and gently fry off the sage.
Add sage to garnish .
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
4 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
950ml beef stock or chicken stock
118m Vermonth Rossa
2 bay leaves
Black pepper and salt to taste
Bread to serve
Method
Peel and thinly slice the onions from root to stem.
In a large pan heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat with the olive oil. Cook the onions, stirring often, until they have softened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium high. Add the butter and cook, stirring often, until the onions start to brown, about 25-30 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar (to help with the caramelisation) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook until the onions are well browned, about 10 to 15 more minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.
Add the Vermonth to the pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pot, deglazing the pot as you go. Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes.
Season to taste with more salt and add freshly ground black pepper. Discard the bay leaves.
Serve hot with warm bread
Tangy Winter Salmon & Blood Orange Salad
4 Blood oranges
1 packed of smoked salmon
Bunch of rocket salad leaves
Capers
Extra virgin olive oil
Few Tbsp of aioli or Horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste
For Quick Aioli
5 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
Sprinkle of salt
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
In a small, shallow bowl, combine the pressed garlic and lemon juice. Stir to combine and spread it into an even layer so the juice can work its magic. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes, so the lemon juice can absorb the garlic’s flavour. Place a fine mesh strainer over another bowl. Using a silicone or rubber spatula, scoop the contents of the bowl into the strainer, then press on the garlic with the spatula to get as much juice out as possible. Discard the garlic. Stir the mayo into the garlicky lemon juice until combined. Taste, and adjust only if necessary—if the garlic flavour is overwhelming, stir in more mayonnaise by the tablespoon. If you want it to taste a little more interesting, add the Dijon mustard. For more tang, add another little squeeze of lemon juice. Aioli will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 10 days. It will thicken up more as it chills.
Blood orange salad
Using a sharp knife or peeler skin the blood oranges. Slice the oranges about 4 cm thick into slices . Mix smoked salmon, blood oranges, rocket and capers in a salad bowl, toss extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Dress with homemade Quick Aioli or horshradish
