Ascoughs lunch - the pics

I will resist the urge to bore the pants off – this is just a sample.

Our starter was Falafel, Roasted Peppers, Charred Courgette, Grains, Soya Yoghurt Flatbread and Pomegranate Dressing, it looks like this :

Our main course was Twice Baked Goats Cheese Soufflé, Marinated Artichoke and Cucumber Salad and Toasted Sunflower Seeds, here it is :

I can hear you - “it doesn't look anything special”

It does now!

There are two desserts and here they are in all their glory :

Turkish Delight Cheesecake, Almond & Cherry Florentine,

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, Rose Gel and Fudge Sauce

• or, if cake is your guilty pleasure :

Sticky Ginger Cake, Rum Raisins, Butterscotch
Sauce and Rum & Ginger Ice Cream.

A word of warning – you might want to wear clothes that have an expanding waistline, particularly if you want to indulge in the Intros before you embark on the following three courses!

A spectacular lunch.

August at Ascoughs

For those who are not familiar, Ascoughs is a bistro located at 24-26 St. Mary's Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7DU.

The last time I visited this restaurant for lunch was in May 2017 – a birthday present for a girlfriend and here we are again, a little later than we'd have liked but as we all know, life gets in the way.

These days you can view menus on line and I could have looked but resisted the urge. When I called to book our table I mentioned my favourite soufflé - a Twice Baked Red Leicester and Chive version - in the hope that I might be able to order two. Hold that thought – how delighted was I to be told that there was a Twice Baked Goats Cheese soufflé on the current menu.

I confess that after booking I couldn't wait any longer and peeked at the menu – it served its purpose – spoilt for choice and for me that's rare.

I've said before but am happy to repeat, Ascoughs' menus tempt you to try dishes with ingredients you wouldn't ordinarily choose.

The genius remains the same – the menu at the moment runs until 1^st September – 2 courses for £13 – 3 courses £17. Note to selves – you have to book, whether lunch or dinner.

Thought for the day … if you can remember how good a meal, or a specific dish was and that memory stays with you … pure joy.

Ascoughs Bistro – telephone 01858 466966

ascoughsbistro@aol.com

Mushroom paté – the pics and the twist

The twist is this – pushed for time – need inspiration? Take 150g of your paté, loosen it with 150g of double (heavy) cream and warm through. Hey presto, you have a mushroom sauce to serve with cooked chicken, fold through pasta and add whatever you find in a fridge forage.

By my reckoning a mid week supper would probably take the time it takes to cook the pasta and warm the sauce.

Ta dah!

A rant and a mushroom paté …

… with a difference.

It has been a while since I felt the need to rant but I am doing so now in support of my friend. Chatting recently, setting the world to rights as you do, the subject inevitably turned to food and she told me a story about her favourite mushroom paté – that was – i.e. past tense – it is no more.

Can someone please explain why, when a product is in demand - to the extent that you're constantly asking when the next delivery is due - the product line is dropped. I've always thought of myself as a dinosaur, technologically speaking, but in these modern days of bar codes and stock control, blah blah – may be I'm missing something but doesn't all that information tell them – “crikey this is popular stuff, it's flying off the shelves”.

Here's my mushroom paté – I can't tell you what my friend's verdict is since she hasn't sampled it yet – I'll report back.

Mushroom paté

250g chestnut mushrooms

250g cream cheese

4 cloves of roasted garlic

30g unsalted butter

a glug of extra dry sherry*

salt and black pepper

2 tsps of tapenade – optional

Trim the mushrooms, clean and then slice finely. Using a medium frying pan – mine measures 28cms in diameter - melt the butter and then add the sliced mushrooms with the garlic and sauté. Mushrooms release liquid and they need to be sautéed until it has disappeared – 10 minutes. 7 minutes into the cooking time add a glug of sherry. Continue sautéeing until the sherry has been absorbed – 3 minutes.

Let the mushrooms cool.

Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor, add the cream cheese and blitz again. Season to taste and leave to cool. Decant the paté into pots or boxes to suit and fridge until required.

Serve with whatever form of bread that takes your fancy. Me – I've just baked soda bread – tee hee!

*A glug refers to liquid, usually oil or alcohol too in my culinary book. If you want to be reasonably accurate then a glug is what I'd call a generous tablespoon.

*A word about dry sherry. If you're not a sherry drinker – not my favourite tipple – then you might find it useful to know that, for the purpose of this recipe, and anything to do with enhancing the flavour of mushrooms, fino is the driest followed by manzanilla and then amontillado – any of the three will do very nicely. Alternatively you could use a glug of a good red wine.

I feel so much better for having got that off my chest!

Veggie box – the garlic

There are two gigantic bulbs of garlic in the box. I always roast my garlic and then “pop” each clove - freeze in small pots, inexpensive – check out the baby aisle. These gigantic bulbs are however a different kettle of fish. Have you ever heard of “elephant garlic” - huge bulbs that measure 10cms (4”) in diameter. The bulbs I had weren't quite so large but not far off. Elephant garlic is said to be not “real” garlic but a stem leek. Larger and milder than the norm – especially suitable for roasting.

My research tells me that it can grow to 150mm across and weigh over a kilo – yikes, 2.2lbs in old money.

Needless to say I am going to need considerably larger pots than I normally use!

Have a look at these pics :

I roasted the two bulbs, drizzled with a drop of rapeseed oil in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for an hour. I left to cool, gloved up and then peeled back the skin and popped the cloves. There were 10 massive specimens, some of which were larger than others so I had to take radical action and cut some in half so that they'd fit into the containers!

You can grow your own elephant garlic – check out your favourite search engine.

It's really satisfying having reaped the benefit of my friend's hard work and generosity to know that I've not wasted the beautiful fresh produce.

Veggie box - passata pics and tips

Food for thought – my favourite tomato sauce recipe would be to serve with meatballs, in a bowl with good bread – what I call “feet up food”. Try a submarine roll filled with mozzarella slices or even spiced fried halloumi - add meatballs and drizzle with the tomato sauce.

More thoughts - a sauce base for a bolognaise or create a delicious tomato soup – if you're into cold soups then a gazpacho will tick that box.

If you want a posh idea, turn your passata into a puttanesca sauce by adding tomato paste to enrich, followed by pitted Kalamata olives, capers and anchovy fillets.

My freezer “store cupboard” is looking very healthy!

Veggie box – the tomatoes

In this heat you have to work fast or your goodies will spoil. I can't possibly use everything all at once so I need to cook and freeze what I can, so the tomatoes are up next. I have it on good authority that they are an Australian variety, suitable only for cooking – that's all I know!

A passata fits the bill and a quick version too. Since it's going to be frozen the flavours will continue to develop and, more to the point, a passata is versatile.

Passata – the quick way

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

4/5 cloves of roasted garlic

1.5kg tomatoes, chopped roughly

6 fresh basil leaves

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2tsp caster sugar

salt and black pepper

Using a large saucepan – 22cms in diameter, fry the onion and garlic for 10 minutes until soft. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blitz to a smooth paste and set aside.

Add the tomatoes and basil to the pan and cook gently, stirring frequently for 20/25 minutes until the tomatoes are soft. Cool for 10 minutes then push through a sieve to give a smooth sauce.

Rinse out your saucepan and return the sauce and paste, add the vinegar and sugar and simmer gently for 10/15 minutes, stirring until you have a thick passata. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cool then decant into suitably sized containers for freezing - if you want to use it straight away fridge it – it will keep for 3-4 days. Frozen, your passata will keep for up to 2 months.

As a guide you'll get 600ml of passata from the recipe.

Remember to freeze in small amounts – you never know what you might decide to cook - you can always pull out two or three portions.

Waste not want not!

Passata pics and tips coming next.

Veggie box – crumble - pics and tips

I can't resist doing what I always do with a dessert like the crumble – double the quantities and freeze in portions to suit you – you can pop the crumble top in a freezer bag – it takes up no space and you can show off whenever you want – quickly!

The crumble verdict … “brilliant” - the standout element - the fruit kept its shape.

Since then I have frozen portions and served again, defrosted the fruit and the crumble topping, assembled and warmed for 15 minutes – 160fan/180c/Gas 4 and am happy to report it's just as good.

I love it when a plan comes together, to coin a famous phrase!

The best presents …

… are those that are unexpected. 

Have a look at what I received this week :

I'm not sure where to begin with my veggie box.

The blackberries I think – it just so happens I have a surplus of Pink Lady apples – it has to be a crumble. You can use whatever type of apple you wish – cooking or eating.

Crumble has to be in the top ten of puddings, close to all our hearts. I agree with Raymond Blanc - cook the crumble topping separately. It avoids the sogginess in between the fruit and the topping.

Here's the recipe :

Serves 4

Crumble topping

120g plain flour

60g caster sugar

60g unsalted butter at room temperature,

cut into pieces

Fruit base

300g Braeburn apples – I used Pink Lady

30g unsalted butter

30g demerara sugar

115g blackberries

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Pre-heat your oven 170fan/190c/Gas 5.

The topping

Tip the flour and the sugar into a large bowl. Add the butter then rub into the flour using your fingertips to form breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly coloured.

The fruit base

Peel, core and quarter the apples and cut each quarter into eight pieces. Put the butter and sugar in a medium sized saucepan and melt together on a medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes until the mixture turns to a light caramel. Add the blackberries and cinnamon, cook for a further 3 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat and leave for 2/3 minutes to continue cooking in the warmth of the pan.

When you're ready, place the fruit into a greased overproof dish, top with the crumble mix and reheat in the oven for a further 5/10 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pics up next and a tip or two!

Pandowdy Pics!

By the way, for those who aren't sure about a pastry cutter, here's what it looks like :

It's the black treacle that does it for me – yum – not too sweet.

You can use cooking or eating apples in the recipe - the upside in using eating apples is that they hold their shape better.

Pandowdy

If you're a lover of deep dish apple pie, you'll like this.

Here we go :

Pre-heat the oven 170fan/190c/Gas 5.

Grease an ovenproof glass dish and set aside. I used a circular 3 litre dish – 27x23 cms, which serves 4.

The apples and the sauce

Combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the water, vinegar and black treacle and whisk. Continue whisking bringing the mixture to a boil until it thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Tip your apples into the sauce and then into the greased dish. Sprinkle over the cinnamon and nutmeg and dot with the butter.

The topping

You'll need a medium size mixing bowl. Sift the flour, add the baking powder and the salt. Drop in the cold butter and “cut” the mixture. You can use a pastry cutter or two round bladed knives until the mixture is rubbed in. Add the milk – the mixture should be lumpy.

Using a small spoon drop the batter over the apples. It should be random and won't cover completely. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and then break through the topping with a fork, pressing it down into the apples. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Serve warm – with whatever you fancy – vanilla ice cream, pouring cream, clotted cream or even custard or your favourite combination of all four!

Pandowdy pics up next!

My Mate …

who is English, lives in the USA – he's over here to see family and friends and has popped in a couple of times with an American friend, also visiting. Can it be that this friendship has lasted over 30 years?!

We've always hopped backwards and forwards and he has become my oldest student and a good one too!

If you feel inclined check out the USA label on the blog you'll see a series of posts “On location in South Carolina” - actions speak louder than words.

Coincidentally whilst he's been here I came across an American dessert which caught my eye - probably because of the name – Pandowdy!

We have a similar pudding in the UK – a cobbler – here it's usually made with a scone mix as opposed to the batter used in the US version.

Pandowdy

The apples

150g soft light brown sugar

25g plain flour

¼ tsp salt

250ml water

2 tsp cider vinegar

60ml black treacle

675g apples – I used Pink Lady, peeled, quartered

and cored – each quarter cut into eight pieces

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of ground nutmeg

60g unsalted butter

The topping

100g plain flour

2 tsps baking powder

¾ tsp salt

45g cold unsalted butter

180ml milk

There must be something in the air!

Happy Birthday Rose!

I couldn't let the Anglesey holiday go without mentioning that, as usual, our dog Rose came too – she's a real beach baby and loves the sea too.

Whilst we were on holiday she had her fourth birthday and so we took her to her favourite spot as a birthday treat.

Here are her holiday snaps cum postcard of the day :

I just love this place!

Whee!

This is the best way to cool off!

I know this is not at all food related – I just thought it would make you smile.

A change from bread

A change is as good as a rest as they say. On that note, especially in light of the hot weather of late – try Little Gem lettuce leaves filled with your favourite bits and pieces - they always remind me of little boats – just the right size to fill and two delicious mouthfuls – okay, one if you're really hungry!

Serve a heaped plateful of “boats” and shred the poached chicken breast.

Make a dipping sauce :

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)

you can use dry sherry

as a garnish

crushed, salted peanuts

Kecap Manis for drizzling (sweet soy sauce)

Use any fresh salad ingredient that takes your fancy - raid the fridge!

Stir fry stuff if you are in the mood - for example you could continue with the Asian theme and use bok choy – Chinese cabbage, water chestnuts and bean sprouts - the list is endless – there are no rules!

It's a San Choy Bow but not as you know it.

I've just given myself a great idea for a mid week supper – minimum effort, maximum taste.

Dare I say it … healthy too!

Remember I said …

… I'm not sure this is the end of my supper menu – I was right, it wasn't. I prepared my usual favourite sides – a slaw with sultanas and apples and baby beetroots in balsamic vinegar.

My final dish is another variation on one of my favourite themes – the whole slow cooked chicken. Place two or three whole star anise** in the cavity of the chicken. Spread the chicken with the garlic and stock paste but omit the oregano.

The result is a moist, tender chicken with an aromatic, garlicky flavour. I sliced the breast and served just as it was. It was delicious and gets a big tick. As is my usual habit I strained the stock and it's in the freezer along with the rest of the chicken for another day.

If you'd like a good idea for “another day” why not smoke chicken breasts in your aromatic stock, and no you don't have to have your own smokery. Poach them in the stock - 500ml. Bring the stock to the boil and submerge 4 medium chicken breasts and simmer for 10minutes, covered – turn the breasts over a couple of times. Turn off the pan and leave the breasts to continue cooking in the stock. Fridge when cooled.

**Star anise is a spice native to China and Vietnam. It has many culinary uses - as an ingredient in Chinese 5 spice powder - in Indian cuisine it's ground to a powder as part of garam masala and in Vietnam used in their famous soup dish Pho. It's a perfect marriage for slow cooked dishes. It's used in sweet dishes too drizzled as a syrup over fruit, and even steeped in coffee to enhance flavour.

One of my favourites but I suppose you have to like aniseed!

A dash of Italian

Speaking of piada it makes me think of Cicchetti – pronounced chee-keh-tee. For the uninitiated cicchetti are to Venice what tapas are to Barcelona. If you're interested in more check out the Italian label for chapter, verse and ideas.

Here's a little something to go with the flatbreads using broad beans.

If you can't face the thought of blanching and podding 500g of broads beans, split the difference and mix 250g of cooked petit pois.

Here goes :

Favetta

500g broad beans, blanched and

refreshed and then podded

1 roasted garlic clove

100ml olive oil

zest and juice of half a lemon

100g Pecorino cheese – grated

salt and black pepper to taste

Put the broad beans, olive oil and garlic into a food processor and whizz quickly so that you achieve a rough mixture – you do not want a pulp! Tip the mixture into a bowl and add the lemon and zest and add 50g of grated pecorino. Season - but remember that Pecorino is sharper and more tart than Parmesan so taste before you season.

Serve on bruschetta or crostini garnishing with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Pecorino or serve the favetta in one bowl with piadas, ready to roll up and dip.

The ultimate finger food!

The boring stuff - the broad beans

You won't like this but it'll be worth it.

Blanch your broad beans – bring a large pan of water to the boil and then add the beans, bring back up to the boil. Drain and refresh – in other words rinse in fresh cold water. Tip onto kitchen roll and pat dry. Tip into a bowl.

Place the bowl of beans on a tray that fits into your lap along with two large food bags. Sit in your favourite chair and tune in to your favourite “guilty pleasure” tv programme. Pop your beans to reveal the bright green beauties inside. Place the discarded outer skins into one bag and the beauties in the other.

A tea towel on your lap will stop the tray slipping.