recipe swapping

[Yvonne]

Hi,

 

Just done a search for recipes and found one from last year where people were discussing recipe swaps. did this ever come about? If so, how do I find them or add them?

If not is anyone interested ? We find that around 90% of guests book evening meals and I need some summer inspiration -  we have some 12 night bookings!

Abi

[hastobe]

I'm happy to swap recipes [:)].  What sort of things are you looking for?  

Hastobe

[Yvonne]

Hi Hastobe,

I have plenty of good dessert ideas (I think) but I stumble on main courses. We mostly cook for a minimum of 10 people so I need recipes that are fairly easy for large numbers, without cooking too many casseroles! Any good pork ideas?

My favourite dessert is white chocolate mousse and it always goes down well with guests:

Melt 200g white chocolate. Meanwhile, whisk 200ml of cream to a thick custard consistency. Add the melted chocolate to the cream and mix well, then add 200ml of framage blanc and mix well. Finally , if you wish, you can add 2 tblsp white rum. I pour this amount into 10 small ramekins and chill before serving.

To serve, top with caramel shards (melt 50g sugar in a pan until golden caramel colour. Pour onto a greased tray and tilt to spread the caramel out as much as possible. When hard and cool, break into shards and store in an air tight container in the fridge).

The mousse also works well in a sweet pastry case, topped with fresh fruit. This week I could only find white chocolate with coconut in the supermarket so I used it and it added an extra 'twist' to the dish.

Enjoy,

Abi.

[Beryl]

[quote user="abim"]

 Any good pork ideas?

[/quote]

I have done this so often but can't remember the exact quantities as I do it from memory now.

Cut a whole pork fillet along the top to make a pocket, stuff with fresh spinach, pine nuts, chopped dried apricots and peices of mozzarella, then wrap parma or bayonne ham around the outside. Wrap tightly in tin foil and chill. When ready loosen foil slightly and roast in foil for about 45 mins depending on thickness of fillet, uncover for last 5-10 mins. Then cut into thickish slices.

[Gardian]

Abim ...........

Despite any impression I may have given to the contrary on another thread, I'm not a complete culinary Philistine.

Try this. Bone out a leg of lamb, cut out all the fat and rubbish and cut in to 1cm thick steaks (don't get hung up on the size of them). Marinade for a few hours or longer if poss in a bit of red wine, olive oil and some herbs (fresh rosemary is best, but dried h de p is fine). Five mins before service, sear off the chunks in a really hot pan and slice in to medallions. Serve a sauce, a gratin and your choice of fresh vegetable. 

Lamb is probably pricey if you're catering to a commercial budget, but you can make one whole gigot go quite a long way (and the little bits that you can't use for this can be set aside for a lamb curry). 

[hastobe]

A few pork ones - I'll try and think of some more:

Sprinkle pork chops / steaks with black pepper and fresh sage.  Grill and serve with caramelised apples.  Pork chop / steak bit is pretty straightforward.  For the apples - peel, core and slice, then heat butter in a small frying pan until foaming.  Add apples to hot butter and cook until golden (should only take a few mins) then sprinkle with sugar and cook a couple of minutes more until caramalised.  Serve with pork.  Really nice with cheddar mash (or the nearest equivalent to cheddar) and simple steamed / glazed vegetables

Pork stroganoff - i.e. using pork fillet rather than fillet steak.  Peel and thinly slice several onions.  Fry gently until soft (about 10 mins).  Then add thinly sliced mushrooms and gently fry until they stop giving out liquid (again another approx ten mins).  Meanwhile quickly fry pork fillet (cut into strips) in another pan.  To the mushroom / onion mix add half pint of cream to which you have added a  tablespoons of lemon juice and a couple of tablespoons of French mustard (the mild dark coloured sort).  (The lemon juice is to sour the cream so if using creme fraiche you could probably omit the lemon juice) Add the pork and cook for a few minutes until the pork is cooked through and the cream sauce has reduced a little.  (I think I use approx 1lb onions to 1lb mushrooms to 1 and 1/2 lbs of pork.  (Sorry - I tend to be a 'that looks about right' - sort of a cook! - will dig out actual proportions)

Stuffed pork fillet en croute is nice - stuff with mushrooms, pine nuts, onion and herbs.  Individual ones look good and cook faster. Seal inside puff pastry, glaze and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. 

Pork fillet escalopes in parmesan.  Slice pork to say 3/4 inch thick and then flatten with a rolling pin between two sheets of cling film. - then coat in flour and parmesan.  Shallow fry.

Hastobe 

[Yvonne]

Hi,

These all sound great, thanks very much - looks like I'll be cooking this week!

Abi