Archive for December, 2009
Port and Redcurrant sauce recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Port and Redcurrant sauce recipe by Nick Buckingham
This is a classic thin sauce to accompany any duck dish, the citrus notes and fruit of the jelly complementing the rich meat of duck, while the port adds a gloriously mellow flavour. This sauce would also go well with venison and other game. It’s so full of flavour that you need a fruity, full bodied wine to drink with any dish that you serve this sauce with, otherwise the sauce can overwhelm the wine completely.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
110g / 4 oz Red Currant Jelly
110g /4 oz / ½ cup Port
26g / 1 oz Finely Chopped Shallots
1 lemon (juiced and zested and fine julienne)
2 oranges (juiced and zested and fine julienne)
2 pts Duck Stock
Seasoning
Method
Bring the duck stock to the boil and reduce it by half its volume. Add the red currant jelly and port and stir well. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer together in the sauce for approx five minutes until tender.
Season with care
To Serve
Serve with any duck course, in particular this Roast Duck Recipe
Points to Watch
This is not a thick sauce
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Piquant Sauce recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Piquant Sauce recipe by Nick Buckingham
When you want a piquant, slightly spicy sauce to go with fish or chicken, this is the one to choose. Chinese five spice gives a fragrant aroma and just enough heat to make the sauce interesting. Vinegar provides the sour note and the vegetables a savoury base for all the complex flavours to mingle.
Amount
1 Pint
Ingredients
165g / 6 oz Sugar
½ pt Vinegar
110g / 4 oz Red Pepper
110g / 4 oz Onion
110g / 4 oz Celery
110g / 4 oz Tomato
Five Spice
Fresh Thyme
Seasoning
Method
Chop the onion, celery and red pepper quite finely. Peel the tomatoes and dice them. In a heavy based pan, cook up all the ingredients and simmer together until the vegetables are soft and tender.
Add a little water to the sauce if it seems too thick.
Pass through a thermomix to make a smooth sauce, or else process through a food processor or food mill.
Strain through a sieve to make sure the sauce is completely smooth.
To serve
Serve with any Fish or this Teriyaki salmon recipe.
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read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Spanish Desserts Guide
Spain has a rich feast of sweet things in her culinary tradition, so that anyone with a sweet tooth will be in their element exploring the Spanish pastelerias or pastry shops. The Moorish occupation of Spain brought with it the almond tree and also sugar cane and citrus fruit and that influence has contributed hugely to the desserts today, many of which are based on almond pastries and sweet creams. The sweet spices brought over from the Middle East also play a vital role in flavouring pastries and desserts: cinnamon, anis, nutmeg and cloves can all be found adding a special twist to a variety of tarts and biscuits.
When you visit Spain at Christmas there are loads of special biscuits and sweets to sample – the polvorones are rich crumbly almond biscuits that melt in your mouth; mantecados are light crumble cakes with a delicate aniseed flavour There is also the sweet Turron, almond nougat made with honey as a traditional Christmas treat.
Desserts that you will find in Spanish restaurants in Britain use the same traditional ingredients to create an authentic Spanish flavour. Tarts made with sweet almond pastry are very popular, often filled with fruit and topped with a crumble topping.
Dairy based deserts served with a caramel sauce or fresh fruit are an authentic Spanish pairing. Crema Catalana is the Spanish version of crème brulee, with a vanilla infused custard topped by caramelized sugar. Then there is a Spanish flan, which is a set custard that is usually served with caramel sauce but can also be flavoured with orange or strawberries for a delicious dessert.
Churros are long ridged dough fritters, a bit like our doughnuts, popular as a late night snack or even for breakfast in Spain and are served with hot chocolate and topped with sprinkled sugar or honey. They are often sold by street vendors at festivals and cooked in cafes for breakfast, as the Spanish often enjoy a sweet snack at breakfast or mid-morning.
Lemon and orange sorbets make an ideal light ending to a meal, when you don’t feel like a rich dessert and are a popular and refreshing summer end to a meal in Spain.
Besides the ever present almonds there are a variety of desserts that use hazelnuts and walnuts in tarts and custards or combined with chocolate for a richer indulgence. But equally authentic is to finish a meal with some of the summer fruits that proliferate in Spain, either simply eating a ripe peach or apricot or cooking peaches, pears or even figs in wine for a more festive dessert.
What to Drink with Your Tapas
When you’re heading out for a sociable evening of tapas at your local Spanish restaurant, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding what to drink. Spain has a fine selection of wines both red and white, is the home of delectable dry, medium and sweet sherries and also boasts the original Sangria as its favourite summer aperitif.
Sangria has been a popular party drink for years but as a result has got a bad name as a sort of non-descript fruit and wine punch made with the cheapest of wine. But made properly as it is in Spain outside the tourist areas, in homes and at local fiestas, with a good young, unoaked red wine, plenty of fresh summer fruit, a dash of brandy and some freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice, then chilled overnight, Sangria is a wonderfully refreshing and festive drink that goes well with tapas on warm summer nights and when you’re in the mood to celebrate. It should be served with plenty of ice and some of the wine soaked fruit.
Tapas goes really well with the quintessential Spanish aperitif, a sherry from Andalusia. Forget about the image of old aunts sipping a glass of sickly Bristol cream sherry before dinner, sherry or jerez (pronounced hereth) as it is called in Spain is an authentic and delicious choice to accompany tapas as an aperitif or to drink throughout a meal. A good Manzanilla sherry is pale, dry and crisp with a delicate flavour and should be served chilled. Or you could go for the nutty aroma of Amontillado, still dry with plenty of flavour. A more fragrant, heavier dry to medium sherry is the oloroso with its darker colour.
You could start your tapas with one of these dry sherries and then move on to a glass of a sweeter sherry, such as the Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel with dessert if you want to enjoy a whole meal of sherry tastings. Remember though that sherry, being a fortified wine, has a higher alcohol content than wine, ranging from 15% for the lightest to 22%, so if you are drinking it throughout the evening you’ll need plenty of water to go with it.
Spain has a fine selection of red and white wines to choose from and they all go well with tapas. After all tapas originated as a series of snacks to accompany a glass of wine before dinner. Rioja is perhaps the best known Spanish red wine, with full flavour aged in oak and Ribera del Duero is another quality red. Fine white wines from Rueda and both red and white wines from Penedes are also well recognized internationally. Cava is a fine traditional sparkling wine and there are a whole range of modern Spanish wines now being developed with different grape varieties.
Spanish Tapas Guide
Spain’s tradition of tapas has captured the imaginations of people all over the world, so much so that Spanish restaurants in Britain often focus almost exclusively on tapas with just a few main dishes thrown in for good measure. It’s true that what started in Spain as small snacks and appetizers to while away a sociable evening between work and the traditional late dinner hour of 11, have become a small microcosm of Spanish cuisine, allowing people to have tasters of several different dishes and create a whole meal from them.
Tapas started out quite simply as perhaps a slice of ham or a handful of olives to eat with a glass of wine. The name tapas means cover, and popular history says that they evolved from the tradition of covering a glass of wine given to travelers outside an inn with a slice of bread or ham to keep the flies out. Another story has it that Castile’s King Alfonso X made it a law that taverns must serve food with wine to avoid drunkenness. What is also true is that the Moorish occupation of Spain brought many Middle Eastern culinary traditions with it, among them the use of mezze as appetizers.
A selection of tapas in a village bar in Spain can be quite simple, with just a few small bowls of olives, cheese and slices of ham or sausage, but in bigger cities such as Seville and Madrid, specialist tapas bars will serve a whole range of cooked dishes as well. You can sample the whole range of Spanish gastronomy, from the fine hams and sausage products to seafood, dishes of squid, prawns and clams. In the big cities you can bar hop, having a drink and plate of tapas in several different bars and sampling their various tapas specialities before eventually settling down to your evening meal at a restaurant.
This versatile way of eating has translated well to the British restaurant scene, where you can make up a whole meal of varied tapas dishes or choose one or two as a starter before choosing a main dish, perhaps of paella. Tapas suit themselves to long drawn out sociable evenings, where you select a few dishes and then order more as your appetite dictates, but they also work well when you are looking for a light evening meal with plenty of different flavours. Put together a selection that includes some bread and olives, ham and a few cooked dishes such as calamari or meatballs and a vegetable dish like patatas bravas. You will end up with a lightning gastronomical tour of the flavours of Spain, enjoyed in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere that is the secret ingredient of Spanish dining.
Panna Cotta recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Panna Cotta recipe by Nick Buckingham
This creamy Italian dessert makes a fine end to a meal, set in moulds and plated surrounded by a profusion of summer berries or any other ripe fruit. Delicately infused with vanilla and orange zest, the texture is smooth and just set; perfect for when you want a satisfying yet subtle dessert.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
1 Vanilla Pod (split and scraped)
1 pt Cream
4 Soup Spoons Rum
8 Soup Spoons Orange Juice and Zest
55g / 2 oz Sugar
4 Leaves of Gelatine Soaked and Squeezed Out
Method
In a heavy based pan, bring the cream, vanilla, rum, orange juice and zest to boiling point, then remove from the heat and infuse over night if possible. If you are making on the day a minimum of one hour to infuse is a must.
After infusion, bring the cream to the boil again slowly with the sugar, so it has time to dissolve. Add the gelatine and stir in well. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pushing as much through as possible so that the vanilla seeds are included.
Cool the mixture over ice, stirring until setting point is achieved. The idea is for the vanilla seeds to be set throughout the mix, rather than just at the bottom of the mould.
Place the mixture in stainless steel moulds and chill until needed.
To Serve
Dip the moulds in hot water to release the panna cotta. Serve with fruit.
Points to Watch
Do not add any more gelatine. The beauty of this dish is in the soft creamy texture.
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read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Mustard Seed Vinaigrette recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant
Mustard Seed Vinaigrette recipe by Nick Buckingham
If you want to bring a new depth of flavour to a salad and turn green leaves into a rich sensation of flavour then this dressing is the one to go for. Using an orange mustard relish and orange vinegar it has a slightly sweet depth complemented by the walnut oil which will work well both with side salads and main dish salads. You’ll find orange vinegar available at good delis and online gourmet stores.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
55g / 2 oz Orange Mustard Relish
55g / 2 oz / 4 tablespoons approx Orange Vinegar
160g / 6 oz / 10 tablespoons approx Walnut Oil
Salt and pepper
Chopped Chives
Method
Combine Mustard, vinegar, oil and mix together well
Then add chives and season
To Serve
Spoon round dish
Points to Watch
Balance of flavour
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Mocha Sauce recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant derby
Mocha Sauce recipe by Nick Buckingham
Thick and delicious this mocha sauce has a number of uses, so even this generous amount won’t last long in the fridge. Pour it over ice cream, use as a filling for a sponge cake or a topping for a dessert, and even stir a spoonful into a cup of coffee, to give it a wonderful mocha richness. Of course the success of the sauce depends on the ingredients; use good dark chocolate and a rich strong coffee for best results.
Amount
1 Pint
Ingredients
1 pt Coffee (fresh strong ground)
160g / 6 oz Chocolate
Method
Make the coffee in a cafetiere. Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate, broken into rough pieces and whisk until smooth. Allow to cool.
Store in fridge until needed.
To Serve
This is a very thick sauce and has many uses - a spoon full in coffee make a mocha coffee, it can be used as a spread or a topping.
Points to Watch
Make sure that all the coffee grounds are strained out
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Spanish Paella
Paella is probably one of the best known Spanish dishes outside Spain and one that you will find in a hundred variations when you visit the country. Basically a rice dish cooked with various meats, seafood and vegetables together in a huge paella pan it has a long history behind it, beginning with the Moorish occupation of Spain.
While the Romans brought irrigation to the Eastern coast of Spain it was the Moors who introduced rice and made it one of the staple crops of the Valencia region. Rice dishes with spices and fish were prepared as part of religious feast days. The name paella comes from the pan that the dish is cooked in, a large shallow frying pan. Paella continued to be a dish cooked for celebrations, rather than an everyday dish. Very often it was cooked in the open air over a fire, on the beach or in the orchards and it came to be traditional for men to be the ones who cooked the paella, much like our barbecues today. Everyone would sit around in a circle and eat directly from the pan, each marking out a pie wedge section for themselves.
Valencia is the original home of paella and many will argue still produces the best paellas today, even though most regions of Spain will have their own version. A genuine Valencian paella will include meat, green vegetables and snails, as well as beans. An authentic mixed paella can include many combinations of seafood and meat, though most often will combine chicken and seafood such as prawns, clams and fish. Tomato, olive oil, paprika and saffron are the other traditional ingredients. The other main variety of paella current today is the seafood paella, with mussels, lobster, shrimp and cuttlefish.
The cooking of Valencian paella differs from the Italian risotto method, in that the meats and vegetables are first sauted, spices added and then the broth poured over and simmered before the rice is added. Other paellas add the rice before the broth, but the main difference from risotto is that the rice is not stirred constantly, but left to simmer with all the ingredients until it is cooked and has absorbed the broth. The crust that a paella develops on the bottom of the pan over an open fire is considered a delicacy and the aroma of toasted rice essential to the flavour.
A paella should rest for five minutes and then be served immediately, so the dish should be prepared freshly to order, which is why it is usually cooked for a minimum of two people and often for a whole group. Expect it to take at least thirty minutes to be cooked for you in a restaurant and much longer if you are cooking it alfresco with a group of friends from scratch and making a whole occasion of it.
Maxine Potatoes recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Maxine Potatoes recipe by Nick Buckingham
Beautiful golden discs of overlapping potato slices look elegant and intricate but are actually quite simple to make. You just need a number of individual oven-proof plates to prepare the potato sunflowers on. After that you can prepare them up until the steaming step and then just bake them in the oven immediately prior to serving, so that they are golden and sizzling. Do these potatoes to serve with any plain grilled meat to add interest to the plate and drizzle with a delicate sauce like this Madeira sauce to add extra flavour
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
12 Large Potatoes
2 oz Butter
Seasoning
Method
Peel the potatoes and cut them into even cylinder shapes (5cm / 2 inch in diameter)
Slice the potatoes thinly on a mandolin. Butter one 10cm / four inch round oven proof dish per person. Place one potato circle in the centre and start from the outside completing a full circle around the dish overlapping the potato by ½ cm / ¼ inch (looks like a sunflower).
Steam the dishes for four minutes in a steamer or cover with cling film in and cook in a microwave for one minute.
Bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.
To Serve
Loosen from edge of dish with large vegetable slice and place on the centre of the plate. This potato goes well with any grilled meat.
Points to Watch
Drain excess water from the dish before placing it in the oven
Season with care
Keep round shape
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
