BAKED SOMERSET BRIE SE RVES 4 –6
This is a great way to enjoy one of the excellent Bries produced in Somerset and Cornwall. A medium (13–15cm diameter) cheese is wrapped in Parma ham, then in an enriched bread dough, and baked. Choose a slightly firm Brie for this recipe. Don’t be tempted to cut it as soon as it comes out of the oven, or the molten Brie will flood out, leaving you with an empty shell. If you serve it just very slightly warm, though, you will have a deliciously oozy cheese. ENRICHED BREAD
1.
Put the flour into a large bowl and add the salt on one side, the yeast on the other. Add the butter, egg and two-thirds of the milk, then turn the mixture round with the fingers of one hand. Add the remaining milk a little at a time, continuing to mix until you have taken in all the flour from the side of the bowl and the dough is soft and slightly sticky; you might not need all the milk.
2.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–10 minutes. Initially it will be sticky but it will become easier to work as you knead. When it feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.
3.
Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it in on itself a few times to knock out the air. Now roll out to a large circle, about 5mm thick.
4.
Lay half the Parma ham on the centre of the dough circle, then spread the cranberry sauce over the ham. Place the Brie on top and use the remaining ham to cover the cheese. Lift the edges of the dough over the filling and stretch to encase the cheese. Press the edges together to seal, trimming off any excess.
5.
Turn the Brie parcel over, so the join is underneath, and place it on a baking tray. Brush with the beaten egg. Using the back of a sharp knife, score a criss-cross pattern over the top of the Brie parcel. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool until just warm before serving.
DOUGH
250g strong white bread flour 1 tsp salt 7g sachet instant yeast 50g unsalted butter, softened 1 medium egg, lightly beaten, plus an extra beaten egg to glaze 135ml warm full-fat milk FILLING
180g Parma ham (or British air-dried ham) 3 tbsp cranberry sauce 1 whole Somerset or Cornish Brie (about 500g)
THE SOUTHWEST
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Roast chicken with pomegranate and za’atar glaze The dark, sticky juices of my favourite ruby fruit are used here to glaze a humble roast chicken, giving it an opulent wine-red hue and imparting the obligatory Persian sweet and tangy flavour. A good sprinkling of za’atar – a zesty Middle Eastern spice blend – completes the transformation. Za’atars differ in flavour. I like the Zaytoun brand best. It is sourced from a women’s co-operative in the West Bank (I had the pleasure of visiting it some years ago), and the flavour of their dried thyme, sumac and sesame seed mix is unmatched. I highly recommend finding some, and using it liberally. This goes beautifully with some Persian rice (page 136) and a Red cabbage, beetroot and date salad (page 99).
1 medium chicken (about 1.5kg) 25g butter 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp za’atar 1 garlic bulb ½ lemon Sea salt and black pepper
About 30 minutes before you start cooking, take the chicken and butter out of the fridge to bring them to room temperature. Pre-heat your oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Place the chicken in a large roasting tin and massage the butter, olive oil and pomegranate molasses into its skin. Season generously with salt and pepper, being sure to get plenty inside the chicken’s cavity. Lift the chicken up and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the za’atar over the skin on its bottom side. Place it down again and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of za’atar over the skin on top, evenly distributing it. Peel two cloves of garlic and smash them with the flat blade of a large knife. Place these inside the chicken, along with the lemon. Scatter the remaining unpeeled garlic cloves around the roasting tin. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for around 1 hour 10 minutes. As oven temperatures can vary, you might want to turn the chicken around halfway through so that it cooks evenly. To check it is done, use the tip of a knife to make a small incision into the thickest part of the meat – if its juices run clear, it is ready. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4
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PORK BELLY, RADICCHIO & HAZELNUTS This dish has become something of a signature at POLPO. Whenever we take it off the menu to add some seasonal variety or to trial a new dish, there is an outcry from regulars. It is a simple recipe with only three main ingredients. The sweet, hot cooking juices from the pork coat and wilt the bitter radicchio leaves, and the hazelnuts add a good crunch. A compelling combination. For four to six: 200g hazelnuts 1 onion, thickly sliced 1kg pork belly Flaky sea salt and black pepper Extra virgin olive oil 1 large head of radicchio 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and roast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, taking care they do not burn. Leave to cool then roughly chop. Turn the oven up to 240°C/Gas 9. Put the sliced onion into a roasting tin and place the pork belly on top, skin-side up. While the oven comes up to temperature, score the skin of the pork with a very sharp knife or a razor blade. You could use a clean Stanley knife from your toolbox. Rub salt into the skin and smear with a little oil. Place the pork in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes, until browned. Turn the oven down to 160ºC/Gas 3 and continue to cook for about 1 hour or until tender. During the cooking time add a little water if the pork and onions start sticking or burning. Remove the pork belly when cooked and allow to rest and cool slightly. Collect all juices from the pan and pass through a fine sieve. Core the radicchio and remove all the leaves, tearing the larger ones in half. Place in a large mixing bowl. Use the warm pork fat and juices to dress the radicchio salad with the toasted and chopped hazelnuts. Slice the pork belly and place in the bowl with the radicchio and hazelnuts. Splash over the red wine vinegar and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Scrunch the salad together with your hands so that the dressing mixes through and the radicchio warms and wilts.
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Stuffed butternut squash with creamy goats’ cheese The shape, colour, texture and taste of this dish make it a good all-rounder in autumn and winter. It’s a perfect mid-week supper, with half a small butternut about the right size for a main-course portion. The skin of butternuts is thin, so once cooked, you can eat this too and then you’ll get all the nutrients and antioxidants concentrated just below the skin. I also like small stuffed butternut squash as a side veg, but leave out the cheese. For 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish: 1 butternut squash (about 1kg) 1 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 100g soft goats’ cheese, crumbled About 12 sage leaves, finely shredded Small bunch of chives, finely chopped 100g hazelnuts, dry-fried and roughly chopped Sea salt and black pepper
Roast for 50–60 minutes, or until the flesh is soft when pierced with a sharp knife. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds, then carefully remove the flesh from the squash, leaving a 1cm rim next to the skin. Mash the squash flesh in a bowl with all the rest of the ingredients. Divide the stuffing between the two squash ‘boats’, then bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the filling is turning golden on top. When ready to serve, heat the oil and gently fry the sage leaves until curling at the edges. Pour the sage leaves and their oil over the cooked squash and scatter over the hazelnuts. » 984 calories for 2 servings, 492 for 4
To serve 1 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil About 20 small sage leaves 30g hazelnuts, dry-fried and roughly chopped
More on » squash p186 » rapeseed oil p248 » hazelnuts p50
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Cut the squash in half lengthways, but leave the seeds in at this stage – they’re easier to remove with less flesh attached once cooked. Place on a lined baking tray, cut-side up. Drizzle with the oil.
Goats’ cheese
In terms of nutrition, goats’ cheese has many advantages over cows’ cheese, and is often the healthier option. It contains less lactose and smaller fat globules, making it easier to digest than cows’ cheese. Typically, goats’ cheese is lower in calories and fat than other cheeses. Look out for the Greek feta traditionally made from goats’ or sheep’s milk (but remember this is salty, see page 264), and halloumi, which originated in Cyprus. These are both slightly healthier options for the confirmed cheese-lover.
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Shanghai eight-treasure glutinous rice ba bao fan
八宝饭
A glistening dome of sweet, sticky rice with a jewel-like pattern of dried fruits and seeds and a dark, secret heart of red bean paste, this gorgeous pudding is a favourite dish in Shanghai and a traditional festive sweetmeat across the region. The ‘eight treasures’ are the fruits, nuts and seeds used to ornament the dish (for savoury versions on the ‘eight treasure’ theme, see the relish on page 76 and the stuffed duck on page 116). Traditionally, the pudding is enriched with lard, but I prefer to use coconut oil, which gives it a delicate, enticing aroma and makes it suitable for vegetarians. Feel free to express your creativity with the decorations. In the picture opposite, I used five dried jujubes and five dried apricots, a handful of sultanas, some glacé cherries and a handful of ready-to-use lotus seeds – but do experiment. Many Chinese cooks add pine nuts or strands of multi-coloured candied fruit; old-fashioned candied angelica would work well. One of my favourite versions of this dish is the one served at the Fu 1088 restaurant in Shanghai, where they use a mixture of black and white glutinous rice and fill the pudding with jujube paste; it is served in tiny individual portions, each with an accompanying cupful of warm walnut cream. You’ll need a steamer, some muslin and a heatproof bowl just large enough to hold the ingredients – around 750ml.
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250g Japanese sweet rice 100g caster sugar, plus 3–4 tbsp 40g lard or coconut oil, or 4 tbsp groundnut oil, plus a little extra
150g red bean paste An assortment of dried fruits and nuts or seeds for decoration (see recipe introduction)
Rinse the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Cover it in cold water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. If you are using very dry dried fruits, cover them in hot water and leave to soften. Cut any large fruits such as jujubes in half and remove the stones. Line a steamer basket with muslin. Drain the rice and put it in the steamer, spreading it out in an even layer, but without packing it tightly. Steam over a high flame for 20 minutes, until tender. While the rice is still hot, turn it out into a bowl, add 3–4 tablespoons sugar to taste, along with the lard, coconut oil or groundnut oil, and mix thoroughly. Grease the inside of a heatproof bowl with a little lard, coconut oil or groundnut oil. Arrange the fruits and nuts or seeds in a pretty pattern around the base of the bowl. Carefully place about half the rice in the bowl. Take the red bean paste and pat it with your hands into a circle that will fit onto the layer of rice, with a little space around the edge. Put the bean paste on the rice, then fill the bowl with the rest of the rice and press it down over the bean paste to create a flat surface. Cover the bowl with a small plate and steam over a high flame for 25 minutes. While the pudding is steaming, melt the remaining 100g sugar in 100ml water over a gentle flame, then boil for 1–2 minutes until syrupy. When the rice is ready, remove the plate and replace it with a serving plate. Carefully invert the bowl and turn the pudding out onto the plate. Pour over the syrup and serve.
Chocolate and avocado mousse with honeyed strawberries Raw and dairy-free, this is one of the richest, glossiest, chocolatiest mousses you’ll ever taste. Lightly macerated strawberries are wonderful with it. Cherries, raspberries, peaches or apricots are also great companions. Serves 4 2 very ripe, large avocados 3 tablespoons cocoa powder A good squeeze of lime juice, or more to taste 3–5 tablespoons runny honey (or use agave syrup)
FOR THE HONEYED STRAWBERRIES 200g strawberries, halved or thickly sliced 1 tablespoon runny honey A good squeeze of lemon or lime juice
Combine the strawberries with the honey and lemon or lime juice. (Don’t worry if the honey doesn’t seem to combine too easily at first.) Cover and leave for 20–30 minutes then, once the juices are starting to seep out of the berries, stir again and set aside until ready to serve. Meanwhile, to make the mousse, halve the avocados, remove the stones and peel, then put the flesh into a food processor. Add the cocoa powder, a good squeeze of lime juice and 3 tablespoons honey. Process to a velvety, thick purée, then taste and add more honey or lime juice as you like. Scoop the mousse into small serving dishes, cover and chill for an hour or so. Serve with the honeyed strawberries and their juices spooned on top.
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RECIPES TAKEN FROM OUR DELICIOUS RANGE OF COOKBOOKS BROWSE ONLINE AT BLOOMSBURY.COM/UK AND FIND THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES.
‘Baked Somerset Brie’ from Paul Hollywood’s British Baking Paul Hollywood £25 Hardback
‘Roast Chicken with Pomegranate and Za’atar Glaze’ from The Saffron Tales Yasmin Khan £26 Hardback
‘Pork Belly, Radicchio & Hazelnuts’ from Polpo Russell Norman £25 Hardback
‘Stuffed Butternut Squash with Creamy Goats’ Cheese’ from Good Good Food Sarah Raven £25 Hardback
‘Shanghai Eight-Treasure Glutinous Rice’ from Land of Fish and Rice Fuchsia Dunlop £26 Hardback
‘Chocolate and Avocado Mousse with Honeyed Strawberries’ from River Cottage Light & Easy Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall £25 Hardback