Archive for March, 2010

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

So many of us seem to have pretty poor memories of eating this vegetable as a child, which is really why I look to champion it here. No doubt the over-cooked flaccid vegetable we were offered is to blame and a great shame too as this delicious winter vegetable can not only taste wonderful but looks magnificent on the plate. It is easy to prepare and seems to be a made in heaven partner for almost any fish or meat dish, or simply served with lemon hollandaise and a poached duck egg.

The broccoli is a member of the cruciferous or brassicaceae family –also known as the cabbage family.  But the name comes from the Italian word ‘brocco’ meaning branch or arm. Marcus Gavinus Apicius, a Roman gourmand and lover of luxury, in particular luxurious foods such as figs, shrimps and foie gras, mentions purple sprouting broccoli in his writings and it was the Romans that initially cultivated the purple sprouting variety in this country, but it has only risen to prominence in the UK in the last 30 yrs.

A freshly picked bunch of purple sprouting broccoli (left).

A freshly picked bunch of purple sprouting broccoli (left).

Purple sprouting broccoli comes in to season in late February to early mid April and is first to herald in the new season vegetables. It is especially good when young and tender. Look for the darkly coloured specimens with crisp stalks no bigger than 1 cm in diameter which snap cleanly when broken and avoid bent broccoli.

Steaming or stir frying are the best cooking methods for this beauty as it keeps its sharp green and purple pigments intact and also locks in all the vegetable’s goodness and nutrients.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Lemony Hollandaise and Poached Duck Egg

(Lemony Hollandaise – please note this recipe contains raw eggs)

1. Place the egg yolks in a small metal bowl and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Whisk thoroughly for about 1 minute and add the lemon juice and white wine vinegar.
3. Melt butter in a pan over a gentle heat – careful not to let it brown.
4. When the butter is foaming, take it off the heat and whilst vigorously whisking, pour the liquid butter on to the egg yolks in a thin slow, steady trickle. The slower the better. It might be easier to use a jug rather than the saucepan and you should end up with a lovely, smooth, thick, buttery sauce.
5. Grate some lemon zest into the sauce.

Steam the broccoli in a steaming pan for about 2-3 minutes or until tender but not flaccid. Poach the duck’s egg in boiling water. Place the broccoli on the centre of the plate with the soft poached egg on top and spoon the hollandaise sauce generously over the egg and broccoli. Add a touch of seasoning and serve.

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The Delights of Wild Garlic

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Ramsons, also known as Buckrams, Bear’s Garlic or more commonly known as Wild Garlic (Allium Ursinum) is a wild relative of the chive, and a favourite of the wild boar and brown bear. As foraging chefs we use large quantities at this time of year, often taking time out of a busy day to go out and collect as much as we can!

Here at Knockderry House we have a plentiful supply on the grounds as it likes to grow in a woodland environment among bluebells, and is identifiable by its garlic-like smell and long lush leaves, which are similar in appearance to those of Lily of the Valley. It grows from late winter and throughout Spring and towards the end of the season it bursts into bloom with white flowers. Our first sighting this year was early March which was a little later than previous years due to the harsh winter, so it was very exciting to see  those little buds poking up through the soil.

A hand-picked bowl of wild garlic leaves (right).

A hand-picked bowl of wild garlic leaves (right).

Cooking with Wild Garlic

Wild garlic is used for its leaves rather than its bulb. You can eat the the bulbs, along with the flowers, but they are much smaller in quantity and have a much more delicate flavour. The flowers are edible and are extremely good in salads or as a garnish and fill the air with that delicious garlic-like scent. We use both flower and leaf in our kitchen. The leaf is very versatile as they can be used as a salad, dried for flavouring, used in soups or even in lieu of basil in pesto. The stems can be pickled or salted and eaten with cheese or put through a salad.

Foraging for wild garlic in our surrounding woodland is fairly straight forward. It is found in semi-shaded, moist conditions and if you’re unsure about identifying it, the smell is the ultimate clarification as its odour is unmistakably garlic! Wild garlic is a fantastic and somewhat essential Spring ingredient of the Scottish chef’s larder, so get out there and get picking.

Garlic Soup

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
100g white onions peeled and roughly chopped
200g floury potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
300 ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 bunch of fresh wild garlic
2 tbsp double cream

Method

1. Over a medium heat melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Add the chopped onions and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Sweat the onions until they are soft but not discoloured.
4. Add the stock to the potatoes and onions until a little at a time until it has all been taken up.
5. Bring the pan to a boil, reduce the heat and cook until the potatoes and onions are tender.
6. Stir in the wild garlic leaves and cook for 1 more minute. Add the double cream (or crème fraiche if you prefer) and stir.
7. Blend to a smooth consistency using a hand held blender or a food processor and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve the soup in bowls with croutons and a little parmesan cheese or make a  pesto replacing the basil with wild garlic and drizzle over the top.

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In Celebration of Mothers

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Like your wife’s birthday and ‘the anniversary’, Mother’s Day is one of those dates that for a truly peaceful life is best not forgotten. So even though it is a busy time for us at Knockderry House with many families taking their mums out for a lovely lunch to say thank you, we all make sure that we have the flowers organised well in advance. But what is the history behind the tradition?

Many see it as a recent rather commercialised festival imported from the United States, where the tradition to celebrate Mother’s Day has become the most popular day of the year to dine whilst telephone companies record their highest traffic.

However, it is a tradition that can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who celebrated with a Spring festival dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess, presumably including a trip to the Coliseum to watch a few guys who’d forgotten their anniversary, Valentine’s Day, the birthday and Mother’s Day (The Grand Slam) being thrown to the lions or in later days being dragged round IKEA behind a chariot – TWICE!

Even early Christians, the ones who remembered, celebrated a Mother’s Day of sorts during Lent in honour of the Virgin Mary;  eventually, the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. Some however, believe that Mother’s Day was so named as people returned to their home or “mother” church at least once a year.  The same opportunities for holidays did not exist as they do now, but like today, children often worked away from home so this became a time for family reunions.

It was therefore, the reference to the “Mother” church which led to the term ‘Mothering Sunday’ which in turn led to the tradition of children, visiting their mother and family with gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel.

These days, Mother’s Day is celebrated all over the world and although for  many the church connection has been lost, it is still a special day on which to say thanks to our mums and the chance to express both love and thanks for all that they have given us.  As long as you remember of course……otherwise it’s off to the Coliseum or even worse…..

From all at Knockderry House, we wish you a Happy Mothers Day.

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