Barbora’s Blog 05.2012

This is the ultimate menu to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. The menu has a hint of the past but with fresh new flavours.

Prawn Cocktail

500g cooked large tiger prawns
20ml full fat milk
1 vanilla pod
150g creme fraiche
sprig of dill
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
lime
salt and pepper

1. Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape the seeds out and pop into a pan with the milk
2. Heat the milk up, take off the heat and then leave to infuse for at least half an hour, remove the pod and leave to cool
3. Zest 1/2 the lime
4. Mix the vanilla milk, creme fraiche, chopped dill, paprika and zest (reserving a pinch of each for decoration), salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lime juice and stir into the prawns
5. Serve in a bowl, decorated with the lime and paprika and a sprig of dill

Beef Wellington, Asparagus and Roasted New Potatoes

500g beef fillet
Pâté of your choice
A couple of handfuls of brown mushrooms
Large knob of butter
Readymade puff pastry
Egg wash (egg in a cup with a pinch of salt)
A bunch of asparagus
500g new potatoes
75g pancetta cubes
Chopped onion
1 sprig of thyme
250ml red wine
250ml beef stock

1. Preheat the oven for 200°C
2. For the sauce – fry the onion and thyme until starting to colour
3. Throw the pancetta in and fry until it releases its oils and turns golden brown
4. Pour the wine over and reduce by 2/3
5. Pour in the stock and reduce until syrupy, season
6. For the mushrooms – chop really finely
7. Heat up the butter in a pan and throw the mushrooms in as soon as you see foam. Season with salt
8. Fry until golden brown and leave in a bowl to cool
9. For the potatoes – parboil in seasoned water, take out of water and pop into the preheated oven
10. To assemble the beef Wellington – cut the pastry to fit the fillet, with enough overlap to wrap the beef
11. Place the beef on a chopping board and top with the mushroom mix
12. Slice the pâté and place on top of the mushrooms
13. Move the beef on top of the puff pastry and wrap
14. Glaze with the egg wash
15. Place into the oven immediately and bake for 20-25 mins for medium-rare beef, 30 mins for medium. Allow to stand for 10 mins before serving in thick slices
16. Pan fry the asparagus in a little olive oil and serve alongside the beef

Vanilla, Lemon and Rum Panna Cotta, Wimbledon Cup Jelly and Sable Biscuit

125ml full fat milk
125ml double cream
Zest of 1 lemon, thick strips
Vanilla pod
30g caster sugar
2 leaves of gelatine
100g butter
100g caster sugar
1 egg
150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50 ml Pimm’s
50ml Strawberry Juice (try blending canned strawberries and syrup)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 gelatine leaves

1. To make the panna cotta, heat the milk, sugar, zest, vanilla pod with its seeds out until scalded, take off the heat and leave to infuse for at least 15 minutes
2. Soak the gelatine in cold water
3. Strain the mix and warm through with the cream
4. Stir in the gelatine
5. Pour into glasses and chill for at least three hours
6. For the biscuits, preheat the oven to 180°C
7. Place the butter and sugar into a food processor and blend until smooth
8. Add the egg and pulse until combined, and then gradually add the flour until a dough forms.
9. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface
10. Knead into a ball
11. Roll out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 0.5cm
12. Using a cookie cutter, cut out and place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper
13. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until golden-brown
14. For the jelly – place the juice into a pan and warm through, take off the heat
15. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes and stir through the juice
16. Pour the lemon juice and Pimm’s into the pan, combine and pour over the panna cotta and leave to set
17. Enjoy with the biscuits