Recipe: Naughty winter treats

Seriously simple stewed apples

Reblogged. Posted on November 17, 2013 by Sarah Howells  in her blog, The Gluten Free Blogger
Soft, sweet apples in a sticky, toffee-like sauce with creamy vanilla ice cream melting through – sound like heaven? Trust me, this warming dessert will leave you feeling content on even the coldest winter night. Smelling the cinnamon wafting through the house as Mum made a non-gluten-free apple tart earlier, I knew I had to make something equally delicious.

Apples to me are the epiphany of autumn, be it in a comforting apple crumble or a fancy upside down cake. I don’t really like eating apples just on their own but I love cooking with them. So if you fancy something a bit naughty to eat which is a bit like a giant hug in a bowl, give these seriously simple stewed apples a go.

Pure heaven in a bowl.

Seriously Simple Stewed Apples

(Serves two – or one very hungry person…)

  • 2 apples
  • 2 tbsp dark brown or demerara sugar
  • Enough cold water to just cover the apples
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  1. Peel and core the apples and chop into bite-sized chunks
  2. Add to a pan, pour over the water and add the sugar and the cinnamon
  3. Bring to the boil
  4. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes
  5. Turn up the temperature so the mixture is boiling – keep on a high heat until the moisture boils down into a syrup
  6. Pour into a bowl, add a dollop or ice cream or clotted cream, and enjoy…

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Recipe: Roasted ray wing with black butter, capers and parsley

This is another recipe of Jack Scarterfield, Chef at The CulboneJack Scarterfield

“This is one of my all-time favourites . I first saw this dish cooked by rick stein around 20 years ago, it inspired me to cook fresh fish and have done ever since!”

 

Serves 2

Ray700g ray wing skinned cut into 2 pieces your fish monger will don this for you

(Also known as skate)

100g salted butter must be salted

50g capers rinsed of any salt

1 table spoon of chopped parsley

Salt and pepperCapers

50ml red wine vinegar

1 lemon

olive oil for frying

 

Method

Heat a non stick frying pan on medium to hot heat, season fish with salt and pepper.

Add oil to the pan just enough to coat the bottom. Heat until lightly smoking, add fish thick side first (this will be the presentation side) and fry until golden brown (do not shake pan or if stuck just leave it for a further minute) – turn fish and fry again using same method.

Transfer to an oven proof tray and roast for 4/5 minutes depending on the thickness. Check if your fish is cooked (take a small knife and drop through the thickest part of the fish – if the knife goes through the bone in the middle it’s cooked).

For the sauce, heat butter in small pan on high heat until dark brown (not black), add vinegar, capers and chopped parsley .

Pour sauce over fish and enjoy!

I  like to serve serve this with mash and sautéed spinach

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Recipe: Roasted pheasant breast with Somerset cider and colcannon

Jack Scarterfield, chef at The Culbone, who is also one of the owners, has kindly sent us this recipe.

Born in Bath, Jack’s journey in search of excellent produce has taken him all over the world. He returned to Somerset to share his passion with you. The fabulous cooking skills (and secrets) of Jack Scarterfield can now be yours!

“I love the game season on Exmoor.  We are surrounded by stunning produce from pheasants to wild rabbits, beautiful venison that you can see running through the moor and delicate sweet partridge which is my favourite at the moment. It’s not just the great game I have on the door step that excites me, it’s all the lovely hearty seasonal veg that goes with it, local foraged wild mushrooms, truffles, curly kale and wild berries all great friends with most of the game.”

Roasted pheasant breast with Somerset cider and colcannon

Serves 4cideraples_1816403b

2 whole pheasants, breast removed, skin left on

4 peeled, boiled and mashed Maris piper potatoes

2 large handfuls of very finely sliced curly kale

1 large onion studded with 6 cloves

2 bay leaves

1 stick of celery

1 carrot

200ml double cream

Half pint Somerset cider (we use Thatcher’s)

50 g cold diced butter

Seasoning

Method

First make your sauce by roasting the pheasant legs and carcass for 30 mins to give flavour and colour. Then add to a large sauce pan with the celery, carrot, onion and bay, cover with water and boil for one hour. Drain off the stock discarding the bones and the veg, reduce stock for a further 20 mins, then add cider and cream.  Reduce again by half and put to one side.

To cook your pheasant you will need a non-stick pan on medium heat. Brush the pheasant with olive oil and season well with salt and cracked black pepper. Place skin side down into the pan and cook for 4 mins until gold brown, then turn over and switch off the heat.

To finish your dish, warm up your mash adding the kale – the heat from the mash will be enough to cook the kale.  Season and place into a warm serving bowl.

Warm up the sauce, whisking in the cold diced butter to thicken, add the pheasant to finish cooking for one minute and serve on top of the colcannon.

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The Culbone
Porlock
Minehead
TA24 8JW

Tel 01643 862 259

www.theculbone.com

click here to email The Culbone

Directions

The Culbone is situated on the A39 between Porlock and Lynmouth. We are the Highest Restaurant on the whole of Exmoor, so the driving experience is breathtaking with dramatic scenery. We look forward to welcoming you.