Friday 16 December 2011

Gingery Rhubarb Fool

This, my friends, is a very easy and fast desert that will impress. Not everyone likes stem ginger and so this can be left out without and detrement to the dish. When in a hurry, I use the jars of rhubarb compote available in supermarkets but it is best with freshly made rhubarb. Ready made custard can also be used but again home made creme anglais is best.


Ingredients:
  • For the Rhubarb -
  • 200ml of white wine
  • 2 tbsp of caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp of aprocot jam
  • 1/2 vanilla pod or equivalent vanilla extract
  • 2 stalks of rhubarb - young and tender, trimmed and cut into batons
  • For the cream -
  • 150ml of custard
  • 150ml of double cream, whipped into peaks
  • 1/2 vanilla pop or equivalent extract
  • Optional - 1 tbsp finely sliced stem ginger
  • For serving -
  • Half a pack of gingernut biscuits (crumbled)
In a pan put the wine, sugar, jam and vanilla seeds and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and then poach the rhubarb for about 8 minutes until tender. Remove the rhubarb and set aside. Keep the syrup for serving.
Fold the vanilla, cream and custard together until combined. I do not mix too much as it makes the cream less light and I like the contrast between the cream and custard. To serve, place biscuit crumbs in the bottom of the bowl followed by some rhubard and a very small amount of syrup. Then cover with some cream mixture. Repeat the process again and then sprinkle some crumbs on the top. (you don't have to do two layers and sometimes the dish is just as good with a single layer of each of the above) You could add a couple of slivers of stem ginger if you wanted!
I serve in a cone glass bowl so the diner can see the layers.

Lobster Thermidor (sauce)

I have had a few varieties of sauce that is served as Thermidor, whether it be for Crab or Lobster. Some of them are great and some are so so. This one I would put into the great category  I like it because it it doesn't use any cheese. Feel free to experimnet with a little Parmesan or Old Winchester.
This sauce was supposedly created in France to celebrate a play called Thermidor.....and the word comes from Greek, meaning heat. Well there you have it, enjoy!

Ingredients:
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 200ml of fish stock
  • 200ml of white wine (dry and good quality)
  • 300ml of bechemal sauce
  • 100ml of Double cream
  • 1 tsp of Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp of English mustard powder
  • 50g of butter (chilled and diced)
  • Salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

In a saucepan add the white wine, stock and shallot and boil and reduce until about 1/3rd left. Add the bechemal and and cook over a low heat for about 15-20 mins stirring every now and then. Pour in the cream and simmer for 5 mins. Mix the English mustard with a little water and then add both mustards to the sauce and cook for a couple of minutes. Now take off the heat and whisk in to the sauce bit by bit.Taste and season with salt and cayenne. I have been advised that you can add a little brandy at the end of the cooking - I have not tried it but is sounds like a good idea!
What you now do is your choice! But I would be tempted next time to try this with some grilled fresh mussels - done in a sort of gratin!

My sister has pestered me to put this up on the blog - I hope you enjoy and if you need me to come over and do some tasting, let me know!

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