Christmas cake recipe!

Once again this year, I've had requests for my Tequila Christmas Cake recipe so here goes:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• Lemon juice
• 4 large eggs
• Nuts
• 1 bottle tequila
• 2 cups dried fruit

Sample the tequila to check quality.
Take a large bowl; check the tequila again to be sure it is of the highest quality...Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.At this point, it is best to make sure the tequila is still OK.Try another cup just in case.
Turn off the mixerer thingy.Break 2 eggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the fruit up off the floor.Mix on the turner.If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the tequila to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something.Check the tequila. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.Greash the oven.Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.
Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the tequila and wipe the counter with the cat.

Cherry Mistmas!

Review: Terroirs, London, WC2

It was a last minute booking that got us into Terroirs as this place is getting pretty busy!

After an abortive attempt to get a drink at the new Savoy – 45mins wait! - we stolled across the Stand and into William IV St to sample Terroirs food. Upstairs was heaving and quite noisy, so I was pleased to find we were decending multiple stairs into the underworld and to a much more tranquil space. Service was very good and we were well waited on. A selection of starters including Iberian Ham, Tomme de Savoie (bit small) and Duck Rillettes (quite large) and bread managed to put some of our hunger at bay. The Duck rilletes were very good – and not something I normally order (I have some bad memories of Rilletes du Le Mans).

Main courses consisted of Piperade Basquaise (a ‘small plate’) which was generally not liked, Spatchcock’d quail with romesco sauce (very good), Bavette aux Echallotes, Salsify & Girolles (very good and for a bavette it was very tender!) and then Red Leg Partridge, Spaetzel (I don’t actually remember seeing these on the plate!), Chestnuts and Bacon (fab). So far, the food was very good with the odd hiccup. The wines were going down well at the same time.

By the time the pudding was due to be ordered we decided to choose the Tarte Tatin for 2. At £12.00 it looked a little steep until it turned up in its pan and was not only fantastic but also would have fed 4! It was dark, rich and served with crème fraiche – it could not have been better.

All in all, we really enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait to go back! Cost with plenty of drinks was £87.00 per couple including service.

Ancien Hotel Baudy, Giverny, France

Another card that I have found is this little place close to Monet’s house. Giverny is about Midway from Paris to Rouen. It was one of those sunny days when we just fancied a lunch out in the open having enjoyed the house and gardens where Monet painted his famous works. The food was rustic, the garden busy and the weather was glorious – a definite must next time in that region.

Have a look at the typical menu here: http://www.giverny.fr/IMG/pdf/Carte_restaurant_2010_-2.pdf

Aljibe Restaurant, Yaiza, Lanzarote

I have discovered a couple of cards from trips to restaurants and one that stands out is this restaurant. Its part of the Bodegas Stratvs winery and doesn’t look to have been open that long. Serving fine dining, you can expect a decent meal – and of course, washed down with some of Stratvs’s own wine – and good wine it is, as is others on the island such as the wines from Bermejo.

I don’t have a record of what we ate but I do remember starting with papaya gazpacho and enjoying the food from that moment on.

Le Chateaubriand, Paris

The above is a beaten up menu from 2009 when we went to Le Chateaubriand. A fabulous meal and a place I can't wait to get back to......I'll edit this post with more information...

Photos of previous Gastronomique!

I'm not that good at photography - mainly because I find a pocket camera useless for details close-ups. My buddy Tim, had a go for these and the results are better, but a decent slr type camera would help!

Pear, Pea & Watercress Veloute with Parmesan crisps

Marinated and home smoked salmon

Tartlette Spicy!

A close Up!

The 'pudding' - looks a bit odd in this photo!

The host - I'm looking quite relaxed really!

The 'pudding' - under attack

Mini Paella

Plum Tatin

Maison Mattmoo Gastronomique!

Maison Mattmou 08/21/10

Cocktail St-Germain

Champagne et Sureau Liquer.

Delice de Bouche

Veloute de Pois, Poire et Cresson servi avec parmesan feuilletée.

Saumon Fume Chaud

Salmon marinés avec soja et meil, fume dans nos maison.

Le Tarte Spicy!

Un Tartelette inspiré par Le Méditerranéen.

Sureau Sorbet

Deux sorbets! – Sureau do nos maison.

'Pudding Anglais' avec Beouf

Suif de Beouf pudding avec beouf, champignons et un sauce de vin rouge.

Specialité d'Espana

Paella avec poulet et fruits de mer.

Tarte Jacqueline

Tatin de Prunes (produit de nos maison)

Café et Chocolats du Maison

Les plats c'est preparé dans un environment ou il y'a les nutters. S'il vous plait informé le management. Si vous etes allergique a les nutters!

I have been asked by a few friends to add my last gourmet evening menu to the blog and also the recipes – well here is the first bit. Some of the recipes are already on the blog but the remainder will get added in due course. To those there on the night, it was great fun and the I can confirm that you are all bone fide members of the Clean Plate Club!!

MaisonMattmoo evening of food!

What a great evening last night – lots of courses chez nous and all were really enjoyed. I’ll blog the recipes and post a few photos over the next day or so….

Mini Steak & Mushroom Puddings

Blooming gorgeous! Mrs.H. always likes a bit of flattery but this time she has to step to one side as the noble suet pudding takes centre stage!

This recipe just worked 1^st time and it is fabulous. I’m sure that if I had used a rich veal stock, then it would have been even better!

Ingredients – makes 6 mini puddings

• 450gms of lean steak
• Flour to coat beef
• 150gms Mushrooms - sliced
• Butter / rapeseed oil
• Flour
• Thyme
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 250ml red wine
• 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
• 350mml beef stock / veal
• Salt & pepper
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

For the suet pastry:

• 250gms of self raising flour
• 125gms of Suet (I use Atora!)
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tbsps of cold water

Chop the beef into small chunks and then coat in flour. Heat a good knob of butter in a pan and add a little oil to allow the browing of the meat. When it is brown, add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft. At this point add the wine and reduce a little. Then add the stock, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and cook for around 30 minutes. The stock will reduce creating a thicker gravy - at this point, stir in the redcurrant jelly and cook for a little while longer. Taste and season accordingly.

Once done, remove all the meat, mushrooms and onions with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. You now can make the pastry. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and then add the suet and mix in. Slowly add the water, mixing well as you go until you get a light pastry. Leave for 20 mins.

After about 20 mins the beef will be cool and so the final stange of prep can be done. Roll out pastry to about 3/4mm thick and line a 75mm baking basin with the pastry. Fill well with the beef mixture right to the top edge of the pastry. Spoon some of the gravy left over around the meat to fill any voids but do not put too much in each pudding. Cut a circle of pastry to completely cover the top of the pudding, wet the edges with water and tightly seal down the pastry on the top with the sides of the pastry. Cover the top then with silver foil (I put a pleat in it to help if it expands) and tie up with string.

You can now put the basins into boiling water (2/3^rds the way up) and then cover the pan. Cooking times will vary but I would allow 1 to 1.5 hours if they are small puddings. Check the water level regularly.

Turn out the puddings upside down and spoon over more gravy onto the top of the pudding. Serve with a few carrots or crushed peas and mint. I do not think potatoes are needed as the suet pudding makes up for it. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it – in fact I’m going to make another batch shortly!

The description is a little short but I think you get the principle. The better the stock then the better the flavour!

Smoking Food...!

Now I don’t mean finely chopping dried herbs and rolling up in a Rizla or dried meat rolled up in a smoke herring skin like a cigar, I mean hot smoking food to cook it or enhance its flavour – and then eat it! I was recommended this little gadget http://tinyurl.com/25xaj6g (many places sell them, not just Amazon) and I am delighted with the initial results. The only issue I have is that Mrs H has a slight issue with smoke – even a tiny bit, so I’m going to have to find a way of using it outside or in the shed. The smoker is pretty good at keeping most of the smoke inside itself but some does escape and even the hob extractor doesn’t take it all away.

It worked well, even on my electric hob and about 25 minutes was just right to smoke a gutted rainbow trout – I used apple wood dust which came with the smoker. The result was a moist and delicately smoked fish without spoiling the lovely flavour of the trout. Its goiung to take a little practice but I am looking forward to smoking some sausages and maybe even some smoked mash! Will keep you updated on the progress….

Pear, Pear & Watercress soup

This soup is simply delicious. The pear gives it a slightly sweeter edge and a nice texture. Even better if you can use pears from your own garden!

Ingredients:

• 2 onions
• 40gms of butter
• 500gms of frozen or fresh peas
• 2 ripe pears
• 1l of vegetable stock
• 80gms of watercress
• Salt & pepper
• Cream

Peel and chop the onions and fry in the butter on a gentle heat until soft. Add the peas and peeled and chopped pear to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes or so. Add the stock and gently simmer for around 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and then stir in the watercress. Allow to cool a little and then liquidise until smooth. Transfer back to a pan and bring up to a simmer and then you are ready to serve. Serve with a little cream and a sprig of watercress on the top.

Review - Pipers Restaurant, Garstang, Lancs

Well, I wish it actually was a review! I seem to have mislaid some of my notes! From memory, the dishes were very good indeed. What came over was the inventiveness of some of the dishes – one such thing being the fact that chutney was served up in a filo pastry wrap rather than just a dollop on the side of the dish – excellent idea. The food tastes great and if I ever find my notes (or a menu gets emailed to me!) I’ll run you through it. If you find yourself in that part of the world, it is worth the detour.

Spicy Prawns

I’m not really sure what to call this but it is one of those satisfying recipes that is easy to cook and tastes great. Enjoy it with a little basmati rice or similar.

Ingredients (serves 4 , or 2 greedy ones!):

• One red onion, chopped
• One onion , chopped
• Half of one red capsicum pepper, chopped
• Half of one green capsicum pepper, chopped
• One tin of chopped tomatoes 440gms
• Approx 10 cherry tomatoes – halved
• One birdseye red chilli chopped
• One red chilli (milder) sliced thinly
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• One Tsp of sugar (if required – ie if tomatoes are not sweet)
• 5 tbsp of light olive oil
• Fresh black pepper
• Sea Salt
• 2 cups of peeled prawns – fresh or frozen

Fry the onions and garlic until soft (over a medium heat). Add the peppers and chilli and continue over a medium heat. After about 5 minutes, add the tinned tomatoes, cover and leave on a low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally) Remove cover and add remaining ingredients and season. The salt makes a big difference to the flavour of this dish. Cook until the prawns are cooked through and the cherry tomatoes are just soft. Serve in a bowl with plain rice, feet up and a big glass of wine – perfect!