T.E.D's Seasonal 3 Course Valentines Menu
If you're planning a cosy night in with that special someone this Valentines day, we have the perfect menu to dazzle and delight. Using the best of British seasonal ingredients, our 3 delicious courses will keep carbon emissions to a minimum, and brownie points to the max!
British Oysters with Chilli, Ginger, Sesame and Lime
Oysters are bang in season this time of year, and with such a luxurious aphrodisiac right at your finger tips, how could you eat anything else this Valentines Day? What's more, as this recipe requires no actual cooking, it will mean less time slaving in the kitchen, and more time spent with your valentine.
12 x British Oysters, opened (ask your fishmonger) and on ice
1" piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp sesame oil
1) Combine all the ingredients (bar the oysters) in a small bowl, and whisk until well combined. Taste and add more chilli if you like a real kick.
2) Using a teaspoon, dress each oyster carefully, making sure the flakes of ginger and chilli are evenly dispursed.
Pheasant, Two Ways.
Its association with the aristocracy gives a pheasant a certain glamour. In this recipe the combination of slowly stewed leg and wing, topped with the the quick fried breast, really makes the most of this richly flavoured meat.
1 x Pheasant, jointed (ask your butcher to do this for you)
1 tbsp olive oil
150ml Brandy
10 x prunes
1tsp juniper berries
2 x bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
1 x onion, peeled and sliced
2 x carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
200 ml cream
1) Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan, set over a medium heat, and brown the legs and wings of the pheasant in batches, and set aside.
2) in the same pan, fry the onion with 1 tsp of salt until translucent (5 minutes or so) then add the carrots, and fry for another 2 minutes.
3) Add the bay, thyme and juniper and prunes, and return the browned pheasant pieces to the pan. Pour over the brandy and allow to sizzle away, until reduced by half.
4) Just cover the with water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and allow to cook for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bones, and the liquid has reduced by half.
5) Turn off the heat, remove the pheasant from the pan, strip all the meat from the bones and return to the pan. Discard the bones. Remove the thyme, bay and juniper.
6) Rub the skin of the breasts with salt, and shallow fry for 3 minutes on each side.
7) When you are ready to serve the stew, bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat, stir in the cream, and season with black pepper.
8) Serve the stew in shallow bowls, topped with the pan fried breasts, and along side sautéed greens and mashed parsnip or potato.
Rhubarb Fool
This pretty pink dessert is the perfect finish to a Valentines evening. Not too heavy but creamy and delicious, serve along side shortbread fingers or brandy snaps to add a bit of crunch.
200g rhubarb, cut into 1" thick slices
200g caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
350ml double cream, whipped
75g icing sugar
200ml greek yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp each of chopped fresh mint, and toasted pistachios
1) Sprinkle the rhubarb with caster sugar and orange zest, and roast in a medium/hot oven for 5 minutes or until tender.
2) Fold together the cream, icing sugar, yoghurt, vanilla and roasted rhubarb, being careful not to knock too much air out of the cream
3) Serve in wine glasses, and garnish with the chopped mint and toasted pistachios.
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