Transcript Document

‘The ideal three
course meal for you
and that special
someone…’
giles valentines
Starter: Beetroot and
Goat's Cheese Salad
Preparation time: 25 Minutes
Boiling time: 20 minutes
You will need:
• 4 medium beetroots
• 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 4 figs
• Mixture of salad leaves
• Juice of 2-3 lemons
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 firm goat's cheese logs (or any crumbly cheese)
• Balsamic vinegar glaze
Method:
1. Wash the beetroots and cut off the tops. If the leaves are nice and young, the
tops can be added to the salad. If not, discard them.
2. Add the white wine vinegar to a saucepan of lightly salted water and bring to
the boil. Add the unpeeled beetroots and simmer until they are still firm but can
be pierced easily with a sharp knife - around 15 to 20 minutes (larger ones will
take longer).
3. Meanwhile, cut each fig into six even wedges and set aside. Wash and spin the
salad, then season the lemon juice with salt and pepper and mix with the oil to
make a dressing.
4. When the beetroots are cooked through, rinse under running cold water and
remove the skins. You can do this by rubbing with your hands or scraping with a
small knife - they should come off easily. If you're concerned about getting pink
fingers, wear rubber gloves. Cut the beetroots into slivers or wedges - lengthways
is good if they're quite long - drizzle with half the olive oil and lemon juice
dressing and set aside.
5. Arrange the salad leaves on a large platter and scatter over the beetroot pieces
and figs, then break chunks of goat's cheese over the top. Add a few dashes of
balsamic glaze and the remaining dressing and toss together.
Main: Duck with oriental
passion fruit & orange sauce
Preparation time: 40 Minutes
Cooking time: 17 minutes
You will need:
• 2 duck breasts fillets, with skin on
• 2 passion fruits
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• juice of 2 oranges
• 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• rocket salad and wild rice, to serve
Method:
1. Use a sharp knife to score the fatty skin on the duck breasts in a diamond pattern –
this helps the fat to drain off. Set aside. Halve the passion fruit, scoop out the pulp
into a small bowl and reserve.
2. Heat the oil to a medium heat in a frying pan and cook the duck breasts, skin side
down, for 5-6 minutes until the skin is golden. Turn them over and cook for 6-7
minutes until tender. Take care, as the fat has a tendency to spit.
3. Put the duck aside on 2 warm plates and keep warm. Drain off all but 1 tbsp of
duck fat and cook the garlic until it is just starting to turn golden – no more or it will
burn and taste bitter. Stir in the passion fruit pulp, orange juice, sugar and soy
sauce. Bring to the boil, and let it bubble away until reduced by two-thirds, about
7-10 minutes. Season, then pour in any of the tasty juices from the duck.
4. Pass the sauce through a sieve, then pick out a few of the little black pips and add
them to the sauce for decoration and crunch. Spoon a little sauce around each
duck breast and serve with a simple rocket salad and some boiled white and wild
rice.
Dessert: Chocolate pecan
fondants
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
You need:
• 50g butter, plus extra for greasing
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• 150g bar dark chocolate (50% cocoa solids is
fine), chopped into chunks
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp pecan nuts, toasted and chopped very
finely (optional)
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
Method:
1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
2. Butter 2 individual pudding basins (about 200ml capacity), then dust generously
with cocoa powder.
3. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bowl over simmering water or in a
microwave and stir until smooth.
4. Gradually stir in the egg, then flour, nuts, sugar and a pinch of salt, and beat
gently until everything is combined, but still runny.
5. Divide the mixture between the pudding basins. (These can now be chilled for up
to a day ahead. Bake for 15 mins -or 18 mins if chilled).
6. Turn out onto small plates and serve with ice cream.
7. Fondants should be cooked on the outside and molten in the middle.
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