Cooking For Friends Part 8

Brush the lamb chops, steaks, and kidneys with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill them in batches: The lamb chops will take 11 minutes on each side for medium rare; the steaks need only 4050 seconds per side; and the kidney halves require about a minute on each side. As the meats are grilled, transfer to another warm platter. Let the meats rest a little, then garnish the platters with watercress and serve.

Angus beef olives These are a reminder of my Scottish roots. When I was young, beef olives were a real treat, even though the stuffing then was made with bread crumbs, herbs, and suet. Beef sausage is perfect for stuffing olives, giving this traditional dish a slightly upmarket feel. Serve some mashed potatoes and green beans on the side.

SERVES 4 4.

4 thin slices of beef cut from the top or bottom round (sometimes called beef rolls by butchers), each about 7 ounces and cut 5 5/8-inch thick 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons tomato paste cup dry red wine 1 cups beef stock (see Chapter 9) Stuffing: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, minced 1 celery rib, minced 8 ounces fresh bulk beef sausage 1 cup fresh bread crumbs leaves stripped from a few sprigs of fresh thyme handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 extra-large egg for binding

First, begin the stuffing. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and celery, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not browned, 46 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, pound the beef slices between two layers of parchment paper using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. This helps to tenderize the meat, but be careful not to create any splits in the beef.

Once the onion and celery have cooled, mix in the sausage, bread crumbs, herbs, and egg to bind. Add a little seasoning. With wet hands, divide the mixture into four and roll each portion into a neat oval. Lay a stuffing portion on one end of a flattened beef slice and roll up into a neat log. Tie and secure the log with kitchen string, then enclose in plastic wrap. Holding both ends of the wrap, roll the log on the work surface to even out the shape. Make three more olives with the remaining beef and stuffing. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the beef olives firm up slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide frying pan. Unwrap the beef olives, season lightly, and fry until browned all over. Transfer to a large baking dish. Return the pan to the heat. Add the b.u.t.ter and flour and stir for a minute, then blend in the tomato paste. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the wine. Return to the heat, pour in the stock, and bring to a boil. Stir over high heat until the sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Pour the sauce over the beef olives and cover the baking dish loosely with a piece of foil. Put the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour. Remove the foil and return to the oven to cook until the beef olives are tender, about 30 minutes longer. Turn the olives over halfway through the cooking. Remove the kitchen string, cut into thick slices, and serve with the sauce.

Chicken legs with braised peas and onions Mark Sargeant, my head chef at Claridge's, in London, and general right-hand man, considers this his most favorite dish. The braised peas and onions are similar to pet.i.ts pois a la francaise pet.i.ts pois a la francaise, a French cla.s.sic that even featured on Mark's retro menu for his wedding reception-served with homemade sausages and mash.

SERVES 4 4.

Chicken legs: 4 large, free-range chicken legs, each 1012 ounces 2 tablespoons olive oil small handful of fresh thyme sprigs 1 fat garlic clove, skin on, lightly crushed 1 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 2/3 cup water cup water Braised peas and onions: 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 7 ounces pearl onions, peeled (about 1 cups) few sprigs of fresh thyme 4 cups green peas, thawed if frozen 2/3 cup water cup water 1 romaine heart, shredded

Trim any excess fat from the chicken legs. Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot. Season the chicken legs all over with salt and pepper, then fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the thyme, garlic, b.u.t.ter, and water to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan, and braise until the chicken legs are tender, 3040 minutes. Turn the legs over halfway through the cooking.

About 15 minutes before the chicken is ready, melt the b.u.t.ter in another pan and tip in the onions. Toss well and cook over medium to low heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, 810 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs, peas, and water. Season well. Simmer until the peas are tender and most of the water has evaporated, 56 minutes. Add the lettuce and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute longer.

Spread the braised peas and onions on a large serving platter and arrange the glazed chicken legs on top. Serve immediately.Goat curry This is a light, piquant, and flavorful curry inspired by the Caribbean goat curries I used to enjoy during the Notting Hill carnival in London. Here, chicken stock or water take the place of yogurt or coconut milk (both staples in South Asian and Southeast Asian curries). The list of ingredients may seem long, but don't let this daunt you-you most likely have all the vegetables and spices in your kitchen. Serve the goat curry with plain steamed rice.

SERVES 4 4.

2 pounds boneless goat shoulder (or other braising cut) 3 tablespoons olive oil teaspoon ground turmeric teaspoon ground c.u.min or seeds teaspoon mustard seeds 1 cinnamon stick 2 star anise 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed 1 teaspoon brown sugar few curry leaves (optional) 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes in juice 1 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) or water handful of cilantro leaves for garnish Chili paste: 1 small onion, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 4 small, fresh, hot chili peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt teaspoon fine sea salt 3 tablespoons peanut oil

To make the chili paste, put all the ingredients into a small food processor and blitz to a fine paste. Stop the machine and sc.r.a.pe down the sides of the bowl two or three times to be sure it is all evenly ground. Sc.r.a.pe the paste into a small bowl and set aside.

Cut the goat shoulder into small, bite-size chunks and season with salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a wide saucepan. Fry the meat in two batches until golden brown all over. As each batch is browned, remove to a plate and set aside. Tip the chili paste into the pan and stir over medium heat until fragrant, 23 minutes. Add the dried spices, sugar, and curry leaves, if using. Continue to stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stock to the pan and stir well. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan, and cook gently until the meat is just tender, 34 hours.

Remove the lid and skim off the excess oil on top. Gently simmer until the curry has reduced and thickened slightly, 2030 minutes longer. The meat should be very tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve garnished with cilantro.Roast loin of pork with apple sauce In Britain, we like to roast pork with the skin on. After cooking, the skin-called crackling-is deliciously crunchy. The secret to good crackling is to ensure that the pork skin is dry and well-scored. As the skin is tough you may struggle to score it. I use a clean, sharp craft knife for this, although a sharp cook's knife will also do the job. Also, make sure the oven is very hot when you put the pork in so the skin starts sizzling quickly.

SERVES 68 68 3-pound boneless pork loin roast, skin on if possible few sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped 2 large garlic cloves, chopped finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, sliced olive oil for drizzling Apple sauce: 1 pound tart cooking apples 1 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon lemon juice 45 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to its highest setting, about 500F. Remove the butcher's strings if the pork loin is tied. Pat the skin of the pork dry with paper towels, then score it in a crisscross pattern, s.p.a.cing the cuts inch apart. Turn the pork loin over meat-side up. Cut a slit along the thick side of the loin, without cutting all the way through, to open it out like a book.

Mix the chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir well, then spread the mixture over the pork loin. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Roll up the loin and secure tightly with kitchen string at 1-inch intervals. Rub the scored skin with a large pinch of salt.

Scatter the onion over the bottom of a roasting pan. Set the pork on top, skin-side up. Drizzle olive oil generously over the skin and sprinkle with another large pinch of salt. Place in the oven and roast until the skin is golden and starting to crisp, about 20 minutes.

Turn down the oven to 350F and roast the pork until it is just cooked through, 3040 minutes longer. To test, insert a metal skewer into the thickest part of the loin and press gently: the juices that run out should be clear. (I prefer to serve pork just slightly pink to retain its succulence and moisture.) Let rest for 1015 minutes before carving.

Make the apple sauce while the pork is roasting: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Roughly chop the quarters. Put them in a medium saucepan with the b.u.t.ter, lemon juice, 4 tablespoons of sugar, and a splash of water. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Lift the lid and give the apples a stir every now and then, adding a little more water if the pan looks too dry. When the apples have broken down into a puree, taste for sweetness and add a little more sugar to taste. Adjust the consistency with a little more hot water as necessary. Serve warm with the roast pork.Sweet potato and duck rosti with fried duck eggs Sweet potato with tender duck meat is a fabulous combination, and the soft, runny yolks of duck eggs bring the dish together. Serve this with a sharply dressed salad on the side to contrast with the sweetness and richness of the main dish.

SERVES 4 4.

2 confit duck legs, each about 5 ounces 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 8 ounces in total 2 extra-large egg whites 1 tablespoon cornstarch little olive oil for cooking 4 fresh duck eggs

Sc.r.a.pe off the fat from the duck legs and peel off the skin. Pull the meat off the bones and shred into small pieces. Place in a large bowl. Peel and coa.r.s.ely grate the sweet potatoes over the bowl. Add the egg whites, cornstarch, and a pinch each of salt and pepper and mix well.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a wide, nonstick pan. Spoon three or four neat piles of the sweet potato-duck mixture in the pan and press down to flatten them and form thin patties. Fry over low to medium heat until golden brown, 45 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side for the same amount of time. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining sweet potato-duck mixture.

While the last batch of rosti is cooking, heat a little oil in another frying pan (or several blini pans). Fry the duck eggs until the egg whites are set but the yolk is still runny in the middle, 12 minutes.

Stack two potato and duck rosti on each of four warm serving plates and top each with a fried duck egg. Serve immediately.

Honey-roast ham A large, glazed ham need not be confined to a holiday feast. Make it the next time you have a big gathering of family or friends. You will probably need to order the ham in advance from a good butcher or specialty food store.

SERVES 810 810 unsmoked country-cured ham, bone in, about 10 pounds, soaked overnight 1 large carrot, halved 1 large onion, quartered 2 celery ribs, cut into large chunks 1 bay leaf few sprigs of fresh thyme 1 teaspoon black peppercorns about 50 whole cloves For the glaze: cup honey cup Demerara or Turbinado sugar cup Madeira wine 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons English mustard 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce c.u.mberland sauce: 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated 3 tablespoons port 1/3 cup red-currant jelly cup red-currant jelly 1 cups fresh cranberries small pinch of cayenne pepper juice of orange finely grated zest of 1 large orange finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 piece of stem ginger in syrup, finely sliced into matchsticks

Find a pot large enough to hold the ham and put it inside. Add the carrot, onion, and celery, and fill with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Scoop off any sc.u.m that rises to the surface of the liquid. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. Simmer for 34 hours, replenishing the water level with boiling water as necessary. The ham is ready when the meat will come away from the bone easily.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Put the honey and Demerara sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. When the mixture begins to foam, remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the Madeira. The sugar will spit and splatter, so take care not to burn your hands. If the sugar hardens, return the pan to the heat and stir until it dissolves again. Let cool slightly, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Cool completely.

Lift out the ham to a large roasting pan and let cool slightly. (If the stock is not too salty, keep it to make soup.) Preheat the oven to 325F. Cut away the skin of the ham, leaving behind an even layer of fat. Score the fat all over in a crisscross pattern, then stud with whole cloves, pressing each into the middle of a scored diamond.

Brush the glaze over the ham. Bake for about 1 hour, basting frequently with the glaze. When nicely browned, remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

For the c.u.mberland sauce, put the ginger, port, red-currant jelly, cranberries, cayenne, and orange juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened and syrupy, 510 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon and orange zests and the stem ginger. Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool completely. Serve with thin slices of honey-roast ham.

Cider and honey roast leg of lamb Apples and cider go wonderfully with lamb. The apples break down during cooking and help thicken the sauce. Crisp roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli make the perfect accompaniments.