Flaky Pie Dough

315 grams all purpose flour
15 grams sugar
5 grams table salt
225 grams unsalted butter, very cold
Ice cold water

To Make in a Food Processor:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds.
• With the machine running, quickly add some of the water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream; stop when the dough holds together without turning wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time (preferably mixing by hand so as not to destroy the lumps of butter).
• Divide the dough ball into two, and flatten each half into a rough disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill for at minimum 1 hour (this time increment allows for the water to fully hydrate the dough, making for a more cohesive product that's easier to roll out).

Makes 2 pie dough rounds, or enough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies.

- You can make this dough either by hand using a pastry cutter, or in a food processor, but it's harder to overwork the pie dough when using a pastry cutter.
- It's very important to keep all of the ingredients cold throughout the assembly process. If the butter starts to soften, stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow it to firm up.
- If not using the dough within 2-3 days, wrap the plastic-wrapped discs in tinfoil, or place in a heavy-duty resealable bag and freeze until needed. Thaw in the fridge overnight before use.

Adapted from here:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/pie-crust-102-all-butter-really-flaky-pie-dough/

Roast Pork Shoulder and Pears

Time - 6 hours approx

    •    2 teaspoons Fennel seeds
    •    1/2 teaspoon whole Black Peppercorns
    •    Sea Salt
    •    One 4 1/2-pound boneless Pork shoulder
    •    4 to 5 large Potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
    •    5 cloves Garlic, unpeeled
    •    6 to 8 medium whole Shallots or 1 large Onion cut into 6 wedges or a Leek chopped chunky
    •    3 Carrots, cut into large pieces
    •    2 large Pears, cut into quarters
    •    Cornflour or all-purpose flour
    •    White Wine,
    •    Chicken Stock
    •    Freshly ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

1) Grind the fennel seeds, peppercorns and salt.

2) Place the pork shoulder into a roasting pan and cut the rind into cross hatches. Rub the spice mixture into the meat and put it in the oven for 4 hours.

3) Arrange the potatoes around and under the meat and put it back into the oven for 1 hour.

4) dd the garlic, shallots and carrots around the pork. Cook for 30 minutes.

5) Add the pears. Cook for another 30 minutes

When the meat is tender and flakes with a fork, remove it and the vegetables and keep warm. This will give the pork time to rest and become more tender. If the pork rind is not crispy, put it under the broiler for a few minutes until it is really crunchy and crispy.

To make the gravy, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the roasting pan. Stir the flour into the roasting pan, add the wine, put the roasting pan onto a burner over medium-high heat and cook until the wine is reduced by half. If not using the wine, do this with the stock. Now add the stock and scrape off any bits of meat and vegetable on the bottom of the pan. Taste and add any seasoning if you think it needs it.

If the gravy is too thin, make a paste in a bowl with 1 tablespoon and 1 tablespoon flour. Add some of the hot gravy to the small bowl and stir. Add this to the hot stock, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. The gravy will thicken slightly.

Baked Corned Beef Hash

Serves 4

A tasty dish when I am feeling like a lazy cook...

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
Vegetable oil
1 Onion, peeled and diced
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 Tin of Corned Beef, chopped
Horseradish sauce/cream
A splash of Worcester Sauce or Mustard, depends what you fancy
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
chopped fresh flat leaf Parsley to garnish

1] Boil the potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain well and allow to dry slightly.
2] Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the Onion and Peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
3] Tip in the dried Potatoes. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes until they start to turn golden brown.
4] Stir through the corned beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold the Horseradish into the hash.
5] Preheat  the oven to 200*C/ 400*F/ gas mark 6.
6] Tip the hash into a lightly buttered casserole dish. Place into the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling and beginning to brown.

To serve you can top it with grated cheese or a poached/fried egg.

No Yeast Bread

30 minutes to make
Serves 4

200g plain flour
0.5 tbsp sugar
0.5 tbsp baking powder/soda
120 ml water
1 tsp vinegar
Pinch salt

1] Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
2] Slowly mix for 15 minutes until malleable.
3] Form into rolls and cover in butter for a crust.
4] Put in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees.

Apple and Pear jelly

1kg Bramley apples, peeled and cored
1kg Conference pears
500ml water
1 clove
Granulated sugar

1] Roughly slice the Apples and Pears into a pot with the water and the Clove. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes.
2] Using a ladle push the softened fruit through a sieve into a measuring jug. Measure how much puree you have collected then add ¾ sugar to the amount of puree you have, for example 1 litre of puree will require 750g of sugar.
3] Return to the heat, bring to the boil and then gently simmer for approx 1 hour, stirring frequently to prevent the mixture burning. After 1 hour the mixture should be thick and glossy.
4] Line small dish or mould with a little oil, so that when the mixture has set, it can be turned out easily onto a plate. The jelly must be left for 2-3 days to set.

Potted Pheasent

   •    2 Pheasant
    •    2 Onion, roughly chopped
    •    2 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
    •    Goose fat
    •    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    •    Red Wine
    •    Pheasant stock
    •    ½ tsp blade Mace
    •    ½ tsp Black Peppercorns
    •    Seed and husk of 1 Star Anise
    •    Bay leaves (1 per pot)

1] Roast off the Pheasant, keep it on the pink side of cooked. Let it rest and strip the meat off.
2] Get a stock pot on  with the bones for a rich stock.
3] Soften the Onion and Garlic in a frying pan using some of the goose fat and season with salt and pepper. Add the Red Wine and reduce.
4] Add your stock to the reduction and continue reducing.
5] Take the Mace, Peppercorns and Star Anise and grind using a pestle and mortar.
6] Put the Pheasant meat in a food processor with the spice mix and a 'little' of the liquid reduction.
7] Give the food processor a few short pulses to break up the meat, you want to keep some texture.
8] If it's too dry 'manually' mix in some more reduction. Don't use the processor, you will end up with pate.
9] Taste for season and adjust as appropriate.
10] Let the mixture cool thoroughly before spooning into your sterilised jars. Pop a Bay leaf on top.
11] Will keep for a good month unopened.

Serve with Apple and Pear jelly and some good strong cheese with melba toast or water biscuits.

This worked as a really tasty filling in puff pastry with some butter fried leeks added.

Empire Roast Chicken

From Jamie's Great Britain book and TV program.


For the chicken and marinade
• 1.4kg free-range chicken
• 1 heaped tablespoon each finely grated garlic, fresh ginger and fresh red chilli
• 1 heaped tablespoon tomato purée
• 1 heaped teaspoon each of ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala and ground cumin
• 2 heaped teaspoons natural yoghurt
• 2 lemons
• 2 level teaspoons sea salt

For the gravy
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 3 small red onions, peeled
• 10 cloves
• 3 tablespoons each of white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
• 3 level tablespoons plain flour
• 500ml organic chicken stock
• optional: natural yoghurt, to serve

For the Bombay-style potatoes
• 800g new potatoes
• sea salt and ground pepper
• 1 lemon
• 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
• a knob of butter
• 1 heaped teaspoon each of black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garam masala and turmeric
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch of fresh coriander

Method
1] Slash the chicken’s legs a few times right down to the bone. Get a roasting tray slightly bigger than the chicken, then add all of the marinade ingredients and mix together well. Put on a pair of clean rubber gloves, then really massage those flavours over and inside the chicken so it’s smeared everywhere. Ideally marinate overnight in the fridge.

2] Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and organize your shelves so the roasting tray can sit right at the bottom, the chicken can sit directly above it, right on the bars of the shelf, and the potatoes can go at the top.

3] Halve any larger potatoes, then parboil them in a large pan of salted boiling water with a whole lemon for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. Drain the potatoes then let them steam dry. Stab the lemon a few times with a sharp knife and put it right into the chicken’s cavity. Move the chicken to a plate.

4] Roughly chop the onions and add to the roasting tray along with the cinnamon stick, cloves, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, then whisk in the flour. Pour in the stock or water, then place this right at the bottom of the oven. Place the chicken straight on to the bars of the middle shelf, above the roasting tray. Cook for 1 hour 20 minutes.

5] Put another sturdy roasting tray over a medium heat and add the olive oil, a knob of butter, the mustard and cumin seeds, garam masala and turmeric – work quickly because if the fat gets too hot the mustard seeds will pop everywhere. Halve a bulb of garlic and add it straight to the pan, with the sliced chilli and chopped tomatoes.

6] Add your drained potatoes to the tray, mix everything together, then season well.

7] Finely slice and scatter in the coriander stalks, and keep the leaves in a bowl of water for later. After the chicken has been in for 40 minutes, put the potatoes in.

8] Once the chicken is cooked, move it to a board and carefully peel off the dark charred bits to reveal perfect chicken underneath. Pass the gravy through a coarse sieve into a pan, whisking any sticky goodness from the pan as you go. Bring to the boil and either cook and thicken or thin down with water to your preference. Put it into a serving bowl and drizzle over a little yoghurt. Get your potatoes out of the oven and put them into a serving bowl, then serve the chicken on a board next to the sizzling roasties and hot gravy. Sprinkle the reserved coriander leaves over everything and serve with any condiments you like.

Pakistani Lamb & Tomato Curry

From Curry Cuisine

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

Serves 4 (Ruth’s note: I used 2 lbs/1kg of lamb but kept the rest of the ingredients as the book suggested. This is a mild but flavorful curry and quite different to the Indian curries I’m used to)

Ingredients:
¼ cup sunflower oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger (the book called for 1 tsp ginger paste)
1 large garlic clove, minced (the book called for ½ tsp garlic paste)
1 tin (28oz/546ml) diced fire roasted tomatoes with juice (the book called for 1 ¼ lb/500g of fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped)
2 tsp red chili powder (I doubled the book’s recommendation and it was still mild)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods
5 cloves
1 bay leaf
3lb/1 kg lamb shoulder, cut into cubes (Ruth’s note: small cubes mean less cooking time)
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Garnish
Slivers of fresh ginger root
Chopped green chilies

Directions:
1. Heat the oil over medium high heat, in a large saucepan (I actually used my Dutch oven), add the onions and fry until slightly browned. Add the ginger and garlic mince/paste and stir for a minute or until the wonderful aromas waft the air. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt, chili powder, cumin, cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaf. Stir until the oil separates out (Ruth’s note: I never noticed much separation, but I did cook for about 15 minutes.)

2. Add the lamb and fry, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. (Ruth’s note: I was skeptical that there was no searing, but the end result was very tender, very tasty). Pour in 1 cup of water, stir well and cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 45-60 minutes or until the lamb is cooked and tender.

3. Remove the lid and keep cooking gently, stirring occasionally until the oil separates out. Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves. Garnish with ginger and green chilies, if you like more heat) and serve.

I served it with Chana Pulao – Chickpea & Rice Pilaf.

Wild sea bass with sprouting broccoli, marinated artichokes and chickpeas

Serves 4

By Skye Gyngell

8 artichokes
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
A few sprigs of thyme
150ml/5fl oz quality extra-virgin olive oil
150ml/5fl oz white wine or verjus
Sea salt and pepper
Half a lemon
350g/111/2oz cooked chickpeas
400g/13oz sprouting broccoli
1 red chilli
A small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
The juice and zest of one lemon
800g/26oz sea bass, cut into four portions
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas7.

Prepare the artichokes as per the recipe with garlic and thyme. Drain the chickpeas and rinse well under cool running water. Place a large pot of well-salted water on to boil. Trim the broccoli and nip off the base. Cut in half lengthwise if the stems are fat. Plunge the broccoli into the boiling water and cook for a minute or so. Drain and set aside.

Slice the chilli finely, leaving in the seeds. Place the chickpeas in a bowl with the parsley, chilli, a tablespoon of olive oil and lemon zest and juice. Toss so that the chickpeas are well coated. Place a large pan on the stove and add the chickpeas, broccoli and artichokes. Place a lid on top and cook for about five minutes.

Season the fish on both sides. Place a non-stick pan on a high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, lay the fish in skin side down and cook for three minutes or until the skin is crisp and brown. Remove to the oven pan and cook without turning for a further three minutes, until the flesh is cooked through.

Divide the warm vegetables between four plates, lay the fish on top and serve.

Pot-roasted Gurnard

From River Cottage blog.


Prep time
    •    10 minutes
Cook Time
    •    40 minutes
Servings
    •    4
Ingredients
    •    A large knob of unsalted butter
    •    3 tablespoons olive oil
    •    2 medium leeks, white part only, cut into 2cm thick slices
    •    300g celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
    •    2 onions, thickly sliced
    •    2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
    •    2 large carrots, cut into 2cm chunks
    •    1 large (about 1.5kg) or 2 medium (about 750g) or 4 small (about 400g) gurnard
    •    (or other whole fish), descaled and gutted
    •    A glass of white wine
    •    2 bay leaves
    •    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the butter and olive oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium-low
heat. Add all the vegetables, season well and toss them in the fat, then sweat
gently for about 10 minutes, until they begin to soften. Don’t let them colour.
Season the gurnard with salt and pepper, then add it to the pan, pushing it down
so it is snuggled in among the aromatic vegetables. Sprinkle over the wine and a
glass of water, tuck in the bay leaves and cover the dish. Bring to a gentle simmer
on the hob.
Now transfer the casserole to an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake
for 30–40 minutes, depending on the size of fish. To check that the fish is ready,
insert the tip of a knife at the thickest part to pull the flesh away from the bone.
It should be opaque all the way through.
If you have one or two larger fish, take the flesh off the bones in big chunks.
Otherwise, simply serve one fish per person, with plenty of the vegetables and
juices alongside.

Marinated and Slow Roast Pork Shoulder

Marinate: Overnight
Prep time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2 to 3 hours

4-5 pounds boneless Pork Shoulder

1 tablespoon Fennel Seed, toasted and finely ground
2 teaspoons Black Peppercorns, cracked
2 tablespoons fresh Thyme, lightly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary, lightly chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, passed through a press
Salt
Extra-virgin Olive Oil

4 Apples
1 Onion
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1 cup dry White wine
Trim sinew and all but p-inch of fat from pork shoulder.

1 In a small bowl mix together the ground fennel seed, cracked peppercorns, thyme and rosemary leaves, pressed garlic, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir until the mixture is uniform.
2 Rub the mixture evenly over the pork shoulder inside and out. Wrap the pork shoulder tightly in plastic wrap to hold the marinade against the skin and marinate overnight (or up to two days).
3 Peel, halve and core the apples. (A melon baller is a great tool to remove the seeds effortlessly.) Cut each half into 4 equal wedges. Place the wedges in a medium bowl.
4 Peel and trim the onion. Cut in half and cut each half into 12 thin wedges. Mix with the apples.
5 Preheat the oven to 450°.
6 Toss the apples and onions with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the bottom of a roasting pan or Dutch oven with a cover and put the marinated pork shoulder on top. (You may also use a regular roasting pan with aluminum foil to cover.)
7 Roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 325° and add the wine. Cover the roasting pan and slow roast for 4-5 hours until the pork shoulder is very tender and pulls apart easily when probed with a fork.
8 Transfer the pork shoulder to a serving plate. If the pan juices are very thick, add enough water to loosen, then mash and strain. If more liquid is desired, add a little water. The apples will be so soft that they will break down.

Check the seasoning and correct to taste. Strain the sauce through a coarse strainer to refine the texture if desired.

Serves 4-6 with leftovers.

Beef Tagine

• 600g Stewing Beef
• Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, chopped
• Bunch of fresh Coriander
• 1 tin of Chickpeas, drained
• 1 tin of Tomatoes
• 800ml vegetable/chicken stock
• Turmeric
• 2 tablespoons flaked Almonds, toasted

For the spice rub
• Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• Ground Cumin (dry roast whole seeds and grind)
• Ground Cinnamon (or a whole piece)
• Ground Ginger
• Sweet Paprika
• Ground Coriander seeds

1] Mix all the spice rub ingredients together in a bowl. Add the Beef and massage it with the spice rub. Cover with cling film and put into the fridge for a couple of hours. Ideally overnight.
2] Heat a lug of olive oil in a tagine or casserole– type pan and fry the meat over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
3] Add the Onions and fry for another 5 minutes.
4] Tip in the Chickpeas, Coriander, Turmeric and Tomatoes, then pour in 400ml of stock and stir. Bring to the boil, then put the lid on the pan or cover with foil and reduce to a simmer for 1½hours.
5] Add the rest of the stock. Give everything a gentle stir, then pop the lid back on the pan and continue cooking for another 1½ hours. Keep an eye on it and add a splash of water if it looks too dry.

Once the time is up, take the lid off and check the consistency. If it seems a bit too runny, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, more with the lid off. The beef should be really tender and flaking apart now, so have a taste and season with a pinch or two of salt. Scatter the coriander leaves over the tagine along with the toasted almonds.

I forgot to get some Chickpeas in, so I used diced Potatoes.
Roasted off a Red Pepper over a naked flame, removed the blackened skin, deseeded it and mixed it into the Couscous which was made with Chicken Stock.

Pork Loin and Apple 'Sandwich'

Pork Filling:
Olive Oil
Onion (Finely diced)
Bacon (Finely diced)
Garlic (As much as you like)
Fresh Rosemary (Cut finely, as small as you can)
1 Apple (Finely diced)


1] Warm a little Olive Oil in a pan and gently soften the Onions. 5 minutes or so.
2] Add the Bacon.
3] Stir in the Garlic so it doesn't burn. Throw in the Rosemary, 30 Seconds! Then take off the heat to cool.
4] Get the Pork Loin on a board, trim it and cut it in, almost, half... (Butterfly it?)
5] Get messy and fill the Pork Sandwich with the half the filling mix.
6] Tie the pork with string and put in the oven on a lightly oiled baking tray. Reduce heat to Gas 4.
7] The Pork is going to take about 20-30 minutes.
8] Fry off the trimmings from the Pork to start off a nice sauce.
9] Splash in some White Wine and let it reduce.
10] Add the rest of your filling mix, stir and reduce while the Pork finishes cooking.
11] Let the Pork rest for 5 minutes on a board before you slice it and plate up.
12] Deglaze the roasting tray with some White Wine and add it to your sauce.

Pork Tenderloin with Pears

I was given a big bag of home grown pears last week (thanks Liz) so thought I would play with them with pork instead of using apples.Worked out lovely.

Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
1/2 - 3/4 lb Pork Tenderloin
2 Shallots, peeled & quartered
2 Pears, peeled, quartered & cored
Butter
Flour
Chicken Stock
Pear Juice (I poached off some pears and pureed them - added some water, to get a wetness, and threw in a bit of Star Anise while it simmered away) This need to be done first before you get cooking.

Preheat the oven to 475 F./Gas 9 and put an oiled roasting tray in to warm through.

1] Mix the olive oil, garlic & thyme together. Smear it all over the Pork, Shallots and Pears.
2] Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the Pork and Shallots. Brown the Pork on all sides.
3] Transfer the Pork to the roasting tray in the oven. I had to add a little more oil to the roasting pan and lowered the heat down. Basically adjust the oven temp to suit the size of the Pork Loin. This will take 15 - 20 minutes to cook.
4] Meanwhile, add the Pears to the the frying pan and cook until they have browned off. Remove from the pan.
5] Mix the Butter and Flour together, add to the frying pan with the Chicken Stock and Pear Juice. Bring to the boil and thicken to your liking.
6] Rest the Pork while you add the Shallots and Pears back to the frying pan and taste for seasoning.
7] Slice the Pork, pour over the sauce and serve.

Pork chops with apples and cider

A great Pork dish from Nigel Slater

The great thing about this dish is you can either cook it quickly on a high heat or cook it for hours on low.
Ingredients

4 pork chops, good thick ones with lots of fat
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a good glug fruity olive oil
1 large onion, or 2 small ones, peeled, chopped
a couple of eating apples, each cut into 8 wedges, and at least 3 eating apples left whole
a few fresh sage leaves
a few juniper berries, squashed using the back of a knife
a good glass of dry cider

 Preheat the oven to Gas 6.

 Season the chops well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large shallow ovenproof pan, heat the olive oil and fry the rind of each chop for a good head start to getting them crisp. Then lightly fry each side for a minute or so to get the outside crusty and golden brown, and remove from the pan. Add the onion to the same pan with the pork juices, and brown a little before adding in the apple wedges and sage leaves (add only a few as sage can overpower the dish) with the juniper berries.

 Add the chops back into the pan, and nestle them among the apples and onions, along with the remaining whole apples. Pour over the cider, enough to just cover the ingredients, season to taste and place in the oven for about half an hour, or until the pork and apple are cooked.

Lamb Leg Steaks with Shallots and Sticky Red Wine Sauce

8 brown shallots, peeled and quartered but left whole at the root
2 lamb leg steaks, about 175g (6 oz) each
25g (1 oz) butter
60ml (4 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
175ml (6 fl oz) red wine
150ml (¼ pint) beef stock
5ml (1 tsp) redcurrant jelly [optional]

1] Simmer the shallots in a pan of water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2] Season the steaks with a little salt and plenty of crushed peppercorns.
3] Heat half the butter in a pan until sizzling, then cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side for medium or until done to your liking.
4] Remove the steaks and keep warm. While they rest, add the remaining butter to the pan, throw in the shallots, then sizzle in the sticky pan until starting to brown.
5] Add the balsamic vinegar and bubble for a few minutes.
6] Add the wine and boil down until sticky, then add the beef stock and simmer until everything comes together.
7] If you like a bit of sweetness to your sauce, add the jelly and make sure it dissolves completely.
8] Spoon the shallots and sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.

Rough Puff Pastry

125g strong plain flour
tsp fine sea salt
125g butter , at room temperature, but not soft
75ml cold water

1] Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Roughly break the butter in small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.

2] Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of the cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 mins in the fridge.

3] Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle. Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don't overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.

4] Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length. Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.


Leftover trimmings should be stacked up and chilled or frozen for another use. Don't scrunch them together in a ball or you will lose the layers. To re-roll, allow to come back to room temperature.

Pan Fried Pigeon Breasts with Orange Zest Sauce

Serves 2

2 Whole Pigeons
Unsalted Butter
Oil
1 Onion, chopped finely
1 Carrot, diced
1 Clove garlic, chopped
2 Oranges for their grated Zest and Juice
Lemon Juice
1 Fresh Bay Leaf
(Carrot, Onion, Peppercorns and Bay Leaf for a stock)

1] Remove the breasts from the birds (Try and keep the skin intact on the breasts). Put the remains in a pot with some Onion, Carrot, Peppercorns and a Bay Leaf to get a stock going. (The stock can be used to enhance your sauce later if you like).

2] Heat some Oil and Butter over a low heat and sweat the Onions and Carrots off until they soften. Add the Garlic near the end of this process to cook through a little. (I had the oven on, so I roasted the Garlic and just squeezed the Garlic out of the cloves into the Onions).

3] Zest and juice the Oranges and add to the Onions with a dash of Lemon Juice and the Bay Leaf. Gently simmer until it reduces to a good sauce for the Pigeon.

4] Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and crack some pepper in. This seasons and also tells you when the oil is hot enough as you will see bubbles around the pepper. Lay the Pigoen in gently and fry for two minutes each side. Use your fingers to test for doneness, then take them out of the pan and let them rest in a warm oven.

5] Finish off your sauce and serve with whatever veg you like.

I roasted off a Squash and steamed some Cabbage, good earthy flavours to go with the Pigeon.

Orange-Braised Pigeon

Serves 2

2 Whole Pigeons
Unsalted Butter
50 gm Onion, chopped finely
1 Clove garlic, chopped
1 Dessertspoons grated Orange Rind
6 Dessertspoons fresh Orange Juice
2 Dessertspoons fresh Lemon Juice
1 Fresh Bay Leaf

1] Press firmly down on the breasts of the pigeons to snap the rib cages and flatten them slightly. Cut out the back bones with kitchen scissors, leaving the rest of the ribs and the legs on, and open the pigeons as flat as possible. Trim off loose pieces of skin and pat dry all over.

2] Melt some butter over a medium heat and lightly brown the pigeon. Set them aside.

2]  and cook the chopped onion and garlic until soft, but avoid browning.

3] Add the orange rind and citrus juices and continue cooking uncovered until most of the juices have evaporated.

4] Push the onion to one side
Redistribute the onion, turn the pigeon breasts uppermost and add the bay leaf; then cover and braise over a medium to low heat for 35-45 minutes, basting with the orange butter from time to time.


About 15 minutes before serving, wash and slice the greens thinly and cook in a little boiling salted water until wilted and soft, but still a bright green. Arrange in a circle on two hot plates. Place a pigeon in the middle of each and then strain the cooking liquid (discarding the onions) over the greens.

Pot Roast Pigeon

I think this is from a Nigel Slater recipe, but I can't remember...

Serves 2
Butter

2 Pigeons
2 herby sausages
1 Onion
1 Carrot

1 Celery stick
a few sprigs of thyme

Garlic - 2 cloves
unsmoked streaky bacon - 2 rashers

bay leaves - 2

juniper berries - 12

plain flour - a level tbsp
fruity red wine - 150ml

chicken or game stock - 150ml

Melt half the butter in a heavy casserole, then brown the pigeons and sausages lightly on all sides. Lift them out and set aside. Set the oven at 190 c/gas 5.

Peel the onion, cut it in half, then slice each half into five from root to tip. Melt the remaining butter over a moderate heat and add the onion. Peel the carrot, cut it into large dice and add it to the onion, together with the chopped celery, 4 or 5 sprigs of thyme and the peeled and sliced garlic. Continue cooking, stirring from time to time.

Remove the rind from the bacon and cut each rasher into about six pieces. Stir into the onion and add the juniper berries, lightly crushed, and the bay leaves. Leave to soften, making certain the sausages have the opportunity to colour. After about 20 minutes, the vegetables should be soft and golden.

Stir in the flour, let it cook for a few minutes then stir in the wine and the stock. Bring almost to the boil then return the pigeons and sausages to the pan and roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the pigeons are tender but still lightly pink in the centre.