As we have been talking about cheese this week I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite, simple, lunch time dishes. Everyone (well nearly) loves melted cheese and the ingredient of ham makes it one of those classic ‘marriages’. Enjoy!
Servings
6
Prep. time:
A good 20 mins plus the chilling times which are important. Pour youorself a glass of wine and read a cook book while you are ‘chilling!’
Cook:
30/35 mins
Difficulty:
Fairly Simples
Ingredients
- whole milk 150ml
- gruyère 200g, grated
- cornflour 2 tsp
- white pepper
- Bought in puff pastry 500g block
- Dijon mustard 1-2 tbsp
- thickly sliced ham 200g, fat trimmed
- egg 1, beaten with a pinch of salt
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Heat the milk in a large pan until just simmering. Gradually stir in the cheese until melted. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp water then add to the pan and bubble up gently until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper, then pour into a clingfilm-lined, round 18cm solid cake tin or baking dish. Put in the fridge for 2 hours or until completely chilled.
Step 3
Bake for 10 minutes then turn the oven down to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Leave for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Step 5
Open a nice bottle of Merlot!
Bon Appetit
Step 2
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Halve the pastry and roll into two 23cm circles. Put one piece on a baking sheet and spread over the mustard in an 18cm circle. Lay the ham on the mustard. Flip the set cheese out of its tin, remove the clingfilm and sit it on the ham. Brush the border of the pastry with egg then drape the second piece of pastry on top. Press around the cheese and ham, eliminating any air. Trim the edges then crimp to seal. Brush all over with some egg then put in the fridge for 10 minutes. Take the galette out and use the back of a knife to score a border 11/2cm in from the edge, then score lines from the centre to the border to create a pattern. Glaze with egg again.
Step 4
Serve with a great green mixed salad
Inroduction
My French Onion Soup
By: Garry Waite
My French Onion Soup takes a bit of time to make, but worth it in the long run. This will make about eight portions and is good for freezing down. If you wish to keep it vegetarian obviously omit the bacon and the beef stock cube and substitute the beef stock for veggie. If you look at other recipes you will find variations but this particular recipe guarantees a full, rich and warming soup that would claim pride of place in the Bistros of Paris.
Servings
6 – 8
Prep. time:
20 mins
Cook:
1 hr
Difficulty:
Easy
Ingredients
- 1 x 2lb 12oz/ 1.25k fresh, whole chicken
- 12 medium sized leeks, well washed and chopped to ¾”/2cm lengths
- 4 oz/ 100g long grain rice, washed
- 3 – 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
- Handful of chopped prunes
- Salt and crushed black pepper
Servings
6 – 8
Cook:
1 hr
Prep. time:
20 mins
Difficulty:
Easy
Ingredients
- 1 x 2lb 12oz/ 1.25k fresh, whole chicken
- 12 medium sized leeks, well washed and chopped to ¾”/2cm lengths
- 4 oz/ 100g long grain rice, washed
- 3 – 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
- Handful of chopped prunes
- Salt and crushed black pepper
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
In a large pan sauté off the onions, garlic, bacon and apple
Step 3
When the pan is still hot pour in the brandy and ignite to burn off the alcohol and then add the red wine.
Step 5
Bring to the boil and then gently simmer for about 20 minutes. Return to boiling point, mix the corn flour with cold water and add to the mix. Bring back to the boil and simmer for a further 10/15 minutes.
Step 2
Caramelise the onions. The sugar in the apple will help this process but now add the brown sugar. Crumble the stock cubes into the mixture. Add the black pepper.
Step 4
Add 2 litres of water and the tomato purée.
Step 6
TO SERVE pour in to a deep bowl place some dry bread on top (or toast) grate over some cheese (I use cheddar but you can use gruyere) and place under a grill until golden brown.
Bon Appétit !
