Roasted Strawberries with Rose-whipped Ricotta on Toast

Ingredients

1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/4 cup heavy (double) cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons rose water
4 (3/4-inch thick) slices rustic Italian bread
unsalted butter, softened, for the bread
Kosher (coarse) salt

Method

1. Roast the strawberries: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, toss together the strawberries and sugar. Arrange the strawberries cut side up on the baking sheet and roast until the strawberries are soft and juicy, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and return them to the bowl to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the ricotta, cream, sugar, and rose water until the mixture is smooth and holds soft peaks, about 30 seconds.
4. Toast the bread. Let the toast cool slightly before topping.
5. Top each toast with ricotta cream and serve the strawberries and accumulated juices spooned over the top.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Toast – The Cookbook

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Today’s Comic

Roasted Leg of Venison

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, crushed
4-6 fresh parsley sprigs
4-6 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
3 cups red wine
4 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
1 young venison haunch (about 6 lb), trimmed
2 tbsp plain flour
1 cup beef stock
1 unwaxed orange
1 unwaxed lemon
4 tbsp redcurrant or raspberry jelly
4 tbsp ruby port or Madeira
1 tbsp cornflour, blended with 1/2 tbsp of water
l tbsp red wine vinegar
fresh herbs, to garnish
French Scalloped Potatoes, to serve

Method

1. Place the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, wine and oil in a deep glass dish large enough to hold the venison, then add the venison and turn to coat. Cover the dish with clear film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 days, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F.
3. Remove the meat from its marinade and pour the marinade into a saucepan. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper, then brush the meat with a little oil on all sides and wrap tightly in foil.
4. Roast the venison for 15-20 minutes per pound for rare to medium meat. About 25 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil, sprinkle the venison with the flour and baste with the cooking juices.
5. Add the stock to the marinade and boil over a medium-high heat until reduced by half, then strain and set aside.
6. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind from the orange and half the lemon in long pieces. Cut the pieces into thin julienne strips.
7. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil over a high heat and add the orange and lemon strips. Simmer them for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water.
8. Squeeze the juice of the orange into a medium saucepan. Add the jelly and cook over a low heat until melted, then stir in the port or Madeira and the reduced marinade and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
9. Stir the blended cornflour mixture into the marinade and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened.
10. Add the vinegar and the orange and lemon strips and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Keep warm, stirring occasionally.
11. Transfer the meat to a board and stand, loosely covered with foil for 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with herbs and serve with the sauce and French Scalloped Potatoes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: French Delicious Classic Cuisine Made Easy

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Today’s Comic

Portobello Pot Roast

Ingredients

1/2 cup white wine, divided
4 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 cups vegetable broth, divided
4 potatoes, quartered
4 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of wine and add Portobello mushroom slices. Allow to cook through and brown a bit, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add remaining 1/4 cup wine to the pan and add onion and garlic. Caramelize onions by stirring until they wilt and begin to brown. Remove and set aside.
4. Mix flour, sage, and basil together in a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of broth to create a paste, and pour mixture into the same pan you used for mushrooms and onions. While stirring constantly over medium heat, slowly add remaining broth to create a sauce.
5. When mixture starts to boil, turn off heat and add any additional seasonings. Add potatoes, carrots, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the sauce. If more liquid is needed to keep the vegetables from drying out, add more broth.
6. Mix in mushrooms and onions. Ladle into a large casserole dish with a lid, layering on sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Place casserole, covered into oven, and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Veg News magazine

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Today’s Comic

Lemon Pork and Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) pork fillets, trimmed and halved olive oil, for brushing
8 slices pancetta
4 sprigs lemon thyme
14 oz potatoes, halved
4 unpeeled cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
sea salt and cracked black pepper
8 oz cherry tomatoes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Brush the pork with oil, top with pancetta and thyme and secure with kitchen string. Set aside.
3. Place the potatoes, garlic, extra oil, salt and pepper in a baking dish and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes.
4. Add the pork and tomatoes and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the potatoes are golden.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Beef, Lamb + Pork

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Today’s Comic

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

1 acorn squash
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
4 bone-in chicken breast halves (10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crumbled

Method

1. Wash, dry, and halve the squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then slice the flesh 1/2-inch thick. There’s no need to peel the squash, the skin becomes soft and tender once cooked.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Combine the squash, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and oil in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast until the squash is beginning to soften and all the vegetables are heated through, about 15 minutes.
4. lift up the skin from the chicken breasts. Rub the flesh with the rosemary and some salt and pepper. Replace the skin and season the chicken all over with more salt.
5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and place the chicken, skin sides up, on top of the vegetables. Return to the oven and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Great Food Fast

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Today’s Comic