April 2002

Roast Fillet of Lamb with Wild Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 lamb fillet, about 500g/1 lb, trimmed to leave only a thin layer of fat on one side

vegetable oil, for frying

1 small green cabbage, finely shredded

125g/4 oz butter

125g/4 oz unsmoked back bacon, diced

175g/6 oz mixed wild mushrooms, sliced if large

50ml/2 fl oz red wine

2 tablespoons port

salt and pepper

chervil or parsley sprigs, to garnish

Method

Cut the lamb into 4 pieces and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a roasting pan and fry the lamb until sealed on all sides. Put the lamb in a preheated oven, 220ºC/425ºF/Gas Mark 7, and roast for 10-12 minutes for medium rare lamb, 15 minutes for medium, and 20 minutes for well done. Remove from the oven and keep warm.

Boil the cabbage while the lamb is cooking, until it is tender, then drain, toss in half the butter, season with salt and pepper and keep warm. Fry the bacon in the remaining butter until lightly browned, add the mushrooms and fry for 2-3 minutes. Keep warm.

Discard the fat from the roasting pan and pour in the wine and port. Bring to the boil on top of the stove, stirring continuously. Pour over the mushrooms and bacon, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the cabbage between 4 warm serving plates, piling it in the centre of each plate. Cut each piece of lamb in half and arrange on top of the cabbage. Scatter the mushrooms, bacon and a little of the wine sauce around the edge. Garnish with chervil or parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 – 20 minutes
Oven temperature: 220ºC/425ºF/Gas Mark 7

Watercress and Cucumber Soup

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped

½ Cucumber, diced

600 ml/1 pint chicken stock

1 bunch of watercress

2 teaspoons lemon juice

good pinch of ground coriander

300 ml/ ½pint milk

2 teaspoons cornflour

salt and pepper

Method

Put the onion, cucumber and chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Reserve a few sprigs of watercress for the garnish and chop the remainder. Add the chopped watercress, lemon juice and coriander to the saucepan, season to taste with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Cool slightly, then puree, liquidize or sieve the soup. Return to a clean pan, add the milk and bring back to the boil.

Blend the cornflour with a little cold water, add to the soup and bring back to the boil again. Simmer for 2 minutes, then adjust the seasonings. Serve garnished with the reserved watercress sprigs.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

Chef’s Note: This soup is also good served cold as a summer time first course. Make it the day before it is to be served and keep it covered in the refrigerator.

Rum-Flambéed Pineapple Parcels

Ingredients

1 ripe pineapple, peeled

50g/2 oz butter

75g/3 oz light muscovado sugar

4 tablespoons dark rum

50g/2 oz pecan nuts, roasted and coarsely chopped

ice cream, crème fraîche or fromage blanc, to serve

Method

Cut the pineapple into 8 even slices, then remove cores with a small pastry cutter to make rings.

Cut out 4 double-thickness foil squares, each large enough to hold 2 pineapple rings in a loose parcel. Place 2 rings on each square.

Melt the butter in a small pan, stir in the sugar and cook gently until the sugar has dissolved. Divide between the parcels, then bring the edges of the foil together and press to seal.

Cook on a grill over moderately hot coals or under a preheated hot grill for 10 – 15 minutes.

Open each package; spoon 1 tablespoon of rum into each and carefully ignite with a match. Scatter over the chopped pecans and serve at once with ice cream, crème fraîche or fromage blanc.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 – 15 minutes