Witchin’ in the Kitchen at the Bubbling Cauldron

If I had time amidst party catering this weekend and next I’d treat myself to this. Maybe next month…

Goats Cheese Roulade with Leek and Walnut Filling

Serves 6 to 8

2oz/55g butter
2oz/55g plain flour
1 pint/570ml strained flavoured milk (see ingredients and method below)
2oz/55g grated Cheddar
6oz/170g soft goats cheese, rindless
extra pepper, if liked

grated nutmeg
4 large eggs, separated
For the filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium leeks, washed, trimmed and sliced thinly
chopped parsley
7oz/200g tub crème fraîche

3oz/85g walnuts, crushed and dry-roasted in a saucepan for several minutes (make sure to shake the pan)

a pinch of salt
freshly ground pepper

For the flavoured milk:
1 pint/570ml milk
1 onion, cut in half

1 bay leaf
1 stick of celery
a few peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon rock salt

To flavour the milk, put it in a saucepan with the onion, bay leaf, celery, peppercorns and rock salt and heat till a skin forms. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool completely, so that the milk has time to be infused with all the flavours. When it is quite cold, strain it and set aside.

Line a baking tray measuring about 10in x 12in (25cm x 30cm) with baking parchment, putting a dab of butter at each corner to hold the paper firmly in place. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Let this cook for a minute, before gradually adding the strained milk, stirring all the time - I find it best to use a wire whisk - until the sauce boils. Let it simmer gently for a moment, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the grated Cheddar and goats cheese. Season with pepper if you think it needs more, and nutmeg. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one.

Lastly, in a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites till they are very stiff and, with a large metal spoon, fold them quickly and thoroughly through the sauce. Pour and scrape this into the paper-lined tray and bake in a moderate oven, 350F/176C/Gas Mark 4, for 20 to 25 minutes, till the roulade feels firm to the touch and the surface is puffed up and golden. Remove from the oven, cover with a slightly dampened tea towel and leave to cool.

For the filling, measure the oil into a non-stick frying or sauté pan and cook the sliced leeks over a moderate heat, stirring, till they are very soft. Do try to slice them thinly - not only do they look and taste better, but they take a very short time to cook, about four to five minutes. Let the leeks cool.

Lay a sheet of baking parchment on a work surface or table. Scatter the chopped parsley over it. Take the short ends of paper in either hand and flip the roulade face down, as it were, on to the parsley. Peel the paper off the back of the roulade. Spread the crème fraîche over the surface, then scatter on the cooled nuts. Distribute the leeks over everything. I find a fork the easiest thing to use for this. Season with the merest pinch of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Roll the roulade up away from you and slip it on to a serving plate. Leave it rolled up in its paper if you do this more than an hour in advance, so it retains a tight shape. Slip it off the paper before serving.

Source: unknown

Pepper Purée:
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup bottled roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained

Risotto:
11/2 cups couscous
1 large onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sugar
31/3 cups water
1/2 cup sherry
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin purée or freshly cooked pumpkin
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
11/2 tsp unsalted butter
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Make the pepper purée: In small saucepan of boiling water, blanch garlic 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add roasted peppers and process to a smooth purée. Set aside.
For the risotto: In large skillet, heat couscous over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
In large saucepan, combine onion, garlic and sugar with 1/3 cup of the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion is wilted, about 7 minutes. Stir in couscous and sherry, and cook until sherry has evaporated, about 1 minute.
In a measuring cup stir together remaining 3 cups water and salt. Add to saucepan, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing couscous to absorb all liquid before adding any more. Continue cooking and adding liquid until all liquid has been added and couscous is creamy.
Stir in pumpkin, Parmesan and black pepper, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in butter. Serve topped with pepper purée.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving: 238 calories, 2.7g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0.7g monounsaturated fat, 0.3g polyunsaturated fat, 4.1g dietary fiber, 9g protein, 41g carbohydrate, 6mg cholesterol, 480mg sodium
Good source of: beta-carotene, lutein

Serves 6

http://www.wholefoods.com/recipes/wh_couscousrisotto.html

2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, sliced into thin wedges
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cut dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated

Combine broth and brown and wild rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and the brown sugar. Cook until liquid is absorbed and onions are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Slowly cook onions, stirring often, until they are a caramel color, about 25 minutes.
Stir in cranberries. Cover and cook over low heat until cranberries swell, about 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a large serving bowl. Gently fold cranberry mixture and orange zest into cooked rice.

Serving Size : 4
Per serving: 236 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; (35% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 1mg Cholesterol; 814mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Recipe By :Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked squash or 1 12 ounce package frozen cooked squash
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 quart chicken broth or stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sherry

Combine squash, hazelnuts, onion and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt to taste, pepper, butter and sherry.
Garnish with roasted and sliced hazelnuts, if desired.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

6-8 medium sized sweet apples
1 large tart apple
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
4 tablespoon apple cider
1/2 to 1 tablespoon vegan maple syrup
pinch of cinnamon
granola
Directions:
Steam the sweet potato cubes until they can be pierced easily with a fork, but not mushy. While they are steaming, chop up apples into small cubes (leaving the skin on.) After the potatoes have cooled, mix them in to the apples. In a separate bowl, mix the apple cider, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Pour the cider mixture over the apples and sweet potatoes. Sprinkle on the raisins and walnuts and stir. Let it chill in the fridge for a few minutes and top with granola of your choice when ready to serve.

Feel free to experiment when the portions and the ingredients according to what you have around the house!

Serves: 8

SOURCE: www.vegweb.com/food/salad/5228.shtml

4 strips bacon
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups firmly packed chopped kale leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon until crisp in a large soup pot.
Remove bacon strips with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Lightly saute potatoes, onion, and garlic in bacon fat.
Add stock, kale, salt, and pepper and simmer for an hour or until potatoes are soft.
Mix soup in batches in blender until it is smooth.
Return to pot and thin with stock or milk if necessary.
Crumble bacon and sprinkle over soup as garnish.
Yield: 6 servings

http://www.yankeemagazine.com

1- 3oz package softened cream cheese
4 medium apples
1 1/3oz Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon dry white wine

Beat together both cheeses and the wine, with an electric or rotary mixer, until smooth. Core the apples and hollow out, leaving apple shells about 1/2 inch thick. Fill the apples with the cheese mixture and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Cut apples into 8 wedges.

5-6 shallots, peeled
1 1/2 cups light olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 large yellow turnips (rutabaga), about 4 pounds
1 cup milk
6 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slice the shallots crosswise into very thin rings. In a saucepan, heat the oil with the butter over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots and cook until they are a rich golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Stir the shallots occasionally while they are cooking to make sure they brown evenly.
Remove the shallots from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Once the shallots have dried and crisped, in about 15 minutes, they can be stored in a cool place, covered, for several days. Serve the shallots at room temperature.
Peel the turnips to remove their waxy skins, and cut them into generous 1-inch chunks. Place them in a saucepan with water to cover and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until easily pierced by a paring knife, about 35 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat until the butter has melted and the milk just begins to simmer.
Drain the turnips, and puree (in several batches, if necessary) in a food processor. With the motor running, add the melted butter and milk in a steady stream. The turnips should be very smooth.
Return the turnip puree to the saucepan, season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper and reheat, stirring over a medium flame. Serve piping hot, sprinkled generously with crispy shallots.

Yield: 4-6 servings

2lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks (abt 6 lg potatoes)
4 cloves large garlic, peeled
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2/3 cup evaporated milk, warmed
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Put potatoes and garlic in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil.
Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.
Return potatoes and garlic to saucepan. Mash or beat with mixer until combined. Add cheese, butter, rosemary and bouillon; beat until smooth. Gradually beat in milk until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

This is by far one of my favorite dishes, one I am forced to limit to serving once a year because I easily make myself sick gorging on these. A store bought or homemade chutney is key, last year we used homemade spiced rhubarb chutney, this year will be homemade apple chutney. This is served in my family either on the Winter Solstice or Mother’s Night, depending on our schedule and the weather. This version is the American quick version, using ready made links. If time permits try using a “homemade” sausage (recipe below)

Sausage Rolls

1 egg, beaten
12-ounce package pork “breakfast” sausage links
1 pkg puff pastry sheets
Chutney of your choice

Unfold the puff pastry sheets (roll out if necessary) and cut into three-inch wide strips. Place a link of sausage on centre of each puff pastry strip, top with a 1/2 TB of chutney. Brush the edges of the strips with beaten egg, then roll up the filled puff pastry into cylinders (the seams should be on the bottom of each cylinder),

Brush the puff pastry cylinders with beaten egg, then cut into one and half inch rolls. Place the rolls seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a 400* oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the sausage rolls are golden brown. Serve while warm. Makes about 20 sausage rolls.

________________________________

note the above recipe’s one beaten egg, in this recipe below half of that beaten egg will be used in this meat mixture as a binder.

1lb bulk pork sausage
one medium onion, finely chopped
1/2c breadcrumbs, plain
1 1/2 Tb parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp thyme, dried, crushed
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cloves

Mix the above ingredients together, mixing well. Spoon a bead of this mixture about 3/4 of an inch long in the centre of the pastry section. Proceed the same as above.

6 C cooled mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 minced onion
1/4 lb finely cubed pork

Mix first 4 ingredients together. Roll out on a floured board. Cut in cakes 1/2″ thick. Brown meat and onion in hot fat in a skillet. Place mixture on half of the cakes. Cover with other half. Press edges together. Boil 2 quarts salted water and drop in cakes. Boil 10 - 12 minutes.

From the Recipe Book:
Norwegian Recipes

(Cotter’s Kettle)-Norway

1 bouillon cube
3/4 cup boiling water
2 large carrots, sliced
1 large leek, sliced
1 large rutabaga, cubed
3/4 lb. (340 g) medisterpølse or bratwurst
1 TB dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Dissolve bouillon in boiling water. Add all vegetables and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Cut sausage into slice and add to vegetables.
Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 5 minutes.Do not overcook.
Serve with mustard, potatoes, and dark bread.

This is a traditional Cornish recipe. The meat and potato varieties of Cornish pasties are the most well-known, but traditionally all sorts of fillings were put in pasties, including vegetable ones. “Licky” is another word for “leek”.

shortcrust pastry
leeks
butter
salt and pepper

Prepare the leeks by removing the dark green heads, and slicing the remainder, then washing thoroughly in cold water to remove any grit.

Make the pastry and roll it out until it is about a quarter of an inch thick. Cut it into rounds, using a saucer or a small plate as a template.

Use the leeks for filling, placing an appropriate amount of filling on one half of each circle of pastry. Put a knob of butter on top and season with salt and pepper. Dampen the edges of the pastry with water, then fold over the other half of the circle, to form a pasty shape. Press the edges together with the fingers and crimp to seal.

Make 2 or 3 ventilating slits in the top of the pasty, brush with milk or egg if you want a glaze, and bake in a hot oven 450F until the pastry is pale brown, then reduce the heat to medium (350F) for about 40 minutes.

http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/~scu/Recipes/Savouries/licky.html

This is a really hearty winter dish.

Butter - 15g (½ oz)
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Carrots - 2 medium, diced
Courgettes - 2 medium, diced
Swede - 175g (6 oz), diced
Mushrooms - 110g (4 oz), halved
Parsnip - 1 medium, diced
Chopped tomatoes with herbs - 1 x 400g (14 oz) can
Vegetable stock - 300 ml (10 fl oz)
Black eyed peas - 1 x 440g (15½ oz) can, drained
Self raising flour - 175g (6 oz)
Garlic salt - ½ tsp
Vegetable suet - 75g (3 oz)
Smoked cheddar cheese - 50g (2 oz), grated
Milk - 100 ml (4 fl oz)

Fry the onion in the butter in a large pan for 3 minutes.

Add the vegetables, stock and the beans. Cook for 10 minutes. Place in an ovenproof dish.

Sift the flour and salt together. Stir in the suet and cheese. Mix to a soft dough with the milk. Divide into 12 pieces and shape into balls.

Add to the casserole, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4-6

source unknown

(Norwegian Jul Pudding )

2 pints sour cream,
11-12 Tbsp. all-purpose flour to thicken
2-3 cups hot milk
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. sugar or to taste

melted butter
sugar
ground cinnamon

Place the sour cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and allow to barely simmer for 1 hour, uncovered, to reduce slightly. It must not boil. Use a heat diffuser for this process.

Using a flour sifter or strainer, slowly add enough flour to thicken the cream. I use about 11-12 Tbsp. for a very thick pudding. Using a wire whisk, whip in the flour 1 Tbsp. at a time. The cream will thicken and start to pull away from the sides of the pan. If the sour cream is very rich, the butter will now begin to form and rise to the top. Remove this with a spoon and set it aside. Stir in enough hot milk to obtain a porridge-like consistency. Add sugar and salt to taste. Serve in bowls with melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon on top.

Serves 8-10