Category: All

The Gent’s Cranberry Sauce

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25674794_2011990702378181_1809259981_oIngredients:

  • 400 grams cranberries – washed
  • 200 grams caster sugar
  • 150 ml of aged port
  • 2 cooking apples peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
  • 2 orange Zest
  • the juice of 2 oranges

Gent top tip – when prepping the apples to stop them turning brown once peeled place them into a bowl of cold water, with the juice and skin of half a lemon.

  1. To begin this fruity festive classic; weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as stated above.
  2. Pre-heat a heavy based pan, once the pan is gently warming add both the orange juice and caster sugar cook until the sugar has dissolved with no grains.
  3. Next add the freshly grated orange zest along with the first 75 ml of aged port.
  4. Allow the alcohol to burn off, as you want the beautiful subtle fragrance.
  5. Lastly add both the cranberries and apples (cubed) as well as the other 75 ml of aged port.
  6. Cook – until it reaches a jam like consistency.
  7.  Decant the mixture into your jars ensure the lid is screwed on tight as this helps to preserve the sauce forming an oxygen free environment, for the best results store for at least 2 months before eating – ready in time for Christmas Day!

Red Tomato and Green Chilli Jam

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25635128_2011990682378183_168944124_o25637376_2011990699044848_1271834408_oIngredients:

  • 500 grams red onion – finely sliced.
  • 1 shallot – finely sliced
  • 1 kg of fresh plum tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves – finely sliced
  • 4 green chillis – seeds left in and finely sliced
  • Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger – peeled and sliced (match sticked)
  • ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
  • 250 ml of red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  1. To begin this little pot of sunshine, weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as outlined above.
  2. Place a medium range master sauce pan onto the heat allow to heat slightly once up to temperature add your olive oil.
  3. Next add your red onion and shallot, allow sweating as this allows their natural sweetness and sugars to be released roughly about 15 minutes.
  4. Next add your other aromas consisting of garlic, ginger and chilli once again allow sweating as this helps to mellow the harshness of the chilli but also helps to release the natural sweetness and perfume from the aromas.
  5. Next add your 250 ml of red wine vinegar and allow the vinegar to evaporate. Once the vinegar has evaporated add your sliced tomatoes with the light brown sugar.
  6. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the sugar.
  7. Once fully combined, bring off the heat and get ready to jar up!

 

Caramelised Balsamic Red Onion Chutney with Red Chilli hints

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25635029_2011990719044846_1399636098_oIngredients:

  • 2 garlic cloves – peeled and finely diced
  • 200 ml of white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 300 grams of light brown muscovado sugar
  • 5 kg of red onions – peeled and finely sliced
  • knob of softened butter
  • ½ red chilli with the seeds left in – finely sliced
  • 25 ml aged balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp olive oil.
  1. To begin this winter warmer of a chutney, weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as outlined above.
  2. Next place a medium range master sauce pan onto the heat, allow to warm once warm add the olive oil.
  3. Once the oil is up to temperature, add your finely sliced red onion, chilli and diced garlic.
  4. Cook on a low heat as this allows the vegetables to sweat releasing their natural sugars (allow them to do this for at least 30 minutes)
  5. Next add your wholegrain mustard along with your white wine vinegar.
  6. Cook for 2-3 mins to allow the vinegar to evaporate.
  7. Next add your balsamic vinegar, along with the light brown muscovado sugar, stir to incorporate and allow the sugar to dissolve.
  8. Cook the chutney until it has reached a jam like consistency.
  9. Whilst this is happening sterilise your chosen jars; to do this boil a kettle, once the kettle has boiled very carefully pour the hot water into the jars, with the lid tightly screwed on. Allow to cool and them pour the contents down the sink as this helps to ensure that you chosen jars are clean and bacteria free.
  10. Carefully decante the mixture into your jars ensure the lid is screwed on tight as this helps to preserve the chutney forming a oxygen free environment, for the best results store for at least 2 months before eating.

 

Bramley Apple and Sultana Chutney

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25637402_2011990722378179_1609566918_oIngredients: 

  • 2 red onions – peeled and fine dice
  • 2 tablespoons of good quality vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of ground fenugreek seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
  • 2 kg of Bramley apples – peeled, cored and large dice
  • 500 grams of sultanas
  • 1 tablespoon of sea salt
  • 600 grams of light brown sugar
  • 375 ml of malt vinegar
  • 375 ml of cider vinegar

Gent’s top tip – when prepping the apples to stop them burning brown once peeled place them into a bowl of cold water allow with the juice and skin of half a lemon.

  1. To begin this winter classic, weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as outlined above.
  2. Place a medium range master sauce pan onto the heat and allow to heat gently, once the pan is up to temperature add your vegetable oil.
  3. Then add your finely diced red onion and allow to sweat on a low heat as this enables the onions natural sweetness to be released.
  4. Once the onions are beautiful and sweet, add your aromats consisting of yellow mustard, ground ginger and lastly ground fenugreek, gently warming as this helps to release their natural oils.
  5. Deglaze the pan with both the malt and cider vinegars and allow the vinegar to burn off.
  6. Once the base has reached this stage, add your chunks of Bramley apple.
  7. Add your Sultanas
  8. Lastly add your light brown sugar and a pinch sea salt.
  9. Whilst this is happening sterilise your chosen jars; to do this boil a kettle, once the kettle has boiled very carefully pour the hot water into the jars, with the lid tightly screwed on. Allow to cool and them pour the contents down the sink as this helps to ensure that your chosen jars are clean and bacteria free.
  10. For the Gourmet Gent I love to use pre-loved and recycled jars as they offer you new and interesting shapes and sizes, but also you are giving them a new lease of life therefore reducing the harmful effects on our planet.
  11. Carefully decant the mixture into your jars ensure the lid is screwed on tight as this helps to preserve the chutney forming a oxygen free environment, for the best results store for at least 2 months before eating.

Enjoy with lots of cheese!

Wrap it up.

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The Knife Wrap that goes everywhere with the Gent.

Produced by an independent Artisan designer, who uses pre-loved materials, recycled to  come together in perfect harmony to make this one off piece. The perfect individual gift for any Gourmet Chef.

Hail Caesar

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Chicken Caesar Salad:

Ingredients:

Mayonnaise:

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 heaped teaspoons of Dijon mustard
  • ¼ pint of veg oil
  • ¼ pint of olive oil
  • Dash of white wine vinegar
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Freshly cracked white pepper
  1. To begin the mayonnaise, crack four eggs into a clean bowl and separate the yolks from the white, discard the whites and the shells. Next add four heaped teaspoons of Dijon mustard and a dash of white wine vinegar.
  2. In a separate jug mix together the vegetable and olive oil, add to the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream ensuring that you whisk constantly or otherwise the mixture will split. The secret to a silky mayonnaise is to take your time.
  3. To finish the mayonnaise, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and season to taste with a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked white pepper.
  4. Reserve in the fridge until it is required later on in the process.

Caesar Dressing:

  • 2 ml of semi skimmed milk
  • Your freshly made mayonnaise
  • Six anchovy fillets finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic pureed
  • 5 grams of freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • White pepper
  1. To create the best Caesar dressing, into your freshly made mayonnaise from earlier, add the semi skimmed milk, finely chopped anchovy fillets and the pureed garlic cloves. (To puree the garlic cloves finely dice the cloves of garlic, next using the back of your knife and a little sea salt to create an abrasive surface press down ensuring that you mind your fingers and rub to create a white paste) by pureeing the garlic it helps to release the natural oils and helps to give a smooth consistency.
  2. To finish the dressing, add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and if needed a little more seasoning although, Parmesan is a very salty hard cheese so season accordingly.

To create the classic Caesar:

By purchasing a whole free range chicken firstly you are able to complete the quality control checks which consist of dry skin to touch, no aroma and lastly the chicken skin should be firm and pulp.

Prep and French trim a chicken breast, the term French trim means to expose the bone offering a more appealing product once plated. (Find the step-by-step photos of me breaking down the free-range chicken for sauté as I didn’t want to waste the other cuts, classily this will consist of two breasts, two thighs, two legs, and two wings.)

How to cook the perfect chicken breast every time:

  1. Firstly place a heavy based frying pan onto a medium heat once the pan is up to temperature, add a generous amount of creamery butter. Allow the butter to colour a little as this helps to deliver a beautiful nutty flavour.
  2. On a separate plate or ideally a red raw chopping board, season all over with freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt. Add the chicken breasts skin side down and allow to cook until a beautiful golden brown, as colour equals flavour. To finish the chicken place into a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until the core temperature has reached 75 degrees.

Garnish and salad:

  1. 6 Cos leaves
  2. Four anchovy fillets
  3. Grated parmesan
  4. Freshly made croutons
  5. Caesar Dressing

To create the perfect croutons, firstly select the correct bread, for me it has to be a sourdough loaf, slice into equal squares or for a rustic feel rip it up, to transform these into the perfect croutons add a little sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, garlic cloves, lastly lemon thyme and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tip into an oven proof dish a cook until golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately whilst warm and crisp.

Salad time:

  1. Wash 6 cos salad leaves, under cold water, pat dry to remove a little of the water or otherwise this will result in a watery Caesar dressing. Next add two heaped tablespoons of the freshly made Caesar dressing onto the leaves and don’t be shy to use your hands, as they are a chef’s best tools!
  2. Once all of the leaves are liberally coated, arrange on an artisan plate. To finish the salad, slice your chicken breast into three pieces and place on top whilst warm. To garnish add some anchovy fillets a little sprinkle of grated parmesan and lastly freshly made bad boy croutons.
  3. Serve and enjoy with family and friends.

The GENT.

Tiramisu: a little pick me up

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Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp. of good quality coco powder
  • 125 grams of 80% dark chocolate
  • 5 tsp. of golden caster sugar
  • Strong Filter Italian coffee
  • 75ml Masala
  • Mascarpone cheese 250 grams
  • Double Cream 568 ml
  • One packet of sponge Fingers

Method:

1. Firstly make a cafeteria of strong Italian coffee, once pressed poured some out into a deep bowl and allow to cool.

2. Next in a large metal bowl add the mascarpone cheese and double cream and whisk until it has reached a piping consistency, reserve in the fridge until it is required later on in the process.

3. To create the Tiramisu, first soak the sponge fingers in the strong Italian coffee, once soaked, add them to the bottom of your dish the size depending on the amount of people that you want to serve.

4. Add a large serving spoon of the double cream and mascarpone cheese mixture on top of the sponge fingers and spread out evenly using a spatula, to intensify the flavour further add a cap of masala to each of the layers along with a little more coffee and a light sprinkling of golden caster sugar. Once the surface is level repeat this process until all of the mixture and sponge fingers have been used up.

5. To garnish, sprinkle coco powder over the top of the tiramisu, along with a little more golden caster sugar and dark chocolate curls and gratings.

6. Create the curls using a large chefs knife, watching your fingers slice the knife up the chocolate at a slight angle therefore creating the curls.

And enjoy!