Carrot, Orange and Coriander Soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 Small onion (chopped)
1 White of leek (chopped)
½ Stick of celery (chopped)
½ Clove garlic (paste)
50g Butter or olive oil
1tablespoon Plain flour
½teaspoon Tomato puree
1000ml White chicken or vegetable stock
500g Carrots (peeled and grated)
Small pinch of ginger
2tablespoons Caster sugar
250ml Orange
2 tablespoons Double cream
1 tablespoon Fresh chopped coriander

Method

1. Put butter or oil in a large pot and gently sweat the onion, leek, celery, garlic and carrots until soft, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and add the flour followed by the tomato puree and ginger.
3. Place back on the heat and gradually add the hot stock a little at a time. Bring to the boil, and slowly simmer for approximately 20-25 minutes.
4. While the soup is cooking put the orange juice and sugar in a different pot, bring to the boil, and simmer slowly until a quarter of the quantity is reached.
5. When the soup is ready blitz in a blender until smooth.
6. Reheat soup, season, adjust with a little more stock if required and add the reduced orange juice and cream.
7. Garnish with a little creme fraiche, chopped coriander and serve with some crusty bread.

Lemon and Herb Crusted Fillet of Cod with Vegetable Cous Cous

Ingredients (serves 4)

Cod

4 150g fillets of Cod
1teaspoon Mild smooth mustard
Sea salt and ground pepper
Lemon and herb crust
2 Lemons (remove zest using a grater)
8tablespoons Breadcrumbs
1tablespoon Chopped parsley
1tablespoon Chopped basil
1tablespoon Chopped tarragon
1tablespoon Chopped mint

Vegetable Cous Cous

200g Cous Cous
1clove Crushed garlic
4tablespoons Oilve oil
½ Onion (finely chopped)
300ml Chicken of vegetable stock
½ Lemon juice
pinch Saffron (optional)
2tablespoons Petit pois peas
2tablespoons Sweetcorn
½ Courgette
½ Small carrot
¼ Red, yellow and green peppers (fine diced)
½ Stick celery (finely diced)
Small piece of broccoli (blanched in boiling water so it keeps it bite)

Method

1. Mix all ingredients for the crust in a food processor with salt & pepper.
2. Season and spread a little mustard on top of the cod, then dip each one into the herb crust mixture to cover the top of each piece of salmon. Refrigerate until later.
3. Gently cook the onions, carrots and celery over a low heat in the olive oil, until nearly soft.
4. Put the cous cous into a glass bowl, add the softened and other vegetables along with the remaining ingredients, stir to mix well.
5. Cover bowl with cling film and leave to stand for about 5-10 minutes until the cous cous becomes dry, then fluff up with a fork and correct seasoning.
6. Place the cod on a greased tray and bake at 200?C for 12 minutes until just cooked.
7. Heat the cous cous in a low oven or in the microwave and present a little of the cous cous on a warmed plate with a piece of cod on top. Heat 100g butter in a pan until golden brown then quickly add the juice of ¼ lemon. Pour this over the fish to finish.

Baked Dark Chocolate and Drambuie Mousse

Ingredients (serves 4)

180g Dark chocolate 60-55% solids (cut into small pieces)
20g Butter
125ml Milk
250ml Double Cream
Pinch of ground cinnamon
15ml Drambuie
4 Egg yolks
50g Caster sugar
1teaspoon Cocoa powder

Method

1. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl with the butter, carefully in the microwave, or over a pot of warm water.
2. Put the milk and cream into a thick based pot and heat until almost boiling.
3. In a bowl mix the egg yolks with the caster sugar, cocoa powder and Drambuie.
4. Whisk the milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then whisk in the melted chocolate.
5. Pass the mixture into individual ramekin dishes (or oven proof dishes) ¾ full.
6. Place dishes into a deep tray ¼ full of hot water (this is to enable the mousse to cook slowly).
7. Bake the mousse for approximately 40 minutes at 175? until set.
8. When the mousse is cooked remove from the water and cool before refrigerating.
9. To serve spread on top some sweetened beaten cream flavoured with a little Drambuie then dust with a little cocoa powder.