RECIPES
Asparagus Risotto
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g asparagus
1 finely chopped onion
300g Arborio rice
750ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
75g butter
50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Black Pepper
Gently fry the onion in the butter until it becomes translucent.
Add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium heat, stirring so that it gets a good coating of butter.
Add a ladle of hot stock at a time, continue stirring until all the stock has been used.
Meanwhile, steam the asparagus for 3-6 minutes or until tender to the point of a knife. Chop roughly once it is cooked.
Add a knob of butter, the asparagus, half the parmesan and a twist of black pepper to the risotto and stir.
Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan.
Green Peppercorn Sauce Serves 4
20mls Vegetable oil
1 Small onion, peeled and finely chopped
150ml Dry white wine
150ml Double cream
2 tbsp Green peppercorns, rinsed
Sea salt &pepper to season
First heat the oil in a small frying pan and gently cook the onion until soft but with no colour.
Next add the wine and simmer gently to reduce by half.
Now add the cream and the rinsed peppercorns and bring back to the boil, check the seasoning and serve.
Diane Sauce Serves 4
20g Butter
40g Shallots, finely diced
20mls Brandy
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
150mls Double cream
10g Chopped fresh chives
10g Chopped fresh parsley
½ lemon, juice
Sea salt & black pepper
The key to this sauce is to prepare the ingredients in advance and then make the sauce in the pan you have cooked the steaks in; this makes sure all the lovely juices are in the sauce.
Cook the steaks in a little oil and butter then leave to rest in a warm place.
Next melt the butter in the same pan and gently fry the shallots, trying not to colour.
Now add the brandy to the still-hot pan and return it to the heat, be careful it will flame.
When the flame dies, reduce the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cream, allow the mixture to bubble and thicken.
Add the chives, parsley, lemon juice and any juices that have gathered from the resting steaks, stir well and check the seasoning before pouring over your steaks.
Chasseur Sauce Serves 4
50g Butter
200g Button mushrooms, sliced thinly
40g Shallot, finely chopped
400ml Dry white wine
400ml Veal stock
50g Butter, chilled & small diced
1 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp Fresh tarragon, chopped
Sea salt & black pepper
Melt the first 50g of the butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and cook gently for about 1 minute. Add the chopped shallot and cook for another minute, taking care not to colour.
Next place the mushroom and shallot mix into sieve to drain off the cooking butter, and then return to the pan.
Add the white wine and let it simmer over a medium heat until reduced by half.
Now add the veal stock and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the chilled remaining butter a piece at a time, this will help to thicken he sauce but don’t reheat it or it will split!
Finally add the chopped herbs, check the seasoning and serve.
Hawarden Estate Game Pie
250g pork mince
500g game mix
125g pork sausagemeat
125g roast ham, diced into small pieces
1 finely chopped shallot
1tsp redcurrant jelly
1 pinch all spice
1 ground bayleaf
Salt and pepper
11g gelatine
1 tablespoon of brandy
300ml game or meat stock
Mix together all of the meats, shallot, redcurrant jelly, seasonings and two tablespoons of the stock.
Line your pie tin with your cold water crust pastry and spoon in the meat filling.
Cover with remaining pastry and decorate with pastry leaves.
Glaze and bake in a preheated over at 200 deg C for 30 minutes, then turn down to 180 dec C for 1 hour. Cover with greaseproof paper if browning too quickly.
Allow pie to cool, slightly dissolve the gelatine in the brandy, add to the remaining stock. Cook until it is just about to thicken, and pour into the pie.
Eat when cold.
Bacon and Potato Chowder
Serves: 4
This recipe is a great winter warmer and can be made up in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days. We’ve substituted the butter for olive oil and it’s best to use just the eye of the back bacon. We have suggested floury potatoes something like a Rooster or a Desiree; these will start to break down and help to thicken the chowder.
15g Olive oil
1 Onion, peeled and diced
4 Lean back bacon rashers, chopped
375g Floury potatoes, peeled and diced
175ml Fresh chicken stock
150g Sweetcorn
50ml Skimmed milk
1tbsp Chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat the olive oil in a medium pan and fry the onion and bacon for 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the potatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Add the milk and sweetcorn, bring back to the boil for a minute or two, then stir in the parsley.
Leave to cool and keep in the fridge.
Braised Beef and Squash
Serves: 4
2tbsp Olive oil
750g Lean braising beef, diced
1 Red onion, sliced
1 Clove smoked garlic, crushed
25g Plain flour
1tsp English mustard powder
500ml Beef stock
100ml Red wine
4 Stalks fresh thyme
1 Bay leaf
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Winter or butternut squash
Heat the oven to 160°C. Using a large pan that will fit in the oven, heat the oil and brown the beef. Remove the beef when browned all over and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for five minutes on a low heat trying not to colour.
Remove from the heat, then add the flour and mustard powder and mix in to absorb all the oil. Slowly blend in the stock and wine, stirring until smooth.
Replace on the heat, bring to the boil and simmer for one minute. Return the meat to the pan, along with the thyme, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours.
Cut the butternut pumpkin in half and deseed, then cut into cubes and add to the beef. Replace the lid and cook in the oven for a further 30 minutes, then serve.
Hawarden Estate Pumpkin Pie
Serves: 8
500g plain flour
350g Welsh butter
3 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp salt
1 egg
125ml water
1kg pumpkin, cooked and mashed
1 (397g) tin condensed sweetened milk
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 220ºC
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, sugar and salt. Rub together with your finger tips until crumbly.
In a small bowl, mix the egg with the water, and blend into the flour mixture to create a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 25 minutes.
Roll out the pastry and place in a 23cm (9 in) pie dish.
In a large bowl, combine the mashed pumpkin, condensed milk and eggs. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Mix together with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Pour the filling into the pastry case.
Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180ºC and bake for another 35 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Pumpkin Soup
A good glug of olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1kg Hawarden Estate pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
700ml vegetable or chicken stock
142ml pot double cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook the onions for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the pumpkin to the pan, then carry on cooking for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it starts to soften and turn golden.
Pour the stock into the pan, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft. Pour the cream into the pan; bring back to the boil, then purée with a hand blender.
Serve immediately with a chunk of granary bread, or freeze in batches for an easy lunch.
Apple Crumble
300g plain flour
175g Demerara sugar
200g butter, cubed at room temperature
450g apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces
50g Demerara sugar
1 tbsp rolled oats
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Place the fruit in a large oven proof dish and sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon, stir the sugar through the fruit to ensure it’s equally distributed. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
Serve with thick cream or custard.