1 K salmon fillet
4 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 tbsp sugar
8-10 elderflowers
The salmon should be frozen at least 24 hours before you start ( just in case there are parasites in the fish).
Clean salmon fillets of any bones but keep the skin.
Wash the elderflowers and separate the tiny flowers from the stalk by using a fork or a pair of scissors.
Mix together the salt, pepper and sugar.
Rub the fillet with some of the mixture.
Rub the rest of the mixture on top and add cleaned eldeflower.
If you have two fillets, place them together, meat against meat with flowers in between.
Place the fillet in a plastic freezer bag and close it carefully.
Let the fillets rest in the fridge for 2 days.
After 2 days, unwrap and clean the fillets
Start to slice the Gravlax into thin diagonal slivers using a fillet knife starting at the small end of the fish.
Gravlax can bestored in the fridge for nearly a week or longer in the freezer.
Lemon Sauce
1 tsp mustard 1 tsp honey
4 whole black peppercorns 1 tsp elderflower cordial
Some salt
Fresh cut oregano or other herb that gives character and freshness to the dressing
Crush mustard seeds, peppercorns and salt in mortar. Stir in honey and the freshly cut oregano. Set aside.
Mayo
one egg yolk
1-2 tsp good white vinegar
50-100 ml (1/4-1/2 cup) grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
Whip egg and at the same time drip the oil drop by drop in the egg mixture
Now you have a mayonnaise ... Blend together the honey mustard mixture with the mayonnaise. Add some sour cream.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Elderflower tea
1.Pick fresh elder flowers from an elder tree. Depending on where you live, elder flowers generally bloom during the late spring or early summer.
2.Boil water for tea. Place 2 to 4 fresh elder flowers in a tea pot. Pour the hot water over the flowers.
3.Cover the teapot and allow the flowers to steep for about 10 minutes. Strain the tea and serve hot.
2.Boil water for tea. Place 2 to 4 fresh elder flowers in a tea pot. Pour the hot water over the flowers.
3.Cover the teapot and allow the flowers to steep for about 10 minutes. Strain the tea and serve hot.
Elderflower pomegranate cocktail
Ingredients:
2tbsp elderflower cordial
50ml vodka
Ice cubes, to serve
Soda Water, to top
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
Method:
Place the cordial and vodka in a cocktail shaker with some ice cubes (if you don’t have a cocktail shaker place them in a jug and use a strainer) and shake them well to combine.
Pour into martini glasses and top up with soda water. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Step back and admire.
Vodka, soda & elderflower
Dilute as desired one measure of vodka, one measure of elderflower and top up to the brim with soda. Cheers
Elderflower Collins
Ingredients:
Gin
10ml Elderflower cordial
15mls lemon juice
Dash of peach bitters Soda water
Lime wedges
Glass type: High ball
Method
Stir together gin with elderflower cordial and lemon juice
Fill up with ice
Top up with soda and stir
Garnish with wedge of lime
Add dasg of bitters
Gin
10ml Elderflower cordial
15mls lemon juice
Dash of peach bitters Soda water
Lime wedges
Glass type: High ball
Method
Stir together gin with elderflower cordial and lemon juice
Fill up with ice
Top up with soda and stir
Garnish with wedge of lime
Add dasg of bitters
Saturday, December 11, 2010
National Radio - Elderflowers
CHECK OUT THIS WAY UP (SAT 11/12) WITH PROFESSIONAL FORAGER JOHANNA KNOX OF http://wildpicnic.blogspot.com/ WHO EXPLAINS ELDERFLOWER, ITS QUALITIES AND GOODIES YOU CAN MAKE FROM IT.
SOUNDBYTES AVAILABLE AT
www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/twu/2010/12/11/foraging_elderflower
CHEERS
SOUNDBYTES AVAILABLE AT
www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/twu/2010/12/11/foraging_elderflower
CHEERS
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Strawberry and Elderflower Sorbet
These resipes are for the foodies coming to check me out at the REMARKABLES MARKET between 8AM and 1PM this Saturday (11/12/2010) in Queenstown.
Following is an array of recipes that use elderflower cordial. BUT I am cheating! I have been flat out making the cordial over the past week that I have not yet trial and errored these yet. I am going to start next week and we will no doubt all eat ourselves to death in my house next week. So, I am sorry I cannot guarantee any of these recipes yet, or tell you whether they are any good or cheap to make yet. All I can say is watch this space for comments ...
Strawberries are selling 2 punnets for $4 down in the Wakatipu at the moment, perfect for this recipe!!
Strawberries, fresh garden mint and frothy white elderflowers are the very essence of early summer and work nicely as a threesome. The flowers can be turned into a refreshing cordial with water, lemons, sugar and a suitable acidulator. I find the widely available cordial from the hands of artisan producers invaluable and something I keep in the fridge all summer long for cold, non-alcoholic drinks with slices of lime and ice cubes. Serves 4-6
“i find the widely available cordial from the hands of artisan producers invaluable and something i keep in the fridge all summer long”
Ingredients:
For the sorbet:
250g strawberries
125g caster sugar
120ml water
juice of half a lemon
For the syrup:
150g strawberries
75ml elderflower cordial
15 small mint leaves
Method:
To make the sorbet, put the sugar in a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. You can remove it from the heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved and set aside to cool.
Rinse and hull the strawberries then whiz them in a blender or food processor till smooth. Add the lemon juice, then stir the strawberry purée into the cold sugar syrup. Now either pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn till frozen, or pour into a freezer box and place in the freezer.
Leave for a good couple of hours then remove, and beat the freezing edges into the middle with a whisk. Refreeze for a further two hours then beat once more, again bringing in the ice crystals from the outside into the middle. Return to the freezer till firm.
Make the syrup by cutting the strawberries in half and putting them in a bowl with the elderflower cordial. Chop the mint leaves finely and stir them into the cordial and berries. Cover, refrigerate and leave for a good 30 minutes for the flavours to marry.
To serve, place scoops of the sorbet into small bowls, then spoon over the berries and their mint and elderflower syrup.
Following is an array of recipes that use elderflower cordial. BUT I am cheating! I have been flat out making the cordial over the past week that I have not yet trial and errored these yet. I am going to start next week and we will no doubt all eat ourselves to death in my house next week. So, I am sorry I cannot guarantee any of these recipes yet, or tell you whether they are any good or cheap to make yet. All I can say is watch this space for comments ...
Strawberries are selling 2 punnets for $4 down in the Wakatipu at the moment, perfect for this recipe!!
Strawberries, fresh garden mint and frothy white elderflowers are the very essence of early summer and work nicely as a threesome. The flowers can be turned into a refreshing cordial with water, lemons, sugar and a suitable acidulator. I find the widely available cordial from the hands of artisan producers invaluable and something I keep in the fridge all summer long for cold, non-alcoholic drinks with slices of lime and ice cubes. Serves 4-6
“i find the widely available cordial from the hands of artisan producers invaluable and something i keep in the fridge all summer long”
Ingredients:
For the sorbet:
250g strawberries
125g caster sugar
120ml water
juice of half a lemon
For the syrup:
150g strawberries
75ml elderflower cordial
15 small mint leaves
Method:
To make the sorbet, put the sugar in a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. You can remove it from the heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved and set aside to cool.
Rinse and hull the strawberries then whiz them in a blender or food processor till smooth. Add the lemon juice, then stir the strawberry purée into the cold sugar syrup. Now either pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn till frozen, or pour into a freezer box and place in the freezer.
Leave for a good couple of hours then remove, and beat the freezing edges into the middle with a whisk. Refreeze for a further two hours then beat once more, again bringing in the ice crystals from the outside into the middle. Return to the freezer till firm.
Make the syrup by cutting the strawberries in half and putting them in a bowl with the elderflower cordial. Chop the mint leaves finely and stir them into the cordial and berries. Cover, refrigerate and leave for a good 30 minutes for the flavours to marry.
To serve, place scoops of the sorbet into small bowls, then spoon over the berries and their mint and elderflower syrup.
Gooseberry and Elderflower Icecream
(Britta suggests to use rhubarb instead of Delia Smith’s gooseberry as rhubbard is in season now, as tart, and readily available in most people’s gardens)
Ingredients:
700g young green gooseberries
8 tablespoons elderflower cordial
75g sugar
For the custard:
275 ml whipping cream
3 large egg yolks
50g sugar
1 rounded teaspoon cornflour
1 dessertspoon liquid glucose
Method:
First place the cream in a saucepan and bring it up to just below simmering point. While it is heating, place the egg yolks, 50g sugar and the cornflour in a bowl and whisk together till smooth. Now add the liquid glucose to the hot cream and whisk that too until the glucose has melted down and blended with the cream. Next, pour the whole lot over the egg mixture, then return everything to the saucepan and continue whisking over a medium heat until the mixture thickens to a custard. Now rinse out and dry the bowl, pour the custard back in, cover with clingfilm and allow to cool.
Meanwhile top and tail the gooseberries using kitchen scissors and place them in a saucepan with 75 g sugar. Put a lid on the pan, place over a low heat and let them cook gently till soft – about 5-6 minutes. Then place a large nylon sieve over a bowl and press the gooseberries through to extract all the pips.
Next, stir the elderflower cordial into the gooseberry purée and, as soon as the custard is cool enough, combine the two together. Now you can either freeze-churn the mixture in an ice cream maker till thick, or else pour it into the polythene freezer box, cover with a lid and freeze till half-frozen (about 3-4 hours). At this stage beat the mixture, still in the box, with an electric hand whisk. Return it to the freezer, then repeat 3 hours later, and after that freeze till solid and store till needed. Transfer to the main body of the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Ingredients:
700g young green gooseberries
8 tablespoons elderflower cordial
75g sugar
For the custard:
275 ml whipping cream
3 large egg yolks
50g sugar
1 rounded teaspoon cornflour
1 dessertspoon liquid glucose
Method:
First place the cream in a saucepan and bring it up to just below simmering point. While it is heating, place the egg yolks, 50g sugar and the cornflour in a bowl and whisk together till smooth. Now add the liquid glucose to the hot cream and whisk that too until the glucose has melted down and blended with the cream. Next, pour the whole lot over the egg mixture, then return everything to the saucepan and continue whisking over a medium heat until the mixture thickens to a custard. Now rinse out and dry the bowl, pour the custard back in, cover with clingfilm and allow to cool.
Meanwhile top and tail the gooseberries using kitchen scissors and place them in a saucepan with 75 g sugar. Put a lid on the pan, place over a low heat and let them cook gently till soft – about 5-6 minutes. Then place a large nylon sieve over a bowl and press the gooseberries through to extract all the pips.
Next, stir the elderflower cordial into the gooseberry purée and, as soon as the custard is cool enough, combine the two together. Now you can either freeze-churn the mixture in an ice cream maker till thick, or else pour it into the polythene freezer box, cover with a lid and freeze till half-frozen (about 3-4 hours). At this stage beat the mixture, still in the box, with an electric hand whisk. Return it to the freezer, then repeat 3 hours later, and after that freeze till solid and store till needed. Transfer to the main body of the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Baby herb salad with elderflower vinaigrette
(Variation of the above recipe)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 punnet each baby coriander, baby red chard, baby lamb’s lettuce (mâche), baby flat-leaf parsley, baby watercress and baby mizuna greens
½ cup elderflower springs (see note)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Elderflower vinegar
2 cups red wine vinegar
¼ cup elderflower tea
Method:
1.For elderflower vinegar, place ½ cup vinegar in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add elderflower tea and stir to combine, then remove from heat and leave for 10 minutes for elderflowers to steep. Add elderflower mixture to remaining vinegar in a bowl and stir to combine. Elderflower vinegar will keep for up to 3 months.
2.Using kitchen scissors, snip baby herbs into a large bowl. Add elderflowers and gently stir to combine.
3.Place 2 tsp elderflower vinegar, mustard, honey and olive oil in a bowl, season to taste and whisk to combine.
4.Add vinaigrette to salad, toss gently to combine, then serve immediately.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 punnet each baby coriander, baby red chard, baby lamb’s lettuce (mâche), baby flat-leaf parsley, baby watercress and baby mizuna greens
½ cup elderflower springs (see note)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Elderflower vinegar
2 cups red wine vinegar
¼ cup elderflower tea
Method:
1.For elderflower vinegar, place ½ cup vinegar in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add elderflower tea and stir to combine, then remove from heat and leave for 10 minutes for elderflowers to steep. Add elderflower mixture to remaining vinegar in a bowl and stir to combine. Elderflower vinegar will keep for up to 3 months.
2.Using kitchen scissors, snip baby herbs into a large bowl. Add elderflowers and gently stir to combine.
3.Place 2 tsp elderflower vinegar, mustard, honey and olive oil in a bowl, season to taste and whisk to combine.
4.Add vinaigrette to salad, toss gently to combine, then serve immediately.
Elderflower vinaigrette
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup elderflower cordial
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsps white wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Salt and pepper (optional)
Preparation:
Place all the ingredients in a screw top jar, screw on the lid and shake vigorously until the all the ingredients are incorporated and creamy.
Serve immediately on baby leaf salads or as a dressing on hot new potatoes. The dressing also makes a good light sauce for fish or baked chicken.
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup elderflower cordial
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsps white wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Salt and pepper (optional)
Preparation:
Place all the ingredients in a screw top jar, screw on the lid and shake vigorously until the all the ingredients are incorporated and creamy.
Serve immediately on baby leaf salads or as a dressing on hot new potatoes. The dressing also makes a good light sauce for fish or baked chicken.
Elderflower jelly with grapes
Elderflower gives a delicate fragrant flavour to these pretty jellies.
Prepare Ahead
The jelly can be made up to 48 hours in advance, and chilled until needed.
“elderflower gives a delicate fragrant flavour to these pretty jellies.”
Total time required 20 mins
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Ingredients:
75ml Elderflower Cordial
4 Gelatine Leaves
4 tbsp Whipped Cream, to serve
1 handful Seedless Green Grapes, to serve
Method:
1.Measure 600ml cold water in a jug and stir in the cordial.
2. Place the gelatine leaves in a small bowl with water for 5 minutes and let them become soft.
3. take them out of the bowl and add them to the elderflower mixture.
4. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved. If desired add a splurge of vodka or gin.
5. Pour into 4 glasses, or a jelly mould (old aluminium cake mould is fine) then chill on a tray in a refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours, or until set. Serve the jelly in the glasses, topped with whipped cream and a few grapes.
6. To remove jelly out of mould place it in a some luke warm water until jelly comes off and turn onto a serving plate. Serves 4
Also, check out Heston Blumenthal's Heston's Feast programme. In one of his outlandish dishes he makes absinthe and elderflower jelly.
Prepare Ahead
The jelly can be made up to 48 hours in advance, and chilled until needed.
“elderflower gives a delicate fragrant flavour to these pretty jellies.”
Total time required 20 mins
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Ingredients:
75ml Elderflower Cordial
4 Gelatine Leaves
4 tbsp Whipped Cream, to serve
1 handful Seedless Green Grapes, to serve
Method:
1.Measure 600ml cold water in a jug and stir in the cordial.
2. Place the gelatine leaves in a small bowl with water for 5 minutes and let them become soft.
3. take them out of the bowl and add them to the elderflower mixture.
4. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved. If desired add a splurge of vodka or gin.
5. Pour into 4 glasses, or a jelly mould (old aluminium cake mould is fine) then chill on a tray in a refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours, or until set. Serve the jelly in the glasses, topped with whipped cream and a few grapes.
6. To remove jelly out of mould place it in a some luke warm water until jelly comes off and turn onto a serving plate. Serves 4
Also, check out Heston Blumenthal's Heston's Feast programme. In one of his outlandish dishes he makes absinthe and elderflower jelly.
Lemon and elderflower victoria sponge cake
LEMON AND ELDERLOWERD VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE
This all-in-one cake mixture works extremely well, resulting in a beautifully textured cake. The subtle lemon favour combines well with good old-fashioned lemon curd. The addition of the baking powder ensures that the cake rises and is light in texture when mixed with the self raising flour.
Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 340F, 170C. Grease a 20cm (8 inch) sponge tin and line with greaseproof paper.
Put butter, sugar, sieved flour, baking powder, eggs and half the lemon rind into a large bowl.
Mix together well, either by hand or using an electric mixer, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture appears a little stiff add 1 dsp water before transferring the mixture to the cake tin.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Turn out onto a cooling tray.
Mix together the remainder of the lemon juice, rind, Demerara sugar and elderflower cordial. Pour over the top of the warmed cake and flash below a hot grill for 1 minute.
Serve cut into wedges.
This all-in-one cake mixture works extremely well, resulting in a beautifully textured cake. The subtle lemon favour combines well with good old-fashioned lemon curd. The addition of the baking powder ensures that the cake rises and is light in texture when mixed with the self raising flour.
Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 340F, 170C. Grease a 20cm (8 inch) sponge tin and line with greaseproof paper.
Put butter, sugar, sieved flour, baking powder, eggs and half the lemon rind into a large bowl.
Mix together well, either by hand or using an electric mixer, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture appears a little stiff add 1 dsp water before transferring the mixture to the cake tin.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Turn out onto a cooling tray.
Mix together the remainder of the lemon juice, rind, Demerara sugar and elderflower cordial. Pour over the top of the warmed cake and flash below a hot grill for 1 minute.
Serve cut into wedges.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
"In the black" italian chocolate mousse - yum!
I extracted this recipe from a book written by Marcella Hazan. Marcella was born in Censenatico on the Adriatic coast of Italy. With a doctorate in natural sciences and biology under her belt she settled in the big apple New York after marrying an Italian American.There she began giving Italian cooking classes and like Julia Childs, she started giving Italian cooking lessons in her apartment and eventually became a chef with a household name purely by love of and life dedication to cooking food.Here is her foolproof chocolate mousse recipe (not budget).
Ingredients
170g finely chopped semi sweet chocolate
4 eggs
2 tsp caster sugar
4 tbsp strong espresso
3 tbsp dark rum
mixing bowl kept in freezer
150 ml cold whipping cream
Method
To melt chocolate the modern way, take a bowl, fill it up with boiling water, stack another on top with chocolate in it.
Separate eggs, put the yolks in a separate bowl together with the sugar and beat them until they become pale yellow and creamy. Add the melted chocolate, coffee, rum and mix them in with a spatula until the ingredients are uniformly combined.
Take the bowl out of the freezer, put in the cream, beat it with a whisk until it stiffens, then fold it into the chocolate and egg yolk mixture.
Put the egg whites into a bowl, whip them until they form stiff peaks, then fold them gently but thoroughly into the chocolate mixture.
Pour the mousse into 6 individual serving cups or goblets, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
it can be kept for 3 or 4 days, but after the 24 hours it may wrinkle and lose some of its creamy consistency.
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