B&B Christmas Dinner, November 2005

Proscuitto Baked Leek

Ingredients:

• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 10 peppercorns
• 4 leeks, trimmed and halved lenthways
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 20g butter, chopped

Method:

Smoked Trout and Caperberry Crostini

• 1 smoked trout (about 375g), skin and bones removed
• 1/3 cup créme fraiche or sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 small French stick
• ½ cup caperberries, halved
• Chilled vermouth to serve

Method:

Process trout flesh, créme fraiche and lemon juice in a food processor (using pulse button) until trout is broken up but not pureed and ingredients are well combined.
Add more lemon juice, if necessary, and season to taste.
Cover and refrigerate.

Cut French stick diagonally into 4mm-thick slices then cut each slice in half.
Brush bread with olive oil, place on an oven tray and bake at 180C for 10 minutes or until golden and crisp, then cool.

Place teaspoonfuls of trout mixture on crostini, top each with a halved caperberry and serve.

Fish Fillets with Macadamia Nut Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 150g unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 bacon rashers, rind removed, roughly chopped
• 75g soft white breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped lemon thyme leaves
• 100g roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1 small egg, beaten
• 8 skinless trout fillets
• 1 cup (250ml) white wine
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Pan-wilted spinach, to serve

Method:

Melt 30g of the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
Add the bacon and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.

Place the breadcrumbs, herbs and macadamias in a food processor and process until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the onion mixture, lemon rind and egg and process until combined.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the top of each fillet with some stuffing, then roll up to enclose.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Lightly grease a baking dish.
Remove plastic wraps from the fish and place seam side down in the dish.
Pour the wine over the top, then season with salt and pepper.
Cover with foil and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through.

Strain the cooking juices into a saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat.
Cook until reduced to about ½ cup (125ml) of liquid.
Chop the remaining butter and add to liquid one piece at a time, whisking constantly until all the butter is incorporated and the sauce thickens.
Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place wilted spinach on each plate, top with a stuffed trout filet and drizzle with the sauce.

Loin of Pork Infused with Orange and Walnut Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 100g walnut halves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 brown onions, halved, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 105g (1½ cups) fresh bread crumbs (made from day-old bread)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 x 2kg rolled boned pork loin, string removed (ask your butcher to remove the bone for you)
• 2 tablespoons sea salt flakes

Method:

Preheat oven to 220°C.
Place walnuts in food processor and process until finely chopped.
Transfer walnuts to a large bowl. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add to walnuts along with breadcrumbs, parsley, orange rind and juice.

Place the pork, rind-side up, on a clean work surface.
Score rind, crossways, to the fat layer at 2cm intervals.
Turn pork over.
Cut a vertical slit into the thick end (do not cut all the way through) and open to sit flat.
Place seasoning down the centre. Beginning at thicker end, roll up pork to enclose filling.
Use unwaxed white kitchen string to tie at 2cm intervals.
Place pork in a roasting pan.
Rub salt into cuts.
Roast in oven for 30 minutes, or until rind crackles.
Reduce oven temperature to 190C and roast for a further 1 hour, or until rind is golden and pork is tender.
Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter, reserving 80ml (½ cup) of the pan juices for the gravy.
Cover pork with foil and set aside for 10 minutes to rest.
Serve with vegetables and sage gravy.

Sage Gravy:

• 3 tablespoons Gravy mix powder
• 80ml (½ cup) roast pork pan juices
• 500ml (2 cups) boiling water
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

Place the gravy powder and pan juices in a heatproof jug and stir to combine.
Add enough of boiling water to make a smooth paste.
Cook for 1 minute over low heat, then gradually stir in remaining water.
Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, then reduce heat.
Add wine and simmer for 2 minutes until sauce thickens and is smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in sage.

Almond and raspberry frozen puddings

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
• 600ml thickened cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of kirsch (optional)
• 1/3 cup (50g) glazed or candied almonds, chopped coarsely
• 2/3 cup (70g) frozen raspberries
• 200g white chocolate, melted
• Fresh raspberries for serving

Method:

Beat eggs and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is very pale and fluffy.
Transfer to a large bowl.

Beat cream, extract and liqueur in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Gently fold cream mixture into egg mixture with nuts and frozen raspberries.

Divide the mixture among 8 x ¾ cup (180ml) capacity moulds.
Cover, freeze overnight until firm.

Wipe moulds with a hot damp cloth and turn out onto serving plates.
Spoon melted chocolate over the top.
Serve with fresh raspberries.

(Note: Preparation time 25 minutes, plus freezing time.
This recipe can be made a week ahead.)

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