All That Is Good For You

We are always being told how very important it is to eat the right foods and get the correct amount of nutrients in our diet.  Who am I to argue?  This dish includes lashings of cream (calcium) and fruit (at least one of your five a day depending on how many you eat) and a chocolate coating (flavornoids which contain antioxidants and promote endorphin production – which, for the uninitiated, make you happy!).

How bad can they really be?

You will need...

300g Caster Sugar
6 large Egg Whites
1 teaspoon of White Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Cornflour
284ml (ish) Double Cream
Vanilla seeds from a pod or 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Paste
Fresh Raspberries (quantity to suit)
200g Milk or Dark Chocolate
Icing Sugar to decorate

In a clean dry bowl whisk the egg whites until very stiff (remember what your mother used to tell you – if you can tip the bowl upside down over your head without it moving they are ready).  Add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time until thick and glossy.  When all the sugar is fully incorporated, add the vinegar and cornflour and whisk again.  You should now have a thick glossy mixture which holds on to the whisk when you pull it out.  It needs to be stiff to hold its shape when piping.

Place the contents into an icing bag and pipe into rectangles onto some baking parchment (not greaseproof or foil as they can stick) to make the Millefeuille layers.  Bake in the oven at 120 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours until crisp and firm.  They are cooked when they easily lift off the baking parchment without leaving any meringue on the parchment paper.  Leave to cool.

Whisk the cream up with the vanilla seeds and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To decorate and assemble the meringues work carefully or they will break up very easily.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 2 minutes and stir until completely melted.  Brush the flat side of the meringue (or dip) with chocolate and leave to set.

Carefully decorate each layer with cream and raspberries (3 layers works well in our house) and stack on top of each other.  Dust with icing sugar just before serving. 

These can be made several hours in advance (and even the day before in my experience).  The meringue part can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container, so they are great for a very well organised party!

If you are feeling artistic, the decoration shown in the picture is made up from piped chocolate and raspberry coulis.

Its Rather Like Having Posh Fish Fingers

Salmon Kiev

There seems to be some debate about the origins of the ‘Kiev’ (more specifically, the Chicken Kiev) as both the Ukraine and Moscow take credit for inventing it.  Regardless of where it originated there is something about this retro food which is rather enjoyable especially now we have moved on from the 70’s and it’s no longer seen on every menu, particularly since the sad demise of the Berni Inn J.

Given my predilection for adapting recipes to suit my own taste and mood you will not be surprised to find I have done the same here and with surprisingly good results.

A word of advice, if you can find Panko Breadcrumbs (a Japanese style breadcrumb which is becoming increasingly popular) buy and use them - their texture provides a far better and sustained crunch than ordinary breadcrumbs and makes the dish a far tastier experience.

You will need...

4 Salmon Fillets
125g Butter (there will be some left over)
1 clove of Garlic (more if you feel the need)
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh Dill
Seasoning
2 eggs mixed with a little water
Plain Flour
1 box of Panko Breadcrumbs (Waitrose definitely sell them)
Vegetable/Sunflower or Rapeseed Oil in a deep frying pan or deep fat fryer

To make the flavoured butter, place the dill, garlic, seasoning and butter in a mixer and whisk until soft and combined.  Roll up in a piece of cling film and refrigerate until ready for use (it needs to be set hard again).

Push a small sharp knife lengthways through the centre of the salmon fillet and cut the butter into long thin strips pushing them into the salmon without opening up any more pockets.  You can be as generous as you want with the butter so how much you put in is entirely up to you.

Dip the salmon into the flour until it is coated all over, then into the egg and finally into the breadcrumbs.  You want the salmon to be well covered so if it is proving troublesome to get a good coating, go for a double dip in the egg and breadcrumbs to be sure.

Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.  This step is also important as it ‘sets’ the crumbs on the salmon in preparation for the cooking.

Heat the vegetable oil until ready to use (around 170 degrees) and carefully lower the cold salmon pieces into the fat.  If using a deep fat fryer they take around 8 minutes to cook until golden brown all over.  Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Serve with a salad and potatoes and wedges of lemon and more garlic-dill butter pieces if desired.