PIPPA'S MENU
Pippa Hudson's menu included the following dishes:
RABBIT PIE WITH FORCEMEAT BALLS
Pippa adapted the following Rick Stein recipe to a chicken and bacon dish.
Ingredients:
1 large rabbit, jointed into 6 pieces
35g (11/4oz) seasoned plain flour
50g (2oz) butter, bacon fat or dripping
175g (6oz) thick-cut rindless streaky bacon, cut across into strips
1 large onion, chopped
225g (8oz) carrots, cut into small dice
The finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
4 sprigs of thyme
600ml (1 pint) chicken stock
11/2 quantities basic shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten to glaze
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain boiled potatoes and cabbage with shallots, garlic and flatleaf parsley to serve
For the forcemeat balls:
100g (4oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
50g (20z) shredded suet
1 tablespoon chopped curly leaf parsley
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Finely grated zest of ½ small lemon
50g (2oz) rindless streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
Coat the pieces of rabbit in the seasoned flour and then pat off the excess. Heat the butter, bacon fat or dripping in a heavy-based pan, add the rabbit pieces and brown them lightly on both sides. Lift out onto a plate, add the bacon to the pan and when it is lightly coloured, add the onion and carrots and fry gently for a further 5 minutes.
Stir the remaining seasoned flour into the vegetables, followed by the lemon zest, thyme and stock. Return the rabbit to the pan, cover and simmer for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the rabbit is tender.
For the forcemeat balls, mix the breadcrumbs, suet, parsley, thyme leaves, lemon zest and bacon together lightly in a bowl. Stir in some seasoning and enough beaten egg to bind, then gently shape the mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
Lift the rabbit out of the pan and, when cool enough to handle, remove the bones, leaving the meat in big pieces. Return to the sauce, spoon into a shallow 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish and leave to cool. Then arrange the forcemeat balls over the top so that they will support the pastry lid.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 2.5 cm (1in) larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip of pastry from around the edge, brush it lightly with water and press it onto the rim of the dish. Brush once more with water, lift on the larger piece of pastry and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edge between your fingers to give an attractive finish. Cut a small cross in the centre of the lid and decorate with a few leaves made from the pastry trimmings. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220 C/425 F/Gas Mark 7. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is nicely coloured. Serve from the pie dish with the boiled potatoes and cabbage with shallots, garlic and parsley.
Extracted from Rick Stein’s Food Heroes, written by Rick Stein
Published by BBC Books
Price £20
Stir the remaining seasoned flour into the vegetables, followed by the lemon zest, thyme and stock. Return the rabbit to the pan, cover and simmer for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the rabbit is tender.
For the forcemeat balls, mix the breadcrumbs, suet, parsley, thyme leaves, lemon zest and bacon together lightly in a bowl. Stir in some seasoning and enough beaten egg to bind, then gently shape the mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
Lift the rabbit out of the pan and, when cool enough to handle, remove the bones, leaving the meat in big pieces. Return to the sauce, spoon into a shallow 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish and leave to cool. Then arrange the forcemeat balls over the top so that they will support the pastry lid.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 2.5 cm (1in) larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip of pastry from around the edge, brush it lightly with water and press it onto the rim of the dish. Brush once more with water, lift on the larger piece of pastry and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edge between your fingers to give an attractive finish. Cut a small cross in the centre of the lid and decorate with a few leaves made from the pastry trimmings. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220 C/425 F/Gas Mark 7. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is nicely coloured. Serve from the pie dish with the boiled potatoes and cabbage with shallots, garlic and parsley.
Extracted from Rick Stein’s Food Heroes, written by Rick Stein
Published by BBC Books
Price £20
CHOCOLATE DESSERT
Ingredients:
8oz (half packet) digestive biscuits
4oz butter
1lb plain chocolate
8oz butter
Brandy
3oz sugar
1 tablespoon coffee
Vanilla essence
4 eggs
Method
Melt 4oz butter in a pan and add crushed biscuit crumbs. Place in a cake tin with loose bottom and straight sides if possible, and press down. Leave to cool. Put sugar and butter into a blender and mix until smooth. Add melted chocolate (if you have a microwave, melt it in that), vanilla essence, coffee and brandy. Add eggs one at a time, beating each for 1 minute. Pour mixture onto the base and set (put in refrigerator for up to 24 hours).
Ingredients:
8oz (half packet) digestive biscuits
4oz butter
1lb plain chocolate
8oz butter
Brandy
3oz sugar
1 tablespoon coffee
Vanilla essence
4 eggs
Method
Melt 4oz butter in a pan and add crushed biscuit crumbs. Place in a cake tin with loose bottom and straight sides if possible, and press down. Leave to cool. Put sugar and butter into a blender and mix until smooth. Add melted chocolate (if you have a microwave, melt it in that), vanilla essence, coffee and brandy. Add eggs one at a time, beating each for 1 minute. Pour mixture onto the base and set (put in refrigerator for up to 24 hours).