Poached Pears in Spiced Red Wine

Prep 20 mins
Cook 20 - 30 mins

• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 bottle red wine
• 225g caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick , halved
• fresh thyme sprig , plus sprigs to seve
• 6 pears , peeled, but kept whole with stalk intact
• (Also added 1 star anise and 6 cloves)

1. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and put in a large saucepan with the wine, sugar, cinnamon and thyme. Cut each piece of pod into three long thin strips, add to pan, then lower in the pears.
2. Poach the pears, covered, for 20-30 mins, making sure they are covered in the wine. The cooking time will very much depend on the ripeness of your pears - they should be tender all the way through when pierced with a cocktail stick. You can make these up to 2 days ahead and chill.
3. Take the pears from the pan, then boil the liquid to reduce it by half so that it's syrupy. Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a strip of vanilla, a piece of cinnamon and a small thyme sprig.

Source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5044/poached-pears-in-spiced-red-wine

Polenta "Creamed" Spinach

Serves 2 to 3

4 tablespoons butter (2 tablespoons worked fine)
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 pound spinach, washed & trimmed
1 cup stock
1/4 cup yellow polenta
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/4 cup milk (2% or skim)
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until they start to turn golden brown.
2. Add spinach in two batches—when the first has wilted completely, add the second, along with ¼ teaspoon salt. When all of the spinach has wilted, you'll find that it has released some liquid. Turn heat to high and allow liquid to cook off, about 7-10 minutes. Press spinach along the way to make sure you release all excess liquid. Set spinach aside.
3. Put broth on medium-low flame to heat through. In the meantime, whisk together polenta and flour. Set aside
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour/polenta mix, whisking for about 1 minute. Add 1/3 of the hot broth and whisk until smooth. Repeat 2 more times, until all of the broth is mixed in smooth. Cook polenta for 1-2 minutes, whisking the entire time.
5. Add milk, a little at a time, continuing to whisk. Once the milk is incorporated, cook polenta another 1-2 minutes.
6. Take polenta off heat. Immediately add spinach (excluding any liquid that has accumulated), parmesan, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

Source: http://www.food52.com/recipes/561_polenta_creamed_spinach_a_healthier_take_on_a_steakhouse_classic

Masala chai-inspired bread and butter pudding

30 mins to 1 hour preparation time
1 to 2 hours cooking time
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 425ml/15fl oz double cream
• 425ml/15fl oz whole milk
• 180g/6oz golden caster sugar, plus extra for the topping
• 2 large sticks of cassia bark or 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 large black cardamom pods
• 1 small handful fennel seeds
• 10 cloves
• 2 small handfuls green cardamom pods
• 1 loaf good-quality day-old sliced white bread
• 125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 75g/2½oz flaked almonds
• 2 free-range eggs
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 100g/3½oz unsalted shelled pistachio nuts, lightly chopped plus extra to serve

Preparation method

1. Place the cream, milk, sugar and spices in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes, or longer if possible.
2. Meanwhile, remove the crusts from about nine slices of bread. Butter liberally on one side and cut into triangles.
3. Sprinkle half of the almonds into a dry heavy-based, non-stick frying pan and toast over a medium heat. When golden-brown, transfer to a small plate or bowl to stop them from cooking further or burning.
4. Place the eggs and egg yolks into a large jug and whisk until combined. Strain the infused milk and cream through a sieve onto the eggs and whisk until smooth to make a custard. Discard the spices.
5. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Liberally butter a 1.5 litre/2¾ pint baking dish, then place a single layer of buttered bread on the bottom. Pour over enough custard to cover and soak into the bread, pressing lightly to ensure it is soaked through. Sprinkle over a few toasted almonds and layer with more bread, custard, then almonds.
6. Once you have finished layering the ingredients, pour over a final layer of custard and then sprinkle the top with untoasted almonds, chopped pistachios and a little more sugar.
7. Place the dish into a larger roasting tray, then pour in boiling water until it comes halfway up the side of the dish. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and set; remove from the oven to rest before serving. If the top looks like it is starting to brown before the inside is set, cover loosely with foil for the remainder of cooking.
8. Serve the bread and butter pudding and garnish the plate with toasted pistachios
   
   Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/masala_chai-inspired_21870

Satay dressing

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic
4cm piece ginger, peeled and
roughly chopped
1 dried chilli
Grated rind and juice 1 lime
4 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp honey
½-1 cup boiling water

Method
Toss the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
Whiz the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, adding ½-1 cup water depending on the thickness you prefer.
Serve the satay dressing in a jug or bowl alongside the salad.

Source: http://recipefinder.msn.co.nz/recipes/taste/766881/nutty-slaw-and-satay-dressing
From Taste magazine, October 2007.

Marrow and tomato masala

Marrow throws out much liquid as it cooks. In fact, so copious are the juices generated it is almost a chunky broth.

If you don't fancy eating the skin of the marrow, simply scoop off the flesh with a spoon and leave the skin behind. However, if the marrow is fresh and young, this should not be necessary. Do try and find curry leaves, however, as they do add to the aroma of the thing.

Serves 4 (more like 5-6 with rice)

1 marrow, about 1 kg
salt
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp masala paste (used Patak's Madras paste from Sainsbury's Camden. Good.)
12 curry leaves, fresh or dried (optional)
750g ripe red cherry or baby plum tomatoes
freshly ground pepper
50g butter, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Trim the ends of the marrow, cut it in half down through the middle and then halve each piece lengthways. Scrape out the fibre and seeds with a teaspoon and then cut each quarter in half yet again, also lengthways, giving 8 marrow "boats" [next time might be included to slice into chunks, as difficult to fit into anything at this length].

Sprinkle salt generously over all cut surfaces and place the marrow in a colander for about 40 minutes to leach out a modicum of the juices. Rinse and dry in a tea towel.

Meanwhile, in a large lidded pot, fry the onions and garlic in the oil until golden. Add the masala paste and stir around for a few minutes. Lay the marrow pieces, skin-side down, on top and add the curry leaves, if using, then tip over the tomatoes. Season and dot with the slices of butter. Cover and place in the oven to cook for about 1½ hours.

Delicately decant into deep soup plates, so each one has 2 pieces of marrow, a spoonful of the tomatoes and plenty of aromatic broth.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/28/simon-hopkinson-recipes-vegetarian-option