Did you MAKE this?!! Pea, Parmesan and Garlic Soup

In my last recipe post (SEE HERE), I talked about those special dishes we make that inspire the "OMG ... did you make this?!!!" reaction.  So continuing along that path, here's another recipe that I guarantee will get that same reaction, yet it's easy peasy to make ... quite literally!

This soup is one of my fave soups and I originally stumbled across it via Nigel Slater's Real Food.  I saw him make it on telly and rushed out to buy the book and it has since become one of my Desert Island cookbooks, so if it's not already on your shelf, I really do boss  recommend that you remedy that after reading this post!  The twist is that it's not his recipe but Nigella's.  It's OK, he did attribute it to her so all is well in the world of bonhomie and cookery writers.

The original recipe became far too rich for my palette over time, thus I've adapted it to my taste, as I mention below.  So this recipe has moved away from Nigella's somewhat but I thank her for the inspiration.  And as with most food I make, this soup isn't chemistry (like baking) and my ingredients quantities are not too prescriptive.

This soup is so heavenly, yet is so easy to make and like all of my favourite dishes, it can be made in advance so that at the time of serving you've had plenty of downtime to doll yourself up, light a few candles, put on some nice music ... yes, time enough to look gorgeously relaxed when your guests arrive.



Pea, Parmesan and Garlic Soup

Serves 4-6, depending on how hungry you are

Staged and photographed by Son - didn't he do well?!

Ingredients

One head of garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

Large bag of frozen petit pois, about 600-800 gr

75 gr butter

4-6 tbspns grated parmesan cheese

600 ml vegetable or chicken stock (I tend to use my own fresh chicken stock)

284 ml pot of double cream, max*

Method

Heat the oven to 200c. Lop the top off the head of garlic, then place on a square of aluminium foil that can loosely package the garlic.  Place the whole head of garlic in the centre of the square.  Drizzle the oil over the top of the garlic.  Make a loose parcel around the garlic then place on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes.  The garlic parcel should feel soft when you squeeze it (don't use your bare hands, it will be hot!).  Set to one side to cool.

NB: I usually do this in advance and when I'm already using the oven, so as not to be wasteful of energy.  You can pop it wrapped in the fridge if you are making the soup later.

Boil up the peas in lightly salted water.  Drain.  Return to the saucepan.  Mash with a food blender a little, then add the squeezed out cloves of garlic, butter, Parmesan and half the stock.  Blend carefully together. I leave a few bits of pea in the mash as I like to see that it's pea soup when its served and not some Hulk-style green soup!

Gently add the remaining stock and the cream, to taste.  I say "to taste" as the original recipe called for huge amounts of cream.  *I've roughly halved the quantity with the 284 ml but even then, I tend not to put the whole pot of cream into the pan.  You can use up to double this quantity of cream should you wish, but be warned, that quantity makes for a very rich soup.  Remember, you can add but you can't take away!

Warm through, taste and add salt and pepper as required.

Serve and ENJOY, maybe with some freshly baked baguette ... and more butter!

If I'm feeling "posh", I add some freshly chopped coriander and a drizzle of any remaining cream just before taking the bowls to the table.

This soup is perfect pretty much all year round. 

It comes into its own on rainstormed days.

I also keep it in my Florence Nightingale arsenal and make up a batch when loved ones are poorly, or off their food and in need of something tasty and nourishing to perk up their taste buds.  

It's my savoury tiramisu!

It's so easy to eat that if you're feeling a little under the weather,  you can even pour some into a mug, grab yourself a soup spoon, snuggle yourself in a rug on the sofa and enjoy the heck out of it!

This soup freezes well and calls for nothing but everyday ingredients that you probably already have in the fridge, freezer and veggie drawer.  So there's nothing stopping you making it today, technically!

A la perchoine.

Did you MAKE this?!! - Beef Wellington

"O.M.G. ... did you make this?! !!

I was reading Diana Henry in the Telegraph at the weekend, who described some dishes as getting that OMG reaction.  Beef Wellington is one such dish in our family.  When I first made it for the guys 15 years ago, it got that OMG-type response. 

Yes, it's a little fancier than your everyday meal and requires some effort but it's always received so enthusiastically, and that makes the little extra effort so worthwhile.

Now, I say a "little" effort because that's really what it is, yet it looks soooo impressive.

The important thing is to read the recipe well in advance and organise yourself for the preparation.  Allow yourself time so that it's a pleasure making it up.  Put on some nice music, light a few candles in the kitchen and enjoy the journey!

My tried-and-tested approach is to prepare the wellington through to step one below, a day before it's required (or freeze it).  This means that all you need do on the day of serving is to brush it with beaten egg and pop it in the oven, leaving you time to relax and doll yourself up before guests arrive.  Now, that's my type of entertaining!

Beef Wellington

Serves 6, 8 at a push!!

 The photos below are of one I made for New Year's Day. 

Spot which photos I didn't take!

Ingredients

1 piece of beef fillet, approx. 1.35kg//3lbs (buy it from a good butcher, it's worth it)

a little olive oil

15g/0.5oz butter

salt and pepper

175g/6oz chicken liver pate (I usually buy double this amount to have to hand as the base of the beef fillet can be variable - it's best to have too much than not enough!)

4 shop bought pancakes* NB: not sweetened, this is a savoury dish!

1 small free-range egg, beaten

1 packet of shop bought puff pastry (as with the pate, I buy twice the quanity as the size of beef is variable - leftovers can be used for all kinds of naughty treats!)

For the mushroom stuffing (the duxelle)

55g/2oz butter

150g/5oz shallots, peeled and finely diced

250g.9oz flat mushrooms, finely chopped

3 tbsp. double cream

salt and pepper

* The Pancakes

I find these hard to find in our local supermarkets so I just make my own.

If you're making your own non-sweet pancakes,  make them first to your preferred recipe and set aside to cool.

1. The Preparation

 Heat the oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan.  When foaming, add the seasoned beef and seal on all sides.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.  Allow about 20 minutes for this.

finely chopped mushrooms

finely chopped shallots

  To make the duxelle stuffing, in the same frying pan add the butter and when hot and foaming, add the shallots and cook until softened and golden.. 

Add the mushrooms and cook slowly until all the liquid evaporates.  NB: this can take a good 10 minutes or so, depending on the mushrooms.  Add the cream and salt and pepper.  Continue to gently heat until it has reduced to a thick puree.  Set aside to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 230c/450f/Gas 8.

2.  The Assembly

Roll the pastry to fit the covering of the whole of the beef and lay two of the pancakes on top, slightly overlapping.

Spread the chicken liver pate across the centre of the pancakes to the same width as the beef fillet.

Make a cut about 3/4 of the way through the beef into the centre of the beef fillet and fill with the cooled duxelle mix.

Place the beef on top the pate and cover the beef with the remaining two pancakes. 

Cut away the middle of the ends of the pastry.

Fold over the main part of the meat and then neatly fold the ends.  Brush the edges with a little water to seal.  Place seam side down on a large baking tray (if cooking, otherwise on your chosen covering**).  Decorate with any leftover pastry pieces if that is your fancy.

If you are not cooking the wellington immediately:

At this point, the pastry-encased beef can be covered and placed in the fridge overnight for cooking.

Alternatively, if freezing, cover to your preference.  **I covered the wellington with a layer of greaseproof paper, then wrap in aluminium lined baking parchment (aluminium side away from the beef). 

Allow time to de-frost well. 

Remove wrapping carefully and place Wellington in a covered dish on the fridge.  Allow approx 24 hours, depending on the size of your joint.

3.  The Cooking

Brush the wellington with beaten egg on all exposed areas.

Place it in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190c/375f/Gas 5 and continue to cook for another 20 minutes approx, until the pastry is golden, or to preference.

My tip here is to use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meat, cooking to your preference, e.g. medium rare.

Remove from the oven to a carving board and allow to rest for 5 minutes before carving into thick slices.

4.  The Eating!

Enjoy!

A la perchoine.