Poached Pears with Dark Chocolate Sauce

Poached Pears with Dark Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

4 William or Beurre Bosc pears

3/4 cup caster sugar

Water to cover pears in saucepan

2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon Brandy (or Brandy essence)

200g dark cooking chocolate

½ cup cream

40g butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact. Place sugar, water and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Add pears, cover with baking paper and slowly bring to the boil. Continue to boil for 5 – 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Place chocolate, cream and butter in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts then stir through the ground cinnamon.

Serve one pear drizzled with chocolate and topped with cracked pepper if desired.

Read more...

Mushroom, White Wine and Basil Sauce

Mushroom, White Wine and Basil Sauce

This creation came when we were just about to cook our gnocchi. It is so simple and quick and it's also very tasty which helps!

This sauce would suit any pasta dish and some suggestions for variations include:

- Add Chilli for bite.

- Omit Oil for butter and add cream at the end for a creamy version.

-If you can'only find dried porcini mushrooms - prepare them by placing in a bowl and pouring t enough boiling water to cover for 20 minutes or until they've expanded. Drain them, then chop them.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon of butter
350gram white button or swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
150grams fresh porcini mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped finely
1 cup white wine, dry
1 chicken stock cube
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 pinch ground pepper
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Prosciutto, fried to serve

In a large fry pan over high heat, heat oil until hot, then add butter stirring into oil until it melts.

Add white/swiss and porcini mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushroom liquid has nearly evaporated, about 6 minutes.

Crush stock cube over mushrooms then add wine; cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is slightly reduced and the stock cube dissolves, about 4 minutes.

Add basil, and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until well combined. About 1 minute.

Grab your gnocchi or pasta and stir through sauce until well coated.

Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled on top and some crispy prosciutto for added texture.

Read more...

Burnt Butter and Sage Sauce

Burnt Butter and Sage Sauce

Ingredients
200grams butter chopped
10 sage leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place the butter and the sage leaves into a pan and allow to melt under a gentle heat. (This will allow the sage leaves to crisp up by the time the butter starts to brown and it will have also infused its flavour into the sauce).

When the butter begins to foam and begin to turn brown add in the lemon juice and serve sauce immediately over pasta.

Read more...