Christmas 2010 - Roast Duck with Orange & Thyme

Since i am very lucky to have got a new double oven, i felt, just a roast pork might not be enough food for the family christmas dinner. So chose to make roast duck in a western style. I took the recipe from Waitrose, but lets say i went with my instinct, and used the ingredients as an inspiration, but interpreted it to make it my own recipe.

I was very nervous with this recipe, because it is my first roast duck, and even whilst roasting i was asking everyone 'Does it smell nice?', but on the otherhand my go-with-the-flow attitude made it very enjoyable making this rosy bird.

Luckily, all my diners are very happy, and my mother is convinced and encouraged to roast duck english style in her kitchen. Again, i had very hungry diners, so did not manage to take much pictures to reflect the yummy bird. 

Ingredients

1 Duck (1.5kg)
Sea salt
Ground Black Pepper
4 Sprigs of fresh Thyme
3 Oranges (quartered)
300ml Red Wine
1 Red Onions
2 tspn Olive oil

Method

1) Preheat oven at 220C. Wipe the duck clean inside & out then season inside with seasalt & pepper and squeeze some fresh orange juice.
2) Stuff inside the duck with already quartered oranges and thyme and onion.  Prick the duck's skin and rub with sea salt. Pour the red wine over the duck skin. Drizzle the olive oil. Set in a roasting tray and cover with foil and put it in oven for 30mins
3)Drop the oven for 180C and further oven for 50mins (if you are roasting potatoes, carrots, please put it in now)
4)After 30mins... take foil off and put it back in to roast for a further 20mins. or until its cooked, check by looking for the juices runs clear when piercing at ther leg thickest point.

Happy Cooking!

Christmas 2010 - Herbed Roast Pork Loin with Potatoes

This year christmas it is our first christmas in our new house with both set of family, so the dinner was planned pretty early.  My bf mum dont eat chicken, and one day in November when chatting to my grandma about this christmas dinner, she just said, oh just do a Roast Pork then, everyone can enjoy it. So the search for THE pork roast was on.
This recipe is a simple and full of flavour and is great with many other vegetables as a side. I roasted potatos, sweet potatoes and carrots in the same roasting pan, and with a little gravy it tasted yum.
But as usual, i've looked at the recipe then added, adapted to suit my diners. 

Unfortunately, i had 12 very hungry diners... so did not take many pictures that reflect the deliciously, succulent meat.

1 Boneless Pork Loin Roast (3-4 lbs)
2 stork of Celery (cut in halves)
2 Onions (quartered)
2 clove of garlic, crushed
2 Tbspn Garlic powder
2 Tbspn Onion powder
2 Tbspn Olive oil
1 Tbspn Light Soy Sauce
2 tspn of dried thyme
1tspn of fresh thyme
Salt & Pepper

Roast Potatoes
Half a bag of potatoes (peeled & quartered)
1Tbspn Olive oil
2 tspn of garlic powder
2tspn of chives
salt & pepper


Method:

1) Preheat oven at 160C
2) Rub pork with garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, salt & pepper
3) Roll the pork round with celery, onions & garlic
4) Place pork in the middle of a shallow roasting tray, then drizzle Olive oil & light soy sauce.
5) Cover with foil and let it roast for 50-55mins.
6) Meanwhile pork is cook, boil potatoes for 10mins. Drain, let it cool in a bowl then mix in garlic powder, chives, olive oil, salt & pepper.
7) When the 55mins is up, put the potatoes with the roasting tray with the pork, cover with foil and return it in oven for a further 45mins
8) After 45mins up, take foil off and put it back in oven for a further 20mins. Let it stand a little before serve and with Homemade Vegetable Gravy


Tip
Cooking time is a guide, make sure you have a look if meat is cooked, if not do return it to the oven until you feel its well done.

Happy Cooking!

Home-made Vegetable Gravy

This year for my Christmas dinner, with weeks of careful planning, i decided getting out the gravy granules is not the way. So i decided i will go all the way and brave it to make my own gravy.
I chose to make a vegetable gravy, because i was making roast pork and roast duck this year, so wanted something to go with everything. I found this recipe over the internet and surprisingly was called 'Anna's famous onion gravy'. It was calling me to try, but i did put some extras or adaptations to make it my own.  
At the end, i must say i was pretty pleased that i tried it.... because it tasted soo yummy!

3 Red Onions, sliced
1 Stork of Celery chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Garlic, chopped
2 Tbspn Olive oil
1 small knob of butter/magarine
2 Tbspn Plain Flour
500ml Veg Stock (i used 2 stock cubes)
1 tspn Marmite
2 Tbspn Light Soy Sauce
2 tspn Dark Soy Sauce (optional)
1 tspn Balsamic Vinegar
1 dash of red wine
1 pinch of mixed herbs
Ground black pepper

Method:

1) Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan over a low heat and add the onion slices
2) 5mins later add garlic, celery & carrots
3) Sautee celery, carrots and onions until they are soft and onions looking transparent.
4) Add flour, stir well
5) Add stock gradually whilst stirring constantly
6)Add in Marmite, light & dark soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, red wine, mixed herbs, ground black pepper
7) Bring to boil and turn to medium heat and simmer for 30mins. Stir every 5mins until gravy thickens and the flavours blend
8) Once simmered, turn off and let it stand to cool down. Then use a blender to whizz in the pan to smooth the liquid.
9) Then in a bowl, pour the now made gravy through a sieve to get rid off any lumpy bits.
10) If you not making to serve immediately, let it cool down and put it in the fridge.

Tip:

 You can reduce the amount of stock, and add more flour and let it reduce down to more of a sauce, which would go well for steak, pork chops etc.
Mushrooms would be a good addition to flavour if you like it, just add it in when adding the garlic.

You can omitt the carrot & celery, and make a great onion gravy!


Happy Cooking!

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas everyone! Sorry i have seem to neglected my blog, i have been very busy, moved to a new house, so decorating took over my time, less time in the kitchen. Then trying to get used to the new environment, my new kitchen. Then next you know it, it is time to prepare for Christmas.

I love this festive month, all the time to prepare and plan for a special reunion with your family. The presents, the food, the games all for a memorable day. I certainly had a great time.  Managed to cook for 13 people and tried out some new recipes.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!