Recipes are always enjoyed most when they’re shared.
Who hasn’t eaten at a friends and enjoyed it so much that you’ve asked for the recipe.
From whole sections in bookshops devoted to sharing recipes, to the smorgasbord of television shows and celebrity chefs all showing us how simple (or complicated) it can be to follow a recipe to impress friends and family.
Here at The Complete Gourmet, all our food is home-prepared and is food to share that you would want to have made yourself for those at your event or occasion. So here’s a couple of simple quick and easy recipes…
Simple smoked salmon terrine.
Here’s what you’ll need…
- 500g Thinly sliced smoked salmon
- 300g crème fraîche
- 100g cream cheese
- 5 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp finely chopped fennel (optional)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- Finely chopped fresh dill, chopped, plus extra sprigs to garnish
Method
• In a food processor, whizz 200g of the salmon, then add the crème fraîche and cream cheese. Scoop into a bowl and fold in 2 tbsp lemon juice, a pinch of salt, pepper and the fennel, if using.
• Very lightly oil 8 x 100ml moulds or ramekins and line with the remaining slices of smoked salmon, allowing them to hang over the edges. Spoon the pâté between the moulds or ramekins and fold the salmon over to cover. Cover with cling film and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
• Mix the remaining lemon juice, the olive oil and sugar together. Divide the cucumber between plates. Turn the terrines out on the cucumber and garnish each with a dill sprig. Sprinkle the cucumber with the chopped dill and spoon over the dressing.
And who can’t resist a chocolate-chip cookie ?
Ingredients
- 125g butter, softened
- 100g light brown soft sugar
- 125g caster sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 225g self-raising flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 200g chocolate chips any flavor you like. White are delicious
Method
• Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4
• Cream butter and sugars, once creamed, combine in the egg and vanilla.
• Sift in the flour and salt, then the chocolate chips.
• Roll into walnut size balls, for a more homemade look, or roll into a long, thick sausage shape and slice to make neater looking cookies.
• Place on ungreased baking paper. If you want to have the real Americian cookie experience then bake for just 7 minutes, till the cookies are just setting – the cookies will be really doughy and delicious. Otherwise cook for 10 minutes until just golden round the edges.
• Take out of the oven and leave to harden for a minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
These are great warm, and they also store well… if they don’t all get eaten straight away!
