PORT CHOP RECIPES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Pick the leaves off one rosemary sprig. Grate half the nutmeg and zest both oranges. Cut the oranges in half and set aside for stuffing the duck.
  2. Put everything on a board with one tablespoon of sea salt and chop it all up. Rub the mixture all over the ducks, inside and out. Cover and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to let the flavours penetrate.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and arrange the shelves on the middle and bottom levels. Stuff the ducks with the remaining rosemary sprigs, garlic cloves and reserved orange halves.
  4. Peel and quarter the onions, then trim and roughly chop the celery and carrots. Peel and chop the ginger. Scatter the veg and ginger in the bottom of a large, deep-sided roasting tray with the cinnamon and bay leaves. Roughly chop the reserved duck neck and giblets and add to the mix.
  5. Place the ducks breast-side up, straight on to the bars of the middle shelf, then pop the veg-filled roasting tray on the bottom shelf beneath the ducks ready to catch all the lovely fat that drips out of them.
  6. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Pop them in a pan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer and parboil for 5 to 10 minutes, then tip into a colander and chuff them up a little.
  7. After the duck has roasted for an hour, take the bottom tray out of the oven, replacing it immediately with an empty tray. Spoon the fat from the veggie tray into a bowl. Put all the veg, duck bits and juices into a large saucepan, then add a little boiling water to the tray to get all the sticky brown bits off the bottom – this is what you’re going to make your gravy with. Tip the water and brown bits into the pan with the veg, top up with 1 litre of water or chicken stock and place on a medium heat, skimming off any of the fat that rises to the top.
  8. Put your parboiled potatoes into the empty tray in the oven. Add a few more tablespoons of duck fat from the bowl, season, and place back underneath the ducks to cook for an hour.
  9. Meanwhile, heat a saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of duck fat. When it’s hot and melted, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until you have a paste. Stir in the contents of the saucepan and the Port. Bring the gravy to the boil and simmer gently for half an hour, stirring occasionally. By now the ducks will have had 2 hours in the oven and will be done. Lift them on to a plate, cover loosely with tin foil and leave to rest for about 15 minutes.
  10. Pour the gravy through a sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing down on all the veg and other bits to extract as many flavours and juices as you can. Keep the gravy warm in the saucepan, again skimming off any fat on the surface.
  11. When you're ready to dish up – don’t carve the ducks! The best thing to do is to pull the meat away from the bones with a pair of tongs or with your fingers wearing clean kitchen gloves, then let everyone fight over the delicious skin. Serve with your potatoes and gravy.

Steps:

• 1. Soak the dried mushrooms in 250ml boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain and finely chop (reserving the soaking liquid for the gravy).
  2. Pick and finely chop 1 sprig of rosemary, season with sea salt and black pepper, then roll the fillet through it until nicely coated. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a non-stick pan over a high heat. Lightly crush and add the unpeeled garlic cloves, then add the beef and sear for 5 minutes, turning with tongs. Remove to a plate to cool.
  3. Wipe out the frying pan and return to a medium heat. Peel and roughly chop the onion, then squeeze out the softened garlic flesh and add to the pan. Strip in the rest of the rosemary, then tear in the mushrooms. Pour in the beef resting juices, then add the soaked mushrooms. Cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and starting to caramelise, stirring regularly. Tip into a food processor with a few drops of truffle oil (if using) and blitz to a spreadable consistency. Taste and season to perfection.
  4. For the pancakes, crack the egg into a blender, add the milk, flour, spinach and a pinch of salt and pepper, then blitz until smooth. Place a large 28cm non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, rub the pan with a little olive oil, then pour in a thin layer of batter, swirling it up and around the edges. Cook on one side only for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden, then flip over and cook for another 10 seconds. Tip onto a plate to cool. Cover and chill the remaining batter for breakfast.
  5. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. To assemble, place a large sheet of clingfilm on a clean surface and place your pancake on top. Spread with 1 heaped teaspoon of English mustard, then spread with the mushroom pâté in an even layer, leaving a 1cm border. Place the cooled beef fillet in the centre of the pancake, then gather up the clingfilm and twist into a parcel.
  6. On a flour-dusted surface, cut the pastry in half. Remove the clingfilm and place the pancake-wrapped beef on one piece of pastry. Beat the egg and brush over the pastry base and the pancake, then drape over the remaining piece of pastry to cover and press to seal, as though you’re making large ‘ravioli’. Trim the excess pastry (see tip), transfer to a large greased baking tray and eggwash all over. (If making in advance, pop in the fridge until needed, removing 1 hour before baking.)
  7. Cook the Wellington on the bottom of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden on top and crisp underneath, for blushing, juicy beef.
  8. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Peel and roughly chop the onion, place in a large pan on a medium heat with a tablespoon of oil, and strip in the thyme leaves. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the jam and simmer until dark and shiny. Add the port, flame with a match, cook away, then stir in the flour, followed gradually by the stock and reserved porcini liquid. Simmer to your desired consistency, then blitz with a stick blender and strain through a sieve.
  9. Leave the Wellington to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving with the gravy. Delicious served with steamed greens.