Contact Gilli Cliff:
Mosswood Cottage
Crayke
York
YO61 4TQ

Tel/Fax: 01347 822386
Mobile: 07710 421251
Email: gilli@countrycook.co.uk

LOCAL PRODUCE

Asparagus and Yorkshire Blue Tart

225g (8oz) puff pastry

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

A bunch of asparagus, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

100g (4oz) Yorkshire blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 230’c.  And heat a large baking sheet.

On a sheet of non-stick parchment paper, roll out the pastry as thin as possible.  Scatter the parmesan over one half of the pastry, then fold the other half over the top.  Roll again until it is as thin as possible again.

Toss the asparagus in the olive oil until it is coated, then arrange it along the pastry.  Scatter the cheese over it.

Chill for at least half an hour.  To bake, lift the baking parchment onto the preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until it is puffed up round the edges and well browned.

Roast Squash Salad

A slice of two of squash, cubed

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped

Mix of salad leaves

Asparagus blanched, mangetout or green beans

Toasted almond flakes or pine nuts or cashews

Dressing:  3 tablespoons rapeseed oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard, salt and pepper.

Put the cubed squash into a bowl and toss with some rapeseed oil, seasoning and fresh herbs.   Roast in a tin in a hot oven for 20 minutes. 

Toast the nuts.  Arrange the salad leaves over 4 plates, scatter over the vegetables, nuts and roast squash.

Courgette and Yorkshire Feta Fritters

450g (8oz) courgettes, coarsely grated

1 small onion, very finely chopped

½ cup of chopped dill (optional)

½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

75g (3oz) Yorkshire feta, coarsely grated

4 eggs, lightly beaten

150g (5oz) plain flour

Some oil for shallow frying

Place the courgettes in a clean tea towel and twist to squeeze out the moisture.  Place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, and mix well.  Heat a large frying pan with a little oil and spoon in two or three tablespoons of mixture to make fritters.  Fry till crisp and golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

Chicken with Sorrel and Parsley Salsa Verde

1 large roasting chicken,

Salsa Verde

Roast the chicken in a medium oven until it is cooked right through.  Divide into portions and serve with the Salsa Verde.

Blend a good handful of sorrel leaves with 1 tablespoon of parsley,  1 tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of capers, gherkins and Dijon mustard with one clove of garlic and seasoning.

Soft Fruit in Champagne Jelly

300ml (10 fl oz) dry white wine

50ml (2 fl oz) elderflower cordial

1 x 11g powdered gelatine or 2 sheets leaf gelatine

A mixture of soft fruit, strawberries, currants, raspberries etc.

Mix with wine with the elderflower cordial. 

Heat a little (1/2 cup) of this mixture and stir in the gelatine gradules.  Stir well to dissolve.

Add the gelatine to the remaining wine and elderflower cordial and cool until it is on the point of setting.

Use 4- 6 (depending of size)  individual dariole moulds or ramekins and arrange a layer of soft fruit across the bottom.  Pour in enough cold jelly to just cover the fruit and return the mould to the fridge to set.  Once this layer has set add another layer of fruit and jelly and continue like this until the mould is full.

Chill the jellies for a couple of hours before serving.