Winter hearty meals August 7th, 2024

Fill your belly with these wonderous Granny Mouse recipes

 

The winter chill certainly conjures up hunger as we delve into more decadent dishes, and there's nothing more comforting than indulging in hearty, home-cooked meals that warm both body and soul.

 

Granny Mouse Country House & Spa offers a selection of delightful recipes perfect for these cold winter months. Each dish is crafted with love and tradition, they are more than just meals; they are a celebration of winter's unique flavours, designed to fill your belly and warm your heart during the frosty months.

 

Beef Fillet with Red Wine and Coffee Sauce

 

Ingredients

 

·         4 x 200g beef fillet

 

·         20g plunger coffee

 

·         500ml red wine

 

·         100g sugar

 

·         1 sprig fresh thyme

 

·         200g cold mashed potato

 

·         3 cloves garlic, crushed and pureed

 

·         50ml cream

 

·         40g streaky bacon, cut into cubes

 

·         100g baby carrots, blanched for 30 seconds

 

·         100g broccoli florets, blanched for 30 seconds

 

·         40g butter for cooking

 

·         Salt & pepper for seasoning

 

Method:

 

1.       In a coffee plunger, make the coffee with 400ml of water. Strain the coffee and allow to cool.

 

2.       In the meantime, pour the wine in a saucepan and reduce by half on medium heat. Add the sugar, thyme and coffee to this and continue to reduce until the sauce has thickened.

 

3.       In a food processor, place the mashed potato, garlic and cream. Blend for 5 to 8 minutes until it becomes a smooth puree.

 

4.       Season with salt and pepper to taste

 

5.       Cut the carrots in half-length ways, sauté together with the broccoli in a pan of butter for about 3 minutes.

 

6.       In a hot frying pan, sear the fillet in some butter turning occasionally so that all the sides are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper before placing in the oven, until it is cooked to your liking. Remove and allow to rest. While the steak is resting, warm up the potato puree, vegetables and sauce (separately). Use a table spoon to place a dollop of puree on one end of the plate, and then with the back end of the spoon, smear the puree towards the opposite end. Arrange the broccoli and carrots along the outer end of the puree. Place the steak down the middle and drizzle the sauce over.

 

Roasted butternut and Tandoori Soup

 

Ingredients:

 

·         3g Butternut

 

·         2x Star anise

 

·         2x Stick Cinnamon

 

·         2 sprigs of Thyme

 

·         2x Bay leaves

 

·         60ml Honey

 

·         2 Tbls Tandoori paste

 

·         2x Onions

 

·         Salt

 

·         Water

 

·         30 ml Oil

 

·         200ml Cream (optional)

 

Here are the steps to make this delicious winter soup.

 

Step 1:

 

1.       Peel and cut the butternut into big chunky pieces ,remove the seeds and the hairy membrane from the core with a tablespoon

 

2.       Place the butternut (spread out) on a large deep oven tray

 

3.       Add in the oil, honey and thyme with the star anise and cinnamon sticks

 

4.       Add in water to cover the bottom of the tray and cover with foil making sure that there is no air that will escape

 

5.       Place the tray in the oven for about 20 min on 180˚c

 

6.       Remove from the oven but keep foil in place (this will help keep the moisture in) and then set aside.

 

Step 2:

 

1.       Cut the onions into slivers and sauté (fry) in a large pan over medium heat

 

2.       Add in one bay leaf and allow the onions to reach a golden brown colour

 

3.       Once the onions are ready, remove from the heat and set aside

 

Step 3:

 

1.       Set the oven to 200˚c

 

2.       Remove the foil from the butternut and remove the star anise, cinnamon and bay leaf

 

3.       Place the tray into the oven once hot to allow the roasting process to take effect  (this should take up to 10 minutes)

 

4.       In a large pot, add in the roasted butternut and caramelised onion and top up with water until the butternut and onion is covered with the liquid

 

5.       Bring the pot to medium high heat and cook until the butternut starts breaking down

 

6.       Add in the tandoori paste and blend with a hand blender until smooth and thick

 

7.       Add in the cream and simmer until ready for use

 

8.       Season with salt to taste, serve and enjoy.

 

For the Focaccia:

 

Ingredients:

 

·         20 g Fresh yeast

 

·         350 ml Luke warm water

 

·         45 ml Extra virgin olive oil

 

·         500 g White bread flour

 

·         10 ml Salt

 

·         15 ml chopped fresh herbs (i.e. rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley)

 

Method:

 

1.       Mix the fresh yeast into the Luke warm water and stir in the oil.

 

2.       Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre, pouring the yeast mixture in and mixing into soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 – 10 min. The dough must become smooth and elastic.

 

3.       Place the dough onto a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to double in size, 1 – 1 ½ hours.

 

4.       Turn the dough out again onto a lightly floured surface and punch it down or Knock back.

 

5.       Gently knead in the chopped fresh herbs and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 3 cm onto an oiled baking tray. Poke the dough with your finger tips to make deep holes in the surface. Cover and prove again till doubled in size. Uncover and drizzle the dough with some more olive oil and sprinkle some chopped garlic into the holes.

 

6.       Place into a pre- heated oven of 200˚c.

 

7.       Bake for about 25-30 min or until the bread has come to a golden brown colour.

 

8.       After baking, immediately remove the bread from the tray and transfer to a wire rack and let it cool slightly.

 

 This bread is delicious warm, with some freshly made soup. Also try and place a couple of sundried tomatoes sliced up, inside the dough for extra flavour.

 

Try out these recipes today, or if you’d rather be waited on and have delicious dishes like this served to you whilst you soak up the hospitality that Granny Mouse offers, make a booking today by contacting them on (033) 234-4071 or email reservations@grannymouse.co.za

 

Article Courtesy of www.sanda-marketing.com