A light aperitif:

 

Smoked Salmon Kisses

 

200gm smoked salmon

Tub of cream cheese

Lemon Juice

Black pepper

Cucumber slices

 

Take a slice of smoked salmon, spread with cream cheese. 

Sprinkle with black pepper and squeeze lemon juice over.

Roll up into a ‘sausage’ shape and then cut into thin slices.

Place each slice onto a thin piece of cucumber.

 

Have cocktail sticks handy to avoid sticky fingers.

 

For a more substantial aperitif (or light starter) try our Cobnut Oil Bruschetta

 

Starter

 

Fillet  Tail with Hot Pepper Sauce

 

One long or two small fillet steak tails

One clove of garlic

Cobnut Oil

Black pepper

Hot pepper sauce

Chilli flakes in a mill (optional)

4 asparagus spears

 

Because of the shape of the fillet tail, the thinner end will be cooked more thoroughly,

resulting in contrasting textures through the piece of meat. 

Treat it like a mini-chateaubriand, and slice thinly before serving.

 

Take one (long) fillet tail for two people, or two small ones.

Allow the meat to warm to room temperature before cooking.

Rub the steak with Cobnut Oil and a clove of garlic and sprinkle with black pepper.

Heat a small amount of Cobnut Oil in a frying pan.

Crush the remaining garlic.

When the oil is sizzling, add the fillet tail, crushed garlic and a little salt.

 

Cook for two minutes each side (less for rare).

For ease, add the asparagus and fry at the same time

(or steam for four minutes if you prefer).

 

Remove steak from pan and allow to rest for a minute.

Slice the fillet tail finely, arranging the different sized slices artistically on the plate

(a question mark ? an exclamation mark ! or a heart)

-         

Drizzle a heart shape around the steak slices using hot pepper sauce,

 and pour remaining liquid from the frying pan onto the meat.

Place a large asparagus kiss (X) by the steak.

 

This is Valentine’s Day and if you fancy a little more spice -

add a devilish twist of chilli flakes –

 just one twist from a Chilli Mill should liven things up.

 

Serve with champagne

 

 

 

Lobster Thermidor

 

Some of us may be intimidated by the thought of preparing Lobster

… but don’t be -

 

This is reasonably quick and easy - basically it’s a creamy mustard sauce,

mixed up with lobster flesh and placed back into the shell. 

 

Delicious … and it’s bound to impress !

 

Ingredients

One cooked lobster (per person)

(ask the fishmonger to crack the shell so you can scoop out the meat easily)

 

2 tablespoons of fresh parmesan, grated

Breadcrumbs – for a crispy topping (finely grate a slice of very dry bread)

 

For the sauce

One tablespoon of Kentish Cobnut Oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

250mls of fish stock (buy ready-made or use a stock cube)

50ml white wine

100ml  double cream

1 teaspoon of  English mustard

2 tablespoons of chopped parsley

Juice of half a lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

A few scallops (optional)

 

Preparation

Remove lobster meat from the claws, tail and head.

Cut the meat up into pieces and place in a bowl.

Remove any unsightly parts, leaving the shell as clear as possible –

ready to re-fill later.

 

For the sauce, put the Cobnut Oil in a pan, add the onion and cook

Until softened. Add the stock and wine and bring to the boil. Reduce by half. Add the double cream, mustard, herbs, lemon juice and seasoning.

Mix the chopped lobster meat into the sauce to warm gently.

 

Put green beans on to steam.

 

Pre-heat the grill.  Spoon the mixed lobster meat and sauce back into the lobster halves. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.

Place the lobster halves under a pre-heated grill for 3-4 minutes until golden brown – but don’t burn the breadcrumbs.

 

 

If you enjoy scallops, throw these into the pan whilst the lobster is browning

- drizzle the scallops with Cobnut Oil, lemon juice and black pepper

 

Serve with fresh green beans (drizzled with Cobnut Oil), crusty bread

and a glass of champagne.

 

Dessert:

 

For a dessert you can prepare in advance

try our Chocolate Brownie recipe – served with whipped cream

 (see the website)

 

or

 

….. for something a little more special

 

Chocolate Fondue

 

Banana, strawberry, pineapple & marshmallows

200gm chocolate (milk, plain, or mixed)

1teaspoon of Cobnut Oil

1 tablespoon of Brandy

50mls of double or whipping cream

 

Fill a plate with marshmallows, strawberries, sliced banana and chopped pineapple.

 

Melt a 200gm bar of chocolate carefully (in a double pan, over water, ideally).

Follow instructions on the packet if you are melting in the microwave.

Be careful not to allow any water to mix with the chocolate.

Stir regularly.

 

As the chocolate softens, add a teaspoon of Cobnut Oil, a tablespoon of brandy

and a dollop of double cream (50mls).

 

Use forks or skewers to dip the fruit into the chocolate sauce.