Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
BIKER BLINIS
marzipan until it’s large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. If the top of the cake is uneven, shave some off so it’s flat, then upturn it so the bottom becomes the top – this will give you a cleaner finish. Warm the jam, then brush over the cake. Cover with marzipan and leave to dry overnight.
To make the royal icing, whisk the aquafaba with the cream of tartar until it has frothed up but is nowhere near soft peaks (you don’t want it too aerated). Add the sugar all at once and stir until combined. It needs to be a reluctant dropping consistency – add a few drops of lemon juice to thin it if necessary or more icing sugar to thicken. Pour the icing over the cake and smooth it with a palette knife. For a rough snow scene, use a palette knife to form peaks. Or, if you prefer, make it as smooth as you can by dipping the palette knife in just-boiled water and dragging it over the icing in a circular motion. Leave to set, then add any extra decorations you like.
2018 WIRRA WIRRA, CHURCH BLOCK, CABERNET/SHIRAZ/ MERLOT, MCLAREN VALE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
One of the finest Church Blocks ever made – and that’s saying something – this is classy, briary, deeply plummy and, like the Catena (see left), irresistible with the Veggie Wellington.
Makes about 16 l 100g (3½oz)
buckwheat flour
l 50g (1¾oz) strong
white flour
l ½tsp instant dried yeast
l ½tsp salt
l 150ml (5fl oz) whole
milk
l 100ml (3½fl oz) soured
cream or Greek yoghurt
l 2 eggs, separated
l Butter, for frying
To serve
200g (7oz) vegetarian cream cheese
Sea salt and black pepper
A handful of basil and mint leaves
l ½ a jar of tapenade
l 16 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
Olive oil
llllPut both flours into a bowl. the yeast and mix, then add the salt and mix again.
Pour the milk into a pan and heat gently until blood temperature (a bit hotter than tepid). Remove from the heat and whisk in the soured cream or yoghurt and the egg yolks. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir well. Cover the bowl with a cloth or clingfilm and leave in a warm place until the mixture looks very well aerated. This will take up to 2 hours.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add a large tablespoon of the egg whites to the batter and stir, then fold in the rest, trying to keep as much volume as possible. Cover and leave for another hour to aerate again.
Heat a knob of butter in a large frying pan. Add
The Hairy Bikers’ Veggie Feasts by Si King and Dave Myers is published by Seven Dials, £22. © Dave Myers and Si King 2020. To order a copy for £18.70 go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. Free UK delivery on orders over £15. Offer price valid until 12/12/2020.
2019 NARDELLI, COLLEZIONE EIMEARA, TUSCANY, ITALY
£9, Co-op
Darker and more powerful than the Campriano (see right), this is yet another dream partner for the Veggie Wellington. Give it half an hour in a decanter and the violet perfume and blackberry and pomegranate flavour will transport you to Tuscany. large tablespoons of the batter and swirl into thin rounds, making sure they are spaced out. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round – it’s part of the charm. Flip the blinis over when the air bubbles have burst all over the surface, then cook on the other side. They should take about a minute per side. Continue frying the blinis, adding a little butter each time. Cool to room temperature.
To assemble, mix the cream cheese with some salt and pepper. Set aside a few tiny basil and mint leaves for a garnish, then finely chop the rest and mix with the cream cheese. Spread a teaspoon of the mix over each blini, then top with a swirl of tapenade and chopped tomatoes. Drizzle with a little oil and top with the reserved basil and mint.
Colli Senesi is the most southern of the seven Chianti sub-zones, and heavenly, sensual Campriano is a superstar there. The year’s top-value Chianti, it goes fabulously with the Biker Blinis.
CHEDDAR GORGE
Don’t forget to order cheese in time for Christmas. A truckle of mature Cheddar is a good gift and is great to have around. Keen’s and Montgomery’s (who make the rich Ogleshield, using
Jersey milk) do good ones. But my favourite is the Cheddar-style Lincolnshire Poacher.
EASY CHEESY TOP TIPS
The flesh on fish like pollock or hake is delicate and can get mushy. So before cooking, try giving them a good sprinkling of salt and leave for 10 minutes, then wash it off and pat really dry to help the fish firm up. If you pan fry them, use a good nonstick pan and make sure it’s hot – dusting the fish with a little bit of flour can help too.
BACK IN TIME
Rarebits are great at this time of year. Cook your cheese with a little milk, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and mustard, and thicken with a touch of flour. Let it go cold, cut it up, put on toast or a piece of haddock, and grill it. Before lockdown, I took my mum to Bettys Tea Rooms in York, they do a great one. I also love their Fat Rascals which look like a scone gone wrong – they sell them online, bettys.co.uk.
Chicken Kiev is a great retro dish. Mix garlic (raw if you like it strong, or I roast it) with some soft butter and parsley. Make a hole with a knife in the thick end of a breast and wiggle to make a pocket inside. Use a piping bag to squeeze the butter in. Coat in two layers of flour and egg, then breadcrumbs. Pop in the fridge for an hour, for the butter to set. Then cook in a deep fat frier at 160ºc for 8-10 minutes. non-dairy spread and enough iced water to bring the dough together. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least half an hour