Forget the original Pimm’s that is enjoyed at all the finest sporting events across the UK.
I spotted this recipe in the Mendip Times during a recent visit to Somerset. A Mendip version of recipe created by John the Chef from Fernhill Farm.
We haven’t made it yet, but if you do please let us know what you think of it!
This is a recipe that I learnt of recently whilst visiting Stowe, a ski area of Vermont, and this dish will certainly warm you up after a day on the slopes.
Ingredients
Method
Simmer peeled potatoes and chicken stock together with the cider until chicken is tender. Puree in blender.
Slow roast sausage, chill, then blend in food processor, not too fine. Add sausage to soup mixture.
Sweat onion in veg oil until tranlucent. Add paprika and and stir for a further 3 minutes. Add to soup mixture.
Add cream to soup mixture.
Simmer 1kg of diced potato in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse and add to soup mixture.
Serve with crusty bread.
Serves 4 – 6 people
Not familiar with quince? It’s a hard fruit that looks sort of like a cross between an apple and a pear. Most varieties you can’t eat raw, only cooked. They cook up pink and have a wonderful sweet floral aroma. Like apples and pears, they’re in season during autumn.
Quince paste is practically the national snack of Spain when paired with Manchego, sheep’s milk cheese. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll see what all the fuss is about, and you may even be motivated to try your hand at making some, which is exactly what happened to me.
Ingredients:
Method:
Thoroughly wash the quince. Then peel and chop roughly. Place chopped quince in a bowl of water. Set the cores aside in another large clean bowl of water for two hours. You will use this water later.
After two hours remove the quince cores from your bowl of water and discard. Place quince pieces in a large saucepan. Add the “quince core water” to the saucepan so that the fruit is barely covered. Add the vanilla pod and lemon peel and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook until the quince pieces are fork tender (20-40 minutes).
Raw quince with lemon peel and vanilla pod – Strain the water from the quince pieces. Take out the vanilla pod and discard but keep the lemon peel with the quince. Purée the quince pieces in a food processor, blender, or by using a food mill.
Making quince puree with the food mill – For the paste you will need equal quantities of sugar and quince. Measure the quince purée. If you have 4 cups of purée, you’ll need 4 cups of sugar. Return the quince purée to the large pan and add the sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice.
Quince puree and sugar – Continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the quince paste is very thick and has a deep orange pink color. Test by dropping a little of the mixture on a plate to see if it sets to a jam-like consistency when it cools.
Preheat oven to a low 125°F (52°C). Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper with a thin coating of butter. Pour the cooked quince paste into the parchment paper-lined baking pan. Smooth out the top of the paste so it is even. Place in the oven for about 8 hours to help it dry. Remove from oven and let cool.
If you have unset quince paste, simply returned the quince to the baking pan so that the uncooked part was on top, until the paste is fully set.
Serving suggestion – Cut into squares or wedges and present with the spanish Manchego cheese. To eat, take a small slice of the quince paste and spread it on top of a slice of the cheese.
Storage – Wrap in plastic film and keep in the refrigerator.
This warm, comforting drink is easy to prepare and is best shared with friends either indoors or outdoors round an open fire.
