Wednesday 26 December 2018

Pearl Onion-Chestnut-Orange-Brussels Sprout Melange.

Caramelised Onions and Chestnuts with Glazed Oranges & Brussels Sprouts

So many flavours, textures, and colours that match perfectly.

It is made up for Christmas Day, and it is a wonderful choice for any meat at the festive table.

A versatile recipe; use your favourite liquor; it won't matter.





Festive and colourful, this flavourful recipe is a perfect combinations for any buffet table.





Serves 25 

100 gm diced bacon style meat (about 3 strips)
1/2 kg chestnuts, ready to eat
1/2 kg pearl onions, halved
1 tsp garlic puree
3 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp chestnut flour
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup rum
3 tbsp maple syrup

25 Brussels sprouts cut in half
100 gms diced chorizo or spicy sausage
2 oranges
1/4 cup sweet rum
1 tbsp brown sugar
dash of salt


In a skillet pan, fry the bacon meat. With a slotted spoon, remove and set aside the bacon. Continue frying with the pearl onions, cut side down, allowing them to caramelise. Do this in batches to cook through. You may need to add a touch of oil as you continue. Remove it and set it aside until finished. Now add all the chestnuts to the skillet. Give it a light toss and remove it.

In the same skillet, melt the butter with the chestnut flour. Mix well to avoid lumps, add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Add the rum and the maple syrup. Boil until the desired consistency is reached. Add the bacon, onion, and chestnuts to it. Taste it, and add salt and pepper if needed.

For the orange and Brussels sprouts, thinly slice one orange, add salt, sugar and sweet rum and marinate for as long as you can, preferably overnight.

The second orange should be juiced.

In a skillet or pan, fry the chorizo or sausage meat.

With a slotted spoon, remove and set aside.

In the same pan, continue caramelising the Brussels sprouts. Cooking it in batches is best. Keep the cut side down.

When all of them are done, return them to the pan. Toss them well and add the chorizo, and orange juice, plus the marinated orange juice from the sliced oranges. Salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, warm the onion and chestnuts and pour them into the dish.

Warm the Brussels sprouts and gently place them all around on the bed of marinated oranges.

Serve warm.


Tips

Use the ready-vacuum-packed chestnuts. It saves time.

While the sauce should coat the back of the spoon, it should not be too thick or hard to mix.

Add more chicken stock to thin it down if needed.

You can use any bacon or sausage of your choice. Use bacon with the least fat. Omitting the meats may reduce the intensity of the flavour, but it can still be delicious.

Do not overcook the Brussels sprouts. They will wilt and become discoloured.

Using the red/purple coloured baby pearl onions is preferred.


My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
















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