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Spinach Roularde with Tomato Basil Sauce© Kevin Ashton 2003

When hosting a dinner party often the guest list includes vegetarians, which for non vegetarians cooks can be a scary prospect or lead to some thing very safe and boring.
Here is a great dish that is easy to prepare and even easier to serve.
Don’t be scared by the name.....just think of a savoury swiss roll made of spinach and filled with cream cheese & mushrooms.

Spinach Roularde with Tomato Basil Sauce© Kevin Ashton 2003

One bag of fresh spinach (300grams) well washed
I packet of dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
250 grams Cream cheese
227grams of Chestnut mushrooms (washed & sliced)
1-2 cloves of garlic (peeled but don’t chop)
6 large organic eggs (carefully seperate yolks from whites)
30grams melted butter
pinch of plain flour
1 swiss roll pan (approx 9 inch x 13)

Method

1. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms and let sit for 30 minutes before going to the next step.
2. Gently fry the sliced chestnut mushrooms in half the melted butter together with the garlic.
3. When golden brown add the porcini mushrooms and half the water you’ve soaked them in and continue to cook on a low heat until all the liquid has evaporated, then remove from the heat and cool, then refridgerate.
4. Wilt spinach in a stainless steel saucepan (there should be enough moisture from washing the spinach to make adding any unnecessary) then drainwell pressing out the water, season with salt, pepper & cool down.
5. Brush the swiss roll tin well with melted butter then line with baking parchment, then brush again with butter and dust with plain flour.
6. Put cold spinach in a food processer and chop well.
7. Whisk egg yolks until they turn pale yellow & stiff, then fold into chopped spinach.
8. In a seperate clean bowl whisk the egg whites into a stiff “meringue”, then gently fold into the mix.
9. Spread mix onto the lined swiss roll tin evenly using a palette knife.
10. Bake in a hot oven (gas mark 6) for about 8-12 minutes until firm to the touch but not brown.
11. Turn cooled roularde out onto a clean tea towel, gently removing paper then gently turn over the roularde again.
12. Pick out the garlic cloves from the cold mushroom mix then stir into the cream cheese and season if necessary with salt & pepper.
13. Spread the cream cheese mix onto the roularde gently making it as even as possible.
14. Roll up the roularde, starting fairly tightly and keep an even thickness, then wrap in the tea towel. Let the roularde “set” for one hour before slicing.
15. Cut 2 one inch slices and gently warm & serve with a tomato & basil sauce.

*Chef’s Tip
If you’ve always wanted to know how to make a really great tomato sauce then look for next Sunday’s recipe!!

Spinach Roularde with Tomato Basil Sauce© Kevin Ashton 2003

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Crisp Chinese Roast Pork with spicy Shrimp Broth serves 4 © Kevin Ashton 2005

I first demonstrated this dish at BBC's Good Food Show 2005 which held every year at the NEC in Birmingham. Chinese food is not always about stir fried vegetables, in this recipe I have created a wonderful contrast between the crispy yet succulent pork belly and the spicy shrimp. This dish I

1 kilo belly of pork
1 pack of straight to the wok noodles
2 teaspoon five spice
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppers
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon caster sugar
100 grams shitake mushroom
100 grams pak choi, sliced lengthwise
50 grams trimmed sugar snap peas
3 cloves garlic chopped
20 grams ginger finely chopped
1/2 large red pepper sliced
1 litre chicken stock
2 Tbsp oyster sauce.
20 raw tiger shrimp
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 red chili deseeded, finely diced

1. Using a pestle & mortar grind up the Szechuan & black peppers and the mustard seeds until the mix is fine then add the five spice & sugar.
2. Spike the skin of the pork belly well with a metal skewer, then pour a kettle of boiling water over it. Leave it to drain and then dry well with paper towels.
3. Turn the pork belly meat side up and rub the dry spice mix into the meat well.
4. Preheat oven to 200 C (gas mark 6), then place the pork belly on a wire rack skin side up and sit that over a roasting tray half filled with cold water.
5. Place in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180 C (gas mark 4) & cook for a further 2 hours.
6. Cut off the stalks from the shitake mushrooms and put them into a stainless steel saucepan together the chicken stock & oyster sauce. Simmer on a medium high heat until you have
500 ml left.
7. Meanwhile slice the shitake mushrooms.
8. Strain the chicken stock then add the mushrooms slices,red pepper, pak choy, red chili & sugersnap peas... then turn off the heat.
8. In a hot wok stir fry quickly the shrimp in the oil, with the garlic & ginger for 4 minutes, then remove from the heat
9. Increase the temperature of the oven to 220 C (gas mark 8) and roast the pork belly for a further 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and keep the door slightly ajar .
10. Check the the red pepper in the stock is cooked enough , then add the shrimp & the noodles.
11. Divide the shrimp broth between 4 bowls, then cut up the pork belly into bite sized squares and place a few pieces on top of each bowl.

Chef’s Tips
You can marinade the pork belly for longer before roasting it you wish.
Make sure you have a good sharp knife handy to cut up the pork, if you do have difficulty then try turning the pork upside down so that the knife goes through the meat then the crackling.
© Kevin Ashton 2005