Chris' Birthday Meal

Here we are............. Our first of many blogs to bring you recipe ideas, shared theme nights and adding the 'fun' back into cooking, because 'food tastes better with friends'

Eryn went to ballet and Chris went for a run….. I got to have some ‘me time’. I like nothing better than turning on my music (James Bay album today) as loud as it can possibly go, putting my apron on and having a good session in the kitchen!

It was my turn to make the starter and the main. Laura made the dessert. The theme was ‘Chris’ birthday meal’. I cooked his favourite which is not particularly complicated but it’s all about the timings……

Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

Ingredients – serves 4

4 large Portobello Mushrooms

½ Onion – diced finely

Knob of butter

½ tsp Dijon Mustard

80g soft cheese

20g Parmesan & extra for topping.

200ml double cream

10g Dried Porcini mushrooms & 100ml water

Panko breadcrumbs

Salt

Pepper

Crushed garlic cloves - 2

Method

• The sauce can be made in advance.
•  Add the dried mushrooms to 100ml of water and  leave to soak for minimum 30 mins.
•  Put a knob of butter (25g ish) into a sauce pan. Melt on a low heat and add the finely diced onions, salt, pepper and crushed garlic. Cook until soft but not brown. Approx. 5 mins.
• Add the Dijon mustard. Stir.
• Add the dried mushroom mix with the water – this will be a dark brown colour. Boil for 2 mins.
• Turn down the heat. Add the double cream and stir.
• Fold in the soft cheese and cook until melted.
• Add the parmesan cheese and cook until melted.
• Cook on a low heat for approx. 10 mins to reduce down.
• Put to one side.
• 15 mins before you want the starter – fill the mushrooms
• Preheat the oven to 180°
• Peel the mushrooms and remove the stalk from the middle.
• Pour some vegetable oil into a bowl and dip the outside of the mushroom into the oil to coat. 
• Place the mushrooms faced upwards onto a baking tray.
• Spoon in the sauce you made earlier covering the surface of the mushroom.
• Sprinkle on some breadcrumbs and top with parmesan.
• Add to a preheated oven and cook for approx. 10 mins or until golden brown on top.

Main:- 

Fillet Steak with Italian Roasted Potato, Wild Mushroom sauce and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 

Wild Mushroom sauce

Ingredients

½ onion – diced

Butter

Sliced organic chestnut mushrooms (they don’t have to be organic)

Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves crushed

Thyme

Double Cream

Method for sauce:

• Hydrate the dried mushrooms in the water for 30 mins.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the diced onion and garlic and cook on a low heat until soft.
• Add the sliced mushrooms.
• Season with salt and pepper and mustard
• Add the dried porcini mushrooms with the liqueur.
• Add the Dijon mustard and double cream.
• Add the thyme
• Cook for 8 mins until reduced. Put to one side.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C fan with a baking tray inside.
• Get the steak out of the fridge half an hour before wanting to cook with it and leave it to breath. Do not season at this stage as it will draw out the moisture from the meat.
• Cut the potatoes into wedges and add into a large bowl. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the wedges, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
• Mix together and lay out on the preheated baking tray. Add to the oven and cook for approx. 35- 40 mins until golden brown.
• Take the cherry tomatoes on the vine and add them to a roasting dish. Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add to the oven 8-10 mins before serving or after the potatoes have been for 25 mins.
• Everyone has their steak cooked differently and every steak is cut to different thicknesses so these cooking times are a guide. Please cook until you are happy with it. This was very stressful. I sprinkled the steaks with sea salt just before putting them in the pan.The well done steak I cooked in the frying pan for 6 mins both sides and added to the oven. I then started to cook the medium steak for 4 mins both sides then added to the oven. They finished off cooking in the oven for another 5 mins.
• The wild mushroom sauce I made in advance – see above. Reheat in the pan just before serving.
• The peas I put on 5 mins before serving.

Plate it all up on warm plates! I had everyone talking and drinking in the background, the 2 girls running around asking questions and I was trying to get 4 different components ready at the same time trying to make sure I’d got all the timings right! It was worth it though.