Confirming that home is best for the post-Church bash
CONFIRMATION — a happy time when family members of all ages get together to celebrate and enjoy a family meal.
For the cook it’s important to get ahead, so that back home after the church, there’s nothing more to do than pop something in the oven. The ceremony can be long, so appetites will be sharpened and a proper main course is called for. Dessert is a delicious almost flourless gateau which can be made a few days ahead. Enjoy.
Serves 6-8
With no white sauce to make, this is just an assembly of ingredients, topped with stripes of creamy sweet and regular potato.
500g potatoes
250g sweet potatoes (2 medium size)
The aim with mashed potatoes for this pie is to keep the potato dry so it won’t sink into the filling. Boiling may cause water absorption unless you are very careful, and if cooking for a crowd, the oven can be economical. Pre-heat the oven to 200c, 400f, gas 6. Lay the potatoes and sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Cook for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on size, until cooked inside. They can also be steamed.
Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins.
Mash the two types of potatoes separately, adding butter, salt and pepper to taste.
1 kg thick fish (hake, cod, haddock, monkfish, or a mixture)
400g cream cheese
100ml fish or vegetable stock
Dessp fish sauce (nam pla) (optional)
1 onion, grated finely
2 carrots, grated thickly
1 stick celery, chopped finely
Dessp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Handful peas, cooked
Shelled prawns are good here too. Remove shells while still raw and add to the fish. Roast the shells in the oven at 200c for 20 minutes. Make an easy stock from them with the skins of the onions and peelings from the carrots by covering with water and boiling for 30 minutes until they reduce to about 150ml. Ready-made seafood bisque works too, or simple vegetable stock. Mix the stock with the cream cheese and fish sauce.
Cut the fish into 4cm pieces and toss with all the ingredients, except the potatoes and sweet potato. Season with salt and pepper if not using the fish sauce. Pour into a baking dish, suitable for serving at the table.
Top with the two types of potatoes, in whatever pattern you like, and dot with flecks of butter to help it to brown. Put any leftover potatoes in another dish. At this stage the pie can be refrigerated and kept for up to 24 hours.
Bake at 180c 350f gas 4 for 30 minutes or until the pie is bubbling and the topping nicely browned. It will take longer if it has been refrigerated.
This low-flour recipe started life as a walnut mousse gateau from the wonderful Jocelyn Dimbleby whose (out of print) books for Sainsburys supermarkets in the 80s are amongst my favourites. It will serve at least 12, so ideal for a special occasion.
175g icing sugar
125g ground almonds
3 eggs
25g plain flour
4 egg whites
Pinch salt
4 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
125ml water
150g unsalted butter
3 tbsp dark rum (optional)
125g hazelnuts, chopped finely
150ml cream, lightly whipped
175g dark chocolate
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water
25g unsalted butter
Hazelnuts and grated chocolate to decorate.
Preheat oven to 200c, 400f, gas 6.
Butter the sides and place discs of non-stick paper at the bottom of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins.
Whisk 125g of the icing sugar, almonds and the 3 whole eggs until pale. Stir in the flour.
Whisk the egg whites with the salt and remaining icing sugar to soft peaks. Add gently to the almond mixture and divide into the two tins. Cook 15-20 mins until springy. While cooling, they may sink a little. Split each one in half to make 4 layers.
While the cake is in the oven, dissolve the sugar in a saucepan with the water. Boil briskly for 3 mins. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in a bowl, then whisk in the sugar syrup in a slow stream. Add the butter, a teaspoon at a time, and keep whisking until the mixture has cooled down. Add the rum, hazelnuts and whipped cream.
Place the bottom layer of the cake on a serving plate. Tuck 4 strips of greaseproof paper underneath to catch the drips of the icing.
Divide the hazelnut filling in 3 and spread on each cooled cake layer.
Melt the chocolate in a low oven or microwave. Add the honey and 1 tbsp of the water and mix well. Add the butter and the rest of the water for a smooth, shiny mix. As it cools it will thicken slightly and be easy to spread over the cake, but don’t wait too long as it hardens quickly. Spread and swirl the icing all over, quickly, and top with hazelnuts and grated chocolate. Remove the strips of greaseproof before serving.
