Mary Rose Quigg - Mary Roses 1001 Country Cookery Tips

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Reprinted 2005

Text 2002 Mary Rose Quigg
Design & Layout 2002 TAJ BOOKS LTD
Cover Drawing 2003 Brenda Quigg

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted In any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, Photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior Written permission
of the Publisher and copyright holders.

ISBN 1-84406-001-2
Print ISBN: 9781844060016
Digital ISBN: 9781844062300

Printed and bound in China

PUBLISHERS NOTE

The publisher and author do not take any responsibilityfor implementation of any recommendations, ideasand techniques in this book. Any use to which the recommendations, ideas and techniques areput is at the readers sole discretion and risk.

My thanks to Joe, Karen, Arleen, Orla, Cathal and Brenda for their encouragement and support. I am also indebted to family and friends who gave me recipes over the years.

When baking follow directions, when cooking, go by your own taste

Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements

In this book I have compiled a collection of my favourite recipes adapted over the years for use at home and at work. You will find throughout the book that ingredients for the dishes are generally available in local supermarkets or if you are into cooking then you will probably have many of them in your kitchen.

The recipes can be used for day to day cooking or for entertaining. Each section has a wide range to choose from with some useful hints included. You may notice that I use cream and butter frequently. Since we are all increasingly conscious of healthy eating, you can choose to use low fat alternatives but if you follow the saying use everything in moderation then used sparingly, butter and cream are usually best to enhance the flavour of many dishes.

I have shared many of these recipes with disenchanted cooks and teenagers and once they realised how simple it was to make a tasty pate, soup or casserole they discovered the pleasure of cooking. Some of them progressed to try baking or making preserves and found that there is nothing to beat a slice of home-made wheaten bread covered with blackcurrant jam!

I hope you enjoy making many of the dishes in this book and that they become firm favourites for years to come.

MARY ROSE

Some people like to paint a picture, or do gardening or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or woodcarving, or music

JULIA CHILD

COOKS TIPS

Serve melba toast with mousse appetisers. Toast slices of sandwich pan bread. Cut off the crusts. Using a thin bladed sharp knife split each slice of toast in half horizontally. Scrape off any small dough lumps. Bake, cut side up, in a hot oven or under a grill until golden, crisp and curled.

To ripen hard avocados, wrap in a paper bag with an orange, apple or banana and leave at room temperature.

To store half an avocado, leave the stone in it and smear lemon juice over the cut surface. Wrap tightly in cling-film until ready to use.

To stop discolouration of avocado mousse or dip, put the stones back into the mixture (temporarily) and smooth clingfilm right down on the surface to exclude any air - the browning is caused by oxidation.

Melons make a lovely appetiser, they can be served with slices of Parma Ham or smoked trout fillets.

If you are storing a melon in the refrigerator make sure to keep it in a sealed plastic bag or it will absorb the flavours of other food. Remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to lose some of the chill.

To test melon for ripeness, press the opposite end of the fruit from the stalk with your thumb - if it `gives a bit, then the fruit is ripe. It should also have a fragrant smell.

Asparagus should have the white skin removed from the lower end of the stalks, wash well and trim the stalks to an even length. Tie into a bundle and stand in a saucepan, tips upwards. Fill the saucepan with salted, boiling water up to below the tips. Cover the tips with tin foil so that the steam will cook them. cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve with hollandaise sauce or hot melted butter

Before slicing smoked salmon remove any bones with a pair of tweezers.

To serve smoked salmon - slice very thinly and serve with slices of lemon, a few capers, thinly sliced onion rings and buttered brown bread.

MACKEREL PATE

8oz(225g) smoked mackerel
4oz(125g) cottage or cream cheese
2tsp horseradish sauce
1/2pt(150ml) natural yoghurt
1tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp tomato puree
salt and black pepper

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mash well together. Chill before serving with brown bread or toast fingers. * For a spicier flavour add a small finely chopped red onion and a drop or two of Tabasco.

SMOKED TROUT PATE

6oz(150g) cream cheese
12oz(300g) smoked trout fillets
2tsp creamed horseradish juice and rind of lemon
salt and pepper

Cream the cheese until soft, flake the smoked trout and add to the cheese with the horseradish, lemon juice and rind. Season to taste. Spoon into 4 moulds or one large one, leave to chill. Smoked mackerel or salmon can also be used. Use cottage cheese with smoked mackerel and omit the horseradish with the smoked salmon.

SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE

1/2pt(300ml) milk
1 onion halved
1 carrot chopped
6 peppercorns
parsley
1/2oz(12g) butter, 1oz(25g) flour
1/8pt(75ml) chicken stock
1/2 oz(12g) gelatine, juice 1/2 lemon,
6oz(175g) smoked salmon, 2tbsp mayonnaise
1/4pt(150ml) cream, whipped

Add onion, carrot, parsley and peppercorns to milk, bring to the boil and infuse for 15 minutes. Strain and make white sauce with butter and flour. Cover with greaseproof paper and allow to cool. Dissolve gelatine in the hot stock. Allow to cool and fold into white sauce. Add chopped smoked salmon, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Whip cream and fold in. Pour into oiled mould and leave to set. Serves 4-6.

SMOKED & FRESH SALMON MOUSSE

12oz(350g) fresh salmon (no skin or bones)
little oil, salt and pepper
1tbsp lemon juice
3tbsp fish stock or white wine
1/2oz(12g) gelatine
1/2pt(300ml) yoghurt or cream
2tbsp thick mayonnaise
1tbsp tomato puree
4oz(125g) smoked salmon
2 egg whites

Place the fish into boiling water, add oil, seasoning, and half the lemon juice, poach gently for 8 minutes or until cooked. Drain and flake finely while still warm. Put 3tbsp fish stock or wine into a bowl over a pan of hot water and sprinkle gelatine on top, allow to dissolve. Cool slightly, add rest of lemon juice, yoghurt/cream, mayonnaise and tomato puree. Fold in the flaked salmon, allow the mixture to chill until it begins to stiffen slightly. Finely chop smoked salmon, whisk egg whites until stiff and fold both into the mixture. Spoon into an oiled mould and allow to set. Turn out on a bed of lettuce and garnish with cucumber and lemon slices. Serves 6