Sweet Vanilla Risotto With Calvados And Caramelised Apples Recipes

APPLE CARAMEL CALVADOS CREPES

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, combine flour, milk and egg. Process just until blended. Pour into a pitcher and stir in 2 tablespoons melted butter and the Calvados.
• Place a crepe pan or small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with butter. Allow pan to heat for about a minute; if it is not hot enough batter will not spread thinly. Ladle a scant 1/4-cup batter into pan and quickly swirl so batter forms a thin pancake. Return pan to heat and watch for tiny bubbles to form on surface and edges of pancake. Flip pancake; it should be light golden brown. Allow to cook about 30 seconds longer, then transfer to a plate lined with parchment paper. Continue making pancakes, layering each one with parchment. Crepes may be covered and stored at room temperature for up to a day.
• Peel, core and cut each apple in two. Cut the two pieces into four wedges, and cut each wedge crosswise. Place in a saucepan and add lemon juice, butter and sugar. Place over medium heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Cover and continue to cook and stir for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
• In a small saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then add cream and Calvados. Continue to simmer until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To assemble, place a room-temperature crepe on a plate. Spoon warm apple filling into center, and fold edges over it. Drizzle warm sauce on top. Repeat with remaining crepes, and serve.

CREAMY VEGGIE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large shallow pan. Tip in the onion, parsnip and carrots, cover and gently fry for 8 mins until the onion is very soft.
• Stir in the rice and bay leaf, then gently fry for another 2-3 mins until the rice starts to turn see-through around the edges. Add 300ml of the stock and simmer over a gentle heat, stirring until it has all been absorbed. Carry on adding the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, letting it be absorbed before adding more. Continue until the rice is just cooked and all the stock has been used, adding a little more water or stock if needed. This will take 18-20 mins.
• Remove the bay leaf from the cooked risotto and stir in the peas. Heat through for a few mins, then add most of the Parmesan and season to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

BAKED APPLES WITH CALVADOS SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/140C fan/gas 4. (When cooked with the fan, it's better to use a lower equivalent heat as the apple skins can burst before the apples are cooked if the heat is too intense.) Trim the bases off any apples that do not sit flat, without removing too much. Insert a small knife about a quarter way down the apple through to the core. Insert the corer at the base of the apple and slide up to the incision, twist the corer, then remove the core, keeping the apple's stalk intact.
• Brush a shallow ovenproof dish with some of the melted butter, then sprinkle over some of the sugar. Brush each apple with the remaining butter, then roll them in the remaining caster sugar. Place the apples in the dish and bake for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat the sugar in a small heavy-based pan over a medium heat until it reaches a dark golden caramel. Stir in the butter and the diced apple. Cook for 30 secs without moving the pan (use a spoon to cover the diced apples in the caramel mixture). Pour in the apple juice and bring to the boil. Stir in the diluted arrowroot, a little at a time, until it has thickened slightly, then remove from the heat and add the Calvados.
• For the garnish, toss the bread with half of the icing sugar, then scatter onto a baking tray. Mix the nuts, Calvados and remaining icing sugar together until well combined, then spread onto the same baking tray, mixing with the bread. Bake for 8-10 mins, stirring halfway through, or until the nuts and bread cubes are golden brown. Set aside to cool. 5 To serve, place one baked apple into the centre of each of 4 serving plates. Spoon the Calvados sauce into the centre and around the apple, then sprinkle over the toasted garnish.

CALVADOS-GLAZED APPLES

Steps:

• Quarter the apples, cut out the cores and trim the ends. Heat the butter in a frying pan and toss in the apple wedges and sage. Cook for 2 mins, then sprinkle in the golden caster sugar and continue cooking for about 5 mins, stirring gently until golden and softened. Pour in the Calvados and cautiously flambé. Season lightly and keep warm until ready to serve.