FEAST DAY MENU FOR THE ASSUMPTION

 ASSUMPTION

Wednesday 12 August

THE FIRST MENU:

AUSTRALIAN TRADITIONAL FEAST DAY FARE

It seems that there is a, (recent), Australian tradition of a Feast Day meal of chicken on Assumption Day - to symbolise flight. The following is a suggested menu, with recipes.

ENTRÉE: Garlic and Herb Soup, (Aigo-Bouido)

MAIN COURSE: Chicken with Tarragon Butter

DESSERT: Lavender Pannacotta.

ENTRÉE: AIGO – BOULIDO

[Garlic and Herb Soup]

(Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, at p. 172)

INGREDIENTS

8 tblspns Olive Oil

2 leeks, sliced

1 onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tomatoes, pureed, seeds discarded

8 cups water

4 medium potatoes, diced

1 bouquet garni (sprigs thyme, sage, bay leaf tied together and removed before serving)

dash orange peel

salt and pepper to taste

4 slices bread

1 bunch parsley

Grated cheese: Emmenthal and Gruyere

METHOD

1 In a soup pot, sauté leek, onion and garlic in the oil. Add the

tomato puree and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add water,

potatoes, bouquet garni, orange peel, salt and pepper. Cover the

pot, boil for 20 minutes, then simmer for a further 20 minutes.

Strain the soup and discard the herbs and vegetables.

2 Prepare 4 soup bowls and place a slice of bread in the centre of

each. Ladle the soup into the bowls and top with the cheese.

Place the cheese under a grill to melt and sprinkle parsley on the top to serve.

MAIN COURSE: ROAST CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON BUTTER AND DUTCH CARROTS

[Gourmet Traveller October 2015; Image SBS.com]

INGREDIENTS

1 Butterflied chicken

Juice and rind of 1 lemon

2 bunches Dutch carrots, trimmed, scrubbed, halved

2 tbspn olive oil

2 tspn coarsely chopped thyme

TARRAGON BUTTER

200 gm softened butter

¼ cup finely chopped tarragon

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tbspn finely chopped thyme

TO SERVE:

Green leaf salad dressed with vinaigrette

METHOD:

1 Preheat oven to 220 degrees.

TARRAGON BUTTER: Process all ingredients in a food

processor until smooth, season to taste and set aside.

2 Place chicken on an oven tray lined with baking paper, pat dry

with paper towels, then spread skin thickly with tarragon butter

(it’s easiest to do this with your hands). Roast chicken, basting

occasionally with pan juices, until golden brown and juices run

clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer (20-25

minutes). Place on a platter and squeeze lemon juice over.

3 Meanwhile line a roasting pan with baking paper. Add carrots and

toss with oil, thyme and lemon rind in pan, season to taste and

roast until tender and golden brown (15-20 minutes). Add to the

platter, drizzle roast chicken with pan juices and serve with green

salad.

LAVENDER PANNACOTTA

[image the kiwicook.com]

2 tblspns dried lavender flowers

400 ml pouring cream

1 cup milk

1 ½ tspns powdered gelatin

¼ cup lavender or floral honey

METHOD:

1 Divide lavender flowers between 2 pieces of

muslin and tie with string to form sachets.

2 Steep one lavender sachet in 100ml hot

water for 5 minutes, using a spoon to

immerse it, then remove sachet, reserving

both sachet and water. Bring the lavender

water to the boil, sprinkle with gelatin and

whisk with a fork until the gelatin dissolves.

3 Combine cream, reserved lavender sachet

and the quarter cup of honey in a large

saucepan using a wooden spoon to keep the

sachet immersed and gently bring to scalding

point (but don’t boil), then take off the heat.

Let stand 15 minutes.

4 Add the dissolved gelatin mixture to the

cream mixture, then mix in the milk.

5 Strain the mixture into a jug, then pour into 6

lightly greased 125 mls ramekins or moulds

and let them set until the mixture is

completely cooled to room temperature. Cover

and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

8 TO SERVE: Take the pannacotta out of the

fridge and let them stand for 15 minutes. Run

a palette knife around the outside then place

a serving dish over the ramekin and invert.

9 Garnish with sliced strawberries.