The Perfect Christmas spuds

The Perfect Christmas spuds

Fluffy on the inside, golden brown on the outside.

The secret is two cooking methods. Cook the potatoes in water

first and then oil.

The type of potato is important, you need a floury potato,

but you have to cook them for as long as you possibly can without

them completely disintegrating.

They need to really start breaking up, so the outside's almost pureed.

And then, really delicately, lift them out of the water...

be careful, if you just tip the pan out they'll start pureeing because they're so soft.

Then get your oil, and make sure you've got enough - a lot of people

don't put enough oil in the pan.

Baste them first so they're covered in the oil,

then place them in a really hot oven and keep turning them until crusty

and golden brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

There you go the Perfect Christmas spuds.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Galor.

Christmas chocolate truffles

Try out these Christmas chocolate truffles

Ingredients:

150g of the best quality dark chocolate, at least 75% cocoa
150 ml double cream
2 tbs of Grand Marnier orange liquor or rum or brandy etc...
Orange zest - optional
Cocoa powder for dusting

Method:
Break the chocolate into small pieces. In a small saucepan
bring the cream to simmering point and then mix with the
chocolate until you have a smooth, blended mixture.
Add the liquor and the orange zest. Refrigerate overnight.
When the mixture has set, roll the chocolate into little balls and
dust lightly with cocoa powder.

Result: an indulgent Christmas treat.

Christmas with a Galor Personal Chef

Time flies when you're having fun and we expect they'll be plenty of fun, over the Chrismas holidays. If you're starting to wonder what to do on Christmas day or New Years eve for example, then how about a dinner party with your ownpersonal chef? Here is one of our many sample menus; Canape Oysters with champagne sauce Amuse Bouche Minted Pea soup and crispy pancetta served in espresso cups Starter Hot foie gras with confi peach and marsala sauce Main Course Crispy duck with caramlised orange sauce, beetroot puree, chesnuts & confi of shallots Dessert Chocolate mango & coconut marquise Here is the recipe for our minted pea soup Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 brown onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 cups chicken stock 1/3 cup mint leaves 1kg frozen green peas Method Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add stock and bring to the boil. Add mint and peas. Cover and return to the boil.Cook for 3 minutes or until peas are tender but still bright green. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool slightly. Blend soup, in batches, until smooth. Return soup to saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. For the crispy pancetta Preheat grill on high. Place the pancetta on a baking tray and cook under grillfor 2-3 minutes each side or until crisp. Set aside to cool slightly. Break into pieces. BON APPETIT

The gift of a Personal Chef for a day

The gift of a Personal Chef for a day The process of compiling a Christmas gift guide can be arduous. Buying a gift to someone special needs good thinking, and when that special one has everything, it is even harder to choose something for them that you know they will use and enjoy. We have the perfect solution... Old folklore says that the way to someone's heart is through their stomach. A gift of a personal chef for the day will definitely do the trick. This is a unique gift that your family, friends, business partners, clients or employees will remember for a long time to come. Why not surprise someone with this original type of gift? A personal chef experience can be tailored for many different occasion. What better way to spoil that special person. A dining in evening with the one you love. A romantic evening for two by your own personal chef makes an unusual special gift idea. A "Private Cooking Lesson at home" voucher also makes the perfect gift for a foody.To make it work all you need to do is to contact us for a complimentary consultation to discuss the gift voucher idea that you envisage. All the lucky recipient of the gift voucher needs to do then is let us know when they want to use our service. Galor will then provide the finest quality dining experience, completely bespoke for that special occasion.

Top Tip For A Tip Top Christmas Pud

The secret to a perfect pudding is all in the fruit.
Don't use dried sultanas you've found at the back of the
cupboard, buy the freshest and best quality fruit you can afford.

Try our Spooky Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Try Our Spooky Pumpkin Soup Recipe

www.privatepersonalchefs.co.uk

Halloween parties offer a great opportunity to have some fun in the kitchen. From making creepy cupcakes and scary cookies to a spooky soup, the possibilities are endless...

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 1kg pumpkins or squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
• 700ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 142ml tub of double cream
• Sour cream thinned with a little milk for the design

Method

• Heat half the olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook the onions for 5 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the pumpkin or squash to the pan, then carry on cooking for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it starts to soften and turn golden.
  
  
• Next...Pour the stock into the pan, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the squash is very soft. Pour the cream into the pan, bring back to the boil, then purée with a hand blender. For an extra-velvety consistency you can push the soup through a fine sieve into another pan.
  
  
• Finish with a Halloween Design, your soup is cooked and in a bowl. It's smooth and beautiful. Use thinned sour cream with a little milk inside and make a spiral design, take a little skewer and with the tip pull it through. There's your spider web soup. Enjoy!

BUY BRITISH

WHY IT IS BEST TO BUY BRITISH

http://www.galorpersonalhouseholdservices.co.uk/ 

• British meat is produced to some of the highest welfare standards in the world: no growth-promoting hormones are allowed and any antibiotics are administered only under veterinary direction.  

• Britain's pig farmers operate by UK law to standards of welfare that are higher than those of nearly every other EU member state; so think twice before buying that packet of pork, baconor ham with the words ‘product of the EU’.  There is a 70% chance that it comes from a farming system that would be illegal in Britain.  

• Britain's beef and sheep industries are the envy of the world; breeding livestock and genetics from our native breeds are much sought after by farmers in other countries.  Protect our great native livestock industry by buying the real thing, not an imported substitute.  

• Britain's cattle passport system means that each animal can be uniquely traced to its dam and place of birth.  

• Chicken carrying the British Red Tractor logo has been produced to a high set of standards covering every stage of the food chain from rearing to processing and can be traced back to the farm it came from. 

• British chicken is the safest chicken meat in Europe: 2% of British chickens have salmonella whereas 30% of European chickens have the disease. 

• Eating British fruits and vegetables in season is good for you.  Foods in season contain the nutrients, minerals and trace elements that our bodies need at particular times of the year.  

• British food travels less far from farm to shop so regardless of how carbon footprints are calculated it self-evidently has a lower carbon footprint.  

• Choosing British means supporting British farmers whose work helps to keep the British countryside the way we want it to look: no sheep or cows - no countryside!