the METRONOME Menu #2

MNM#2

This suggestion should keep you in the kitchen a while, but with long intervals. All dishes are easy to make, and do not require much of attention. Main course will be cauliflower & broccoli with cheese, accompanied by a green salad with bacon and blue cheese. For dessert a simple lemon posset, served with cookies or whipped cream. The menu could serve 4 people max. Enjoy !

Gather, wash and prepare your ingredients. Set up your work surfaces, and your chopping board. Preheat your oven to 220°C. Knive sharpened and ready. Hand towel close by. Use extra virgin olive oil for all the recipes (unless stated otherwise). Start with the dessert since it needs to stay in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Cauliflower & Broccoli with Cheese

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

1 small head of broccoli, cut into large florets

40gr butter

40gr flour

700ml milk

150gr Cheddar cheese (or Gooda cheese ; yellow cheese) plus 50gr extra for sprinkling

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Salt to taste

What to do :

1.      Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Boil the cauliflower florets for 5 minutes. After 3 minutes add the broccoli then drain both.

2.      To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium-sized pan. Spoon in the flour and stir for about a minute, without allowing it to brown. Remove from the heat and gradually beat in the milk, a few spoonfuls at a time at first, then increasing the flow as the sauce thins. Once all the milk has been added bring the sauce up to the boil, stirring constantly then remove from the heat. Finally stir in the cheese and mustard and season with a little salt and pepper.

3.      Place the broccoli and cauliflower in an ovenproof dish and pour over the sauce. Finish with a sprinkling of cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Green Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese

5-6 strips of good quality bacon

4 spring onions (medium size)

100gr rocket, chopped coarsely

200gr lettuce chopped coarsely, or other greens

50gr chopped parsley

4-5 tablespoons Blue cheese or Roquefort

½ lemon juice

Olive oil

Pinch of freshly ground pepper (green preferably)

Salt to taste

What to do :

1.      Cook the bacon in a hot skillet until crisp on both sides. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain and cool.

2.      Chop the green onions with a bit of their greens. Mix in a medium bowl with the greens and crumble in the bacon.

3.      Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, drizzle with the olive oil and the lemon. Then toss all the ingredients together. Crumble the blue cheese over the salad and serve.

Lemon Posset

2cups (480ml) heavy cream

2/3cups (170gr) granulated white sugar

5 tablespoons lemon juice (passed through a strainer)

What to do :

1.      In a small saucepan, heat cream and sugar to boiling, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling for 5 minutes. Watch the heat - don’t let the cream boil over.

2.      Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let cool, about 15 minutes.

3.      Pour even amounts into four ramekins. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until set.

4.      Serve with unsweetened whipped cream, or shortbread cookies to dunk.

For the original recipes please visit :

Ref.1 http://www.spar.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/CauliflowerandBroccoliCheese.aspx

Ref.2 http://www.food52.com/recipes/4351_assertive_green_salad_with_ramps_bacon_and_blue_cheese

Ref.3 http://www.food52.com/recipes/3060_lemon_posset