Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Chive Cream Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Yields 4-6 servings 1 Medium Sized Butternut Squash, Peeled and Seeded, Chopped 1 Medium Onion,Peeled,Chopped 1 Carrot, Peeled, Chopped 1 Small Sweet Potato, Peeled, Chopped 1 Rib, Celery, Chopped 2 Red Delicious Apples, Peeled, Cored, Chopped 1.5 Litres Vegetable Stock 1 Pinch Nutmeg To Taste Salt To Taste Pepper 2 TBSP Butter 1/4 Cup 35 % Cream (Whipping Cream) Optional Method Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat Add the onion and cook without colouring until slightly softened Add the remaining vegetables to the onions and saute until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the apples. Add the Vegetable Stock to the vegetable and apple mixture. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Turn soup down to a simmer and season with the salt and pepper. Add the Nutmeg. Simmer Soup until vegetables are very soft. Remove from heat and blend soup with a stick blender, Counter Blender or Food Processor. Strain Soup and return to stockpot. Add Cream (if using) and bring the soup to a boil. Check for Seasoning. Add more nutmeg if desired. Serve garnished with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Chive Cream Chive Cream Serves 4-6 1/4 Cup Sour Cream 1/4 Cup 35 Per Cent Cream Lightly Whipped 3 TBSP Chives, Fresh Chopped or Dried To Taste Salt To Taste Pepper Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms Serves 6-8 1 Beef Tenderloin, Center Cut, 800-900 Grams 1 1/2 Cups Wild Mushrooms, Coarsley Chopped(Fresh or Reconstituted Dry Blend) 3 TBSP Shallots, Chopped 2 Cups Spinach, Cleaned 1 Tsp Garlic, Chopped 2 TBSP Butter 1 TBSP Canola Oil To Taste Salt To Taste Pepper Butcher String or Skewers or Toothpicks or Scilicone Elastics Method Saute the Mushrooms with the Shallots in 1 TBSP of the Butter. Cook until Mushrooms have given up most of their liquid and the mixture is fairly dry and lightly coloured. Remove from pan and set aside to cool Saute the Spinach with the Garlic in 1 TBSP of Butter until just wilted. Remove from pan and set aside to cool. Carefully Butterfly the Beef tenderloin being careful not to cut all the way through. Flatten slightly with a meat mallet or other heavy object. Place Spinach evenly over the beef tenderloin. Spread mushrooms over the top of the beef tenderloin. Roll the tenderloin up and tie the roast with the butchers string. Heat the canola oil in a heavy pan over high heat. Season the beef with the salt and pepper and sear beef until it is golden brown on all sides. Place the beef in a pre heated 350 F oven and roast until done to your taste. For Medium Rare, remove from oven at an internal temperature of 120 F. For Medium 140 F. For well done 165 F. Let rest for 15 minutes prior to slicing. Red Wine Pan Jus Pan Drippings 1 Glass Red Wine 1/4 Cup Beef Stock or Beef Consomme 4 TBSP Shallots, Finely Chopped 2 TBSP Butter 1 TSP Worstershire Sauce To Taste, Black Pepper Method Place pan over medium high heat. Saute the Shallots in the beef drippings for 1 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and boil for 1 minute scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the Beef Stock and Wooster sauce and reduce liquid by half. Remove pan from heat and wisk in the butter. Season with the black pepper. Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Serves 6-8 People 1 Medium Onion, Chopped 1 Head Fresh Garlic 2 TBSP Olive Oil 2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar 1 TBSP White Sugar 2 lbs Red Skin Potatoes 4 TBSP Butter 1/4 Cup Milk To Taste Salt To Taste Pepper Saute the onions with 1 TBSP of the olive oil over medium/low heat until slightly softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and the sugar and continue to cook stirring occasionally until onions are carmelized in apperance and very soft, approximatley 20-30 minutes. Set Aside Heat Oven to 375 F. Trim the top off the Garlic to expose the tops of the cloves inside. Place the garlic in aluminum foil and pour the remaining olive oil over the top of the garlic. Seal the garlic in the foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour or until garlic is very soft. Set Aside Boil the redskin potatoes, unpeeled. When they are soft, drain and return to pot. Add the carmelized onions. Squeeze the Roasted Garlic into the pot. Add the Butter and Milk and Season with Salt and Pepper. Mash the potatoes to a Medium consistency. Green Bean Bundle "Almondine" Serves 6-8 1 Lb Fresh Green Beans, Blanched 1/4 Cup Red Pepper, Finely Diced 1/4 Cup, Sliced Almonds, Toasted 3 TBSP Butter, Melted 6-8 Pieces Pre Cooked Bacon (Or Cooked Regular Bacon Strips) To Taste pepper Method Combine Green Beans, Almonds, Red Pepper and Butter. Season with the pepper. Mix to combine well. Place 1 Strip of bacon flat on a cutting board. Place a small bundle of beans in the center of the bacon strip and roll tightly. To re-heat, place bean bundles in a 350 F oven for 6-7 minutes until heated through. Sauteed Grape Tomatoes Grape Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Chopped Fresh Basil, Chopped Garlic, Salt and Pepper Heat olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add basil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and remove from heat. Frizzled Leeks Leeks, trimmed top and bottom, sliced lengthwise, cleaned and cut into thin strips. Toss leek strips in conrnstarch to coat lightly. Deep fry in canola oil until golden brown and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper or cajun seasoning. Sticky Toffee Pudding Serves 6 2 Cups Medjool Dates, Pitted or 1 Cup Dates and 1 Cup Prunes (Grandma's Recipe) 2 Cups Water 1 1/2 Tsp baking Soda 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter 3 Large Eggs 1/4 Molasses (Lighter the better) 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup 1/4 tsp Vanilla 1/2 Cup AP Flour 1 Tsp Baking Powder 1 Tsp Salt Method Grease a 6 cup muffin pan ans set aside. In a saucepan, combine dates (and prunes if your are using them) and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dates/prunes are very tender and the water has almost completely evaporated (about 20-30 minutes).Remove from heat and stir in Baking Soda. Let Cool. Transfer to a blender (or use a stick blender) and puree date/prune mixture until they are just a little chunky. In a medium bowl, beat brown sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add Molasses, Corn Syrup ,and Vanilla and mix to combine well. In a seperate bowl, wisk together the Flour, Baking Powder ad Salt. Slowly combine the butter sugar mixture with the flour mixture with a spoon or rubber spatula. Once this mixture is combine, stir in the date/prune mixture until evenly distributed. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake in a pre-heated 325 F oven until the tops of the pudding spring back when touched (approx 35 minutes). Let pan cool on a rack for 5 minutes before removing puddings. Served warm with butterscoth sauce. Butterscotch Sauce 1/3 Cup Butter 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar 2/3 Cup Whipping Cream (35 % Cream) 2 Tbsp Corn Syrup Method In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in sugar, whipping cream and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce slightly. Serve while warm.