Recipe Calendar - May 2015

Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015

Chef owner Tom Lewis of Monachyle MHOR

Monachyle Mhor Hotel, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Perthshire, FK19 8PQ -Tel: 01877 - 384 622
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. web: Monachyle MHOR

Tom Lewis has lived in Balquhidder at Monachyle Mhor for 30 years. He is a self taught chef and still works in the kitchen at Monachyle to this day. The family have grown the businesses to include a bakery, a fish restaurant, a farm and a motel. All of the businesses are branded under the name of Mhor. Tom’s cooking style is seasonal and he uses local produce at every opportunity.

The Mhor farm supplies all the beef, pork and lamb to the restaurants. The venison used is also shot on the hill. Mhor have their own gardens where they also grow their own vegetables, herbs and salads. 

 

Crème Brulee with golden Glengoyne-soaked sultanas, orange and hazelnut shortbread 

Ingredients 

Sultanas

• 4 tablespoons golden sultanas
• Glengoyne 21 year old malt whisky

Crème Brulee

• 450ml double cream
• 50ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
• 5 free range egg yolks
• 75g caster sugar plus extra 40g to glaze brûlée  

Shortbread

• 600g plain flour
• 200g caster sugar, plus extra to dredge
• 150g hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely ground
• Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
• 450g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

Method

For the Glengoyne-soaked sultanas

• Soak the sultanas in boiling water for 20 minutes
• Strain, cover with whisky
• Steep overnight

For the crème brulee

• Pre heat oven to 150⁰c/300F/Gas 2
• Heat the cream and milk until simmering, add the vanilla seeds and stir and keep hot
• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy then strain into the hot cream, still well
• Pour mixture into four ovenproof cups, set in deep roasting tray
• Pour enough boiling water around to reach halfway up the cup. Cook for about 30-35 minutes until set, but still soft in the centre. Remove from water, cool then chill

For the shortbread

• Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it just comes together
• Tip onto a work surface and bring together into a flat round   
• Wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour
• Preheat the oven to 150⁰c/300F/Gas 2
• Roll out the dough about 1cm thick, cut into 24 rounds
• Transfer to a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until pale but not coloured
• Cool on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and dredge with caster sugar

To finish the brulees

• Sprinkle half of remaining caster sugar evenly over the surface of the brulees
• Caramelise with blowtorch
• Sprinkle the rest of the sugar and caramelise again
• Serve immediately with the shortbread or keep chilled for up to 2-3 hours

 

 

 Whats On May?  

• May 23rd / 24th: Fabulous Festival at Monachyle MHOR with food and drink stalls and whisky themed raft race, 
• May 29/30/31 Strathyre Music Festival Eclectic music while you eat and drink at stalls, cafe's, the marquee and Strathyre Inn
• Excellent interactive map combinging whisky distilleries and food festivals designed by The Scots Magazine. See how many are within easy reach of the A84 and A85