“O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil.”—William Shakespeare (it should be noted that dear old Bill was not talking about this soup, which should serve 2 with no ill effects). 3 egg yolks 1 tsp plain flour 1 tsp sugar 175ml (1/3 pint) water 350ml (½ a bottle) white wine Beat 3 yolks of quite fresh eggs to a froth with a whisk over the fire adding…
The best use of bad wine is to drive away poor relations, they say. Well, this serves 4, so get out the good stuff. 1.8kg (4 lbs) mussels 4 shallots, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tbsp plain flour 2 big handfuls fresh parsley, roughly chopped 6 tbsp butter, cut into pieces 500ml (1 pint) dry white wine Fry the shallots and garlic gently with some parsley stalks until soft, then add the flour and stir well. Pour…
This recipe was allegedly created at the Hôtel de la Côte d’Or in Saulieu, near Dijon, by the legendary chef-patron Monsieur François Minot. I cannot add any more—except more champagne. Serves 6-8. 48 flat, round oysters 1 shallot, chopped 4 large egg yolks 225g (8 oz) butter 250ml (½ pint) thick, whipped cream ½ bottle champagne Shuck the oysters and put them with their liquid in a large pan, arranging the shells on a baking tray. Boil the wine and…
Coq au Vin is the granddaddy of boozy dishes. A whole bottle of wine. Do it right, and this is probably the best recipe in the book. Serves 4 hungry people, and fills them right up. 1 large chicken whole black pepper 150g (5 oz) bacon, cut into thin strips butter 2 medium onions, roughly chopped 1 large carrot, roughly chopped 2 cloves of garlic 2 tbsps plain flour 4 or 5 small sprigs of thyme 3 bay leaves 80g…
This fantastic dish includes everything you need for a full roast dinner in one pan, so it’s not much work, and the gamey guineafowl gives it plenty of flavour. Serves several hungry people. 1 guineafowl 3-4 large sprigs rosemary, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 fennel bulbs, quartered, 2 large red onions, quartered 450g (1 lb) small new potatoes 3 tbsp pancetta, cubed 2 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper large glass white wine Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas…
“How well I remember my first encounter with The Devil’s Brew. I happened to stumble across a case of bourbon—and went right on stumbling for several days thereafter.”—W.C. Fields 1 wild turkey breast (although farmed will do, I suppose) 125ml (½ cup) honey 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 3 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp plain flour 1 tsp cajun pepper or other hot sauce oil for frying 225g (8 oz) grated cheddar cheese ½ cup chopped onion 500ml (½ pint) Wild…
If you’re going to do something, do it well. This is much more than your average cheese on toast. 28g (1 oz) butter 170g (6 oz) cheddar cheese, grated dash of English mustard 1 egg yolk 1 egg white, stiffly beaten 1 tbsp whisky Melt the butter in a pan and add the grated cheese, whisky, mustard and some salt and pepper. Stir over a very low heat until the mixture melts smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in…
Those crazy Mexicans. This makes a nice bagfull. 110g (4 oz) brown sugar 130g (4 ½ oz) white sugar 125ml (¼ pint) sour cream 200g (3 ½ oz) pecans, shelled and halved 1 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp whisky (preferably Bourbon) Mix the sugar and sour cream and cook slowly over a low heat until it forms a soft ball. Remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla, nuts and the bourbon. Stir well until thick and creamy. With a…
I’m more of a Scotch man myself, but there’s no doubt the Irish know a thing or two about the drink. Of course, you can make this with either, but it’s good to follow the old ways. 100g (3 ½ oz) raisins 4 tbsp butter, softened 150g (5 oz) plain flour 150g (5 oz) whole wheat flour 3 tbsp sugar 1 tsp baking soda ¾ tsp salt 180ml (1/3 pint) buttermilk 250ml (½ pint) Irish whiskey Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas…
Scotch collops are an ancient dish, which can be made with beef, lamb or venison. This is the latter, and it’s bloody lovely. Serves 4. 4 180g (6 oz) venison steaks; (or sirloin steaks) 30g (1 oz) butter 2 small apples, cored and sliced 1 tsp honey 250g (9 oz) double cream 5 juniper berries, crushed parsley, to garnish 2 tbsp whisky Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the steaks. Place in the oven to keep…