Kevin Dundon's Christmas Menu: Today

Method

Pan-seared scallops with cauliflower puree & honey foam

1. Bring to boil a large pot of salted water, add the cauliflower and simmer for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower has soften. Strain the water.
2. In a food processor, blend the cauliflower with 50g of butter until smooth. Season well and keep warm aside. Then, prepare the foam. Heat the milk, lemon zest and honey in a saucepan to about 60˚C. Remove from the heat and add the egg to the warm milk and whizz with a hand blender to create a light foam. Keep aside until needed.
3. Heat a large sauté pan. Season the scallops with a little salt and pepper, drizzle with a little oil and sear quickly on a hot pan. Just as they are almost cooked, add in the lemon juice and the rest of the butter. baste the scallops to give them a nice glaze.
4. Remove the scallops from the pan into some kitchen paper to absorb excess of butter. Plate the scallops with some cauliflower mousseline and the light milk foam.

Roasted Venison Loin, Whiskey Peppered Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 220˚C. On a very hot oven-safe pan, drizzle some oil and sear the venison loin on all sides until caramelised. Season well.
2. Add the sprigs rosemary, bay leaf, sprigs thyme and 4 garlic cloves. Transfer in the oven about 8 -12 minutes for the meat to be medium rare, and 15 minutes for medium well/ well done.
3. Once, roasted, remove from the oven, add some butter to baste and finish the loin of venison. Lift the loin on a board and cover with foil to rest while preparing the sauce.
4. To the saucepan and add the shallots. Sauté for a minute or so. Add the mustard and cracked peppers and flambe with the whiskey. Pour in some stock, Worcester sauce and cream and bring to the boil.
5. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the butter. Check the seasoning and set aside. Place the venison on a board and carve. Serve with the mash potatoes, vegetables and drizzle of sauce.

Dunbrody Buttery Mashed Potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks and place in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes until softened, then strain to remove excess water. Warm up the cream, and set aside.
2. Using a potato ricer, mash the potatoes with the butter ( place the butter with the potatoes in the ricer). Combine the mashed potatoes and butter and gently add in the cream until the right consistency is achieved. Season with salt and grounded white pepper and add the chive.
3. Serve immediately or keep covered in a warm place until needed or maximum 2-3 hours.

Glazed Winter Vegetables

1. In a sauté pan, place the carrots, and onions. Add the butter, honey, and vegetable stock. Season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to simmering.
2. Cover with a lid and cook for 12-15 minutes until the carrots are just softened. (If you prepare this in advance, remove from the heat and keep aside, store in the fridge with the liquid for up to two days).
3. Once the carrots are cooked (and warmed, if reheating), add the brussels sprouts.
4. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until just cooked and coated in the butter mixture. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Choux Crown

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. grease 2 cake tin ( an 8inch and a 6 inch ) and line with parchment paper.
2. Firstly, prepare the craquelin. Place the softened butter into a bowl and add the sugar and flour, combine to create a dough. Then roll out the dough thinly (1 mm thick) between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Keep in the freezer until required.
3. Next, prepare the choux pastry. Place the butter, sugar, milk and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and immediately add the flour. Stir briskly and place on a medium heat until the mixture forms a soft dough and leaves the side of the saucepan dry. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
4. Without cooling down the mixture, add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition, the mixture should be smooth and glossy. Keep aside until needed.
5. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large stared nozzle. Cut 2 circles of puff pastry to fit the base of each cake tin. Pipe choux into a circle on the pastry of each cake tin leaving the centre empty.
6. Take the craquelin out of the freezer and cut out circles to fit over each choux circle. Place in the preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside onto a wire rack to cool. When the choux are cooled, prepare the chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate over bain marie.
7. In small saucepan, bring to the boil, cream, water and honey. Remove from the heat. Pour on the melted chocolate and combine with a spatula in 2 or 3 stages until smooth and finally stir in the butter. Set aside until needed.
8. Start to prepare the cake by carefully slicing the base of choux or pipe from the sides. Pipe some extra praline or Nutella on the base of the crowns and choux buns. Add the crème patissière or whipped and place the top of the choux back over the crème patissière.
9. Before serving, place the larger one on a cake stand, add some whipped cream or pastry cream in the centre with some praline and top with the second smaller choux wreath.
10. Drizzle the chocolate glaze over the choux crown, decorate with toasted hazelnuts, gold dust and grated chocolate or some caramel strands. Serve within an hour or so for best texture