Orange Custard With Fresh Fruit And Champagne Soup Food

SOFT ORANGE CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, flour and salt. Beat for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the orange juice, orange zest and lemon juice. Stir in milk., Pour into five 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a 13x9-in. baking pan. Add 1 in. of boiling water to pan. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove ramekins from water bath. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHAMPAGNE VSOP

Steps:

• Drop one sugar cube in each Champagne flute. Pour 1 tablespoon brandy over each sugar cube, then top off with the chilled Champagne. Rub the orange zest along the rim of each flute, then drop a piece of zest into each cocktail. Serve immediately.

CHAMPAGNE ORANGES

Steps:

• Combine the marmalade and sugar in a small saucepan. Mix well, place over low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
• Cut the peel from the oranges, cut into slices and then quarter each slice, removing the white center pith from each. Put into a medium bowl.
• Pour the sugar/marmalade mixture and Champagne or grape juice over the sliced oranges. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
• Sprinkle with almonds before serving and add a sprig of mint.

FRESH OYSTERS AND SHIITAKE CUSTARD WITH GREEN PEA SAUCE

Steps:

• Set up a steamer. Place oysters and eggs in a food processor. Mix and add cream while moving. Season. Pour mix into a large mixing bowl. Fold in mushrooms, chives, peas, and truffle oil. Cook a little bit in the microwave to check seasoning. Fill tea cups half way with the mixture add 1 whole oyster and then top off with the mixture. Place in the steamer for 25 to 30 minutes or until custards are set.
• Coat a hot saucepan with oil and cook onions and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Season. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. The stock should taste salty, like pasta blanching water. Add the peas and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Do not over cook. During the last minute, add the spinach. Immediately transfer to a blender and blend at high speed. Add the butter, blend and check for seasoning. Mix in the juice and reserve hot.
• PLATING: Place bowl on doiled plate. Ladle sauce on top of hot custard to completely cover.

FRESH FRUIT SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, mix orange juice with water according to package directions. Remove 1/2 cup of juice; set aside. Add sugar, cinnamon stick and cloves to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. , Combine cornstarch and reserved orange juice until smooth; stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice. , Pour into a large bowl; cover and chill. Just before serving, remove the spices and stir in fruit.

ORANGE CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, flour, and salt.
• Add orange zest, lemon and orange juices, and egg yolks. Blend well.
• Cook over low heat, stirring, until thickened and smooth.
• Stir in butter and cool.
• Whip the cream and fold into the cooled orange mixture.

CHILLED FRUIT AND CHAMPAGNE SOUP

Steps:

• You need some plain, flat white soup or pasta bowls for this to work well.
• Place a 440g can of red fruit (cherries, berries, plums) and a 440g can of orange fruit (peaches, apricots) in the fridge overnight. Process each can separately. Puree the fruit and the juice or syrup in a blender, use enough of the syrup or juice to puree the fruit easily, this will be between about half to all of it. Then pass through a sieve to a 1litre jug. Rinse the blender and sieve before doing the second can of fruit and putting it in a different jug.
• Cover each jug with plastic wrap and put in the fridge until just before serving.
• Add the champagne to each jug so they are have increased by half again once you have stirred the fruit and champagne together and the foam has been mixed inches This will only use about half of the bottle.
• Hold a jug in each hand and pour both fruit mixes into a chilled bowl at the same time from opposite sides of the bowl. They should meet in the middle. Use a toothpick to make a small swirling pattern where the two colours meet.
• If you have a helper in the kitchen to pour a third jug, you could add a third can of white fruit (apples or pears).
• This is a very simple dish and once you have made it a couple of times you will feel able to experiment quite happily but remember to use cans of fruit rather than fresh as it saves a lot of hassle cooking the fruit and there is consistency in the amount of fruit in each can.
• Beware that the combination of fruit and alcohol can affect people more noticeably that they would expect.