September is here and it's a great month for food... especially fruit! Apples,blackberries,damsons and the last of the strawberries and rasps. The game season is around the corner which means we can eat food that is unadulterated,healthy,tasty but unfortunately in most cases expensive. Most of you guys out there now will be starting to think of....XMAS oh how i hate that time of year. It must be the chef inside me that dreads it because it's was always busy and never much time of to see the family as well as missing xmas day with the kids, getting back late when the party was over. But now i can enjoy it being out on my own(business wise,not the family leaving) as i can take the day of and worry about the turkey for half a dozen or so and not hundreds! Anyway i'm sure planning for that time is of the essence so if your staying at home on the day and looking for new ideas or catering tips remember to e.mail me at rjmillar1@blueyonder.co.uk and i will gladly pass on the necessary info. Have to tell you about dinner we made at home last night,got 3 lobsters from a friend on Tuesday so put them to good use. Not the same old thermidor job (which is nice) but a few different methods as we are quiet just now which gives me time to experiment.
Just give me the ideas i here you say! Well here they are.....first i did a lovely pasta dish with one of them, cooked tagliatelle then sweated of some onion,garlic and cherry tomato,through in pancetta and mascarpone bit of basil and then the cooked tag then put into a bowl and smothered with parmesan...delicious! Secondly i threw the lobster in the oven halved...cooked it for ten mins and drenched it with smoked garlic,chilli,coriander,lime and a dollop of butter then served it with a nice thai salad. But the tastiest and most rewarding of all was taking it out the shell using a tempura batter deep frying it for 2 mins then serving it with a couple of dipping sauces....nirvana!
I am at present when quiet helping out at a local hotel but would love to get a lease on a kitchen within a pub( or a restaurant that's lost its way) here in Kirkcaldy or the surrounding area to serve what i believe is not available to the discerning diner..(good fresh food cooked with imagination and flair with reasonable prices!) Should anybody out there looking for the same as me give me a call on 07743 937178.
To finish this months blog i am going to take you back in time with a very simple dessert...from your school days but not as bad...well hopefully! That recipe is.......Semolina with toasted flaked almonds and star anise poached pear.

Recipe
5Og Semolina
800g Full fat milk
3tbsp Condensed milk
Vanilla essence or pod for xtra flavour

For poaching pear
100g caster sugar
Juice of half a lemon
2 star anise

Flaked almonds or hazelnuts(toasted)

Poach pear in sugar,1 pint of water,lemon and star anise for approx. half an hour.
Toast semolina in frying pan until golden.....add full fat milk,vanilla and stir frequently for 10 mins till thick then add condensed milk and top with your poached pear, if you wish i put on a scoop of ice cream...any flavour. Mmmmm..quite nice and simple!

Thanks for veiwing my blog see you soon.
Good luck with the recipes.