2014 A to Z Blogging Challenge - H is for Haddock, Smoked haddock with creamed potato, cucumber and orange noodles & hollandaise

Time to rewind to Boxing Day (26th December to those outside the UK) 2012 near Fairford and this was on the menu - something lighter after the Christmas Day lunch and Boxing Day lunch buffet with a guest list who had included a few Windsors.....

 I know what you're going to say - who needs another re-working of fish pie? You could say that - or you could just get on and enjoy what is, in essence, comfort food after a few long days of Christmas celebrations!

For the courgette noodles slice the courgette thin on a mandolin (or you can do this with a peeler). Saute these in butter or olive oil. Add orange zest and chopped fresh mint. 

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Trio of asparagus starter for Stanway Barn 2013 wedding

Trio of asparagus starter
Bundle of roasted asparagus spears with cauliflower gremolata
Shortcrust pastry tart with asparagus and wild mushroom fricasse, poached quail egg and hollandaise
Shot glass of asparagus 'cappuchino'

We came up with this starter after discussions with a wedding couple for a wedding in May this year. We tried out a few different variations of tart (below) for them to decide on one. When another wedding couple heard about this starter we did it for them too, and another one as well. Good news spreads it seems!

Tarts from tasting:
Puff pastry tart of asparagus and gruyere
Puff pastry tart with parma ham, feta, asparagus and cherry tomato
Shortcrust pastry tart with asparagus and wild mushroom fricasse with poached quail egg and hollandaise (which is the one we ended up serving)

Related posts 

Other wedding dishes
Asparagus dishes

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Quail egg benedict canape & assiette dessert

When the kids are away the parents will play! "Wwwwoooooooo!" "Wwwwwwooooooooooooooo!" "Oh food?! Is there any need for that tonight?" 

Well that's the record broken for the loudest party we've ever done - beats even the rowdiest hen party. Way to go!

The 2 waiters had to go either end of the drawing room at the same time by the end - the husbands were camped at one end and the wives at the other. The men seemed most offended when we took this plate of quail egg benedict to the wives' side. While I was getting the starter together guests kept coming up asking how it was done - how could you get so many poached quails eggs ready at the same time?

As with everything else with dinner parties it's all down to the 3 P's - Preparation, preparation, preparation. I had poached them just before leaving. There's a great article here on how it's done which I found via someone's tweet (can't remember who now) - same way I've been doing them since my first breakfast shifts at the Lygon Arms. Drop them into iced water, then re-heat them just before serving for a couple of minutes in just off the boil water.

The muffins were cut out & topped with ham, cut with same size cutter. As we had an aga at our disposal at Wyelands House in Chepstow I just dropped them in the simmering oven for a few minutes. Meanwhile the hollandaise was warming in a bain marie - if it's thick let it down with a little warm water so it's easy to spoon on top of the eggs, but not too much so it runs off and onto your guests' evening dress. Then warmed quail egg goes on top of the muffin & ham and hollandaise on top.

Make sure you do plenty of spares - one is never enough.......

Dessert

Their assiette of dessert - they had it all - canapes, 2 courses, then an assiette dessert. This one was chocolate tart, glazed lemon tart, spoon of creme brulee, raspberry lavender shortbread (heart shape) and lemon meringue pie.

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