Crispy Black Pudding Wontons

Thanks to Jimmy at that fine Motörhead blog Moving Like A Parelellogram for this recipe.

Ingredients...

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

450 g /1 lb. black pudding skinned and chopped

1 bunch spring onions, about 8 trimmed and finely chopped

140 g / 5 oz chicken breast boned and skinned

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

25 g / 1 oz butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

150 ml /1/4 pt whipping cream

A little freshly grated nutmeg

A few leaves fresh basil chopped

1 x 350 g/ 12 oz packet won-ton skins

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method...

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. When they have softened, add the black pudding and cook for about a minute. Add the spring onions and remove the pan from the heat so that they remain crunchy.
Put it to one side to cool.

Take the chicken breast and blend it in a food processor with a teaspoon of salt. Add the butter and blend again. Now add an egg and continue to blend while you pour in the cream. Stop the motor from time to time and scrape the inside of the bowl with a rubber spatula so that everything is evenly combined.

Stir the chicken mousse into the black pudding mixture and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Finally, add the basil.

4. Lay out 6 -9 won ton skins on a clean work surface and place a spoonful of the black pudding mixture in the centre of each. Beat the remaining egg and use it to brush the edges of the won-ton skins. Fold each in half to form a triangle and press the edges firmly together. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.

Heat a deep pan of oil to 180 oc / 350 F. Fry about 6 won-tons at a time until they are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Drain and turn them out on to kitchen paper.

Serve hot.

It's enough to make Snaggletooth drool...

La Fleur en Papier Dore (31 of 80)

After the house of puppets I felt an uncontrolable urge to sample the Lambic delights of La Fleur en Papier Dore. Almost as though my limbs were pulled by hidden strings. I also had a sense of déjà vous, a fact born out by the barkeeps walking over and saying "I know you. Last time you were in here you were wearing a Motorhead teashirt.". Memories of playing cards here came flooding back, Sylvain with some extra ones tucked up his sleave. The ace of spades, the ace of spades....

The beer this time was Oud Beersel. Flat, slightly sour and a perfect accompaniment to the blood sausage roll sitting on my plate.

The Gold Plated Flower was originally part of a 19th century nunnery. I can hear the penguins now, berating the drunken cavorting that now ensues within.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Poechenellekelder Master Of Puppets (56 of 80)

Sitting opposite the Manequin Pis, Poechenellekelder is a fine place to enjoy a Sunday afternoon beer while watching the tourists flock around the wee pisser. In this case the beer is the reccomended Jambe-de-Bois tripple from the Brasserie de la Seine brewery. Nice.

Brasseurs de la Grande-Place (17 of 80)

Grande Place has it's fair share of bars that do food, but what distinguishes Brasseurs de la Grande-Place is that it is only one of three working breweries in the city. Taking Around Brussels In 80 Beers reccomendation of Brasseurs Tripple, I sat down to enjoy some slightly over salted Carbonnades. The tripple was refreshing and had slight citrus overtones. All in all a nice, refreshing beer in a bar reminiscent of Nottingham's Fellows Morton And Clayton Brewhouse, all gleaming pipes and woodwork. A worthy stoppoff if you're in the city centre.

Keith Floyd

Time to raise a glass, if you will, to Keith Floyd, who died yesterday.

His TV style has been imitated but rarely, if ever, bettered. Very casual and with the trade mark glass of wine always to hand, he made cooking look easy. His infectious enthusiasm certainly played its part in growing my own interest in cooking and, no doubt, that of many others.

A Trip To The Circus (12 of 80)

With the possibility of being called in a distinct possibility, I decided to fortify myself with some food and drink first.

And so it was on to the circus, Le Bier Circus that is. Not a trapeezi in site, but a lot of high flying beers. On entering I was greeted by two other voyagers holding a copy of Around Brussels In 80 Beers. They'd spent the day exploring the outlying bars and were on their way in to the center to finish off.

A bottle of Cantillon Cuvee du 89 lambic washed down chicken supreme a la raspberry beer. The call came in, my remaining meal was bolted down and I departed into the evening.

I'll be back.

The Postman Calls (59 of 80)

Les Postiers is situated near the main Post Office and means, the postmen. The wood paneling and mirrors give it a nice 30's feel. Another useful aspect of its proximity is the rank of bus stops directly opposite, including the ubiquitous 66. Most handy.

Taking a leaf out of Elizabeth David's book, I kept it simple with an omelette and a glass of beer. The beer in question was the recommended Tripel Karmeliet and damn fine it was too.



The observant amongst you, will have noticed the girl in my beer in the above photo. "Waiter there's a girl in my beer", I cried. "Not so loud sir" came the response. "they'll all want one.".

Postiers, stamps my card. For beer, cheap food and friendly service, it can't be licked. If you're in the neighborhood go there post haste.


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