Maggie: Cook&Eat at Orla's

Maggie writes:  Festive, and fun.

I must mention that I particularly appreciated the orange veggies with the smoked salmon since we were smack in the middle of the 16-Day Campaign to raise awareness about gender-based violence, and the UN Secretary General’s UNiTE committee suggested that we try to Orange the World. 
Thanks again to Orla.  It was relaxed, and the meal was, of course, delicious.

Our starter:  baked smoked salmon with lightly-pickled vegetables

Leslie and Peggy plate the starter

 Katharine writes:  Our meal began with a baked salmon starter.  We prepared a variety of colourful vegetables - including purple carrots, turnips and swedes (swedes and turnips - the Irish and British swap these two terms around), baked in the oven, sliced and then given a light pickling bath.  Roquette salad and horseradish cream accompanied this dish. 

Maggie with the salmon starter

Maggie preparing the clementine cake

Orla and Kim prep the beef wellington

Vegetable prep:  Katharine, Caroline, Leslie, Anne

Orla hosted, and Peggy R, Kim, Caroline, Katharine, Anne, Maggie, Leslie L were present

Main course:  beef wellington, accompanied by green vegetables and celeriac puree, and jus

Our main course was beef wellington:  a large fillet of beef was seared in a pan.
On a large piece of pastry, slices of parma ham were overlapped,
and then covered in duxelles (mushrooms finely diced).
Then the pastry was rolled up, and sealed,  and after resting for a while,
baked in the oven.  It was delicious.  It's a tricky dish to pull off -
there are elements that are a challenge, including not allowing the pastry
to split, and not overcooking the beef. 

Dessert:  clementine cake with custard sauce and Iles Flottantes (Floating Islands)

Dessert was a splendid clementine cake (which Orla makes so often I think
she even put it together without weighing the ingredients - I didn't see
her do so - which is a sign of a very confident baker.  Delicious.

Thank you Orla, for a splendid time for everyone.  It's a pleasure to be
in your beautiful home and the group had a relaxed and
happy morning as we prepped the meal.  K.