FLAVOURS OF 2014

For THE CATERER BY Madalene Bonvini-Hamel

www.britishlarder.co.uk

Flavours of…

JANUARY 2014

Warm Peppered Pig, Charred Pak-Choi and Sprouting Broccoli Salad

Warm Peppered Pig, Charred Pak-Choi and Sprouting Broccoli Salad Serves 4 For the Peppered Pig 1kg pork shoulder, brined and oak smoked (optional) 1 teaspoon black pepper, crushed 10 fresh peppercorns 2 Thai chillies, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 30ml sesame oil 70g soft dark brown sugar 30ml dark soy sauce 30ml rice wine vinegar 200ml fresh apple juice 200ml cold water For the Roasted Thai Aubergines 4 thai aubergines Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon mirin For the Charred Pak-Choi and Sprouting Broccoli salad 6 heads of small pak-choi 12 spears of purple sprouting broccoli, blanched and chilled 1tablesppoon sesame oil 200g bean shoots ½ bunch fresh coriander, washed

First prepare the peppered pig, pound the peppercorns fresh and dried with the garlic and chillies in a

pestle and mortar until fine, mix with the rest of the ingredients apart from the pork. Using smoked pork is

optional; it’s what was used for this recipe and adds an extra intense depth of flavour. Rub the marinade

over the meat, place in a deep roasting tray and pour the rest of the marinade over, cover with foil and

chill for two hours. Preheat the oven to 140°C and then roast the pork in the oven for 4 hours, turning it

twice.

Prepare the aubergines, pierce holes in the aubergines using a cocktail stick, place on a large sheet of foil,

pour over the reaming ingredients and roast in the oven for one hour with the pork.

Once the pork and aubergines are cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

For the salad, heat a wok over high heat with the sesame oil, wok the pak-choi, broccoli with seasoning

until charred, spoon over the marinade from the pork and transfer to serving bowls. Shred the pork using

two forks and arrange on the plate along with the remainder of the ingredients including the roasted Thai

aubergines. Serve warm.

Five Spice Glazed Wild Duck, Chinese Pancakes, Rhubarb Ketchup

Five Spice Glazed Wild Duck, Chinese Pancakes, Rhubarb Ketchup Serves 4 - 6 as a starter For the Honey Glazed Five Spice Mallard 1 mallard duck, oven ready 2 star anise 10 juniper berries 1tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp cumin Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 50ml clear runny honey 25g soft dark brown sugar 25ml soy sauce For the Rhubarb Ketchup 1kg rhubarb, sliced 480g onion, finely diced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 25g fresh ginger, finely shredded 2 red chillies, seeds removed, finely shredded 3tsp coriander seeds, crushed 240ml cider vinegar 240g soft dark brown sugar 100ml port wine For the Chinese Pancakes 150g plain flour 100ml boiling water 1teaspoon groundnut oil

First prepare the duck, bring a large pan of water to the boil, dip the duck in the boiling water for one minute,

remove and drain on a cooling rack in the fridge to cool and dry for 2 hours. Prepare the marinade; pound the

dry spices in a pestle and mortar until fine. Mix the spices with the honey, sugar and soy sauce; add salt and

pepper to taste. Use a pastry brush to brush the duck all over with the marinade, leave in the fridge uncovered for

½ hour to dry and repeat the process three more times. Leave the duck over night in the fridge uncovered. Keep

the remaining marinade for the roasting processes the following day.

Prepare the rhubarb ketchup, place all the ingredients for the ketchup in a large saucepan over medium heat,

bring to the simmer, and stir regularly to prevent it from catching. Reduce the heat to low and cook the ketchup

for about 30 minutes season to taste and cool at room temperature for 2 hours before refrigerating until needed.

For the pancakes mix the flour and water to form dough, kneed for 2 minutes until smooth, cover and leave to rest

for 30 minutes. Roll the dough with a rolling pin out to about 3mm thick, us ea 5cm pastry cutter and cut rounds,

brush the rounds and sandwich two rounds together to make pairs, stick the oiled sides together, place on a tray,

cover with cling film. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, roll each pair until paper thin, place in the hot

pan and cook for 1 minute on each side until brown spots form and the pancakes blow up with steam, remove

form the pan and separate the pancakes, stack them on top of each other with parchment paper in between

each, continue until the entire mix is completed, place the pancakes in as teamer basket ready to be steamed.

Preheat the oven to 160°C, remove the duck from the fridge and brush once more with the marinade, roast in the

preheated oven for 30 minutes, brush with marinade once during the roasting process. Let the duck rest for 10

minutes whilst steaming the pancakes.

Place the steamer basket over a pan of boiling water and steam for 5 minutes.

To serve, serve the duck with the steamed pancakes, rhubarb ketchup and julienne of cucumber and salad

onions.

Flavours of…

FEBRUARY 2014

Salt-baked Parsnips with Golden Beetroot and Jersey Milk Curd Cheese

Salt-baked Parsnips with Golden Beetroot and Jersey Milk Curd Cheese Serves 8 as a starter or light lunch For the Jersey milk curd cheese 1 litre raw full-fat Jersey milk (or use pasteurised Jersey milk, if raw is not available) 75ml lemon juice 1½ teaspoons table salt 100ml extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves For the golden beetroot 1kg golden beetroot (medium size is best) 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole but slightly crushed 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the salt-baked parsnips 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 400g table salt 180g egg whites (approximately 6 egg whites) 150ml cold water (you might need a bit more to form an easy-to-use dough) 24 Piccolo (baby) parsnips, washed, skin left on 2 sprigs of fresh thyme For the pickled parsnips 100ml cider vinegar 100g caster sugar ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds 2 large parsnips, peeled and sliced very thinly using a mandoline (about 1–2mm-thick slices) To garnish and serve 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil 150g trompette de la mort mushrooms, cleaned and sliced micro watercress 8 roasted pecan nut halves First prepare the curd cheese. Place the milk, lemon juice and salt in a medium saucepan over a low heat and place a thermometer in the milk. Heat the milk to 80°C, stirring once or twice to prevent the milk from catching (but don’t stir it too much). Remove from the heat and leave to cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Double-line a colander with muslin. Ladle the mixture carefully into the lined colander set over a bowl, then leave it to drain naturally for 1 hour. Hang the muslin in the fridge (with a bowl underneath to catch any drips) and leave it to drain further overnight. The following day, discard the whey (runny, milky liquid in the bowl), then remove the curd cheese from the muslin and pack it into a clean Kilner jar, levelling the surface. Cover the surface with the oil and thyme leaves, seal the jar and refrigerate for 1 day before using. The fresh curd is then ready to use and it will keep in the sealed Kilner jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. The next day, continue with the rest of the recipe. First prepare the golden beetroot (see also Chef’s Kitchen Secret). Preheat the oven to 120°C/Gas Mark ½. Peel the beetroot and place on a large piece of non-stick baking paper. Add the garlic, thyme, oil and salt and pepper, then wrap the paper around the ingredients to make a parcel. Wrap the parcel in foil, place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 1½ hours until the beetroot is cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool (still wrapped up). Remove the cooled beetroot from the wrappings (discard the thyme stalks and garlic), then use a Parisienne scoop/melon baller to scoop balls from the cooked beetroot. Set aside until needed. The beetroot is best served at room temperature. For the salt-baked parsnips, preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 3. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside. Make the dough by mixing the flour, salt, egg whites and water together in an electric stand mixer using a dough hook. Mix for 3 minutes until combined, then turn out on to a work surface dusted with flour and roll out the dough into a rectangle about 2-cm thick. Place the whole parsnips and thyme sprigs in the centre of the dough and then fold the edges of the dough over to form a sealed parcel. Place the parcel on the lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully crack the baked crust with a serrated knife, being careful not to cut into the parsnips inside. Remove the cooked parsnips from the crust, then

discard the crust and thyme stalks. The salt-baked parsnips can be served either warm, at room temperature or chilled – my preference is at room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the pickled parsnips. Place the vinegar, sugar and coriander seeds in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then increase the heat and boil rapidly for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the sliced parsnips, season to taste and then set aside until needed (see Chef’s Note). When you are ready to serve, make the garnish. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and sauté the mushrooms, with salt and pepper added, for about 2 minutes until cooked. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm. To serve, arrange dollops of the curd cheese on the serving plates, drape over a few pickled parsnip slices (and drizzle over a little pickling liquid), add the balls of beetroot and salt-baked parsnips, then garnish with the sautéed mushrooms and micro watercress. Use a microplane to grate over the roasted pecan nuts and then serve. Chef’s Kitchen Secret For steam-roasted golden beetroot, preheat the oven to 120°C/Gas Mark ½. Peel the beetroots and place them in a vacuum bag with the rest of the ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper. Seal on hard vacuum, then place in a large roasting tray (gastro tray) with another one covering the top. Roast in the oven for 1½ hours until the beetroot is cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the vacuum bag. Remove the cooled beetroot from the bag, then use a Parisienne scoop/melon baller to scoop balls from the cooked beetroot. Set aside at room temperature until needed. Chef’s Note Any leftover pickled parsnips will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days (the same applies to any leftover golden beetroot balls).

Smoked Haddock and Cockle Consommé

Smoked Haddock and Cockle Consommé Serves 8 For the golden Beetroot 1kg golden beetroot 1 garlic clove 2 sprigs thyme 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the Steamed Cockles 1kg cockles, washed 1 leek, sliced 1 celery stick, sliced ½ onion, sliced 2 sprigs of parsley 400ml dry white wine For the Consommé 1.3kg smoked un-dyed haddock, skin on 1 onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, sliced 1 leek, sliced and washed 2 sticks celery, sliced 1 fennel bulk, sliced 250g golden beetroot trimmings left over after garnish is cut 2 star anise ½ teaspoon coriander seeds 6 in number cloves ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds 6 in number white pepper corns Cockle stock 1.2L fish stock 2 sprigs of parsley For the Baked Haddock, Leeks and Golden Beetroot 8 x 40 -50gpieces of haddock, skinless cut from the haddock used for the consommé 16 new potatoes 16 baby leeks Cooked picked cockle meat Golden Beetroot balls 8 cavolo nero leaves deep-fried and seasoned (optional garnish)

First prepare the steam roasted golden beetroot, preheat the oven to 120°C. Peel the beetroot and pace

them in a vacuum bag with the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper, seal on hard

vacuum and place in a gastro tray with another one covering the top. Place the tray in the preheated

oven for 1 ½ hours until the beetroot is cooked. Leave to cool at room temperature. Remove the beetroot

from the bag; use a parisienne baler to scoop balls from the cooked beetroot. Keep he trimmings for

making the consommé and set the balls aside until needed.

Next steam the cockles, heat a medium size saucepan over high heat, ensure to have a tight fitting lid to

hand, once the pan is hot quickly pour the cockles and all the ingredients apart from the wine into the hot

pan, shake and now pour the wine into the pan followed quickly by the lid, shake the pan and cook the

cockles for 2 minutes over high heat. Drain the cooked cockles into a colander over a bowl; pass the stock

through muslin cloth and pick the cockle meat from the shells. Keep the cockle meat chilled until needed

and use the stock for making the consommé.

Prepare the smoked haddock, remove the skin from the haddock and cut 8 x 40g – 50g pieces of smoked

haddock, keep the haddock pieces chilled until needed and cut the rest of the haddock including the

skin into chunky pieces to make the consommé.

Now prepare the consommé. Place all the ingredients for the consommé into a pressure cooker, secure

the lid and over medium heat bring the pressure cooker up to pressure and cook for 30 minutes. Remove

the pressure cooker from the heat, leave to cool and infuse for 1 hour, remove the lid and pass the golden

clear stock through coffee filter paper, chill over ice. Once chilled, pass the consommé through another

coffee filter paper for the second time. The consommé should be clear and golden coloured.

Preheat the oven to 180°C, place the haddock pieces on a baking tray, glaze with rapeseed oil and bake

in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. In the mean time cook the baby leeks and new potatoes. Peel the

potatoes and cut 24 x 1cm tick potato slices, heat in the oven with the golden beetroot. Bring the

consommé to the boil, adjust the seasoning if needed. Re-heat the cockles and leeks. Arrange the

potatoes, leeks, cockles, golden beetroot in a warm soup bowl/ plate, carefully pour the hot consommé

around the garnish and flake and place the baked haddock pieces on the potato slices, garish with the

deep-fried cavolo nero leaves and serve.

Flavours of…

MARCH 2014

Sea Bass, Port and Blood Orange Braised Squid, Toasted Oat Gnocchi

Sea Bass, Port and Blood Orange Braised Squid, Toasted Oat Gnocchi Serves 4 For the port and blood orange braised squid 1 tbs sunflower oil 2 banana shallots, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 sprigs of thyme ¼ bulb of fennel finely sliced 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 star anise sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 400g baby squid, cleaned, sliced into ½ cm rings, keep the tentacles whole 250ml port wine 100ml blood orange juice 400ml fish stock For the toasted oat gnocchi 40g rolled jumbo oats 1 tsp unsalted butter, melted 350g freshly prepared dry mashed potato 85g ‘00’ flour 1 egg yolk sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the pan-fried sea bass and sautéed chicory, fennel and parsley 4 x 80 - 100g sea bass portions, scaled and pin bones removed, score the skin 2 tbs sunflower oil 2 tsp unsalted butter sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 chicory head, ½ thick slices 1 fennel, sliced 100g parsley leaves only, deep-fried until crispy, drained and seasoned Segments form 2 blood oranges

First prepare the braised squid, heat a medium wide flat-based saucepan that is oven resistant with a fitting lid

over medium heat with the oil, sauté the shallots, garlic, fennel, coriander seeds and star anise with seasoning until

golden brown, about 3 – 5 minutes, increase the heat and add the squid, cook for further 2 minutes. Add ¼ port

wine and all the orange juice, cook until nearly all evaporated and thick and syrupy, add the rest of the port and

reduce by half, add the stock, bring to gentle simmer, place a cartouche on to the surface and place a lid onto.

Transfer the pan to a preheated oven at 150°C for one hour. Until the squid is tender and the sauce is thick and

glossy. Drain the squid and reduce the sauce until thick and glossy.

For the gnocchi, mix the melted butter, oats and seasoning, spread on a tray and bake toast in the oven at 180°C

for 5 minutes until golden brown, cool. Mix half of the cooled toasted oats with the mashed potato, flour and

butter to make the gnocchi dough. Roll the gnocchi into long ribbons and cut into shapes. Blanch the gnocchi in

a pan of seasoned simmering water for 3 – 4 minutes or until they start to float, drain using a slotted spoon.

Once ready to serve heat two large non-stick frying pans one for the fish and the other for the gnocchi and

garnish. Pan-fry the lightly seasoned sea bass skin side down in the one pan with one tablespoon of the oil, once

the skin is golden brown and crispy about 3 minutes, add one teaspoon of butter and cook 1 minute, turn the fish

over for 30 seconds and then drain on kitchen paper, season the skin with sea salt and scatter over the remaining

toasted oats.

In the second pan over medium heat sauté the gnocchi in the remaining butter until golden brown about 3 – 4

minutes, add the shredded chicory and fennel, sauté for 30 seconds, season to taste and add the braised squid

and blood orange segments. Add a good amount of the deep fried parsley and divide the mix between 4 warm

serving plates, place the sea bass on top and drizzle over the reduced sauce, garnish with remaining deep-fried

parsley.

Blood Orange Trifle

Blood Orange Trifle Serves 6-8 (depending on the size of the glasses used) For the blood orange jelly and foam 750ml blood orange juice 100g caster sugar 3 gelatine leaves, bloomed For the sherry soaked cake 125g caster sugar 3 large free range eggs 1 tbs hot water 125 sifted plain flour 2 tbs dry sherry For the crème anglaise 300ml full fat milk 7 large free range egg yolks 60g caster sugar Seeds of one vanilla pod 100ml whipping cream To serve 3 blood oranges segmented 1 tbs chopped toasted green pistachios 1 tbs chopped honeycomb crumbs 1tsp dehydrated blood orange rind (remove the rind from the oranges before segmenting or juicing, spread on tray and dehydrate at 52°C for 2 - 3 hours, keep in a airtight container until needed)

First prepare the jelly and foam, heat 300ml of the blood orange juice over low heat to dissolve the sugar,

add the soaked and drained gelatine, dissolve and whisk in the rest of the juice. Pass the juice through a

fine sieve and divide the mixture into two equal measures. Pour the one half into 6 chilled dessert glasses.

Refrigerate to set completely, about 3 hours. The remaining mix pour into a siphon bottle and charge with

two gas pellets, shake vigorously and chill over ice. Keep refrigerated until needed.

While the jelly is setting bake the cake, preheated the oven to 180°C and line one large baking sheet with

parchment paper. Whisk the eggs and sugar with the hot water with a balloon whisk in a mixer for 10

minutes until thick and creamy, fold in the sifted flour, mix and spread the mix evenly on the baking tray.

Bake for 8 minutes, leave to cool completely. Once cooled, cut the cake using a round pastry cutter that

fits snug into the glasses. Cut one piece of cake for each glass, sprinkle over the sherry, cover with cling film

and set aside until needed.

Prepare the crème anglaise. Place all the ingredients apart form the cream into a thermomix jug, insert the

butterfly whisk and set the timer for 10 minutes at 80°C speed 3. Add the cream, pass the mix through a fine

sieve and pour into a large squeeze bottle, chill over ice.

To assemble, place the soaked cake on top of the set jelly, then layer the blood orange segments,

followed by the chilled crème anglaise and finally when ready to serve shake the siphon bottle vigorously

and squirt the blood orange foam on top and garnish with a sprinkle of each pistachio, honeycomb and

dehydrated orange zest and serve immediately.

Flavours of…

APRIL 2014

Lemon Sole, Salted Cod Brandade, Wild Garlic Salsa

Lemon Sole, Salted Cod Brandade, Wild Garlic Salsa Serves 4 For the Potato ‘Pebbles’ 2 large baking potatoes For the Lemon Sole 200g salt cod, washed, cut into even size pieces 1 large egg white 1tbs crème fraiche 1tbs chiffonade fresh wild garlic Zest of one lemon freshly cracked black pepper 4 whole lemon sole, skinned and filleted, keep the fillets of each fish together for assembly For the Wild Garlic Salsa 150g wild garlic, stalks removed, finely chiffonade 1 tbs Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, crushed 50g anchovies, drained and finely chopped 50g flat leaf parsley, stalks removed, chopped Zest of one lemon 50g banana shallots, finely diced 50g pine nuts, toasted and chopped sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 50ml olive oil

First bake the potatoes for the ‘pebbles’. Wash and prick the potatoes all over using a metal skewer, bake

in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 2 hours. Once cooked, leave to cool completely. Once cooled, pull the

baked potato open and pull large chunks of cooked potato, resembling pebbles. Set aside until needed.

For the lemon sole blend the cod and egg in a food processor until smooth, pass the puree through a fine

sieve into a bowl over ice, it’s very important to keep the mix as cold as possible. Fold the crème fraiche

wild garlic, lemon zest and freshly cracked black pepper into the mix, do not over work the mix, refrigerate

for 20 minutes. This mix should not need any salt as the salt cod is salty enough however if you used fresh

cod then add salt to taste.

Assembling the sole, place two of the fillets from the same side of each fish flat onto cling film, the aim is to

put the fish back together as it’s been on the bone. Do the same with the other three fish, divide the

mixture between the four fish and then place the remaining fillets on top of each fish. This will now look like

a whole sole. Carefully press it all together and wrap it tightly in cling film, leave it to firm up and seal back

together.

Prepare the wild garlic salsa, mix all the chopped ingredients together, season to taste and stir in the oil.

To cook the sole preheat the over to 180°C. Heat a large non-stick frying pan with a tablespoon of oil,

colour each fish on both sides in the hot pan for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown, transfer

the fish to a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for further 4 – 5 minutes. While the fish is cooking deep-

fry the potato ‘pebbles’ in oil at 160°C until crispy and golden brown, drain on kitchen paper and season

with salt.

Once the fish is cooked, leave to rest for 3 minutes in a warm place. Then serve.

Banana and Passion Fruit Cream Cheese Tart, Banana and Passion Fruit Sorbet

Banana and Passion Fruit Cream Cheese Tart, Banana and Passion Fruit Sorbet Serves 8 For the Banana and Passion Fruit Sorbet 125ml water 160g caster sugar 130g banana puree (boiron) 200g passion fruit puree (boiron) For the Cream Cheese Pastry 175g plain flour 175g full fat cream cheese 175g cold, unsalted butter, diced For the Banana and Passion Fruit Tart 200g cream cheese Pulp from 2 fresh passion fruits Zest and juice of one lemon Seed of one vanilla pod 150g caster sugar + extra for baking 3 large egg yolks 4 bananas

First prepare the sorbet, make stock syrup with the water and sugar, simmer for 2 minutes, leave to cool, stir

in the two purees and pass through a fine sieve. Churn the sorbet using a ice cream machine, follow the

manufacturers instructions. Once churned keep frozen until needed.

For the pastry, place the flour, butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer, use a dough hook and mix

until the mix resembles coarse bread crumbs, do not over work the dough, if the butter are still in large

flecks then that is good. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, push it all together (do not

kneed) and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle roll in one direction, fold the pastry into three

like an envelope, roll again and repeat the process four times turning and roiling in the same direction

each time. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 20 minutes before repeating the process once more

and chill.

Once the dough is ready to use roll it out on a lightly floured work surface till 4mm thickness, cut eight times

4cm wide by 12 cm long pieces. Brush each piece with one of the egg yolks using a pastry brush. Chill for

20 minutes.

Make the filling in a small bowl mix the cream cheese, one tablespoon of fresh passion fruit pulp, 150g

caster sugar, vanilla seeds, lemon zest and two yolks until creamy and smooth. Spread a tablespoon full of

the mix onto each chilled egg washed piece of pastry, cut the banana into slices and toss in the lemon

juice, arrange half a banana onto each pastry, transfer to a lined baking tray, dust with caster sugar and

bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 22 minutes until cooked, golden brown and the bottom of the

pastry is crispy, let them cool for 20 minutes before serving.

To serve place the tarts onto serving plates, garnish with the remaining passion fruit pulp and a scoop of

the sorbet.

Flavours of…

MAY 2014

Asparagus Mousse, Buttermilk and Asparagus Fritters

Asparagus Mousse, Buttermilk and Asparagus Fritters Serves 8 For the Asparagus Mousse 250ml single cream 150g asparagus, finely sliced 50g large leaf spinach Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 3g agar For the Buttermilk and Asparagus Fritters 50g plain wholemeal flour 50g plain white flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs, separated 100ml buttermilk 100g asparagus spears, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped oregano 1 teaspoon chopped spring onions rapeseed oil, for cooking For the Salad 2 baby gem lettuces 1 tablespoon olive oil 50ml classic French vinaigrette Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 40 asparagus spears (5 per portion), blanched or steamed For the asparagus mousse, prepare eight 5 x 4cm metal rings by covering the outside of each one with foil, then place them on a tray in the fridge. Put the cream, spinach and asparagus into a small saucepan with salt and pepper and bring to the boil over a medium heat for one minute. Pour the hot cream into a blender and add the agar and blend for 30 seconds, then return the mixture to the pan, bring to the boil over a high heat and boil for 30 seconds. Immediately pour the mixture into the prepared rings, dividing evenly. Leave to set at room temperature for 5 minutes and then transfer to the fridge to chill and set for a minimum of 1 hour. For the fritters, mix the flours and baking powder in a bowl, then stir in the egg yolks, buttermilk, sliced asparagus, herbs, spring onions and salt and pepper – do not over-mix, a few lumps will be fine. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold into the batter and leave to rest for 10 minutes. If the batter is too thick, then add a bit more buttermilk. You are looking for a thick dropping consistency. This batter can be made up to 6 hours in advance, but should be used on the same day that it is made. If making in advance, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use it. Heat a griddle pan, cut the gem lettuces into quarters, wash and drain. Toss in the olive oil and season. Char the gem lettuces until golden brown, toss the charged lettuce immediately with the vinaigrette whilst still warm, set aside whilst completing the dish. When you are ready to serve, cook the fritters in 2–3 batches. Heat 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter into the pan (cook 6–8 fritters at a time), cook the fritters for 2 minutes on one side, flip them over and cook for a further minute or so until cooked (turn the heat down if they start to colour too much). Drain on kitchen paper and keep the fritters warm while the rest are cooked. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little more oil to the pan, if necessary. To serve the salad, mix the blanched asparagus with salt and pepper and a dash of the vinaigrette. Turn the mousses out onto serving plates, arrange the asparagus spears, break the charred gem lettuce into smaller pieces and divide between the plates. Place the warm freshly cooked fritters on the plates and serve immediately.

New Season Lamb Cutlet, Oak Smoked Leg of Lamb, Charred Broccoli

New Season Lamb Cutlet, Oak Smoked Leg of Lamb, Charred Broccoli Serves 12 For the Oak smoked leg of lamb 1.5kg leg of lamb, bone removed, rolled and tied with string 2L water 275g soft dark brown sugar 300g table salt 2tsp black pepper corns 1tablespoon juniper berries 1 cinnamon stick 2 star anise ½ teaspoon cloves 2 garlic cloves 4 bay leaves 4 sprigs of thyme 100g curing salt For the Lamb Cutlets 2 racks of lamb, score the fat and French trim the bones freshly cracked black pepper For the Charred Broccoli 1 head of broccoli, broken into florets and turn the stalk to shape even size barrels 2 tablespoons of olive oil 50ml classic French vinaigrette sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 300g white chantenay carrots, cooked in salted water 80g green olives, sliced 36 spears of asparagus, blanched

First brine the leg of lamb, prepare the brine. Place the water into a large saucepan add table salt and

sugar. Toast the spices in a warm pan then crush using a pestle and mortar, add this to the water with the

bay leaves and thyme, bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the curing

salt. Pour into a large container and leave to cool completely. Submerge the lamb in the brine and leave

for 3 days. Prepare for cold smoking using oak; drain the brined leg of lamb and cold smoke at 38°C for 12

hours. Once smoked place the leg of lamb into a large vacuum pouch, seal on hard vacuum and cook in

a preheated water bath at 83°C for 12 hours. Once cooked remove the lamb from the bag and wrap

tightly in cling film to form an even diameter shaped barrel, chill over ice. Let it chill and set for a minimum

of 6 hours.

To cook the rack of lamb, heat a large pan over medium heat and place the seasoned racks of lamb fat

side down onto butter paper into the pan, over medium heat render the fat until it’s crispy and golden

brown all over, this takes about 15 – 20 minutes, once rendered place the pan with the lamb in a

preheated oven at 180°C for 6 minutes, remove from the oven and place in a warm spot on a cooling

rack to rest for 20 minutes.

Heat a griddle pan toss the broccoli stalks in a dash of oil and seasoning, griddle the stalks until bar marks

appear then cook them in the oven for 5 minutes, remove and slice the stalk into 3mm thick slices, griddle

the broccoli florets’ that is also tossed in oil and seasoning until golden brown. Toss the warm broccoli

floret’s and stalk in the vinaigrette, add the warm cooked and drained chantennay carrots and asparagus

spears and sliced olives. Keep this mixture warm.

Slice the smoked lamb into 3 mm thick slices, place on a roasting tray in a hot oven at 180°C for about two

minutes to heat it through, place the warm slice of smoked lamb on warm plates, divide the broccoli mix

between the plates, carve the lamb cutlets and place one cutlet on each plate. Serve with lamb sauce.

Flavours of…

JUNE 2014

Pressed Warm Chicken Terrine, Garden Peas and Mint

Pressed Warm Chicken Terrine, Garden Peas and Mint Serves 4 Pressed Chicken 4 chicken legs, deboned 1 teaspoon meat glue 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper Creamed Garden Peas and Mint 200g garden peas 1 shallot finely diced 1 teaspoon butter 100ml cream Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint Juice and zest of half lemon Crushed Garden Peas 200g garden peas 50ml classic vinaigrette 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper To serve 12 courgette ribbons 1 teaspoon classic vinaigrette 15g pea shoots First prepare the chicken. Preheat a water bath to 83°C. Place the deboned chickens with skin side down on a chopping board, lightly season with salt and pepper, divide het chopped tarragon between the legs and sprinkle the meat glue using a sieve evenly onto the chicken legs. Place one leg on top of another. Then wrap each chicken parcel tightly in cling film to form an even and perfectly shaped flat parcel. Place both parcels in a vacuum pouch, seal on hard vacuum. Cook the chicken in the water bath for 6 hours. Once cooked chill in ice water and press them flat. Refrigerate overnight on press. Remove the chicken from the vacuum pouch. Cut them perfectly square and cut each square in half-length ways. When ready to serve brown the skin of the chicken in a medium hot pan until crispy and evenly golden on both sides then place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5 minutes to heat all the way through. For the creamed peas sweat the shallot in the butter until transparent and cooked, add the peas with seasoning, and add the cream, bring to the boil, simmer for one minute, add the mint, lemon juice and zest and blend till smooth. Keep warm. For the crushed garden peas, place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse blend until the peas are coarsely crushed, season to taste.

Black Forest Gâteau

Black Forest Gâteau Serves 16 For the Cherry Sorbet 500g cherry puree (boiron) 75g trimoline 180g sugar 175ml water For the poached Cherries 180g cater sugar 150ml water One vanilla pod 25ml vodka 1kg cherries, stones removed For the Chocolate sponge 125g caster sugar 3 whole large eggs 1 tablespoon boiling water 120g plain flour 25g dark cocoa powder For the chocolate mousse 200g dark bitter chocolate 72%, melted 90g caster sugar 6 large egg yolks 60ml water 350ml double cream 50ml milk 25ml kirsch For the chocolate spray 100g cocoa butter 300g dark chocolate (65%) For the Cherry Gel 500g cherry puree (boiron) 500g caster sugar 100ml water 20g agar powder First prepare the cherry sorbet. Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer for two minutes, then blend until smooth and pour into jugs for pacojet and freeze over night until solid frozen. Prepare the poached cherries. Make a stock syrup with the sugar, vanilla and water, bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes, remove from the heat add the vodka and cherries, leave to cool at room temperature for 1 hour then refrigerate until needed. For the cherry gel. Bring all the ingredients to the boil whilst stirring continuously over medium heat, boil for one minute, transfer into a container over ice and leave to cool completely,

Flavours of…

JULY 2014

Coppa with Pickled Peaches and Kohlrabi

Coppa with Pickled Peaches and Kohlrabi Serves 10 -12 For the Coppa 1kg eye meat from the shoulder of pork also known as the coppa joint (this is the prime eye meat from the shoulder of pork) 24g table salt 1 garlic clove, peeld 15g whole black pepper corns 2g Prague powder number 2 (also know as cure number 2) Pinch cayenne pepper 1teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon cloves For the Pickled Kohlrabi 1 large kohlrabi, peeled 200ml cider vinegar 200g caster sugar Pinch of table salt For the Pickled Peaches 4 large under ripe peaches 350g caster sugar 250ml cider vinegar ½ teaspoon coriander seeds 5 in number cloves 2 in number whole star anise 1 whole cinnamon stick ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 1 large red chilli, sliced ¼ teaspoon table salt To serve Shisoo cress Pink peppercorns First prepare the coppa. Pat the meat dry using kitchen paper. Prepare the cure, use a pestle and mortar to ground the garlic and all the spices and salt to a fairly coarse crumb. Rub the cure into the dry meat, place in a vacuum bag and seal on hard vacuum. Refrigerate and leave to cure for 14 days, turn the coppa every second day. On the 14th day, remove the coppa from the bag, pat dry (do not wash with water) and wrap the meat in muslin cloth, tie with kitchen string and hand the coppa for two weeks in a cool dry and dark space at temperatures between 10°C and 15 °C. After two weeks the coppa is ready to be sliced and served. It will keep for up to a further two weeks in the fridge in a dry airtight container, change the container daily and keep the meat dry. For the pickled kohlrabi, bring the sugar and vinegar to a gentle simmer over medium heat, once simmering boil for two minutes, season gently with a pinch of salt, remove form the heat and leave to cool completely. Slice the kohlrabi thinly using a meat slicer or mandolin, place the kohlrabi and pickling liquid in a container or vacuum pouch and leave for two days before using. For the picked peaches first prepare the pickling liquid, place all the ingredients apart from the peaches in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring a gentle simmer for two minutes. Cool completely. While the liquid is cooling slice the peaches in wedges, discard of the stone. Place the sliced peaches in a container and pour the cooled pickling liquid over, cover and chill in the fridge over night. The peaches are ready to use the following day. To serve, slice the coppa as thin aspossible using a meat slicer, arrange the slices on the plates, arrange a few drained pickled peach slices and a few drained pickled kohlrabi slices over the coppa, garnish with shisoo cress and crush a small amount of pink peppercorns over before serving.

Pan-Fried Sea Trout, Lemon Tahini Yoghurt, Brown Shrimps, Red Quinoa and Aubergine Fondue

Pan-Fried Sea Trout, Lemon Tahini Yoghurt, Brown Shrimps, Red Quinoa and Aubergine Fondue Serves 4 For the aubergine fondue 1 aubergine, 2cm diced, skin on 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil 1 onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon tomato puree 80g golden sultanas, soaked in 250mlwhite chicken stock over night Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the sea trout and quinoa 200g red quinoa 200g cooked and peeled brown shrimps 2 salad onions, finely sliced 1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs (parsley, coriander, chives, tarragon, chervil) 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil 4 x 125g portions of sea trout, skin on, scaled and pin boned For the lemon tahini yoghurt 150ml thick Greek yoghurt 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 tablespoon tahini paste (sesame paste) Sea salt First prepare the aubergine fondue, fry the diced aubergine in batches in a deep fat fryer heated to 180°C until very dark golden brown (almost black but not burnt). Once all the aubergines are fried drain then in a colander. In a large saucepan over medium heat sauté the onions and garlic in the rapeseed oil until golden brown, season to taste, once coloured add the fried aubergines and tomato puree and soaked sultanas with the chicken stock, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low, gently stew the mixture for 18 -20 minutes, stir occasionally to prevent it from catching. Once cooked pulse blend in a blender, do not blend too long and it loose its’ colour. Keep the fondue warm whilst preparing the rest of the dish. While the aubergines are cooking boil the quinoa in a pan with salted water until cooked, drain once cooked. Mix the drained quinoa with the brown shrimps, sliced spring onions and chopped herbs, season to taste. Keep warm. For the lemon tahini yogurt, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, season to taste, keep chilled until serving. To cook the sea trout heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat with the oil, season the fish with salt only, place the sea trout skin side down in the warm pan and cook for 4 minutes on the skin side until golden brown and crisp, flip the fish over and continue cooking for a further two minutes on the flesh side. Drain on kitchen paper To serve spoon dollops of the yoghurt on serving plates, divide the quiona and then place the sea trout on top and serve.

Flavours of…

AUGUST 2014

Slow Cooked Sirloin, Creamed Corn and Smoked Shin of Beef

Slow Cooked Sirloin, Creamed Corn and Smoked Shin of Beef Serves 8 For the Smoked Shin of Beef Croquette 1kg smoked and cooked shin of beef, flaked 4tbs of shallot confit 2tbs chopped soft herbs (chives, tarragon, chervil and thyme) Panko Breadcrumbs 1 egg, lightly beaten Seasoned flour For the Saffron cooked golden beet 1kg small round golden beetroots, washed and skin scrubbed 1tbs extra virgin olive oil Juice and zest of one lemon Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 200ml cider vinegar 200g caster sugar 2 star anise Pinch saffron For the creamed corn 20g unsalted butter 2 banana shallots, diced 1 garlic clove, crushed 300g fresh corn kernels Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 125ml dry white wine 100ml double cream For the Slow Cooked Sirloin 2kg whole strip loin Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper One tablespoon unsalted butter First prepare the smoked shin of beef croquettes. Mix the flaked smoked shin of beef with the confit shallots and chopped herbs; season to taste. Shape tablespoons full of the mixture into croquette shapes, dip each croquette in the flour, then egg, and roll it in the panko breadcrumbs. Refrigerate until needed. For the beetroot, place the beetroots and seasoning, olive oil and lemon juice and zest in a vacuum pouch, seal on hard vacuum and place in a large gastro tray, steam in the oven for one hour, leave to cool in the vacuum pouch. In the meantime make the pickling liquor, place the vinegar, sugar, saffron and star anise and seasoning in a small saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to cool at room temperature. Once the beetroots are chilled, remove from the bag and place in a clean vacuum pouch with the pickling liquor, seal and chill until needed. For the creamed corn, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add sweat the shallots, garlic and corn with seasoning until soften, as soon as it starts to colour deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook until the wine is evaporated and then add the cream, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Blend until smooth, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, pass the corn cream through a fine sieve. To cook the sirloin, remove all the fat and interconnectivity tissue from the strip loin, shape in an elongated even sized barrel; wrap the sirloin tightly in cling film and vacuum in a bag, leave to rest of one hour. Cook in a preheated waterbath at 57°C for one hour, remove from the bag, drain on kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper, heat a frying pan with the butter over high heat, once the butter turns nutty brown roll the beef in the hot pan to colour all over, rest the beef for 10 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, fry the croquettes at 160°C in a deep-fat fryer until golden brown and hot on the inside, drain on kitchen paper and season with coarse sea salt. Reheat the corn cream. To serve, drain and cut the pickled beetroots in half. Arrange on the plate with the warmed corn cream, slice of beef and a fried smoked beef shin croquette.

Star Anise Crème Caramel, Blackberries and Celery

Star Anise Crème Caramel, Blackberries and Celery Serves 12 For the Caramel 550g caster sugar 50ml cold water For the Star Anise Crème Caramel 100ml double cream 700ml full-fat milk 2 star anise 3 large whole free range eggs 5 large free range egg yolks 100g caster sugar For the blackberries and celery 24 blackberries 200ml stock syrup 50g celery, sliced Celery cress Place 12 classic ceramic ramekins on a large tray. To make the caramel dissolve the sugar in water over low heat, once dissolved increase the heat and turn the sugar into a golden dark caramel. Pour the caramel into the prepared moulds, leave to set at room temperature. Toast the star anise in a hot saucepan pan over high heat, reduce the heat and pour the cream and milk over the star anise, bring to the boil then remove from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes to infuse. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl, pour the warmed infused milk over the eggs and sugar, mix and chill for six hours. Preheat the oven to 148°C. Pass the custard trough a fine sieve and pour into the prepared ramekins which is placed in a large deep gastro tray, and pour warm water into the tray to come up halfway to the sides of ramekins. Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes then turn the heat down to 110°C for further 20 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before serving. In the meantime preparer the blackberries. Heat the stock syrup with the celery, leave to cool and then pour over the blackberries. Leave to steep for 10 minutes. Turn the crème caramel out onto a serving plate garnish with the blackberries in celery syrup and place a few sprigs of celery cress on top.

Flavours of…

SEPTEMBER 2014

Roasted Grouse, Bread Sauce and Faggot, Sloe Jelly

Roasted Grouse, Bread Sauce and Faggot, Sloe Jelly Serves 2 For the sloe jelly 100g sloe berries, frozen 200ml water 50g caster sugar Ultratex (amount as required, each mix require a different amount) For the grouse and faggots 100g game mince (venison, grouse, etc..) Grouse giblets and livers, chopped 1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage) 1 teaspoon confit shallots ¼ teaspoon ground mace Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper pig’s caul 2 oven ready grouse 6 slices of pancetta For the bread sauce 150ml milk 1 shallot finely sliced 1 clove Couple of scrapings of nutmeg 2 whole black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1 sprig of thyme 1 star anise 80g fresh breadcrumbs 1tablespoon unsalted butter Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper First prepare the sloe jelly, in a medium saucepan bring the sloe berries, water and sugar to a gentle simmer, simmer for about 10 minutes until the berries collapsed and the mixture become a puree, pass the puree through a sieve and discard of the stones. Place the puree in a mixing bowl and whisk in ultratex until the required thickens is achieved. Place the sloe jelly in a squeezy bottle and refrigerate until needed. Prepare the faggots, in a mixing bowl mix the minced game, grouse giblets and livers, herbs, shallot confit and mace, season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into even size small balls, wrap each ball in pigs caul and then in clingfilm, refrigerate for 20 minutes. Prepare the grouse, place three slices of pancetta over each grouse, and truss the grouse with butchers string. For the bread sauce, bring the milk, shallot, clove, nutmeg, peppercorns, bay, thyme and star anise to a gentle simmer over medium heat, once boiling remove form the heat and set aside to infuse for 10 minutes. Pass the milk through a sieve and add the breadcrumbs, mix until fairly smooth season to taste, set aside until needed. To cook the grouse and faggots preheat the oven to 180°C, poach the faggots in the Clingfilm in a pan of boiling water for 15 minutes, remove from the water and leave to rest for 5 minutes whilst browning the grouse all over in a hot pan with a teaspoon of butter, place the browned grouse in the preheated oven on a baking tray for 5 -6 minutes, once cooked rest in a warm place for 8 -10 minutes. In a small frying over medium heat brown the faggots in a teaspoon of unsalted butter, drain on kitchen paper. You could serve the grouse whole or remove the breast from the bone. Serve the grouse with the reheated bread sauce, faggots and sloe jelly, Boulanger potatoes, golden heritage carrots and port red wine sauce.

Pecan Apple Fritters, Sweet Cheese

Pecan Apple Fritters, Sweet Cheese Serves 10 -12 For the Pecan Apple Fritters 100g toasted whole pecan nuts 150g caster sugar + extra for dusting 250g self-raising flour pinch salt ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 large egg 150ml buttermilk 6 medium to small discovery or cox apples, core removed, skin on For the Sweet Cheese 250g mascarpone cheese 80g icing sugar Seeds of one vanilla pod juice and zest of one lemon First prepare the batter, place the toasted pecan nuts and caster sugar in a food processor and blend until the pecans is ground to a fine powder. Add the flour, salt and cloves, pulse blend. In a small bowl mix the buttermilk with the whole egg and slowly add to the flour mixture while blending, blend until just incorporated. The batter will be quite thick, that is correct do not make the batter too runny as it will not stick to the apple, transfer the mix to a clean container and set aside. Preheat a deep fat fryer with oil to 160°C, get a tray with kitchen paper and a spider or tongs ready for frying. Prepare the sweet cheese, place all the ingredients for the sweet cheese in a bowl, whisk well, if the mascarpone is a bit too thick add a dash of buttermilk or milk to let it down slightly, keep chilled until needed. Cut the cored skin on apples in 3 – 4 mm thick slices, dip each apple slice in the batter, then fry the batter coated apple slices in batches in the preheated fat fryer for about 3 - 4 minutes, turn them regularly to ensure a even golden colour, drain the fritters onto kitchen paper and immediately dust with extra caster sugar, keep warm whilst frying the rest of the fritters. To serve place the warm fritters on serving plates and serve with the sweet cheese.

Flavours of…

OCTOBER 2014

Pork Crumbed Mushrooms, Potato Garlic Cream

Pork Crumbed Mushrooms, Potato Garlic Cream Serves 4 For the Pickled Button Onions and Trompette Mushrooms 100g caster sugar 100ml white wine vinegar 10 in number coriander seeds 5 in number cloves 1 in number star anise 1 garlic clove, crushed Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 200g button onions, peeled 50g trompette mushrooms 1 tsp olive oil For the parsley vinaigrette 100g flat leaf parsley 1tsp Dijon mustard 100ml rapeseed oil 2tbs water Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the Potato Garlic Cream 200g potato peeled and 1cm diced 30g garlic, peeled and sliced 300ml vegetable or white chicken stock 50g unsalted butter 200ml double cream Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the Mushrooms 12 small button mushrooms 50g dehydrated pork skin crumbs (Airbag Farina) 1 large free range egg yolk 25g plain flour Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper First prepare the pickling liquid for pickled onions and mushrooms dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a medium saucepan over low heat, add the aromatics and season with salt and pepper, once sugar dissolved increase the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Leave to cool at room temperature. Cook the onions in salted boiling water for 5 -6 minutes; test if cooked with a sharp pairing knife if the knife inserts with ease then its ready. Drain and immediately place in 2/3 of the pickling liquid. Leave for minimum of 30 minutes before using, could be made in advance and keep chilled. For the pickled trompette mushrooms, heat a small frying pan over high heat with the oil, sauté the mushrooms with seasoning for 1 – 2 minutes, drain and then add to the remaining pickling liquid, set aside. The mushrooms are ready immediately or could be done in advance, keep refrigerated. For the parsley vinaigrette place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste, transfer to an squeeze bottle and keep chilled until needed. Prepare the potato garlic cream. In a medium saucepan over medium heat bring the garlic, potatoes, butter and stock with seasoning, to a gentle simmer kept eh pan covered with a lid and stir occasionally, once the potatoes are very soft add the cream, remove the lid and bring the cream to the boil, simmer for one minute, blend until smooth, pass the sauce through a fine sieve and pour into a cream whipper, secure the lid and charge with two gas pellets, keep the sauce warm. While the potatoes are cooking prepare the pork-crumbed mushrooms. Season the plain flour and place in a medium container, whisk the egg with seasoning and place in another container. Place the pork crumb in another container. First coat the button mushrooms in the flour, then in the egg and lastly in the pork crumb. Heat a fat fryer with oil to 160C, fry the mushrooms for 4 -5 minutes or until crispy and golden brown in batches, and drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with salt. To serve make a cordon of the parsley vinaigrette on each serving plate, place three mushrooms per portion on each plate on the parsley, do the same with drained pickled mushrooms and trompette mushrooms. Shake the cream whipper with the warm potato garlic cream and dispense the sauce in the centre of the plate and serve.

Pheasant Cannelloni

Pheasant Cannelloni Serves 8 For the pheasant cannelloni 275g ‘oo’ pasta flour 2 whole large free-range eggs 3 large free range egg yolks + 1 extra yolk for glaze 1 tbs olive oil pinch of table salt 4 pheasant legs 2 sprigs of thyme 1 teaspoon duck fat 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 banana shallots finely diced 80g celery, finely diced 50g trompette mushrooms 50ml pheasant stock 1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 50g grated parmesan cheese For the celeriac fondant and puree 1 head of celeriac 100g + 20gunsalted butter 100ml + 50ml pheasant or white chicken stock 75ml double cream Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the garnish 25g pickled trompette mushrooms (see other recipe) 24 button onions, peeled and cooked till al-dente 24 sage leaves, deep-fired Prepare the pasta, in a food processor pulse blend the flour, oil and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, blend until the pasta dough comes together, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and kneed the dough for 5 minutes until a smooth dough is formed, wrap tightly in clingfilm and refrigerate for one hour before using.

Prepare the pheasant filling. Roast the seasoned pheasant legs in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes, leave to cool. Remove the skin and flake the meat, remove any shot and small bones. Heat a non-stick fringing over medium heat with the duck fat and sauté the shallots, celery and mushrooms with seasoning for 6 minutes until tender, add the pheasant stock and bring to the boil, cook for one minute, remove from the heat. Add the flaked cooked pheasant leg meat and herbs, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

For the celeriac fondant and puree, peel and cut 8 batons of celeriac 8 -10 cm long x 1 ½ cm wide. Roughly dice the rest of the celeriac for the puree. To cook the fondant place the celeriac batons, 100g unsalted butter, 50ml pheasant stock and seasoning in a small frying pan, cover with butter paper and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning it occasionally until the celeriac is cooked and glazed.

For the puree, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat with 20g butter, sweat the diced celeriac with seasoning, cover the pan with a lid, cook for about 8 minutes, stir occasionally, add 100ml pheasant stock, cover the pan with a lid and cook for further 10 minutes until the celeriac is soft, remove the lid, increase the heat and add the cream, boil for 2 minutes then blend until smooth, pass the purée through a sieve and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Roll the pasta out using a pasta machine until thin (2mm thickness) and cut the pasta into 10cm x 12cm oblongs, cook the pasta sheets in boiling salted water for 4 minutes, drain and lay the oblongs out on a lightly greased tray, spoon tablespoons full of the filling in the centre of each and roll the cannelloni’s, place them on a lined baking tray, brush with egg yolk glaze and top with grated parmesan cheese.

Bake the cannelloni in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5 minutes. Reheat the pickled mushrooms and cooked button onions.

To serve spoon a tablespoon of heated celeriac puree on a warm plate, place the cannelloni on the puree, place a drained warmed celeriac fondant piece next to the cannelloni, arrange the warm button onions, pickled trompette mushrooms and sage. Dust over remaining grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Flavours of…

NOVEMBER

Salmon with Pickled Apples, Cucumber and Celery

Salmon with Pickled Apples, Cucumber and Celery Serves 4 as a starter For the pickled apples, cucumber and celery 100g caster sugar 100ml white wine vinegar 1 cucumber 2 sticks celery 2 large eating apples (such as Discovery or Cox’s) sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the candied sunflower seeds 50g sunflower seeds 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon clear runny honey a pinch of mild curry powder a pinch of sea salt For the yoghurt sauce 150g natural yoghurt finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime For the hot smoked salmon rillettes and pan-fried salmon 200g hot smoked salmon 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mixed herbs (such as chives, chervil, dill and parsley) finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime 5 Salmon pieces 80g each, skin and pinbones removed 2 teaspoons rapeseed oil First prepare the pickled apples, cucumber and celery. Place the sugar, vinegar and salt and pepper in a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Divide the pickling liquor evenly between 2 bowls and set aside. Peel the cucumber and peel or de-string the celery. Thinly slice the celery widthways and place in one bowl of the pickling liquor. Use a small melon baller to scoop out balls from the cucumber (avoiding the seeds), then add these to the celery pickling liquor and stir. Leave to marinade until needed – they are ready to use in 10 minutes. Remove the core from the apples using a corer (keep the apples whole), then use a mandoline to slice the apples into 2mm-thick slices. Place the apple slices in the second bowl of pickling liquor. Leave to marinade until needed – they are also ready to use in 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the candied sunflower seeds. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and spread out on the prepared baking tray. Bake in the oven for 6–8 minutes, until golden brown and toasted, (the mixture will still be soft at this stage, but once cooled completely, the seeds will become crisp). For the yoghurt sauce, mix the ingredients together in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, then cover and chill until needed. Next prepare the hot smoked salmon rillettes. Place the hot smoked salmon in a small bowl, then add the mascarpone, herbs and lime zest and juice, season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Take 1 raw piece of salmon and dice the flesh very small. Add this to the smoked salmon mixture, stir to mix and adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover and chill until you are ready to serve (the rillette mixture should not be made too far in advance; it is best made fresh and served on the same day). For the pan-fried salmon, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, then place them, presentation side down, in the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the fish over and cook for a further 1 minute, then drain on kitchen paper. To serve, spread some of the yoghurt sauce on each plate, dividing it evenly. Drain the pickled apples, celery and cucumber. Place one apple slice on each plate, place a large spoonful of the hot smoked salmon rillettes on top and then top with another slice of pickled apple. Arrange the cucumber and celery on the plates and then place one pan-fried salmon piece on each plate. Sprinkle with the candied sunflower seeds and serve immediately.

Tandoori Style Partridge

Tandoori Style Partridge Serves 4 For the tandoori style paste 10g cumin seeds 10g coriander seeds 4 green cardamom pods 1 piece of cassia bark 10g paprika 25ml sunflower oil 40g diced white onion 40g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 large fresh red chilli, seeds removed and chopped 75g tomato paste 1 lemon 25g natural yoghurt 20g fresh coriander, chopper Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For the partridge tandoori style breast and coconut balls 4 partridge breast, skin on 80g tablespoon of the tandoori style paste 4 partridge legs 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 chicken breast, skin removed and diced 1 egg white 50ml double cream Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon nigella seeds 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut For the tandooori style yoghurt sauce 80g tandoori style paste 100ml natural yoghurt, hang in muslin to remove any access liquid First prepare the marinade. Heat a small non-stick saucepan over medium heat and dry toast the cumin, coriander, cardamom and cassia bark for 2 minutes, tip it into a pestle and mortar add the paprika and ground until smooth. Return the pan to the medium heat with the oil and sweat the onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and spices and add seasoning for 6 – 8 minutes, cover the pan with a lid to prevent colouring, stir occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook for further 2 minutes on high heat stir continuously to cook the paste out. Blend the paste until smooth, and cool over ice. Once cooled stir in the coriander and yoghurt. Chill until needed. Rub the tandoori style paste over the partridge breast, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least one hour. Roast the partridge legs with seasoning and the oil on a lined roasting tray in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 22 -25 minutes, until cooked. Cool, and remove the skin and bones and flake the meat, set aside to cool. Make a mousse with the chicken breast, in a food processor blend the diced chicken with the egg white until smooth, pass the chicken puree through a fine drum sieve. Return the chicken puree to a bowl and gently whip in the cream and seasoning. Add the cooled flaked partridge leg meat, check seasoning and chill for 30 minutes. Scoop 25g balls and place on a roasting tray, chill until ready to cook. Make the tandoori style yoghurt sauce; mix the marinade with the dry and thick yoghurt transfer to a piping bag or squeezy bottle. Keep chilled. To cook the partridge breast heat a cast iron pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, pan-fry the partridge breast skin side down for 3 minutes turn it over and cook for further 2 minutes, reduce the heat if it’s colouring too much. Rest the partridge breast for 2 minutes before serving. In the meantime cook the partridge balls in a preheated oven at 180°C for 8 minutes, once cooked roll in the nigella seeds and desiccated coconut. Serve the partridge breast and ball on a skewer with the tandoori style yoghurt sauce.

Flavours of…

DECEMBER 2014

Golden Goose Egg

Golden Goose Egg Serves 12 300g goose leg meat, boneless 1 garlic clove2 sprigs of thyme 1 star anise 150g minced goose meat 150g Cumberland pork sausage meat 50g Grain mustard 1 tablespoon chopped Fresh Herbs (chives, chervil, parsley) Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 12 quails eggs 60 g Panko Breadcrumbs 60g Egg wash 24g Plain Flour edible gold shimmer spray Place the goose leg meat, garlic, thyme and star anise in a vacuum pouch, vacuum tightly and then cook at 83°C in a preheated water bath for 12 hours. Chill cooked goose in ice water till the meat core temperature reaches 3°C within one hour. Remove cooked goose from bag, discard bag, thyme, garlic and star anise and juice, flake meat removing bones, skin and sinew. Mix cooked flaked goose leg meat with the minced goose and sausage meat, mustard and seasoning until combined and one consistency. Shape into 50g balls. Boil the quails eggs for 2minutes 40 seconds chill in ice water for 15 minutes, peel and discard of eggshells, was in clean water, double check no shells present. Pack goose meat around each egg. Place in fridge to chill and set, 30 minutes. Roll each egg in flour, dust off excess then roll in egg wash, knock off excess and finally roll in panko breadcrumbs, knock off excess. Place on clean lined tray and chill for 30 minutes. Deep fry at 180°C for 3minutes then transfer to oven tray and cook in preheated oven at180°C for 2minutes. Probe core meat to reach 75°C. Spray the cooked goose egg with gold shimmer spray and serve immediately.

Chestnut Mousse

Chestnut Mousse Serves 12 Chocolate Cake 125g caster sugar 3 large free range eggs 1 tablespoon hot water 120g plain flour 25g cocoa powder Chestnut Mousse 400g unsweetened chestnut puree 6 large free-range egg yolks 40ml hot water 200g caster sugar 2 gelatine leaves, bloomed 400ml whipping cream Marsala Honey Jelly 50g clear runny honey 100ml Marasala Wine 30g caster sugar 150ml cold water 3 gelatine leaves, bloomed Chestnut Garnish 200g unsweetened chestnut puree 100g caster sugar 25ml cognac Garnish Meringue Gold leaf First bake the cake. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Whisk the eggs, sugar and water with a balloon whisk in a mixer on high speed for 10 minutes, until the mixture is aerated and doubled in volume. Sift the flour and cocoa powder over the mix; gently fold the flour into the egg mixture.

Spread the cake onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper to about 2 mm thicknesses. Bake the cake for 4 minutes; remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Line the bases of 12 metal oblong moulds (8cm long, 4cm wide, 3cm high), place them on a tray and refrigerate whilst making the mousse.

For the mousse, first blend the chestnut puree until smooth on high speed for 2 minutes in a thermomix jug, transfer the puree to a bowl and then use the same jug and place the egg yolks, water and sugar in the jug, insert a butterfly whisk. Secure the jug and lid and set the timer for 20 minutes at 90°C speed 4, remove the butterfly whisk and add the drained bloomed gelatine, blend on speed 3 for 2 minutes to incorporate and melt the gelatine. Pour this mixture over the smooth chestnut puree and gently fold to combined, place the bowl over ice to chill until just before setting point. In the meantime whip the cream till soft peak stage, fold the cream into the mousse mixture. Transfer to a piping bag and fill the lined metal moulds to the top. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours to set.

In the meantime make the Marsala jelly. Place all ingredients apart from the bloomed gelatine in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil, once boiling remove from the heat and then whisk in the drained bloomed gelatine. Pass the mix through a sieve into a small container and set in the fridge until completely set (about 2 hours). Cut the jelly into small cubes to garnish the chestnut mousse.

For the chestnut garnish, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, transfer to a piping bag with either a very small nozzle or use a Mont Blanc piping nozzle.

To serve, remove the metal moulds using a blowtorch to warm up the metal and slip the mousses out.

Place on a plate, pipe the chestnut garnish on top in ribbons, place the jelly cubes on top and then crumb meringue over and garnish with gold leaf.