Recipe: Herb marinated lamb leg steak, aromatic tomato Quinoa, chargrilled aubergine, roast garlic, and Kale crisps

For the lamb

Marinate the lamb chop steaks in olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic and cover, the lamb is best left to marinade in a fridge overnight.

For the tomato base sauce

Firstly make the tomato sauce, Chop one clove of garlic and add it to the chopped tomatoes, pour into a pan, add 1 clove, half a star anise, six leaves of fresh basil.

Bring the mix to the boil and remove from heat, check the seasoning, blitz the sauce and set to one side.

For the Quinoa

Quinoa can be prepared much like rice. It should usually be rinsed or soaked before use to remove its bitter coating, the cooked germ should have a slight bite to it (al dente).

175g quinoa, rinsed and drained

475ml chicken stock

Half of the tomato sauce that you made earlier

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the quinoa and chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the moisture is completely absorbed, about 15 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and set to one side.

For the garlic

Split the garlic in half, rub with salt, chopped rosemary and oven bake until cooked

For the aubergine

Slice them along the length and rub with olive oil, season with sea salt and pulled thyme.

Heat and chargrill or griddle pans until red hot, chargrill the aubergines on both sides until tender. Once cooked keep them hot.

For the lamb

In the same griddle pan cook the lamb, season as you go.

Cook the lamb pink and remove from the pan, at this point be sure to allow the lamb to rest.

To serve

ensure everything is hot, place the Quinoa on the service dish, add the chargrilled aubergine, slice the lamb and add it to the plate, deep fry some Kale, season and add to the dish, finish with the left over tomato sauce and the roast garlic

Recipe: Lillies Clam Chowder

Ingredients

3 ½ounces raw bacon, diced

3 ½ounces clarified butter

1 ½pounds yellow onion, diced ¼inch

1 pound celery, diced ¼inch

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 pounds potatoes, diced ½inch

7 cups chopped clams in juice

1 gallon whole milk

12 ounces Roux

1 ½tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1 ¼ teaspoons hot pepper sauce, such as Ashanti

1 ounce kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1 cup half and half

½cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Method

In a thick bottomed stock pot, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined sheet tray and set aside for service.

Add butter to bacon drippings. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the onions are tender.

Add potatoes and clams in juice bring to a simmer and cook over low until potatoes are tender. Add Worcestershire, Tabasco, thyme, salt and pepper.

Separately heat the milk until steaming. Add the roux to the milk, whisking frequently. Simmer until thickened. Stir in the half and half.

Add the thickened milk mixture to the clam mixture. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve, topped with reserved bacon and chopped parsley.

Recipe: Crab cakes

Ingredients

1½ ounces (1½ slice) white sandwich bread, crusts removed, diced ¼inch
2 fluid ounces liquid pasteurized eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
½teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
½teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Ashanti
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more for finishing
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, shells picked out, juice drained

As needed butter, room temperature

Method

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except crab meat. Let soak 30 minutes.

Gently toss crab with bread mixture until just combined, breaking the lumps slightly to bind, but leaving as much intact as possible. Pack mixture into a 4 ounce (#8) spring‐loaded scoop.

Liberally butter a 400°F (200°C) griddle. Scoop crab cakes onto griddle and cook until golden on both sides, turning only once to prevent cakes from breaking apart.

Transfer to a heat‐proof pan. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and top with a dab of butter. Place in a 400°F (200°C) oven and heat until internal temperature registers 145°F (63°C), about 4 minutes.

Recipe: Macadamia Nut Pie

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1.5 fluid ounces egg yolks, pasteurized
6 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate
2 fluid ounces egg whites, pasteurized
1 cup whipped cream (no flavouring added)
6 ounces macadamia nuts, chopped
1 recipe Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pie Crust,Baked and cooled
4 cups sweetened whipped cream
As needed chocolate shavings
As needed toasted macadamia nuts, chopped

Method:

In the bowl of a mixer, combine cream cheese, half of sugar and vanilla. Beat, using paddle attachment, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat until smooth. Stir in melted chocolate.

In a separate mixer bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining half of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into the chocolate mixture.

Next, fold whipped cream and chopped macadamia nuts into the chocolate mixture. Weigh 2 pounds 2 ounces (1000g) of this mixture into each pie crust. Mixture should completely cover chocolate crust.

Refrigerate at least four hours before serving. Mound whipped cream high over entire pie. Slice, and garnish each slice with toasted macadamia nuts and chocolate curls.

Key Lime Pie

Crust Ingredients:

2 ounces unsalted butter
6 ounces chopped pecans
3 ounces chopped graham crackers
¼ounce finely grated fresh lime (or key lime) zest
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Filling Ingredients:
4 fluid ounces egg yolks (about 6 large)
2 1/2 pounds condensed milk
7 fluid ounces key lime juice (fresh, if possible)

Crust Method:

Melt butter in a medium pan. Add chopped pecans and sauté until lightly browned. Immediately transfer nuts and butter to a food processor.

Add graham crackers, lime zest, cinnamon, and sugar and process until coarsely ground.
Press mixture into a 12‐inch (30cm) pie plate (measure pie plate across the top), so mixture is evenly distributed and about ¼‐ inch (.75 cm) thick. Set aside at room temperature.

Filling Method:

In a mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.

On medium speed, gradually add condensed milk. Do not over mix. Scrape down sides of bowl. Gradually add lime juice.

Pour mixture into pie shell.

Bake pie in a combi oven set at 300°F (150°C) and 10% humidity until set, 20 to 25 minutes. (Alternatively, bake in a standard oven with a pan of water on the bottom rack.) Do not allow pie to brown.

Transfer pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. After cooling, refrigerate until set (approximately 4 hours.)

To serve, slice chilled pie and serve as directed

The city roof garden

Recipe: warm salad of pork with black pudding

Ingredients
One teaspoon of grain mustard
Three tablespoons olive oil
One tablespoon white wine vinegar
Pinch of salt
A little butter and olive oil for frying
One pork fillet around 200g sliced in to medallions about 1/2cm thick
Half a red onion finely diced
One apple finely diced
60g black pudding diced
One handful red chard
One handful of rocket
Small handful torn basil

Method
Start with the dressing by mixing together the mustard, olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt.

Heat a large frying pan. When hot, add the butter and olive oil for frying and flash fry the pork, red onion, apple and black pudding until the pork is cooked. Turn the ingredients to ensure even cooking is acheived, do this gently so that the apple and black pudding dont disintegrate, remove from the pan into a large bowl.

Add the red chard, rocket and basil, season with the dressing and mix all of the ingredients together, check the seasoning, serve the salad in a bowl, this also works well with a poached egg on top.

Recipe: salmon and monkfish spring rolls

Ingredients
100g of salmon
100g of monkfish
One teaspoon chopped fresh coriander
A few leaves of torn basil
One teaspoon dark soy sauce
One teaspoon Thai fish Sauce
Three spring roll wrappers
One tablespoon of plain flour mixed with a little water to make a paste

For the dressing
75ml light soy sauce
One clove of garlic chopped
One spring onion, finely chopped
One teaspoon finely chopped red onion
A couple of handfuls of mixed leaves

Method
Place the salmon and the monkfish in a blender with the coriander, basil, dark soy sauce and the Thai fish sauce, and pulse until roughly chopped

Spoon one-third of the mixture onto one of the spring roll wrappers. Fold the top over, then the two sides to make ends, followed by folding the bottom up to make a complete roll. A few minutes before cooking the spring rolls, seal the edge with a little flour-and-water paste.

In a small saucepan, bring the light soy sauce to the boil. Add the garlic, spring onion and red onion, remove from the heat and allow to cool.

To cook the spring rolls, deep fry until golden or brush with a little oil and bake in a hot oven at 220c for ten to fifteen minutes

Chop each spring roll into two and place three halves on leaves piled on the centre of the serving plates. Serve with the dressing in a small bowl for dipping.

Recipe: Vanilla panna cotta

Ingredients
160ml cold milk
Three leaves of gelatine
Two vanilla pods
One litre of double cream
160g icing sugar

Method
Start by placing the milk in a pan, adding the gelatine leaves and leaving to soak. Slice the vanilla pods lenghways and scrapeout the seeds. Place both the pods and the seeds in a pan with the cream and just bring to the boil.

While the cream is heating, bring the milk to the boil until the gelatine is completely dissolved, add the cream along with the sugar and whisk to mix.

Remove the vanilla pods, pour the mixture into the moulds and palce in the fridge to set for three hours or more.

To turn the panna cotta out onto a dish, dip each mould in hot water for a few seconds and the dessert should slide out.

Recipe: Rhubarb and custard

Ingredients

Rhubarb

Custard

Fresh berries

Mini meringues

Garden mint

Fruit coulis

Agar agar

Raspberry sorbet

Method

Warm the custard and thicken with the agar agar, pour in to a lined tray and allow

To chill until it sets

Poach the rhubarb until tender, chill once cooked to prevent it going soft.

When you are ready to serve cut the fresh berries, shred the mint, cut the cold set 

Custard and plate the dessert. 

Finish the dessert with a scoop of sorbet and the fresh shredded mint.

Recipe: Octopus salad, peanut butter and strawberries

Ingredients
Peanut butter
Strawberries
Vintage tomatoes
Shallots
Smoked almonds
Red Chilli
Peashoots
Micro herbs
Chives
Olive oil
Octopus

Method
Place the peanut butter and smoked almonds into a blender

Blitz until a smooth paste is achieved, add the olive oil, just enough to loosen the paste, remove from the blender and add chopped chives, spoon the mix onto the service dish

Cut the tomatoes and add them on top of the almond paste, chop the strawberries and do the same.

Cut the octapus and fry in a hot pan, this takes a very short period of time so be carefull not to over cook as it will go tough.

Add the octopus to the dish, sprinkle over some whole smoked almonds and add some fresh chopped red chilli also.

Dress the peashoots and micro herbs and place on top of the salad.

Recipe: pulled pork and anchovy pressed terrine

Ingredients
2kg pork shoulder or pork belly
3 carrots diced
1 head celery chopped
5 shallots diced
2 lemons
1 star anise
2 cloves
Vegetable stock
Anchovies
Chives
Green peppers
Cucumber
Capers
Green tomatoes
Green tomato paste
Olive oil
Seasoning
Mixed micro herbs
Pea shoots
Pork rind

Method
In a large baking tray, add the pork, celery, 4 shallots, carrots, star anise, cloves, lemons, vegetable stock.

Cover and braise the pork until it falls apart and can be shredded.

Once cooked remove the pork from the braising liquid and let it stand for 20 minutes to allow it to cool.

Once cooled shred the pork and chop up the vegetables from the braising pan, mix and season, chop the anchovies and chives and add to the mix, place the pork into a mould and spoon over a small amount of the braising stock, cover with cling film and press with a weight until cold (overnight works best)

For the salsa finely diced the pepper, cucumber, capers, green tomato, add the green tomato paste and olive oil, season to taste.

For the pork crackling place the slices of pork rind between to trays and bake until crisp.

To serve spoon the salsa on to a serving dish, add a slice of the terrine, dress the micro herbs and place on top, finish with the crisp pork rind.

Recipe: Crab tart with spinach

For the pastry

125g diced cold butter
One beaten egg
250g plain flour
Seasoning
Two table spoons of water

For the filling

One handful of diced red onion
Two handfuls of chopped leeks
Two handfuls of chopped spinach
One packet of crab meat
A small carton of double cream
Two eggs beaten
A handful of sun-dried tomatoes
One handful of rocket
Seasoning

Method

Preheat the oven to 170c

First make the pastry by placing the egg and butter into a food processor and blitz until smooth
Add the flour and a pinch of salt and pepper, with the food processor running, pour in the water until the mix forms a ball.
Remove the pastry and wrap in cling film, place it in the fridge and allow to rest for thirty minutes.

Then roll out the pastry, line four moulds and blind bake.

To make the filling, in a saucepan gently saute the onion, leek and spinach until tender. Remove from the heat and add the rocket and crab, add enough cream to bind the mixture and mix in the eggs seasoning as you go.

Spoon the mixture into the tart cases and bake in the oven until set.

To serve, mix the rocket with the sundried tomatoes and place the tart on top.

Mams Rumtopf

After a busy Christmas and New year at the hotel i got to hang my apron up at 4pm on New years day and enjoy some family time.

When i got home i walked the dog with Zoe and the kids and looked forward to an afternoon at my parents house, as usual when we arrived the fork buffet was prepared and ready to tuck into, Mams buffets are something i look forward to as they remind me of my childhood and good times we have had as a family.

After our main meal Mam pulled out the Rumtopf from the fridge, this was something special.

Rumtopf is a traditional German/ Danish dessert tradionally eaten around Christmas. Rumtopf is made by cutting up seasonal fruit and putting it in a stone wear pot with sugar and Rum, the pot is topped up to ensure the fruit is well preserved over a few months and served in winter.

As always flavour is what i look for in food, the fruit was fantastic, the rum flavour was intense and i must say Mam should be proud of her Rumtopf.

The traditional way of making a Rumtopf started with the first fruit in season and ended in autumn.

As i enjoy fruit picking this will be something i will be collecting for this year

Please see recipe below

For 2 parts fruit you need 1 part sugar and approximately 3 cups Rum

Wash fruit and air dry, cut into equal size pieces

Add half of weight sugar, mix and let stand for about 1 hour.

 Place the fruit into your Rumtopf or Jar and add Rum ensuring the fruit is completely covered.

Repeat these steps when you have fresh fruit do this until the fruit seasons are over.

Take care of your Rumtopf. Fill up with Rum if necessary. It is important that fruit are always completely covered.

After you have added the last of your seasonal fruit ensure your Rumtopf is topped up and seal it, store it in a fridge for six weeks, then serve.