Recipe: Fillet of lamb with Asian pear and mint risotto

To make a real risotto means that the rice has to be stirred continuously, adding the hot liquor bit by bit thus cooking and disturbing the starch on the outside of each grain which then thickens the dish.

As the rice cooks, the grains also absorb the flavoured liquor and swell to become soft and plump. The result is a dish from heaven and the process very therapeutic.

It takes about 30 minutes and I recommend its preparation to anyone who likes cooking - and a glass or two of wine to hand seems to help things along.

Fillet of lamb with Asian pear and mint risotto

(To serve two)

Two fillets of lamb

One medium onion - peeled and roughly chopped

One stick of celery - chopped

One handful of arborio rice

One glass of white wine

Hot vegetable stock - around a pint. But if you use it all, supplement with boiling water.

One Asian pear or, if not available, standard pear - unpeeled and chopped into chunks

One handful of mint leaves - shredded

Olive oil

Cooking oil

Butter

Pre-heat oven to 200°C (gas mark 6)

First, make the risotto. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan melt a knob of butter with a tablespoon of olive oil. Gently sauté the onion and celery until tender. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice is well coated with the oil and butter. Add the white wine and, stirring gently, bring to the boil until the liquid has almost disappeared.

Next add a small ladleful of hot stock, bring to a simmer and continue stirring until that almost disappears, then another ladleful of stock, continuously stirring, and so on. Stop adding stock when the rice is tender but still has a ‘bite’ inside. You can only gauge this by tasting as it depends on how high your heat was, how much stock you added each time and so on as to how long the process takes, but it’s generally around 25 to 30 minutes.

To finish the risotto add around 50gm of butter and stir until melted. Add the pear and the mint and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat, put on a lid and it should keep warm while you do the rest of the dish.

Heat an oven-proof frying pan and add a little cooking oil. Season the lamb, seal it on all sides and place the pan in the oven for around 15 minutes for medium pink. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest whilst warming and preparing the plates.

To serve, place the risotto in the centre of the plate, thickly slice the lamb and place it on top. Fantastic.

Recipe: Strawberry tiramisu with ginger-caramelised pears

Ingregients

 

Twelve strawberries - sliced
Two pears - quartered
One inch of root ginger – peeled and chopped

One vanilla pod – chopped small
One dessertspoon of brown sugar

Sponge pieces – enough to make 8 ½“ thick discs
One tablespoon of brandy
Two tablespoon of Mascapone cheese sweetened with a little caster sugar to taste.
Few leaves of fresh mint

Method

Pre-heat the grill. In a bowl, coat the pears with the ginger, vanilla pod and brown sugar. Grill them for around 10 minutes, turning now and again. Pour the resulting juice into a jug or bowl and reserve.

 

Sprinkle all the brandy over the sponge discs and then build your desserts by building layers of sponge, mascapone and strawberries ending up with four layers. Using a pastry cutter ring might help but this dish looks great presented as high as possible. 

Garnish each dish with the pears and fresh mint and pour the reserved juice over and around

Recipe:Swordfish on basil mashed potato with lemon and tomato salsa

Ingredients

To serve two

Two swordfish steaks

Three large potatoes - peeled and cut into chunks

A knob of butter

Some double cream for the mashed potato

A handful of fresh basil – torn

Ten cherry tomatoes - halved

One red onion – finely diced

One red or green chilli – finely sliced

The juice and zest of two lemons

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Place the potatoes in a pan of salted cold water, bring to boil and cook until they fall of a knife.

 

Whilst they're cooking, place the red onion, cherry tomatoes and chilli in a bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice, pour in a little olive oil and season to taste.

 

Once cooked, drain the potatoes, return to the pan and leave on a low heat for a minute or so to drive off any excess liquid. Mash, add butter and cream to taste, add the basil, cover and set to one side.

 

Heat a frying pan, coat the swordfish steaks with oil and cook for two to three minutes each side. To serve, spoon the basil mash onto a plat, top with the fish and serve the salsa alongside. A green salad would be a perfect accompaniment

Recipe:Tian of beef and sweet potato

Ingredients

Two 8 oz fillet steaks – cut into three slices each.

Two large sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into three slices each.

Selection of vegetables - enough for two - such as carrot, asparagus, spring onions, green beans – all prepared to approximately the same size, say, the size of your thumb.

A wine glass of red wine

A similar amount of good beef stock – preferably not made from just the standard salty cube.

A couple of ounces of chilled butter - diced

Olive oil

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the sweet potatoes until al dente. Remove from the water and place in a covered dish in a warm oven. Repeat with all the other vegetables, only cooking those together that take the same time to cook. For instance the carrots will take five minutes or so but the green beans will take only a minute or two. Add these to the dish in the oven.

 

To cook the steaks, heat a frying pan, add a little olive oil and fry the slices a minute or so each side depending on how pink you like your meat.

 

To serve, place one circle of sweet potato in the middle of each dish, place a slice of fillet steak on top and repeat twice. Butter the remaining vegetables if wished and arrange them around the meat. Return the frying pan to the heat, add the red wine and quickly reduce by two thirds. Add the stock and reduce again by two thirds. Whilst still boiling, add the butter – shaking the pan or whisking with a fork until incorporated. This will result in a shiny, slightly thickened red wine reduction or “jus” as us poncey restaurateurs tend to call it. Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, pour over the beef and serve.

Recipe: Tournado of Duke of northumberland venison & pigeon Heritage potato & organic beetroot rosti With cherry reduction

INGREDIENTS

                                                           

2 8oz venison sirloins                         

4        pigeon breasts                                      

1kg    heritage potatoes                                  

2       organic beetroot                                    

100g fresh cherries                                         

200ml veal stock                                            

12 shallots                                                      

100g carrots                                                   

3 sprigs thyme                                                

200ml red wine                                              

Salt & pepper

250g Butter                                                    

Olive oil for cooking                                      

METHOD

Flatten venison steaks

Seal pigeon breasts

Place pigeons on top of venison

Roll in cling film set aside in fridge

Grate potatoes & beetroot season

Heat pan add little oil the add potatoes & beetroot mix place 50g knob of butter on top & turn down heat and cook slowly till butter has melted then turn over & finish

Peel shallots and carrots

Heat pan & fry shallots, carrots, thyme & cherries add red wine reduce by half

Heat pan add little oil & 25g of butter once foaming add tournado and cook to medium rare allow to rest

Once wine has reduced by half add veal stock & reduce till correct consistency is achieved then season to taste

  

PRESENTATION

Place rosti in middle of the plate

Slice tornado in half & place on top

Drizzle cherry reduction around plate

Scallops, Mango and chilli salsa

Ingredients
Two scallops Halved
1/2 mango diced
1/2 red onion diced
1 red chilli
1tsp chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic crushed
Pinch chopped coriander
Pinch chopped mint
Pinch chopped basil
Olive oil to combine salad
1/2 baby gem lettuce
1 fresh lemon

Method
Combine the chilli, garlic, onion, mango, and chopped herbs with a drizzle of olive oil, season, this is your dressing complete
Pan fry the scallops and season, just before removing from the pan add fresh lemon juice
Slice the baby gem and add to your service dish
Top with the scallops and drizzle over the dressing.

My passion goes a long way further than just food.

For years now, when I take time out of the kitchen there has always been something in the garage to turn my hand to.

A lot of chefs play golf, I play with most things oily, I just love old cars and bikes.

Over the years I have owned, air cooled beetles
Bay screen camper vans
Beach buggies
Mark 1, 2 and three golf gti's and a few other volkswagens

After some time thinking of what to buy to advertise the blog and future ventures it came to me, get something I always adored as a teenager.

This week I picked up something really special, a 1973 Vespa, what a delight.

Recipe: Wild nettle soup

Nettles can be found from spring to early summer, they are a great source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, cobalt, copper, potassium, trace minerals, chlorophyll, the B-complex vitamins, and more.

Not only do they benifit your health they are also good fun to harvest and cook with. Ensure you follow two simple rules when harvesting, only pick the tender tops of the nettles and more importantly ensure you wear gloves, the nettles will carry the sting until cooked, remember this when you go to chop them for the following recipe.

Ingredients
1 200g packet of smoked Pancetta
1 white onion diced
4 leaves wild garlic
4 handfuls nettles (remove all stems)
600ml vegetable stock
4 small potatoes diced
2 TBSP double cream

Method
In a little oil pan fry the Pancetta
Add the onion and fry until tender
Add the potato and garlic and cook slowly
Chop the nettles and add to the pan, add the stock also
Bring to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes
Blend with a stick blender, Sieve the soup
Add the cream and serve.

Recipe: Stocks

Chicken stock
Four chicken carcasses
Two carrots
One onion chopped
Two sticks celery chopped
200ml white wine
Four peppercorns
Two cloves garlic crushed
1 Bay leaf
Small bunch of Thyme
Five litres cold water
Vegetable oil

In a large pan, gently brown all the ingredients before adding the wine and water
bring to the boil before lowering the heat to a gentle rolling boil and allow to reduce by half, Skim every 15 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve, allow to cool and store for five days


Fish stock
White fish bones, do not use oily fish
Two sticks of celery
One chopped white onion
One leek chopped
One chopped fennel
One star anise
Three black peppercorns
500 ml white wine
Two litres cold water

Place all the ingredients except the wine into a large pan and bring to the boil
Turn down the heat once boiling and simmer for one hour
Pass through a fine sieve and pour into a clean pan
Add the wine and reduce by half
Allow to cool and store.

Vegetable stock
Two carrots chopped
Two sticks celery chopped
Two cloves garlic crushed
Two onions chopped
Two leeks chopped
100g parsley
30g Thyme
30g Rosemary
400ml white wine
Oil for Sauteing
Two litres cold water

Heat a puddle of oil in a pan and saute all of the ingredients except the wine until they are nicely coloured
Then add the wine, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes before adding the water
Bring to the boil and reduce by half, pass through a fine sieve and store.


Note:- All stocks can be frozen until they are required, the best way to freeze them is in ice cube trays.
These trays provide excellent portion control and dont take up to much room in the freezer. Remember to rotate stocks as they only have a one month life before they will need to be used or removed.

 

The new look Garden.

 

 

Relaxing in the kitchen, cooking again.

Recipe: Northsea lemon Sole, Dill and Samphire butter

Ingredients
50g unsalted butter
A good double pinch of dill (or other soft herb such as parsley or chervil) – finely chopped
One shallot – peeled and finely diced
Two lemon sole – skinned and trimmed
Olive oil for sealing the fish
The juice of one lemon
150ml white wine
100g samphire
Flour for dusting

 

Method

Make the herb butter at least an hour or so in advance by softening the butter, mixing in the chopped herbs, wrapping in cling film and chilling.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).

Pre-heat a large oven-proof frying pan. Dust the fish with a little flour, add a little olive oil to the pan and seal both sides of the fish for around twenty seconds.

Add the shallot, lemon juice and white wine to the pan and place in the oven for ten minutes.

When cooked, remove the fish from the pan and keep warm. Heat the juices in the pan and drop in the butter cut into cubes, constantly shaking the pan until all the butter has melted and the sauce is shiny. Drop in the samphire to warm through, remove and place onto warmed serving plates with the fish on top and the sauce poured over and around.

In the restaurant we serve this dish with mashed potato and it would also go well with a wild leaf and herb salad.

Recipe:- Rabbit stew

This is a recipe I found about three years ago, simple but it works well. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 large rabbit
3 garlic cloves
1 onion

8 ounces bacon, in one piece

Bouquet Garni

 

Marinade

10 sprigs parsley

10 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup red wine

1 cup small onion

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon butter

12 new potatoes

fresh herb (chervil)

teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

 

Method

In a large shallow bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients together and stir to mix well.
Add rabbit pieces and baste them thoroughly.
Cover the dish and leave to marinate over-night or at least 12 hours.
Remove the rabbit from the marinade and dry on kitchen paper.
Strain the marinade into a jug and reserve. Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a flame-proof casserole, fry the bacon strips over moderate heat until they are quite crisp.
Set aside. Add the onions, garlic and carrots to the fat in the casserole and cook them 5 - 6 minutes, or until lightly colored red.
Add the rabbit pieces and turn frequently to brown them evenly and quickly.
Add the reserved marinade to the casserole and bring to the boil.
Remove casserole from the heat, add the bacon pieces and place in the oven.
Cook for 1 hour or until the thigh of the rabbit is tender when pierced with a fork.

Recipe: Michaels Rich chocolate tart

For the pastry:
250g plain flour
100g diced butter
100g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
Two eggs at room temperature

For the filling:
400g good-quality cooking milk chocolate
200ml milk
300ml double cream
Seven eggs
70g caster sugar

For the glaze:
300ml water
350g sugar
120g cocoa powder
240ml double cream

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the diced butter. Using the fingertips, lift the butter up with the flour and rub gently with the fingers, letting it fall back into the bowl.
Once the mixture resembles a uniform crumble, add the sugar and salt and mix well. Then add the eggs and mix again, carefully bringing the mixture together to form a smooth ball. Wrap it in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C (gas mark 5). Roll out the pastry enough to line an 8in flan dish, trim to fit and prick the base with a fork a few times. To bake blind, cover the pastry on the bottom and sides of the flan with foil and weigh it down with a handful of dried beans or pasta. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and cool. Turn the oven down to 140°C (gas mark 1).

To make the filling, break up the chocolate and place in a mixing bowl. Put the milk and cream in a saucepan, bring to the boil, pour over the chocolate and mix. Place a small mixing bowl containing the eggs and caster sugar over a pan of simmering water. Whisk while it’s heating until it turns white and thickens. Fold the egg and sugar mixture into the chocolate with a large metal spoon using a cutting action rather than stirring them together.
Pour the mixture into the pastry flan case and bake for 20 minutes (turning the tray after 10 minutes). Allow to cool and then refrigerate until firm.

For the glaze, bring the water and sugar to the boil in a saucepan. Add the cocoa and cream, bring to the boil again and allow to reduce for 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Do this until it looks like melted chocolate. Allow to cool a little and pour the glaze over the tart, smooth with a pallet knife and allow to set.
For a final flourish you could use a blow torch to “dust” the top of the glaze – one second should do it, otherwise you’ll melt the tart. When serving, to get a smooth cut, use a knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried.

Recipe: Fish stock

This week i have recieved a message requesting a recipe for fish stock, This is a basic recipe but works well.

Fish stock
White fish bones, do not use oily fish
Two sticks of celery
One chopped white onion
One leek chopped
One chopped fennel
One star anise
Three black peppercorns
500 ml white wine
Two litres cold water

Place all the ingredients except the wine into a large pan and bring to the boil
Turn down the heat once boiling and simmer for one hour
Pass through a fine sieve and pour into a clean pan
Add the wine and reduce by half
Allow to cool and store