Sometimes It Works Out, Sometimes It Doesn’t
>
Reflections of a winter Garden, late light on a shivery February afternoon. A child grappling with Christmas sprouts still clinging to the stalk, quickly gathering the last succulent leaves from a scruffy bed of Spinach and the very young tops from the overwintered Kale.
Back to the kitchen for hot milk and an early years guide to seam butchery on that perfect haunch of Roe deer – shot and gralloched not 15 minutes from home by a trusted friend - my wide eyed assistant now prodding and poking, questions on food, family and friends interspersed with impersonations of his latest Superhero and the odd made up meandering story; the type that has no beginning or end, but concludes with the line “I’m just pretending Daddy”.
The topside and salmon cut are selected for dinner – roasted in a hot pan, supplemented by half a head of garlic and some fresh thyme. A good lump of butter is added when the colour is right, and basted over the meat whilst foaming. The whole pan goes into an oven warmed to 200 degrees C, and after 4 minutes, is brought back to the stove for a final baste and rest.
Meanwhile, Maris Pipers have been peeled, cut and brought to a steady simmer in salted water until tender, drained and pushed through a ricer. Be generous with the butter, always.
A quick devilled style sauce of bacon, tomato puree, sherry vinegar, honey, Tabasco and Worcester sauce, garlic, chopped shallots, good chicken stock and finished with double cream and fresh herbs.
And then to those greens – the sprouts, peeled and halved, cooked in a little foaming butter with additional chicken stock for a fondant style result – the kale and spinach are dunked in their own hot salty bath.
Rested, drained, sliced, warmed, everything to the table and devoured in quick time – last nights Rioja tastes even better now.
Ahh what could have been…. sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. Those wide eyes became frustrated and tear filled, ending the night with a supper of two Red Leicester topped water biscuits and a bowl of Shredded Wheat. Dinner was served minus the wine after 9, to a half starved wife who was ready for bed, and a cook with no light for good photos, and no patience for good plating. But I promise you it still tasted good.
Recipe: Coconut and Chickpea Curry with Kale and Spinach
Recipe: Coconut and Chickpea Curry with Kale and Spinach
Lunch is always taken on the run during the week, weekends deserve a little more effort – but not too much. This dish was born out of a determination to use up the remaining greens in the garden before I start ground preparation for spring planting.
For me, this type of curry is a perfect lunch dish – it’s one of those rare situations where I’ll go quick, light, and yes…..vegetarian. Over the top in flavour, in a good way, and more out there in temperature and textural contrast; lunch is an opportunity to experiment - you always have another meal to redeem yourself!
Here I’ve used chilled cottage cheese laced with chilli, red onion and a teaspoon of toasted spices as my ‘cooling’ element, and popped a poppadum directly on a gas flame for 10 seconds get that ‘crispness’ hit.
Prep time was 10 minutes and cooking time also only 10(mins); it’s a great way of emptying your fridge or store cupboard, so don’t be hindered by a missing ingredient or alternative spice – use up what you have!
(note – I LOVE to crush my poppadum’s over the top of any curry dish – some childhood crisp sandwich thing going on)
A couple of useful tricks to remember….
● The sugar and vinegar adds depth and contrast to your curry
● Toasting and grinding the spices at home makes a huge difference
Ingredients
● 1 x Tin of Chickpeas
● Decent bunch of Kale (or other greens) washed and drained
● Bunch of Spinach (or other greens) washed and drained
● 1 x Clove Garlic, sliced
● 1 x Red Chilli, ½ chopped, ½ Sliced
● ½ Sliced Red Onion
● 1 x Tin Coconut Milk
● 500 ml Vegetable stock – a jelly or stock cube are fine for speed
● 100ml Cottage Cheese
● 1 x Star Anise
● 1 x Cinnamon Stick
● 1 x Bay Leaf
● ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
● ½ Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
● ½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
● 1 Teaspoon Garam Marsala
● Vegetable Oil
● Salt
● 1 x teaspoon of Sugar
● 1 tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar
Method
● Place a large saucepan on a medium heat and toast the whole spices (Bay, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Coriander and Mustard Seeds) by constantly moving them, until the mustard starts popping.
● At the last minute add the Garam Masala, remove the bay, cinnamon and star anise and set aside, then pour the spice mix into grinder or Pestle and Mortar, and crush
● Put the pan back on the heat and add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil
● Add the spice mix to the pan (reserving a teaspoon of it for the cottage cheese)
● Add the Bay, Star Anise and Cinnamon, Onion, chilli and garlic to the pan, plus a teaspoon of salt, and soften for 2 minutes (a steady medium heat is all that’s required)
● Add the sugar, and cook for 30 seconds
● Add the vinegar and cook until completely evaporated
● Add the stock and coconut milk and bring back to the boil
● Add the chickpeas and bring back up to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes – check and alter seasoning if needed
● At this point mix the chilli, finely chopped red onion and teaspoon of spice mix through the cottage cheese and check the seasoning. Mint or Coriander would be a great addition if you have it!
● Add the Kale to the pot, cover with a lid and bring up to the boil to cook for 2 minutes
● Add the Spinach and allow it to wilt whilst stirring
Time to plate up in a shallow bowl topped with the cottage cheese and crushed Poppadum.
A Cause to Welcome Spring
>
I’m sure it’s as much a surprise to you as it was to me that I don’t feature alongside Heston’s mechanical sweet shop, Tom Kerridge’s chocolate grenade and Coracle fishing in the Observer Food Monthly’s “50 things we love in the world of food in 2016”. I’m not bitter. Other notable mentions go to Sustainable Eels, Istanbul and a wine bar restaurant called Noble Rot … I think I need to find a cause.
More thought provoking was Jay Rayner’s contribution to this month’s edition of the nauseatingly smug (think Nigel Slater) magazine. His brief critique of food protectionism – the desire to “preserve” a specific cultural activity, recipe, process or ingredient in relation to its location, usually as a protest against the corporate dominance of the food chain – exposes the fact that this approach is neither a real life reflection of how our food culture evolves, or at times, practical.
I’m all for preserving one’s natural and cultural heritage, but a consequence of this approach is to stifle the way in which food works for us as cooks. Recipes, skills and knowledge of ingredients constantly develop, as do ingredients themselves, hence there is never one definitive version of a dish; surely there is joy in this. As Rayner puts it, “None of us is entitled to say one item is more true than another. They are just different.” Some would ask whether this protectionism is actually for the greater good, or merely to support self-serving, niche marketing labels.
One thing that can never be trademarked are fresh green leaves in Spring – Sprouting Broccoli, Black and Curly Kale, Swiss Chard and Wild Garlic. I simply steam them over a little water for a minute or two, serve them scattered with Maldon sea salt and a little butter or a good virgin oil (olive or rapeseed). Partnered with spanking fresh turbot or sole, surf clams and a little lemon, nothing could scream Spring more clearly, whilst simultaneously flicking two fingers at Winter.
I find that the more I focus on one or two really good ingredients in a dish - the better it is. The key is in learning what’s really good, and what’s not quite. Jay Rayner sums it up, “food should be measured by one criterion and one only: does it taste nice?”
It’s not easy at times to develop one’s own approach as a cook. The pressure you feel cooking in front of others, trying to use other people’s recipes, or simply scrolling, green eyed through your Instagram feed can all sow seeds of self-doubt. Simply asking yourself at every turn “does it taste nice” might just be the mantra one needs to move forward. I think I may have found a cause.
Connecting with Food - Poached and Roasted Wild Mallard
>
In my heart of hearts I’d love to eat this way everyday. I’ve shot and handled game from a very early age and only very recently have I realised its crucial importance not only as a source of protein, but more significantly as a standard by which I should measure everything I eat, cook or serve to my family.
By modern standards, Game in its various guises is a standout ingredient; super healthy, very much free range, sustainable where managed properly and so versatile in the kitchen that surely we should be eating more of it.
Wild duck, especially young, fat Mallard or Teal are ingredients to be truly treasured – in my opinion the recipe below will do them justice every time.
Recipe
It may seem lengthy, but perfecting this technique will revolutionise all of your game bird cookery.
As always, preparation is key to success – I would suggest getting the legs and sauce sorted in advance and frying the legs whilst resting the Mallard Crown after pan roasting.
Ingredients
1 Wild Mallard – Young are best for roasting (under a year old), with the females being the sweetest in flavour.
Plucked with innards removed.
For the Mallard Leg Cure and Confit
1 Tablespoon of Maldon Salt
1 Large Sprig of Thyme
3 Cloves of Garlic Cut in Half
Zest of an Orange removed with a peeler
300g Duck Fat
For the Mallard Crown and Hot Brine (poaching liquid)
A large pan ¾ full of cold water
6 tablespoons of table salt
1 Large Sprig of Thyme
1 Teaspoon of Fennel Seeds
1 Star Anise
1 Head of Garlic cut in half horizontally
25g Butter
For the Sauce
Mallard Trim (see technique below)
1 Stick of Celery
1 Carrot
1 Onion
1 large sprig of Thyme
4 Cloves of Garlic
½ Teaspoon of Tomato Puree
1 Litre of Chicken Stock
Juice of 1 Orange
½ Glass of Red Wine
Technique
For the Confit
Remove the legs from the bird, place them in a snug fitting bowl and add the rest of the cure ingredients excluding the duck fat. Roughly rub the cure all over the legs, cover, and leave in the fridge for between 2 and 4 hours (any longer and the legs will be over salty).
Pre heat the oven to 130° C. Gently warm the duck fat in a pan over a low heat until liquid. Remove the legs, garlic, thyme and orange from the bowl, wash and dry thoroughly, then place in a snug oven proof dish. Cover the legs with the liquid fat, and then the dish tightly with tinfoil and place in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the legs are tender. Allow the legs to cool in the fat, then remove and fry until crispy.
For the Sauce
Clean up the Mallard Crown and remove the backbone and wings (trim).
Roast this trim in a large heavy based saucepan until well coloured. Remove and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pan and roast until coloured, then the tomato puree, garlic and thyme – roast for a further 2 minutes. Add back the retained trim followed by the wine and reduce until evaporated.
Add the stock and cook gently for 45 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, reduce to a syrupy consistency and finish with the orange juice just before serving.
For the Crown
Add all of the brine ingredients to the pan of water – cover and bring to the boil.
Drop in the Mallard crown and immediately take the pan off the heat. Poach for 4 minutes and then remove onto a rack and allow steam dry for ten minutes.
Heat a frying pan over a high heat and roast the Mallard Crown until golden all over. Add the butter and turn the heat down. Baste the bird for two minutes with the foaming butter, remove from the pan and rest for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the breast from the bone by running a sharp knife along the breastbone down to the wing joint. Cut through this with the tip of the knife, and then gently slice the whole breast from the rib cage. Trim the breast, removing the wing and serve with the crispy confit legs and sauce.
Cooking With Xander – Roast Potatoes
>
Cooking Sunday Lunch is where it all started for me, a sneaky post-pudding leftover roast potato dipped in warmed up gravy was the real treat. Everyone has their own way with Roasties – they’re a staple of the British dining table and can elicit pretty strong opinions on the best way to cook them. I’m a Delia Smith man through and through – she’s a fantastic home cook who has educated and inspired many in her own unique way – I hope I can do the same for Xander and his brother.
Ingredients
2kg King Edward Potatoes, Peeled
3 Tablespoons of Duck/Goose Fat
Maldon Salt
1 Head of Garlic
1 Bunch of Thyme
Method
Place the fat in a large roasting tin and put it in an oven pre heated to 190 Degrees Centigrade.
When cutting the peeled potatoes, try and achieve a similar size throughout whilst making each piece as angular as possible. This approach creates a greater surface area to become roughed up, or fluffy, during the steaming phase, leading ultimately to more crunch in the finished product.
Put the potatoes into a large pan of cold salted water, bring up to the boil and then turn down to a slow simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Your potatoes should exhibit a tender outer layer and relatively firm centre when you insert a sharp knife.
Drain the potatoes through a colander and leave to steam dry in the open air for at least 5 minutes. This evaporation is vital to achieve a crunchy exterior and can be helped by a quick rumble with the lid on in the pan you boiled them in once they’re dry.
Carefully remove the roasting tin from the oven (the oil will be very very hot) and gently add the potatoes – there should be a satisfying sizzle - turn them so they’re fully coated in the hot oil, then add a whole head of garlic cut in half to the pan, along with a big sprig of fresh thyme and plenty of Maldon Salt.
Roast the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes and then give them a quick turn to achieve an even colour. After another 20 minutes, or until they reach a rich golden brown colour, take them out, remove the garlic and thyme and serve.
Cooking With Xander - Baked Wild Sea Bass
>
This is my eldest Son Alexander – he’s 21 months old and loves eating. Cooking with Xander is a chance for the two of us to spend time together having fun in the kitchen, always with the prospect of filling our bellies at the end of it.
Back in July we had a windswept walk on Whitburn Beach and picked up this beautiful 2kg wild Sea Bass from Robert at Latimer’s Seafood. A simple tip, just ask Robert for the freshest fish he has – he’s extremely knowledgeable, honest and has some great recipe ideas to go with it. Pay good money for good fish – simple.
Back at home we seasoned the fish with salt inside and out, laid it on a bed of finely sliced lemon, celery and onion, with additional salt, pepper, coriander seeds, fresh thyme and a crushed clove of garlic.
This was covered with parchment and baked at 180 degrees C for 25 minutes, and allowed to rest for 10 minutes.
Served here on a Peter Rabbit plate with a simple Ratatouille, Boulangerie Potatoes, Baby Spinach and any tray juices you can muster from the fish.
Curried BBQ Leg of Hebridean Hogget
>
The magic here is two fold – 1. The marinade and 2. The quality of meat. The former is a marriage of a simple homemade Tomato Sauce with the addition of a spice blend with fresh chilies, garlic and ginger. The latter is the butterflied leg of a Hebridean hogget (a sheep aged between 1 and 2 years), raised on a mixture of grass and heather moorland. The consequence of this age and lifestyle is a wonderfully rich, almost gamey flavour that is only enhanced by a very hot grill, plenty of spice, and an accompanying cold beer (Bonfire night heaven!).
Tomato Sauce
1 Banana Shallot, Chopped Finely
2 Cloves of Garlic Crushed
4 Tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar
2 Tablespoons of Caster Sugar
2 Tins of Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons of Tomato Ketchup
Dash of Worcester Sauce
Dash of Tabasco Sauce
Fry off the shallots and garlic with a good pinch of salt, add the vinegar and sugar and cook until the vinegar has evaporated. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until reduced by 2/3rds. Season with salt to taste, blend and store.
Spice Mix
1 Banana Shallot, Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, Crushed
1 Chilli, Seeds removed and chopped
1 thumb sized piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and grated
Teaspoon each of Coriander, Cumin and Mustard Seeds
2 Teaspoons of Garam Marsala
½ Teaspoon Fenugreek
½ Teaspoon Turmeric
Cook the seeds in hot vegetable oil for 1 minute, add the fresh ingredients and cook for another 2 minutes over a medium heat without colouring. Add the powders with a good hit of salt and cook again for one minute. Add half of the tomato sauce and cook for 1 minute (save the rest for another dish – it’ll keep happily in the fridge for 2 weeks). Blend this mix together; allow it to cool to room temperature, then use to liberally coat the leg of lamb and leave covered in the fridge for a night or two.
Cooking
Very simply, a screaming hot BBQ and 20 – 25 minutes of continuous turning should get you to medium rare (if your BBQ has a lid please use it – you’ll achieve a more even cook in less time) and then rest for 30 minutes. Flash it back through a very hot oven for 5 minutes before carving.
Serve plated with buttery Dhal, fresh Salsa and sharp minty Riata, or rolled up in a warm flat bread to be eaten al fresco – in my world BBQ’s are a year round activity!!!
Venison Tartare Recipe
>
Venison Tartare
A regular favorite in my kitchen, Venison Tartare is a great way of keeping the highest quality meat in its purist form – if you love the almost metallic and super savory flavor of a very rare steak, then this is a must. Dressings wise I’ve gone traditional (without the raw egg) but please don’t be restricted by this, flavors of North Africa, Scandinavia and South East Asia can all create wonderfully unique results.
As a note of caution – make sure you use venison from a source that you completely trust. This is non negotiable; you need to be able to guarantee the animal has been cleanly killed and eviscerated properly. Prior to use I freeze the meat for at least 2 days – this will kill any potential parasites, I then trim the outer layer of meat from the piece I’m using before chopping. Good hygiene, a clean board and knife, and a little time will ensure there are no problems. Anything you do trim can certainly go in your stockpot!
There is always great discussion about the best species of Deer to use – I’m a huge fan of a young adult Roe, but there is the classic alternative of Beef; fillet, rump or sirloin, or even a cannon of Lamb.
Starter for 4
Ingredients
600g Venison Loin, or seam butchered and fully trimmed Haunch (my preference)
Dressing
1 x Tablespoon of Capers, Chopped
1 x Tablespoon of Cornichons, Chopped
1 x Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 x Hardboiled Egg, Finely Grated
1 x Tablespoon Chervil, Chopped
1 x Tablespoon Chives, Chopped
1 x Tablespoon Heinz Tomato Sauce
Dash of Worcester Sauce to Taste
Dash of Tabasco Sauce to Taste
Malden Salt
Freshly Milled Black Pepper
Small Squeeze of Lemon Juice
2 x Tablespoons of Very Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Technique
No more than 1 hour before serving cut the Venison loin in half horizontally, and then into 50mm strips. Chop these strips at 50 mm sections to create a small dice of the meat. Put it all into a bowl and pack closely with Clingfilm, retain this in the fridge until just prior to serving.
Prepare all of the dressing ingredients, and mix together in a bowl. Play about with the seasonings to match your taste – it’s a very personal thing!! Wrap and retain in the fridge.
10 minutes before serving remove the chopped Venison from the fridge to come to room temperature.
5 minutes before serving mix the dressing with the Venison, taste and adjust the seasoning again (it always takes more salt!).
This dish can look fantastic plated in a mould, with small salad leaves, fronds of various herbs, or foraged goodies like Sorrel, Watercress and flowers. However, if you’re feeling slightly more rustic, pop it into a bowl and onto the middle of the table served with fresh white toast and salted French butter. As always I’m a fan of little additions – Caraway, Cumin and Juniper all have a place depending on your mood, company and energy levels!
Falcons Academy
>
The Rugby Players Association [RPA] are an organisation who look after the interests and welfare of the players from start to finish.
Through the RPA, Ant Brown was joined by the Newcastle Falcons Academy Boys for this one off cooking skills session to get them prepared for their up and coming season.
There were 9 nine players attending the session accompanied by Mandy Thompson [Player Development Manager] and Academy Manager Mark Laycock.
The boys got the chance to don their aprons and rustle themselves up a couple of appetising dishes and learn some new skills in the kitchen as Ant took them back to basics.
When learning how to care for your body, essential for these athletes, and understanding what is good for us and what isn’t - it pays to know why.
Learning the dishes first hand with a chef in tow made it more likely for the players to get to grips and understand this.
Ant planned the team two quick and easy dishes; Spaghetti and Meatballs and Salmon Teriyaki, that would still provide them with what they needed.
They were led through each step carefully by Ant and all really got involved showing a real desire to learn.
“It was a very enjoyable day, we learnt about all the basic cooking skills and in particular how to maintain a strong and consistent diet” Joe Craggs Newcastle Academy Player
The day wouldn’t have been complete without a little friendly competition between the boys; both dishes were tried and tested by Mark and Ant, with the results being hotly disputed!
‘The Lads have enjoyed a fantastic afternoon with Ant. The opportunity to learn from a professional chef is something very unique and we are extremely grateful to Ant for giving up his time to work with us. Learning vital life skills such as cooking is essential for these young athletes, most of whom are living away from home for the first time. The players really bought in to it and produced a very tasty dinner.’ Mark Laycock Academy Manager.
Tasting at Biddick Hall
>
A tasting is a great way to show off what we can offer and gives a chance for both parties to express what they do and don't like about a dish; taste, presentation and overall menu composition are truly personal choices, especially for an occasion as special as your wedding day!
This week Ant Brown provided some delectable delights for a couple of soon to be weds in the beautiful setting of Biddick Hall and we managed to get a few shots
Canapés
- Tartlet with parmesan and chives
- Tuna ceviche ( a favourite of ours)
- Pork shoulder croquettes with Teriyaki sauce
Starter - a Classic Fishcake with slaw and roast corn salsa..
Main Course - Lamb with onion puree, crispy potato terrine, maple carrots and spinach in a Madeira lamb sauce...
Dessert - a slice of salted caramel tart
