The art of the tart

Okay I admit it, I love tarts. But then who doesn't? Fruity, sweet, soft and easy. Surely these are four good reasons for loving them? I particularly love tarts with a soft, smooth wobble. Fruity French tarts are also pleasing and there are so many of them! And as for English tarts..? Joking and obvious innuendo aside, one of the main reasons why I love tarts is that they are easy. And impressive. Not many home cooks make tarts you see. They bake cakes and make puddings not tarts. It must be the pastry that puts people off, but it shouldn't.

Making your own shortcrust pastry is actually very straight forward, but you do need to be precise and there are some potential pitfalls such as if the butter isn't properly incorporated or if you over work the pastry. I've always used Gordon Ramsay's or Michel Roux's recipes. Both work well and are available on-line. For sweet pastry or pate sucre, vanilla is a nice addition, although purely optional. But if making pastry is one step too far then please don't be put off. The truth is that shop bought pastry 'ain't too bad' and some even comes ready rolled! If possible though look for pastry that uses butter rather than oil. Puff pastry, however, is a different story altogether; there are just too many things that can go wrong. On the occasions I have attempted to make this for myself I have had some success (using Michel Roux's rough puff recipe for example), but I've also had some disasters that have resulted in unrisen, crumbly pastry fit only for the bin. My suggestion with puff pastry therefore would be to stick to the all butter shop bought varieties, unless you are determined to do everything yourself and can afford the time for some mistakes. So then, with reassurance given on overcoming the potential stumbling block that is the pastry, in the words of McFadden and Whitehead there "ain't no stopping us now". Surely..?

Let's get down to business. First up for discussion is the tart tin and my key advice here is to buy good quality ones. 8 and 10 inch fluted tins from the KitchenCraft Master Class series are ideal. There is nothing more frustrating than unmoulding your finished tart in excited anticipation of that 'et voila!' moment only to find that part of the pastry has stuck to the tin. The simple beauty of your tart is effectively ruined. Put simply, cheap tart tins are pants so don't go there! Next up is rolling out your pastry and lining your tart tin. To be honest, this still causes me anxiety every time I make a tart, but when I get it right it is also most satisfying. With a successfully lined tart tin there is a confidence (occasionally misplaced) that nothing can possibly go wrong now, making the task in hand more pleasurable. My top tips with regards to achieving this state of calm assuredness are:

1. The temperature of the pastry has to be right. Too cold it might crack and too warm it stretches and holes form easily. 
2. Roll your pastry between sheets of cling film. It makes everything easier. The rolled out pastry thickness of a £1 coin is just about perfect. 
3. Be confident yet gentle when moulding the pastry into the ring.
4. Don't be afraid of repairing any holes and tears with surplus pastry, but you must ensure that any patching up is fully joined together. If you don't it will just drop off after baking. 
5. Leave an overhang as the pastry will shrink, but do trim off excessive overhang. You might need this pastry for last minute repairs!
6. Scrunch up your baking parchment to make it easier to line your pastry case before the blind baking phase. Use scissors to trim around the edges of the parchment to enable it to fit comfortably in the oven. Use rice to weigh down the parchment or, if you haven't got any and can't bothered to walk down to the shop to buy some, dried pasta also works well as shown in the photograph below! Tinfoil can be used instead of baking parchment. 
7. Blind baking times vary according to the oven and the thickness of the pastry used. But you do want to make sure it is cooked through. I usually bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees C with the parchment and rice, a further 5-10 minutes without and finally 2 minutes with an egg wash glaze to ensure the pastry is fully sealed and there are no soggy bottoms! 

A tart tin ready for blind baking

All that said, there is no need to get too hung up over the pastry. It doesn't matter really if the pastry is a bit thicker in one part of your tart. The main thing is to ensure it is cooked through and there are no cracks that allow the filling to leak. The pastry's job is simply to act as the casing after all. What makes a tart is what is inside it and I'm going to discuss and give you the recipes for some of my favourite tarts, all of which happen to be desserts! Served with a fruit compote, ice-cream or custard, a tuile biscuit or simply cream, a tart is a thing of great beauty! 

Bakewell tart

This has to be my favourite tart. A true English classic. My variation is possibly the single most complemented dish that I make, either sweet or savoury. It's blimmin' delicious, even though I say so myself! For me the key for a great bakewell tart is a perfectly moist and light frangipane with enough almond flavour. Marco Pierre White's bakewell tart recipe works in achieving the perfect frangipane but doesn't deliver on the almond flavour. Some may disagree, but a bakewell tart needs a drop of almond essence. Don't over do it, but it does need a drop.  My other demand is that jam alone isn't enough for the fruity base. Fresh raspberries with raspberry jam or pitted cherries, that have macerated in a bit of sugar to improve their flavour, with cherry jam. Tinned cherries also work pretty well and I would guess that peaches, pears and apricots would also be amazing. This a tart that allows you to be creative.

Bakewell tart with fresh raspberries. Mmmm!!!

Bakewell tart with fresh raspberries

• Blind bake the pastry (see above). Once done, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tart tin to trim of the excess pastry. Your case is now ready!
• Make the frangipane. For this I use 200g of softened butter, 200g of sugar, 200g ground almonds, 1 heaped tbsp plain flour,  1/4 tps of baking powder (some recipes don't call for any flour, but a small quantity along with baking powder keeps the frangipane light), pinch of salt, 4 medium eggs, splash of dark rum (this is a Marco Pierre White addition and it does add to the tart) and 1/2 a tps or so of good quality almond essence (care as this can over power). First blend the butter and sugar until pale and smooth then beat in the eggs and rum. Add all the dry ingredients and the almond essence and mix well. 
• Spread good quality raspberry jam (I use St Dalfour) liberally on the bottom of the tart case and line with raspberries as pictured below

• Pour the frangipane mix over the fruit. Make sure it is evenly spread out and about about level with the top of the tart. Sprinkle flaked almonds on the top and bake at 180 degrees (170 fan) for about 35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when put into the centre. Check your tart after 30 minutes. If it is nicely golden, risen in the centre and there is no wobble, then it would be worth doing the knife test then
• When it's ready leave to rest in the tart tin for about 10-15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool, although it is even more delicious served still warm about an hour after removing from the oven. Slice and serve with cream.  

An equally delicious cherry bakewell

Chocolate tart

Chocolate is a wonderfully indulgent way to end a meal. Serve it as a tart and it just adds that extra bit of sophistication. A chocolate and fruit tart takes it to the next level. For me there are four fruits that pair wonderfully with dark chocolate  (I'm sure some of you will have some different views on this). These are oranges, pears, raspberries and cherries. Perhaps my favourite of all is orange (I blame jaffa cakes) but pear comes a close second, as pictured in the dessert below. There are also two ways to make a chocolate tart. One is a baked tart and the other is a set tart. The baked tart, containing eggs, has a lighter feel but is more difficult to make. The set tart is soft, rich and velvety smooth and is better suited to the fruit combinations. I will give you the recipes for both.

Chocolate and pear tart, poached pear with Maydie syrup, creme Anglaise 

Chocolate and pear tart

• Blind bake the pastry (see above). Once done, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tart tin to trim of the excess pastry. Your case is now ready!
• Poach conference pears in a red dessert wine (red wine sweetened with sugar is okay and less expensive). Add two tbsp of sugar (4 if using red wine), a cinnamon stick, two star anise and three cloves. Five largish pears will give you enough to cover the base of a 20 cm tart tin and leave some so serve with the tart. The pears will take about 10-15 minutes to poach. They need to be soft, with no resistance when a knife is inserted into them. Remove from the poaching liquid and set aside. Reduce the poaching liquid to a syrupy consistency
• Make the chocolate ganache. Warm 250 ml of double cream and stir in about two tbsp of liquid glucose. Set a bowl above water and melt 200g of good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) with 60g of unsalted butter. Combine with the cream. Stir until dark and silky smooth. 
• Cut most of the poached pear into 2cm cubes, reserving some for the garnish. Spread these on the bottom of your tart as pictured below

• Pour your chocolate ganache to cover the pears and continue up to a fraction below the rim of the tart. Give it a gentle shake to ensure a smooth even top and that the chocolate has gone into all the gaps. Carefully lift the tart into the fridge and leave to set.
• Take the tart out half an hour before serving and slice with a knife that has been warmed in hot water. Serve as shown in the picture with poached pears, wine syrup, creme Anglaise and an almond tuile.  Delicious!

A variation on the tart described above using raspberries and chocolate scented with lavender.
For this, infuse the cream with 2 tsp (more or less to taste) of lavender

Chocolate and rosewater tart  

This tart is of the baked variety. Served with an orange and cardamom compote it is absolutely delicious!

• Blind bake the pastry (see above). Once done, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tart tin to trim of the excess pastry. Your case is now ready!
• Turn the oven down to 130 degrees C
• Whisk two whole eggs and two egg yolks along with 100g of caster sugar to a light and fluffy sabayon 
• Meanwhile melt 300g of good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) and 150g of unsalted butter, and 150ml of double cream in a bowl set over water. Add 1/2 tsp of rose water essence (I use Neilsen Massey) At this stage you should taste the chocolate mixture (tough job, somebody's got to do it!) to check that the rosewater taste is discernible yet not over powering. If you need more, add more (a drop at a time). If it is too strong then there isn't much you can do about it!
• Fold the chocolate into the egg mixture ensuring it is fully mixed.
• Place the tart tin with pastry case on a baking tray. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pastry case (almost to the top) and very carefully place the tart in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, when it is ready, the mixture will have started to set but there will still be a noticeable wobble to the tart. Turn the oven off and leave the tart inside the oven for a further 30 minutes, before removing and allowing to cool completely. If the tart is too soft, then place in the fridge to firm up a little but the tart should have a very rich mousse like consistency. 
• Dust with cocoa powder and serve. I like marmalade ice cream, orange and Grand Marnier custard or an orange and cardamom compote with mine. Rosewater custard or cream would also be great with this particular version.

Full of eastern promise (remember the advert for Fry's Turkish Delight?) this chocolate and rosewater tart
is delightful. Even better when served with an orange and cardamom compote!

Lemon tart

Is there anybody who doesn't like lemon tart? I've never met one. It is a restaurant classic that is the perfect way to end a rich meal. Light, zingy and sweet; it reaches the parts other tarts do not! 

There are loads of lemon tart recipes, but here is mine. The key is a silky smooth and light set custard with the perfect sweet sour balance.

• Blind bake the pastry (see above). Once done, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tart tin to trim of the excess pastry. Your case is now ready!
• Turn your oven down to 140 degrees C
• Add the finely grated zest of two lemons to 600ml of double cream and bring to the boil. Leave to infuse for five minutes
• Add 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs to a bowl along with 180g grams of caster sugar. Add the juice of 5 lemons and whisk to combine using a ballon whisk. 
• Pour the cream over the egg, lemon and sugar mixture and combine well. Taste for that sweet sour balance. It is possible to add more sugar at this stage but you will need to ensure it is well combined.
• Put your tart tin with pastry onto a baking sheet and really carefully pour the lemon custard into the pastry case. A perfectly sealed pastry is so important for this particular tart. Very, very carefully place the tart in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the tart is just set. It should still have a bit of a wobble to it. Remove the tart and leave to cool
• Raspberries and raspberry coulis make an excellent accompaniment. If you are feeling particularly cheffy and have a blow torch to hand you can give the tarts a brûlée topping. Slice them first though or else the brûlée will crack!

Lemon tart with raspberries

Treacle tart

A treacle tart isn't for the faint hearted that's for sure, but it is blimmin' delicious. It's also distinctly British and I kind of like that about it. If baking was an Olympic sport, there certainly would be a few more medals for team GB and the treacle tart would be a serious contender for a gold one. There can be no doubting it's sweetness but served with an orange and liquorice compote and orange custard as pictured below, it makes for a truly classy dessert. There are two key factors which help to set my tart apart from others. Firstly, and somewhat surprisingly, is the addition of treacle! Yes it is true, the majority of treacle tarts don't contain treacle preferring to stick to golden syrup only! The second is the addition of orange to cut through the richness. At my seasonal supperclub, Dinner at the Pavilion, this tart has featured a couple of times and of all the desserts this one has received the most compliments. I suppose you might want the recipe now?

• Blind bake the pastry (see above). Once done, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tart tin to trim of the excess pastry. Your case is now ready! Turn the oven down to 160 degrees C
• Remove the crusts from 1/2 a loaf of brown bread. Blitz to make about 180 g of bread crumbs. Set aside 
• In a separate bowl combine 4 eggs with 300 ml of double cream
• Heat 1 tin of golden syrup in a pan along with 1 tin of black treacle and the zest and juice of two oranges
• Add the treacle mix to the bread crumbs followed by the egg and cream mix. Add 2 tsp of sea salt. Stir well to ensure everything is well combined.
• Pour the mixture into the tart tin and bake for about 50 minutes or until the mixture is just set. 
• Remove and leave to cool
• Slice and serve with ice cream or custard and a fruit compote to balance the richness. Dessert heaven!

Treacle tart, orange and liquorice compote, orange creme Anglaise

Apple tarts

Fruit and pastry were meant to go together and none more so than apples. The best of all, in my humble opinion, is the French bistro classic, Tarte Tatin. Sweet soft apple, caramel sauce and a pastry that has gone wonderfully chewy around the outside as a result of the caramel cooking into it. Simple gastronomic perfection! What is even better for the home cook is that it is ridiculously easy (especially if you buy ready made all butter puff pastry), but it looks so impressive. Everyone should have a tatin up their sleeve! It works with lots of other fruit as well. Pear tatin is a classic and pineapple is also rather lovely. It also works as a savoury dish when cooked with onions and a bit less sugar. It can even feature as part of a cheese course. On a recent visit to Cornwall, I was lucky enough to eat lunch at Paul Ainsworth at number 6 in Padstow. He served a slice of apple tatin with an amazing blue cheese and some local cider. It was one of the most memorable courses I have ever eaten. It just worked.

A tart can also be used as a way of taming a crumble and making it more presentable. Pictured below is an apple and blackberry crumble tart with thyme custard. Simply add an apple and blackberry compote (as if making a traditional crumble) to the pastry case and top with a crumble. I like to pre-cook my crumble on a tray to make it extra crunchy. Bake for about 20 minutes and serve with thyme custard. Delicious!

Apple and blackberry crumble tart with thyme custard

Tarte Tatin 

This is a lesson in gastronomic simplicity. You will need a 20cm diameter oven proof frying pan. Small oven proof egg pans or specialist tatin tins could be used to make individual tarts. 

• Peel, quarter and core 4 dessert apples such as Royal Gala, Braeburn or best of all Cox.
• Cover the base of the frying pan with about 150g of light muscavado sugar and a good drizzle of honey. (purists would say that only caster sugar should be used).  Add about 150g of firm unsalted butter which has been thinly sliced. Lay this evenly to cover the pan. Add a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of cinnamon (optional).
• Lay the apples presentation side down around the pan, trying to pack as many in as you can. Place the pan on the hob and heat until the butter and sugar have turned to a bubbling caramel 
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
• Roll out a sheet of all butter puff pastry and lay over the apples in the pan. Tuck the pastry round the apples at the side of the pan, leaving a bit of a folded rim around the edge to soak up all the caramel and turn into that desired chewy crust so important in creating a great Tarte Tatin.
• Place in an oven heated to 180 degrees C and cook for about 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden. 
• Take the pan out of the oven and leave to rest for about 5-10 minutes. Then comes the moment of truth. Place a large plate over the top of the frying pan and flip the pan over. Put the plate down and carefully lift the pan away. What is left should look like what you see below. What could be better than to this place on the table after Sunday lunch and serve with vanilla custard or cream or vanilla ice cream? Nothing, I would argue.

Tarte Tatin. This would serve 4

A final word on tarts

If there is a recurrent theme running through my blogs to date, it is an attempt to give people the confidence to be bold with what they cook. Ingredients somehow sense a tentative cook and play up accordingly. There is no great technical skill to being a good cook. All that cheffy stuff can get in the way of the most important factor which is flavour. Knowledge of what works is important as is having a good palate, but a lot of cooking is just about being bothered. Good food takes a little time to prepare you see. Tarts are a good way of building your confidence and repertoire and allowing your natural creative instincts to take over. Go on, be bothered and give tarts a go!

The beauty of the braise - a tale of slow food and winter warmth

With the grim monster that is January safely behind us, we can all begin to look forward to longer, brighter days. But February is always keen to hand out bitter reminders that winter hasn't gone yet. When it does, my advice is to fight fire with fire, well winter with winter actually. Celebrate winter's wonders, safe in the knowledge that it's on its way out, by indulging in the slow braise!

Perhaps of all the dishes I cook, Boeuf Bourguignon, is the closest to my heart (and probably sticks to it the most as well!). It is a properly serious dish. Master it and you'll not only feel like a true cook, but have also gained a friend. When I first embarked on my journey of food obsession, this was one of the mainstays of my repertoire and it has stayed with me ever since. It never fails to impress guests and it would certainly be a contender for my last supper. A big hunk of ox cheek ready to fall apart and glazed with a sticky dark hue of well reduced braising liquor - this is the real deal!

But it isn't only beef that lends itself to the leisurely pace of the braise. Lamb, pork and veal can be yieldingly majestic as well. My ultimate curry is a lamb shank rogan josh, cooked to the point when it becomes impossible to tell where the lambiness (a word?) ends and the warmth of the spices begin. Or what about a lamb shoulder slowly roasted for four hours until it can be carved with a spoon? Or pork cheeks braised along with clove, star anise and ginger and served with champ and its deliciously aromatic gravy, sweetened with just a hint of honey? And as for osso buco, classically served with risotto alla milanese...? Can't winter last just a little bit longer?

Daube of Ox Cheek

A 'daube' of beef is the traditional provencal name for a cheap cut of beef slowly braised in red wine. It has though been adapted by chefs to simply mean a slow cooked, meltingly tender piece of meat - a 'daube' of pork shoulder for example. So which cut of beef makes the best 'daube'? Whilst shin and short-rib are contenders, the irrefutable 'king of the braise' is ox cheek. Not only are the size and shape 'just right' once trimmed, but both the texture and taste after 4 hours of cooking are simply sublime. Cheek is the muscle that does the most work in a such a prolific ruminator as the cow. This means it is initially tough. But put in the work to break its resistance and the rewards are incomparable.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Let's begin by looking at a classic, boeuf bourguignon, for which I have provided two photographs to tempt you; one with a classic presentation and one with a bit more of a contemporary look.

Classic Boeuf  Bourguignon with horseradish mash

1. How many cheeks you need per portion is wholly dependent on the size of the cheek and the composition of the rest of your meal. If this is a Saturday night in main course only affair with a bottle of Gevrey Chambertin, then I'd be tempted to serve a whole cheek per portion. However if your cheeks are on the large side and there are more courses involved, then half a cheek will no doubt suffice - it's your call! But do remember that they shrink considerably during the cooking process. The first task is to trim the cheeks of the excess fat and connective tissue and then marinate them for 24 hours in red wine with whole garlic cloves, thyme and shallots. After this, remove the cheeks from the marinade, reserving this for the braise, pat them dry and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Coat them with flour, shaking of the excess, and then sear on a high heat until browned and a little bit crusty (this will cook away during the 4 hours braising process)
2. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees C. Place the cheeks in a large oven proof casserole dish and cover with the red wine marinade, adding more red wine if need be. Add two quartered onions, a whole head of garlic cut in half, a generous helping of thyme, about 250g of good quality smoked streaky bacon, two quartered large carrots and two/three sticks of celery. 25g of dried porcini mushrooms will add depth to the braising liquid, but this is optional. Ensure all the contents of the pan are covered by adding beef stock. Bring the pan to a simmer, put a lid on it or cover it with tin foil and place in the pre-heated oven. Cook for 4 hours, checking to see that the liquid hasn't dried out from time to time.  
3. After 4 hours, carefully remove the cheeks with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the braising liquid into large wide frying pan, adding a dessert spoon of dijon mustard and disregard the solids. Reduce the sauce to a coating consistency and stir in a good knob of butter. Return the cheeks to the pan and set aside
4. In another large frying pan or wok add a good knob of butter, a healthy pinch of sugar and a smaller one of sea salt. Add about 4 small pickling onions per serving and coat with the butter. Add water to cover and boil on a rapid heat until it reduces to a glaze. Set aside the glazed onions and keep warm. Repeat the process with some Chanterey carrots, or carrots cut to size. Also set aside and keep warm. 
5. Prepare some beautifully buttery and smooth mash. Flavour with mustard or horseradish if you like.
6. Pan-fry some button mushrooms in butter
7. To serve warm some large bowls or pasta plates. Place the cheek portion in the centre of the bowl and pour over a generous helping of the source. Attractively arrange the onions, carrots and mushrooms around the cheek. Serve with the mash for comfort heaven!

A 'posher' presentation of daube of ox cheek in red wine

Variations - Ox cheek rendang

I totally agree with Rick Stein, when he stated that beef rendang was amongst the the ten greatest curries of the world. It perfectly encapsulates the mix of Indian and South East Asian flavours that define Malaysian cuisine. My take on it uses ox cheek to give it an added unctuous quality which, in my humble opinion, takes the dish to new levels.

1. The first job is to make a paste from green chillies, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, garlic, lime leaf, turmeric, cinnamon and cumin. As with all spice pastes, exact quantities vary according to taste, but I would use 12 birds eye chillies, equal quantities of ginger and galangal (about a very large thumb), 3 sticks of lemon grass, 6 lime leaves, 6+ cloves of garlic and a level teaspoon each of cumin, cinnamon and turmeric powder. Wiz these up in a blender with a splash of water to help start the process. If you want to be really authentic (which unless you are a Minangkabau woman, by definition you will never be) then use a pestle and mortar!  
2. Season the ox cheeks and sear in a hot pan, set aside 
3. Fry off the paste in a little coconut oil preferably to release the aromas and add coconut milk and a little beef stock to create your braising liquid/broth, set aside
4. Sweat two thinly sliced onions until soft and sweet. Add the ox cheeks and the braising liquid, ensuring the cheeks are covered. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a low simmer, cover with a cartouche and cook for 4 hours. When ready carefully lift out the cheeks and pass the broth through a sieve for a more refined finish. Add some shitake mushrooms and sliced spring onions to the hot broth and cook for a further minute or so.
5. To serve place a cheek portion in the centre of a large bowl and pour the aromatic broth over the cheeks. Garnish with shredded Thai basil (if you can get it) and serve with a side of purple sprouting broccoli with oyster sauce and some steamed coconut rice. Delicious!!

 

Daube of ox cheek rendang

My Lamb shank rogan josh - serves 4

To apply Rick Stein's top ten curries of the world test once again then this would without doubt be a strong contender for the number one spot. I'm not sure if it is culturally accurate, hence the title 'my' lamb rogan josh, but it is delicious. It is essentially lamb shanks cooked with tomatoes, onions and garlic with an extremely aromatic garam masala and fresh chillies. Here it is served with spiced roasted tomatoes and onions. What I love so much about this dish is that the lamb and the spices infuse as one glorious flavour and it becomes difficult to distinguish where the lambiness ends and the warm aroma of the spices begins. This is what I call true gastronomy!

1. Season the lamb shanks and sear them in a hot pan. Set aside
2. Roast 4 cloves, six green cardamom pods, a teaspoon of cumin, fennel and coriander seeds, a cinnamon stick and half a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a dry frying plan. Blend these to a course powder along with half a teaspoon of turmeric and a good teaspoon of garam masala. You now have your own extremely aromatic garam masala!  
3. Sweat two finely sliced onions in a pan until soft, sweet and browned (not burnt in anyway though). Add a splash of water from time to stop the onions from burning. Near the end of the process add six cloves of garlic and some root ginger which have both been crushed to a pulp with a bit of sea salt.  Add sliced fresh chillies according to taste.
4. Add all of the spice mix and cook out in the oil for a bit, making sure it doesn't burn as the spices will turn bitter. Add two tins of tomatoes and top up with water. Place the shanks in the liquid, ensuring that the are well covered. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cover with a cartouche and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
5. When ready remove the shanks and blend the sauce for a more refined finish, or leave as it is. It's up to you. 
6. To serve place a lamb shank in the centre of the plate. Surround with some spiced roasted onions and and tomatoes, pour over the sauce and scatter chopped coriander over and, if you wish, some very thinly sliced green chillies for added heat. Serve with a whole spice pilaf. Curry heaven!!

And finally......

Irish Stew

Many years ago, my wife and I were dining at Richard Corrigan's restaurant at Lindsay House in Soho (which incidentally is now closed although Corrigan is still very much alive and kicking!) when we got talking to another couple who turned out to be friends of Mr Corrigan. They asked us to join their table and it wasn't long before Richard Corrigan also sat down with us. We were then treated to wine, cheese and cognac on the house. I had just begun my journey of food obsession and Corrigan was one of my early heroes so needless to say I was a little in awe. Thankfully he was a humble enough guy for me to lose my star struck disposition and I was privileged enough to talk food with someone I still consider to be a true food genius. His passion was evident for all to see and I remember very clearly how he waxed lyrical over the gastronomic virtues of an Irish Stew. His recipe for Irish Stew is, to my mind, without equal so I'm not going to bore you with the details, you can look it up yourself. I will share with you though his recommendation to drink it with a chilled Beaujolais which is a marriage made in heaven.

Irish Stew. So simple, so delicious

And with this I thank you for reading, I hope that you will try one of my recipes and I bid you farewell until the next time. Happy cooking....!

A few words about Christmas eating

It has been a long time since my last blog. Too long according to the how to start a food blog article I read before first embarking on the adventures that are the 'tales of the Spicy Englishman'. And not long enough according to my wife! The truth is that there has just been too much going on recently to fully focus my mind, it is Christmas after all! What then does a food blogger write about in the week before Christmas? No this isn't a Christmas cracker joke, but maybe the answer isn't so obvious. Surely there is enough written about Christmas already and let's face it, it only happens once a year so is anyone more practiced and therefore more qualified than anyone else to give advice? That said, I will indulge in a few words about Christmas eating, but I remain convinced that family traditions are the most important thing here. However there is no such thing as too much advice (surely the maxim for anyone writing about food, given how much food writing there is out there) and here is mine in case anyone who needs a helping hand just happens to stumble across my blog.

First up then is the turkey, or, as Jamie Oliver might refer to it, 'the big old bird'. It goes without saying that choosing the right turkey is of paramount importance. If you have got a local butcher that you trust then great, if not go online and source the best ones - Copas worked well for me last year and this year I'm buying from Frank Godfrey's in Highbury. The size is also important and is mainly dictated by the number of guests, but for me a 7 to 8 kg bird is ideal.  It is big enough to feed around 12 people, and also looks impressive as a centre piece. If you have a smaller crowd then you will have lots of delicious left over meat. Anyway it is too late for sourcing now. If you haven't already ordered your 'big old bird', then it is probably the scraps from the local supermarket for you!

Let's be honest here, cooking a large bird is daunting and plagued by potential pitfalls, not least the moistness of the breast. Here then is what I do and I'm usually very happy with the result. I have never brined my turkey. Not because I disagree with it as a process but because I haven't had the time and space. I am aware that Nigella, domestic goddess that she is, swears by it and who am I to contradict such an institution of British home cooking? I simply have never tried it so can not comment on its virtues. As a rule, I love lemon, thyme and garlic with poultry and see no reason to deviate from this combination when prepping the turkey. I make a lemon, garlic and thyme butter and push large quantities of this under the skin of the bird. I also season very liberally with Maldon sea salt (including inside the cavity) and leave for a good hour to allow the salt to penetrate the flesh. I then pat dry the skin with a kitchen towel and smother it with more of the lemon garlic and thyme butter. A further seasoning with sea salt and black pepper, along with 'shoving' a couple of heads of garlic, more thyme, quartered lemons and onions into the cavity, and the 'big old bird', in all its glory, is ready to go! Well almost. I am a fan of the Jamie Oliver veg trivet (as well as his mockney wit) so I also place quartered onions and carrots, celery sticks and two heads of garlic cut in half in the bottom of a roasting tray, and sit the turkey on top. Then the turkey goes in the oven at a high heat (220 degrees C) for about 30 minutes to start the cooking process. The oven is then turned down to 160 degrees (fan oven) and after 45 minutes I thoroughly baste the turkey before turning the bird over to breast side down (not an easy job), covering loosely with tin foil and placing back in the oven. What is important here is that the veg trivet keeps the breast from touching the bottom of the roasting tray. Then about 50 minutes from when it is ready, I turn the turkey back over and take off the foil. I turn up the oven to 180 degrees C, baste the turkey very thoroughly and pop it back in. When ready (it is best to use a meat thermometer for this purpose - the turkey is cooked at 74 degrees C), I remove it from the oven and leave it to rest for at least half an hour before carving. If everything has gone according to plan then you should have a beautifully cooked bird with lovely moist breasts (innuendo not intended but enjoyed!).

The gravy
The gravy brings everything together and can lift a meal into the sublime. This version gets nothing but rave reviews (well my family and guests like it!). You will need a large frying pan or wok to start the process. In fact this method can be used to create great gravies all year round for all different types of meat.

• Slowly cook two to three thinly sliced onions in a large frying pan to release their natural sugars. Add the turkey giblets to the pan and continue to cook. When ready the onions will be soft and golden and the giblets browned all over. At this point I add my holy trinity of sauce making condiments; balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard and tomato ketchup - enough to make a sticky, oniony brown base (about 50 ml of balsamic vinegar and 2-3 dessert spoons each of mustard and ketchup). (These are very important in giving balance to the sauce)
• Add two litres of turkey or chicken stock, a good few sprigs of thyme and reduce on a high heat until the stock reaches a coating consistency. Pass through a sieve and set aside. 
• Put the vegetables used as the roasting trivet into a sieve held over a sauce pan. Push with the back of a spoon to release the juices from the vegetables into the pan. Skim off any excess fat from the roasting tray but make sure you leave some as this gives extra flavour. Pour the remaining juices into the pan containing the juices from the vegetables. Add a tablespoon of flour to the roasting tray and place it on the stove. Cook for a couple of minutes, scraping all the caramelised juices from the bottom of the roasting tray. Add the pan juices and some hot water if necessary until the pan gravy reaches a good coating consistency. Pass through a sieve. If the pan gravy needs a bit more meatiness and umami depth (it shouldn't), then a good quality stock cube can be added. 
• Combine with the reduced stock and add a few knobs of butter to give the gravy gloss and added richness. You shouldn't need any salt, but taste for seasoning. The gravy should be intensely meaty with a balanced natural sweetness, good umami depth and defined turkey flavour. Add to the gravy any juices that have exuded from the resting turkey - delicious!!!

The garnishes

• Good roast potatoes are essential. Use a fluffy variety such as King Edwards and cut to an even size - but not too small! Par boil in salted water and rattle around the pan to fluff up the edges. Heat some goose or duck fat in a pan and pour over the potatoes in a roasting tray. Season with Maldon sea salt and place in a hot oven (about 200 degrees C) whilst the turkey is resting. Check and turn regularly. About 40 minutes will give you crispy perfection.
• Brussel sprouts are delicious and anyone who says otherwise have only eaten badly cooked ones! Simply cut off the bottom and remove the loose outer leaves. Blanche for about 5 minutes (or less, depending on size) in salted water and then pan fry in nutty brown butter until they just begin to caramelise. This will enhance their natural nuttiness and make them absolutely delicious. Lardons and chestnuts are natural companions which can be added at the pan-frying stage. Pan frying the lardons, if using, first and then add to the brown butter along with the sprouts. 
• Parsnips are also a must and roasted with honey are fabulous. Simply cut the parsnips into quarters length wise and remove the woody core. Place in a flat oven dish, and coat with olive oil and honey. Season. Add some thyme and garlic to the roasting dish. Roast until nicely caramelised and the parsnips have a slightly crispy texture. You will need to turn at least once during roasting.
• Bread sauce is my personal Christmas favourite. Simply infuse some whole milk with onion, bay, clove, nutmeg and thyme. Add bread crumbs created from a loaf of white bread (crusts removed) to a bowl and pour over the infused milk (straining the aromatics). Whisk to a porridge consistency and serve warm (not hot). 

A classic roast pheasant dish showing three key elements of Christmas dinner;
sprouts, bread sauce and honey roast parsnips. There were more veggies on the side! 

• Stuffing and pigs in blankets can not be omitted either - there would be an outcry in most households!  I buy my pigs in blankets ready prepared from a good butcher and make my stuffing to a different recipe each year (usually two types) which I get from the net, so I am not going to give a recipe here. My advice would be to be as creative as you want in this area. Also, I do not stuff the bird, preferring to make mine in a dish. 
• My Christmas dinner usually consists of two other vegetable dishes; braised red cabbage and glazed carrots always go down well. For the red cabbage, I usually shred it and sweat in a bit of butter. Add about 100g of demerara sugar to taste, 1/2 teaspoon of clove powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, grated apple, raisins and season with salt and pepper. Then add 300ml of cider vinegar and top with water until the cabbage is just covered. Cook on a low heat for about 1 1/2 hours, when the cabbage should be tender and delicious. The carrots are cooked as I always cook carrots and are glazed, sweet and delicious. My blog on how to cook duck has a glazed carrot recipe, so no need to repeat here. But I do have some nice pictures to show the glazing process.

On a rapid boil in a large frying pan with buttery water and sugar

All the water has reduced leaving just the butter and the sugar

Perfect glazed carrots 

• Cranberry sauce is the final element of my perfect Christmas dinner. Add 250g cranberries to the pan along with about about 150ml of port, the grated zest of one orange and the juice of two. Add two tablespoons of red current jelly and a couple of star anise. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cranberries have spilt and the sauce looks like cranberry sauce should do (a runny jam). Add more sugar to taste. Cool and serve at room temperature

The rest of dinner

Whilst Christmas dinner remains (and rightly so) the focal point of the day, the drink kind of matters too. Dinner isn't usually served until 5 or 6 in our house which allows plenty of time for cracking into the fizz in the afternoon. This means though that nibbles are essential. Otherwise we'd all be too hungry to wait and also half way to being sozzled before we even sit down. And that wouldn't be right on this most holy of days! Nibbles at Christmas need to be special and here are the two the I love the most:

Beetroot gravadlax of salmon

This is a an absolute favourite of mine. If its too late to make for Christmas day, why not try it for your New Year's drinks party? Anyway here is the recipe and it is so simple. An 800g side of salmon will make about 60 canapés

• Cover your salmon with sugar and sea salt in equal quantities. Add a good sprinkling of ground cumin. Cover in cling film, place in a bowl and leave to cure in the fridge for 18-24 hours depending on the thickness of the fillet.

The cure for the salmon

• When ready, take the salmon out and wash off the remaining curing mix under cold water. With a very sharp knife trim the hard outer edges of the salmon until you are left with a smooth, cured salmon. 
• Puree some cooked beetroot (vacuum packed from the supermarket is okay as long as it is in its own juices). Cover the cured salmon with the beetroot, firmly wrapping in cling film as before. Return to the fridge for at least 24 hours (two or three days is okay). 
• Wash off the beetroot under cold running water and dry the salmon. It is now ready to serve. I like to serve it on good quality German rye bread with a horseradish cream with a bit of a kick. It is absolutely delicious!

Making up the beetroot gravadlax salmon canapés at on of my Dinner at the Pavilion evenings

Chicken Liver Parfait

I could write a recipe here and claim this as my own but with such a classic dish I have no qualms in leading you directly to the source - none other than the great Raymond Blanc!  I simply use this youtube link to remind me of what I need to do, then away I go. Last year, which was the first year I made this, it worked to perfection, despite not having a thermometer. This year, I have bought one. I must say that it is as delicious as Raymond describes it as being. I serve it on thinly sliced sourdough toasts. A homemade apple and date chutney which I made a big jar of three years ago and is still going strong is the perfect accompaniment in that it is quite sweet. The parfait is that good though that it is just stunning on its own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxowJ7SQtdU

Above is the link to the video I use.


And the rest.....

If you've read this far, well done and thank you. You are probably feeling my need to wrap this up even though I haven't even mentioned the starter, the dessert or the cheese course! Well I'm not going to go into too much detail here as elements of each will be the subject of later blogs. But I will tell you what usually happens. Firstly the starter always consists of a pea and ham soup. Historically this was because it could be made in advance and transported to my wife's parents. Now it's because it is delicious and has become a tradition.  I will share my recipe for this when a do a future blog on soups, which are very close to my heart.  Secondly the Christmas pudding. I am ashamed to admit to buying one of these each year. I usually search out the pudding with the best review and take it from there.  I will make one one day, but I haven't yet. I do however make a delicious brandy and orange custard each year. It is a classic creme anglaise made with a good helping of cognac and cream infused with orange flavour from adding orange peel to the cream base. I also make a brandy butter with a suitable kick.  And finally, the cheese. Do I need to give advice on this....?

Have a great Christmas and cook even more in 2016!

See you next year.....

The story of John Dory

And so back to fish.... well I've only covered mackerel so far and there are plenty more fish in the sea, as the saying goes. So what's the story with John Dory? It isn't the most readily available fish, but it is one of the finest of them all. It will impress your guests and, most importantly, has a wonderful flavour and firm texture.  John Dory is also perfect for gaining the confidence to expand your repertoire and develop as a cook. Only true cooks would cook John Dory after all! Master this and you are on your way to becoming a 'proper' chef (although maybe being an improper one would be more fun). Again, as with all fish, a good fish monger is essential.

Why the name John Dory? This wonderfully idiosyncratic name rather disappointingly comes from an English mispronunciation of the French description of its shimmering skin,  'jaune doree' meaning golden yellow. I'd always rather hoped there was a bit more of a story behind 'little John Dory'. Many people are put off buying John Dory as it is an ugly beast with a big head and sharp spines. As a result the yield is low (about 35%) and the bigger fish are quite expensive and difficult to find. That said, they are worth every penny. If you see a 1 kg plus fish in your fishmongers you should snap it up. The flesh from a thick fillet is sublime, with that just perfect delicate fishiness of a sea bass combined with the sweet firmness of a dover sole - fish heaven! Smaller fish (400-700g) are more readily available and when filleted make perfect starter sized portions. They are also better value.

John Dory's are actually quite easy to fillet despite their appearance, but if I was you I would set your fishmonger to work to ensure the maximum yield. There are no pin bones and unlike some flat fish, the skin crisps up nicely when pan-fried. Also, the fillets divide prettily into little diamonds and the remaining head and bones make great fish stock.  Sold? Well you should be...

Gentle spicing works fantastically with John Dory.  Warm aromatic spice blends, used in moderation enhance it's sweet delicate flavour and take the fish to another dimension. But it is equally at home alongside mediterranean flavours, such as with a ratatouille and pesto and with more earthy flavours such as a wild mushroom cream sauce. It is that cross between the sea bass and the dover sole (my description not actual) that makes it so versatile. The recipe I am going to share with you is one that featured as a starter at a Dinner at the Pavilion and I think perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the Spicy Englishman.

John Dory, cauliflower and chickpea chutney, spiced aubergine caviar

1. Cut up a head of cauliflower into small florets. Cover with sea salt to soften slightly and leave overnight. Rinse the cauliflower thoroughly in cold water in a colander. Add the cauliflower and a drained can of chickpeas along with a teaspoon each of yellow mustard seeds and coriander seeds to a saucepan. Set aside.
2. Make the chutney. Put 500 ml of cider vinegar in a saucepan and add 200g of caster sugar; 10g each of turmeric and mustard powder; 1 teaspoon each of cumin, coriander, and ginger; chilli flakes to taste (you want warmth not heat) a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the liquid to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of slaked cornflour to thicken the liquid to a coating consistency.  Taste the liquid, it should have a good sweet sour balance. Too vinegary it will mask the fish and fight the wine you are drinking with the dish. If need be add more sugar to the sauce to temper the vinegar. Pour the hot liquid over the cauliflower, chickpea and seed mix. Simmer for about two minutes and set aside.  The chutney will be served warm.
3. Make the spiced aubergine caviar. Cut a large aubergine in half lengthways and score the flesh in a diamond pattern. Stud the cuts with garlic and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of cumin and drizzle with olive oil. Reform the aubergine and wrap it in tin foil. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes at 180 degrees C. Once cooked, leave to cool a little before scraping out the flesh with a spoon into a bowl. Blend the aubergine to a smooth puree, adding some more oil if necessary. Fold through about a teaspoon of nigella seeds, add a squeeze of lemon and season with sea salt. Set aside.
4. Season the John Dory fillet with sea salt and mild curry powder. Vadouvan, if you can get your hands on it, is an ideal blend - it's a bit of a chef's secret. 
5. Pan fry the John Dory skin side down for 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the flesh. It will curl, but this leads to a nicely caramelised edge although you do need to push it flat with a fish slice. Flip it over and remove the pan from the heat, leaving the fillet to cook in the residual heat for a further minute. 
6. Serve the dish. Place a dessert spoon of aubergine in the centre of the plate and spread it with the back of the spoon. place some warm chutney either side and lay the fillet across. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve to your guests with a classy white wine with a bit of depth to it. At the dinner it was partnered by a Macon Vergisson from producer Joseph Burrier.  

Variations

A Moroccan version also works well. This was a dish served at one of my first Dinner at the Pavilions. Season the John Dory with Ras-el-hanout and serve with chermoula carrots.  For the chermoula carrots (I love the sweetness of carrots with white fish), thinly slice the carrots. Add them to a large frying pan or wok with some butter, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Toss to coat the carrots. Deglaze with water and cook on a rapid boil until the carrots are sweet and glazed. Add a good tablespoon of chermoula and fold through to coat the carrots. My version of chermoula is made from blending about 30g each of parsley and coriander leaves with one clove of garlic, a teaspoon of cumin, a teaspoon of coriander powder, a green chilli, the juice of one lemon, the peel of half a lemon, salt, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil. The picture below is the same dish served with monkfish, I don't have one of the John Dory dish for some reason. 

Happy cooking!

How to cook duck

Reflecting on my progress so far as a blogger leads me to the conclusion that whilst I'm happy with my words, pictures and recipes, I feel there is a need for a re-focus on what I am intending to achieve here. Yes the idea is to share my recipes and ideas about food, but what else?  Well as always the answer is very simple and comes from within and it is to share with you my self-taught journey from being a young guy wanting to impress to becoming an obsessive food geek. I'm not sure that becoming an obsessive food geek should be anyone's life goal (actually I am and it shouldn't), but the fact that my journey has been entirely self-taught probably makes me well qualified to teach others who want to become great home cooks.

My first advice is to read cookbooks by very good chefs. Listen to their advice and have the courage to dive in and try seemingly complex recipes. From these you will learn the importance of process and building flavour. I bought books by the likes of Marco Pierre White, Nico Ladenis, Richard Corrigan, Gordon Ramsey and Raymond Blanc and read them thoroughly, hanging on their every word. In particular I wanted to know about flavour combinations. More accessible books will not take you to the next level. Nico, being self taught was a particular hero of mine.

My second piece of advice is to eat out a lot at top restaurants. You might need to remortgage but you will have great fun! When I started out, nineties and naughties London was an exciting time for food. The food revolution was in full swing and London had become a real food destination. I can still remember each course of unbelievable meals courtesy of Philip Howard at the The Square, Michel Roux Jr. at Le Gavroche, Shane Osbourne at Pied a Terre, Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire, Nico Ladenis at Chez Nico, Richard Corrigan at Lindsey House.......need I go on? The inspiration you will gain from these establishments is amazing. Without doubt it remains my favourite part of the continual learning process of cooking.

My final piece of advice is to focus on flavour. Technical wizardry might impress but as a home self-taught cook you can not compete with the kitchen brigades, so why go there? Technical in the sense of cooking something well? Absolutely. And pretty presentation? Without doubt. But jellies, airs and clouds..? It is this focus on flavour that has led me to develop my own food style and in particular my love of a bit of spice!

And so on to Duck, the next ingredient under the microscope and, in particular, duck breast. Duck will always hold a special place in my heart as its easy to cook and impresses diners. It is what in my day job we would rather irritatingly refer to as a 'quick win'. Duck isn't particularly an English favourite. We do love a bit of crispy aromatic duck from the Chinese takeaway, but for most this is where our love begins and ends. That said we produce some magnificent birds to challenge the French. Gressingham can now be bought in major supermarkets and is of a decent quality. However my own personal favourite is Goosnargh from producers Johnson and Swarbrick in Lancashire. They supply to lots of Michelin starred establishments but will deliver to bods like myself as long as you order in bulk. It has appeared twice on my menu at Dinner at the Pavilion and the corn fed bird has a flavour and tenderness like no other.

How to cook a duck breast

This technique of cooking a duck breast never fails and is absolutely delicious.

1. Score the skin and season the breast with salt, pepper and Chinese five spice powder (for some reason this makes duck taste more ducky). Heat a dry oven proof frying pan on the stove to a medium heat. Place the breast skin side down in the pan and cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is beginning to crisp and turn brown (about 2-3 minutes). Flip the breast over to sear the flesh side for about 30 seconds and return to the skin side. 
2. Place the pan in the oven for about 7-8 minutes (180 degrees C). If your frying pan isn't oven proof (i.e. a metal handle) then transfer the duck to a roasting tin. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place for about 5-10 minutes on a piece of kitchen towel or a clean jay cloth to soak up the slightly bloody juices. Duck is best served medium to medium rare and blood can ruin the presentation of a duck dish! Slice the breast into four thick slices and serve. Below are some of my favourite duck dishes.

Duck with blackberry sauce

Duck a l'orange 

Duck with orange and anise (a photo taken by one of the diners at the summer 2014 Dinner at the Pavilion)

Duck with honey and rosemary

and finally.....Duck with pomegranate mole and fig

As you can see from the photos, duck goes well with fruit. It is a rich meat and the acidity in the fruit cuts through the richness. I think the best vegetable accompaniments are kale, tarragon glazed carrots, celeriac puree, and braised celery or fennel depending on the sauce and season.

As for the sauce, they are all variations on a theme.  

Orange and anise sauce for duck (serves 4)

1. Roast some duck bones
2. Thinly slice an onion and sweat until sweet and soft in a large frying pan.  Add some good quality balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of ketchup, a  dessert spoon of Dijon mustard and cook for a minute until the onions are dark and sticky looking. The vinegar, ketchup and mustard are to give the sauce that all important balance 
3. Add 200ml of freshly squeezed orange juice, one tablespoon of thick cut orange marmalade and the peel (no pith as this is bitter) of one small orange. Continue cooking until the orange juice is reduced to a thickish syrup.
4. Add  a good glug of Pernod  or other aniseed based drink and light to burn off the alcohol. Add 1 litre of chicken stock, three star anise pieces and the roasted duck bones and cook rapidly until the sauce has reduced to a coating consistency (it will coat the back of a spoon and separate when you run your finger along it)
5. Strain through a sieve to a small saucepan and stir in a good knob of butter (this gives the sauce gloss and softens the flavours). Season to taste. 

Variations

This same basic technique can for the basis of other sauces for duck. For the honey and rosemary sauce omit the orange juice, marmalade, Pernod, orange peel and star anise and replace with honey and rosemary. For the blackberry sauce puree some blackberries with a bit of sugar and pass through a sieve. Again omit the orange juice, marmalade, Pernod, orange peel and star anise and replace with the slightly sweetened blackberry puree, a tablespoon of blackberry jam and some thyme. Add whole blackberries to the sauce just before serving which have macerated in a bit of sugar, a pinch of salt and some balsamic vinegar.   

Vegetable accompaniments

All these are great with duck. 

1. Celeriac puree; Cook the celeriac until soft. Blend to a puree with butter and some double cream. Push through a sieve to ensure ultra smoothness. Season and serve
2. Glazed tarragon carrots; Peel and cut the carrots into attractive even sized shapes. Melt a good knob of butter, a teaspoon of sugar and salt to taste in a frying pan. Add the carrots and coat to a glaze. Add water to cover the carrots. Boil on a rapid heat until the water has evaporated and the carrots are coated in a sweet buttery glaze. Add chopped tarragon just before serving.
3. Glazed celery/fennel; Use the same technique as for the carrots but before you add the water add some Pernod and set light to it. This is spectacular and will impress guests! 
4. Roasted apples; This is great with the honey and rosemary sauce. Simply peel and slice the apple into eights. Pan-fry in butter until soft and caramelised on both sides.  
5. Potato fondants; Peel large potatoes and cut into large cubes. Place in an oven proof dish with a lot of butter (100g or more depending on how many you are cooking) and chicken stock to come about half way up the potatoes. Season and add some garlic and thyme to the stock. Cook in the oven for about 45 minutes until the potato is soft and has absorbed a good amount of the buttery stock. Baste the top of the potato to stop it drying out. The potato should be firm enough to hold together, have browned on the top and be unctuous and buttery to eat. Perfect with duck!
6. Kale; Remove the thick centre stalks/veins. Place the leaves together and cut into 1 inch pieces. Add a good knob of butter to a large frying pan and bit of water. Heat the pan and add the kale, turning to make sure it is coated in the butter. Cook for about 2 minutes or until soft but with a little bit of bite. Thinly sliced onions and chilli also go well with the kale as a variation. Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve immediately.  

As they'd say 'up north',

Happy cooking duck!   

Shepherds delight.....

For the sake of offering something different, and building on the interest I might have already generated (whether a few page views means that people have actually taken the trouble to read my words I'm still not sure), I have decided to temporarily leave fish and move on to meat. Next up, therefore, for the musings of the Spicy Englishman is probably my favourite meat, lamb.

Lamb is a bit of a culinary contradiction. It can be delicate and refined but also big and brash. It doesn't overpower elegant spring flavours, yet isn't bullied by imposing spices. It can warm your soul in winter and lighten it in the summer. Somehow, lamb has the capacity to get on with the marriage that the chef has arranged for it.  If the chef gives this arrangement some thought and respects the diverse cultural heritage of lamb, then truly great things can happen. All of this makes lamb my favourite meat both to eat and to cook with. I am always tempted by lamb when I eat out and it has regularly appeared on my supper club menus. If I can be pretentious enough to assign myself a signature dish (probably describing lamb in terms of a marriage proves that I can be), then it would be lamb rump served with a roasted tomato and garlic sauce.   Lamb is a wonderful outlet for your culinary invention. You can take lamb on a voyage from the Outer Hebrides via the deserts of Persia to the foothills of the Himalayas and it is happy. In fact it is joyous!

The nature of the this blog is to share my passion for food with you, as well as a few recipes, but given the context of this weekend's events then some political comment is inevitable. Perhaps the world could learn a lesson from lamb. Food is a great unifying factor, capable of bringing untold joy. It is invariably the focal point of life's celebrations. Contrast this with the divisiveness of culture when used as a political tool, which has been so brutally highlighted by recent events. Food and lamb in this instance, transcend cultural division. The fact that lamb dishes play such a strong role in the traditions of so many countries of the world surely shows us that our differences are not as big as some think they are.

With politics done it is now time to focus on cooking great food. The first thing to consider when buying lamb, as with everything, is the quality. We are blessed in the UK with fantastic lamb. For this reason, lamb is great for those of us who find the notion of buying top quality local produce irresistibly romantic. As you might have guessed, I'm one of those. Each region claims it has the best lamb, and who am I to judge? But if I had to be pushed I would say salt marsh lamb takes some beating and for something a bit different I would go with Herdwick mutton from the Lake District. On a recent trip to Camber Sands I was determined to source some Romney Marsh lamb. I did and it was delicious!

Romney Marsh lamb rump, pumpkin and aubergine tagine

Having sourced the lamb, it's now time to consider the cut. For me two stand out for different reasons. Firstly there is lamb rump. Now this isn't always easy to get but a good butcher should be able to provide you with these succulent delights. Sometimes what is sold as rump, isn't really and is more the top of the leg. Rump, also known as chump (it is basically the lamb's backside), is the thickest, juiciest cut, with a pleasing layer of fat on the top which will serve 1-2 people. It is best served medium to medium rare. My second favourite cut is shoulder, which is perfect for slow cooking. Once the fatty tissues breakdown you are left with an unrivalled tasty piece of meat which falls apart in delicious unctuousness!! Other cuts are also good though, loin or fillet is so tender and leg makes the perfect roast, but these two are my favourites.

With so many lamb dishes that I love, choosing one or two to share is difficult. This first dish though, seeing as I have already touted it as my signature dish is a must.  The accompaniments vary by season and whim but the foundation of Lamb served with a sauce made from roasting lamb bones, tomatoes and lots of garlic, remains constant. 

Essex salt marsh lamb rump and neck, roasted tomato and garlic sauce, summer bean ragout, spinach

The photo is taken from Dinner at the Pavilion, July 2015. Combining slow cooked meat with a tender cut is something I like to do for these dinners and the sauce is so yummy that not serving it in bowls with lots of it would be a crime!! There is nothing difficult about this dish but it is time consuming. Give it the time and I guarantee you will be rewarded. The inspiration is Italian, I think....

Photo of the process using a masala instead of rosemary

1. First you need to make the sauce. Roast a tray full of lamb bones (about 1 kg) from your butcher. Add the unpeeled cloves from one whole head of garlic, quartered well flavoured tomatoes (about 5) and large shallots. Add a good few sprigs of rosemary. Roast at 180 degrees C until the bones are brown and the tomatoes, garlic and onions are soft and sweet (about 40-45 minutes). Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 150 degrees (see photo)
2. Season the neck fillets with sea salt and black pepper. Sear them in a hot pan. Place on a square of tin foil (two neck fillets per foil wrap). Add a clove of garlic, a couple of sprigs of rosemary, a quarter of a lemon and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the fillets to make a neat parcel and cook at 140 degrees C for two hours. Whilst the neck fillets are cooking, finish the sauce. 
3. Tip the contents of the roasting pan into a large saucepan. Add a 1 litre jar of tomato passata and one bottle of white wine. A generous squeeze of ketchup will help to give the sauce balance. Bring to the boil and simmer for two hours. Remove the bones and blend the ingredients of the sauce pan. Pass through a sieve. The sauce should have the consistency of a veloute. Season with sea salt and black pepper and a teaspoon or two of white wine vinegar to lift the sauce. The sauce should should have a good sweet sour balance from the tomatoes, onions, white wine and vinegar. There should be a real depth to the sauce from the roasted bones and garlic. Lamb, garlic and rosemary should all be detected in the flavour of the sauce through layers and as a whole.  Whilst the sauce is simmering, make the summer bean ragout
4. Use a mixture of cannellini, butter and green beans.  Create a soffrito by sweating finely diced onion, carrot and celery until soft and sweet. Very finely chop the rosemary and add to the mixture along with 3 cloves of salt crushed garlic. Continue to cook on a low heat for further 5 minutes. Blanche the green beans in boiling salted water until al dente. Refresh in cold water. Add the pre-soaked and cooked cannellini and butter beans (according to packet instructions if using dried, tinned are okay) and the diced sun-dried tomatoes. Add some water to barely cover the beans. Simmer until the liquid in the ragout has reached the consistency of baked beans. Set aside. Add the green beans and some chopped parsley and fold through and warm up just before serving
5. Season the lamb rumps with sea salt and black pepper about an hour before cooking. To cook the rumps, heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Sear the rumps on the top on a high heat and transfer to a roasting tin (or if your frying pan is oven proof place this directly into the oven). Roast the lamb rumps in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, depending on size. You want them medium to medium rare (one rump will yield 3 thick slices (80-100g) after you have trimmed off the ends - you will want one or two of these per serving depending on the number of courses). Leave to rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes on a clean jay cloth to soak up any blood).
6. While the meat is resting, cook and drain the spinach, warm through the bean ragout, the neck fillets (these will need to be put back into the oven, still in their foil wraps when you begin to cook the lamb rumps) and the lamb sauce. 
7. Serve the dish in large warm bowls. Place a ladle of sauce in the bottom of the bowl with a serving spoon full of bean ragout, and a similar amount of drained spinach in the centre of the bowl. Place the lamb rump on the beans and the piece of neck fillet on the spinach. Decorate with small basil leaves and serve with crushed new potatoes (olive oil and chives) or rosemary and parmesan fried polenta.

Variations

This version is made only with the neck fillet and is much simpler. Instead of roasting the bones, add all of the ingredients for the sauce into a roasting tray and lay the seared neck fillets on top. Cover with foil and cook slowly for 2 hours. Remove the lamb and blend the contents of the roasting tray. Again push through a sieve.  Serve with roasted pepper, cannellini beans in cream and garlic, and purple spouting broccoli 

The sauce for this variation is made in a similar way, substituting garam masala (homemade is best) for rosemary. There is less sauce served because it is also served with a silky fenugreek and roasted shallot puree. This was served at the autumn 2013 Dinner at the Pavilion. The lamb, or rather mutton, used here is Herdwick loin from the Lake District. Serve this with spicy kale and saffron and cumin fondants - which are delicious by the way!

Happy cooking!