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....!