I'm Joel Palmer - proprietor and head chef of the Crown Inn in Linton. I learnt how to cook in some very good restaurants - including the Cricketers at Clavering and the RAC club in London. Over the years I have built up a collection of favourite recipes which I am sharing with readers of the Linton News through my monthly column.

You'll find all the published recipes on this page - they are listed below. There are links to easily printable versions should you wish to try them out in the kitchen.

I would love to hear from you to find out whether you enjoyed them - and if you have any suggestions or requests! You can e-mail me at joel@crownatlinton.co.uk.

Happy cooking!


 
 

Recipes

January 2007 - Lancashire Hot Pot
February 2007 - Braised Oxtail in Red Wine
March 2007 - Seared Sea Bass Fillets With Anise Butter
May 2007 - Baby Spinach and Ricotta Filo Tart on Rocket Salad and Roasted Sweet Fruit
June 2007 - Enjoy Your Barbecue!
August 2007 - Paella
September 2007 - Braised lamb shank with summer vegetables
October 2007 - Burnt Lemon Tart
November 2007 - Saddle of venison with a potato and squash boulangière
December 2007 - Top Christmas Dinner Tips
January 2008 - Roasted rabbit and orange soup
February 2008 - An Opulent Meal for Winter Cheer
March 2008 - Bouillabaisse - A Fishy Tale
April 2008 - Roasted loin of lamb with spiced red wine

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  January 2007 - Lancashire Hot Pot

IT came to my attention when attending Smithfield and Billingsgate markets with my pal ‘Pete the meat’, how truly passionate are the people there. They live and breathe the freshest and highest quality produce that money can buy.
Their energy is completely unrivalled and their language a tad colourful, but the work is all happening while most folks
are tucked up in bed.

During these visits to the markets, I was struck that we are all being led down the supermarket path where you can buy
just about anything no matter the time of year. Where have all our seasons gone? We are surrounded by the sea and have
some of the best grazing land you could hope for with a thriving arable yield to match.

So over the 12 months of the year I will be offering recipes for you to try at home. It’s all about simple, traditional
seasonal and local food, and whenever possible, fairly priced.


 
 
Lancashire Hot Pot is a classic British dish using the cheaper cuts of lamb, it would have been mutton for the Lancashire mill and pit workers. Some oysters or kidneys would have been added for extra richness by those who could afford such luxuries.

This dish should only take about half-an-hour to prepare and three to three-and-a-half hours to cook to perfection.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

4 lamb neck fillets
800g large white potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
700g thinly sliced onions
150ml red wine
150ml beef stock
50g melted salted butter
Sprig of fresh rosemary from the garden
Salt and pepper to season

   
 

Method:

Using a thick-bottomed casserole pot, heat it on the stove top and sear the seasoned lamb cuts with a little of the butter.
Remove the lamb and add the onions to the meat juices and caramelise. Add the red wine and reduce the liquid by three quarters. Remove the softened onions and liquor. Replace the lamb into the pot.

Spread the onion mix over the lamb, cover with the stock and season with the salt and pepper. In a decorative way, lay the potatoes over the lamb. Push down with your hand so the stock moistens the potatoes. With a pastry brush, paint the potatoes with the melted butter; this will give a nice golden finish. Place a lid on the pot. Put into the middle of a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees (Gas Mark 4) for about three to three-and-a-half hours. A knife should slide through the food to the bottom of the casserole with no resistance.

This dish should be served with braised red cabbage and glazed carrots. The cooking times are ideal to enable you to
prepare the dish then pop down to your local pub for a chat with your friends.


Click here for printable version.

 
 

February 2007 - Braised Oxtail in Red Wine

So the winter is upon us. The January sales have all but been and gone – however, we know the sales are all-year round, don’t we? The festive season is well and truly over. Oh God, how do we pull through it? If you haven’t quit smoking or taken to the fitness suite at the college, you may as well indulge in another classic dish, which uses the slow cooking process.

This particular dish will mean a trip to your favourite local butcher to buy the cuts of meat required. Our beef today is some of the best in the world, having come out of the BSE scares of yesteryear with animal welfare a major priority of all those who handle the cattle.


 
 

Preparation time 10 minutes the night before, 30 minutes on the day of cooking. Cooking time approx. 4 hours

Ingredients: (serves 4)

3 whole oxtails (ask your butcher to trim the fat from the tails)
225g medium sized red onion, chopped
200g stalks of celery, chopped
200g leeks chopped with 1 clove of garlic
100g beef dripping
400g tomatoes, chopped
A sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf and a good tablespoon of chopped parsley
600ml red wine
1000ml good beef stock

Method:

1. The night before the dish is to be cooked, separate the tails by cutting through the digits (only use the thick ends of the tail as the thin ends can be frozen for the day you want a homemade oxtail soup).
2. Marinade the pieces of tail in the red wine and some of the stock to cover it all. Cover with cling film and leave in a fridge overnight.
3.The next day pre-heat your oven to 200C.
4. Remove the tails from the marinade and season well with freshly ground black pepper.
5. In a large pan, fry the tails in the dripping on both sides until golden brown, then drain.
6. Fry all the vegetables in the same pan with the tail residue until soft.
7. Add the tomatoes and the herbs and cook at a simmer.
8. Replace the tails and the rest of the stock and cover with a lid, braise for three hours.
9. Remove the tails from the sauce and rest to one side. Pass the sauce through a sieve into a separate pan to keep warm.
10. In the original pan reduce the marinade down to about a pint then add it to the sauce.
11. Remove any residual fat from the surface by skimming, and test for flavour and consistency.
12. Replace the tails and simmer gently (when the meat is falling away from the bone, it’s ready to serve).

A serving suggestion would be to place two tail pieces on each plate with some of the sauce, some crushed buttered potatoes and roasted root vegetables.

Click here for printable version.


 
 

March 2007 - Seared Sea Bass Fillets With Anise Butter

WHEN I was a small lad kicking a football around the streets of Bishops Stortford, I always knew that if it was Friday it would be fish. Fantastic. However, these days I feel that the thought of fish can seem a little daunting. Is it because it’s very easy to get wrong? Turn your back for one minute and it’s overcooked? (Is the smell a little off-putting?)

When going to Billingsgate I know what to look for and where to find it, but if you go to Cambridge, Saffron Walden or Haverhill markets they all boast a fantastic fishmonger, once a prominent feature of the old High Streets. Look and admire the selection they have to offer and the enthusiasm they have.

The secret of buying fish is selecting a whole fish rather than a cut or steak. This gives you the opportunity to look at the fish; basic tips to ensure a good quality fish are: are the eyes bright and not sunken? are the gills bright red? (if not, the fish is not fresh); make sure the fish is not slimy; and a fish shouldn’t smell fishy – bizarre I know, but if it does it’s old. Ask your fishmonger for its provenance or origin as I find it helps to give an understanding of fish in general.

We all know that fish stocks are dwindling but we are learning how to rear some types of fish in harmony with our environment, which brings me on to sea bass.

 
 

Sea Bass is at its best in the spring months, and line-caught off the west coast will be the best; however it does come at a
cost. So, if you can, get your fishmonger to fillet and pin bone two sea bass weighing in at about 700g each, which have come from a farm.

This dish should only take 5-7 minutes to cook through. Very quick and very simple with all the ingredients complementing one another.

Ingredients: (serves four)

2 fresh sea bass, filleted and pin boned
Half tsp shallot purée
100 grams unsalted butter
100 mls Ricard or Pernod
Half tsp caraway seeds
Olive oil, salt and pepper
12 poached asparagus spears
12 roasted cherry tomatoes

Method:

1. In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat the butter with a little olive oil
2. Place the fillets in the butter, skin side down for about three minutes
3. Turn the fillets (be very careful) onto the flesh side for a further three minutes
4. Remove the fish and keep warm
5. Add the asparagus to the butter and heat through
6. Present the fillets to the centre of a dinner plate with the asparagus tips
7. Add the shallot purée to the butter and cook for one minute
8. Add the Ricard. Be very careful as it is very flammable
9. Burn off the alcohol and add the caraway seeds
10. Place the roasted tomatoes on the plate
11. Pour the butter sauce over the fillets and serve

A top tip when cooking fish like this would be to keep the pan moving in a circular motion when the fillets go in. This will prevent the fish from sticking. This could be served with crushed Jersey Royal potatoes. Enjoy.

Click here for printable version.


 
 

May 2007 - Baby spinach and ricotta filo tart on rocket salad and roasted sweet fruit

UNTIL quite recently in restaurants around the world, vegetarians have been largely ignored, if not completely forgotten,
leaving it up to the poor veggies to have to ask for themselves.

This is now the perfect time of year to sample some fantastic foods from the markets or supermarkets. Spring greens, curly
kale, asparagus, baby spinach, the list is endless. These days I’m finding that more and more people are conscious of all the
different food scares and healthy living issues arising from the various media engines. A vegetarian diet is known to confer a wide range of health benefits. Research also shows vegetarians suffer less heart disease, diabetes and various cancers to mention just a few.

The 1st of October of every year is world veggie day, so we’ve got five months to think about maybe making the next dish
featured on chefs corner.

 
 

Ingredients:

The tart:
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
200g pot of ricotta cheese (drained of its water)
1 crushed clove of garlic
Cracked pepper and coarse salt (to taste)
1 small egg
1 bunch of basil

The glaze:
Fresh ground nutmeg (1 pinch)
1 pkt of ready made filo pastry (there are some things we simply have to cheat with!)
100g of melted butter

The rocket salad:
1 bunch of good peppery rocket
1 pre- roasted red pepper
5 roasted baby tomatoes
Fresh parmesan shavings
Virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

1. Coat inside of ring mould or quiche ring approx 9-10cm diameter with butter.
2. Using two pages of the pastry, gently push into the ring, leaving rough edges protruding. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Cover bottom of small pan with water and steam spinach until soft. This will take only seconds.
4. The spinach must be cooled very quickly with ice; this will help keep its vibrant green colour.
5. With a blender, whizz the ricotta cheese and cooled spinach until soft. Add the egg and whizz again. Add all the other herbs and seasonings, ensuring all ingredients are bound together.
6. With a spoon, push the mixture into the pastry case taking care not to break the protruding pastry. Paint the pastry with a little butter.
7. Place the tart into a preheated oven at 190C (Gas mark 5) for about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, the salad can be rolled in a bowl using all the ingredients except the balsamic vinegar glaze.
8. Place the salad in a neat pile on a plate to one side.
9. When your tart is just beginning to brown, it can be removed from the ring and served alongside your salad. Finish with parmesan shavings and a drizzle of the balsamic glaze.

A really cold crisp Chardonnay will be delicious with this dish to go with the green earthy taste of the spinach and to cut through the creamy cheese.

Click here for printable version.


 
 

June 2007 - Enjoy Your Barbecue

AHHHH, the hypnotic smell of the summer barbecue. In every street, in every town on a warm Sunday afternoon, you can always track down the aroma of sizzling sausages and the unmistakeable sight of smoke coming from burning chicken pieces.

Is there still the stereotypical man in a plastic apron printed as a naked lady standing in a cloud of smoke with a tin of beer in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other? I wonder if he pre-cooked the chicken as advised? I wonder if the coals were sectioned into a cool zone as well as a hot one? Probably, as I think we are all slowly morphing into Aussie barbecue gurus.

As with any successful dinner party, it’s important not to be slaving over a hot barbecue when your guests arrive. So here are a few great ideas that can mostly be pre-prepared to give you more time with your guests. Rather than putting in one single recipe this month, I thought several ideas with rough guidelines would be better.

 
 

Make some interesting salads in the morning to save time later.

Creole mint cabbage salad

Very finely sliced white cabbage with thin batons of celery, finely sliced green pepper, a couple of teaspoons of mint sauce with a pinch or two of sugar. If you like a kick add some Tabasco and cayenne. All mixed together in a bowl, covered and in the fridge. Easy.

Roasted vegetable and blue cheese pasta salad

This can be vegetables of your choice but Mediterranean veggies are best. Sweet pepper, aubergine, courgette, red onion, tomato and garlic, all chopped and mixed with some olive oil, then roasted in a hot oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, and mix in a bowl with cooked pasta (penne is good) blue Stilton, salt and pepper and a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Put plenty of freshly chopped parsley on the top. Another salad sorted!

Tomato and mozzarella salad with avocado


Use the best plum tomatoes you can find. English are fantastic from June to September. Slice them and arrange them on a large plate. Along the centre of the salad arrange slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella with torn basil. Peel and dice the avocado then roll it in a separate small bowl with lemon juice, then cover. At serving time you can place the avocado on the salad with some good olive oil.

A couple of meaty ideas


If you’re using wooden skewers soak them in water over night. This will stop them from burning.

Marinade some chicken breast meat in sweet chilli sauce. Add to your skewer with some cherry tomatoes and lime wedges. Try to cover most of the skewer.

Mix pork fillet with soy, ginger, garlic, five spice, soft sugar and hoisin. Cooked slowly wrapped in foil over the cool side for about 15 minutes. Then unwrap and colour for a further five minutes. Slice it thinly. This goes well with the cabbage salad.

Finally, try to cook for longer and more slowly than you think. Don’t keep moving the food about; just turn it once or twice. Never buy food that appears to have come from Mars. Remember – anything can be done on the barbecue. You can get a solid iron plate for eggs, you can wrap fish cakes in foil. Just use your imagination but, more importantly, be safe.

Happy barbecue-ing.

 
 

August 2007 - Paella

NOW I know we haven’t had much of a summer to talk about so far and things may generally be a bit “down”, so I thought that I should spread a little joy on how to cook the perfect Spanish dish ... paella.

Without a doubt, this is for a party of people where everybody can enjoy the dish evolving throughout. Just get a good bottle of Rioja or better still, on a hot day, a jug of Sangria.

Maybe the only limitation is that you will need a large paella pan or a very big thick-bottomed frying pan. With these measurements, I’m going to use ‘chef’s handfuls’.

 
 

To Feed 6:
2 cupped handfuls of arborio rice
1 handful of squid rings
1 small onion
1 handful of clam meat
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 handful of mussel meat
1 thinly sliced red & green pepper
2 handfuls of tiger prawns
Approximately 1 ltr of fish stock
3 shredded chicken legs
Pinch of paprika, salt and pepper

To Start:
Allow your pan to warm gently on the stove while softening the onions, garlic and peppers.
Add the chicken and sear the edges.
Add the rice and coat with all of the “so far” ingredients.
Add the stock in dribs and drabs, so the rice can absorb it in its own time. Don’t rush this part.
When the rice is coming together, much like a risotto, it is time to add the fish.
Stir until the fish has lost its crunch. Add any seasoning.
Turn off the heat. Open some more wine and ask your guests to help themselves.

This is a very social and very easy dish, and involves little preparation with a great end result. However, as with any rice dish, it must be treated with the utmost respect; if you forget the rice while it needs you, it will punish you.

Sangria: 1 bottle of rioja + half a bottle of soda water + 1 cut orange +some brandy + some grand marnier.

Cheers ... now where’s the cheese board?

Click here for printable version.


 
 

September 2007 - Braised lamb shank with summer vegetables

IT was a recent trip to London’s fruit and vegetable market last month that inspired this dish. Because of the time of year, there was so much seasonal colour to meet the eye from the fantastic salad leaves and fresh peas right through to the purple broccoli and the baby carrots; what a spectacle!

I know we have featured all sorts of cooking styles over the past few months, but I thought a braised summery dish would
work for those of us who try to make time to eat well and who don’t mind a three-hour wait for dinner to be ready. It’s just right for one of those lazy Sunday afternoons watching the autumn sun disappear, with a glass or two of your favourite tipple.

This dish would classically use veal shin. However, we will be using either a lamb shoulder (for two) or lamb shank (one per person). If you do chose to use veal, please ask your butcher to source sustainable and ethical meat from Britain.

 
 

This should feed four hungry people.
4 lamb shanks
8 baby carrots
4 sticks of celery (peel the outside)
1 red onion
2 cloves of garlic
150g Swiss chard (or spinach)
4 baby leeks (or spring onions)
2 small cups of raw fresh peas
4 anchovy fillets
2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme, 1 sprig of rosemary
A half-bottle of drinkable dry white wine
Half a litre of chicken stock

Using a thick bottomed casserole pan, heat it gently on top of the stove.
Dice the carrots, onion, garlic, celery and leeks very finely.
Roll the shanks in a little olive oil and brown them all over in the pan. Add the diced vegetables and soften.
Pour in enough wine to cover the vegetables, add the same amount of stock. Add the herbs with some salt and pepper, and also the anchovy fillets. Add the peas.
Place the lid on the pan and cook at 175C (Gas mark 3/4)for two-and-a-half hours.

Five minutes before the lamb has finished cooking, wilt the chard or spinach in some salted water. This can go to the plate with a little cracked pepper with one of the shanks.

Then correct the consistency of the broth remaining in the pan. It should resemble a thick soup. Pour the vegetables over the shank and serve to those hungry mouths.

Some of you may think that the anchovy is a strange thing to add to a dish like this but it is an integral part of the seasoning and will dissolve during the cooking process. This adds a very Italian quirk to the dish.

Click here for printable version.



 
 

October 2007 - Burned lemon tart

I USED to go to a restaurant called the Criterion in the heart of the West End at Piccadilly Circus. I would order lemon tart. It’s one of my great favourites – in my opinion, the only way to finish a great meal.

It’s a real chef’s pudding. Any chef worthy of his or her name will have a lemon tart on the menu. Christine will have to take the credit for this recipe as she is my pastry chef.

This dessert should be served on its own with no distractions; if you need an accompaniment, please make it a sharp fruit such as raspberry. Never insult it with cream.

 
 

The Pastry (you will need a 20cm flan ring)
500g sieved plain flour
200g sieved icing sugar
250g diced butter
Two egg yolks
Grated zest of one lemon
Splash of water

MIX the flour and sugar, then gently rub in the diced butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and zest. Make it into a dough-like consistency (add water if need be). Leave in the fridge for about one hour.

Roll out the pastry to about 1/2 cm and large enough to fill your flan ring. Push the pastry well into the ring and flute, but do not trim the top edges. Line the ring with greaseproof paper and add some baking beans or rice kernels.

This will need to baked blind for about 10 minutes in an oven set at 180C (Gas mark 4). This is when you would trim the edges of the pastry.

The Filling
Eight eggs
Three large lemons (200 ml juice required)
350g caster sugar
1 tbsp double cream

BREAK the eggs and mix with the sugar, then whisk until smooth. Finely grate the lemons into the mix. Add the juice and the cream, keeping it smooth.Pour the mixture into the pastry case and cook for about 20-25 minutes at about 200C (Gas mark 6).

The tart should be removed while it is still slightly soft in the centre. Allow to stand and cool. Dust with some icing sugar and caramelise with a blowtorch when serving. Always serve it at room temperature.

I promise this will be one of the best desserts you will have created.

Click here for printable version.



 
 

November 2007 - Saddle of venison with a potato and squash boulangière

A SEASONAL dish, I feel, suitable for the bleak days of November. However, there are still lots of little gems to be
savoured; it just means a little more foraging than we may be used to.

Shellfish are now in abundance. Also, after a cool wet summer root vegetables are amazing this year. You may notice swede are a richer yellow colour. The fruit crop is hitting record levels as well, so take advantage of a slightly lower price at the market stalls.

May I also point out to any mushroom fans out there that this is the time to get the best selection of fresh wild mushrooms.

 
 

Ingredients (serves four)
500g venison saddle (have your butcher trim any fat or sinew)
Half butternut squash (peeled and thinly sliced)
3 King Edward potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced)
Half an onion finely chopped
250g kale (blanched and refreshed)
40g garlic butter
20g goose or duck fat (lard can be used )
500ml good chicken stock
200g mixed wild mushrooms
150g finely chopped onion, celery and carrot
Sprig thyme and 1 garlic clove
250ml red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
A pinch of nutmeg

Method
Mix the stock and garlic clove with the thyme leaves. Layer the potato with the squash in a small but deep roasting tin. Pour over the stock until just covered, season and cover with tin foil and bake for about 1 hour (until soft) 175ºC /gas 3-4.

Meanwhile, season the meat and brown in a hot pan with a little of the duck fat. Remove from the heat and allow to rest with the remaining duck fat. With the garlic butter, gently sauté the wild mushrooms then add the kale with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Keep this warm.

The sauce can now be made by sweating the chopped onion mix until golden brown in a little olive oil. Add the red wine and reduce until the mix is just covered. It should be slightly sticky. The meat should go into the oven for about 10 more mins. At the same time the foil should come off the potatoes and the butter put in blobs over the top of them.
Return the potatoes to the oven with the meat (10 mins) Gently warm the kale and mushroom mix. Strain the sauce into a jug.

The meat will come out to rest while serving the potato onto the plate with the kale and mushroom beside. Slice the venison neatly onto the potato in a fan. Carefully spoon the sauce around the dish and serve.

Top tip: This dish is all about the timing – be careful. The potatoes can take up to an hour and a half while the venison will only take about 20 mins (don’t forget the resting times as it is very important). The kale and mushroom will take 10 mins as will the sauce.

Good luck as this is a fantastic autumn dish.

Click here for printable version.



 
 

December 2007 - Top Christmas Dinner Tips

CHRISTMAS is once again looming over us. Have you sent Auntie Mabel her card? Have you done your overseas messages?
Are the children’s stockings full of what they want, or what you want? But, worst of all, are we going to cater for an entire
battalion of hungry soldiers when it’s no different from a regular Sunday lunch with a couple more people.

I mean, it’s no real surprise to see the cars parked half way back to Linton trying to get into Sainsbury’s. “But they are only shut for one day!”

Anyway, don’t get me started on over consumerism. I often hear about turkey being a bit dry or flavourless and the sprouts
being either hard or dark green and smelly, so maybe a couple of neat ideas for getting the Christmas meal sorted this year without the worries will be useful.

First of all make sure that the turkey is of good provenance and has been well looked after. A quality farm shop would be a good bet. When preparing the turkey approx (6-7 kgs) it should be lightly seasoned and turned onto its breast for the first hour (200ºC Gas 4) Always be par-cooking your potatoes in water at this stage. After the hour turn the bird onto its back and return it to the oven, with the potatoes in the meat juices that have collected thus far. Season again.

This can go back for a further hour, but always check after about 40 mins. A skewer can be inserted into the most dense area, usually the thigh; if the juices run red it’s not cooked, if the juices run clear then take the bird out and leave to stand with a foil blanket. The potatoes should be ready by now and placed in a dry tray and left in a cool part of the
oven.

Meanwhile you have been doing the vegetables by way of blanching the sprouts in boiling water until they become resistant to a small knife. Then chill them in cold water. This can be done the night before if you like. They can now be cut into quarters and reheated in a frying pan with a little seasoning, butter, a few tinned chestnuts and some cooked bacon.

Make the gravy in the roasting tin that the turkey was cooked in and strain it into a jug.

Hey presto. Beautifully simple moist roast turkey with tasty roast potatoes, dynamic sprouts that actually taste nice and all
with a homemade turkey gravy. Doing it this way should give you the time to enjoy your Christmas day stress free, wondering if that queue was any smaller. Probably not!

Merry Christmas.

 
 

January 2008 - Roasted rabbit and orange soup

KEEPING to the seasonal theme I thought this would be one for the more adventurous among us, and if you can get past the “pet rabbit” issues then this is a fantastic meal that can be made and enjoyed any time of the day served with toasted bread.

Rabbit has been enjoyed by generations before us so I urge you to give it a go. If you would prefer, ask your butcher to take
all the meat from the rabbit as it will resemble chicken.

 
 

Ingredients
2 fresh rabbits (ask your butcher to clean and cut the rabbits
into 6 pieces)
2 medium sized carrots
1/2 head of celery
1 large onion
1/2 leek
2 bay leaves and sprig of fresh thyme
2.5 litres good chicken stock
50 gms plain flour
1/4 jar thick-cut orange marmalade
1 tablespoon butter

Method
First of all turn your oven on to 175˚C / gas mark 4. Place the rabbits into a roasting tin and roast until golden
brown. You may use a little oil to help this process along. It takes about 25-30 minutes.

While these are cooking; the vegetables can be roughly chopped.

Remove the rabbits from the oven and allow to cool. Take a large cooking pot (one that can take 3.5 litres). With the butter, cook the vegetables in the pot until golden brown. Remove the vegetables and add the flour, enough to make a paste. Cook until the flour and butter (roux) is golden brown. Very gradually add the stock to the pot keeping a low heat.

Finely chop the cooked vegetables (or blitz) and add to the stock. Pick the rabbit meat from the bones and add to the stock. Stir in the marmalade, as little or as much as you wish. Now add the herbs and correct the seasoning.

This can be served straight away or cooled and kept in the fridge for up to three days.

Click here for printable version.



 
 

February 2008 - An Opulent Meal for Winter Cheer

ALL the doom and gloom and the weather being so depressing is compounded by the fact that it is February again already. The global credit crunch, and all the bad news from the high street sale.... whatever next?

So a meal that will not cost a fortune but with echoes of opulence would seem to be in order; one that can be done quickly and effortlessly with the wow factor thrown in.

 
 

To start: Smoked salmon and sea kale
Smoked salmon is widely available these days and very affordable, and sea kale can be ordered from a good greengrocer; it is similar to asparagus, just trim the ends off and blanch. It is in season between January and March.

Once you have blanched the sea kale just toss in a little lemony olive oil, lay 3 or 4 pieces on a plate then drape as little or as much smoked salmon as you like over it. Sprinkle with a little cracked pepper and some rocket leaves. Easy!

Method
Lamb seems, so far, to have escaped the recent price increases while the price of beef has rocketed due to the Brazilian endemic foot and mouth situation.

Ask your butcher to “French trim” the lamb racks and to separate them into three bones per portion.
Select whatever vegetables you prefer including potatoes. My suggestion would be carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, red
onion, garlic and sweet peppers. Parboil about four new potatoes per portion.

Roughly dice all of the vegetables and the potatoes then roll them in a little olive oil with a sprig of rosemary and thyme. Place the vegetables in a roasting tray. Lay the lamb racks on top of the vegetables which have been lightly seasoned. All of this preparation can be done in advance.

Just before you prepare the salmon starter for your guests you can, to coin a phrase, “Slam in the lamb” with the vegetables obviously, and cook in the middle of your oven at about 180° – 200°C, gas mark 6 or 350°-400°F. This will only take about 25 – 35 minutes.

You could have a sauce or gravy with this dish but why complicate things? Maybe a little homemade mint sauce.

If I was going to take wine with this dish I would suggest a very cold Riesling to cut through and yet complement the salmon. Then a Pinot Noir from any region, but, Tasmanian is my current favourite. This isn’t as overpowering as some and will work well with the fattiness of the lovely lamb cutlets.

Click here for printable version.

 
 

March 2008 - Bouillabaisse - A Fishy Tale

DO you ever go to the shops or market and buy some fish because it looked so good, then realise when you get it home, that there is far too much for your needs? Do you leave the extra bits in the fridge until they walk to the bin? Do you cook it all with the good intention of a sandwich filling, and never use it? Do you simply throw it away? Does your cat benefit?

What I might suggest, as soon as you get home, is to cut off the bits that you know you don’t need, then wrap it in cling film and freeze it. This will ensure its freshness, and you can do this every time you prepare various fish dishes until you have several pieces of mixed fish (a seafood cocktail).

Essentially this dish is taken from the fishing towns and villages in and around the Provençal region in France. It’s simple
and quick to prepare and delicious. I would also add that it is not just about the fish in a “fish stew” but the combination of the tomatoes, garlic, basil and saffron (if used).

 
 

Ingredients
500-750g mixed fish (tuna, cod, mackerel, salmon, whatever)
250g bag mixed pre-cooked seafood (prawns, mussels,
clams etc. or lobster !)
1/2 litre fish or chicken stock
1 good glass white wine
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 large chopped onion
2 large chopped carrots
3 chopped sticks celery
1 medium chopped leek
2 bay leaves, a good handful of basil, a good handful of chopped flat leaf parsley.
1/2 tsp saffron threads. These can be expensive so are not always included.

Method
Firstly allow your fish to defrost overnight in the fridge.

Slowly sweat down all the chopped vegetables in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the wine, tomatoes, stock and purée. Allow this to simmer slowly. Add the herbs (save some parsley for the garnish). This should now be taking you back to the south of France with its fabulous flavours.

It’s now that you can add the fish (not the already cooked shellfish). This will take about 10-15 mins at a slow simmer.
Now you can add the seafood cocktail and cook for a further 2 mins.

Check for salt and pepper and serve into a terrine. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley, then everybody around the table can eat Provençal style with big chunks of white bread rolls.

If you fancied a little drop of the old vine? Some may say a powerful drop to match the strong flavours of the Provençal,
but I feel a refreshing wine would work very well and be a perfect partner to the bouillabaisse. Try a Spanish Torres
Rosé, that’s my tip.


Click here for printable version.

 
 

April 2008 - Roasted loin of lamb with spiced red wine

APRIL already and time to think of the wonderful offerings that lamb can give us. Lamb can be a gourmet meal served
simply and quickly. The best end would be my favourite cut as it can be trimmed of any excess fat and will cook rapidly.

There is a slightly Italian quirk to this dish using olives and anchovies (don’t be afraid to use the anchovies as you won,t
know they are even there).

 
 

Ingredients
Take 1 trimmed lamb loin
Cracked black pepper and sea salt
1 pinch of chilli flakes
About 6-8 chopped black olives
4-5finely chopped anchovy fillets
A good pinch of thyme, rosemary and oregano (mixed together)
1 large glass of red wine 250ml

Method
Place all the ingredients into a large freezer bag and gently massage everything into the lamb. Allow to marinade for 20 minutes or so.

Heat a pan with a little oil and sear the lamb for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer into a pre heated oven fat side up at 190ºC/375ºF/ gas mark 5 for about10-12 minutes. Allow to rest for a further 5 minutes (resting the meat is very important as it allows it to relax)

During the resting period put the pan back on the heat and reduce most of the wine (I always like a little for tasting
purposes obviously). This in turn will start to resemble a thin sauce with all the meat juices.

Slice the lamb into small medallions and arrange onto a plate, the sauce can then be dressed onto the lamb. Serve with a few warm new potatoes with lots of butter and fresh spinach turned into them. Fantastico!!

Primitivo classico will give a soft yet spicy red wine to compliment the gorgeous tender lamb with the spinach.

Click here for printable version.

Cheers and Bon Appetit!

 
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