Langoustine ravioli, ultra-rich shellfish sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

24 Langoustine or 3 lobsters

200g of white fish or salmon

1 Carrot

1 Leek

2 Sticks of Celery

Olive oil

1 Star Anise

8 White Peppercorns

8 Black Peppercorns

1 Bay Leaf

8 Coriander seeds

2 tbsp Tomato purée

500ml White wine

500ml Fish stock

Splash  Pernod

Chervil or Tarragon

500ml Double cream

 

6 Large Eggs

600g Type 00 flour

Pinch salt

2 tsp Olive oil

 

Method:

In advance

Remove the claws, head and shells from the lobster/langoustines. Harvest the meat from the body and claws.  Remove the intestinal tract from the meat, set the cleaned meat aside until needed. Rinse the claws, heads and shells and proceed with the shellfish sauce.

 

For the shellfish sauce, dice the carrot, leek and celery. Sauté in a large pan with some olive oil until they start to colour and caramelise.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil into the pan and then add the langoustine/lobster heads and shells. Cook until browned. Add the tomato purée and cook until the paste turns a very dark red. Add the carrots/leek/celery mix back into the pan along with the spices. Mix well and deglaze the pan with the Pernod. Cook until evaporated then add the wine.  Cook the wine until almost disappeared then add the stock and enough water to cover the shells. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Strain the sauce through a colander then a fine sieve into a clean pan. Reduce until almost syrupy. Set aside until needed.

 

For the pasta, place the flour on a clean work surface, create a well in the middle and break in the eggs and add the salt.  Mix well until it comes together as a dough. It shouldn’t be sticky, if it is add more flour. Knead for at least 10 minutes until silky and elastic.  Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

 

For the pasta filling pulse the salmon/ white fish in a food processor with 100ml of double cream and seasoning until it forms a smooth thick paste.  Add more cream if needed, tip into a bowl and mix in the langoustine/lobster flesh. Refrigerate.

Roll out the pasta into sheets using a pasta machine.  Cover these sheets with a gently dampened tea towel to prevent them drying out.  Using a pastry cutter, cut out circles of the pasta dough.  Place a spoonful of the filling on each circle leaving a good gap between the filling and the edges of the pasta circle.  Brush the gap with egg yolk, then place another pasta circle over the top and start to form your ravioli making sure there are no air pockets.  Press the edges down firmly.  When you have done this blanch the ravioli in a large pan of salted boiling water for 1 minute then plunge into ice water, drain and place on an oiled tray until needed.

 

To serve:

Reheat the shellfish sauce, add 100ml of double cream, mix well.  Cook the ravioli in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain and place 2-3 per person in a bowl.  Spoon the shellfish sauce over the pasta and sprinkle some tarragon/ chervil on top.

 

Roast loin of lamb, Madeira sauce, baby summer vegetables, potato rosti

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1.2kg Loin of lamb

1 Carrot

1 Onion

1 Stick of Celery

Lamb bones or cheap lamb cuts

8 Black Peppercorns

8 White peppercorns

8 Coriander seeds

Bunch of Thyme

Bay leaf

White wine

500ml Chicken stock

2 Tbsp Madeira

Splash Sherry vinegar

8 Medium Potatoes

Bunch Chives
Selection of baby vegetables

Butter

Olive Oil

 

Method

In advance

24 hours in advance wrap the loin of lamb in cling film with all but 2 sprigs of thyme.

 

For the Madeira sauce, dice the carrots, onion (with skin left on) and celery. Sauté in a large pan with some olive oil until they start to colour and caramelise, add the lamb bones or cheap cut of lamb and cook until browned. Add the spices and 2 sprigs of thyme, and then add the white wine.  Cook until the white wine has almost disappeared.  Add the chicken stock and enough water to cover. Simmer for 45 minutes.  Strain the sauce first through a colander, then through a fine sieve into a clean pan.  Add 3 tbsp of Madeira and reduce the mix to around 150ml.  Set aside until needed.

 

For the potato rosti, grate the potatoes and place in a clean tea towel.  Twist the tea towel to wring the water out of the potatoes, you’ll need to squeeze hard to make sure as much moisture as possible is released.  Place in a bowl and mix in some black pepper and chopped chives.  Set a frying pan to medium heat and rub with olive oil.  Place spoonfuls of the potato mix into the pan and spread into thin circles.  Cook on one side until golden then turn over and cook the other side.  Place on kitchen roll and set aside until later.

 

Clean and blanch the vegetables.

 

To serve:

Heat the oven to 200c. Heat a heavy frying pan for 10 minutes without oil until smoking; remove the lamb from the cling film, rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and brown in the pan on all sides for a few minutes until nicely coloured.  Place the pan in the oven for anywhere between 5 and 9 minutes depending on how you like you meat cooked and how big your loin is.  Remove the pan from the oven, remove the lamb from the pan, place on a chopping board and cover with silver foil.

 

In the meantime, reheat the potato rosti in a frying pan or in the remaining heat of the oven and season with salt.  Reheat the Madeira sauce and a drop or two of sherry vinegar to taste.  Place a knob of butter in a pan with 100ml of water, salt and pepper.  Bring to the boil and add the blanched vegetables to heat through.

 

Thickly slice the meat, arrange the vegetables on a plate, place 3 slices of lamb loin across the plate, with two rostis to the side.  Spoon the Madeira sauce over the lamb and the vegetables.

 

Up to date apple pie – confit apple, cheddar puff pastry, bay leaf ice cream, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg syrup

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Confit Apples

16 Granny Smith apples

100g Caster sugar

Powdered cinnamon

Butter

 

Bay leaf ice cream

750g Whole milk

30g Skimmed milk powder

70g Fructose

135g Egg yolks

10 Bay leaves

 

Puff Pastry

200g Butter, diced and chilled in freezer for 10 minutes

200g Plain flour

100g Chilled water

25g Finely grated Cheddar cheese

 

Syrup

100g Caster sugar

60g water

1 Small Cinnamon stick

Pinch of Nutmeg

1 Clove

 

In advance:

For the apple confit. Preheat a convection oven to 150ºC. Peel, core and slice the apples into thin slices. Liberally grease a deep 21cm square cake tin with the butter. Apply a light dusting of caster sugar over the bottom of the tin. Arrange one layer of apple slices in the pan, overlapping slightly. Apply another dusting of the sugar and cinnamon on top the apple slices. Repeat this procedure until the all the apple slices have been layered into the pan. Tightly wrap the pan in aluminum foil and place into the oven for 1 hour.

Remove the foil and return to the oven for 15 minutes, to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Remove once again and place a sheet of parchment, cut to the shape of the pan, on top of the apples. Place a second tin or identical baking dish on top and return to the oven for one more hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

 

For the ice cream.  Simmer the milk for 10 minutes with the bay leaves and allow to infuse for ½ hour.  Whisk the egg yolks and fructose for 2-3mins, strain the infused milk and whisk into the egg mix, then whisk in the milk powder. Bring the mixture to 70c stirring all the time.  Transfer to a jug and allow to “age” overnight in the fridge.  Transfer to an ice cream machine and churn.

 

For the puff pastry.  Put all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse for 20 seconds.  Tip out onto a work surface and form into a ball.  Wrap in cling film, flatten into a disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  On a floured surface roll out the dough into a rectangle. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down.  Turn 90 degrees and roll out the dough into a rectangle again and fold the top third down and the bottom third up.  Rotate 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.  Finally roll out the pastry into a rectangle, cut to fit a baking tray lined with parchment.  Bake uncovered at 200c for 7 minutes.  Cover with a layer of parchment and another identical baking tray.  Cook like this for a further 7 minutes, remove the top tray and parchment.  Sprinkle with cheddar and return to the oven for 2 minutes until the cheese has melted and the pastry is golden.  Remove from the oven and allow slice into rectangles.

 

For the syrup.  Place all ingredients in a pan, bring to the boil for 5 minutes.  Allow to cool and then strain.

 

To serve:

Slice the apple confit into rectangles and arrange on the plates.  Place a rectangle of puff pastry upright alongside the confit.  Place a scoop of ice cream alongside the puff pastry and drizzle the plate with a little syrup.

 

 

Confit mackerel, set beetroot, horseradish and sour cream, bacon crisp
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Mackerel fillets
Olive oil to cover
Sprig thyme
Large strip of lemon zest
8 black peppercorns
1 clove of garlic

 

4 large beetroots
Agar-agar to set the beetroot

 

50g sour cream
2tsp horseradish sauce (you may need more or less depending on the strength)
4 strips of crisped smoky bacon
Parsley
Lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Pink peppercorns (baie rose)

 

Method

In advance:
Wrap beetroots in silver foil and roast at 190c with a little olive oil until soft. Peel the beetroots and purée, adding a little water if necessary. Pass the purée through a fine sieve and season the mix. Measure the amount of purée in a jug, then pour into a pan and sprinkle over enough agar-agar to set the amount. Bring the mix slowly to a strong simmer, then start stirring to incorporate the agar-agar. Pour into oiled silicon or dariol moulds and allow to set overnight.

Pour enough olive oil into a pan to cover the mackerel fillets. Add black peppercorns, olive oil, strip of lemon zest, garlic and thyme. Heat the olive oil to 65c and add the fillets, maintain the heat for 5 minutes, then remove the fillets with a slotted spoon onto kitchen roll. You can either leave the fillets whole or remove the skin and shred them, adding a squeeze of lemon, chopped parsley and some crushed pink peppercorns.

Mix the horseradish, sour cream and a squeeze of lemon together and place in the fridge.

When serving:
Remove the beetroot moulds from the fridge an hour before serving. De-mould and bring to room temperature. Place one on each plate, top with a spoonful of the horseradish cream mix, place a fillet of mackerel (or the shredded mackerel) by the side. You can also serve with melba toast for an extra crunch factor.

 

Mushroom millefeuille

Serves 4

Ingredients:

 400g puff pastry

3 banana shallots

50ml white wine

30ml double cream

Mixture of 250g field mushroom and/or soaked dried ceps

Olive oil

Butter

Salt and pepper

Parmesan to garnish

Thyme

  

In advance:

Roll out the puff pastry, place on a baking parchment on a thick baking tray and place in the oven at 200c for 6 minutes, at this time place some baking parchment and another heavy baking tray over the top and cook for a further 7-9 mins until golden brown. 

 

Remove from oven onto a chopping board and cut into 8 rectangles using a bread knife.  Set aside until needed.

 

Add butter, 2 sliced shallots and a sprig of thyme to a pan, cook gently for 5-10mins until soft, but not coloured.  Add the white wine and cook until evaporated.  Add cream, season and purée with a hand blender.  Set aside until needed.

 

Heat a heavy frying pan with olive oil, add mushrooms and 1 finely diced shallot (don’t overcrowd the pan) and caramelise at a high heat.  When caramelised, season and add a teaspoon of thyme leaves.  Set aside until needed.

 

When serving:

 Reheat the puff pastry in the oven, the shallot cream in the pan and the mushrooms in a frying pan.  Cover each slice of puff pastry with a layer of the shallot cream.  Place a dab of shallot cream on each plate to prevent the pastry slipping, place a pastry slice on top then layer as follows: mushrooms, pastry slice, mushrooms, parmesan shavings.  A green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette would work nicely alongside this dish.

 

 

Tortellini of peas, majoram & lemon with majoram & garlic butter

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients:

225g pasta flour

good pinch of salt

2 eggs

3 egg yolks

1tbsp olive oil

 

200g peas

Zest of ¼ lemon

30g grated parmesan

30g breadcrumbs

Marjoram to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

 

50g butter

1 clove of garlic

 

 

In advance:

 Mix the flour,eggs, oil and salt by hand or in a food processor.  Knead until silky smooth (at least 10mins). Refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes.

 

Cook peas, then purée with lemon zest, majoram, parmesan, breadcrumbs and seasoning.

 

To construct the tortellini, roll out the pasta with a pasta machine, cut out circles with a pastry cutter.  Pipe some of the pea mixture onto the bottom half of each circle, leave enough space to seal the pasta. Brush the edges with beaten egg.  Fold the pasta over into a half-moon shape. Seal, then squeeze the ends of each flat side together to form the tortellini.  If not using immediately, blanch for 1 minute in boiling water, refresh in iced water, and place on an oiled tray.

 

To serve:

Heat the butter gently with a garlic clove for 3-4 minutes.  Remove the clove, add the majoram and black pepper. Keep warm until needed.

 

Boil the tortellini in salted water for 2 minutes if previously blanched or 3 minutes if not previously blanched. Drain, drizzle with the butter and serve.

 

 

 

Marinated duck breast, Lapsang Souchong pickled apricots, radishes

Serves 4 as a small starter 

Ingredients

2 Large duck breast

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lemon

Few sprigs of thyme

8 crushed coriander seeds

8 crushed white peppercorns

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 star anise – broken into pieces

rock salt

 

12 apricots

150ml white wine vinegar

150ml white wine

150g Demerara sugar

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 clove

1 cinnamon stick

8 coriander seeds

8 white peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 star anise

Strip of stem ginger

 

200g radish finely sliced, dressed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

 

Method

In advance:

 Place fresh or dried apricots in a pan with the vinegar, white wine, sugar and spices.  Heat gently until the apricots are soft, but still hold their shape.  Remove from the heat and add in the lapsang souchong teabags.  Allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Remove the apricots and the bags and reduce the remaining liquid by a half.  Pour the reduced liquid over the apricots and store in the fridge until needed.  (You can make more than this and they will keep for months – great with pork, pigeon & lamb)

 

Marinate the duck in the zest, thyme and spices for 1 day before needed.

 

To serve:

 Grill, or roast the duck, whilst this is happening, purée some of the apricots, adding a little juice if necessary.  Thinly slice the radishes and dress with olive oil, orange zest and season. 

 

Remove the duck from the grill, allow to rest for 5 mins, slice thinly.  Arrange a mound of the radish salad on the plate, place strips of the duck over the top.  Spoon some of the apricot purée around the side.  Sprinkle a few crushed szechuan peppercorns (or chilli flakes) over the top.

 

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