¼ bunch of tarragon, leaves chopped and stems set aside
20g unsalted cashew nuts
100ml good-quality chicken stock
¼ cucumber, halved lengthways then cut into 5mm-thick half circles
½ gherkin, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
splash of cider vinegar
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp crème fraîche
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Bring the chicken leg to room temperature (rinsing off the brine and patting dry with kitchen paper, if chicken was brined).
Mix the butter, half of the tarragon leaves, and a pinch each of salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub this under the skin of the chicken leg(s) then place the chicken in a small roasting dish. Roast in the oven for 30–35 minutes, until golden and the juices run clear, basting once, halfway through the cooking time.
While the chicken is cooking, put the cashew nuts in a small baking tray and toast in the oven for 8–10 minutes until golden, shaking halfway through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then chop roughly.
Also while the chicken is cooking, pour the chicken stock into a saucepan, add the tarragon stems, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover, to allow the stock to infuse for 10 minutes, then strain it into a jug and pour back into the saucepan.
Mix the cucumber, gherkin, olive oil and vinegar together in a bowl and set aside.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the roasting dish and keep warm. Pour the chicken and tarragon stock into the roasting dish. Scrape the bottom of the dish, to remove any caramelised cooking juices then pour everything back into the saucepan. Place back over the heat and bring to the boil. Whisk in the wholegrain mustard and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the crème fraîche and the remaining chopped tarragon leaves.
Season the cucumber salad with salt and pepper, add the cashew nuts then serve with the cooked chicken and tarragon sauce.
Ultimate Beef Burger
There are now so many home-delivery takeaway options in London that it does make it simple to just order what you want, when you want. In doing so, however, you lose control over what goes into your food (although don’t get me wrong, I am partial to a takeaway pizza every now and then!). This burger ticks all the boxes for me, and yes, it takes more time than ordering a takeout, but nutritionally you stay in control.
* * *
SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: UNDER 10 MINUTES
1 tsp vegetable oil
25g cheese, such as Monterey Jack, smoked Applewood or Gruyère, grated
1 burger bun, halved
1 gherkin, sliced
2 leaves of butter lettuce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE BURGER PATTY
150g minced beef
1 large shallot, finely diced
½ garlic clove, finely grated
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp capers in brine, finely chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
FOR THE MUSTARD MAYONNAISE
2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
½ tsp sriracha sauce
Preheat the grill in your oven to medium.
To make the burger patty, put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and, using your hands, mix until combined. Shape into a patty just larger than the size of your bun.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patty and fry for around 2 minutes until well browned, then carefully flip it over and brown on the other side for a further 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the patty to rest in the pan.
Mix the mayonnaise, mustards, sriracha and a good grind of black pepper together in a bowl.
Place the burger patty on a small piece of foil on a baking tray. Gather the edges up a little so any juice won’t run out. Top with the grated cheese and place halfway down in your oven to slowly grill the cheese. When lightly golden, remove the foil package and place the bun halves, cut side down, on the tray and grill until lightly toasted.
To assemble, place the patty onto the bottom bun. Top with the gherkin slices and lettuce. Spread half the mayonnaise on the top bun then press it gently on top.
Serve the burger with home-baked chips, the remaining mayonnaise (for dipping the chips into) and/or coleslaw.
MARCUS’ TIP:
When you put your groceries away, plan ahead. If you know you are going to be cooking for one, portion out your meat and/or fish when freezing so you only need to defrost the amount you require.
Pear, Blackberry and Walnut Crumble, with Pouring Cream
It might seem a little decadent to make a pudding for one but when you crave something sweet to finish a meal, this is a great option, and who doesn’t love crumble? We had a bumper crop of pears on our trees this year so this recipe was a no-brainer for me. You could swap pears for other orchard fruits if you prefer.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 30 MINUTES
30g butter
2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
1 pear, peeled, cored and quartered
1 tbsp brandy
6 blackberries
20g plain flour
20g walnuts, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
20g caster sugar
single or double cream, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Put 10g of the butter and the dark brown sugar in a small saucepan that’s big enough to accommodate the pear quarters in a single layer, place over low heat and allow it to melt. Lay the pear quarters flat in the caramel and pour the brandy on top. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the pears are almost soft when pierced with a knife. Add the blackberries and cook for a further minute.
Transfer the fruit mix to a pie dish or ramekin.
Put the flour, walnuts, cinnamon and caster sugar in a bowl, add the remaining butter and rub with your fingers until a crumble is formed.
Top the fruit with the crumble and bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until the topping turns golden.
Serve warm, with cold cream poured over the top.
MARCUS’ TIP:
I like using a variety of alcohols when cooking sweet dishes: alcohol helps intensify flavours and cut through sweetness, creating a more balanced dish.
Caramelised Banana Split
What beats a classic banana split? There is only one thing: caramelising the bananas in dark brown sugar and rum. So that is what I have done here. Use the ripest bananas you can find, as they have much more flavour and natural sweetness. Ultimately, you don’t really need to follow a recipe to make a banana split – we all know what we like – but this is my version.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: UNDER 10 MINUTES
1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
1 tbsp dark rum
1 ripe banana, peeled and quartered (cut in half lengthways, then each half crossways)
1 tbsp Nutella
15ml milk, warmed
50ml double cream
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
1 tbsp toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped (see Green Beans with Toasted Hazelnut Butter and Anchovy for method)
Put the sugar in a small frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of warm water and place over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved, cook for 1 minute, then add the rum and swirl to combine. Bring to a simmer. Place the banana pieces, cut-side down, in the caramel and shake the pan gently. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave the banana in the pan.
Put the Nutella in a bowl and whisk in the warmed
milk.
Whisk the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form.
Place the bananas and caramel from the pan in a bowl. Top with the ice cream, whipped cream and Nutella sauce and finish with the toasted hazelnuts.
There are thousands of dishes you can make in the home kitchen when you think you have nothing to eat, and this chapter is all about giving you some ideas. I once worked at a place called The Point in the Adirondack Mountains, New York state, where we had deliveries flown in once a week. We were in the middle of nowhere and had to learn how to be incredibly creative and resourceful with what was in the fridge, freezer or dry store. We would cook almost anything, and no customer had the same dish twice. Ever. This chapter is a nod to that time.
Blueberry Pancakes with Lemon and Honey Strained Yoghurt
Brunch is one of those special treats, enjoyed with family at home, on weekends and on holidays. I’d take an omelette any day but some of my family adore pancakes, so I thought it only right to include a recipe in this book – they’re indulgent and just delicious. To get the yoghurt super thick, it needs to be hung overnight, so you do need to plan ahead, but the pancakes themselves are very quick to make.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS STRAINING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 25 MINUTES
225g Greek yoghurt
finely grated zest and juice of ¾ lemon
3 tbsp runny honey, plus extra for drizzling
FOR THE PANCAKES
190g plain flour
2½ tsp baking powder
2 medium eggs
1½ tbsp honey
225ml milk
25g butter
125g blueberries
Line a sieve or steaming dish with a J-cloth or clean muslin and place over a bowl. Spoon the yoghurt into the J-cloth and cover with clingfilm. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or up to 12 hours.
Remove the J-cloth from the sieve and scrape the strained yoghurt into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and juice and honey and whisk until smooth.
To make the pancake batter, put the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the mixture and add the eggs and honey. Whisk until combined, then slowly add the milk, whisking well, until you have a smooth batter.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Rub the pan with a knob of butter and when melted, add a large spoonful of batter (or 2–3 if your frying pan is big enough to cook a few pancakes at the same time). Press a few of the blueberries into the batter. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen to become about 1cm thick. They should take 3 minutes per side to cook.
Repeat until you’ve used all the batter. You should have 12 pancakes.
Serve the pancakes with the lemon and honey yoghurt dolloped on top, and an extra drizzle of honey.
MARCUS’ TIP:
You can use the liquid from the strained yoghurt in smoothies, to feed a sourdough starter or for fermenting and pickling vegetables, such as cabbage or carrots. It has natural bacteria in it and adds a great flavour.
English Muffin Pain Perdu with Crispy Bacon, Avocado and Sriracha
Eggy bread, the childhood English version of pain perdu, was one of my firm favourites as a kid. It was a great way to use up stale bread and also provided a filling and tasty meal. English muffins tend to be associated with eggs Benedict, but I wanted to do something a little different here.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS SOAKING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES
4 eggs
225ml milk
4 English muffins, split into 2
12 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
25g butter
2 ripe avocados
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
2 tbsp crème fraîche
¼ bunch of coriander, leaves picked, to serve
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the milk. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow dish that snugly fits 4 muffin halves. Add the muffin halves and soak on each side for 5 minutes. Once soaked, remove and repeat with the remaining 4 halves.
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Lay the bacon on a grill tray and grill until golden and crispy on each side.
Melt half of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add 4 of the muffin halves and fry for about 5 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from the pan and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 4 muffin halves.
To serve, halve, stone and slice the avocados. Divide the avocado slices amongst the muffin halves. Place 2 muffin halves on each plate and top with 3 rashers of bacon.
Whisk the sriracha sauce with the crème fraîche in a bowl and loosen it with a splash of water. Drizzle it over the top of the bacon. Finish with the coriander leaves and serve.
Welsh Rarebit
It is fair to say Welsh rarebit has been around for a while and has most definitely stood the test of time. This recipe uses green chilli, as I think it gives a great contrast to the richness of the toast. Serve it for a weekend lunch or a quick supper – it’s the ultimate snack or even the ultimate meal. I love the earthiness of it, but also the crunchy bread. I’d have this with a beer.
* * *
SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 15 MINUTES
200g extra mature Cheddar cheese, grated
80ml Guinness, or your favourite beer
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp English mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
4 thick slices of sourdough bread
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
Put the cheese and beer in a medium saucepan and place over low heat. Stir for 5–7 minutes until the cheese has melted, then add the flour and mustard and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the Worcestershire sauce and egg, remove from the heat and beat until smooth.
Preheat your grill then toast the bread lightly on both sides, keeping a close eye on it to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Divide the green chilli between the 4 slices of toast then spread the rarebit mix on top. Place the toasts on a baking tray and grill until nicely golden. This should only take a few minutes, so don’t leave them unattended. Serve straight away.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Sourdough bread works best. I like the sourness of it, it holds the heavy mixture on top, and is able to withstand the cooking process. It also holds the moisture and richness and oiliness of the cheese when it starts to get hot. A sour cheese is similarly good to help cut through the richness.
Goats’ Cheese, Kale, Blood Orange and Mustard Salad
Blood oranges have a relatively short season, and are generally in supply in the UK at the end of winter and beginning of spring. They have a more complex and richer flavour than regular oranges and the most beautiful deep red flesh, and the zest is very flavoursome, but if they are not in season you can use regular oranges or pink grapefruit instead.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: UNDER 5 MINUTES
400g kale, tough stalks removed (or use ready-chopped kale)
2 blood oranges
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
50ml olive oil
½ tsp orange blossom water
2 tbsp pickle juice from a jar of gherkins
1 red onion, thinly sliced
160g hard goats’ cheese, diced
¼ bunch of dill, fronds sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook the kale in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool. Drain again and pat dry with kitchen paper then slice.
Grate the zest from the oranges and set aside in a bowl. Place a sieve or colander over a bowl. Slice the pith from th
e orange and discard it then segment the oranges into the sieve or colander, reserving any juice.
Put the fennel seeds in a small frying pan and place over medium heat. Toast until fragrant then lightly crush using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Tip the crushed seeds into the bowl with the orange zest and add both mustards, olive oil, orange blossom water and pickle juice. Add the juice from the segmented oranges, whisk together and add a generous amount of black pepper and salt.
Lay the kale on a large serving platter then top with the orange segments, sliced onion and goats’ cheese. Drizzle over the dressing and finish with the dill.
Branston Pickle, Onion and Cheddar Omelette
An omelette is the ultimate quick but tasty dinner – see below for my omelette masterclass. I always have eggs, pickle, cheese and onions to hand so it makes a great last-minute meal. To give it some balance, I have it with a green salad on the side.
* * *
SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: UNDER 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 25 MINUTES
50g butter, cubed
1 onion, sliced
2 tbsp Branston pickle
10 eggs, beaten
80g Cheddar cheese, grated
pinch of dried chilli flakes
4 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put half of the butter in a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6–10 minutes until golden, then add the pickle and mix well. Remove from the pan and set aside, wiping the pan clean afterwards.
Marcus Everyday Page 10