3 aubergines, quartered
1½ tbsp olive oil
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ bunch of mint, leaves chopped
FOR THE SPICE RUB
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
3 cloves
4 green cardamom pods
leaves picked from ½ bunch of rosemary
15g table salt
25g soft dark brown sugar
To make the spice rub, put the cumin, coriander, fennel and mustard seeds in a small, dry frying pan with the cloves and cardamom. Toast over medium heat until fragrant, then place in a spice blender with the rosemary leaves and pulse until the mixture has a crumb-like texture (or crush using a pestle and mortar). Transfer to a bowl, add the salt and sugar and mix well.
Rinse the lamb and pat dry with kitchen paper, if it was brined. Gently score the skin of the lamb with criss-cross marks to create a diamond pattern then, using your hands, cover the lamb with the spice rub. Wrap the entire leg in clingfilm and refrigerate for 24–48 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
Place the aubergine quarters in the bottom of a roasting tray large enough to fit the lamb. Drizzle with olive oil. Remove the clingfilm from the lamb and place it on top of the aubergines. Leave it for 30 minutes or so, to come to room temperature (if you have time), then roast for 2 hours. Check for doneness by piercing the meat with a skewer or knife to check the pinkness, and if needed, continue to roast for a further 15–30 minutes.
Remove the lamb leg from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Leave in a warm place, covered with foil, to rest for 15 minutes.
Scrape the contents of the roasting tray into a bowl and stir in the smoked paprika and chopped mint.
Carve the lamb when rested and serve with the aubergines.
MARCUS’ TIP:
I always prefer roasting lamb on the bone. It makes for a juicier and more tender result, and looks impressive on an Easter table.
May Day Spring Salad
Spring usually starts to make itself known at the beginning of May, meaning spring produce is under way. Green vegetables are in their prime and the short season of asparagus is always one to be celebrated. This recipe also uses new-season strawberries, to add a touch of sweetness.
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SERVES: 4–6 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: UNDER 5 MINUTES
2 bunches of asparagus (about 500g), tough ends trimmed and spears sliced in half diagonally
200g ripe strawberries
200g soft goats’ cheese, roughly chopped
4 tbsp milk
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
25ml light olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
200g freshly podded peas
½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced
50g pea shoots
½ bunch of basil, leaves picked
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes then drain and cool under cold running water to stop it cooking any further.
Hull the strawberries and cut any larger ones in half or quarters.
Put the goats’ cheese and milk in a small blender or food processor with the lemon zest and juice and a pinch each of salt and pepper and blitz until a smooth paste is formed. Scrape it out onto a large serving bowl or platter and smooth into a circle.
For the dressing, mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and wholegrain mustard together in a bowl.
Place the blanched asparagus, peas, fennel, pea shoots and strawberries in a large mixing bowl and add the dressing, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Gently mix together then place on top of the goats’ cheese. Finish with the basil leaves and serve.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Extra virgin olive oil has the punchiest flavour and can sometimes, therefore, be a little too much when used in dressings and mayonnaises. When I do use it on its own I think of it as an ingredient in its own right, rather than just an addition.
Ultimate Veggie Barbecue
We sometimes focus too much on the meat and fish elements of a barbecue – this recipe instead takes full advantage of wonderful end-of-summer vegetables. It’s a great way to introduce some vegetables to a barbecue feast that people don’t usually cook on the grill. You can use other produce you have to hand if you wish, such as runner beans, sugar snap peas, asparagus, aubergines and courgettes.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 15 MINUTES
2 cobs of corn
1 broccoli head
1 aubergine, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices
50ml vegetable oil
1 bunch of spring onions
2 heads of gem lettuce, halved lengthways
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE HARISSA YOGHURT
2 tbsp rose harissa paste
100g Greek yoghurt
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
FOR THE DRESSING
50ml olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tbsp capers in brine, finely chopped
½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
Heat your barbecue until hot.
To prepare the vegetables, blanch the cobs of corn in a large pan of salted water for 2 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of iced water. Peel the tough outer layer off the broccoli stalk, quarter the head of broccoli lengthways and blanch for 2 minutes in the sweetcorn water, then plunge into iced water. When both are cold, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the cobs of corn in half.
Brush the aubergine slices liberally with the vegetable oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper.
Place the blanched corn and broccoli in a large dish with the spring onions and gem halves. Drizzle the remaining vegetable oil over all the vegetables and season well with salt and pepper.
To make the harissa yoghurt, mix everything together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the dressing, mix everything together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To barbecue the vegetables, start with the aubergine slices, corn cobs and spring onions. Place them on the hot barbecue, turning them when charred on each side and moving them around the barbecue if some spots are hotter than others. After a few minutes, add the broccoli quarters and stalk and char. Finish with the gem lettuce – which will only take around 2 minutes on each side – then place everything on a large serving platter and drizzle firstly with the harissa yoghurt, then the dressing. Serve hot.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Lettuce heads are wonderful cooked on a barbecue. You just have to be careful not to leave them on there too long – halve them, put them on quickly, then set aside to cool – and just pour a simple dressing over.
Barbecued Lamb Ribs with Chimichurri Sauce
Lamb ribs are an underused cut of meat, yet they are so delicious. They lend themselves well to slow cooking, and spicy chimichurri sauce makes a perfect fresh accompaniment. If you cannot source the ribs, you can use lamb belly, which is effectively just boneless ribs. The ribs need to be marinated in the spice rub for at least 12 hours, so therefore I tend to get started the night before I want to serve them. These are a great summer holiday barbecue dinner, and go very well with the Ultimate Veggie Barbecue.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS MARINATING | COOKING TIME: 2½ HOURS
2 × racks of lamb ribs (around 1.5kg total)
FOR THE SPICE RUB
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp onion seeds
20g table salt
25g soft dark brown sugar
5g chilli powder
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
FOR THE CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
½ bunch of coriander
½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley
8 mint leaves
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
70ml olive oil
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
sea salt
To make the spice rub, heat a dry frying pan over medium heat, add the cumin, fennel and onion seeds and toast for 4–6 minutes until fragrant. Transfer them to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and crush to form a powder. Mix the powder with the other spice rub ingredients and coat the racks of ribs with the rub. Wrap them in clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for 12 hours.
If you have a barbecue with a lid, heat it to low, unwrap the ribs and place them on the rack for 4 hours with the lid closed, taking care that the temperature stays around 110°C. If you are using an oven, preheat it to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2 and place the ribs directly on the oven racks, with a tray at the bottom of the oven lined with foil to catch drips. Cook for 2½ hours then remove from the oven.
To make the sauce, put all ingredients into a blender or food processor (including the herb stems as well as the leaves) and pulse until a chunky paste is formed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with the hot ribs.
MARCUS’ TIP:
I am a big fan of chimichurri sauce. It is best when made fresh and is a great accompaniment for barbecued meat, fish dishes and roasted vegetables. Mix it into a little mayonnaise to make a delicious salad dressing.
Black Forest Gateau
This recipe is one for when you have some time on your hands and want to create a show-stopping centrepiece for a special celebration. It is a really delicious cake and makes a great pudding. I like to use black cherries in kirsch, as the syrup is very good for lightly moistening the cake and adding flavour to the cream. It might look daunting, but it’s basically sponge cake with a little bit more going on. I like to pour double cream all over it, to serve.
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SERVES: 10–12 | PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING AND CHILLING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 50 MINUTES
gold dust and/or edible flowers, to finish
FOR THE FILLING
2 × 460g jars of black cherries in Luxardo, or 2 × 425g tins of black cherries
50ml kirsch
500ml double cream
FOR THE CAKE
100g soft dark brown sugar
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
160g Greek yoghurt
60g cocoa powder
120g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of fine salt
200g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
160ml strong, hot coffee
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
100ml double cream
75g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), cut into small pieces
50g caster sugar
25g cocoa powder, sifted
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas 3 and grease a deep 20cm springform cake tin.
Put all of the cake batter ingredients in a food processor, in the order they are listed, and blitz until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the greased cake tin and bake for 45–50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin, then turn it out. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove the cake from the fridge and, using a sharp serrated knife, slice into three equal layers.
Strain the cherries, reserving the Luxardo syrup, and cut them in half. Arrange them on the bottom and middle tiers of the cake. Mix the kirsch with the syrup from the cherries then drizzle 2 tablespoons over each cake tier. You will have some leftover liquid.
Whip the cream in a bowl until it forms stiff peaks, then stir in 75ml of the cherry syrup with kirsch. Divide the cream in two and spread it over the top of the cherries on the two cake layers.
Carefully reassemble the cake, placing the third layer on top of the first two tiers. Refrigerate while you make the glaze.
To make the glaze, heat 50ml of the double cream in a small saucepan (don’t let it boil). Remove from the heat and pour it over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Leave it to sit for 5 minutes then whisk together until smooth to make a ganache. Put the remaining double cream in a small saucepan with 75ml warm water, the caster sugar and sifted cocoa powder. Bring to the boil, then strain it through a sieve over the ganache and mix well.
Lay a piece of clingfilm on your work surface, just larger than a wire rack. Remove the cake from the fridge and place on the wire rack. Working very gently, starting in the centre of the top of the cake and moving outwards, slowly pour the glaze over, making sure the cake is completely covered in the glaze. Place it back in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the glaze to set. You can reuse any glaze that gathered on the clingfilm under the wire rack.
Remove the cake from the fridge at least 2 hours before serving. Decorate with gold dust and/or edible flowers.
FESTIVE SEASON CANAPÉS
Canapés always signal a celebration to me: they are great for a pre-Christmas party, or for New Year’s Eve, accompanied with some chilled champagne. This selection covers all the bases too, with canapés for for pescatarians, meat eaters and veggies.
Pork and Sage Croquettes
Sausage stuffing is a crowd-pleaser in my house so I thought it only right to extend its festive appearance a little, by having it as a pre-Christmas canapé.
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SERVES: 6–8 | PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 25 MINUTES
10g butter
½ onion, finely diced
250g sausage meat
2 tbsp finely chopped sage
25g golden raisins, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped, toasted pistachio nuts (see Chocolate and Peanut Caramel Tray Bake for method)
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CRUMB
30g plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
60g dried breadcrumbs (panko or homemade from old bread)
Heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, season well with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the sausage meat, sage, raisins and chopped pistachio nuts. Mix well, then season with salt and pepper. Fry a little of the mix to check the seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper if needed.
Roll the mixture into 16 small teaspoon-sized balls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the croquettes are in the fridge, pour enough vegetable oil into a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer to come up to about 5cm and place over a medium heat. If using a deep-fat fryer or if you have a thermometer, heat the oil to 170°C. If not, to check the oil is at the right temperature, drop a 2–3cm cube of bread into the hot oil – it should turn golden and crisp in 1 minute.
While the oil is heating up, put the crumb ingredients in 3 separate bowls. Coat the croquettes in the seasoned flour, then the egg and finish with a generous coating of breadcrumbs. Return to the fridge for a further 10 minutes.
Carefully drop a batch of croquettes in the hot oil and fry for 5–7 minutes, until cooked all the way through (a metal skewer inserted into a croquette should be hot to the touch). Lift out carefully with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and serve while hot. Repeat with the remaining croquettes.
Quick Gin-cured Salmon with Horseradish and Parsnip
Curing salmon generally takes at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days for gravadlax. This quick-cure method still creates a great flavour, yet retains the soft flesh of the salmon. Pumpernickel is readily available nowadays, and works wonderfully well with oily fish.
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SERVES: 6–8 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS CURING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 10 MINUTES
10g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 small parsnips, peeled and grated (250g)
25ml milk
1 tbsp horseradish sauce
2 tbsp crème fraîche
150g piece of boneless and skinless salmon fillet
1 tbsp rock salt
finely grated zest of ½ orange
25ml gin
3 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the grated parsnip. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for around 5 minutes until golden and soft. Add the milk and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the parsnip to a small blender or food processor. Add the horseradish and crème fraîche and blitz until smooth.
Slice the salmon as thinly as possible across the fillet (against the grain). Lay the slices in the bottom of a shallow dish. Mix the rock salt and orange zest together then rub it onto the sliced salmon. Leave to sit for 10 minutes, then add the gin and leave for a further 10 minutes. Rinse the cure off the salmon under cold running water then pat the salmon slices dry with kitchen paper.
Cut the pumpernickel bread into rectangles approximately 6 × 2cm. You should get around 20 slices.
Spread the parsnip cream onto the slices of bread. Place a piece of salmon on top and finish with the chopped dill.
Marcus Everyday Page 15