by James Martin
Set the pan back on the hob over a low to medium heat and add half of the butter. Once it has melted and is foaming, whisk in the flour and cook for a minute, then whisk in the wine, 300ml of the reserved stock and the cream. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce is smooth. Add the remaining butter and allow to melt, then whisk this in to finish the sauce. Season.
Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for a minute or two to heat through, then stir in the grapes and sprinkle over the tarragon and serve.
ROAST DUCK IN HAY & LAVENDER
Cooking in hay is not a new technique and is a method that adds a great earthy flavour to duck, game and even chicken. The use of lavender adds even more flavour but there are thousands of types out there, so make sure you choose a light culinary English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) for cooking otherwise it can taste of Gran’s soap.
SERVES 3
3 large (approx. 225g) duck breasts
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 handfuls of hay
6 sprigs of lavender
2 tablespoons lavender honey
2 carrots, cut into batons
2 parsnips, cut into batons
25g butter
50ml red wine
300ml veal jus
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
zest of 1 orange
100g Brussels sprouts, separated into leaves
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/gas 6.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Put the duck breasts on a board and season, then fry skin-side down for 3 minutes to render the fat, until the skin is golden.
Line an ovenproof dish or roasting tin with the hay and lavender, then sit the duck breasts on top, skin-side up. (Set the frying pan aside to use again.) Drizzle the duck with the honey and roast for 12–15 minutes. Cover with foil and set aside to rest.
If there is a lot of duck fat in the frying pan, you might want to pour a little out. Add the carrot and parsnip batons to the pan, along with a knob of the butter and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until golden, tossing every now and then. Cover to keep warm.
To make the sauce, pour the wine and veal jus into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the remaining butter, the sherry vinegar and orange zest and season.
Add the sprout leaves to the frying pan and stir into the veg until they’re wilted.
Transfer the duck to a board and carve each breast into 3. Stir any rested juices into the sauce. Spoon the vegetables onto a warm platter, arrange the duck on top, drizzle the sauce over and serve.
SPICED PIGEON BREAST WITH DHAL
A London rooftop was the filming location for this on one of the hottest days of the year. I’d been driving the smallest car with no aircon around the busy streets. I didn’t mind, to be honest, as it was a trip down memory lane for me visiting all the old sites where I used to work as a young cook: Harvey’s, Nico’s, Alastair Little and La Tante Claire. London is now awash with the best restaurants and hotels in the world – Bosi, John Williams, Clare Smyth, Chavot – there are so many, it is hard to choose a dish that sums up London now. I played safe and went for one we used to make at the bistro I worked at 30 years ago. This is simple and tasty and I remember it like it was yesterday. The thing is it isn’t, and it takes me longer to make now I’m older!
SERVES 4
3 tablespoons natural yogurt
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1 garlic clove, crushed
zest and juice of 1 lemon
8 wood pigeon breasts, skin on
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the dhal
80g butter
1 onion, diced
5-cm piece fresh ginger, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1½ teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons garam masala
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g yellow split peas, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
small bunch of mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
To serve
seeds from ½ pomegranate
First marinate the pigeon. Put the yogurt, turmeric, garlic, lemon zest and juice into a sealable bag and squish it all together to mix. Add the pigeon breasts, seal the bag then massage to mix the marinade into the pigeon. Chill in the fridge and leave to marinate for a couple of hours or preferably overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, start with the dhal. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, until soft and golden.
Stir in the ginger and garlic and fry for another minute, then add the mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander and garam masala. Season well and cook the spices for 1–2 minutes, then add the split peas and 750ml water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook the split peas for around 40 minutes until tender. You may have to add a little more water depending on how large your pan is.
When the dhal is cooked, remove the pigeon from the fridge. Remove the breasts from the bag and drizzle with the oil. Preheat a griddle pan over a medium heat until hot, then cook the pigeon for 2 minutes on each side, until charred. The flesh will feel firm and be pink in the middle. Lift onto a warm plate, cover and leave to rest for 2 minutes.
While the pigeon is resting take the cooked dhal off the heat and stir through the remaining butter and most of the chopped coriander and mint.
Spoon the dhal into warmed bowls, place a couple of pigeon breasts on top of each and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and the remaining herbs.
PARTRIDGE WITH VEGETABLES & SLOE GIN SAUCE
Cooking game in season outdoors was one of the joys of filming on this trip – I cooked this dish by the River Test in Laverstoke and I can think of no better place to make something like this. The British game season kicks off on 12th August with grouse and runs through until the end of January, with pheasant and partridge from October onwards. Partridge is one of the cheapest sources of protein – I’ve seen butchers selling them for less than £1 each. Cooked simply with seasonal ingredients, they won’t disappoint.
SERVES 2
25ml olive oil
100g bacon lardons
50g baby onions
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 spatchcocked partridges (see my tip)
500ml hot beef stock
50ml sloe gin
25g butter
4 large Jerusalem artichokes, sliced
100g whole wild mushrooms
50g rainbow chard, chopped and tough stalks removed
2 tablespoons quince jelly
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon and onions for 5 minutes, until the onions have started to soften and the bacon has started to turn golden. Push them to one side of the pan.
Season the partridges on both sides then place them in the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Pour in the stock and sloe gin, season, bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes so that the partridges cook and the sauce reduces.
In a separate medium saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat and when it is foaming, stir in the artichokes. Cook, stirring often, for 3–4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and chard. Season well and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring everything together.
Take the partridge out of the sauce and transfer to a board to rest. Increase the heat a little under the frying pan to bring the sauce to the boil, then simmer until it’s reduced by a third.
Carve the legs off each partridge then carve down either side of the breast bones to remove the breasts. The meat should be nice and pink in the middle. Divide the artichoke mixture between two warm plates and place the pie
ces of partridge on top. Drizzle over the sauce, spoon the onions and bacon on top and dot with quince jelly.
JAMES’S TIP
You can ask your butcher to spatchcock the partridges for you, but if you want to do it yourself here’s how. Put the birds on a board, breast-side down. Take a sharp pair of kitchen scissors and cut down both sides of the backbone and remove it. Open the bird out, then turn it over and use the heel of your hand to press down on the breastbone to flatten it. Push a skewer diagonally through from the top of the breast on one side to the drumstick on the other. Repeat on the other side.
GUINEA FOWL WITH BRAMBLES
Michael Caines’s garden at his amazing hotel on the banks of the River Exe was the location for this cook. Well, it used to be a garden but the man is Michael Caines, the genius chef, and things move quickly here and he’s planted 10 acres of beautiful vines since my last visit only a few months before! I love his vision and drive; it’s infectious and you can tell it’s driving his team, too, as this inspiring place starts to take shape. Guinea fowl are native to Africa, but they’re now farmed throughout Britain and make a great choice for people wanting to try game. About the size of a medium chicken, they have a stronger flavour and will stand up to robust ingredients like wild brambles. In Devon in September there were shed loads of them.
SERVES 4
100g bacon, cut into lardons
1 tablespoon plain flour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 guinea fowl, jointed into 8 pieces
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium leek, diced
1 shallot, diced
500ml chicken stock
50ml double cream
1 tablespoon runny honey
small bunch of tarragon
200g brambles/blackberries
Heat a large non-stick casserole over a medium heat for a few minutes until hot. Add the bacon and fry until crispy.
Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season well. Toss the guinea fowl pieces in the flour to coat, then cook them in batches, frying each piece until golden brown. Lift onto a plate and set aside.
Add the carrot, leek and shallot to the pan and stir together, then return the guinea fowl to the pan and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, pop a lid on, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes.
Stir the cream into the sauce, followed by the honey and season to taste. Spoon into warmed bowls and sprinkle over the tarragon and brambles.
BEEF WELLINGTON
The history of this dish is unclear. Some say it’s named after the Duke of Wellington’s love of these ingredients and after his boot. Others say it comes from New Zealand. Either way, the combination of pâté, mushrooms and pastry wrapped around a fillet of beef is a true classic. The pancakes are important as they help soak up the juices from the beef and stop the pastry becoming soggy.
SERVES 6
vegetable oil, for frying
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
600g beef fillet, cut from the centre
400g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
25g salted butter
100g spinach
500g ready-made puff pastry
plain flour, for rolling out
100g chicken liver pâté
2 egg yolks, beaten
For the pancakes
100g plain flour
2 eggs
300ml milk
For the sauce
500ml veal jus
100ml Madeira
25ml red wine
15g salted butter
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/gas 6.
Place a medium frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Drizzle with a little oil. Season the beef and pan-fry quickly all over to seal. Lift into a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes. Take the beef out of the oven, lift onto a plate to cool and chill until you’re ready to assemble the dish. Reserve the meat juices. Leave the oven on.
Whizz the mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Melt half the butter in a medium saucepan and add the mushrooms. Season well, stir in the beef juices and cook until softened. Tip into a bowl and wipe out the pan. Melt the remaining butter in the pan, add the spinach and season. Sauté until the spinach is just wilted, then squeeze out all the liquid and spoon onto a tray lined with a clean tea towel to drain.
Whisk all the pancake ingredients together in a bowl. Heat a medium frying pan until hot and drizzle in a little oil. Wipe round with kitchen paper so it’s very lightly oiled. Spoon a ladleful of batter into the pan, swirl around until it covers the base and cook until just set. Flip over and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover with greaseproof paper. Continue to make pancakes until you’ve used up all the batter and leave them to cool.
Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle measuring 40 x 20cm, about 2mm thick. Arrange the pancakes on top of the pastry and spread the pâté evenly over the pancakes, leaving a 2-cm gap along the top and bottom edges, then season. Next, spread out the mushrooms and spinach. Put the beef in the centre and season. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg, fold them over and roll it all over. Egg-wash again and use a table knife swirl to decorate, but don’t cut through the pastry. Carefully lift onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the veal jus, Madeira and red wine into a medium pan and simmer until reduced by half. Add the butter, season and whisk together to finish the sauce.
Slice the beef into 6 portions and spoon over the sauce.
ONE-POT BEEF STEW & DUMPLINGS
Castle Howard is home to Aberdeen Angus cattle, grazing around the Temple of the Four Winds and the Mausoleum, which both sit in the estate. Mike Fargher farms his beef on the lush pasture all around here – a stone’s throw from where our farm used to be. His meat is sold in the local shop at the castle and you have to try it if you visit. This is a classic beef recipe to showcase a beautiful ingredient.
SERVES 4
2 tablespoons plain flour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1kg beef shin, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 bouquet garni (made from 2 bay leaves and 2 thyme sprigs tied with kitchen string)
500ml beef stock
For the dumplings
200g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
125g suet
small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Spoon the plain flour into a bowl and season well, then add the diced beef and toss to coat. Heat the oil in a large casserole pan over a medium heat and fry the beef in batches, until well browned, adding more oil if you need to. Transfer the beef to a bowl as you go.
Return the beef and any juices to the pan and add the onions, garlic and the bouquet garni. Stir everything together and pour over the stock. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/gas 6.
To make the dumplings, tip the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the suet and parsley and season well. Pour 150ml cold water over the top and stir everything together to make a rough dough. Divide the mixture into 10 or 12 portions. Dust your hands with flour and roll into balls.
Turn the heat off under the casserole. Take the lid off the pan and pop the balls on top of the stew, spacing them evenly apart. Place the casserole, uncovered, into the oven and cook for 30 minutes until the dumplings have plumped up and are cooked through.
ABERDEEN ANGUS SIRLOIN STEAK WITH WHISKY SAUCE
Aberdeen Angus beef is world-renowned for its quality. Mostly grass-fed, the cows produce meat that is full of flavour and so tender if you cook it well. The key to cooking with whisky is getting rid of the alcohol to leave you the great flavour, so flaming the whisky while cooking the dish is a must
. The sauce also works with game and pork.
SERVES 2
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for frying
400g Aberdeen Angus sirloin steak, at room temperature
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g salted butter
4 shallots, halved through the root
small bunch of asparagus, halved
100g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50ml whisky
100ml double cream
a few tarragon sprigs, leaves picked
Place a griddle pan over a medium heat and heat until hot.
Rub the oil over each side of the steak and season well. Lay the steak on the griddle pan – it should sizzle when you put it in – and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the steak around 90 degrees and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, then flip it over again and cook for another 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large, non-stick frying pan, melt the butter over a medium to high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the shallots, cut-side down, until charred.
Add the asparagus and continue to cook over a high-ish heat for a few more minutes, then add the mushrooms to the pan. Stir everything around and continue to cook until all the vegetables are golden and charred.
Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, then pour in the whisky. Flambé to burn off the alcohol, then pour in the cream and add the tarragon. Season well and simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce cooks and thickens slightly.
Lift the steak onto a board and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice into 2-cm pieces.
To serve, spoon the vegetables and sauce onto a platter and top with the sliced steak.
INDIVIDUAL BEEF PIES WITH OYSTERS
If you’ve never eaten the classic combination of beef and oysters, you should try it. I made this in Cornwall where Paul Ainsworth and I got amazing oysters from Luke, the oyster farmer at Porthilly. Run by the Marshall family for five generations, Porthilly Farm sits in a prime position on the water surrounded by lush pasture on one side with their cattle grazing and the multi-million-pound houses of Rock on the other. The place is perfect for oyster production thanks to the tidal stream bringing seawater to feed and filter the oysters.