by James Martin
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the gnocchi in batches for 2 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to lift out and set aside on a plate.
Bring a separate large pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the carrots, leek and asparagus for 2–3 minutes. Reheat the griddle pan over a medium heat until hot. Drain the vegetables well, then put onto the hot griddle with the cabbage and cook for 3–4 minutes, coating it all with the lamb fat. Spoon onto a plate.
Add the butter, lemon zest and juice, the mint and 50ml water to the griddle pan and stir to make a sauce. Mix all the vegetables and gnocchi together back on the griddle plate, then season and spoon onto 4 warm plates. Top with the lamb chops, drizzle over the sauce and serve.
TAGINE OF LAMB CHOPS
Wapping Wharf is a testament to what’s happening in Bristol right now with new buildings and flats popping up all around and along the old docks. It’s still in its infancy but there are a few restaurants, one of which was a highlight for me – the small and compact BOX-E run by husband and wife Elliott and Tessa Lidstone – as were the two food containers there, one selling cheese and the other some great local meats. You’ll find great lamb all around the West Country from local suppliers.
SERVES 2
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 x 200-g Barnsley lamb chops
½ onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 medium tomatoes, quartered
50ml Harveys Bristol cream sherry
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
5-cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2-cm piece fresh turmeric, grated
1 tablespoon runny honey
25g flaked almonds
small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat then pour in the oil. Season the chops all over then pop them into the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes until well browned. Flip them over and continue to cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
Add the diced onion, garlic and tomatoes, then pour in the sherry. Use a wooden spoon to stir any juices in the base of the pan into the ingredients.
Add all of the dry spices, stir again, then add the grated ginger and turmeric. Stir and season well. Keep the pan over a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes – it should be gently bubbling.
Check the seasoning then divide between 2 warmed bowls, drizzle with the honey and sprinkle over the almonds and coriander.
LAMB HOT POT
This is a classic British dish that had to be in a book like this. Don’t leave out the kidneys and the Worcestershire sauce, though. They’re essential for a great flavour.
SERVES 6
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1kg diced lamb leg
1kg diced lamb shoulder
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large onions, sliced
6 lamb’s kidneys, cleaned and chopped
500ml lamb stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
a few sprigs of rosemary
1kg Maris Piper potatoes, sliced
65g butter
6 large leeks, sliced
Heat the oil in a 4-litre casserole pan over a medium heat and fry the lamb leg and shoulder, in batches, until browned all over. Season each batch as you cook it and set aside on a plate once cooked until all the lamb is done.
Add the onions to the same pan, season again and cook, stirring every now and then, for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Pop the lamb back into the pan and add the kidneys. Pour in the stock and add the Worcestershire sauce and sprigs of rosemary. Season well and stir together.
Cover the pan with a lid, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer on a low heat, very gently, for 2 hours until the lamb is tender. Have a look after 1½ hours and add a splash of water if it’s looking dry. To check the meat is cooked, pull a piece apart with 2 forks – it should shred easily.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4. Uncover the pan and arrange the sliced potatoes all over the top to cover the meat. Dot with 15g of the butter, then season and cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
When the hot pot is almost ready, pop the leeks into a pan with the remaining butter and 100ml water. Season well and cook over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes until the leeks are cooked through and tender. Serve alongside the hot pot.
CHEESY POTATO & LAMB PIE
The crew made me cook this as they wanted it, and by the look of what little was left I think they liked it! I cooked it again for the show and the same thing happened. Dishes like this make me smile as they are as much about the food as they are about the story of how they came about, so thank Matt the sound man as it was his idea.
SERVES 6–8
1 kg floury potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper
75g butter
1 onion, finely sliced
700g lamb mince
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
500ml beef stock
1 large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
100ml double cream
For the rarebit
400g cheddar cheese, grated
50ml Welsh bitter
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon English mustard
1 tablespoon plain flour
2 egg yolks
To serve
450g frozen peas
Peel the potatoes and chop into evenly sized chunks. Put them in a large pan, cover with cold water, pop the lid on and bring to a simmer. Cook for around 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain well in a colander, then pass them through a ricer and set aside.
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Add 25g of the butter, stir in the onion and fry for 5–8 minutes. Add the lamb mince to the pan and season well. Cook over a high heat until browned all over, stirring well to break up the pieces, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season well.
For the rarebit, tip the cheese into a large pan. Pour in the beer, followed by the Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Place over a low heat and cook until the cheese has melted.
Line a tray with baking parchment. When all the cheese has melted, stir in the flour and cook gently for a minute or two. Season and add the egg yolks and beat together. Pour onto the lined tray and spread out to a rectangle roughly 30 x 20cm and leave to cool.
For the potatoes, melt the remaining butter in a large pan over a medium heat then pour in the cream and heat for a minute. Season well then spoon in the potatoes and mash together. Keep the pan on the hob until it’s warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Preheat the grill until hot. Spoon the lamb into a 30 x 20cm, deep ovenproof dish, then spread the mash over the top to cover the meat. Invert the cooled rarebit on top of the mash and peel off the baking paper. Sit the dish on a lipped baking tray and slide under the grill for 5 minutes, until the rarebit is golden and bubbling.
While the dish is under the grill, cook the peas following the timings on the bag. Drain well and serve with the pie.
BRANDY SNAPS WITH SCOTCH WHISKY CREAM
The Hull Fair takes place every October and is Europe’s largest travelling fair and one of the oldest, dating back to 1278. No visit to the fair is complete without a bag of brandy snaps from Wright & Co of Brighouse. The ‘brandy snap’ name comes from the spirit you can add to the cream but here I’ve added whisky instead (from the fellow at Edradour Distillery, pictured). You can fill them with whatever you wish; either way, making brandy snaps at home and filling them is ju
st a joy to do.
MAKES 18
100g butter
100g light soft brown sugar
100g golden syrup
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
25g rolled oats
For the filling
1 litre double cream
75ml Scotch whisky
Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
Heat the butter, sugar and syrup together in a medium pan over a low to medium heat, stirring all the time.
Tip the flour and ground ginger into a bowl. Pour the syrup mixture into the bowl and beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan)/340°F/gas 3.
Divide the mixture roughly into 18 portions and roll each one into a ball. Place 3 on each baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between the balls as they’ll spread as they bake. Place the baking sheets in the oven for 3–4 minutes, then take them out and sprinkle with oats before returning to the oven for another 3 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly, then use a palette knife to lift up one of the discs and wrap it around a large wooden spoon handle to form a rolled brandy snap. Place on a wire rack to cool and set hard. Continue until you’ve rolled all the discs – you’ll need to work quickly while they’re still warm. If they’ve cooled down and are too hard to roll, return to the oven for 30 seconds so they’re malleable enough to shape.
Bake and roll the remaining brandy snaps in 2 more batches of 6 until you have a total of 18.
Whip the cream in a bowl until just starting to hold its shape. Whisk in the whisky, then spoon into a piping bag. Pipe the cream into either end of the brandy snaps and serve straightaway.
RASPBERRY SUMMER PUDDING WITH WHISKY CREAM
Scotland is famous for its delicious raspberries and what better to serve with this raspberry pudding than whisky cream. I made this perched on a grassy knoll in the centre of Edinburgh on a Friday evening as the pubs were getting busy, wearing a kilt! I’d never worn one before – if you want to experience the full Scottish dress, go to Kinloch Anderson. They’ve been making kilts here in the family business for over 100 years and you really need to see the sheer skill and work that goes into making them. It’s really impressive, as is the weight of the finished outfit.
SERVES 4
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1kg raspberries
8 thin slices of white bread
To serve
300ml double cream
25ml whisky cream liqueur
a few sprigs of mint
12 large raspberries
Lightly grease a 1-litre pudding basin with the oil and line it with clingfilm, leaving extra hanging over the edge (to wrap over later).
Put 400g of the raspberries in a food processor and whizz until smooth to make a sauce.
Cut a slice of bread into a circle to fit the base of the pudding basin and another to fit the top of the bowl. With the remaining slices of bread, chop off the crusts and discard (or whizz them into breadcrumbs in a food processor and freeze for future use), then cut each slice of bread in half to make 12 rectangles.
Pour the raspberry sauce into a shallow bowl and dip the small circle into the sauce, coating it on both sides. Place into the bottom of the lined basin. Next, dip a rectangle into the raspberry sauce and place up the side. Repeat, using all the rectangles to line the bowl, making sure they overlap slightly.
Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the remaining raspberries and toss to coat, then spoon these into the lined bowl and push down with the back of a spoon to pack them in tightly. Dip the large circle of bread in the remaining raspberry sauce, again turning it over so it’s completely coated, and place on top.
Bring the clingfilm up and over the top of the pudding to cover and press down tightly. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, pull the clingfilm back, then upturn the bowl onto a serving plate. Lift the bowl away, then peel off the clingfilm. Spoon any remaining raspberry sauce all over the pudding to cover up any white patches.
Whip the cream in a bowl until the mixture stands in soft peaks then pour the whisky cream liqueur over the top and fold in.
Decorate the pudding with the mint and raspberries on the top and around the sides and serve with the whisky cream.
RASPBERRY MOUSSE WITH MACAROONS
This mousse topped with beautiful macaroons is perfect for a special occasion. We grabbed our macaroons from Miss Macaroon in Birmingham but don’t worry, she (aka Rosie Ginday, ex-team member of Glynn Purnell’s Michelin-starred restaurant) has an online shop. It’s the only macaroon shop in the world where your macaroons can be Pantone-matched to any colour you wish.
SERVES 10
600g full-fat cream cheese
500ml double cream
juice of 1 lemon
300ml full-fat crème fraîche
400g raspberries
36 x 4-cm shop-bought macaroons
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and double cream until the cream is mixed in. Add the lemon juice, then the crème fraîche, and continue to whisk the mixture just until it thickens.
Add the raspberries and gently stir them in so they create a ripple effect through the mixture.
Place a 24-cm metal ring on a cake stand and spoon the mixture into the ring. Use a palette knife to level off the top so it’s smooth and chill in the fridge for up to 1 hour.
Use a blow torch on a medium heat to quickly heat the outside of the ring and loosen the mousse (or slip a hot palette knife around the edge) then carefully lift off the ring. Arrange the macaroons evenly over the mousse to cover the top.
Slice into portions to serve.
BLACKBERRY MOUSSE WITH SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE POPCORN
This dish is totally bonkers, I know, but I had a Willy Wonka moment. If you want a fun piece for the table at the end of a dinner, this is perfect and it’s great fun to eat.
SERVES 10
6 gelatine leaves
400ml ready-made fresh custard
500g blackberries
600ml double cream
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons caster sugar
For the popcorn
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
100g popcorn kernels
100ml dulce de leche
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Put the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 2–3 minutes. Pour the custard into a medium saucepan and warm through gently.
Whizz the blackberries in a food processor to make a smooth purée. Turn off the heat under the custard, then stir half the blackberry purée into it. Lift the gelatine out of the water and squeeze out any excess, then stir into the custard and mix together thoroughly. Pour into a large bowl, add the rest of the blackberry purée and stir again to thoroughly combine.
Whip the cream in a separate bowl until thick and soft peaks form.
Wash the whisks well and in a separate, clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then whisk in all the sugar.
Add a spoonful of the meringue to the blackberry mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon. Once smooth, fold in the remainder of the meringue and all the whipped cream. Fold everything together until the mousse is well combined, then pour into a large serving bowl and transfer to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours or overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, make the popcorn. Melt the chocolate in a bowl resting over a pan of hot water (make sure the base doesn’t touch the water).
Heat a large, non-stick saucepan with a lid and add the oil and popcorn. Put the lid on and wait for the popcorn to pop, shaking the pan occasionally.
Add the dulce de leche to the melted chocolate and stir together until smooth. Pour the mixture over the popcorn and mix thoroughly. Add the salt and mix again.
GOLDEN SYRUP STEAMED PUDDING WITH RHUBARB & CUSTARD
This classic pudding had to be in a book like this but the addition of the rhubarb cuts through the sweetness and adds a nice twist. The best rhubarb is grown in the rhubarb triangle, an area between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell in Yorkshire, which has the perfect environment and soil. The area used to be over twice the size but it still produces nearly 90 per cent of the world’s winter forced rhubarb.
SERVES 6
200g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
3 tablespoons golden syrup
200g caster sugar
2 vanilla pods, halved lengthways
3 eggs, beaten
200g self-raising flour
For the rhubarb
400g rhubarb, chopped into 2.5-cm pieces
100g caster sugar
zest and juice of 2 oranges
For the custard
8 egg yolks
80g caster sugar
300ml double cream
300ml milk
Lightly butter a 1.2-litre heatproof pudding basin and spoon the golden syrup into the bottom.
Put the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat well with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pods into the bowl and stir in. Put the pods aside for the custard.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the flour and fold in using a large metal spoon to make a smooth, thick batter.
Spoon the batter into the pudding basin. Cut a piece of greaseproof paper several centimetres wider than the rim of the basin. Do the same with a piece of foil and put it on top of the paper. Holding the paper and foil together, fold a pleat down the middle (this allows it to expand as the pudding steams) and place over the bowl, smooth it over the rim and tie with string to secure it. Fold a large piece of foil into a long strip and place under the pudding bowl to use as a handle later.