The British Larder

Pan-fried Sea Trout and Red Quinoa with Aubergine Fondue and Lemon Tahini Yoghurt

2015-03-22T10:40:10Z

For this recipe you can use salmon instead of sea trout if it’s easier to come by. The oily fish and aubergine go very well together. The yoghurt is perfect with this dish as it cuts through the richness of the sea trout and complements the aubergine fondue.

I like quinoa but do not cook with it as often as I think I should. It has a great taste, it’s packed with protein and slow-releasing energy and is pretty healthy too. There are two main types of quinoa – red and creamy white/pale yellow. I use red for this recipe as the nutty taste is more intense and I quite like the colour too

This recipe is fairly complex, but perfect for impressing friends. The aubergine fondue can be made up to 3 days in advance (keep it refrigerated – see Chef’s Note) and it reheats very well. You could even make a larger quantity and freeze it. I love it and it’s great as a dip too.

Rhubarb and Sourdough Bread Puddings

2015-02-27T18:54:15Z

I get as excited about the start of the new rhubarb season as a child does about Christmas! I think part of my excitement is because for me it symbolises the beginning of a new year and ultimately a new season. The winter months produce a limited supply of seasonal ingredients, then forced rhubarb appears and it has such a vibrant and wonderful colour, hence the excitement.

I have written two methods for cooking the rhubarb in this recipe, if you have the sous-vide tools, then give this recipe a go (see Chef’s Notes); it works for me every time, but if not, then the conventional method is just as good. The results are slightly different because with the conventional method the rhubarb may lose a bit of its shape if the heat is too fierce, but just use your commonsense with this one – I have given timings, but please keep a close eye on it. I am looking for a result of a cooked but almost candied rhubarb rather than a purée.

I have also used fresh sourdough breadcrumbs for these puddings. You could use normal wholewheat bread instead, but the sourdough gives these puddings their amazing light texture and wonderful nutty taste. Don’t be fooled by the title either, because these puddings are deliciously light and not heavy as one might expect.

T-bone Pork Steak with Brandy-spiked Peppercorn Sauce

2015-02-12T21:21:05Z

We cook and serve a lot of steaks. Last year we dedicated Friday evenings to a night of steaks. Our intention was to not only serve the usual suspects, such as beef steaks, but to also serve something a bit different that was still seasonal.

Well, these Dingley Dell T-bone pork steaks are definitely something different. We buy 800g–1kg pork steaks and they are perfect for two to share. Cooking a large piece of pork instead of two individual steaks saves on pan space, plus cooking this thicker cut of pork on the bone helps to keep the meat succulent and juicy. A win win situation as far as I’m concerned.

We do not like to overcook our pork; with these timings the pork will be medium instead of well done. Around the bone the meat will still be slightly pink, but do not be put off. Just make sure that you give the cooked meat long enough to rest after cooking (which will ensure that you have no unwanted juices ending up on your plate).

I have marinated this piece of pork with a little garlic and thyme for a minimum of 12 hours before cooking; it’s your choice if you prefer not to, but I think it’s a nice touch and adds extra value to an amazing piece of pork.

Curried Mussels Bruschetta

2015-02-06T12:39:05Z

Brunch is the new breakfast and lunch rolled into one, and is predicted to be the ‘in thing’ for 2015 by food trend experts. It’s informal and is to be enjoyed with a newspaper and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or a cup of tea or coffee. Sounds like heaven to me.

This dish is simple and delicious. The spices are complex and sophisticated but not too punchy to put you off your cuppa. I serve the curried mussels on sourdough toast – perfect for soaking up the sauce and maximising the enjoyment.

I use rope-grown mussels from the River Deben here in Suffolk. They are farmed all year round, but my preference is still to enjoy them in their natural season, which is during the months with ‘r’ in the name, when the water is colder and the taste of the mussels is naturally sweeter (then leave them alone during the summer when the water is warmer).

Always make sure you clean fresh mussels thoroughly, removing the beards and giving them a good scrub, as there is nothing more disappointing than gritty mussels.

Warm Peppered Pig with Charred Pak Choi and Sprouting Broccoli Salad

2015-02-27T14:11:11Z

I embrace ingredients from around the world and try to incorporate cooking techniques or ingredients from other cuisines in my genre of cooking. We live in a multicultural society and some of us are fortunate enough to have travelled and visited other countries and continents too.

This recipe is one inspired by my many food shopping crusades to London, where I enjoy snooping around the streets and small shops of Brick Lane, China Town in Soho and Borough Market, to name but a few.

The pork is my version of the now very popular and fashionable pulled pork. If you’re not keen on spicy food, then I recommend that you tone down the pepper and chillies. Fresh peppercorns are amazing and if you are lucky enough to get hold of them I highly recommend that you give them a go – they are incredibly fragrant and immensely complex in flavour.

This dish is a main meal in itself and does not need anything to accompany, but you can serve some plain steamed rice with it to tone down the intensity a little, if you like. My preferred option is to leave room for a delicious pudding instead!

Pecan Apple Fritters with Sweet Cheese

2015-01-20T18:18:40Z

These fritters are great fun. They look like doughnuts but have a hidden treasure of apple inside each one. I could say something cheesy here and suggest that they provide one of your 5-a-day, but with the best will in the world, I think that would be a bit misleading! These pecan apple fritters are pure indulgence at its best and cannot be deemed as healthy in any way, shape or form… but they are truly scrumptious!

I must be honest though, there’s quite a lot of work involved to make these beauties, but they are so tasty and such fun to eat that they are definitely worth a try!

I am fond of nuts and I use nuts and seeds in a lot of my cooking. My step-grandmother had a couple of acres of land bordering onto the Sundays River near Addo in the Eastern Cape. We didn’t visit her very often, but the few memories I have of her include her pecan nut trees. She had quite a few of these trees on her land and grew pecan nuts to sell. She was a very stubborn lady and even at a very old age she would climb the trees herself to harvest the crop. My mother’s parents also had pecan nut trees, so as a family we used to have plenty of fresh pecan nuts. My mother freezes the nuts to preserve them as they do go stale and rancid if left too long.

For the fritter batter, I toast the pecan nuts in the oven for a few minutes before grinding them with the rest of the ingredients. The taste is great and it gives my apple fritters a slight sense of sophistication. You could substitute the pecan nuts for walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios or even almonds, if you wish.

Honey-glazed Five-spice Wild Duck with Chinese Pancakes and Rhubarb Ketchup

2015-02-12T21:19:58Z

The inspiration for this recipe is Chinese New Year. We are in the middle of winter and also the game season, so why not combine the traditional celebrations with a bird that we often associate with a rather more classical cooking technique?

This recipe was the first time I made Chinese pancakes and I loved them. Most impressively, it’s the quickest and most enjoyable recipe I think I have ever done with only three ingredients. Once you have made these pancakes, you will never buy them again. Please trust me on this recipe and follow the steps word for word; it does take a few moments to work it all out, but once mastered, it’s plain sailing.

The rhubarb ketchup is great fun too and the recipe makes plenty (see Chef’s Note). It will not go to waste and can be served with plenty of other dishes such as venison burgers or partridge kebabs.

Baked Parsnips with Fresh Truffle

2015-01-04T09:47:37Z

Memories, memories… ah, the smell of fresh truffles brings back so many memories for me, some good, others not quite so good.

Looking back on my life and career so far, it all looks quite rosy, but when I was really in the thick of it, grafting hard for my pennies every single day, it was sometimes difficult to see the joy or pleasure in those moments. As you get older though you realise that those times, whether good or not so good, create memories just like the ones I am writing about now.

The smell of fresh truffles does put a smile on my face as it reminds me of a wonderful time in my career when I was living and working in London. Admittedly, at the time it did not always feel so great, but on reflection now I realise that I was privileged, and through sheer hard work and determination I created many of those privileges for myself.

When buying fresh truffles the choice is yours and you can spend anything between £10 and £300 on a fresh truffle (white truffles are the best and rarest; black truffles are a little less expensive; summer truffles are the least expensive). Alternatively, you can simply just buy truffle oil, and if you do, choose a good quality one (you will pay a bit more, but if used sparingly it will go a long way).

Fresh truffle (or truffle oil) works particularly well with these baked parsnips and creates a lovely side dish, so I hope you enjoy it too!

Roast Goose Breasts with Braised White Cabbage and Pancetta

2014-12-21T13:02:21Z

Ah, it’s that time of the year when goose and turkey feature on menus up and down the country. We often get ourselves in a tizz on Christmas day, hoping that the turkey has fully defrosted, then trying to fit it in the oven and get it cooked on time, and so on, and for me it’s just a recipe for a stressful disaster. Instead, I like to take the stress out of the kitchen and concentrate on the festive pleasures of nattering and enjoying a glass or two of decent wine in the company of good friends or family.

Personally, I like goose and dislike turkey, so goose is my preference for Christmas day. For me, goose has to be cooked medium-rare as I don’t like well-done goose, which tastes of liver and the texture is off-putting. For this reason, I don’t buy a whole goose for roasting as the legs require a long roasting time to cook them well, whereas the breasts require less cooking and are best served medium-rare. One tip when cooking goose breasts is to ask your butcher to take the breasts off the bone for you, as this eliminates a lot of hassle and saves time too.

This recipe is fairly simple to make and delicious to eat. If you do have gadgets as I do, see the Chef’s Notes below for alternative instructions on how to cook the goose breasts in a water bath or sous-vide. The results are pretty similar.

I serve the roast breasts with braised white cabbage and pancetta. It’s tasty and doesn’t require too much preparation. It also means that when your guests arrive, all the work is done and you can sit back, relax and enjoy all the compliments that this recipe is sure to trigger.

Carrot and Swede Mash

2014-12-11T08:56:07Z

This recipe reminds me of Christmas, or should I say winter. Every year the summer fades, autumn sets in and then all of a sudden, bang, winter is
here! At this time of year it often feels as if nothing is growing and the season is bare (unless you count the exotics available in the season’s bounty). But if you dig deep, you will find culinary cheer in wonderful winter vegetables such as swedes, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, carrots and celeriac.
This carrot and swede mash is a triumph, as it looks fantastic and tastes great. It definitely brightens up my winter plates and I love cooking this mash for the Christmas table. This recipe is featured on page 413 in my cookbook and I thought that it was time for it to enjoy pride of place on the website too. The beauty about this vegetable mash is that it can be made up to 3 days in advance, then kept refrigerated, as it gets better and even tastier a day or two after it’s been made. It also freezes very well.

I like serving this carrot and swede mash as an accompaniment to roast turkey, goose, beef or chicken.