This rather short chapter of the book is just that because, generally speaking, it was my aim to include absolutely all information for any given dish within the overall recipe for that dish.
However, constant referral to stocks, protein-based mousses and pasta doughs bore the logic to cross-reference them from elsewhere and whilst puff pastry, brioche and walnut and raisin bread are preparations mentioned only once or twice each in this book they are often made independently of a specific dish. Extracting other potential ‘basics’ from elsewhere in the book to this chapter could have given it more identity but suffice it to say these backbones and building blocks of more complex dishes are often instrumental to a recipe’s success.
As always, practice makes perfect.
Stocks should be light in consistency yet full of flavour. You are aiming to take a volume of liquid, usually water, and infuse it with as much flavour and goodness as possible. One of the key factors is to chop the bones first. A bone is a sealed unit, running from joint to joint, and only by breaking it can you extract the maximum flavour. Another important factor is to consider when you can add salt. The earlier you add it the better, but this very much depends on what you intend to use the stock for. If it is to be used without being reduced in volume – for a soup or risotto, for example – then it can be seasoned early on. If, however, it is destined to be reduced heavily, perhaps for making a sauce, then the addition of salt at the start must be kept to a minimum. The final point is that as much as stocks are not an exact science in their ingredients or cooking times, they are not dustbins either, and the quality of the final stock will be directly related to the quality of the ingredients that went into the pot in the first place.
The exact contents of a chicken stock are not important. The carcass of a roast chicken with leftover vegetables from Sunday lunch will make just as fine a stock as one starting from scratch – it would, in fact, arguably be better – but generally speaking, when referring to stocks, raw carcasses are intended.
MAKES 4.5–5 LITRES
3kg raw chicken carcasses, chopped
½ calf’s foot, split in 2
2 Spanish onions, peeled and cut into quarters
3 celery sticks, cut into 2–3cm lengths
1 leek, cut into 2–3cm lengths
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bay leaf
Place the chicken bones and calf’s foot in a large, heavy-based pan and add 6 litres of water. Place over a high heat, bring to the boil and skim off any fat and scum from the surface. Add the vegetables, garlic and bay leaf, turn the heat right down and cook at a bare simmer for 2 hours. Turn off the heat, skim off any remaining fat and leave to sit for 30 minutes.
Pass the stock through a colander and then through a fine sieve into a bowl. Skim off any residual fat and set aside to cool. Cover and chill.
A brown chicken stock is an attempt to capture the flavour of roast chicken by infusing a white chicken stock with caramelised chicken bones and vegetables. This is a process that can yield wildly different results and its success is completely related to the process of colouring the ingredients. Follow the method carefully and use a pan that will accommodate the chicken wings in a single layer across its base. It should also be shallow in order to allow the easy release of moisture, which would otherwise interfere with the caramelisation process.
MAKES 2–2.5 LITRES
100ml grapeseed oil
2kg chicken wings, chopped
200g button mushrooms, sliced
200g shallots, sliced
200ml sherry vinegar
150ml Madeira
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
2 garlic cloves, smashed
3.5 litres Chicken Stock
Place a large, shallow, heavy-based pan over a high heat and leave for 2 minutes. Add the grapeseed oil, followed by the chicken wings, and sauté until their undersides are golden brown. Stir the pan thoroughly and sauté again until a rich golden colour is achieved. Continue this process for up to 10 minutes, until the chicken wings are an even golden colour all over. You may well have to scrape the base of the pan to loosen any bits that have stuck; this is important to prevent anything becoming too dark. Do not let the mix go darker than golden brown or it will yield a bitter stock, but if you fail to achieve enough colour at this point, the stock will lack colour and flavour.
Add the mushrooms, shallots and a small pinch of salt. Stir thoroughly and cook for up to 10 minutes as above, allowing caramelisation to take place, but stirring as and when required to prevent excess colouring. When everything has achieved the right colour, stir in the vinegar and cook until it has completely evaporated. Add the Madeira and likewise let it evaporate. Add the bay leaf, thyme and garlic, cover with the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Skim off any fat and scum, turn down the heat and cook at a bare simmer for 2 hours, skimming as necessary. Turn off the heat and leave the stock to sit for 15 minutes. Pass it through a colander and then through a fine conical sieve. Skim off any residual fat and set aside to cool. Cover and chill.
Veal stock is used in many sauces. Its neutral flavour and rich consistency provide a perfect medium to carry the flavours required for the sauce. Again, it is not an exact science and it is the fact that it is fresh that will make the difference, not whether it had one or two carrots in it. It is important that the bones acquire a rich, hazelnut-brown colour. At The Square, we do not roast them, because we make the stock in such large volume that the lengthy process of reduction colours the stock sufficiently. In smaller quantities, such as those you will make at home, this simply will not happen, so the method below calls for the bones to be roasted before they are placed in the pan.
The addition of the calf’s foot is important – it will give the stock its body and negate the need for any thickening, with flour for example, later on. The stock needs to cook for 12 hours. We do it overnight, but I would not recommend this at home – instead start it first thing in the morning so you can keep an eye on it.
MAKES 1 LITRE REDUCED STOCK
5kg veal bones, chopped (ask your butcher to do this)
50ml grapeseed oil
3 Spanish onions, unpeeled, cut into quarters
5 carrots, cut in half
2 leeks, cut in half
4 celery sticks, cut in half
200g button mushrooms
1 calf’s foot, split and chopped (ask your butcher to do this)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
½ head of garlic
Place the veal bones in a roasting tray, drizzle over half the oil and roll them around with your hands to coat them evenly. Place in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 and cook for 30 minutes, turning the bones occasionally, until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Roast the vegetables in the same fashion in the remaining oil. Place the veal bones in a large, heavy-based pot. Add the calf’s foot and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any fat and scum that rises to the surface. Add the roasted vegetables, bay leaf, thyme and garlic and cook for 12 hours, topping the pot up with water as required to keep the ingredients covered.
Turn off the heat, leave to rest for half an hour, then lift out the bones and discard. Pass the stock through a colander and then through a fine conical sieve. Transfer to a fresh pan, bring to the boil over a high heat and skim any scum and fat from the surface. Boil rapidly until reduced to 1 litre, skimming as necessary. Set the stock aside to cool, then cover and chill.
25th August 1988. This was like winning the lottery – an official letter of employment from Roux Restaurants Ltd. Beyond my wildest dreams (except the salary!) and the start of a truly phenomenal adventure.
We do a considerable amount of pasta work at The Square. Pasta can deliver a unique impact, thanks to its ability to transport flavour in a texturally wonderful way. Whether it has a complex filling, encased in a veil of slipperiness and coated in a flavoured lubricant, or is just a bowl of simple texture cloaked in a magnificent sauce, pasta can satisfy every sense in one fell swoop.
The overall key to success lies in making a good dough. Without this, nothing is achievable. It then requires a methodical approach and the ability to work quickly and confidently so that the thin sheets of pasta do not dry out. If this is your debut at fresh pasta work, a helping hand would be a wise move. Once the art has been mastered, the possibilities are as varied as your imagination is creative.
Although I have no experience of working in Italian kitchens, I have spent 20 years using the doughs below and may I say that in my opinion they make fantastic pasta! Broadly speaking, there are two classes of pasta dish: first, where a simple pasta form acts as a vehicle for a sauce, and secondly, where the pasta encases a filling. For the former, a firm dough is called for. It does not have to perform in any way other than being delicious, and drier doughs yield a wonderful thin, slippery mouth-feel. For the latter, a medium-firm dough is required to ensure there is enough moisture for the pasta to bind with itself when enclosing the filling. Occasionally a softer dough is used – for example if we are making tiny tortellini, where a firmer dough would simply squeeze out the filling when worked.
95g egg, at room temperature
70g egg yolks, at room temperature
325g ‘00’ pasta flour
15g salt
1 dessertspoon olive oil
Lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks together. Place the flour, salt and olive oil in a food processor. Turn on the machine and gradually pour in all but 10 per cent of the egg. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl and briefly re-blend. Add the remaining egg and blend for a further 15 seconds. The mix should look crumb-like and, when squeezed together between your fingertips, should just bind together. An attempt to re-crumble it will partially succeed. Pasta doughs are not an exact science. If the crumbs do not bind, re-blend with a little more egg. If the crumbs come together easily and form a soft dough, re-blend with a small addition of flour. Having said that, the recipe is perfect 90 per cent of the time.
Turn the dough out on to a work surface and quickly use both hands to scoop the crumbs together, pressing them into one large lump. Knead briefly for 30 seconds until smooth. If you have a sous-vide machine, vacuum-pack the dough; otherwise, wrap it tightly in cling film. Set aside in the fridge for 2 hours to rest. Remove the dough half an hour before use.
115g egg, at room temperature
65g egg yolks, at room temperature
325g ‘00’ pasta flour
15g salt
1 dessertspoon olive oil
Make the dough following the method for the Firm Pasta Dough above. The only variation is at the point of testing the dough once the egg has been added. For a medium dough, it should still be crumb-like in the machine but when squeezed together between your fingertips the crumbs should come together without any real pressure. The dough should in no way be soft, and an attempt to re-crumble it with more flour should be unsuccessful. This dough also needs 2 hours to rest and should be removed from the fridge half an hour before use.
Clamp a pasta machine to the worktop, ensuring you have a metre either side of the machine to work with, and dust the surface with flour. Set the machine at its widest setting. Cut the pasta dough into 3 or 4 pieces and work with one at a time, covering the rest with a damp cloth.
Use a rolling pin or the palm of your hand to roll or press a piece of dough to a thickness of 1cm. Introduce the dough to the rollers of the pasta machine and turn the handle to roll it through. Reduce the setting by one and pass the pasta through the machine again. Avoid dusting the dough with flour unless it gets tacky. Repeat for the next two settings. Fold the pasta sheet into three, like folding a letter. The open ends should now be approximately the width of the rollers. Return the rollers to their widest setting and pass the folded pasta, open-end first, through the machine. As before, continue to work through the settings, then repeat the folding process once more. Based on the outcome the first time, either take the rollers a notch narrower or leave them a notch wider, so that the folded dough uses the full width of the roller when put back through the machine. Pass the pasta dough through the machine until you have reduced it to a thickness of 1.5mm – this will probably be 2 settings away from the finest. At this point the sheet can be cut into discs or rectangles, as required, or rolled further for linguine or tagliatelle.
MAKING LINGUINE AND TAGLIATELLE
Set up a broom handle between 2 chairs to hang the rolled pasta ribbons over. Roll out the dough as described above, taking it to the machine’s penultimate setting. No two machines are exactly the same, but the pasta needs to be about 0.5mm thick. If it is too thin, it will be too fragile or simply fall apart. If it is too thick, it will be leathery. The only foolproof way to check this is to roll a small quantity, then cook and taste it. Ideally the sheet of pasta should be about 1 metre long. If it is significantly longer than this, cut it in half.
Apply the linguine/tagliatelle attachment to the pasta machine and carefully introduce the end of a pasta sheet to the rollers. Turn the handle and pass the sheet through, letting go of it once it has started and taking hold of the pasta ribbons as they emerge the other side. Raise your arm as the pasta continues to emerge – this will prevent it from tangling. Drape it over the broomstick and then roll and cut the remaining dough. Leave the finished pasta to hang and dry for about 20 minutes, until dry to the touch, but still supple. Meanwhile, place a large pan of salted water on to boil and add 50ml olive oil. Place a large colander in the sink.
You now need to blanch the pasta in the boiling water in batches in the order in which it was rolled. If it was all rolled within a 5-minute period, cook it all at once. Plunge the pasta into the boiling water and leave for 1 minute. Lift it out, transfer to the colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Gather up portionsized bundles, let the strands hang down and untangle them as best you can. Wind the strands around the fingers of one hand to create a nest. Place this on a tray and repeat with the remaining portions. Cover and chill for up to 12 hours.
Cover a tray with 500g raw couscous and set aside. Roll the pasta into sheets as described on the opposite page. Cut these sheets into discs as detailed in your recipe. Roll the discs through the finest setting of the machine, two at a time. Place the filling in the centre of one disc in an evenly shaped mound. Apply the second disc on top, ensuring that no air bubbles are formed. Imagining this is now a clock face, press firmly with your thumb at 12 o’clock to seal the two pasta edges. Now press at 6 o’clock ensuring that the pasta is gently stretching across the ravioli as you do so. Press to seal at 3 o’clock, then 9 o’clock. Pick up the ravioli and press the remaining gaps to seal the pasta completely. Ensure there are no tears, air bubbles or gaps in the seal. Use a pair of scissors to trim off any excess pasta to leave a rim of 1cm. Crimp the edge by pinching firmly between your thumb and your index and middle fingers. Lay the ravioli on the couscous and repeat with the remaining discs (the couscous prevents the ravioli sticking to the tray and any that binds to the pasta will fall off during cooking). Leave the ravioli to sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place a large pan of salted water on to boil and add 50ml olive oil. Place a large colander in the sink.
Gently place the ravioli in the boiling water, turn down the heat and cook for the time stated in the recipe. Lift the ravioli out of the pan and refresh in iced water for the same length of time as they were cooked for. Drain and lay out on a tray lined with a kitchen cloth. Cover and chill for up to 12 hours.
You will need Firm Pasta Dough for macaroni. The dough needs to be wrapped around a stem. Ideally, go to a DIY shop and buy a 15cm length of dowelling with a diameter of 5–6mm. If this is not possible, simply use a Bic biro or a pencil. Roll the dough into sheets as described on the opposite page. Quickly, so it does not dry, cut each sheet into 6cm x 5cm rectangles and cover with cling film.
At this point, recruit a partner to put the pasta through the machine, leaving you to roll the pieces into tubes. This will save a huge amount of time and unnecessary stress. Place the long edge of a pasta rectangle between the rollers of the machine. Set the gauge one finer than when you rolled the sheets and roll it through the machine. Next roll it through short-side first on the finest setting. Each piece will vary slightly, but you are aiming to have thin pasta sheets about 10cm x 5cm.
Dip the length of dowling or pencil into a bag of flour to coat it completely with a film of flour. Have the rectangle of pasta horizontally in front of you, sitting on a wooden butter balling paddle. Place the pencil on the long edge closest to you and in one move roll the pasta sheet into a tube, pressing down firmly as you do so. Slip it off the pencil and place on a tray covered in a layer of raw couscous. The couscous will stop the pasta sticking and ensure it dries evenly. As with all pasta work, there is a knack to this. Work as a pair and do not let the pasta dry out before you roll it. When you have finished, blanch the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water for 1 minute, then drain through a colander, toss with 50ml grapeseed oil and store, covered, in the fridge.
Protein-based mousses (fish or meat) are a relatively ‘old-school’ preparation, but if made well they are not only delicious in their own right, but can act as fantastic binding agents in pasta fillings or stuffings for fish and meat dishes. They have wonderful flavours and supple textures that deliver a very particular and enjoyable mouth-feel. They can, however, go horribly wrong and can be revolting in flavour and texture, rendering a dish inedible.
The science is relatively simple. The protein is puréed with a small amount of egg and then cream is beaten into it. The protein molecules must bind with the fat in the cream, and the egg acts as a liaison. It is, in effect, an emulsion, similar to mayonnaise, but instead of egg yolks and oil we have, for example, scallops and cream. If the two components are not incorporated correctly, the mousse will at best be unstable and have a grainy texture or, more likely, split (curdle into a grainy mass). The truth is, they are easy to make if the following points are observed:
• Ensure all the ingredients are cold at all times. If, for example, the protein component warms up after being puréed, re-chill it before you proceed any further. Chill all bowls and work the mousse over iced water.
• Add the salt at the start of the process when you purée the protein. This will help to break it down and facilitate the emulsification of the cream.
• Ensure the protein is thoroughly puréed. Scrape down the sides of the food processor at least twice during this process.
• The addition of cream must be gradual. Add it bit by bit at first and in a steady steam later on.
• Work the mix vigorously. It is a physical, not chemical, process and on a molecular level the protein and fat must be forced together. This requires hard work and sweat!
• Use very fresh cream.
If you follow these steps you will have no problems, but if you want to achieve a perfect mousse, observe the following too:
• Make the mousse by hand. The whole process can be done in minutes in a food processor but the final product will be inferior. In the same way that machine-made mayonnaise is rigid and almost gelatinous compared to its unctuous, dolloping, hand-made counterpart, the mousse will be a soulless emulsified mass rather than a supple and sensuous creation.
• Don’t cut corners. Pass the puréed protein through the fine mesh of a drum sieve. This will remove any sinews or lumps that are present.
• Test the mousse after making it. It is not easy to put into words exactly what it should feel and taste like when perfect but this simple procedure will certainly reveal any shortcomings.
There are two common stages where problems may arise. First, when the cream is being added: the protein will give the mousse a textured appearance but at no point should it look grainy or curdled. If this happens, it is more than likely because you have allowed the mix to warm up or added the cream too quickly.
Secondly, when the mousse is tested: if the test portion falls apart during cooking or feels like a ‘mush’ when you eat it, the same errors as above have been made.
Solutions to these problems may be possible but are too complex to get into here. You are better advised to start again!
6 large scallops in the shell (yielding 200g scallop meat)
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 large egg
200ml double cream
a squeeze of lemon juice
Ensure the scallops are dry. If you have just removed them from the shell and washed them, leave them between 2 kitchen cloths in the fridge for an hour before puréeing. Place the scallops in the chilled food processor bowl, add a generous pinch of salt and the cayenne and blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend for 30 seconds longer. Scrape down the sides once more, blend for 30 seconds, then add the egg and blend for a final 30 seconds. Scrape all the purée out of the bowl and, using a spatula or plastic scraper, pass it through a fine drum sieve. Transfer the sieved purée, including that from the underside of the mesh, into a bowl. Press a sheet of cling film over the surface and set aside in the fridge for 1 hour. Remove the purée from the fridge and set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with iced water. Add a splash of the cream and beat it into the purée with a wooden spoon. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat again. Add another splash of cream and beat it in, scraping down the sides once more. This is particularly important in the early stages of making the mousse, as it prevents dense lumps of protein persisting. Beating vigorously and scraping the bowl down intermittently, continue to add the cream, a little at a time to start with and then in a steady stream, until about 80 per cent has been used. This is a physical process and must be done vigorously to ensure the cream and blended scallops combine completely and homogeneously.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Dip a teaspoon into the simmering water, then use it to scoop out a small quantity of mousse. Drop it into the water, turn off the heat and leave it to poach for 2–3 minutes. Lift it out, cut it in half and taste a piece. Focus on its texture and seasoning. If the mousse feels firm and still has a rubbery quality, you will need to add the remaining cream. This is more than likely at this stage. If it lacks seasoning, adjust it accordingly. Beat in virtually all the remaining cream and repeat the test. The mousse should now feel more supple and, whilst it should not be rubbery, it should still have a lightly springy texture. As long as it still has a definite structure and is not falling apart, beat in the remaining cream. Perform a final test and taste the mousse for seasoning, adding the squeeze of lemon juice. Transfer the mousse to a small bowl, cover and chill.
150g skinless chicken breast
150ml double cream
½ small egg
Follow the method for Scallop Mousse. The preparation is identical but there are two points to note: Scallops have virtually no sinew. Trim any visible sinews off the chicken breast before you blend it. Unnecessary sinew will make the job of passing the chicken through the drum sieve that much harder.
There is a lower moisture content in chicken meat, which will yield a thicker initial purée. Ensure the mix is beaten until it is completely homogeneous before the next addition of the cream. Dense protein lumps will be difficult to eliminate later in the process.
Although one can buy very good butter-based puff pastry, there is nothing quite like a well-prepared homemade version. It is not complicated to make, but it does require a certain amount of care to ensure good results. If time, space or enthusiasm is lacking, I would recommend the bought variety, as just once in a while a happy chef with an 8/10 product is better off than a frustrated one with a 9 or 10/10 – if lucky!
OVERVIEW
Two separate doughs are made and then combined. The first dough is based on flour and water and contains a few additional components. The secondary dough, or pomade, as it is sometimes called, is a mix of roughly 75 per cent unsalted butter and 25 per cent flour. The idea is to interleave the first dough with the second through a series of procedures called turns – rolling the dough out, folding it up, then turning and re-rolling it. Between each turn the dough must spend 30 minutes in the fridge to ensure the butter does not get too soft to work.
FOCUS ON
As the butter makes up almost half of the recipe by weight, its flavour will play a significant part in the end result. Be sure to use top-quality unsalted butter.
Over and above quality ingredients, successful puff pastry relies on accurate technique. Follow the instructions carefully, ensure you have sufficient space to work in (work surface and fridge) and keep clean and tidy at all times.
Try to work on a cool work surface. If it feels at all warm, fill a roasting tray with ice or iced water and sit it on the surface for 10 minutes before you start.
KEY COMPONENTS
Basic dough
Pomade (butter dough)
TIMING
The pastry can be used on the day it is made, but it would be prudent to make it the day before – giving you time to deal with any issues, and perhaps to test it if you are unsure.
BASIC DOUGH
280g strong white flour
7g salt
15g egg yolk
120ml water
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
35g unsalted butter, melted
POMADE
340g unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
95g strong white flour
METHOD
BASIC DOUGH
Place the flour and salt in a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix briefly. Place the egg yolk, water, vinegar and melted butter in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the electric mixer and mix at a medium speed until a dough forms. Do not over work – it just needs to come together in a smooth dough. Remove from the bowl, shape the dough into a ball, slash a cross 3cm deep across the top, then wrap it in cling film. Leave in the fridge for 4 hours.
POMADE
Place the butter and flour in a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix briefly until combined. Transfer to a 20cm square piece of baking parchment. Shape it into a 15cm square, cover with a second sheet of parchment and transfer to the fridge for 1 hour or until just firm.
FOLDING, TURNING AND ROLLING
Generously flour the work surface. Unwrap the basic dough and place it on the work surface. With the cross designating 4 marked quarters, roll each quarter out away from the centre point to a length of at least 10cm, using a rolling pin. The centre of the dough should remain slightly thicker than the rest, so you will end up with a rough cross with a slightly raised centre.
Place the pomade in the middle of this cross with its corners aligning with the inner points of the cross in the dough. Fold the protruding flaps of dough towards the centre, allowing them to overlap slightly, and press gently together in order to enclose the pomade completely. Roll this block out to a 35cm x 15cm rectangle, using consistent, methodical movements and without turning the pastry. Brush off any excess flour and use the rolling pin to knock the sides back into a straight line if necessary. Fold the far third of this long sheet over towards you, then fold the closest third over it. Ensure you have neatly aligned the edges and corners as best you can. Wrap the pastry in cling film and set aside in the fridge for half an hour.
Repeat this rolling and folding process 5 times, ensuring you place the pastry on the work surface each time with the open ends of the fold to the front and back, not side, as you roll. After the final fold, wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for at least 2 hours before use.
This indulgent and iconic bread does not do as much for me as some, but I do agree it has its place alongside a terrine or parfait of foie gras, where an awful lot of people see it as the ultimate vehicle for the liver’s sweet flavour and sensuous texture.
However, at The Square, we do use brioche alongside its more complex cousin, folded brioche (made with brioche dough that has been rolled and folded like puff pastry), as a dough with which to make a decadent sweet or savoury roulade – similar in concept to a pain aux raisins. Here, its delicate, buttery form enrobes a filling with great finesse.
OVERVIEW
A simple dough is made using flour, yeast and eggs, then enriched with unsalted butter. This butter-laden dough can be simply baked as a loaf or rolled out into a sheet, spread with a filling, rolled up into a roulade, sliced, left to prove and baked.
FOCUS ON
If you use an electric mixer, brioche is a simple enough bread to make. The key to success is to start the process a day in advance, to allow for a long, slow prove overnight in the fridge. This allows the flavours to develop and ensures a tight, but light, homogeneous crumb.
TIMING
Brioche dough will happily sit in the fridge for a couple of days. The whole process can therefore be started up to 3 days in advance. In any event it must be started the day before so it can prove overnight.
15g caster sugar
15g fresh yeast
135g egg
250g strong white flour
6g salt
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1cm dice
1 egg, lightly beaten, to glaze
METHOD
Whisk the sugar, yeast and egg together until smooth, then set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes. Place the flour and salt in a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix briefly.
Add the egg mixture to the flour and mix at medium speed until you have a smooth, sticky and elastic dough. Turn the mixer up slightly and add the butter one piece at a time, letting each piece be completely incorporated into the dough before you add the next. Once all the butter has been added, continue to knead the dough in the mixer for 2 minutes. Lift the bowl off the machine, cover with a cloth and set aside to prove in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in volume. Knock the dough back to its original volume, then cover again and leave it in the fridge overnight, or for 10–12 hours. Remove it from the fridge, knock it back again (it will feel much firmer, as the butter will have solidified) and turn it out on to a floured work surface. Knead for 5 minutes. At this point, the dough can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, rolled out to use in a roulade, or baked, as instructed below, into a simple loaf.
To make it into a loaf, roll the dough out into a log shape and tuck the ends underneath. Place it in a buttered and floured 500g loaf tin, cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for up to 2 hours or until it has doubled in volume. Gently brush the surface with the beaten egg. Place in an oven preheated to 220°C/Gas Mark 7 and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 20 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out the loaf and place it on a wire cooling rack.
Rich, dense and sensuous, this bread delivers the perfect balance of mellow crumb spiked with soft bursts of sweet raisins and brittle pieces of savoury nuts. Toasted, it makes the perfect accompaniment for terrines, parfaits and foie gras, or it can simply be sliced and served with cheese.
OVERVIEW
A simple one-step dough is made. This is formed into a loaf, set aside to prove and baked to give a dark-brown, crusty loaf.
FOCUS ON
The quality of the oils, nuts and raisins will affect the overall quality of the bread. Use cold-pressed extra virgin nut oils, premium walnuts and plump, sweet raisins.
Fresh yeast is superior to dried, but if it is unobtainable, use dried and proceed as instructed on the packet.
TIMING
As with virtually all breads, this walnut and raisin bread is best eaten on the day it is made.
115ml water
15g fresh yeast
10g honey
255g strong white flour
7g salt
15ml cold-pressed walnut oil
10ml extra virgin olive oil
45g walnuts, roughly chopped
45g raisins
METHOD
Warm the water to blood temperature, pour it into a bowl and add the yeast and honey. Stir gently to dissolve the yeast and then set aside for 10 minutes.
Place the flour, salt and oils in a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix briefly. With the mixer set to medium speed, gradually add the yeast mix. When it has all been incorporated, knead the dough in the mixer for 5 minutes. Add the walnuts and raisins and knead for a minute longer. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm place for 40 minutes or until it has doubled in volume.
Turn the dough out on to a floured work surface, knock the air out of it and knead for 2 minutes. Shape into a log, gently score small slashes along the top, then place on a greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to prove for 1 hour or until it has once again doubled in volume.
Uncover the loaf, dust generously with flour and place in an oven preheated to 220°C/Gas Mark 7. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 12–15 minutes. Test the loaf for doneness by lifting it off the baking sheet and tapping the underside – it should sound hollow. Place on a cooling rack and leave for at least 1 hour before slicing.
In response to popular demand, my mum makes this vinaigrette in vast quantities and sells it to friends who’ve eaten her salads, friends of friends and virtually anyone who has ever spoken to someone who has had the joy of eating her salads. Whilst the profit does go to charity, the driving force behind such high sales is not the need to do good, but the simple desire to acquire the finest salad dressing in the land. She is protective of the recipe, but the unlimited supply of free oil over the years has earned me the right to publish it here.
1 teaspoon salt
a generous pinch of mustard powder
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
20g demerara sugar
45ml sherry vinegar
1 small garlic clove, crushed
115ml grapeseed oil
115ml mellow olive oil
Place the dry ingredients, sherry vinegar and garlic in a bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Gradually whisk in the grapeseed oil, followed by the olive oil. Transfer to a suitable container. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Whenever decanting or using the vinaigrette, make sure you shake the container first to mix the oil and vinegar.
CLARIFIED BUTTER
Clarified butter is simply the pure fat component of butter. Although it lacks some of the eating qualities of whole butter, it has a significantly higher smoke point, thereby enabling you to fry at a higher temperature without the butter burning.
Place 250g unsalted butter in a small, heavy-based pan and melt it over a gentle heat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Skim the white foam from the surface and carefully decant the crystal-clear yellow butter into a fresh container, ensuring that none of the milky component underneath goes with it. Should this happen, simply repeat the decanting process. Clarified butter will store for months if kept covered in the fridge.
