A move on to the cold-larder section of the kitchen at The Square comes with more support from senior staff than any other. The fact of the matter is, it is more difficult to produce cold food full of character and flavour than hot. Heat breathes life into food and helps salt and seasonings to dissolve and disperse. Fridges are an indispensable piece of kitchen kit and clearly enable us to keep produce in immaculate condition. Fridge-cold food, however, is severely compromised in its flavour. On the cold larder, which deals with dishes whose primary components have been previously cooked, or which are simply served raw, it takes a skilled chef to assemble plates of food that sparkle and whose flavours sing loud and clear. A list of ingredients that actually benefit from being served cold would be woefully short. The rule, therefore, is to allow anything that has been in the fridge to come to room temperature before serving. However, there is an armoury of touches that can help bring cold food to life. A few grains of sea salt, a drop or two of vinegar, a drizzle of oil, herbs, chopped shallots, small quantities of mayonnaise all play a part in this arena and are instrumental in giving the lacklustre, muted flavours of cold food the kiss of life.
Cooking and finishing food that is to be served cold requires particular care and attention to seasoning. As much as a few final grains of salt can help restore an ingredient, it will always fall short of its full potential if it was not seasoned sufficiently during cooking.
Many chefs – in years gone by, me included – have a preoccupation with making terrines. For the most part, this is derived from either the desire to make money out of bin ends or the suspense and excitement of seeing what it looks like when that all-important first slice is taken. The sad fact is that there is no more likely vehicle for a chef to serve you a slab of bland food than a slice of terrine.
It was my business partner, Nigel, who battered this truth into me. We chefs do all kinds of ‘cheffy’ things but terrine making and the inescapable obsession with the appearance of that cross-section come top of the list. With many years of hindsight and a little bit of amassed wisdom, it is not hard to accept that a collection of ingredients cooked, layered into a terrine and then pressed to death with a heavy weight would be so much more delicious served simply as a salad.
There is more to terrine making than this, of course, and the description above refers to the ‘modern’ terrine. Old-school terrines, where ingredients are mixed raw, seasoned carefully, put into a terrine dish and cooked are very different creations, where the whole can be so much more than the sum of its parts. There are exceptions, naturally, and any terrine made with care, understanding and accurate seasoning can offer a fine eating experience. When you make a terrine, taste everything every inch of the way and remember that if you taste a component warm, its flavour will be suppressed when served in a slice of, at best, room-temperature terrine.
1990. God. I remember this lunch service well. Hard at it on the larder section in Bibendum kitchen. It was one of those relentless weekend lunches and Simon Hopkinson had agreed for a photographer to capture A Day In The Life Of The Kitchen. Given that the photographer was my wife and that we had had a champagne-induced row the night before this was never going to be an easy day.
TERRINE OF CHICKEN, FOIE GRAS AND GIROLLES WITH A LIVER CREAM AND GRILLED LEEKS
SERVES 12
There is a spell of several weeks – perhaps longer some years – when Scottish girolles are young, small, plentiful and at their best. They knock the socks off the ones from the Continent. This terrine uses lots of them, and the harmony of flavour between the chicken, girolles and tarragon and the enrichment with foie gras make for a fantastic, albeit labour-intensive, terrine.
OVERVIEW
Two small chickens are boned and used to line a terrine. A generous quantity of girolles is sautéed in duck fat, seasoned with tarragon and, once cooled and spiked with foie gras, used to fill the cavity. The excess chicken is folded over and the terrine cooked gently. A slice of this is served with a chicken liver cream and chargrilled baby leeks.
FOCUS ON
There are only three main ingredients here but they must all be perfect. Use only good organic or free-range chickens. Do not compromise on the girolles – small, fresh, golden Scottish girolles are the only option. Fresh, sweet-smelling foie gras is important. It will be only gently cooked and any staleness will be amplified.
Making this terrine is tricky. Boning the birds will be time consuming for beginners but, with perseverance, is achievable.
KEY COMPONENTS
Terrine
Chicken liver cream
Chargrilled leeks
TIMING
The terrine must be cooked the day before, to give it time to set and mature. The chicken liver cream can be done well in advance, leaving only the leeks as a last-minute job.
TERRINE
2 x 900g organic or free-range chickens
1kg small, fresh Scottish girolle mushrooms
150g duck fat
30 tarragon leaves
1 lobe of top-grade fresh foie gras, weighing about 350g
CHICKEN LIVER CREAM
100g chicken livers
250ml grapeseed oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
30ml Madeira wine
15ml port
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
30g egg yolks
OTHER INGREDIENTS
60 baby leeks, pencil-thickness
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
METHOD
TERRINE
Bone the chickens using the following method. Place a chicken on a chopping board in front of you, breast-side down. Cut cleanly through the skin down the back of the bird from one end to the other. The knowledge of a chicken’s anatomy helps here but, simply put, lifting up the skin on one side and holding a boning knife in your other hand, you now need to cut away the meat from the bone in delicate movements. This is the general procedure, but almost immediately the ball and socket joint where the leg connects to the main carcass will hinder you. ‘Dislocate’ this joint by applying leverage at this point. Once the joint has separated, continue working with the knife between the ball and socket and around the carcass. Similarly, you will have to dislocate the wing joint. Once you have successfully worked most of your way round the carcass, you will hit the breastplate – a 2– 3cm flat bone running between the breasts, the ridge of which you feel when approaching a chicken from the normal way up. Cut the meat away from this, being careful not to cut through the skin as you near the end. At this stage, half the bird has been removed from the main body of the carcass but the leg and wing bones are still in. Turn the bird around and repeat the process on the second side. Once you have reached the end of the breastplate on the second side, all that is left to do is carefully cut the line of skin away from the cartilaginous ridge of the plate. This is best done using scissors. It is not the end of the world if you puncture the skin. Now lay the chicken out in front of you with the breasts away from you and the skin side down. Cut down the centre of each thigh and drumstick and, by working methodically, remove the bones from each leg. Chop the wings off half way down the first bone and similarly remove the stump of bone left by cutting away the meat. The chicken is now boneless and, by careful manoeuvring, it can be shaped into a neat, symmetrical square piece. To even out the thickness of the meat, use horizontal sweeping, slicing movements to cut off the thickest parts of the breast and thighs. Use this to fill any gaps.
Lay the boneless bird on a piece of baking parchment and repeat the process for the second chicken. Set aside in the fridge.
Trim the base of the stalks off the girolles and cut in half any that have caps more than 2.5cm in diameter. Wash by plunging them briefly into a sink full of cold water and agitating carefully. Lift the mushrooms out with a sieve, spin dry in a salad spinner and then spread out on a kitchen cloth and leave to dry further for 1 hour.
The key to cooking the girolles is to do it hard and fast. A large, heavy-based pan is required, and you should cook them in as many batches as necessary not to overcrowd the pan. Place the pan over a high heat and leave for 3–4 minutes. Add the duck fat, let it smoke briefly and then throw in the girolles, seasoning immediately with salt and pepper. They will release a lot of moisture. Allow all this to boil away and, at the point where they start to fry again, tip them into a bowl. Repeat until all the mushrooms are cooked. Once they have cooled to room temperature, drain them and check the seasoning. The terrine will be served cold, so they must taste highly seasoned when warm. Add the tarragon leaves to the girolles and set aside at room temperature.
Split the foie gras into its 2 constituent lobes and cut into rough 1cm cubes. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix with the girolles. Set aside at room temperature.
Place a 22cm x 8cm x 8cm terrine on the work surface and remove the chickens from the fridge. By carefully manhandling the birds in, line the terrine. It does not really matter how this happens but, in my experience, having one chicken at each end works best, with the middle of each chicken running lengthways along the centre of the base of the terrine, the breasts all meeting at the middle point. There will be some overhang, which will be folded over at the end. Season the chicken generously and tip all the girolles and foie gras into the cavity, pressing down to ensure they are well compacted. Fold the excess chicken over neatly, trimming the meat off one side so that the covering layer is no thicker than that within the terrine. This can sometimes be a bit of a patchwork job. Now wrap the terrine tightly with a continuous covering of cling film 5 layers thick. Repeat this lengthways to make it completely airtight. Should you have a sous-vide machine, vacuum pack the terrine to maximum in a large sous-vide bag, but this is not critical. Submerge the terrine in a pan of water or a water bath set to 75°C and cook for 1¼ hours, keeping the temperature constant with the use of a sugar thermometer if necessary. Remove, plunge into iced water for 15 minutes, and then transfer to the fridge and leave overnight.
CHICKEN LIVER CREAM
Season the chicken livers and sauté for 2 minutes in a hot pan in a tablespoon of the grapeseed oil. Tip on to a plate and, using the same pan but with a fresh tablespoon of oil, sweat the shallot with a generous pinch of salt until translucent. Return the livers and their juices to the pan, add the Madeira and port, and simmer until almost completely evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the vinegar, mustard and egg yolks and blend to a smooth paste. Gradually add the remaining oil while the machine is running to create a rich, thick chicken liver mayonnaise. Pass through a fine sieve, adjust the seasoning if necessary and set aside in the fridge.
TO SERVE
Trim the roots off the leeks, remove the outer layer, trim any dark green tops off and place in a large bowl of water for 15 minutes. Drain, dry on a kitchen cloth, then place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a chargrill pan or, failing that, a heavy-based frying pan, to maximum heat. Place the leeks on the grill until blackened underneath, then turn and colour the second side. Do this in batches if necessary. Transfer to a plate and set aside at room temperature.
Unwrap the terrine and turn it out of its mould by gently tapping it on a hard surface. With a sharp knife, trim off the end and taste it for seasoning. If necessary, add a pinch of sea salt to the slices you serve. Cut 12 slices, lay them out on a chopping board, cover with cling film and leave to come to room temperature for 5 minutes. Remove the cling film, brush the terrine slices with hazelnut oil and transfer to large serving plates. Garnish with the grilled leeks and finish with dots of chicken liver cream.
TERRINE OF CARAMELISED VEGETABLES AND PIG’S TROTTER WITH PATA NEGRA, PICKLED BEETROOT AND DANDELION
SERVES 12
Although this is a relatively long-winded terrine to make, it is simple to put together and works well. This is all about harnessing the sweet roasted flavours of caramelised root vegetables and the sticky, glazed pig’s trotter and offsetting them with the pata negra, dandelion and beetroot.
OVERVIEW
The pig’s trotters are braised, allowed to rest, then the meat and gelatinous skin removed from the bone and glazed with the reduced stock and Madeira. All the vegetables are slow roasted in duck fat and then glazed in some of the trotter stock. The vegetables and trotters are mixed and set in a terrine. It is served with thin slices of pata negra ham, a dandelion salad and slivers of pickled beetroot.
FOCUS ON
Try to source trotters from a breed of pig that is reared for flavour rather than bulk – a Gloucester Old Spot or Middle White, for example.
The cooking of the vegetables is key. It needs to be a long, slow roasting and caramelising process. This will bring out their sweetness and result in a soft, rich, chewy texture. Under-caramelised or scorched vegetables will just not do the job.
The pata negra should be paper-thin.
KEY COMPONENTS
Trotters
Caramelised vegetables
Terrine
Pickled beetroot
TIMING
The terrine must be made the day before serving, and if necessary the trotters can be started the day before that. The beetroot should be done on the day.
PIG’S TROTTERS
4 hind pig’s trotters
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
1 onion, peeled
1 carrot, peeled
1 celery stick
½ leek
50g piece of celeriac, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
4 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 strip of orange zest
100ml sherry vinegar
100ml light soy sauce
50ml honey
350ml Madeira wine
CARAMELISED VEGETABLES
2 carrots
2 parsnips
2 parsley roots
2 chervil roots
¼ celeriac
2 small turnips
16 button onions
105g duck fat
40g unsalted butter
a little sugar
BEETROOT
1 purple beetroot
1 candy beetroot
1 golden beetroot
1 Cheltenham beetroot
80ml grapeseed oil
4 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
OTHER INGREDIENTS
2 bunches of dandelions
2 shallots
2 tablespoons Vinaigrette (see Vinaigrette)
24 wafer-thin slices of pata negra ham
METHOD
THE TROTTERS
Inspect the trotters carefully to ensure they are clean and free of hair. If there is any hair remaining, singe it on an open flame to burn it off and then gently scrape with a knife.
Place a large casserole over a medium heat and leave for 2 minutes, then add the oil. Chop the vegetables into rough 2cm pieces and add them to the pot along with the garlic, star anise, bay leaf, orange zest and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes or so, or until the vegetables have lightly browned. Add the vinegar and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, then add the trotters and enough water just to cover. Add the soy, honey and Madeira and bring to the boil. Skim the surface, turn down the heat and let it tick over for 10 minutes, removing any scum that accumulates. Cover with a lid or a disc of baking parchment, transfer to an oven preheated to 110°C/Gas Mark ¼ and cook for 3–4 hours. Lift a trotter out after 3 hours and test it for doneness – the meat and gelatinous skin should fall away from the bone when pulled. Return to the oven if necessary.
Once the trotters are cooked, allow them to cool in the liquid for half an hour, then lift them out. Pass the stock through a fine sieve, put it back in the pan on the stove and boil over a high heat to reduce to 250ml, at which point, it should be a rich and sticky, sweet and sour glaze. Set aside at room temperature.
Remove all the gelatinous skin and meat from the trotters and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
Peel all the vegetables and top and tail where necessary. Cut the carrots, parsnips and parsley root in half lengthways and then in half across. Cut the chervil roots in half. Cut the celeriac into similar-size pieces. Cut the turnips in half and then cut each half into 4 pieces resembling orange segments. The vegetables must now all be cooked separately as they will cook at different rates. Do not rush this process. Whilst there is a lot of juggling of pans to do, ensure you keep control of everything so that nothing scorches or burns. Use ovenproof pans that will hold the vegetables comfortably in a single layer – it is important that every piece of vegetable has contact with the pan.
Place a heavy-based pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add a tablespoon of duck fat, followed by the carrots. Toss the carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook until just colouring, stirring frequently. This will take about 5 minutes. Add a knob of butter to the pan, followed by a pinch of sugar, toss the carrots, then place in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 and cook for 15–20 minutes, until they are chewy and golden. Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring once after 2 minutes. Drain the carrots and set aside at room temperature. Follow this procedure for the remaining vegetables, ensuring that they are all given equal care and attention. The button onions will require slightly longer cooking – 20–25 minutes or so in the oven. Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and set aside at room temperature.
ASSEMBLING THE TERRINE
Wipe a large area of work surface with a damp cloth. Stretch a 50cm-long piece of cling film over the surface. Overlap a second piece by 10cm to give you a rough 50cm square. Repeat this by overlapping the entire piece to give an overall double thickness sheet of cling film. Place a 22cm x 8cm x 8cm terrine mould under running water, then tip out the excess. Place it in front of you and line with the cling film, allowing the excess to overhang the sides.
Mix the roasted vegetables, trotter meat and reduced trotter glaze together in a large bowl. Tip this mix into the terrine, gently banging it on the work surface to ensure it is free of bubbles and thoroughly filled. Fold the overhanging cling film over the top and neatly fold it down. Place the terrine in the fridge and leave overnight to set.
BEETROOT
Rub each beetroot with 1 tablespoon of oil, season generously with salt and pepper and wrap them individually in foil. Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 for approximately 1 hour, until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Unwrap the beetroot and rub off the skins. Cut each beetroot in half and then each half into segments. Season with salt and pepper, add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and a teaspoon of oil to each type of beetroot, then set aside at room temperature.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Pick the dandelion leaves from the root, wash in cold water and dry in a salad spinner. Store, covered, in the fridge. Peel and finely chop the shallots and set aside, covered, at room temperature.
TO SERVE
Lift the terrine out of the mould, remove the cling film and place on a chopping board. With a sharp carving knife, cut 12 slices from the terrine and place on serving plates. Cover and leave at room temperature for an hour.
Arrange a few pieces of each type of beetroot neatly on each plate. Dress the dandelion leaves and shallots with the vinaigrette and add to the plates. Finally, lay a few small slices of pata negra ham on each plate.
BALLOTINE OF SALT-CURED FOIE GRAS WITH GOLDEN RAISIN PUREE AND CAMOMILE, APRICOT AND SAUTERNES JELLY
SERVES 8
There appears to be an almost infinite variety of ways to prepare foie gras in order to set it and serve it cold. One of the simplest, this is as successful as any. It also helps to ensure that the end result is not bland, which is so often the case. The camomile, apricot and Sauternes jelly is simple to make and combines flavours that have a wonderful affinity for each other.
OVERVIEW
Lobes of fresh foie gras are packed into rock salt and left to cure for 3 hours. The salt is then rinsed off, the lobes carefully de-veined and simply rolled in cling film to form round ballotines. Apricots are poached in a syrup infused with camomile and the resulting liquor is spiked with Sauternes and set with gelatine. The raisin purée is made by blending apple-juice-soaked raisins that have been cooked in a hot caramel. The foie gras is served with toasted brioche.
FOCUS ON
However you go about preparing cold foie gras, the fresh lobes will have to be de-veined. This is a fiddly process that requires care, but if tackled methodically it is perfectly achievable. Buy top-grade foie gras, if you can – it will simply give a better result than the second-grade foie gras so often used for terrines and ballotines.
There is simply no substitute for fresh apricots in this recipe.
The golden raisin purée should be glossy, rich and smooth – make sure the raisins are thoroughly rehydrated before you proceed.
The brioche could very easily be bought, if you prefer!
KEY COMPONENTS
Foie gras
Camomile, apricot and
Sauternes jelly
Golden raisin purée
Brioche
TIMING
All the components of this dish can be made at least a day in advance; indeed the ballotine must be.
FOIE GRAS
2 lobes of top-grade fresh foie gras, weighing about 750g in total
1.5kg rock salt
GOLDEN RAISIN PURÉE
200ml apple juice
300g golden raisins
100g caster sugar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
CAMOMILE, APRICOT AND SAUTERNES JELLY
250g caster sugar
150g ripe apricots, halved and stoned
10g camomile tea
20g acacia honey
6 gelatine leaves
50ml Sauternes
OTHER INGREDIENTS
1 Brioche
METHOD
FOIE GRAS
Each lobe of foie gras will have a larger and a smaller piece. Carefully prise these apart and cut the connecting vein to separate them completely. Scatter a third of the salt over the base of a dish. Gently place the lobes on the salt and press lightly. Cover them with the remaining salt, ensuring that all the foie gras has contact with the salt. Leave to cure at room temperature for 3 hours.
Gently lift the foie gras out of the salt; it should now be soft and supple. Rinse under cold running water, not excessively, but ensuring no salt remains in the creases and crevices. Pat the foie gras dry. Each piece has a network of veins and arteries concealed within it and, while it is soft, it is relatively easy to excavate them with a butter knife or smallish blunt knife. Start with the 2 smaller pieces. The process is intrusive and do not worry if you feel you are damaging the liver – this is inevitable, but in all the manoeuvring of the flat knife the underside of the foie gras should remain intact. Try not to scrape past the boundaries of the edges of the foie gras. Two main arteries enter the smaller piece of foie gras, one in the centre of the upper side and the other at one end. Use your fingers to locate these and, starting with the one in the centre, pinch the artery, raise it gently and, using the knife, methodically scrape away the foie gras to reveal the network of arteries that run into the liver from this point. Continue to hold the main artery and, when you have unearthed the finer ones, pull slightly harder, teasing underneath the tips of the arteries until one by one they pull away and uproot themselves from the liver. Discard the artery. Now pinch the main artery where it enters the end of the lobe. This one fans out underneath the first network and spreads its capillaries to the sides and other end. Gently scrape the knife against this main tube and follow it down towards the other end, revealing it and its offshoots as you go. Repeat the same process as above to remove this slightly larger network. Some arteries may snap; gentle investigation with the knife will reveal them and they can simply be pulled out with tweezers. While the foie gras is opened out, season the exposed centre with a little salt and pepper, fold the outside towards the centre in an attempt to reshape it, then gently transfer it to a tray and set aside in a cool place. Repeat for the second smaller piece. Follow a very similar process for the 2 larger pieces of foie gras. Again, one artery enters the middle of the lobe and the other the thick end and they fan out in a similar fashion to those in the smaller lobe. Once all the foie gras has been de-veined, put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes, to firm it up to the point where it can be handled.
Lay a sheet of cling film out on the work surface so it is running away from you. Repeat with a second length, ensuring it overlaps the first by about 10cm. Similarly lay 2 more sheets on top of the first to yield a large sheet of double-thickness cling film. Place one large and one small piece of foie gras in the middle, towards the end near you, and roll it up in a tight, sausage-like ballotine. Secure one end with a piece of string. Hold the other end of cling film and roll the ballotine along the length of the work surface – this will tighten the roll. Secure the second end with a piece of string. Repeat with the other 2 pieces of foie gras.
Fill a large container with iced water, lower the ballotines in and leave them for 2 hours. Transfer to the fridge and leave to set overnight.
RAISIN PURÉE
Bring the apple juice to a simmer, pour it on to the raisins and leave to soak overnight. The next day, drain, reserving the apple juice. Put the sugar and 25ml water in a heavy-based pan and place over a high heat. Cook until the water evaporates and the sugar starts to caramelise. Swirl the pan carefully and when the sugar has turned a rich golden colour, add the raisins and vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a blender and blend to a smooth purée, adding a little of the reserved apple juice if it is too thick to churn in the machine. Pass through a fine sieve, transfer to a squeezy bottle and set aside.
CAMOMILE, APRICOT AND SAUTERNES JELLY
Place the sugar in a heavy-based pan and cover with 250ml water. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Add the apricots, turn the heat down to return it to a base simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the apricots are soft. Stir in the camomile tea, remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Drain through a colander into a bowl and then through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Discard the apricots. Add the honey to the pan and return to the boil for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat. Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 minutes, until softened. Remove from the water, add to the pan and whisk briefly until dissolved. Stir in the Sauternes, then pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Cover and chill.
TO SERVE
Lightly toast the brioche. Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut 16 slices of foie gras from the ballotines, each about 8mm thick. Peel off the cling film. Scoop 16 dessertspoons of jelly from the bowl and set aside on a chilled plate or tray. Lay out 8 large chilled plates. Place 2 slices of ballotine on each plate and sit a scoop of jelly alongside each. Garnish the plates with several 1cm dots of raisin purée. Serve immediately, while still cool, with toasted brioche on the side.
Ballotine of Salt-Cured Foie Gras with Golden Raisin Puree and Camomile, Apricot and Sauternes Jelly
TERRINE OF VENISON, MALLARD, GROUSE AND PRUNES WITH GREEN PEPPERCORNS AND SPICED PEAR AND ELDERBERRY CHUTNEY
SERVES 12
If ever there was a terrine that packs a mighty punch, it is this one. A combination of nature’s strongest flavours, spiked with foie gras, is carefully prepared and cooked to give rise to an unbelievably delicious terrine. It is well worth the considerable effort.
OVERVIEW
Prime mallard, grouse and venison meat is finely diced and mixed with a similar dice of lardo di colonnata and foie gras. This mixture is bound with a simple, port-based chicken liver parfait, spiked with Armagnac-steeped Agen prunes and green peppercorns, then poured into a terrine dish lined with more lardo and cooked in a bain marie in the oven. The terrine is then gently pressed. It is served with a spiced pear and elderberry chutney.
FOCUS ON
Only use prime meat – the breasts of the birds and the loin of the venison. The terrine requires tender meat and is not a dustbin for offcuts! Ensure the meat is trimmed of all sinews and then dice it as stated – finely.
Ensure the foie gras and lardo are cold when working with them. Dicing soft, fatty things is no fun at all.
Think carefully about seasoning – nothing must go into the terrine unseasoned.
Keep an eye on the terrine when it is pressing. Over pressing will squeeze all the juices out and render it dry and tasteless, while under pressing will give rise to a fragile, loose-textured terrine.
The chutney should have a balanced sweet, sour and spicy flavour. More often than not, chutneys need adjusting – trust your judgement, as it is you who is going to eat it!
KEY COMPONENTS
Diced game, foie gras and lardo di colonnata
Port-based parfait mix
Spiced pear and elderberry chutney
TIMING
Whilst all the components of the terrine must be dealt with on the same day, the terrine is best made 2 days before it is eaten. The prunes, however, should be marinated for at least 12 hours before you start. The chutney should similarly be made 2 days in advance.
DICED GAME MIX
120g each of skinless mallard breast and grouse breast (the exact ratio is not critical, but it must be 240g in total)
130g venison loin
270g foie gras, chilled
135g lardo di colonnata, chilled
205g chicken livers
PARFAIT MIX
20g unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely sliced
100ml port
100ml Madeira
50ml cognac
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
150g chicken livers, trimmed of any loose veins
75g egg
grated zest of ½ orange
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1 clove, top snapped off and crushed
TO FINISH THE TERRINE
350g piece of lardo di colonnata, about 20cm long, trimmed of the rind and stored in the freezer, flat
12 pitted Agen prunes, soaked in 1 tablespoon of Armagnac for 12 hours
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
SPICED PEAR AND ELDERBERRY CHUTNEY
250g pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm dice
45g apple, peeled and grated
45g onion, finely diced
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1.2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
40g raisins
200ml orange juice
100ml red wine vinegar
100g demerara sugar
20g elderberries
a pinch of salt
OTHER INGREDIENTS
12 slices of pain Poilâne (or other good sourdough bread)
METHOD
DICED GAME MIX
Place a large pan of water on to boil; this is to dip the knife into when cutting the foie gras. Trim all sinew from the game meat and cut it into dice slightly less than 1cm. The grouse breasts can simply be cut into long strips and then cut across but the mallard will probably have to be cut in half horizontally first. The venison can be cut into slices first, then strips and finally cut across into dice. Mix the dice together and set aside, covered, in the fridge.
Dip a carving knife into the hot water and use to cut the foie gras into 5mm-thick slices. Place on baking parchment and then chill again. In the meantime, cut the lardo first into slices, then batons and finally into dice slightly less than 1cm thick. Set aside, covered, in the fridge. Go back to the foie gras and cut it into batons – again with a hot knife – and then into dice. Put back in the fridge to chill. Add the lardo and the chilled foie gras to the game but do not mix.
Remove any scrappy bits from the chicken livers and cut as practically as possible into 5mm dice. Add to the rest of the chilled meat. Remove all the meat from the fridge and tip into a very large bowl. Mix gently with a rubber spatula, seasoning with a generous pinch or two of salt and 20 turns of a pepper mill. Set aside, covered, in the fridge.
Place a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and leave for 1 minute. Add the butter, let it melt and then add the shallots, a pinch of salt and 5 turns of a pepper mill. Sauté the shallots for a good 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add all the alcohol, plus the bay leaf and thyme, turn up the heat and boil until the liquid has virtually evaporated. Remove the herbs and transfer the mixture to a blender. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Add the chicken livers and blend for 2–5 minutes, until smooth. Add the egg, orange zest and spices and blend again for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, covered, in the fridge.
TO FINISH THE TERRINE
Using a meat slicer, cut the lardo horizontally across the surface into sheets as thinly as possible – ideally 1.5mm. If it gets too soft, place it and the slices back in the freezer to chill before proceeding any further.
Place a 22cm x 8cm x 8cm terrine mould on the worktop in front of you and line it with the sheets of lardo: working methodically, lower each sheet of lardo into the terrine and let it cover just over half the width of the base before running it up the side, allowing any excess to overhang. Doing this on each long side will give you an overlap of lardo down the centre of the base of the terrine. Place a sheet over the internal side of each end too. It is okay to do some patchwork but try to keep the sheets as intact as possible.
Take the meat and the parfait mix out of the fridge and combine them, mixing thoroughly with a rubber spatula and trying to ensure you break up any clumps of foie gras and lardo so that the mix is completely homogeneous. Add the prunes and peppercorns and mix again. Tip this mix into the terrine, ensuring you fill it to the very top. Lay a strip of lardo over the top of the mix and finally fold over the overhanging excess from the sides of the terrine. Cover with a piece of foil – it should hang down the sides of the terrine – and secure with a piece of string.
Place the terrine in a 10cm-deep roasting tray and pour enough boiling water into the tray to fill it two-thirds full. Carefully transfer to an oven preheated to 120°C/Gas Mark ½. Cook for 40 minutes, then stick a fine metal skewer or a temperature probe into the centre of the terrine, ensuring it penetrates right into the middle. Remove the skewer and place it just under your lower lip. If it feels genuinely warm, remove the terrine from the oven. A probe should read 45°C at this point. If not, return the terrine to the oven and keep checking every 5 minutes until this is the case.
Remove the terrine from the oven and bain marie and leave to cool to just about room temperature. Then place the terrine on a flat roasting tray and in turn place a flat tray or board on top. Sit a baked-bean-sized can on each end. The idea is to compact the terrine gently to ensure its contents are solid and bound together. After about 5 minutes, a tablespoon or two of juice should have been pressed out of the terrine. If more than this is showing, reduce the weight, and if no juices show, increase the weight. Keep an eye on the terrine for 30 minutes to ensure you have achieved the right balance. Leave in the fridge to press for 8–12 hours. Lift off the foil, wipe the sides of the dish clean and wrap the entire dish in cling film. Set aside in the fridge.
CHUTNEY
For the chutney, place all the ingredients into a heavy-based pan, bring to the boil, then turn down to a medium heat and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, stirring frequently, until all the liquid has evaporated and you have a rich, glossy mass – this will take up to 45 minutes. Taste it; it should be sweet, sour and aromatic. If it tastes bitter, too sweet or too sharp, adjust with vinegar and sugar accordingly. Cook for a further 5 minutes if any adjustments were made. Remove from the heat, allow to cool completely, then transfer to a bowl and chill.
TO SERVE
Fill a large pan with hot water from the tap. Unwrap the terrine, dip it into the water right up to the top and leave for 1 minute. Remove from the water and gently run a knife around the edge of the dish to loosen the terrine. Holding it upside down, gently tap the corner on a chopping board. Continue doing so, increasing the force, until the terrine dislodges from the mould. Turn the unmoulded terrine the right way up and wrap gently but firmly in cling film. Return it to the board and cut 12 slices: to do this, dip a carving knife into the hot water and, using its full length, carve a slice at a time and sit it on a plate. Remove the cling film and serve with a generous spoonful of chutney and a slice of toasted pain Poilâne.
Terrine of Venison, Mallard, Grouse and Prunes with Green Peppercorns and Spiced Pear and Elderberry Chutney
TARTARE OF VENISON WITH PICKLED MUSHROOMS, CHESTNUT, CELERIAC AND RADISH
SERVES 8
So many ingredients are delicious eaten raw, and none more so than venison. The delicate texture of the loin and its inherent flavour come together naturally in this way. In this dish, venison’s pure qualities are savoured with familiar complements but the subtlety of the flavours is so special. These are big, bold winter ingredients delivered in an elegant and delicate fashion.
OVERVIEW
The loin of venison is finely diced, seasoned, bound with a smoked chestnut cream and spiked with very finely chopped beetroot and shallot. It is served with pickled mushrooms, baked celeriac and pickled white radish. The dish is garnished with a wedge of baked beetroot and ruby chard.
FOCUS ON
The quality of the venison is critical. The meat should be both flavourful and tender. Ideally source the loin from the aged saddle of a young animal.
The chestnut cream provides the backdrop flavour and lubricant for the dish. Use fresh chestnuts and either roast them over an open fire to get a smoky flavour or smoke them in a smoker.
Seasoning the venison ensures that the meat itself has flavour. Otherwise you simply get bland meat coated in a highly seasoned cream – very different. Cold food can have muted flavours and raw food even more so, so spend a minute concentrating on the seasoning.
There is no substitute for the Japanese mushrooms – a tartare is as much about texture as flavour and these mushrooms are unique in this way.
KEY COMPONENTS
Chestnut cream
Pickled mushrooms
Baked celeriac
Baked beetroot
Pickled radish
Venison
TIMING
There is very little to do at the last minute here and most of it can be done well in advance. It is critical, however, that anything done in advance is brought up to room temperature, and back to life, before serving. The chestnut cream, pickled radish and pickled mushrooms can all be done up to 6 hours in advance. The venison should be diced no more than 2 hours in advance, leaving making up the tartare as the sole last-minute task.
CHESTNUT CREAM
85g fresh chestnuts
1 litre vegetable oil for deep-frying
250ml grapeseed oil
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar
PICKLED MUSHROOMS
1 punnet of golden enoki mushrooms
1 punnet of enoki mushrooms
1 punnet of shimeji mushrooms
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon Vinaigrette (see Vinaigrette)
BAKED CELERIAC
½ large, firm celeriac
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 bay leaf
BAKED BEETROOT
140g rock salt
100g plain flour
100g egg white
2 red beetroot
PICKLED RADISH
20cm piece of white radish (mouli)
2 tablespoons Vinaigrette (see Vinaigrette)
VENISON
400g prime, fully trimmed loin of venison from a dry-aged saddle of a young animal
OTHER INGREDIENTS
1 raw beetroot
2 shallots, peeled
60g baby ruby chard leaves
1 tablespoon Vinaigrette (see Vinaigrette)
METHOD
CHESTNUT CREAM
Score the top of each chestnut with a cross. Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-based pan and heat to 180°C. Add the chestnuts and deep-fry for 5–6 minutes, until the skins curl. Remove them from the fryer, rinse under hot running water to remove any excess oil, dry in a salad spinner and then peel off the tough shells and the thin brown inner skin using a small knife.
Set up a smoker over a medium heat and add some smoking chips (or simply set a small, ovenproof pan containing some smoking chips over a medium heat until they start to smoke). When smoking begins, add the chestnuts to the appropriate compartment, turn down the heat and smoke for 5 minutes (or rest the chestnuts on a wire rack over the pan, transfer to a cold oven and smoke for 5 minutes). Lift out the chestnuts. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil and a pinch of salt and place on a sheet of foil. Fold it over, seal the sides, place the resulting pouch on a baking tray and bake in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 for 45 minutes or until the chestnuts are tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Open the pouch, transfer the chestnuts to a chopping board and chop roughly.
Place the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of water, a generous pinch of salt and a few twists of pepper into a blender and blend for 30 seconds. With the machine running at medium speed, add half the grapeseed oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the chestnuts and continue to blend until completely smooth, then blend in the remaining oil. This should give the texture of a thin mayonnaise – fully emulsified but with a rich pouring consistency. If it is too thick, add a splash of water. Taste the chestnut cream and adjust the seasoning if necessary – it should have a delicate but clear flavour. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill.
PICKLED MUSHROOMS
Trim all the mushrooms from their punnets with a pair of scissors, leaving a 2cm length of stem attached. Place a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and leave for 1 minute. Add the grapeseed oil, followed by the mushrooms, a pinch of salt, the garlic and several twists of pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for 1 minute and then tip them out of the pan into a dish to cool. Stir in the vinaigrette, check the seasoning, then cover and set aside.
BAKED CELERIAC
Peel the celeriac and cut it into 8 even wedges. Use a peeler to peel over all the edges, thereby losing the hard angles. You should end up with pebble-like crescents of celeriac. Place the wedges in a large bowl, toss with the grapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large sheet of foil, add the bay leaf, fold the foil over, seal the edges and transfer to a baking tray. Place in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 and bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove the pouch from the oven, briefly open and check the celeriac is tender by piercing a piece with a toothpick or fine skewer. There should be little resistance. Reseal the pouch and set aside to cool.
BAKED BEETROOT
Combine the rock salt and flour in a large bowl, add the egg white and mix to a paste. Place a quarter of the mixture in a small dish. Put the beetroot on top and pack the remaining salt mix over and around them. Place the dish in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 45 minutes, then crack open the crust. Lift out and peel the beetroot. Cut each beetroot into 8 slices 5mm thick, discarding the top and bottom slice. Transfer to a dish, cover and set aside.
PICKLED RADISH
Peel the radish, then, still using the peeler, peel off 16 slices running its full length. Place them in a large bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper and leave to soften for 5 minutes.
Add the vinaigrette and mix gently. Lift out the lengths of radish and lay them on a plate, flat and in a stack. Drizzle with any excess dressing, cover and set aside.
VENISON
Wrap the venison loin in cling film and place it in the freezer until it is firm but not frozen. Remove and unwrap it, cut it into slices 5mm thick, then into strips and finally into 5mm dice. Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside in the fridge.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Peel the beetroot, trim it into a square block and cut it into slices 1.5mm thick. Stack these up and cut into matchstick-sized batons and finally cut across these to yield a very fine dice. Transfer to a small dish, cover and set aside. Cut the shallots in half and, making cuts 2mm apart, slice first vertically and then horizontally towards, but not through, the root end. Now cut across these slices to yield a fine dice. Transfer to a small dish, cover and set aside. Pick any tough stalks off the ruby chard, plunge the leaves into a sink of cold water, dry in a salad spinner and set aside, covered, in the fridge.
TO SERVE
Remove all the components except the venison from the fridge at least an hour in advance so they can come up to room temperature slowly. Remove the venison when you are ready to serve. Season the meat with salt and pepper and set aside for 5 minutes. Add the finely diced beetroot and shallot and mix thoroughly. Add 80g of the chestnut cream, mix to a homogeneous tartare and taste. Season further if necessary. Unwrap the celeriac and cut each wedge into 6.
Lay out 8 large flat plates. Place 2 strips of radish on each in a random criss-cross fashion. Place 2 discs of beetroot on each plate and top each with a neat layer of venison tartare. Lay 6 pieces of celeriac on each plate and intersperse the various components with ‘dots’ of chestnut cream, using a teaspoon or a squeezy bottle. Garnish the tartare with the pickled mushrooms. Dress the ruby chard leaves with the vinaigrette and carefully place 10 or so leaves around any gaps in the plate.
CURED FILLET OF AGED BEEF WITH TETE DE MOINE, ARTICHOKE, GRILLED CEPS, SPRING ONIONS AND TRUFFLE
SERVES 8
The curing of food was historically done for many reasons but in particular to harness and preserve a glut of produce – such as the meat from the carcass of an entire animal. The fillet, as the prime cut, would have been the least likely to be put down to rest. However, this simple process produces an outstandingly pure and delicious result, with the rounded flavour of mature beef singing clear.
OVERVIEW
The fillet of beef is trimmed, cured in a salt, black pepper and bay leaf brine for 12 hours, then hung in muslin for 20–28 days to dry. It is served thinly sliced, with dressed baby artichokes, grilled ceps, tête de moine cheese and a truffle cream.
FOCUS ON
Obtain a mature fillet of beef. Order it in advance and request one that has been dry aged for 28 days and is well marbled – the marbling will ensure that the final cured product retains moisture.
Tête de moine is a unique cheese that is cut using a special turning device – order it from a good cheese shop, which should be able to source one. And while you’re at it, order the turning device too; they are not expensive and the point of the cheese will be completely missed without it.
The beef must be thinly sliced. If you do not have a slicer, take it to a delicatessen and ask them to slice it for you.
Ensure you buy firm, fresh ceps – they can be infested with worms.
KEY COMPONENTS
Cured beef
Truffle cream
Baby artichokes
Ceps
TIMING
The fillet must clearly be cured and hung 3–4 weeks before using. The remaining components all need to be prepared on the day and the ceps and spring onions should be grilled no more than 1 hour before serving.
BEEF
a 28-day dry-aged fillet of beef, without the chateaubriand
200g rock salt
40g black peppercorns, crushed
4 bay leaves, chopped
TRUFFLE CREAM
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
½ tin of truffle juice (50ml)
200ml grapeseed oil
1 small Périgord truffle, or a piece of truffle weighing 6–8g, cut into 4
2–3 drops of black truffle oil
BABY ARTICHOKES
120ml white wine vinegar
10g rock salt
16 baby artichokes
50ml olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 small carrot, chopped
½ small leek, chopped
1 celery stick, cut into 3cm pieces
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
CEPS
12 firm, fresh ceps
200ml mild olive oil
1 garlic clove, smashed with a heavy-bladed knife
1 sprig of rosemary
OTHER INGREDIENTS
18 spring onions
2 heads of red chicory
½ tête de moine cheese
30ml extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
BEEF
Trim the last 12cm or so off the tail end of the fillet, as this will otherwise simply over cure. Trim off any sinew from the prime piece of fillet. Pour 2 litres of cold water into a container large enough to hold the fillet. Add the rock salt, peppercorns and bay and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the beef, cover it with a plate to ensure it is submerged, then cover with a lid and transfer to the fridge. Leave for 24 hours, turning occasionally. Remove from the fridge, lift out the beef and rinse briefly under cold running water. Roll the fillet up in a double layer of muslin, secure each end and twice in the middle with string, then hang in a cool, dry place, such as a garage or garden shed, or a sheltered porch, for 20–28 days. Make sure no part of it is touching anything; it must hang completely free to ensure that it dries evenly. After 20 days, take it down, unwrap and check it. It should feel very firm, not completely solid, and have a deep, crusted exterior; if necessary, leave it to hang for a few days longer. Wrap in cling film and store in a cool dry place, or the fridge.
TRUFFLE CREAM
Place the egg yolk, sherry vinegar, truffle juice and a generous pinch of salt in a blender. Turn the machine on to medium and gradually add the grapeseed oil until you have a rich, creamy emulsion. Scrape down the sides, add the truffle and blend to a grey, homogeneous mixture. This truffle cream should have a mellow, rounded, truffle flavour. Add the truffle oil, taste, and then add a little more if it tastes flat. Transfer to a plastic squeezy bottle and chill.
Place the vinegar and salt in a large bowl with 500ml water. Using a sharp turning or paring knife, trim the stalks of the artichokes to 3–4cm. Peel off the small leaves round the base of each artichoke, trim off the top half of the leaves with a serrated knife and peel the stem with a peeler. Dip the artichoke in the vinegar mix to prevent it discolouring and, back with the turning knife, work your way round the artichoke, trimming the exterior leaves away from the tender heart – dip the artichoke in the vinegar from time to time as you work. You should end up with a yellow/green, goblet-shaped artichoke free of all tough outside leaves. As you finish the artichokes, add them to the bowl of vinegar and water while you trim the rest.
Place a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat and leave for 1 minute. Drain the artichokes. Add the olive oil to the pan, followed by the vegetables, bay leaf and peppercorns, and cook for 2–3 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly. Add the artichokes and a generous pinch of salt, cover with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer for 20 minutes or until just tender. Taste the cooking liquor and adjust the seasoning after 5 minutes’ cooking. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
CEPS
The ceps require preliminary cooking before they are finished on the chargrill. Peel them, fill a sink with cold water, drop the mushrooms in, agitate gently for a minute, then lift them out and pat dry with a cloth. Season the ceps with salt and pepper. Put the olive oil in a suitable pan so that it is at least 8cm deep. Bring it to 100°C, add the ceps, garlic and rosemary and maintain at 100°C for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Trim the outside layer off the spring onions and trim off the root. Cut in half lengthways and set aside. Trim the outside leaves from the chicory and discard. Separate out the remaining leaves, plunge them into a sink of cold water, dry in a salad spinner, then cut each leaf into 3 pieces and set aside, covered, in the fridge.
TO SERVE
Trim the top off the cheese and cut 3cm or so of rind off the sides. Set it on to the turning device and, while pressing down firmly, turn the handle to produce spiral-like ruffles of cheese. Make 40 of these and set aside. Slice 120 wafer-thin slices of beef with an electric slicer – discarding the first few dry, over-cured slices. Drain the artichokes and cut them into quarters.
Drain the ceps from the oil and cut them into slices 5mm thick. Taste a piece to check the seasoning and season accordingly when chargrilling. Heat up a griddle plate to near full heat. Place the ceps on the griddle and cook just on this one side, until marked with the griddle. Let them achieve a good colour but do not burn them. Remove from the griddle and set aside. Drizzle the spring onions with ½ teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and place them on the griddle, cut-side down. Cook until lightly blackened, then turn and repeat for the second side. Remove from the griddle, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Lay out 8 large plates. Cover each with 15 slices of beef, bending and twisting them so they are not completely flat. Garnish with the artichokes, ceps, spring onions and tête de moine. Dress the chicory leaves with the remaining extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper and arrange attractively over the plate. Drizzle about a tablespoon of truffle cream over each plate and serve.
TERRINE OF DOVER SOLE WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER, SMOKED EEL, OYSTERS AND CAVIAR
SERVES 12
There is a strong argument that terrines, on the whole, would be more delicious to eat if the constituent ingredients were simply made into a salad instead. If this terrine, however, is served on the day it is made, it is worth making an exception for. It is a clean and decadent affair.
OVERVIEW
The Dover soles are either gently baked on the bone in foil or vacuum packed and cooked in a water bath, depending on the equipment to hand. The fillets are removed and set into a terrine using the juices, crème fraîche and gelatine as a binding agent. The terrine is served with thin slices of smoked eel, pickled cucumber and oyster vinaigrette, oyster beignets, plus a smoked cod’s roe cream and caviar.
FOCUS ON
This dish focuses on clean, briny flavours from the sea and is dependent on the freshest ingredients. Buy the Dover soles on the bone, but skinned on both sides. Buy the oysters in the shell and ensure they are tightly shut. Try to obtain a whole smoked eel, not the vacuum-packed fillets.
Accurate seasoning is important to ensure maximum flavour. Dover sole has a delicate flavour, particularly as it is served cold here.
KEY COMPONENTS
Dover sole terrine
Oyster vinaigrette
Pickled cucumber
Smoked cod’s roe cream
Oyster beignets
TIMING
Ideally, everything should be done on the day, starting with the terrine in the morning. If needs must, the terrine can be done the day before but any earlier and it will lack some of the vitality of a freshly made one. The only last-minute task is the oyster beignets.
DOVER SOLE TERRINE
5 x 360–380g Dover sole, heads off, skinned on both sides
½ lemon
75ml crème fraîche
1 gelatine leaf
OYSTER VINAIGRETTE
18 rock oysters
1 teaspoon Sosa gelespessa (optional – see Suppliers)
½ bunch of chives
100ml lemon olive oil
50g Oscietra caviar
PICKLED CUCUMBER
100ml white wine vinegar
100g caster sugar
3 cucumbers
SMOKED COD’S ROE CREAM
50g white bread, crusts off
50ml milk
100g smoked cod’s roe
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
juice of ½ lemon
½ garlic clove, crushed
250ml grapeseed oil
OYSTER BEIGNETS
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
12g fresh yeast
a pinch of sugar
1 bottle (330ml) lager
vegetable oil for deep-frying
12 rock oysters
OTHER INGREDIENTS
1 whole smoked eel, skin on
4 celery sticks
2 long, slim leeks
a handful of fennel herb or fennel tops
METHOD
TERRINE
Season the soles on both sides with salt and pepper. Depending on which method is being used, either wrap them individually in foil with a little water and bake in an oven preheated to 130°C/Gas Mark ¾ for 10–12 minutes or vacuum pack them individually and cook in a water bath at 65°C for 6–10 minutes. Remove, set aside and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Lift the soles out of the bags or pouches, reserving any juices in a measuring jug, and place them on a chopping board. Lift the fillets off the bone, taste a piece from each fish and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each fillet. Measure the cooking juices; you will have approximately 150ml, of which you will need 75ml. Put the 75ml into a pan, add the crème fraîche, a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat immediately. Put the gelatine leaf in cold water for 5 minutes to soften, then take it out, squeeze out excess water and stir the gelatine into the crème fraîche mixture until dissolved.
Take a 22cm x 8cm x 8cm terrine mould. To line the mould, unroll a 50cm piece of cling film on to the work surface. Place a second piece on the work surface, overlapping the first by 15cm. Repeat this process so you end up with a large, double-thickness piece of cling film. Wet the inside of the terrine under running water and, with the terrine running across the work surface and the cling film overlap running away from you, push it into the terrine to line it. Leave the excess hanging over the edges. Now spoon 1 tablespoon of the crème fraîche mix into the terrine and spread it out over the base. Trimming the sole as required, place a layer in the bottom of the terrine. With a pastry brush, brush the sole with some of the crème fraîche mix, then cover with another layer of sole. Add ½ tablespoon of crème fraîche mix, more sole, and continue this process until all the sole has been used. The crème fraîche mix is there simply to bind the fish; there should be no excess in the terrine. Fold over the cling film neatly to enclose the sole and leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours, until set.
OYSTER VINAIGRETTE
Using an oyster knife, open all the oysters. Remove the oysters from their shells and reserve the juice. Gently wash the oysters in this juice to remove any bits of shell and then place them in a bowl. Pass the oyster juice through a fine sieve. Ideally you now thicken this juice with the gelespessa: using a hand blender, blend the juice with enough gelespessa powder (about ½ teaspoon) to thicken it to the consistency of pouring cream. All this will do is help the vinaigrette to glaze the terrine when served. Set aside, covered, in the fridge.
Cut the oysters into quarters and set aside in the fridge too. Finely chop the chives, cover and chill.
PICKLED CUCUMBER
Put the vinegar and sugar into a pan and whisk over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool. Peel the cucumbers, top and tail them and cut in half. Using the peeler again, peel the cucumbers into long strips, peeling a fresh side every time you approach the seeded core. Place all the cucumber in a large colander and generously sprinkle with salt. Mix gently and leave to purge for half an hour. Rinse under cold running water, leave for 5 minutes, rinse again and then in 2 batches squeeze the cucumber dry by pressing carefully but firmly in a tea towel. Taste the cucumber to check it is not too salty, add to the vinegar mix and set aside, covered, in the fridge.
SMOKED COD’S ROE CREAM
Soak the bread in the milk for 30 minutes. Cut the cod’s roe open and scrape the contents out into a food processor. Add the soaked bread, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and garlic. Blend to a smooth paste, then gradually blend in the oil to give a rich, thick emulsion. It should be smoky, fishy, lemony and delicious. Adjust the seasoning and lemon content if needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, covered, in the fridge.
OYSTER BEIGNETS
An hour before serving, place the flour, yeast, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl, add a splash of the lager and whisk to a paste. Gradually and gently whisk in the remaining lager, then set aside, covered, in a warm place.
TO FINISH
Carefully lift the leathery skin off the smoked eel by cutting down the back of the fish and peeling it away. Remove the head and at least 10cm of the tail, then cut the resulting piece into 3. Place in the freezer for 2 hours to firm up. Now, preferably with a meat slicer, but if not, with a sharp carving knife, cut wafer-thin slices of eel along the length of each piece, on each side of the central bone. Depending on the size of the eel and the thickness of the slices, you’ll end up with up to 40 slices. Lay them between sheets of baking parchment, carefully fold it up and set aside in the fridge.
Open the oysters for the beignets and, as above, wash them in their own juice. This time leave them in the juice when placed in the fridge.
Peel the celery, top and tail each stick, cut them lengthwise in half and then cut each piece into 3 batons. Blanch for 20 seconds in boiling salted water, refresh briefly in iced water, drain, dry on a kitchen cloth and set aside.
Cut the leeks into 5mm rounds and blanch as above for 80–90 seconds, until tender. Similarly refresh, drain, dry and set aside.
TO SERVE
By gently pulling the cling film, carefully lift the terrine from the mould. Unwrap the terrine and, with a sharp knife and a confident carving action, cut the end off it. Taste this piece to check the seasoning, so you can adjust the seasoning of the slices you serve if necessary. Now cut 12 slices, transfer them to a chopping board, cover with cling film and leave to come to room temperature for 5 minutes.
Stir the chopped oysters, their thickened juice, the chives and lemon oil together but do not over mix. Stir in the caviar. Drain the pickled cucumber. Heat a deep-fat fryer or large pan of vegetable oil to 160°C.
Lay out 12 plates, place a slice of terrine on each and, aiming to create elegant ruffles around the plate, lay the eel and cucumber on and around the terrine. Using a teaspoon or squeezy bottle, put 6 or so dots of smoked cod’s roe cream on to each plate and spoon a generous quantity of oyster vinaigrette over the terrine and around the plate.
One by one, dip the oysters into flour to dust them, then coat in as little batter as possible and deep-fry until just golden and crisp. Place one on each plate and garnish with the fennel herb.
RILLETTES OF SMOKED MACKEREL WITH A VINAIGRETTE OF POOLE PRAWNS, OYSTERS AND CAVIAR
SERVES 8
There is nothing quite like an English mackerel and there are few ingredients that remain so abundant, so local, so wild and so delicious. It is hard to justify doing anything other than frying it and serving it with lemon but here, hot smoked and carefully made into soft, creamy rillettes, it is also at its very best. Poole prawns are small and particularly delicious but any small prawns will suffice.
OVERVIEW
The mackerel is hot smoked, flaked off the bone and mixed with crème fraîche, pickled cucumber, horseradish, spring onion, lemon and dill. This is put into dishes and a thin crème fraîche and cucumber jelly set on top. The dish is finished with a simple vinaigrette of chopped oysters, Poole prawns and caviar and served with thin sourdough croûtons.
FOCUS ON
Ultra-fresh mackerel is a must.
Try to source Poole prawns but, failing that, buy small cooked prawns with the shells on and peel them. The little peeled frozen prawns are just not the same.
Mix the rillettes carefully – if you overwork the mixture the flakes will break down and you will end up with a gunge and lose the important ‘mouth feel’ of the dish.
KEY COMPONENTS
Smoked mackerel
Rillettes
Crème fraîche and cucumber jelly
Vinaigrette
TIMING
Although the mackerel rillettes can be made the day before, it is best done on the day. The longer it sits in the fridge the firmer it will set, and ultimately prolonged chilling will deaden the flavour. The jelly can be set on top of the mackerel as soon as the mixture is in the dishes, and the vinaigrette components can be prepared in the morning, so all that is left to do is simply assemble it at the last minute. The croûtons can be prepared several hours in advance.
SMOKED MACKEREL
4 x 250–300g English mackerel on the bone, gutted
celery salt
juice of ¼ lemon
RILLETTES
2 cucumbers
75ml white wine vinegar
75g caster sugar
1 teaspoon fresh horseradish
175ml crème fraîche
50g spring onions
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 tablespoon creamed horseradish
juice and zest of 1½ lemons
CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND CUCUMBER JELLY
1 cucumber
200ml crème fraîche
3 gelatine leaves
VINAIGRETTE
16 rock oysters
40 Poole prawns
½ bunch of chives
50g Oscietra caviar
1 tablespoon lemon oil
OTHER INGREDIENTS
¼ large loaf of pain Poilâne (or other good sourdough bread)
METHOD
SMOKED MACKEREL
The mackerel needs to be hot smoked – i.e. smoked and cooked at the same time. A proper, albeit simple, smoker is clearly the best tool but a large, heavy-based pan with smoking chips on the bottom and a cake rack sat above them would work too.
Remove the heads and tails of the mackerel, wash gently under running water and pat dry. Score the fish on each side 3 or 4 times, cutting at least 5mm into the flesh. Season generously with celery salt.
Place the smoking chips in the smoker in a layer 1cm deep and set over a medium heat. Once they start to smoke, turn the heat down, place the mackerel on the rack and cover with the lid. Smoke for approximately 10 minutes. Lift a mackerel out and gently try to prise some fillet away by manoeuvring a knife into one of the score marks. If the fish comes away from the bone, it is cooked. If not, turn up the heat and continue the process until it is cooked.
Remove the smoker from the heat and lift out the mackerel. Using a paring knife, carefully lift off the skin and scrape any grey blood from the surface of the mackerel. There will be a line of 10 or so tiny bones running horizontally along the fish, pointing outwards from its spine. Carefully prise the meat off the bone, bearing these fine bones in mind – they will be tricky to find if they make their way into the bowl of flesh. Place all the mackerel in a bowl. Pick through the mackerel a little at a time, transferring it from one bowl to another and removing any bones you find. Try to keep the mackerel in pieces rather than squashing it and breaking it up as you work. When you have finished, season the fish with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
RILLETTES
Peel the cucumbers and cut them into 5cm lengths. Cutting vertically down each cylinder, take two 3mm slices off one side. Turn the cucumber, cut 2 more slices, turn once more and do the same again. Now cut each slice into batons 3mm wide and finally cut across to yield 3mm dice. Place all the dice in a colander, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, mix and set aside over a bowl for 30 minutes.
Put the white wine vinegar into a small pan, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Peel and finely grate the horseradish. Trim and finely slice the spring onions.
Rinse the cucumber thoroughly. Leave to sit for 5 minutes and rinse again. Transfer to a clean tea towel and, by twisting it into a ball, squeeze the cucumber tightly. Transfer to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture and leave for 10 minutes.
Put the crème fraîche, spring onions, dill, both types of horseradish, the lemon zest and half the juice into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Strain the cucumber, reserving the liquid, and add the cucumber and a dessertspoon of the liquid to the bowl. Stir well. Add 300g of the mackerel and carefully fold together until you have a homogeneous, creamy mix. Do not over work. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if necessary with salt, pepper, lemon juice and the vinegar/sugar mix – the rillettes should have a slight sweetness. Divide between 8 small bowls or glass tumblers and gently fork down the surface until it is flat. Set aside in the fridge.
CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND CUCUMBER JELLY
Peel and chop the cucumber, place in a blender, add a generous pinch of salt and blend until completely puréed. Pass through a fine sieve and then through muslin. Transfer to a measuring jug. You will need 200ml juice; tip away any excess. Add the crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper and whisk thoroughly. Pour 100ml of the mixture into a pan and warm. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for about 5 minutes, until softened. Take them out of the water, squeeze firmly to remove the excess, then add the gelatine to the warm cucumber and crème fraîche mixture in the pan. Stir until dissolved. Pour back into the measuring jug and stir to combine. Remove the rillettes from the fridge. Pour enough of the crème fraîche mixture over each bowl to give a layer 2mm deep. Return the bowls to the fridge.
VINAIGRETTE
With the help of an oyster knife (or a fishmonger!), open the oysters and place them in a bowl, along with their juice. One by one, jiggle the oysters in the juice to rinse off any shell. Gently cut each oyster into quarters and put in a separate bowl. Strain the juice through a fine sieve on to the oysters and set aside in the fridge.
If you have bought fresh prawns, cook them in a large pan of boiling water for 1 minute, then drain, refresh in iced water for 1 minute and drain again. Remove the heads of the prawns, discard, and peel the tails. If you have brought cooked prawns, simply remove their heads and peel the tails. Place the prawns in a small bowl and chill. Finely chop the chives and set aside, covered, in the fridge. The vinaigrette will be assembled at the last minute.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
With a meat slicer or a very sharp serrated carving knife, cut the bread into slices 2mm thick. You will need 16. Place the slices on baking sheets and bake in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 until crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside
TO SERVE
Remove the rillettes from the fridge 10 minutes before serving – less if the kitchen is hot. Add the prawns, caviar and chives to the chopped oysters and stir gently until well mixed. Add the lemon oil and, stirring once between each bowl, spoon a generous quantity of this over the top of the rillettes. Serve with the croûtons on the side.
POTTED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER, CRÈME FRAÎCHE AND WATERCRESS
SERVES 8
I have struggled to find an appropriate title for this dish over the years. Words to describe it accurately and to communicate how delicious it is simply seem to elude me. It is the perfect English late spring/summer starter and is one of the most satisfying dishes to put together. The salmon component in particular is a sensuous process, drawing you in, and this, surely, is what cooking is all about.
OVERVIEW
A large piece of salmon fillet is baked very slowly on and under a smothering of vegetables, herbs and lemon. It is left to rest, then uncovered and teased into succulent flakes. The salmon is then seasoned, bound with crème fraîche and spiked with horseradish, lemon zest, dill and pickled diced cucumber. This luxurious mix is placed in large glasses or bowls and topped with a light watercress mousse.
FOCUS ON
The quality of the salmon is paramount. It does not have to be wild, although the wild fish will be in season in early summer, but it must come from a fine fishery. Do your research.
The cooking of the fish is critical: the aim is to have moist, pink flakes of flesh. If undercooked, it will not break apart and can be carefully cooked further but if over cooked into a dry, firm mass the dish will simply collapse. The cooking temperature is low so overcooking is very easy to avoid.
Source deep-green English watercress that is crisp and fresh in appearance.
KEY COMPONENTS
Salmon
Watercress mousse
TIMING
The salmon mix will grow steadily firmer the longer it sits in the glass. It can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance but should be gently stirred and transferred into the glasses no more than 2 hours before serving. The watercress mousse is similar, and as such should be made up to 2 hours in advance but stirred and set on to the salmon an hour or so before serving.
SALMON
650g prime salmon fillet, preferably cut from the centre
1 lemon
1 fennel bulb
1 bunch of spring onions
4 celery sticks
8 star anise
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cucumber
250ml white wine vinegar
250g caster sugar
2.5cm piece of fresh horseradish root, finely grated
250ml crème fraîche
2 tablespoons chopped dill
WATERCRESS MOUSSE
500g watercress
50g unsalted butter
1 white onion, finely sliced
300ml whipping cream
1 gelatine leaf
300ml double cream
METHOD
SALMON
Run your fingers over the salmon fillet to ensure there are no bones left in it and remove any that you find. Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper and then set aside. Grate the zest off the lemon with a fine grater and slice the lemon finely. Set aside separately. Slice the fennel finely and set aside. Trim any root off the spring onions and shred the green top half. Finely slice the other half and set aside separately. Finely slice the celery. Place the lemon slices, fennel, spring onion tops and celery in a bowl and season lightly with salt. Lay a third of this mixture over the base of a roasting tray so the salmon will fit comfortably on it. Place the salmon fillet on top, stud it with the star anise and sprinkle with the fennel and coriander seeds. Cover with the remaining fennel mix and then place in an oven preheated to 65°C (or a very low gas oven) for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully expose an area of fillet and use a fork to prise into it. If it is soft, pink and translucent and flakes apart when moved, it is cooked. If there is any resistance, cover it again and cook for a little longer. Once cooked, let it rest for 20 minutes.
Peel the cucumber, top and tail it and cut it into 4 or 5 lengths. One piece at a time, cut 5mm-thick slices off one side until you reach the seeds in the centre. Turn the piece of cucumber and again cut slices until you reach the seeds. Turn again and slice the remaining outer portion into 5mm-thick slices. Repeat for all the cucumber, stacking up the slices as you go. Cut these stacks into batons 5mm wide and finally cut across these to yield 5mm dice. Transfer to a colander, season generously with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, gently heat the sugar and vinegar in a small pan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside. Rinse the cucumber thoroughly under cold running water and, in 2 batches, squeeze it out firmly by placing it in the centre of a tea towel and twisting it into a ball. Place the cucumber in a bowl. Pour the sugar and vinegar mix over the cucumber and set aside.
Uncover the salmon and gently scrape off the star anise, coriander and fennel seeds. Lift the salmon on to a chopping board and, by breaking large pieces off and holding it over a bowl, separate it into all its individual flakes. It will inevitably break up a bit more than this but do not over work it. Tip the contents of the roasting tray into a colander and press on them to extract as much juice as possible. Add this to the salmon and discard the spent vegetables. Drain the cucumber and add it to the salmon. Add half the horseradish, three-quarters of the crème fraîche, three-quarters of the dill, a teaspoon of the lemon zest and the finely sliced spring onions. Use a rubber spatula to fold in but again, do not over work the mix or the salmon will break down into a homogeneous pink paste. Taste the mix. It should be creamy and have the overriding flavour of salmon with lemon, dill and horseradish in the background. Leave for 5 minutes, stir briefly and taste it again. If anything seems lacking, add some of the reserved ingredients. If it seems too dry, add the remaining crème fraîche. About 2 hours before serving divide this mix between 8 large, wide glasses or soup bowls and set aside in the fridge.
WATERCRESS MOUSSE
Place a large pan of salted water on to boil. Pick all the leaves off the watercress; you should have approximately 300g. Place a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat, add the butter, swirl the pan to melt it, then add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent. Plunge the watercress leaves into the boiling water for 30 seconds, drain through a colander and then transfer to a bowl of iced water to refresh. Drain again, squeeze the liquid out of the watercress using a kitchen cloth and then transfer to the pan with the onion. Add the whipping cream, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then transfer to a blender and blend to a smooth purée. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 minutes, until softened. Lift it out, squeeze out the excess water, drop the gelatine into the watercress purée and whisk until it is completely dissolved. Set the bowl over some iced water to cool it quickly and preserve the colour. Stir it frequently and, at the point where it starts to set, lift it out and set aside at room temperature.
Pour the double cream into a large bowl and set it over a bowl of iced water. Add a pinch of salt and whisk until it forms peaks. Run a whisk through the watercress mix to ensure it is smooth, then add the cream. Set this bowl over the iced water and fold together until homogeneous. Taste the mix and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Remove the glasses from the fridge and pour or spoon the watercress on to the salmon in a layer about 2cm deep. Set aside in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.
