Pea Shooter
20 g (
oz) butter
½ onion, peeled and chopped
125 ml (4 fl oz) white wine
350 g (12 oz) frozen peas
1 bunch (125 g/4 oz) English
inach, washed and stems removed
100 ml (3½ fl oz) cream
sea salt
1 lemon
Melt butter and gently soften the onion until translucent. Add white wine and allow to bubble until liquid has reduced considerably, then add peas, cover with boiling water and bring back up to the boil. Take off the heat immediately and strain peas and onion mix, retaining liquid. Add inach to hot peas, so inach wilts, then add ice to the vegetables to refresh and cool them quickly.
Blend vegetable mix, slowly adding reserved liquid, until purée reaches the consi
ency of soup. Semi-whip cream and fold three-quarters of it through the soup, plus a pinch of salt and the juice of half the lemon (tae for acidity).
Serves 4–6
To serve Serve pea soup cold in shot glasses (2 per person) with a tiny dollop of cream on top.
Notes Other vegetables can be used: cauliflower, pumpkin or potato and leek would all ta
e good.
The vegetables must be cooled quickly or the soup will be a muddy colour, not bright green.
Beetroot Soup with Horseradish
2 medium–large beetroot
1 tb butter
1 tb extra-virgin olive oil
25 ml (1 fl oz) sherry vinegar
1 t horseradish relish,
plus extra for serving
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Peel the beetroot and slice into pieces about 5 mm wide ( ¼ in). Heat the butter and extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan, add the beetroot and toss to coat in the oil and butter. Cook, covered, on a very low heat for about 1 hour. Keep checking to make sure it doesn’t catch and burn.
Add the vinegar and ju cover the beetroot with water and cook for a further 20 minutes. Remove from heat (do not drain), add the horseradish and purée in a food processor until it is very smooth. You will need to add 100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) to achieve the desired consiency. Season to tae. Refrigerate.
To serve Serve the soup well chilled in shot glasses, with a tiny dollop of horseradish relish on top.
Freshly Shucked Oyers with Wasabi, Soy & Leek Dressing
24 oyers, freshly shucked
3 leeks, white part only
4 sheets nori (seaweed)
1 lemon, quartered
Dressing
1 tube (about 40 g/1½ oz) prepared
wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
1 t sesame oil
1 tb soy sauce
1 tb hot water
150 ml (5 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
For the dressing Whisk together the wasabi, sesame oil, soy sauce and water, then gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil, whisking continuously until well incorporated.
For the leeks Cut the leeks in half vertically, then in half vertically again, then in half horizontally, to create small batons. Bring some salted water to the boil and blanch the leeks for a couple of minutes. Drain. Mix the leeks with half the dressing.
Serves 4
To serve Place some ice on a large shallow dish. Sprinkle with salt (this helps prevent the ice melting too quickly). Arrange the oysters in their shells on the ice, top with leeks and drizzle with remaining dressing. Garnish with roughly torn nori and lemon wedges.
Coconut Broth with Yabbies & Lime
1–1.5 litres (1 –2½ pt) fish ock
12 yabbies
1 lime
50 ml (1 fl oz) water
50 g (1 ¾ oz) sugar
Broth
50 g (1 ¾ oz) butter
100 g (3 ½ oz) shallots,
peeled and halved
50 g (1 ¾ oz) fish trimmings, flesh only
400 ml (13 fl oz) fish ock
400 ml (13 fl oz) coconut milk
100 g (3 ½ oz) coconut milk powder
1 kaffir lime leaf
Spice mix
1 t chilli flakes
1 t ground ginger
1 t garlic powder
1 t coriander seeds, ground
1 t ground lemon myrtle
To make the broth Melt butter in a pot and add shallots and fish trimmings and cook on low heat to seal without colouring. Add fish ock, coconut milk and powder, and the lime leaf and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and leave ock to infuse for 1 hour. Blend and then strain through a fine strainer and set aside.
For the yabbies Bring a saucepan of fish ock to the boil, put yabbies in for approximately 3 minutes or until the shells are pink. Plunge yabbies into iced water to refresh. Peel and discard everything except the tail. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Peel the skin off the lime and, using a sharp knife, remove the white pith and discard. Julienne the skin. Blanch in a little bit of boiling water, to remove any bitter tae. Juice the lime. Mix together water, sugar, lime juice and lime zest and boil in a small pan until sugar dissolves.
For the ice mix Combine spices together.
Serves 4
To serve Reheat the broth and lightly poach the yabbies until warm, but be careful not to overcook. Place a quarter of the ground spice mix in the middle of each bowl, and place 3 yabbies on top with a ladleful of broth. Garnish with lime zest and syrup.
Note In addition to the lime you can garnish with chopped coriander also.
Carrot Broth with Spices
1 t extra-virgin olive oil
4 shallots, finely sliced
1 tb butter
2 tb curry spice blend (buy a good one or make up your own using your choice of ground chilli, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, fenugreek)
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
800 ml (1 pint 10 fl oz) freshly
squeezed carrot juice
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and add the shallots. Cook until crisp, then drain on paper towel. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry spices and season. Pour on the carrot juice and bring to the boil. Remove from the stove and using a hand-held blender froth the soup for a few seconds.
Serves 4
To serve Pour broth into serving bowls and garnish with the shallots.
Cauliflower Soup
40 g (1 ½ oz) butter
2 onions, finely sliced
2 medium-sized cauliflowers, roughly chopped
1 litre (2 pints) milk
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
60 ml (2 fl oz) cream
½ bunch chives, finely chopped
truffle oil (optional)
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a gentle heat until soft, making sure it does not go brown. Add the cauliflower to the pan and cook, irring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Pour in enough milk to ju cover the vegetables ( you may not need the whole litre), bring to the boil and simmer for 20–30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is soft.
In a blender, purée the cauliflower mixture until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve if you want to make it velvety smooth (this is optional). Return to the saucepan, season, then add the cream and bring to the boil again.
Serves 6
To serve Drizzle with a little truffle oil and rinkle with chives.
Garlic & Rosemary Pizzas
Base
500 g (1 lb) plain flour
1 t sea salt
7 g dried yeast (1 sachet)
250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm water
Topping
1 head garlic
½ bunch (about 45 g/1 ½ oz) rosemary
100 g (3 ½ oz) grated parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
½ bunch rocket (about 2 handfuls)
juice of 2 lemons
extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 170° C (340° F). Cut the tip off the garlic and drizzle with olive oil, wrap up in foil and roast in oven for an hour, or until soft. Squeeze garlic out of skins and reserve until needed.
For pizza base Put flour in a bowl with salt and make a well in its centre. Dissolve yeast in the water, irring with a fork and pour into well. Slowly incorporate water and flour then, when a ball, remove from bowl and knead on a floured bench for at least 15 minutes or until smooth (alternatively, use the bread hook of a mixer). Let dough stand for approximately 30 minutes.
Pick leaves of rosemary from stems. Blanch half the leaves, and chop the rest . Wash rocket and remove any chunky stems. Increase oven heat to 220°C (425°F).
To make the pizza Roll dough into 6 balls. Roll these out flat with a rolling pin until the base is 3–4 mm ( ¼ in) thick. Spread roaed garlic on the base, rinkle with blanched rigs and chopped rosemary, then parmesan on top and season with salt and pepper. Put on a greased oven tray and cook until golden brown – approximately 5–10 minutes, but check conantly to ensure they are not overcooking.
Dress rocket with lemon juice and olive oil and scatter over the top.
Serves 6
To serve Cut each pizza into quarters and pile up on a platter, or serve individually on plates garnished with extra rocket.
Cream of Aaragus Soup
4 bunches (about 1 kg/2 lb) aaragus
2 onions
1 bunch (120 g/4 oz) English inach
2 potatoes
60 g (2 oz) butter
250 ml (1 cup) water
500 ml (2 cups) cream
sea salt
Chop tips from aaragus and set aside. Trim asparagus alks. Peel and roughly chop onions. Thoroughly wash the inach and drain. Peel and dice the potato into 2 cm ( ¾ in) cubes.
Melt butter in a large pan and cook the onion slowly – sweat it – until translucent. Add asparagus st alks, potato and water. Cover pan with lid and cook until vegetables are semi-soft, then add more water until vegetables are covered, bring to the boil with lid off and simmer gently until potato is soft.
Remove pan from the heat, add inach and ir through. Strain off the liquid and chill the vegetable mix with sufficient ice to st op it discolouring.
When cool, blend vegetable mix, slowly adding cream as you process, and season with salt to tae.
Serves 4–6
To serve Heat soup in a pan and when boiling add the asparagus tips. Continue to cook for a few minutes then ladle into your favourite bowl.
Notes It is very important to add ice to the cooked vegetables to st op them cooking otherwise the whole soup will be brown.
In winter put the soup bowls in the oven for a few minutes to take the chill off them before ladling in soup, and serve with a cruy loaf of bread.
You can use the same simple method to make soup with other vegetables, for example cauliflower, broccoli and bacon – add fried bacon as a garnish at the end.
Aaragus with Smoked Salmon Dip
200 g (7 oz) smoked salmon
2 tb sour cream
150 ml (5 fl oz) cream
juice of 1 lemon
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
4 bunches aaragus (about 1 kg/2 lb)
Blend smoked salmon in the food processor or chop it finely with a sharp knife. Mix salmon with the sour cream then slowly add the rest of the cream. Season with lemon juice, cayenne and paprika.
Hold the bottom and the middle of each aaragus spear and snap (it will snap where it is not woody), then blanch in boiling, salted water for 1 minute and refresh in iced water.
Serves 4–6
To serve Divide asparagus and salmon dip between plates.
Prawns with Dill Mayonnaise
12 large cooked prawns
1 cup diced mango
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful of dill sprigs
toaed sourdough bread or Melba toast
Mayonnaise
2 free-range egg yolks
2 t Dijon muard
2 t white wine vinegar
200 ml (7 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
4 tb chopped dill
To make the mayonnaise, place the yolks, muard and vinegar in a bowl and whisk until all combined.
Slowly whisk in olive oil until the mixture forms mayonnaise consiency. Stir through dill.
Peel and de-vein the prawns. Chop roughly. Combine the prawns, mango and mayonnaise and season to tae.
Serves 4
To serve Divide between plates garnished with extra dill rigs and offer toa .
Scallop & Chive Dumplings
200 g (7 oz) cod (blue-eye or other firm white fish)
300 g (10 ½ oz) rock salt
600 ml (20 fl oz) milk
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic
4 bay leaves
300 g (10 ½ oz) mashed potato
130 g (4 oz) scallops
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
nutmeg for grating
sea salt (optional)
1 packet round gow gee wrappers
Cover cod liberally with rock salt, leave for 30 minutes in the fridge and then rinse.
Heat milk with onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves until simmering. Skim the froth off the milk, place cod in the milk and simmer gently so the surface ju ticks over, for approximately 8 minutes or until fish is cooked.
Strain and keep poaching liquor but discard vegetables and bay. Blend fish with a little liquor and then pass through a sieve to make a cod purée.
Heat mash until warm and add to cod purée, then add sufficient poaching liquor to bring the consiency to that of a soft dough. Set aside to cool. Roughly dice the scallops and chop the chives and add to the fish mix when it is cool. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and a pinch of salt if you think it needs it.
Lay out wrappers on the bench and place 1 heaped teaoon of mix in the centre of each wrapper, brush the edges with a little water using a pastry brush and fold edges together in the centre, making sure the wrap is sealed well.
Steam for 4 minutes and serve warm.
Serves 4–6
Notes For a very elegant touch, blanch some long chives quickly then refresh them in cold water and tie around the top of the dumplings.
Dumplings can also be cooked quickly in boiling water or deep fried, but you should then use beaten egg to seal them and let them rest in the fridge before cooking.
Gow gee wrappers can be purchased from an oriental grocer and can be stored in the freezer before being defrosted and then kept in the refrigerator for use.
Mussels in Curry Dressing with Hot Mint
2 tb curry powder (buy a good blend or make up your own e.g. ground chilli, cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek)
3 tb red wine vinegar
120 ml (4 oz) extra-virgin olive oil
2 bunches Vietnamese mint
30 g (1 oz) butter
2 onions, sliced
1 ½ kg (3 lb) mussels, scrubbed clean and beards removed
200 ml (6 ½ fl oz) dry white wine
For the dressing Roa the curry powder by rinkling it into a small saucepan and cooking it over low heat until fragrant. Pour in the vinegar then whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil. Season and set aside.
For the garnish Remove the leaves of one bunch of Vietnamese mint (keep the st alks) and chop finely. Set aside.
For the mussels In a large saucepan, heat the butter. Add the onions and cook until soft, then add the mussels (discard any that have opened before cooking), the other bunch of Vietnamese mint plus the mint alks. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Add the white wine, put the lid on again and cook for a further few minutes. Lift the lid to check whether the mussels have opened.
If they have, remove them, and place in deep serving bowls. Keep cooking with the lid on until all the mussels have opened (discard any that do not open).
Serves 4
To serve When all the mussels are in bowls, strain the pan juices, 
oon plenty over the mussels, drizzle with curry dressing and rinkle with chopped mint.
Serve with cruy bread to mop up the juices.
Salmon Rillette
250 g (8 oz) salmon fillets
lash of white wine
pinch of mixed herbs
150 ml (5 fl oz) mayonnaise
2 tb finely chopped dill
1 t finely chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
40 g (1 ½ oz) mixed salad greens,
lightly dressed in vinaigrette
12 cornichons
4 slices brioche or sourdough bread
extra-virgin olive oil
For the salmon Remove any bones from the salmon. In a shallow pan, gently poach the salmon in water with a lash of white wine and herbs, to medium-rare (about 5 minutes). Remove from the pan and place in a large bowl.
For the rillette Using a fork, roughly flake the poached salmon, then fold in the mayonnaise, dill and chives. Season well.
Serves 4
To serve Spoon the rillette onto each plate in a neat mound. Place a small pile of salad next to the rillette and 3 cornichons next to that. Toast the bread, slice in half on the diagonal and place on the plates. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over and around the rillette.
Tuna with Wasabi Dressing
2 t wasabi
1 t sesame oil
1 tb soy sauce
1 tb hot water
150 ml (5 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
400 g (14 oz) sashimi-quality tuna
50 g (1 ¾ oz) ginger
3 shallots
Slowly mix wasabi, sesame oil, soy sauce and hot water together.
Then slowly whisk in olive oil.
Cut the tuna into 1 cm (1/3 in) thick slices and sear in a hot pan for a few seconds on each side.
Peel and julienne ginger; peel and thinly slice shallots. Shallow fry shallots until golden brown. Drain.
Serves 4–6
To serve Divide tuna slices between plates and rinkle ginger and shallots on top. Drizzle the dressing over.
Notes You can ask your fishmonger to slice the tuna for you.
For a more substantial dish, you could serve this with a rout salad or noodles but it is also nice ju to eat as a simple entrée.
You can also make a little herb salad for the side of the plate: mix parsley leaves, coriander leaves and baby rocket together and dress with a small amount of the dressing.
Seared Scallops with Wakame Seaweed, Witlof, Honey & Clove Dressing
100 g (3 ½ oz) Japanese eel, cut into 3 mm ( ¼ in) strips
3 witlof, julienned
3 red radishes, sliced thinly
100 g (3 ½ oz) baby watercress
100 g (3 ½ oz) large watercress
100 g (3 ½ oz) fresh wakame seaweed
18–24 scallops out of shell – no roe
Tahini dressing
50 g (1 ¾ oz) tahini paste
25 ml ( ¾ fl oz) lemon juice
50 ml (1 fl oz) water
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Honey and clove dressing
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) honey
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) chardonnay vinegar
5 whole cloves
300 ml ( ½ pt) water
200 ml (7 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
Sesame spice
20 g (1 tb) toaed ground nori
20 g (1 tb) toasted white sesame seeds
20 g (1 tb) toast ed black sesame seeds
10 g (2 t) toast ed bonito powder
For the tahini dressing Whisk tahini paste with lemon juice and water until dressing runs in a conant st ream – you may not need to use all the water. Season, strain and set aside.
For the honey and clove dressing Place honey and chardonnay vinegar in a saucepan with cloves and simmer until reduced by a third. Whisk in water then olive oil. Strain and put aside.
For the sesameice Mix ground nori, toaed white and black sesame seeds and bonito powder. Set aside.
Warm the eel rips, either in a low oven or microwave on low power. In a bowl mix the eel, witlof, radish, baby and large watercress and wakame seaweed, plus about a teaoon of the nori and sesame ices, with honey and clove dressing. Place in the centre of 6 plates. Sear the scallops in a very hot pan (use a little olive oil if necessary) and place these around the plate.
Drizzle tahini dressing over the top.
Serves 6
Blinis with Caviar (or Salmon)
Blinis
200 ml (6 ½ fl oz) milk
7 g ( ¼ oz) dry yeast (1 standard sachet)
150 g (5 oz) plain flour
pinch of sea salt
2 eggs, separated
½ tb extra-virgin olive oil
Topping
2 eggs, hard-boiled
2 tb sour cream
2 tb beluga caviar or salmon roe, or 6 slices of smoked salmon, cut into thirds
handful of watercress for garnish
For the blinis Heat the milk to blood temperature. Sprinkle in the yeast and mix.
In a big mixing bowl, place the flour and salt. Add the egg yolks and the yeast mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Place a damp tea towel over the top of the bowl and leave until batter doubles in size (at least half an hour).
Whisk or beat the egg whites until frothy and fold into the batter.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and ladle some mixture into the pan, to cover its base as thinly as you can (add more milk if mixture is too thick). Cook over a low heat until golden brown, then turn over to cook the other side for a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan and amp out the blinis with a pary cutter or the top of a glass (in circles of about 5 cm/2 in diameter).
Repeat with the remaining mixture.
For the topping Finely mash the boiled egg (even push it through a sieve for a perfectly smooth texture). Mix with the sour cream.
Makes about 18
To serve Spread the eggs over the blinis and top with a little caviar, salmon roe or smoked salmon (or top the smoked salmon with some caviar). Garnish with watercress and serve with champagne or arkling wine.
Salmon Sashimi with Soy, Ginger & Shallot Dressing & Japanese Cuard
200 g (6 ½ oz) sashimi-quality
salmon, sliced
pinch of sea salt
¼ bunch chives, finely chopped
extra-virgin olive oil
Cuard
1 tb dashi soup ock granules
250 ml (8 fl oz) water
1 t mirin
½ tb soy sauce
½ tb sake
2 free-range eggs
Dressing
50 g (1 ½ oz) shallots, finely chopped
50 g (1 ½ oz) ginger, finely chopped
1 tb soy sauce
splash of extra-virgin olive oil
For the custards Preheat the oven to 130 
C (260 F). Bring the dashi and water to the boil. Remove from heat and add the mirin, soy sauce and sake. Cool to room temperature.
Whisk the eggs then whisk them into the dashi liquid. Strain and pour into 4 ¼-cup dariole moulds. (You can use ramekins.) Cover the moulds with aluminium foil, sit in a baking dish with hot water to come about 1 cm ( ½ in) up the moulds. Bake for 1 ¼ hours, or until ju set. Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the dressing Mix together the shallots and ginger and leave for 1 hour for the flavours to infuse. Add the soy sauce and a little olive oil – ju enough to make a pae consiency. Set aside.
Serves 4
To serve Unmould the cuards on to serving plates by running a hot knife around the edge to loosen the custard. Fan the salmon slices around the cu ard in a half-moon shape, season lightly with sea salt, and spread over some dressing. Sprinkle with chives and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Salt & Pepper Calamari
blended vegetable oil for deep frying
600 g (20 oz) calamari tubes
150 g (5 oz) flour
50 g (1 ¾ oz) sea salt, ground
50 g (1 ¾ oz) freshly ground pepper
Fill a large saucepan with oil and heat to 180 C (350 F).
Pat majority of moiure from the calamari. Cut down the side of each tube, flatten out and score outside with a dinner knife 2 mm (1/8 in) deep, in a criss-cross fashion. Slice into 2 cm x 4 cm ( ¾ in x 1 ½ in) pieces. Mix salt and pepper into flour and dust calamari pieces. Shake off excess flour and deep-fry calamari strips until golden and they start to twist .
Drain on kitchen paper and serve with half a fat lemon.
Serves 6
Note You can also serve this calamari with a dipping sauce made up of 1 part soy sauce to 2 parts olive oil.
Raw Tuna with Curry Dressing
250 g (8 oz) sashimi-quality tuna
sea salt to tae
2 sheets nori, julienned
1 bunch chives, chopped
finely (about 60 g/2 oz)
Curry dressing
50 g (1 ¾ oz) coriander seeds
50 g (1 ¾ oz) cumin seeds
50 g (1 ¾ oz) fennel seeds
10 g (1/3 oz) chilli seeds (hot)
15 g ( ½ oz) ground turmeric
15 g ( ½ oz) ground cinnamon
2 whole cloves
10 cardamom pods
250 ml (8 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) cabernet
sauvignon vinegar
Begin preparations the day before you want to serve this dish.
Combine all the spices using a mortar and pele with 50 ml (1 fl oz) of the olive oil. Pound into a pae. In a heavy-based pot, dry fry paste over medium heat irring conantly for 3 minutes. Add remainder of olive oil and bring to boil. Remove from heat and set aside to infuse overnight, before passing through a fine sieve.
To make curry dressing Pour vinegar into a bowl and whisk in the curry oil. Season to tae.
Serves 6
To serve Slice the tuna thinly and divide between plates, slightly overlapping slices, and season. Drizzle the tuna with the dressing, rinkle with julienned nori and chives.
Seared Scallops with Blue Cheese Polenta & Shiitake Mushrooms
50 g (2 oz) shiitake mushrooms
extra-virgin olive oil
12 medium–large scallops, roe removed
handful of watercress for garnish
truffle oil (optional)
Polenta
900 ml (1 pint 14 fl oz) water
pinch of sea salt
200 g (6 ½ oz) inst ant polenta
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) cream
100 g (3 ½ oz) blue cheese (e.g. Stilton)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the polenta In a saucepan combine a pinch of sea salt and water and bring to the boil. Pour in the polenta in a gradual steady st ream, irring conantly, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, then crumble in the blue cheese and ir until melted through. Season to tae.
For the shiitake mushrooms Finely slice the mushrooms and blanch them in boiling salted water for about 30 seconds. Drain.
For the seared scallops Ju before the polenta is ready, heat a heavy-based frying pan and add a little extra-virgin olive oil. When hot, add the scallops and cook until they are only ju turning white, turning them once. The scallops will take less than a couple of minutes. Take care not to overcook them.
Serves 4
To serve Divide the polenta among 4 serving plates and flatten out a little with a knife. Top the polenta with a small pile of watercress, rinkle the shiitake mushrooms on top and arrange the scallops around the watercress. Drizzle with a little truffle oil (optional).
Serve with champagne or arkling wine.
Yamba Prawn Tortellini
1 fresh corn cob
250 g (8 oz) prawn meat (peeled, tails and heads removed and deveined)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch sage (about 60 g/2 oz)
18 gow gee wrappers
Corn purée
2 shallots
knob of butter
50 ml (1 fl oz) white wine
1 yellow capsicum, chopped
2 x 425 g (14 oz) cans corn kernels
1 litre (1. pt) milk
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Sauce vierge
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) fish ock
100 g (3 ½ oz) butter
1 tb lemon juice
2 t capers
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 t each of finely chopped
flat-leaf parsley, chervil, lemon thyme
For the corn purée Peel shallots and finely chop them. Melt butter in a large saucepan and soften shallots gently in the butter. Add wine and allow to boil until reduced by half. Add chopped capsicum and canned corn, cover with milk and cook for 30 minutes. Strain vegetables, blend them together and season to tae.
Cook the fresh corn in salted boiling water. Once cooked slice the kernels from the cob. Chop prawn meat into 1 cm ( ½ in) cubes. Season prawn meat and mix with fresh corn kernels. Add 50 g (1 ¾ oz) of corn purée and mix to combine. Chop sage leaves and add to mixture. Place oonfuls of the mix on gow gee wrappers, then fold in half so wrapper resembles a half moon. Stick the edges together by moiening with a little water. Now fold this semi-circle in half again, so the two edges on the flat side overlap. Stick down with a little water. Put tortellini aside.
To make sauce vierge Heat fish ock, add butter. Let butter melt, then add lemon juice and capers. Season to tae and add fresh herbs.
Serves 6
To serve Cook tortellini in boiling water for 5 minutes. Put a tableoon of corn purée on each plate and put 3 tortellini on top. Spoon sauce over.
Tempura Zucchini Flowers
18 zucchini flowers
rocket leaves
Tempura batter
200 g (7 oz) cornflour
100 g (3 ½ oz) plain flour
1 tb sea salt
300 ml (10 fl oz) lemon juice
iced water
Stuffing
350 g (12 oz) soft goat’s cheese
200 ml (7 fl oz) cream
30 g (1 oz) pitted green olives, chopped
30 g (1 oz) preserved lemon
rind
For the batter Mix flours and salt in a bowl and make a well.
Slowly incorporate lemon juice in centre making a pae initially, then add iced water until batter is a thin, pouring consiency.
To makeuffing Soften goat’s cheese by mixing it and slowly combining with the cream. Add chopped olives and lemon. Put mix into piping bag.
Take centres out of the flowers, pipe mix into the centres and pinch the top together. Refrigerate until the cheese is hard again. Coat with batter and deep fry in hot oil (180°C/350°F) until crispy.
Serves 6
To serve Divide between plates with a few rocket leaves.
Notes You can buy preserved lemon from most good delis or ecialty ores.
If zucchini flowers are out of season use the stuffing mix to fill a tart, with the addition of eggs.
Smoked Salmon & Jerusalem Artichoke Salad
200 g (6 ½ oz) Jerusalem
artichokes, grated
½ bunch watercress
200 g (6 ½ oz) smoked salmon
Dressing
2 tb red wine or sherry vinegar
4 tb extra-virgin olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing Combine all ingredients. Shake or whisk well.
For the Jerusalem artichoke salad Mix the artichokes and watercress, add the dressing and toss well.
Serves 4
To serve Lay the smoked salmon slices around the outside of a large serving plate, leaving a ace in the middle. Pile the salad in the centre. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.
Warm Leek, Tomato, Red Capsicum & Sage Salad
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
2 red capsicums
8 sage leaves, finely sliced
1 tb red wine vinegar
1 tb extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white part only
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the tomatoes and capsicums Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Cut the tomatoes into 6–8 wedges, place them in a shallow ovenproof dish and bake for 30–40 minutes.
Cut the capsicums into large pieces as flat as possible, removing the seeds and core. Place the pieces under a hot griller, skin-side up and close to the flame. Cook until the skin goes black and bliered (about 10 minutes). Put the pieces in a plaic bag and seal tightly. Leave for 5 minutes. Remove the capsicum and rub the skin off with your fingers. Slice finely.
When the tomatoes are well roasted, place in a bowl and add the capsicum strips and half the sage.
Add the vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil and toss well. Set aside.
For the leeks Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, in halves lengthwise again, then in halves horizontally, to form short batons.
Drop into the boiling water and blanch for a couple of minutes. Drain.
Serves 4
To serve Place a pile of leeks on each plate, then carefully oon a mound of tomato and capsicum mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining sage and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Season.
Fig & Blue Cheese Salad
2 witlof, cut in half lengthwise
1 bunch (60 g/2 oz) chives
2 icks celery
1 punnet (90 g/3 oz) watercress
1 cup (30 g/1 oz) white celery leaves
2 fresh figs
160 g (5 oz) blue cheese (e.g. Stilton)
Dressing
3 figs
½ tb butter
2 egg yolks
50 ml (1 fl oz) red wine vinegar
50 ml (1 fl oz) hazelnut oil
50 ml (1 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
To make the dressing Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Slit the tops of 3 figs and uff with butter. Wrap figs in foil and bake in oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile whisk egg yolks and vinegar together until the mixture arts to thicken. Combine oils and slowly whisk oils into the yolks. Peel the figs, discard skin, roughly chop the flesh and add it to the dressing.
Chop the st alks off the witlof and chop chives into 2–3 cm ( ¾ in) lengths.
Chop the celery in 4 mm ( ¼ in) thick slices on an angle. Mix all these together in a bowl with the watercress and celery leaves and gently toss through 2 tableoons of the dressing.
Serves 4
To serve Break up figs, allowing half per person on each entrée plate. Using both hands delicately arrange salad on top of fig, then crumble a quarter of the cheese on each plate and drizzle remaining dressing over the whole salad.
Note You can vary the cheese you use in this salad. Although any blue vein will do, I think it would also be good with gorgonzola, and something like Italian fontina would produce a different effect .
Watercress, Witlof, Pearl Barley & Blue Cheese Salad
200 g (6 ½ oz) pearl barley, soaked in water for 24 hours
200 g (6 ½ oz) blue cheese (e.g. Stilton)
½ bunch watercress
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) sherry vinegar
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) walnut oil
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large witlof
1 red capsicum
For the pearl barley Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Drain the pearl barley, then rinse well under running water. Add to the boiling water and simmer for 1 hour, or until soft. Drain well and cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the pearl barley, crumbled blue cheese and watercress.
For the dressing Combine the vinegar, walnut oil and extra-virgin olive oil and shake or whisk well. Add to the pearl barley mixture and toss well.
For the witlof Separate the witlof ears, and cut each one in half vertically. Sprinkle on the base of a large serving plate.
For the capsicum Cut the red capsicum into small diamond shapes, about 1 cm ( ½ in) across. Set aside.
Serves 4–6
To serve Pile the pearl barley mixture on top of the witlof, and rinkle the plate with the red capsicum pieces.
Grilled Quail with Campari Jelly
6 jumbo quail, butterflied
Jelly
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) Campari
2 tb sugar syrup
50 ml (1 fl oz) orange juice
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) tonic water
10 g (1/3 oz) allice powder
3 gelatine leaves
1 cup (250 ml/8 fl oz) water
Salad
100 g (3 ½ oz) shiitake mushrooms, fresh
20 g ( oz) ginger
250 g (8 oz) firm tofu, diced into 1 cm ( ½ in) pieces
1 bunch chervil, leaves picked off and washed (about 60 g/2 oz)
To make the jelly Mix Campari, syrup, orange juice, tonic water and allice powder. Soak gelatine leaves in water until soft. Heat 50 ml (1 fl oz) of the Campari mixture and add gelatine.
Dissolve over a gentle heat. Add to re of Campari mix, pour into a 250 ml glass (or similar) container and chill to set as a jelly.
For the salad Pan fry the shiitake mushrooms and allow to cool. Blanch the ginger in boiling water three times and then cut into julienne st rips.
To make salad, mix all ingredients.
Grill the quail for 4 minutes either side. Re in a warm area for a few minutes.
Serves 6
To serve Put a tablespoon of jelly on each plate, top this with a serving of salad, then put quail on top.
Note If fresh shiitake mushrooms are unavailable you can use the dried ones, ju follow inructions for rehydration.
Chicken Liver Pâté with Preserved Orange & Rocket
The preserved orange needs overnight refrigeration and is optional.
Pâté
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) port
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) red wine
½ bunch thyme, leaves only
8 peppercorns
240 g (7 ½ oz) chicken livers
250 g (8 oz) clarified butter
3 free-range eggs
1 egg yolk
250 ml (8 fl oz) chicken ock
Preserved oranges
4 navel oranges
3 tb sea salt
200 g (6 ½ oz) sugar
2 tb treacle
60 ml (2 fl oz) sherry vinegar
250 ml (8 fl oz) water
4 ar anise, broken up
12 peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
12 cloves, crushed
pinch of nutmeg, grated or ground
1 tb sherry vinegar
2 tb extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch rocket
6 or so slices brioche, toaed
For the pâté Combine the port, red wine, thyme and peppercorns in a small pan. Simmer until reduced by half. Strain and cool.
Preheat oven to 110°C (225°F). Bring livers, butter, eggs and yolk to room temperature. Place in a food processor, add the port reduction, and blend well. Push mixture through a sieve. Pour into ½-cup ramekins. Sit the ramekins in a baking tray in 1 cm ( ½ in) of hot water and bake for about 35 minutes, or until pâté feels firm when you gently tap its top. Cool.
Simmer chicken ock until reduced by half. Pour a little ock on top of the pâté to seal and place the ramekins in the fridge to chill.
For the preserved oranges Prick the oranges with a fork. Roll them in salt. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, drop the oranges in and boil for 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.
Quarter the oranges, leaving the skin on but removing the pips.
In a large saucepan, bring to the boil the sugar, treacle, sherry vinegar, water, star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Drop the orange quarters into the syrup and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Cool. Store oranges with their syrup in st erilised, sealed jars. Keeps for about 6 months.
For the dressing Whisk together the sherry vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil and toss the rocket in the dressing.
Serves 6
To serve Place the ramekins of pâté on serving plates, add a slice of toasted brioche, a small handful of rocket and a little preserved orange (optional).
Roaed Duck Breast with Chenut Salad & Dijon and Miso Dressing
2 muscovy duck breas
25 g ( ¾ oz) brown sugar
25 g ( ¾ oz) Szechwan peppercorns
25 g ( ¾ oz) rock salt
Salad
1 large turnip, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
100 g (3 ½ oz) chenuts, roaed and peeled
1 nashi pear, peeled, halved, cored and sliced into 0.5 cm (. in) sticks
1 bunch baby watercress (about 60 g/2 oz)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
1 tb miso paste (red)
30 g (1 oz) Dijon muard
2 t sherry vinegar
125 ml (4 fl oz) water
150 ml (5 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
Ask butcher to trim duck breas. Mix sugar, pepper and rock salt and cover duck breas. Wrap in plaic film and refrigerate for 2 hours. Wash salt mix off and pat breas dry.
For the dressing Put miso pae, muard and sherry vinegar in a bowl. Slowly add half the water, until mixture is consiency of soup. Slowly whisk in olive oil until incorporated. Heat remaining water and add to dressing. Season.
For the salad Blanch turnip and place in bowl with chenuts, pear and watercress. Season and dress with sufficient dressing to moien, but reserving some dressing.
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Place duck breas skin side down in cold pan and heat over low heat until skin has cried. Put into oven with other side uppermost for 3 minutes.
Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.
Serves 6
To serve Divide salad between plates. Slice breas and arrange on top of salad, then oon reserved dressing over everything.
Quail with Zucchini, Basil, Pine Nuts & Currants
4 quails (boned, but leaving on wings and drumicks)
½ bunch (30 g/1 oz) thyme
ze of 1 lemon
extra-virgin olive oil
4 small zucchini
50 g (1 ¾ oz) butter
4 tb (80 g/2 ¾ oz) currants, soaked in port for at least 30 minutes
½ bunch (45 g/1 ½ oz) basil
2 tb (60 g/2 oz) pine nuts, lightly toasted
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Rub quail with a mixture of thyme, lemon ze and enough olive oil to ensure the marinade coats the birds. Leave to rest for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
Grate zucchini. Melt butter in a pan and cook zucchini gently until softened. Add currants, the torn leaves of two-thirds of the basil (reserve re for garnish) and pine nuts. Season.
Drain mo of the oil from quail.
Heat a pan until very hot and fry quail for 2–3 minutes on each side, then set birds aside to rest for 3 minutes.
Serves 4
To serve Place a mound of zucchini mixture on each plate, cut quail into quarters and sit the pieces on top. Garnish with extra basil and drizzle with olive oil.
Notes Quail is a tay bird but it is important not to overcook it, or it will be tough. Instead of frying, try grilling the quail on a barbecue, or use a hot plate on the barbecue. You can also bake them in a very hot oven.
Try to create height when serving, for a dramatic effect .
Tempura of Quail, Wasabi & Sesame, Daikon, Watercress and Carrot
6 jumbo quail
100 g (3 ½ oz) brown sugar
100 g (3 ½ oz) rock salt
6 nori sheets
plain flour for duing
2 litres cottonseed oil (or similar light vegetable oil)
Tempura batter
200 g (7 oz) cornflour
150 g plain flour
2 egg yolks
pinch of sea salt
200 ml (7 fl oz) lime juice
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) lemon juice
125 ml (5 fl oz) iced water
Dressing
5 tubes wasabi
1 tb sesame oil
60 ml (2 fl oz) soy sauce
600 ml (20 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
60 ml (2 fl oz) hot water
Salad
2 carrots
1 daikon radish
30 g (1 oz) butter
50 g (1 ¾ oz) honey
30 g (1 oz) sesame seeds
pinch of sea salt
1 punnet baby watercress (about 90 g/3 oz)
Mix the brown sugar and rock salt together in a large bowl then cover the quail with this mixture for 15 minutes, to cure. Portion each quail into 4 pieces – 2 legs and 2 breas. Brush the flat nori sheet with water and cut into quarters. Wrap each quail piece in nori.
To make the batter Put flours, egg yolks and salt in a bowl. Slowly add the citrus juices and water till pouring cream consiency. Strain through a coarse sieve.
Flour quail pieces, dip in batter and deep-fry in a wok or wok-based pan in preheated hot oil for approximately 2–3 minutes.
Re the quail in a warm place.
To make the dressing Squeeze the wasabi into a bowl. Whisk with sesame oil. Once combined, whisk in soy sauce. Once this has been combined whisk in olive oil, then hot water. Pour into 6 ramekins.
For the salad Peel carrot and daikon with a peeler into rips until the core is reached. Discard the core. In a pan heat butter, honey and sesame seeds until the sauce ‘froths’, add vegetable strips and quickly cook enough to soften them. Season and put into a bowl; mix through the baby watercress whilst vegetables are ill hot.
Serves 6
To serve Reheat quail by plunging in hot oil for 1 minute and slice. Arrange quail, salad and dressing in a triangular pattern on plates.
Note This makes a good amount of dressing which is fantaic on salads as well. It can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
Persian Fetta & Rocket Tartlets
200 g (7 oz) savoury pary
50 g (2 oz) rocket
Filling
200 g (7 oz) Persian fetta
2 large eggs, beaten
2 dollops (1 tb) Greek yoghurt
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Rocket peo
90 g (3 oz) rocket
½ bunch (about 60 g/2oz)
English inach
1 tb grated parmesan
1 tb toasted pine nuts
sea salt
juice of 1 lemon
50 ml (1 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease tartlet shells. Roll out pary on a chilled and floured workbench (see Notes). Roll pary back onto the pin and place on top of the shells.
Mould pary to shells and trim around the edges, then prick the base of pastry with a fork. Place moulds in freezer for about 10–15 minutes (this will st op pastry shrinking when you cook it).
Bake in oven for 10 minutes.
Cool on the bench and st ore in airtight container until ready for use.
Decrease the oven temperature to 175°C (345°F).
To make the rocket peo Wash and pick any chunky alks off the inach and rocket. Blanch half the rocket and all of the inach. Blend all ingredients except for oil, then add oil slowly, continuing to blend (if you add it too fast the pest o may separate).
Check for seasoning: it may need a little more lemon juice and salt.
To make the filling Smash fetta with back of a oon, add beaten eggs and combine, slowly mix through yoghurt and season to tae. Spoon into the baked pary cases and cook for 4 minutes.
Makes 15–20 small tartlets
To serve Put warm tartlets on plates with a drizzle of rocket peo on top. Garnish with rocket leaves.
Notes Rocket peo is also great as a dressing on salads or potatoes.
To chill a bench, fill a baking tray with ice and cold water and put tray on the bench for a few minutes: the bench will cool down and will be a suitable surface for working with pary.
Zucchini, Red Onion & Basil Tarts
pary for 4 savoury tartlet cases, about 10 cm (4 in) diameter ( or use frozen shortcrust pary)
handful of dried beans or rice
4 small zucchini, finely sliced
4 small red onions, peeled
and quartered
8 basil leaves, finely sliced
20 black olives, pitted
2 tb balsamic vinegar
2 tb extra-virgin olive oil,
plus extra to drizzle
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
For the tartlet cases Lay the pary into moulds and, using your fingers, gently press the pary into shape.
Trim the overhanging pastry with a sharp knife. Blind bake the tarts by cutting a piece of baking paper to about the size of the tartlet. Weigh down with a few dried beans or rice (this is to prevent the pary from shrinking too much). Place in the oven for about 5 minutes.
Remove the beans or rice and baking paper, and return the tartlets to the oven for about another 5–7 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
For the filling Turn the oven down to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, onions, half the basil, the olives, balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.
Transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish and bake for 15–20 minutes.
Return the tart cases to the oven ju before the vegetables are ready.
Serves 4
To serve Spoon the vegetable mixture evenly into the tart cases, rinkle over the remaining basil and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Mini Burgers with Beetroot Relish
Burgers
400 g (14 oz) good-quality minced beef
1 small onion, diced
1 egg
200 g (7 oz) breadcrumbs
sea salt
1 iceberg lettuce
Beetroot relish
40 g (2 tb) butter
20 ml (1 tb) honey
250 g (8 oz) raw grated beetroot
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
pinch of ground allspice
pinch of ground nutmeg
10 ml (2 t) sherry
50 ml (1. fl oz) water
60 ml (2 fl oz) vinegar
For the relish Melt butter, dissolve honey in it and heat until caramelised and golden brown. Add grated beetroot and cook for 2 minutes, then add spices and sherry and cook for a few minutes longer. Add water and vinegar and continue to cook until beetroot is still a little crunchy.
Mix all burger ingredients together and roll into 12 balls. Flatten them out with your hand slightly.
Cook burgers in a frying pan, or under a hot griller, until cooked to tae.
Serves 6
To serve On each plate nest le two burgers in individual iceberg lettuce leaves, like little cups, with some beetroot relish on top.
Notes For hungrier people, or for lunch, make big burgers: ju make the patties larger and serve on a damper roll with the beetroot relish.
Leftover relish can be stored in a erilised jar in the fridge.
BBQ Beef Fillet with Horseradish
2 bunches baby beetroot
(about 250 g/8 oz)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
50 ml (1. fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
30 ml (1 fl oz) chardonnay vinegar
½ bunch (about 45 g/1 ½ oz) tarragon
sea salt
2 tb horseradish relish
200 g (7 oz) sour cream
500 g (1 lb) beef fillet
freshly ground black pepper
90 g (3 oz) baby cress or watercress
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Try to select beetroots that are about the same size so they cook evenly. Cut the green tops off the beets and scrub with a scourer (you may want to use gloves) to remove all dirt. Thinly slice the garlic with a sharp knife and toss it with beets along with half of the olive oil and all the vinegar. Put beets in a baking tray and cover tightly with foil. Cook in oven for 30 minutes, then check to see if they are cooked:
they will be ready when a knife goes through them easily. When they are cooked and still warm cut in half and toss them with the chopped tarragon and remaining oil. Season with salt.
Mix horseradish relish and sour cream together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Season the beef fillet with salt and cracked black pepper and seal all sides on a hot barbecue or on a stovetop in a heavy-based cast-iron dish. Using a very sharp knife thinly slice the beef into slices 4–5 mm ( ¼ in) thick and flatten out, very thinly, with the back of your knife. If slices are large, cut in half or quarters.
Serves 6
To serve Arrange a few slices of beef and beet halves on each plate, drizzle horseradish dressing over, scatter with cress and serve.
Rabbit Tarts with Polenta & Shiitake Mushrooms
4 rabbit fillets (or 2 chicken fillets)
1 t soy sauce
1 t sesame oil
pary for 4 savoury tartlet cases about
10 cm (4 in) diameter (
or use frozen shortcrust pastry)
handful of dried beans or rice
250 ml (8 fl oz) chicken
ock
2 cm (1 in) piece of ginger,
peeled and halved
500 ml (1 pint) milk
100 g (3 ½ oz) inst ant polenta
50 ml (1 ½ fl oz) cream
50 g (1 ½ oz) Grana Parmigiana, grated
12 fresh shiitake
mushrooms, quartered
chives, finely chopped,
for garnish (optional)
Marinate the rabbit fillets in the soy and sesame oil for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
For the tartlet cases Lay the pary into moulds and, using your fingers, gently press the pary into shape.
Trim the overhanging pastry with a sharp knife. Cut pieces of baking paper big enough to sit inside the cases, pour on a few beans or rice and blind bake the cases for about 5 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 5–7 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
For the sauce Pour the ock into a small saucepan with the ginger pieces.
Cook over medium heat to reduce slightly and allow the ginger to infuse.
Remove the ginger pieces and set aside.
For the polenta Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan and pour in the polenta in a steady stream, irring continuously. Turn the heat down to very low and ir for about 5 minutes, then ir in the cream and cheese.
Turn off the heat, put a lid on to keep the polenta warm, and set aside.
Return the pary cases to the oven on a low heat (120°C or 250°F) to warm through.
Meanwhile, for the rabbit On a char-grill or in a hot frying pan, cook the rabbit over high heat for 2–5 minutes. Remove from heat and rest .
In the same pan, sauté the mushrooms for a couple of minutes.
Serves 4
To serve Spoon some polenta into the warm tartlet cases to cover the base. Slice the rabbit (thickness of 3–5 mm/ 
in) and arrange on top of the polenta, overlapping the slices. Arrange a handful of mushroom on top of the rabbit and around the plates, and drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with chives (optional).
Braised Suckling Pig
1.5 kg (3 lb) pork belly
200 g (7 oz) rock salt
200 g (7 oz) brown sugar
50 g (1 ¾ oz) ar anise
1 cucumber
50 g (1 ¾ oz) table salt
1 green mango
1 cup Vietnamese mint leaves
1 cup coriander
Stock
5 litres (8 pt) veal ock
1 litre (1. pt) duck ock
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
50 g (1 ¾ oz) ground cinnamon
Mix rock salt, sugar and st ar anise together. Coat pork belly with this mixture and leave for 2 hours. Wash coating off but retain star anise.
To make theock Bring all ock ingredients to the boil in a large pot and add star anise, put pork in and cook with lid on for 4 hours or until pork is tender. Retain ock.
Remove pork from pot and discard sinew, cartilage and fat. Chill pork in fridge. When cool cut into triangles weighing about 100 g (3 ½ oz) each.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Heat a frying pan and seal each triangle on the side that had the fat on it until golden brown. Put triangles into an ovenproof dish with their unsealed sides facing up, and add sufficient ock to keep pork moist but do not cover the top of the meat.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes to glaze the top of the pork. The liquid should have reduced to a sauce.
Peel and de-seed the cucumber, and julienne it into 10 cm (4 in) lengths.
Cover the cucumber with table salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse salt off and drain cucumber. Peel the mango and grate its flesh, and mix with cucumber and torn mint leaves.
Serves 4–6
To serve Place cucumber mix in the centre of individual serving bowls or plates. Put pork on top and spoon the sauce over the pork.
Garnish with coriander sprigs.