FISH GLAZE
Cottonseed oil (for deep-frying)
2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) bones from any white fish
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) prawn heads
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) smoked pork hock
Half-fill a saucepan with oil and heat to 185°C (365°F). Working in batches, fry the fish bones until golden and crisp. Put the fried fish bones, prawn heads and smoked pork hock into a very large stockpot and cover with 5 litres (175 fl oz) cold water. Slowly bring to a simmer, being careful not to boil or the stock will be cloudy. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid to ensure maximum flavour. Simmer for 8–10 hours, then pass through a fine strainer. Return to low heat and simmer until reduced by three-quarters. The stock should remain clear.
STORE: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
PASTA DOUGH
11 egg yolks
250 g (9 oz) 00 flour, plus extra for flouring
1 teaspoon olive oil
A pinch of salt
Using a food processor, blitz all ingredients together until the mixture looks like wet breadcrumbs. Remove from the processor and work the dough on a floured kitchen bench until smooth and elastic. Allow to rest for at least 2 hours before rolling through your pasta machine.
STORE: Wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge for up to 4 hours.
NOTE: Save the egg whites to make Mum’s roses. You can freeze the rose petals with the egg whites in an airtight container and the egg whites will take on their flavour.
SUGAR SYRUP
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) white sugar
100 g (3½ oz) glucose
Put the sugar and glucose with 1 litre (35 fl oz) water in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves – make sure the sugar has dissolved before the water comes to the boil.
STORE: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
SORBET BASE
2.1 kg (4 lb 11½ oz) fine cane sugar
910 g (2 lb) glucose
35 g (1¼ oz) trimoline or sorbet stabiliser
Put 2 litres (70 fl oz) water in a large saucepan with the sugar, glucose and trimoline. Heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring once or twice. Cool before refrigerating.
STORE: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
FRESH MILK SKIN
1 litre (35 fl oz) full-fat cow’s milk
Put the milk in a shallow baking tray and heat on the stovetop until beginning to steam. Reduce the heat to low and leave to form a skin. Discard the first skin as it will be very fragile and continue to cook until a second skin forms. Using a palette knife or small blade, loosen the skin from the sides of the tray and gently lift onto a plate lined with oiled plastic wrap to cool. Continue to make and lift off more skins as they form.
STORE: Between layers of baking paper in the fridge for up to 2 days.
DRIED MILK SKIN
1 litre (35 fl oz) full-fat cow’s milk
Make fresh milk skin using the method above. Place the skin onto oiled baking paper and then dry overnight in the oven on the lowest possible setting.
STORE: In an airtight container in a dry place for up to 1 week.
PICKLED GARLIC
300 ml (10½ fl oz) white wine vinegar
100 g (3½ oz) white cane sugar
30 garlic cloves, peeled
3 cloves
3 star anise
6 black peppercorns
Put the vinegar and sugar into a saucepan with 1 litre (35 fl oz) water and bring to a simmer. Add the garlic cloves and spices. Remove from the heat and leave to steep until cool. Bottle the garlic in the pickling liquid.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge or a cool place for up to 6 months.
TOASTED GARLIC OIL
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) garlic, peeled
2 litres (70 fl oz) cottonseed oil
Finely mince the garlic in a blender. Heat the oil to 185°C (365°F) and fry the garlic until crisp and golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and drain on kitchen paper. Once the oil and garlic have cooled, combine the two in an airtight jar.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 months.
PINE OIL
5 handfuls fresh, young, green pine needles from the tree
1 litre (35 fl oz) cottonseed oil
Bruise the pine needles to release their essential oils and add to the cottonseed oil.
STORE: In an airtight jar for up to 6 months.
NOTE: You can use spruce instead of pine needles.
BEETROOT VINEGAR
1 litre (35 fl oz) beetroot juice
250 ml (9 fl oz) white wine vinegar
2 star anise
6 juniper berries
6 black peppercorns
Combine the ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and leave to steep until cool, then bottle.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge or a cool place for up to 1 year.
ELDERFLOWER VINEGAR
450 g (1 lb) honey or 1.35 kg (3 lb 1 oz) white cane sugar
75 ml (2¼ fl oz) cider vinegar
7–8 elderflower heads with flowers
Dissolve the honey in 1 litre (35 fl oz) boiling water. Add 3 litres (105 fl oz) cold water and the vinegar and elderflower heads. Store in a demi-john (found at your local home brew supply store). Allow 2 weeks for the fermentation process to take place.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge or a cool place for up to 1 year.
VINEGAR OF BARLEY GRAIN
1.35 kg (3 lb 1 oz) white sugar
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) toasted barley grain
75 ml (2¼ fl oz) apple cider vinegar
5 g (1/8 oz) bread yeast
Dissolve the sugar in 1 litre (35 fl oz) boiling water. Add 3 litres (105 fl oz) cold water and the toasted barley and cider vinegar. Once the mixture has cooled to blood temperature, add the yeast. Store in a demi-john (found at your local home brew supply store). The mix needs to be fermented between 18 and 24°C (64 and 75°F). Allow 2 weeks for the initial fermentation process to take place. You have now made barley wine.
The next stage is to allow the mix to continue to ferment for at least another 4 weeks or until the ferment has become vinegar. Once fermentation is finished, strain your vinegar and bottle for use.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge or a cool place for up to 1 year.
CHERRY VINEGAR
500 ml (17 fl oz) fresh cherry juice
80 g (23/4 oz) caster sugar
20 ml (1 fl oz) apple cider vinegar
Place the juice, sugar and vinegar in a pan and heat to 24°C (75°F). Pour into a demi-john. Cut a small square of cloth and tie over the top of the demi-john. Ferment the vinegar between 18 and 24°C (64 and 75°F) for at least 6 weeks.
FENNEL SALT
2 handfuls of wild fennel
200 g (7 oz) salt flakes
Pick the fennel fronds from the stems and place in a food processor with the salt. Blend until fine. Place on a tray and dry out in a warm kitchen for a couple of days. Once totally dry, store in an airtight container.
PUFFED BARLEY
300 g (10½ oz) barley
1 litre (35 fl oz) cottonseed oil (for deep-frying)
Put the barley in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for about 1 hour until the grain cracks. Strain and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 85°C (185°F). Spread the barley on baking trays and dry in the oven for 2 hours. Heat the oil in a saucepan to 185°C (365°F) and deep-fry the barley in batches until it is puffed and golden. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
STORE: In an airtight container in a dry place for up to 6 days.
PUFFED AMARANTH
300 g (10½ oz) amaranth
1 litre (35 fl oz) cottonseed oil (for deep-frying)
Put the amaranth in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for about 40 minutes until soft and tender. Strain. Preheat the oven to 85°C (185°F). Spread the amaranth on baking trays and dry in the oven for 2 hours. Heat the oil in a saucepan to 185°C (365°F) and deep-fry the amaranth until puffed and golden. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
STORE: In an airtight container in a dry place for up to 6 days.
PUFFED RYE
300 g (10½ oz) rye
1 litre (35 fl oz) cottonseed oil (for deep-frying)
Put the rye in a pan of boiling water and cook for about 1 hour until the grain cracks. Strain. Preheat the oven to 85°C (185°F). Spread the rye on baking trays and dry in the oven for 2 hours. Heat the oil in a saucepan to 185°C (365°F) and fry the rye until puffed and golden. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
STORE: In an airtight container in a dry place for up to 6 days.
PUFFED SORGHUM
300 g (10½ oz) sorghum
1 litre (35 fl oz) cottonseed oil (for deep-frying)
Boil the sorghum for about 1 hour until soft and tender. Strain. Preheat the oven to 85°C (185°F). Spread the sorghum on baking trays and dry in the oven for 2 hours. Heat the oil in a saucepan to 185°C (365°F) and fry the sorghum until puffed and golden. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
STORE: In an airtight container in a dry place for up to 6 days.
SEAWEED DRESSING
Cottonseed oil (for deep-frying)
300 g (10½ oz) kingfish bones
100 ml (3½ fl oz) white soy sauce
20 g (3/4 oz) bonito flakes
1 knob of ginger
300 g (10½ oz) wakame seaweed
Lime juice, to season
Half-fill a large saucepan with the oil and heat to 185°C (365°F). Deep-fry the kingfish bones until crisp and golden. Set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Put 2 litres (70 fl oz) water into a large saucepan and add the soy sauce, bonito flakes, ginger and seaweed. Bring to a simmer and then add the fish bones. Maintain a simmer until the stock is rich and flavourful. Strain and chill in the fridge. Season with lime juice.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.
BURNT CUCUMBER AND LEEK DRESSING
30 Lebanese cucumbers
2 large leeks, green tops only, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 bird’s eye chilli
100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
100 ml (3½ fl oz) vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
Peel the cucumbers and put the skins and the green leek tops into a heavy-based pan over high heat. Once charred and very dark, put into a food processor or blender with the garlic and chilli. Start to process, adding the two oils in a slow trickle – the final consistency should be quite a thick, oily paste with a smoky charred flavour and a little warmth from the chilli. Once you have achieved this, add salt to taste.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.
NOTE: Use the peeled cucumbers.
BROWN BUTTER
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) butter
Put the butter in a large pan and boil until the milk solids begin to caramelise and the butter begins to foam and give off a nutty scent.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
NOTE: It is nice to finish brown butter with hard herbs such as sage, marjoram and thyme.
SALTED PLUMS
120 g (4¼ oz) coarse sea salt
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) ripe whole plums
Vodka
100 g (3½ oz) red shiso leaves
Put a layer of coarse salt into a sterilised container, such as a wide bowl or tub. Sterilise the plums by washing them in the vodka and then add to the container before covering with more salt and the shiso leaves. Repeat the layers until all your plums are used up.
Cover the container with a plastic bag and weigh down. Leave in a cool dark place for around 1 week, until the plums become soft and are sitting in a dark reddish liquid. Once the liquid is about 2 cm (3/4 in) above the plums, remove the weight and strain. Do not discard the liquid – this is ume vinegar.
Lay the plums on clean trays to dry in a fairly sunny place for about 3 days. At the end of the drying process they should look like dried apricots. Store in airtight jars with more shiso leaves, or for a soft texture add back to the ume vinegar.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 year.
SOURED CREAM
500 ml (17 fl oz) cream
125 ml (4 fl oz) natural yoghurt or buttermilk
Put the cream in a pan and heat gently to blood temperature. Add the yoghurt, remove from the heat and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave to steep until the cream curdles and a thick layer of curd forms on top, with residual whey underneath – it will take around 24 hours will produce a thick cream. Gently remove the cream from the top with a spoon and discard the whey.
STORE: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
ELDERFLOWER WATER
8 good heads of elderflower
Roughly bruise the stems of the elderflowers, checking for any insects. Put 2 litres (70 fl oz) water in a saucepan and add the elderflowers. Tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and steep over low heat for 4–6 hours. Ensure the plastic wrap stays tight throughout this stage as you don’t want to lose any of the flavours. Pass the elderflower water through a fine strainer and allow to cool.
STORE: In an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.
FERMENTED APPLE
10 apples
150 g (5½ oz) sugar
Juice the whole apples and put the juices and pulp in a demi-john. The mix needs to be left to ferment at between 18 and 24°C (64 and 75°F) for 10 days. You can strain off the liquid apple juice to use or keep in the fridge in an airtight container. You can keep the mother ferment in the demi-john going for months by adding more juiced apples.
PROPAGATED OATS
100 g (3½ oz) dried, unhulled oats
It is easy to propagate oats and other seeds and grains. Line a tray with a few layers of muslin (cheesecloth). Scatter the oats on the muslin and then gently spray the oats and cloth with water until saturated. Put the tray in a warm, daylit spot such as a kitchen windowsill (we use the polytunnels for this) and repeat the process every day for 5–9 days until shoots have appeared. You can propagate a variety of seeds by this method.
