4.

MARCHAND DES QUATRE - SAISONS

(Market of the Four Seasons)

The Market of the Four Seasons is a sprawling fruit and vegetable market where I draw daily inspiration. This is where I go when I need to shake up the menu, get ideas for a special event or simply need some fresh air.

For a chef, a visit to the local fresh goods market is a little like window-shopping.You touch, taste, smell and then put in your order for the next morning’s delivery. In the process you also get to know the vendors – the delightfully eccentric folk that form the foundation of the market.

At the Market of the Four Seasons, for instance, you’ll find the slightly crotchety old lady selling courgette flowers and peaches from her garden from the boot of her car. It will take a few tries, but once you get the hang of subtly bribing her, you’ll soon get the best of her produce. And then there are the Mushroom Men who make their way out of the neighbouring Italian forests in the heart of autumn with their fragrant mushrooms and truffles.

It’s the singular combination of these fairy-tale characters and their dewy fresh wares that provide the first hints of inspiration for many of the dishes that we serve at JAN.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS WITH ANCHOVY AND BACON

Retain the delicate flavours by just tying the ingredients together, add a drizzle of good olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and place them in the oven for a few minutes until the bacon goes crispy. Serve as a side, one bunch per person.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 15–20 min

INGREDIENTS

• 4 rashers bacon
• 16 spears green asparagus
• 8 baby leeks, halved lengthways and washed
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Lay the rashers of bacon flat on a working surface and place 4 asparagus spears, 2 leeks and 1 anchovy fillet on top. Place 1 sprig each of thyme and rosemary inside, wrap the bacon around the veg and tie up with kitchen string. Make sure the bunches are nice and tight. Sprinkle with olive oil and squeeze over the juice of the lemon. Season with salt and pepper and place in an ovenproof dish. Roast for 15–20 minutes until the bacon turns crispy.

SALT-ROASTED BEETROOT AND GOAT’S CHEESE CRÊPES

The French invented the curly edged, lacy pancake. Although it sounds like a couture masterpiece, it was originally made in Brittany with humble buckwheat or wheat flour and called crêpes de Sarrasin or galettes. It is more basic to the region’s gastronomy than bread. Crêperies, which dot almost every street in France, serve extensive all-crêpe menus offering fillings ranging from a sprinkling of sugar or a bit of jam to layers of ham, vegetables and cheese. Crêpes are eaten at any time of the day, as a snack or a full meal.

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 1 hr 45 min

Cooking time: 1 hr 15 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg kosher salt
• 4 medium beetroots, trimmed
• 160 g goat’s cheese
• 60 ml crème fraîche
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
• 15 ml red wine vinegar
• 5 ml minced shallot
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 × Savoury buckwheat crêpe recipe (see below)
• 60 g baby rocket
• Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
• 40 g pine nuts, toasted

Savoury Buckwheat Crêpes

• 3 large organic eggs
• 60 ml melted butter
• 375 ml water
• 30 g white buckwheat flour
• 120 g whole-buckwheat flour
• Salt and ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Put a layer of half the salt in the bottom of a small baking dish. Place the beetroots on top of the salt. Cover the beetroots with the remaining salt and bake until fork tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove the beetroots from the salt and leave to cool to room temperature.
3. To make the dressing, purée the goat’s cheese, crème fraîche, olive oil, vinegar and shallot in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. For the crêpes, whisk the eggs, melted butter and water together in a large mixing bowl. Sift together the flours, salt and pepper to taste, then stir into the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Add a few drops of oil to a warm pan, smearing it with a piece of paper towel until evenly spread. Add the batter and spread evenly by tilting the pan in all directions. Cook the crêpe over medium to high heat for about 1 minute, or until light brown. Turn over the crêpe by throwing (if you are daring) it or by using a spatula or your fingertips. Cook for 1 minute more. Place on a plate and keep warm while cooking the rest of the batter.
6. Peel the beets (the skins will slip right off) and cut into small dice. Divide the beets between the buckwheat pancakes. Spoon some of the goat’s cheese dressing on top. Drizzle the rocket with fresh lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and toss. Add the rocket to the pancakes and drizzle again with the goat’s cheese dressing. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.

GOLDEN SHALLOT AND ORANGE CUSTARD

Break away from the idea that a custard has to be sweet. Nothing comes close to caramelised shallot – hidden at the bottom of each ramekin – the sweetness and the umami, finished off with a touch of zesty orange. This dish is ideal to make ahead and perfect for vegetarian guests.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 40 min

Cooking time: 1 hr 30 min

INGREDIENTS

• 4 shallots, peeled
• 15 ml unsalted buter
• Sea salt and white pepper
• 5 ml granulated sugar
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 large eggs
• 375 ml double cream

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 275 °C.
2. Using a sharp paring knife, very thinly slice the shallots lengthways, but leave the slices attached at the root end. Use your palm to gently fan out the slices. In a medium-sized pan, melt the butter and add the shallots. Season with salt and white pepper. Sprinkle the sugar and a pinch of nutmeg on top and cook for about 10 minutes until nicely browned. Add the orange zest and cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Fan out the shallots in the centre of four ramekins. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the cream, 2.5 ml salt and white pepper to taste. Add a pinch of nutmeg and pour the mixture into the ramekins. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and set in a glass or ceramic dish filled with hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the baking dish in the centre of the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the ramekins stand in the water for 5 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and leave to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with Shallot Confit (see page 248) and garnished with Caramelised Sunflower Seeds (see page 82, optional).

TOMATO AND CRAB SALAD WITH BASIL PESTO

Serves: Serves 4

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 min + 2 hr chilling

Cooking time: 0 min

INGREDIENTS

• Mixture of fresh tomatoes, washed and quartered
• 100 g buffallo mozzarella cheese

Crab Salad

• 45 ml crème fraîche
• 15 ml wholegrain mustard
• Juice of 1⁄2 lime
• 250 g cooked crab meat (canned, fresh or thawed)
• 10 ml minced chives
• 5 ml green Tabasco sauce
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

Basil Pesto

• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• Sea salt
• Large bunch basil, leaves picked and washed
• 60 g pine nuts
• 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 60 g Parmesan cheese, grated
• Ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Mix all the ingredients for the crab salad in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Season to taste and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. To make the basil pesto, bash the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt. Add the basil leaves and pine nuts and crush to a coarse paste. Add the olive oil and stir in the Parmesan, adding a little water if you would like it runnier. Continue until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. To assemble the salad, use a pastry brush to paint a thick line of basil pesto across the centre of each plate. Use a small mould of your choice and create two discs of the crab salad. Mix the tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and toss until well covered. Arrange the tomatoes on the basil pesto between the crab salad and top with pieces of buffalo mozzarella. Garnish with fresh herbs.

GLAZED ENDIVE, SPELT AND CARAMELISED SUNFLOWER SEED SALAD

The endive – cousin to chicory – is an under-appreciated bitter-leafed vegetable. It caramelises really well if grilled and then drizzled with honey. A bowl of this fresh salad is a winner alongside a simple steak, and can even be enjoyed as a dish on its own.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 1 hr 20 min

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large endives, washed and halved
• 125 ml water
• 5 ml granulated sugar
• 2.5 ml white wine vinegar
• 50 ml honey
• 100 g spelt or barley, rinsed
• 250 ml Chicken Stock (see page 249)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 150 g peas, fresh or frozen
• 60 ml olive oil
• 4 medium-sized lemons, juiced, skin reserved
• 20 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 2 gem lettuces, cut into wedges or leaves picked

Caramelised Sunflower Seeds

• 50 g sunflower seeds
• 10 ml Chinese five spice
• 30 ml granulated sugar
• Pinch fine sea salt

METHOD

1. Cut off most of the stalks of the endives and remove several of the leaves. Trim the ends until neat.
2. Combine the endives, water, sugar, vinegar and honey in a large frying pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Make sure the endives are in a single layer in the pan and braise for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. When pierced with a knife the stalks should be soft. Increase the heat and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the endives are turning golden brown. Caramelise for 5–10 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Place the spelt or barley in a medium-sized saucepan and cover with the vegetable or chicken stock. Add the garlic and cook over medium heat until all the liquid has evaporated and the spelt is soft. This will take 45–60 minutes. Remove the garlic and strain the spelt. Flatten out on a baking tray and cool in the fridge.
4. Blanch the peas in boiling water and immediately place in ice water to cool down.
5. Mix the olive oil and lemon juice with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
6. To caramelise the sunflower seeds, toast the seeds in a nonstick medium-sized pan for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the five spice and sugar, stirring constantly until the sugar has melted and all the seeds are coated with a thick layer of caramel. Sprinkle with salt and turn out onto wax paper. Allow to cool.
7. Gently mix the endives, peas, gem lettuce and spelt on a plate and toss with the olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Grate some of the skin from a lemon into the salad and toss. Sprinkle with caramelised sunflower seeds and serve.

VEGETABLE BOUILLON WITH FRESH HERB RAVIOLI

Bouillon is a fancy word for a broth. It comes from the word bouillir, meaning to boil. This is a spring favourite and although we serve it in a very small portion between courses, it can be a meal on its own. It is ideal for the seasonal change or just to empty your pantry. Happy boiling!

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 3 hr

Cooking time: 2 hr 30 min

INGREDIENTS

• 4 stalks celery, cleaned and cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced lengthways
• 4 baby artichokes, trimmed (optional)
• 2 shallots, peeled and studded with 3 cloves
• 1 leek, sliced and washed
• 1 bouquet garni (including thyme and bay leaf)
• 5 ml whole black peppercorns
• 500 ml Chicken Stock (see page 249)
• 1 batch Pasta Dough (see page 249)
• 1 bunch basil leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 150 g Japanese mushrooms or sliced mushrooms of your choice
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 5 ml walnut oil

METHOD

1. In a large saucepan, mix the celery, carrots, artichokes, shallots, leek, bouquet garni and peppercorns with the stock and simmer on low to medium heat for about 21⁄2 hours, or until the vegetables are soft.
2. Roll out the pasta dough until 3 mm thick. Cut out 12 squares measuring 5 cm. Place a few leaves of each herb (basil, tarragon, flat-leaf parsley) in the centre of each pasta square and brush the corners with cold water. Fold the one corner over to meet the other and press the sides to close. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside until ready to use.
3. When the bouillon is nearly ready, add any leftover fresh herbs and the mushrooms to the saucepan, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and switch off the heat.
4. Bring a medium-sized saucepan of salted water to a boil. Place the ravioli in the water to cook for 2–5 minutes until al dente. Use a slotted spoon to remove the ravioli and drain on paper towel.
5. Serve the bouillon in a bowl and place the ravioli (three per portion) between the vegetables. Drizzle with a few drops of walnut oil. Serve with fresh bread to soak up all the goodness.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT AND ALMOND QUICHE

Friday lunch at JAN calls for something quick, seasonal and full of flavour. We also serve a square of this delicious quiche with our main courses during the autumn and winter months. The beauty of this quiche is not only its texture, but also the nuttiness that complements the butternut so well. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of chopped chives.

Serves: 4–6

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 1 hr 45 min

Cooking time: 45 min

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 50 g almond flour
• 75 g salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg yolk
• Fine sea salt

Filling

• 500 g butternut, seeded and diced
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Fine sea salt and ground black pepper
• 3 eggs
• 20 ml unsalted butter, melted
• 100 g almond flour
• 100 g Comté or strong Cheddar cheese, grated
• Pinch nutmeg
• Pinch ground allspice
• Pinch ground cumin
• 50 g flaked almonds

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. For the crust, use your fingers to combine the flours and the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg yolk and salt and mix until a dough forms. If necessary, add ice water if the dough is not soft enough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. To make the filling, place the butternut cubes on a baking tray, drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the butternut is soft. Transfer the butternut to a food processor and blend until it forms a smooth purée. Spoon the mixture into a mixing bowl and add the eggs, melted butter, almond flour, cheese and spices. Mix well with a wooden spoon until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spray a quiche pan or cake tin with nonstick spray. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently lift the pastry by placing the edge on the rolling pin and carefully lifting it. Place in the quiche pan and press lightly with your fingers until even. Cut a piece of baking paper and place it inside the pan. Fill with rice or baking beans and bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes until the crust is golden. Remove and leave to cool.
5. Fill the pastry shell with the butternut egg mixture and bake at 180 °C for about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds a few minutes before the end of the cooking time. Serve warm.

Tip: The following butternut/pumpkin spice mix makes a lovely gift, packaged in a pretty jar – 80 ml ground cinnamon, 15 ml ground ginger, 15 ml ground nutmeg or mace, 7.5 ml ground cloves, 7.5 ml ground allspice