serves 8
This is the traditional accompaniment for haggis. There are many variations but the core ingredient is always swede. In the Orkney Isles they make a version called clapshot in which they add potato and chives. At Roast we add carrot for a little sweetness and colour.
1 large swede, peeled and cut into 2½ cm cubes
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 2½ cm pieces
100g softened butter
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the swede and boil for 15 minutes. The swede takes longer to cook than the carrot so this is added first. After the swede has cooked for 15 minutes, add the carrot. Cook for a further 15 minutes then check them – both vegetables should be cooked until quite soft so they can be mashed with a potato masher. Once the vegetables are soft, strain them in a colander and allow them to steam for a few minutes to release some of the moisture before you mash them vigorously. Try to leave the neeps with a little texture; you don’t want to end up with a smooth lifeless purée. Once you’re happy that your mash is the right consistency fold in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
Creamed sweetcorn
serves 8
Sweetcorn is one of my all time favourite vegetables. Between the ages of 14 and 17 I had a mouth full of braces in an attempt to sort out my smile. Besides stripping me of my dignity and any chance I may have had with the girls, the braces also hugely limited what I could eat. When I finally had them removed, the first thing I had to eat was corn on the cob and I can still remember how good it tasted. If you have a teenager with braces, cheer them up with this recipe – it’s easier to eat than corn on the cob and is great with all kinds of poultry.
8 ears of corn, husks removed
50g butter
2 small banana shallots, finely diced
4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only, chopped
500ml double cream
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Stand each ear of cob on one end, holding it at the other, and run a sharp knife down the cob, slicing off the kernels. Work your way around each ear of corn removing all the kernels. Scrape out all the juices and any pulp left in the cob carefully using the sharp edge of the knife and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the shallots and thyme. Cook gently, stirring regularly until the shallots are soft and translucent. This should take about 3–4 minutes.
Add the corn, including the scraped juices, and continue to cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly. Pour in the cream, and keeping the heat at medium, gently bring it to a simmer. Cook the corn in the cream for a further 4–5 minutes continuing to stir regularly until the cream has reduced to a coating consistency and the corn is cooked through. Season to your liking with salt and pepper before serving.
Sage-roasted heritage squash with smoked bacon
serves 8
Thanks to heritage seed banks there are countless varieties of squash available throughout autumn and into winter. From the common butternut to Turk’s turban, spaghetti, harlequin, acorn, onion or hubbard, they come in such a huge variety of colours, shapes and sizes that when roasted with the skins left on they look spectacular on any table setting. This recipe is particularly good with Roast Chicken.
3kg heritage squash (of different varieties, see above)
8 rashers of rindless smoked streaky bacon, cut in half
8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
8 sprigs of sage
150ml extra virgin rapeseed oil
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Using a large sharp knife, cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the squash into large chunks, trying to keep their natural shape, and place them into a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon. Prick each clove of garlic a few times with a small pointed knife, so that as they cook they release their flavour into the oil. Add the garlic and sage to the bowl and drizzle in the rapeseed oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper and toss all the ingredients together until well coated with the oil and seasoning.
Spread the mixture out on two oven trays and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Use large trays so the squash isn’t too crowded. Turn the squash over halfway so they caramelise evenly.
Mashed potato
serves 4
A wise woman once said: ‘Let them be entirely free from lumps, for nothing can be more indicative of carelessness or want of skill on the part of the cook, than mashed potatoes sent to table full of these.’ Eliza Acton, 1858
Different varieties of potato are available throughout the year and each variety has its speciality (for more on this, see Roast potatoes). This being the case, nothing is more frustrating than when buying potatoes at some supermarkets, you encounter bags labelled ‘white’ or ‘red’ potatoes. Whose idea was this? As with roast potatoes and chips, for mashing I go for a good all-rounder, such as Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree. Try to avoid large starchy baking varieties or you’ll end up with a sticky, gluey mess.
For the best results use a potato ricer rather than a masher. By using a ricer, you will not overwork the potatoes as you do with a hand-held masher as you try to rid the mash of lumps. Make sure the potatoes are hot when they’re mashed and this also goes for the cream, milk and butter when added. If the ingredients are cold they won’t combine as effectively as when hot.
1kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree)
75ml milk
75ml double cream
80g butter
sea salt
Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Place them in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a little salt and bring the potatoes to the boil. After about 15–20 minutes, once the potatoes are soft, drain them in a colander. Allow the potatoes to stand for a few minutes so they release some steam and dry out. While they’re drying out, bring the milk, cream and butter to the boil in a small saucepan, then remove from the heat. Once the potatoes have rested but are still hot, press them through the ricer back into the pan. Fold in the hot milk, cream and butter using a plastic spatula, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. If you like your mash looser, add a little more hot milk. Season with salt and serve immediately.
For any roast dinner, the roast potatoes must be shown the same care and attention given to the joint itself.
The customers at Roast are more particular about their roast potatoes than anything else. As I always tell the team in the kitchen, ‘It’s the simple things we do that we will be judged on.’
First of all you need to select the correct variety of potato. At Roast, we predominantly use Maris Piper, which is a great all-rounder. The potatoes have a good flavour and dry floury texture making smooth creamy mash, great fluffy roasties and crispy chips. If for some reason you can’t find Maris Piper, readily available alternative roasting varieties include King Edward or Desiree.
At the restaurant we roast all of our potatoes in beef dripping. Not only is the practice of roasting in dripping very British but the flavour is fantastic. However, when I’m at home, the fat I choose for the potatoes depends on what they are accompanying. For roast beef, the obvious option is beef dripping. For duck or goose, I’d use duck or goose fat, and for chicken or pork, vegetable oil would be my choice. The only time I ever add any different flavours to my roasties is to accompany roast lamb. For this I use olive oil, garlic cloves, lemon wedges and rosemary. If you want to try these ingredients, add them for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time, otherwise due to the moisture they add, the potatoes won’t crisp up.
The fat you choose should be of your personal preference, not just for flavour, but also health reasons. If you’re worried about your cholesterol, don’t be afraid to use goose fat. The lowest incidence of heart-related illness in France is in the very region where 90 per cent of their geese are reared. No matter which fat you’ve chosen, for perfect roasties the basic cooking technique is always the same. Don’t make the common mistake of scattering the potatoes around the joint to roast. The potatoes need a dry environment in order for them to crisp up. You should use a large heavy roasting tin to give the potatoes space between each other for air to circulate.
floury potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree)
fat of your choice (beef dripping, vegetable oil, duck or goose fat)
sea salt
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. If you are roasting the potatoes in the same oven as your joint of meat, cook them above the joint on the temperature specified for the meat and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Peel the potatoes and depending on their size, cut them into halves or quarters. Place the potatoes into a saucepan and cover with lightly salted cold water. Bring the potatoes to the boil and parboil them until the edges of the potatoes just begin to crack – this should take about 5 minutes from boiling point. Test them with a knife: they should still feel slightly hard in the centre, but the outside should be cooked. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to steam for 10-15 minutes. While the potatoes are resting, add whichever fat you’ve chosen to a large roasting dish. Don’t be shy with the amount of fat you use. The fat should be at a depth of about 1cm in the dish.
Place the roasting dish in the oven for 7–10 minutes, until the fat is very hot. Toss the potatoes gently in the colander to fluff up the edges. This fluffing creates surface area, allowing the fat to be absorbed by the outside of the potato, crisping it up as it roasts. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot fat. When the potatoes are added, the fat should be hot enough so that it bubbles on contact, otherwise you risk the potatoes sticking to the dish. Once the potatoes are in the dish, season them with sea salt and space them evenly, turning them individually so they are completely coated in fat. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, then turn them so they cook evenly. Continue roasting for a further 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crispy. Drain off the fat and transfer the potatoes to kitchen paper to rest for a minute. Season with a little more sea salt if required before serving immediately.
serves 10 (depending on appetite)
There are so many different varieties of potato available these days, and all have specific qualities. At Roast we predominantly use Maris Pipers (see the introduction for Roast Potatoes on the opposite page for more on our potato choices). Any good roasting variety can be used for chipping though as the principles are the same the outcome for both should be a crunchy outer casing that stays crisp and a soft centre.
You could try King Edward, Desiree or Yukon Gold but don’t bother with large baking varieties as they tend to be a bit sweet and caramelise too quickly in the fryer. At Roast we cook our chips in three stages in order to get a chip that stays crispy for longer. For an authentic chip-shop flavour, you could fry your chips in beef dripping instead of oil using the same method.
2kg large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky chips
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sea salt
Set your deep-fat fryer to 120°C. If you don’t have a fryer, place the oil into a large, deep saucepan, leaving enough room at the top to allow for rapid boiling when the chips are added. Place the oil over a high heat but be very careful that it doesn’t get too hot. If you have a cooking thermometer, use it so you can regulate the temperature. If not, test the heat by dropping a cube of bread into the oil; it should bubble on entry and start to brown after about 15 seconds.
Run the cut chips under cold water for 5 minutes to remove some of the starch content.
Blanch the chips in lightly salted boiling water until the edges just begin to crack, but the middle is still slightly undercooked. Doing this increases the surface area for the oil to penetrate and turn crispy. It’s the same principal as fluffing up par-cooked potatoes before roasting.
Remove the chips from the boiling water and lay them out on a tray for a few minutes to allow some of the steam to escape. Fry the chips at 120°C until they are cooked through but without colouring – this shouldn’t take any longer than 2 minutes. Lift the chips from the fryer and allow them to drain in the fryer basket or in a colander on kitchen paper. Turn the fryer up to 190°C and when you are ready to serve, fry the chips until golden and crispy. Note: the first two steps in this recipe can be done well in advance and the final frying at 190°C just before serving. If you decide on this, store the par-cooked chips in the fridge until you need them. They will be good for two days.
serves 4
A few years ago I had a coeliac friend over for dinner. I wanted to prepare steak with battered onion rings so I tried making the batter with Doves Farm gluten- and wheat-free self-raising flour. I couldn’t believe how long the batter held its crunch! I had made far too many onion rings that evening, and we sat around the table munching on them long after we had finished our steaks.
At work the following week, I made two batches of batter, one using the gluten-free self-raising flour and the other with standard self-raising flour. I tested them with two pieces of haddock.
The standard batter was soggy after about 3–4 minutes, but the gluten-free batter stayed crisp even once the fish had completely cooled. Since then I have never looked back. It’s such a pleasure to offer our coeliac guests at Roast something they’d never usually be able to eat.
For battered fish, just substitute the scrumpy for beer.
300g Doves Farm gluten- and wheat-free self-raising flour (available in the ‘free from’ aisle of most supermarkets), plus extra for rolling
500–600ml scrumpy (at Roast we use Scrumpy Jack)
2 litres vegetable oil, for deep-frying
4 large onions, peeled, centres removed and cut into 1cm thick rings
sea salt
Make the batter by placing the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the cider and mix it with the flour using a balloon whisk to form a thick batter. Leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
Set your deep-fat fryer to 190°C. If you don’t have a fryer, place the oil into a large, deep saucepan, leaving enough room at the top to allow for rapid boiling when the onion rings are added. Place the oil over a high heat but be very careful that it doesn’t get too hot. If you have a cooking thermometer, use it so you can regulate the temperature. If not, test the heat by dropping a cube of bread into the oil; it should bubble on entry and start to brown after about 15 seconds.
Have to hand some kitchen paper and a slotted spoon to remove the onion rings from the hot oil. (Don’t try to use spring-loaded tongs; this can be very dangerous for obvious reasons.)
To test the batter, place some more gluten-free self-raising flour in a bowl and add one onion ring, coating it with flour so the batter has something to stick to. Dip the ring in the batter then gently lower it into the oil. It will float to the top and will need turning over halfway through, in order to cook the other side. If the onion emerges with a good covering of crispy batter that is not too thick, then start frying the rest of the rings in small batches, being careful not to overload the fryer. If the batter doesn’t coat the test ring, add a little more flour, or if it is too thick, add some more scrumpy. Fry the onions until golden brown and drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt and serve hot.
makes about eight 10cm pancakes
Boxty is a traditional Irish pancake made, surprisingly enough, from potatoes. Recipes vary from region to region, but I like this one, as the addition of the whipped egg whites lightens the mixture, and the pancakes soufflé slightly as they cook.
They are traditionally served with bacon as a breakfast staple, but they are very versatile. I’ve suggested serving them as an accompaniment to the Pan-fried Lamb’s Kidneys with Bacon and Girolles.
100g potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward are best), peeled
200g mashed potato (dry mash, without cream, milk or butter)
150g self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs, separated
200ml buttermilk (or regular milk)
1 tsp sea salt
60g butter
Grate the raw potatoes, wrap them in a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess water and starch. Place the grated potato into a large mixing bowl and add the dry mashed potato.
Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and make a well in the middle for the wet ingredients. Add the egg yolks to the bowl along with the buttermilk. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly using a sturdy whisk, to form a thick batter.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter being careful not to knock out too much air. Season the batter with the salt.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of the butter. Spoon the mixture into the pan to form pancakes of about 10cm in diameter. Fry for 3–4 minutes or so on each side until golden and crispy. Don’t cook over too high a heat or the outside will be golden before the centre is ready. Add a fresh knob of butter to the pan for each batch.
Savoury pancakes
makes about 8 large crêpes
This is the recipe for the pancakes required to prepare the Venison Wellington (see Fillet of red deer Wellington with haggis, girolles and bashed neeps). However, they also make a wonderful light breakfast.
240ml milk
20g butter, plus a little extra for frying
100g plain flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat the milk and butter gently in a small saucepan until the butter has melted, then allow to cool.
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add the milk and melted butter mixture and continue to whisk until you have a smooth thin batter. Pass the batter through a fine-mesh sieve and add the parsley.
To cook the crêpes, heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Melt a small knob of butter in the pan then add a small ladleful of batter - the pancakes are meant to be very thin. Tilt the pan, spreading the batter all the way to the pan’s edges. After about a minute the crêpe will have set on the surface; at this point, turn it carefully with a spatula and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds.
serves 8
This simple purée can be served with the Salt Beef Croquettes, but it’s also good with pan-fried scallops, lamb’s sweetbreads or even fish fingers.
Be careful not to overcook the peas or the purée will lose its freshness and vibrant colour.
500g frozen peas, defrosted
50g softened butter
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the peas and bring back to the boil. Strain immediately and transfer the peas to a blender. Add the butter and blend to a smooth purée. Add a little warm water if required to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Either serve immediately or spread on to a tray and cool quickly in the fridge so it retains its colour.
Pickled red cabbage (the traditional accompaniment for Lancashire hotpot)
serves 8
300ml red wine vinegar
3 dried allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly milled black pepper
½ red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
Bring the vinegar to the boil in a saucepan with the allspice, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper. Once boiled remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Place the shredded cabbage into a large sterilised pickling jar and pour over enough infused vinegar to cover. Cover with a lid.
Allow the cabbage to pickle for at least 24 hours (at room temperature or in the fridge) before use. The pickled cabbage will keep in the fridge for six months and will only improve in that time.
makes 10–12 large puddings
There are many rules to follow when making Yorkshire puddings and sometimes, even if all are followed to the letter, they still may not come out as you had hoped. They’re temperamental. The rules at Roast are as follows:
• Have designated Yorkshire pudding baking trays (see below). Use the same ones each time and do not wash them. Just wipe them clean with kitchen paper. If they’re washed the puddings tend to stick.
• The mix must be made the previous day and left to rest in the fridge overnight.
• The beef dripping must be very hot before the batter is poured into the moulds.
• Once in the oven, under no circumstances can the door be opened.
• Allow the puddings to rest in the trays for 2–3 minutes before attempting to release them.
If you follow these guidelines you should be okay but I can’t make any promises. Good luck!
6 eggs
200g plain flour, sifted
200ml milk
500g beef dripping
1 tsp sea salt
To make large Yorkshire puddings you will need a shallow muffin tin with moulds that each hold about 80ml of batter.
In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the sifted flour and mix well to form a thick batter. Pour in the milk in stages, mixing well after each addition until all the milk is added. Whisk the batter until it’s completely smooth. Do not add the salt at this stage as it affects the stability of the eggs. Cover with clingfilm and rest in the fridge overnight.
The next day, preheat your oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Half fill each mould in the baking tray with beef dripping and place the tray in another larger flat tray or roasting tin. The reason for this is that when you add the batter the beef dripping will overflow requiring something underneath to catch the drips. Place the trays into the oven.
While the dripping is heating up, stir the salt into the batter and check the consistency. It tends to thicken in the fridge as it rests. The batter should not be too thick - it should only just lightly coat the back of a spoon. Add more milk if required, to reach this consistency.
After the dripping has been in the oven for about 10 minutes, it should be sufficiently hot. Pull the tray from the oven and carefully pour the batter into each mould right to the rim. Place the puddings back into the oven and set the timer for 20–25 minutes. Under no circumstances should the oven door be opened otherwise the puddings will drop and not rise to their full potential.
When the timer goes off, pull the trays out of the oven and leave the puddings to rest for a couple of minutes before releasing them from the tray. You can also make the puddings an hour or two in advance and just put them back in the hot oven for a couple of minutes before serving.
makes about 750g
There are important rules to follow when making suet pastry. Your suet, butter and water must be cold so that when you mix them with the flour the suet and butter don’t soften too much and lose their form – the shreds should be flecked evenly through the final dough.
The second important rule is when bringing the dough together into a ball with your hands, be careful not to overwork it or the pastry will shrink during cooking and the texture will be tough rather than flaky. This is suitable for a pie crust or steamed pudding.
100g butter, chilled then coarsely grated
140g shredded beef suet, chilled
375g self-raising flour
1½ tsp salt
approximately 130ml cold water (from the fridge)
Place the chilled butter and suet into a large mixing bowl. Add the self-raising flour and salt and using the blade of a butter knife or palette knife, mix the ingredients together. Once the dry ingredients are well mixed and each individual shred of butter and suet is coated, slowly add the water a little at a time, continuing to mix with folding motions of the knife. The reason you use the blade of a knife is that the metal blade is cold and its shape works the pastry less than if you were using a wooden spoon or your hands.
Continue to add water until the dough starts to come together. Adding the water is not an exact science, you may need a few more drops if it seems too dry. Finish bringing the dough together with your hands to form a ball, until the sides of the bowl are clean. Do not overwork the dough or the pastry will be tough. The final product should be an elastic ball of dough flecked with shreds of suet and butter. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before use.
Preserved lemons
8 unwaxed lemons, plus extra lemon juice
a 2½ cm piece of cinnamon stick
2 star anise
100g caster sugar
150g sea salt
If you can’t manage to find unwaxed lemons just give them a good scrub.
Make a criss-cross cut into the top of each lemon to a depth of about halfway though.
Crush the cinnamon stick and star anise in a pestle and mortar and mix with the sugar and salt. Stuff the mixture into the cuts in the lemons and place the lemons in a sterilised jar large enough to hold them. Add the remaining curing mixture and just cover with cold water. Screw the lid on tightly and store in a cool dark place for 2–3 months. The curing mixture will draw the juice out of the lemons creating a brine as it mixes with the salt and sugar. Give the jar a good shake once a week or so but make sure the lemons stay submerged or they may develop a white mould, which doesn’t look great but is harmless.
makes about 300ml
In 1809 a young girl by the name of Mary Ann Brailsford planted some apple pips in her back garden in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Thirty-seven years later, her cottage was bought by Matthew Bramley, a local butcher.
A local nurseryman, Henry Merryweather, asked if he could take cuttings from the tree and start to sell the apples. Bramley agreed, but insisted the apple should bear his name, so Merryweather named it ‘Bramley’s Seedling’. Over the years, ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ won great acclaim as the UK’s favourite cooking apple. But disaster struck in 1900 when the original Bramley tree was blown down in a violent storm. However, the tree somehow survived and is still bearing fruit to this day. To cut a long story short, those few pips planted by a little girl in her garden in Nottinghamshire over 200 years ago are responsible for what is today a £50 million industry, with commercial growers across Kent, East Anglia and the West Midlands.
40g butter
4 large Bramley apples, peeled, cored and roughly diced
1 tsp lemon juice
50g caster sugar
Melt the butter on a medium heat in a saucepan. Add the diced apple, lemon juice and sugar. Cook the apples down, stirring regularly, until they are completely soft. This should only take 8–10 minutes. Once they’re soft, give the sauce a thorough whisk until it’s nice and smooth.
Taste the sauce and add more sugar if you find it too tart, but remember the whole marriage between roasted pork and Bramley apple sauce is based on the tartness of the apples cutting through the fat and crackling of the pork. It is truly a partnership of perfection.
Bread sauce
makes just over 1 litre
This very simple creamy sauce is ideal with roasted birds other than duck or goose. Duck and geese have a high fat content and are better served with a more acidic sauce to cut through that fat. Bread sauce is too rich for this.
1 onion
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
1 litre milk
8 thick slices of white bread, crusts removed
30g butter
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Peel the onion, leaving it whole. Lay the bay leaf across the onion and pin it in place with the cloves, using them as studs to hold it in place. Place the studded onion into a small saucepan and cover it with the milk. Over a medium heat, bring the milk to the boil gradually, being careful as it comes up not to let it boil over. Set aside and allow the infusion to cool down to room temperature giving the onion, bay leaf and cloves enough time to impart their flavour.
While the milk is infusing, pulse the bread in a food processor leaving the breadcrumbs course so that the resulting sauce isn’t too smooth.
Once the milk infusion has cooled pour two thirds of it into a fresh saucepan, leaving the studded onion behind. Bring the infusion up to a gentle simmer and slowly whisk in two thirds of the breadcrumbs. Turn the heat down to very low and continue to stir – as the milk is absorbed by the breadcrumbs, the sauce will thicken. The correct consistency should resemble a loose porridge. Add more milk infusion or more breadcrumbs until the desired consistency is reached and then whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately – if allowed to stand for too long the sauce may set.
makes enough to fill two 500ml jars
When I was a child, we always had a few jars of this fantastic mint relish ready to be served with barbecued lamb chops or roast leg of lamb on a Sunday. It even works well as a dressing for a crisp bean salad. My mother used to make it in batches as it keeps indefinitely stored in a cool dark corner of the pantry.
300g ripe tomatoes
5 shallots, finely chopped
50g raisins, roughly chopped
100g mint leaves, chopped
300g Granny Smith apples, grated
375ml good-quality cider vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
250g clear honey
1 tsp sea salt
To blanch the tomatoes in order to make them easy to peel, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Have to hand a large bowl of iced water and a slotted spoon. With a small paring knife, remove the core of the tomatoes and at the opposite end make a small, shallow cross cut. Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water and leave until the skin begins to come away from the flesh at the cross cut. This will only take a few seconds, especially if the tomatoes are very ripe. Remove from the boiling water with the slotted spoon and refresh briefly in the iced water. Carefully peel the tomatoes, cut them into quarters, then deseed and dice them finely, then mix with the shallots, raisins, mint and apple together in a large bowl.
In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, mustard, honey and salt to the boil, then pour over the rest of the ingredients. The final consistency will be a chunky relish in a loose liquid. If you wish to preserve the mint relish, decant into hot sterilised jars while the mixture is still hot and seal with the lids straight away. Otherwise keep refrigerated and it will be good for about 3 months
Mayonnaise
makes almost 1 litre
6 egg yolks
20g English mustard
40g Dijon mustard
35ml white wine vinegar
500ml vegetable oil
250ml olive oil
juice of ½ lemon or to taste
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Mayonnaise is made easily by using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, but if you don’t have one it’s still very simple by hand.
In a large rounded bowl whisk the egg yolks, mustards and vinegar until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the oils, whisking continuously, until the mixture is thick and emulsified. Don’t rush this stage or the oils won’t incorporate with the egg yolks and your mayonnaise will split. If you don’t have a spare set of hands around to hold the bowl steady, try resting it on a folded oven cloth to free up your hands. Add enough lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to your taste. If the mayonnaise is too thick for your liking, add a touch of warm water. The mayonnaise will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
makes 250ml
1 gherkin, finely diced
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
200g Mayonnaise
½ small red onion, finely diced
a few sprigs of parsley, leaves only, chopped
a few drops of lemon juice
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Squeeze the pickling juices out of the diced gherkins and chopped capers and mix them through the mayonnaise along with the red onion and parsley. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Horseradish cream
makes 200g
We go through vast quantities of horseradish cream in the restaurant and have to make it in large batches. It’s not the most pleasant job in the kitchen as the fumes given off while grating the horseradish are enough to reduce the whole brigade to tears.
Adjust the quantities in this simple recipe to suit your own palate.
100g fresh horseradish, peeled and finely grated
100g crème fraîche
sea salt
Mix the grated horseradish and crème fraîche together in a mixing bowl and season with the salt. Check the use-by date on your crème fraîche: the horseradish cream will keep in the fridge until the same date.
Lemon and rapeseed oil dressing
makes 500ml
We use this dressing for so many different dishes at Roast and I always have a bottle in the fridge at home as it’s really versatile. Use it to dress a light salad of delicate leaves or crisp summer vegetables. It’s also good drizzled over grilled fish.
2 garlic cloves
a few sprigs of tarragon
80ml good cider vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
400ml extra virgin rapeseed oil
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Crush the garlic with the flat side of a knife and bruise the tarragon with the back of a spoon to release their flavours. Whisk all the ingredients together and allow to infuse in the fridge overnight. Strain and decant into a bottle so you can give it a good shake before using.
Vinaigrette
makes 350ml
This recipe uses the Lemon and Rapeseed Oil Dressing as its base. This is then whisked into Dijon mustard to emulsify it.
300ml Lemon and Rapeseed Oil Dressing
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
iced water
Shake the lemon and rapeseed oil dressing well before measuring out the 300ml to ensure you achieve the correct ratio of oil to acid. Place the Dijon mustard in a bowl and slowly drizzle in the lemon and rapeseed oil dressing, whisking quickly to emulsify. As it thickens add a teaspoon or two of iced water to loosen. Store in a bottle in the fridge. If the vinaigrette separates, it’s not a disaster; just give it a good shake before you use it to re-emulsify it.
Blood orange, honey and mustard dressing
500ml blood orange juice (plain orange juice will give the same flavour but without the vibrant colour)
100ml red wine vinegar
3 tbsp clear honey
3 tbsp wholegrain mustard
600ml rapeseed oil
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
In a saucepan, bring the orange juice and vinegar to the boil and reduce until you’re left with approximately 150ml. Remove from the heat and refrigerate to cool. Once the orange juice and vinegar mixture is cold, place into a large rounded bowl with the honey and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the rapeseed oil, whisking quickly to emulsify the dressing. Store in a bottle or jar in the fridge. If the dressing separates, it’s not a disaster. Just give it a good shake before you use it to bring it back.
Rowan berry jelly
The bright red fruit of the rowan (or mountain ash) tree generally come into season towards the end of July. However, unlike their sweet summer berry brethren, such as strawberries and raspberries, rowan berries have high levels of parasorbic acid which makes intensely bitter and can also lead to a fairly nasty stomach ache. To neutralise the parasorbic acid, the berries must be frozen before preparing the jelly.
Crab apples are very high in pectin – the property that sets jelly. The pectin is highly concentrated in the seeds, so you must use the whole fruit – core and all – for the best results.
If you have trouble finding crab apples, a good substitute is to use the same weight of Bramley apple cores.
300g rowan berries, stalks removed
300g crab apples
jam sugar (the quantity may vary, as explained in the method)
You will also need: a muslin cloth and 2–4 jam jars, depending on size
Wash the rowanberries in cold water, then dry them thoroughly and freeze overnight to in order to neutralise the parasorbic acid in the fruit.
The following day thaw the fruit. Wash the whole crab apples, removing any bruised parts and cut each in half. Place the crab apples and rowan berries in a large heavy-based saucepan, adding just enough water to cover them. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or so, until tender. Strain the mixture through a muslin cloth hanging over a bowl to catch the liquid (this will take up to 5 hours) but do not squeeze, otherwise the jelly will become cloudy.
Measure the volume of liquid you have (discard the berries) and add 450g of jam sugar per 600ml of liquid. Return the juice to a clean heavy-based pan and add the jam sugar, stirring until fully dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook rapidly for about 15 minutes, until the ‘setting point’ is reached. Test for this point by placing a teaspoon of the mixture on a plate in the fridge. Allow for it to cool for 5 minutes or so and then if a skin forms when you push the mixture with your fingernail it’s ready to be put into jars. If you don’t get a skin continue boiling for a further 10 minutes and test again.
When ready, skim the surface, allow to cool for about 7–8 minutes then pour into warmed, sterilised jars.
When making gravy, in essence you are trying to capture all the concentrated flavour from the roasted meat left behind in the bottom of the roasting dish. I find one of the best ways to achieve this is to cook your joint on a rack set over roughly chopped onions, carrots, celery and leeks. As the joint roasts, the escaping juices drip down into the slowly roasting vegetables and mingle with them. The vegetables’ natural sugars caramelise with the juices, creating a sweet sticky concentrated base to produce a sauce to complement any roast.
Deglazing your roasting dish is the next vital step. There is so much flavour to be harnessed in those dark, caramelised morsels stuck to the bottom of the dish. So whether it be with wine, beer, cider or stock, pour in your chosen liquid, boil it to help loosen and scrape off every last one.
The following recipes all use the same fundamental principles with slight variations to complement the meat you’re roasting. The recipes make fairly large quantities but anything left over can be frozen in batches to be conveniently pulled out when serving a smaller joint such as the roasted rack of lamb.
Gravy for roast beef
makes approximately 1.5 litres
Use the Roast Fore Rib of Beef recipe as the basis of your gravy, then follow the instructions below.
300ml red wine
4 tbsp plain flour
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
1.2 litres hot Beef Stock
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Transfer all the roasted vegetables to a saucepan using a slotted spoon. Drain off all the fat left in the roasting tray. Place the roasting tray on to a medium heat and pour in the red wine to deglaze the tray. As the wine boils it will start to loosen all the flavoursome caramelised morsels, but it’s a good idea to help in this process by also scraping with a wooden spoon.
Place the saucepan containing the vegetables over a medium heat and add the flour. Cook the flour gently, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and deglazed roasting juices from the roasting dish and cook for a further 2 minutes or so to evaporate any remaining alcohol. Stir well so the wine mixes with the flour and thickens. Add the bay leaf and thyme and gradually pour in the hot beef stock, stirring to avoid any lumps forming.
Bring the gravy to the boil, giving it a thorough skim with a ladle to remove any fat that collects on the surface. Turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce the liquid, skimming regularly, until you have reached a desirable gravy consistency – this should only take a few minutes. Taste the gravy to check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve at the table.
makes approximately 600ml
Use the Roast chicken with sage-roasted squash recipe as the basis of your gravy, then follow the instructions below.
2 tbsp flour
100ml white wine (optional; if not using add an extra 100ml chicken stock)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
600ml hot Chicken Stock
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Transfer all the roasted vegetables, chopped wings and giblets, if using, to a small saucepan using a slotted spoon. Place the pan over a medium heat and add the flour. Cook the flour gently, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. Add the white wine, if using, and cook for a further minute or so to evaporate the alcohol. Stir well so the wine mixes with the flour and thickens. Add the bay leaf and thyme and gradually pour in the hot chicken stock, stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Bring the gravy to the boil, giving it a thorough skim with a ladle to remove any fat that collects on the surface. Turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce the sauce, skimming regularly, until you have reached a desirable gravy consistency. Taste the gravy to check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and keep warm until ready to serve.
Gravy for game
makes approximately 600ml
500g chopped game bones
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
½ leek, roughly chopped
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
250ml red wine
3 tbsp plain flour
3 juniper berries, crushed
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
300ml hot Chicken Stock
300ml hot Beef Stock
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Place the game bones, carrot, celery, leek, onion and garlic in a roasting tin with a little vegetable oil to coat and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the bones nicely caramelised. Remove from the tin and transfer to a saucepan. Place the roasting tray on to a medium heat and pour in the red wine to deglaze the tray. As the wine boils it will start to loosen all the flavoursome caramelised morsels, but it’s a good idea to help in this process by also scraping with a wooden spoon.
Place the saucepan containing the bones and vegetables over a medium heat and add the flour. Cook the flour gently, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and deglazed roasting juices from the roasting tin and cook for a further 2 minutes or so to evaporate any remaining alcohol. Stir well so the wine mixes with the flour and thickens. Add the juniper berries, redcurrant jelly, bay leaf and thyme and gradually pour in the hot chicken and beef stocks, stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Bring the gravy to the boil, giving it a thorough skim with a ladle to remove any fat that collects on the surface. Turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce the liquid, skimming regularly, until you have reached a desirable gravy consistency – it will take about 5–10 minutes. Taste the gravy to check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve at the table.
makes approximately 600ml
Use the Slow-roast Shoulder of Lamb recipe as the basis of your gravy, then follow the instructions below.
150ml red wine
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp tomato purée
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
500ml hot Lamb Stock
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Transfer all the roasted vegetables to a saucepan using a slotted spoon. Skim off all the fat left in the roasting dish but leave behind any meat juices. Place the roasting tray on to a medium heat and pour in the red wine to deglaze the tray. As the wine boils it will start to loosen all the flavoursome caramelised morsels, but it’s a good idea to help in this process by also scraping with a wooden spoon.
Place the saucepan containing the vegetables over a medium heat and add the flour and tomato purée. Cook gently, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and roasting juices from the roasting dish and cook for a further 2 minutes or so to evaporate any remaining alcohol. Stir well so the wine mixes with the flour and thickens. Add the bay leaf and thyme and gradually pour in the hot lamb stock, stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Bring the gravy to the boil, giving it a thorough skim with a ladle to remove any fat that collects on the surface as it comes up. Turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce the liquid, skimming regularly, until you have reached a light gravy consistency. Taste the gravy to check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve at the table.
Gravy for roast pork
makes approximately 800ml
Use the Slow-roasted Pork Belly recipe as the basis of your gravy, then follow the instructions below.
200ml dry cider
2 tbsp flour
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
400ml hot Chicken Stock
400ml hot Beef Stock
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Transfer all the roasted vegetables from the roasting tray to a saucepan using a slotted spoon. Skim off all the fat left in the roasting dish but leave behind any meat juices. Place the roasting tray on to a medium heat and pour in the cider to deglaze the tray. As the cider boils it will start to loosen all the flavoursome caramelised morsels, but it’s a good idea to help in this process by also scraping with a wooden spoon.
Place the saucepan containing the vegetables over a medium heat and add the flour. Cook the flour gently, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. Add the cider and deglazed roasting juices from the roasting dish and cook for a further 2 minutes or so to evaporate any remaining alcohol. Stir well so the cider mixes with the flour and thickens. Add the bay leaf and thyme and gradually pour in the hot chicken and beef stocks, stirring to avoid any lumps forming. Bring the gravy to the boil, giving it a thorough skim with a ladle to remove any fat that collects on the surface. Turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce the sauce, skimming regularly, until you have reached a desirable gravy consistency. Taste the gravy to check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve at the table.
http://roastcookbook.com/making-pork-gravy/
makes 2–3 litres
At Roast we go through over 100kg of veal bones every day just to create enough stock to produce the amount of gravy we use on a daily basis. We use large knee joints that our butcher halves on a bandsaw to open the bones and allow more access to the natural gelatin inside. The pots of stock are ticking over in batches all day and all night and this is one of the most important processes in the kitchen. Whatever the stock is being used for, whether it be a soup, braise or sauce, the quality of the final product will depend entirely on the quality of stock used.
To cut down the cooking time and so it’s more manageable in your kitchen at home, ask your butcher to cut the bones down into smaller pieces so they will fit more comfortably in your stock pot. Knee joints could prove difficult to obtain so ask for chopped spinal bones.
3kg chopped beef or veal bones
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 leek, white part only, cut into 4 pieces
3 celery sticks, halved
3 carrots, peeled and halved
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp concentrated tomato purée
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
10 black peppercorns
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Place the bones in a deep roasting tin and roast them for 30 minutes. Turn the bones over and roast for a further 15–20 minutes until they’re well browned. Using a pair of strong tongs, place the bones into a large stockpot, leaving behind all the fat that has collected in the bottom of the roasting tin, and add enough cold water just to cover them. Bring the stock up to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. While the stock is coming to the boil, scatter the onion, leek, celery and carrot into the roasting tin and stir, coating them with the fat that has rendered out of the bones. Roast the vegetables for 20–30 minutes, until golden and caramelised, stirring them halfway so they cook evenly.
Once the vegetables have caramelised, add the garlic and stir in the tomato purée. Place the tray of vegetables back into the oven for a further 10 minutes to cook the tomato purée.
Once the vegetables and tomato purée are cooked, stir them into the simmering stock. Add the herbs and peppercorns and allow the stock to simmer gently for 3 hours. A helpful tip is to place the pan just slightly to one side of the hob.
All the fat and impurities that rise to the surface as it simmers will collect on the cooler side of the pan and can be skimmed off easily with a ladle. Top up with a little cold water from time to time, just enough to keep the bones covered.
After 3 hours, turn off the heat and allow the stock to rest for about 20 minutes. Strain the stock gently through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the bones. Allow to cool before refrigerating. As the stock chills, any fat that is left will solidify on the surface. This can be lifted off easily and you should be left with 2–3 litres of gelatinous stock. The stock will keep in the fridge for a week but can be batch frozen for later use – use within 3 months if frozen.
makes 750ml–1 litre
Roast chicken is one of the meals my wife Masha and I have regularly. Once any remaining meat has been picked off the carcass for sandwiches, we make this delicious versatile stock. We use it for soups and light braises, but more often than not it’s used as a base for the gravy when we have our next roast chicken.
1 roast chicken carcass, chopped into large pieces
½ onion, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ leek, white part only, roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
10 black peppercorns
1 tsp sea salt
Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and pour in enough cold water just to cover – if you add too much water you will dilute the stock.
Bring the stock to the boil and then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Simmer the stock for 1 hour, skimming the surface regularly and topping up with a little cold water from time to time, just enough to keep the bones covered. A helpful tip is to place the pan just slightly to one side of the hob. All the fat and impurities that rise to the surface as it simmers will collect on the cooler side of the pan and can be skimmed off easily with a ladle.
After 1 hour, turn off the heat and allow the stock to rest for about 20 minutes so any impurities will drop to the bottom of the pan. Strain the stock gently through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the bones. Allow to cool before refrigerating. As the stock chills, any fat that is left will solidify on the surface. This can be lifted off easily and you should be left with 750ml–1 litre of gelatinous stock. The stock will keep in the fridge for 5–6 days but can be batch frozen for later use – use within 3 months if frozen.
Lamb stock
makes 1.5–2 litres
This recipe makes a white lamb stock that is ideal for Lancashire Hotpot. For a brown stock for braising lamb shanks, just roast the bones and the vegetables as you would for beef stock.
3kg lamb spinal bones, chopped into pieces
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
½ leek, white part only, roughly chopped
3 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
10 black peppercorns
1 tsp sea salt
Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and pour in enough cold water just to cover – if you add too much water you will dilute the stock.
Bring the stock to the boil and then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Simmer the stock for 2 hours, skimming the surface regularly and topping up with a little cold water from time to time, just enough to keep the bones covered. A helpful tip is to place the pan just slightly to one side of the hob. All the fat and impurities that rise to the surface as it simmers will collect on the cooler side of the pan and can be skimmed off easily with a ladle.
After 2 hours, turn off the heat and allow the stock to rest for about 20 minutes so any impurities will drop to the bottom of the pan. Strain the stock gently through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the bones. Allow to cool before refrigerating. As the stock chills, any fat that is left will solidify on the surface. This can be lifted off easily and you should be left with 1½ –2 litres of flavoursome stock. The stock will keep in the fridge for 5–6 days but can be batch frozen for later use – use within 3 months if frozen.
makes 1.5–2 litres
When purchasing fish bones for fish stock from your fishmonger, avoid bones from oily fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sea bream or even sea bass. The best bones are from white flat fish, such as sole, brill or turbot.
At Roast we try to use halibut bones as these large fish bones produce a flavoursome, high-yielding, gelatinous stock, good for soups and sauces.
2kg fresh white fish heads and bones
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
½ leek, white part only, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
½ fennel bulb, roughly chopped (optional)
1 bay leaf
a few sprigs of thyme
10 black peppercorns
1 tsp sea salt
juice of ½ lemon
a few sprigs of parsley
Using a pair of robust kitchen scissors, remove the gills underneath the flap behind each fish head and discard them. The gills are the first part of the fish to go off and will reduce the shelf life of the stock and give it an unpleasant flavour. Chop through the spinal bones with the heel of a heavy knife, or if the bones are small enough continue to use the kitchen scissors. There is a vein of blood running the length of the spine. Chopping through the spinal bones opens this vein allowing the blood to be flushed out when washed. The blood, if left, will cloud the stock and leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Place the prepared bones and heads into a bowl and run them under cold water for 10 minutes to wash them.
Place the washed bones and heads into a large saucepan and add all the ingredients except the lemon and parsley. Add cold water just to cover the bones – if you add too much water you will dilute the stock.
Bring the stock to the boil and then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Simmer the stock gently for 20–30 minutes skimming regularly. A helpful tip is to place the pan just slightly to one side of the hob. All the scum that rises to the surface as it simmers will collect on the cooler side of the pan and can be skimmed off easily with a ladle. After this time, add the lemon juice and parsley. Turn off the heat and allow the stock to rest for about 30 minutes so any impurities will drop to the bottom of the pan.
Strain the stock gently, ladle by ladle, through a fine-mesh sieve, trying your best not to disturb the sediment resting at the bottom of the pan. Allow the stock to cool before refrigerating. You should be left with about 1.5–2 litres of stock. The stock will keep in the fridge for 3–4 days but can be batch frozen for later use – use within 3 months if frozen.
