Peter's Pantry

Our Executive Chef, Peter Fiori, has been busy picking some store cupboard ingredients to create recipes for a range of cooking abilities. From Italian mountain soup to Japanese Chicken Curry there’s something to help lift spirits and inspire most of us.

OUR SKYLINE GARDEN COOKBOOK

In 2020, Peter created ‘from harvest to plate’ Skyline Garden Cookbook, which features recipes using the produce harvested from our Skyline Rooftop Garden, some of which can be found below.

Spring Recipes

  • Salad of asparagus pancetta, watercress and a soft-boiled egg

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

     

    Ingredients for the salad

    • 1 bunch of asparagus cooked in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, cut into 4cm lengths and kept warm
    • 4 medium soft-boiled eggs cooked for 7 minutes in a pan of boiling water peeled and kept warm
    • 140g diced pancetta fried in a pan until crispy and kept warm
    • 100g watercress washed and dried in a clean towel or a salad spinner
    • 50g baby spinach washed and dried in a clean towel or a salad spinner
    • 50g of lollo roso salad (or any lettuce of your choice) washed and dried in a clean towel or a salad spinner
    • ½ a red onion peeled and sliced
    • 1 bunch of radishes washed and cut into quarters
    • 50g Parmesan cheese shavings (you can use a potato peeler to create the shavings)
       

    Ingredients for the dressing

    • 1 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
    • 9 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 tbsp of red wine vinegar
    • Salt and pepper

    Method

    Method for the salad

    In a large bowl gently mix all the salad ingredients except the soft-boiled eggs, Parmesan shavings and the pancetta.

     

    Method for the dressing

    In a bowl mix the garlic with the Dijon mustard. Now whisk in the red wine vinegar before slowing whisking in the olive oil to create a dressing. If it’s too thick add a little water. Finally add salt and pepper.

     

    To finish

    Dress the salad with a generous amount of the dressing. Cut the warm soft-boiled eggs in half and add to the salad with the warm diced pancetta and asparagus. Top with Parmesan shavings and a little extra dressing. Serve with some crusty bread.

  • Burrata pickled beetroot and rhubarb

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

     

    For the pickled beetroot and rhubarb

    • 1 large beetroot
    • 2 sticks of rhubarb
    • 300ml white wine vinegar
    • 125ml water
    • 150g caster sugar
    • 1 clove
    • 1 bay leaf

    To serve

    • 2 x 250g burrata, you can use mozzarella if you prefer
    • Fruity extra virgin olive oil

    Method

    1. Peel the beetroot and slice it as thinly as possible (use a mandolin if you have one) before setting aside in a bowl. 
    2. Trim the rhubarb and cut into 5cm sticks and place into a separate bowl.
    3. Put the vinegar, water, 100g of sugar, clove and bay leaf into a pan over a low heat and stir until dissolved. Remove half the liquid and cool it in a separate container.
    4. Next add the 50g of the sugar to the remaining half of the liquid and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
    5. Now bring to the boil and pour over the rhubarb sticks. Cover tightly with cling film and set aside for an hour or so.
    6. Once the other half of the liquid is cold, pour it over the sliced beetroot and leave for 20-30 minutes.
       

    To serve

    Tear the burrata into quarters and lay on a serving dish. Spoon over the rhubarb and beetroot with a little of the pickling liquor and drizzle with the olive oil.

  • Celeriac and Parma ham

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 1 small celeriac
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • Pinch of salt
    • 2 heaped tbsp of crème fraiche
    • 8 basil leaves
    • 8 slices of Parma ham
    • Extra virgin olive oil

    Method

    1. Peel the celeriac and cut into very thin slices. Layer the slices on top of each other, like a pack of cards, and cut into matchsticks, before placing into a bowl.
    2. Pour over the lemon juice and sprinkle on the salt, then mix well.
    3. Leave the celeriac to soften for 15 minutes then drain most of the liquid away.
    4. Fold in the crème fraiche, then tear the basil leaves and fold them through as well.

    To Serve

    Spoon the celeriac onto a serving dish and surround with the slices of Parma Ham. Top with a drizzle of olive oil.

    Leave out the Parma ham for a wonderful vegetarian dish.

     

  • Chicken Caesar

    Ingredients

    For the salad

    • 6 little gem lettuces
    • 6 anchovy fillets
    • 4 slices of wholemeal bread
    • Olive oil
    • 25g Parmesan cheese grated
    • 50g Parmesan cheese flakes
    • 2 chicken breasts
    • Salt and pepper

    For the dressing

    • 15g anchovy fillets
    • 2 tsp capers
    • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
    • A dash of Tabasco sauce
    • Juice of half a lemon
    • Half a garlic clove crushed
    • 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
    • 1 egg boiled for 2 minutes only
    • 150ml olive oil
    • Salt and pepper

    Method

    Pre-heat oven to 200c/400f

     

    For the salad

    1. Break down the lettuces into separate leaves and split the anchovy fillets into strips.
    2. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut into 1cm squares, before placing on a baking tray. Add a splash of olive oil and bake in the oven until crunchy, then mix in the grated Parmesan cheese whilst still hot.
    3. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and keep warm.

     

    For the dressing

    1. Place all of the ingredients apart from the olive oil in a blender and blend.
    2. Next add the olive oil whilst blending slowly until thick and creamy.
    3. Add a little seasoning (but be careful as the anchovies are salty).

     

    To serve

    1. Toss the lettuce in the dressing, making sure the leaves are all coated.
    2. Add the anchovies, crunchy bread and half the Parmesan flakes. Place on a serving dish and top with the remaining Parmesan flakes.
    3. Slice the chicken breast and scatter on top.

     

  • Mackerel with gooseberry chutney

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    4 whole mackerel, gutted and cleaned

    Olive oil

    Salt and pepper

    For the chutney

    300g gooseberries (I like the red ones but green are fine)

    150g caster sugar

    50ml water

    A good squeeze of lemon juice

    Method

    1. Place the gooseberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan with a tight fitted lid and cook over a moderate heat for 20 minutes until the gooseberries are soft. Remove the lid, stir and simmer for roughly 5 minutes until a jam like consistency.
    2. Meanwhile preheat the grill on full.
    3. Pat the mackerels dry using kitchen paper and using a sharp knife lightly score the flesh.
    4. Brush the fish on both sides with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place under the grill for 6 minutes on each side until cooked through.
    5. Smear the hot fish generously with some of the gooseberry chutney and serve.

    The remaining chutney will keep in the fridge for a week.

    Lovely served with new potatoes.

  • Rigatoni with peppers, mushrooms, tomato and crème fraiche

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

     

    Ingredients for the sauce

    • Splash of extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large onion peeled and chopped finely
    • 1 green, yellow and red pepper, seeds removed and sliced finely
    • ½ a chilli chopped with the seeds in
    • 1 clove of garlic peeled and chopped finely
    • 200g button mushrooms washed and sliced
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1tsp dried oregano
    • 1 sprig of rosemary
    • 1 and a half vegetable stock cubes.
    • Splash of dry white wine
    • 200g chopped tinned tomatoes
    • 200g crème fraiche
    • 100g double cream
    • Salt and pepper

    For the pasta

    • 100g Parmesan cheese grated
    • 500g dried Rigatoni pasta

    Method

    Method for the sauce

    1. Put a large saucepan on a moderate heat and add the olive oil followed by the onions. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 4 minutes.
    2. Add the garlic, chilli, peppers, bay leaves, rosemary and oregano, and cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid on.
    3. Next add the mushrooms and stock cubes and cook for 2 minutes.
    4. Then add the white wine and over a high heat reduce the liquid by two thirds.
    5. Now add the tinned tomatoes and cook gently for 4 minutes.
    6. Finally add the crème fraiche, double cream a good pinch of salt and stir over a low heat until hot and incorporated.

     

    Method for the pasta

    1. When the sauce is nearly ready, start cooking the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.
    2. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and then put it back into the pot and spoon over the sauce.
    3. Next stir in half the grated Parmesan cheese and finish with a grind of black pepper.
    4. Serve with the remaining Parmesan at the table.

  • Milk risotto with peas and oregano

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

     

    the risotto

    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
    • 3 sticks of celery peeled and finely chopped
    • 500ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
    • 1L hot full fat milk
    • 100g butter
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 300g carnaroli risotto rice
    • 200g frozen peas
    • 90g Pecorino cheese grated

    The topping

    • 8 sprigs of oregano
    • 2 lemons
    • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
    • Pinch of salt

    Method

    1. Melt two thirds of the butter in a large pan over a moderate heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and bay leaves. Cover and leave to soften for 6 minutes until the vegetables are soft and tender.
    2. Next add the rice and stir so that all the rice is coated.
    3. Now add the hot stock a ladle at a time stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next one.
    4. Then add the hot milk in the same way. When you’ve added half the milk add the peas, then continue to add the milk.
    5. While the risotto is cooking prepare the topping for the risotto. Pick the leaves from the oregano and chop them. Grate the zest from the lemons and combine with the oregano. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and the extra virgin olive oil.
    6. Once all the liquid has been absorbed in the risotto it should be cooked. Taste the rice to check it’s soft – if not add a little extra liquid and continue to cook until the rice is soft.
    7. Add the grated Pecorino cheese and the remaining butter before serving to your guests in shallow bowls with a little of the oregano and lemon topping poured over the top.

  • Cumberland sausage casserole

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 8 good quality Cumberland sausages
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 70g diced pancetta
    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • Splash of dry white wine
    • ½ tsp hot chilli powder
    • 1tsp cumin powder
    • 1 and a half chicken stock cubes and a splash water
    • 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 sprig of each rosemary and thyme
    • 2 x 400g tins of borlotti beans drained
    • 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans drained.
    • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes.
    • Salt and pepper
    • Balsamic vinegar

    Method

    1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the sausages until golden brown all over. Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside.
    2. Now add the pancetta, onions and garlic to the pan and cook gently until the onions are soft. Add a splash of white wine and reduce by half.
    3. Next add the chilli and cumin powder followed by the stock cubes and a small splash off water before adding the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme.
    4. Now add all the beans and chopped tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer before adding the sausages.
    5. Put a lid on and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through.
    6. Season with salt, pepper and a splash of good quality balsamic vinegar.

    I like to eat the casserole with poached or fried eggs and lots of crusty bread.

  • Salmon fillets with spiced ketchup

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 4x 140g salmon fillets with the skin left on
    • Salt and pepper
    • Olive oil

    For the spiced ketchup sauce

    • 170g tomato ketchup
    • 50g shallots finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp chopped chives
    • 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
    • 1 tbsp chopped chervil (if unavailable replace with parsley)
    • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • Splash of Tabasco sauce
    • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
    • Pinch of salt
    • 150ml Extra virgin olive oil

    Garnish

    • A handful of basil leaves
    • A handful of parsley leaves

    Method

    1. To make the spiced ketchup sauce simply mix all the ingredients together.
    2. Season the fish with a little salt and pepper. Add a splash of olive oil to a large frying pan and put it on a moderate heat.
    3. Place the salmon skin-down and cook for around 3 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 3 minutes on the other side (the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon).
    4. Place the cooked salmon fillets on a serving dish skin side up and pour over the spiced ketchup sauce.

    I like to garnish with soft herbs such as basil and parsley leaves.

  • Plum and almond cake

    Ingredients

    Serves 8

    • 100g unsalted butter softened
    • 100g caster sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 75g plain flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 100g ground almonds (plus a few for sprinkling)
    • 4 large plums halved and stoned
    • 4 tbsp plum jam

    To decorate

    • Flaked almonds
    • Icing sugar

    Method

    1. Pre-heat the oven 170c
    2. Line a 21cm round loose bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper.
    3. In a bowl cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then fold in the eggs and olive oil.
    4. Add the flour, baking powder and 100g of ground almonds and combine well.
    5. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and spread out evenly with a spatula.
    6. Sprinkle over some more ground almonds, then place the plums on top, cut side down.
    7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes.
    8. Once the cake has finished cooking, heat the plum jam in the microwave for 30 seconds then brush it over the warm cake using a pastry brush.
    9. Scatter with some toasted flaked almonds and a dusting of icing sugar.

    I like to serve this with some lightly whipped cream.

  • Lemon tart

    Ingredients

    Serves 8

    • You’ll need a 22cm high-sided tart case

    the tart case

    • 500g plain flour
    • 175g icing sugar
    • 250g unsalted butter, diced
    • Grated zest of a lemon
    • 1 ½ eggs
    • Flour for dusting
    • A little butter for greasing the tart case

    the lemon filling

    • 9 eggs
    • 400g caster sugar
    • 5 lemons (zest of 2 and juice of all 5 lemons)
    • 250ml double cream

    Method

    To make the tart case

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f.
    2. Sieve the flour and icing sugar into a bowl, then work in the butter and lemon zest using a wooden spoon.
    3. Beat the eggs and place in the bowl and using your fingers knead into the mixture to create a dough. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface large enough to fill a 22cm high-sided tart case which you need to grease (bottom and sides). Line the tart case with grease proof paper and fill with baking beans to ensure that the sides as well as the base are weighted. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes then remove the beans and greaseproof and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes before taking out of the oven and turning the oven down to 120c/250f.

    To make the lemon filling

    1. Whisk the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest. Stir in the lemon juice followed by the cream.
    2. Next pour the lemon filling into the cooked tart case and bake in the oven at 120c/250f for 30 minutes. The tart is ready if there’s a slight wobble when you gently move the tart case.

    To serve

    Once cool sieve the lemon tart with a little icing sugar and cut into 8 portions.

a picnic by peter

  • Tomato Soup

    Ingredients

    Serves 6

    • 3 onions chopped
    • 3 small carrots chopped
    • 1 celery stick chopped
    • 50ml olive oil
    • 25g unsalted butter
    • 1\2 bunch basil leaves chopped
    • 1\2 bunch fresh tarragon leaves chopped
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 garlic clove crushed
    • 6 smoked bacon rashers chopped
    • 1.2kg tinned chopped plum tomatoes
    • 1 1\2pts boiling chicken stock
    • 1\2pt double cream
    • 1 juice of a lemon
    • Good pinch of sugar
    • Season well with salt and pepper
    • Good quality aged balsamic vinegar (optional)

    Method

    1. Sweat the onions, carrots and celery in the olive oil and butter for 5 minutes using a lid, then add the bay leaf, crushed garlic and bacon, cook for 10 minutes until all the ingredients are soft.
    2. Add the tomatoes followed by the hot chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Now add the double cream, tarragon, basil, lemon juice, pinch of sugar and seasoning and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
    3. Remove the bay leaf and blend the ingredients in a food processor to create a smooth soup and pour into a flask. I finish the soup with a splash of aged balsamic vinegar.

    For vegetarians please omit the bacon and use vegetable stock.

  • Smoked Haddock Tart

    Ingredients

    Serves 6

    • 1 Bought baked 20cm savory short crust pastry base

    For the filling

    • 130g watercress
    • 1 fillet of natural smoked haddock skinned and boned
    • 3 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks
    • 230ml double cream
    • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
    • Seasoning
    • 80g grated mature cheddar cheese

    Method

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c-350f.
    2. Drop the watercress into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 30 seconds.
    3. Remove the watercress and place into ice water, drain and dry in a towel then set aside.
    4. Chop the haddock into 1cm cubes.
    5. In a bowl combine the eggs, double cream nutmeg and seasoning.
    6. Mix well and add the diced haddock.
    7. Place the pastry case on a baking tray and spread the watercress over the base evenly. Carefully ladle in the haddock mixture and place in the oven and bake for 20 mins.
    8. After 20 mins sprinkle over the grated Cheddar cheese and bake for a further 15-20 mins until the tart has set.
    9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

  • Black olive and anchovy pissaladiere

    Ingredients

    Serves 6

    • 320g all-butter puff pastry
    • 1 beaten egg
    • 1kg sliced white skin onions
    • 4 cloves of peeled and sliced garlic
    • 80ml extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tsp Maldon salt
    • 32no black olive halves
    • 150g brown anchovy fillets

    Method

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 200c-390f.
    2. Roll the puff pastry (or cut if pre-rolled) into a 20cm x 30cm sheet, about 3mm thick. Score an inner rectangle 1.5cm from the edge, place the pastry onto a baking sheet and rest in the fridge until later.
    3. Sweat the onions, garlic and salt in the olive oil in a thick bottomed pan on a medium to low heat for about 40-50 mins until soft and golden brown, place in a colander to drain and cool.
    4. Remove the pastry from the fridge and evenly spread the onion mix around the inner rectangle of the pastry, lay the anchovies in a lattice pattern on top of the onions and place the olive halves in the diamond spaces, scatter the thyme leaves over the top. Brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg and cook in the oven for approx. 25-30 mins, until the pastry is crispy and golden brown all over.
    5. Cut into portions and serve.
    6. If using for a picnic, for best results prepare the pastry and garnish, and cook the onions the day before, then build and cook the tart in the morning and allow to cool at room temperature before cutting.

    For vegetarians please omit the anchovy.

  • Aubergine chermoula

    Ingredients

    Serves 6-8

    • 2 aubergines (diced 2.5 cm)
    • 1 red onion (finely sliced)
    • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
    • 2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
    • 1 tsp chilli flakes
    • ½ tsp cinnamon powder
    • ½ tsp black pepper, freshly milled
    • 2 tbsp golden raisins
    • 400g chopped overripe tomatoes
    • 50ml sherry vinegar
    • 2 tsp muscovado sugar
    • 2 tbsp honey
    • 3tbsp freshly chopped flat parsley
    • 3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Maldon sea salt

    Method

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 160c-320f.
    2. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan on a low heat until they start release their aroma, cool and place in a pestle and mortar and crush lightly, mix with the other spices.
    3. In a thick bottomed saucepan fry the aubergine in a generous splash of olive oil on a medium heat until golden brown on the edges, season with salt and remove from the pan and put aside.
    4. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil back to the same pan, sweat the onion and garlic on a low heat until softened with a pinch of salt, then add the spice mix and cook for 2-3 mins.
    5. Next add the sugar, honey and vinegar and cook to a light syrup, finally add the tomatoes, raisins and the aubergines to the pan and bring to the boil, place on a lid and transfer to the oven for 30mins or until a thick sauce consistency is achieved.
    6. Remove from the oven and stir through the fresh herbs and serve with flat bread.

  • Coronation Chicken finger sandwiches

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 8 slices of granary bread
    • Soft butter for spreading
    • 2 large skinned chicken breast
    • Splash of olive oil
    • Seasoning
    • 1dsp mango chutney
    • Splash tabasco sauce
    • 1dsp curry powder
    • 1 small banana chopped coarsely
    • Juice of 1/4 lemon
    • 1tbsp coriander leaves chopped
    • 1-2tbsp mayonnaise
    • 1/4 iceberg lettuce washed and shredded
       

    Method

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c-350f.
    2. In a pan sear the chicken breasts in the olive oil until golden all over, season with salt and pepper then place in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
    3. Remove the chicken from the oven and leave to cool. Once the chicken is cool chop the chicken into 1cm diced cubes.
    4. Now add the mango chutney, tabasco sauce, curry powder, chopped banana, lemon juice, coriander leaves and finally the mayonnaise. You may only need 1tbsp of mayonnaise if the mixture is too wet as your sandwiches will be soggy.
    5. For the sandwiches butter your slices of bread and spread evenly with the coronation chicken, then top with shredded lettuce and form your sandwiches.
    6. Now using a serrated knife, cut off the crusts, then cut 3 finger-sized sandwiches from each sandwich to create 12 fingers.

  • Scotch Quail eggs

    Ingredients

    Makes 12 Scotch eggs

    • 12  quail’s eggs
    • 350g pork sausage meat
    • 4 slices of Parma ham chopped finely
    • 2tbsp tarragon chopped
    • Seasoned plain flour for coating
    • 1 egg plus 4tbsp milk whisked together
    • Breadcrumbs
    • 600ml sunflower oil for frying

    Method

    Drop the quail’s eggs into a pan of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, remove and plunge into iced water. When cold carefully peel the eggs and set aside. In a bowl combine the sausage meat, Parma ham and tarragon. Season lightly and mix well and then divide into 12 portions. Have ready 3 plates: one with the seasoned flour, one with the egg and milk mixture, and finally one with the breadcrumbs.

    Take 1 portion of the sausage meat and flatten it out in the palm of your hand, place the quails egg into the center of the sausage meat then wrap the meat around the egg and carefully enclose and repeat the process with the rest of the eggs. Roll each quails egg in flour then dip in the egg wash shaking off any excess liquid. Finally roll through the breadcrumbs and set aside.

    Pour the sunflower oil into a deep pan and heat to approximately 160c-320f, use a thermometer to test the temperature. Carefully lower the quail’s eggs into the oil and cook until golden all over. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the eggs from the oil using a slotted spoon and place onto kitchen paper.

  • French bean and sesame salad

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 300g French beans
    • Seasoning

     

    Dressing

    • 25g sesame seeds
    • 3tbsp sesame oil
    • 2tbsp ground nut oil
    • 1tsp soy sauce
    • 1/2 tsp lemon juice

    Method

    Cook the beans in seasoned boiling water for 4 minutes then using a slotted spoon drop them into a bowl of iced water, once the beans are cold place them in a colander. For the dressing lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over a low heat until golden. Mix together the oils and sesame seeds and blitz in a liquidizer. Add lemon juice and soy sauce, the consistency should be like pesto. If the mixture is too thick add a little more soy sauce and lemon juice. Dress the beans with the dressing.

  • Tomato Rice salad

    Ingredients

    Serves 6

    • Splash of olive oil
    • 1 large onion peeled and chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
    • 1\2 tsp dried sage
    • 1\2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1 chicken stock cube
    • 250g long grain brown rice
    • 1tsp tomato puree
    • 1\2 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 150ml water
    • 75g sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped roughly
    • 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
    • 1 ball mozzarella cheese diced
    • Seasoning

    Method

    In a large pan on a moderate heat add a splash of olive oil followed by the onion and garlic and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the sage and thyme and then the stock cube. Now add the rice and stir. Add the tomato puree, cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Now pour over the water and tinned chopped tomatoes.

    Increase the heat to a rapid boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20mins. All the liquid will have evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes and the chopped mozzarella cheese. Adjust seasoning and serve.

    For Vegans omit the mozzarella and use vegetable stock.

  • Kipper Pate

    Ingredients

    Serves 6-8

    • 3 decent sized kippers
    • Melted butter
    • 100g cream cheese
    • Juice of 1\4 of a lemon
    • 1tsp horseradish cream
    • Pinch of paprika
    • 1\2tbsp chopped chives
    • 1tbsp double cream
    • Black pepper
       

    Method

    Pre-heat the grill

    Place the kippers on a grill tray and brush generously with melted butter. Grill the kippers gently until the flesh starts to come away from the bones. Remove from the grill and allow to cool. Carefully pick over the fish removing all the flesh from the bones you should have around 250g of kipper flesh. Place the fish in a food processor with the cream cheese, lemon juice, horseradish, paprika and a good grind of black pepper. Pulse the food processor until you have a course pate. Finally pulse in the cream and the chives. Serve with crusty bread.

  • Guacamole

    Ingredients

    Serves 6-8

    • 4 large vine tomatoes chopped finely
    • 1\4 cucumber peeled deseeded and chopped finely
    • 2 ripe avocados
    • 3tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 small red onion chopped finely
    • 2 red chilies chopped finely
    • 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 2tbsp coriander leaves chopped
    • 2tbsp basil leaves chopped
    • Seasoning
    • Splash of olive oil

    Method

    Halve the avocados and scoop out the flesh into a bowl, add the lemon juice immediately and mash with a fork. Add the tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, chilies, Worcestershire sauce coriander and basil and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper and top with a splash of olive oil. Serve with tortilla chips.

  • Spanish Tortilla

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 2 cloves garlic crushed
    • 400g potatoes
    • 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 pinch salt and pepper
    • 130g sliced onions
    • 3 large eggs
       

    Method

    Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices. Heat 2tbsp of the oil in a nonstick pan and add the garlic and potatoes. Add the salt and pepper. Cook the potatoes slowly over a medium heat for 5 minutes without letting them go brown. Then add the sliced onions and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes. Now crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork and add the potatoes and onions to the eggs and mix gently.

    Now heat the remaining 2tbsp of the oil in a 30cm diameter nonstick pan and add the egg-potato mix to the pan and fry it over a low heat for 6-8 minutes. Then flip the tortilla out onto a plate with the fried side up and slide it back into the pan. Fry for a further 6 minutes. Slide the tortilla onto a plate and serve with Aioli.

  • Aioli

    Ingredients

    Makes 200g

    • 3 cloves of garlic peeled
    • 1\2tsp salt
    • 200g mayonnaise
    • Juice from 1\2 a lemon

    Method

    Slice the garlic cloves then grind them together with the salt in a mortar. Add the mayonnaise to the mortar along with the lemon juice and mix.

  • Spiced chicken pieces

    Ingredients

    Serves 4-6

    • 1 medium chicken jointed into 8 pieces (ask your butcher to do this for you)

    Marinade

    • 1x large onion coarsely chopped
    • 100g red chilies coarsely chopped
    • 80g ginger peeled and finely chopped
    • 200ml light soy sauce
    • 200ml cider vinegar
    • Generous grinds of fresh black pepper
    • 2dsp ground allspice
    • 2dsp dried thyme
    • 1dsp dried sage
       

    Method

    Pre-heat the oven to 190c-370f

    For the marinade place the onions, chilies and ginger in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, allspice, thyme and sage and blend again. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour over the marinade, mix well and leave overnight. Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Place a wire rack inside a large roasting tin and pour 2cm of water into the tin as this will create steam when cooking the chicken. Now place the coated chicken pieces on the rack and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes basting with the juices in the pan a couple of times during the cooking. Now leave to cool and enjoy at your picnic.

  • Prawn and brioche bun

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 200g small cooked peeled prawns

    Cocktail sauce

    • 1dsp tomato ketchup
    • 1tsp horseradish cream
    • 1dsp brandy
    • 110g mayonnaise
    • Pinch of salt and cayenne pepper
    • Splash of Worcestershire sauce

    To finish

    • 8 35g brioche rolls
    • Squeeze of lemon
    • 1tbsp chopped tarragon
    • 1tbsp chopped chives
    • 1 small round lettuce washed and dried in a clean towel
       

    Method

    For the cocktail sauce combine the mayonnaise with the ketchup, horseradish, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, salt and cayenne pepper. Now add the cocktail sauce to the prawns along with the tarragon, chives and a squeeze of lemon juice and gently mix. Now place 2 lettuce leaves on the bottom of each bun and top with the prawns in cocktail sauce and place the bun lid on top.

     

  • Banana and pecan cake

    Ingredients

    Makes 450g cake

    • 3 large ripe bananas
    • 225g self-raising flour
    • Pinch of salt
    • 175g caster sugar
    • 100g softened butter
    • 2 eggs
    • 2tbsp golden syrup
    • 50g pecan nuts

    Method

    Pre-heat the oven to 160c-325f

    Grease and line a 900g loaf tin. Peel and mash the bananas well in a bowl. To the bananas add the flour, salt, sugar, softened butter, eggs and golden syrup and beat vigorously for a minute to make sure they are well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with the pecan nuts and bake in the oven for 1- 1 1\4 hours until well risen and firm to touch. If the nuts start to burn cover the cake with foil. Once cooked leave to rest in the tin for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

     

  • Crème Brulee

    Ingredients

    Serve 6

    • 8 egg yolks
    • 50g caster sugar
    • 600ml double cream
    • 1 vanilla pod split down the middle
    • Icing sugar

    Method

    Mix the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Bring the cream to the boil with the split vanilla pod. Remove the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds from the pod back into the cream. Now whisk the cream into the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar. Sit the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and heat until the custard starts to thicken slightly. It should have the consistency of single cream. Divide the custard between 6 x 7.5cm ramekins or oven proof molds. Sit these in a roasting tin and add warm water until it comes three-quarters up the sides of the molds.

    Place in the oven and after 20 minutes remove one of the molds from the water and gently shake it ,there should still be slight movement in the center of the custard, if its still runny put it back in the oven and try again after another five minutes, repeat until you have the desired consistency. Once the brulees are cool place them in the fridge overnight. To finish the brulees sprinkle them liberally with icing sugar and using a blow torch colour the sugar until golden brown. Alternatively place the brulees under a hot grill until the sugar caramelizes. They are now ready to serve.

alfresco dining

Tips for a successful barbecue

  • Buy good quality tools such as tongs, a fish slice and gloves.
  • Be patient wait for the best time to start cooking, you need the flames to die down and coals should be white.
  • Control the temperature across the grill, once the coals are white push them to the back so that the back is much hotter than the front, this will give you control, gone are the days of dry burnt food.
  • Make a herb brush by tying long sprigs of rosemary and thyme to a wooden stick and use this to baste your food whilst cooking.
  • Baste your food continually to keep it moist.
  • Fill a plastic spray bottle with cold water and spray the barbeque coals if it gets too hot.
  • Always cook your meat and fish from room temperature, never straight from the fridge.
  • Only season the meat and fish at the last moment just before placing on the barbeque.
  • Once your meat or fish is on the barbeque, flip it once or twice, don't press down on it.
  • Do not overcook the meat. There is nothing worse than dry fish or meat!

  • Barbecue Tuna or Sword Fish with Salsa

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 4 x 125g tuna steaks or sword fish steaks (you can adapt any fish you prefer for this recipe)
    • Salt and pepper
    • Olive oil

    Salsa

    • 2 red onions finely chopped
    • 2 green peppers finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
    • 1 tbs olive oil
    • The juice of 2 limes
    • 8 plum tomatoes skinned, seeded and finely diced

    Method

    For the salsa, combine the red onions, peppers, chillies and garlic in a bowl. Add the olive oil and lime juice followed by the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

    To cook the fish, brush the fish with olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. For 1 cm fish steaks barbecue the fish for a maximum of 2 minutes on each side and serve with the salsa.

  • Classic Cheeseburger

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 500g beef mince, 75% lean 25%fat
    • 4 brioche buns
    • 4 slices of cheddar cheese roughly the same size as the burgers
    • Dill pickles sliced
    • 1 beef tomato sliced
    • 1 little gem lettuce sliced
    • 1 tbs tomato ketchup
    • 3\4 tbs mayonnaise
    • 1\4 tbs English mustard
    • 1\4 tbs hot chilli sauce (I use Habanero chilli sauce)
    • 1\4 tbs Worcestershire sauce

    Method

    Gently knead the beef mince into 4 x 125g patties roughly the same size as the brioche bun and store in the fridge.

    Mix together the Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, chilli sauce and Worcestershire sauce to create the sauce.

    Remove the burgers from the fridge and when at room temperature brush them with sunflower oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place on the barbecue and cook for 2 minutes, flip over the burgers and top with the cheese, then cook for a further 2 minutes.

    Halve each bun and place on the barbecue to toast, once toasted on the bottom of each bun spoon on a little of the sauce and top with the burger followed by a slice of beef tomato, the dill pickle and little gem lettuce. Spoon some more sauce on the other half of the bun and place on top of the burger.

  • Barbecue Beans

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 2 tbs butter
    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
    • 250ml Ketchup
    • 55g brown sugar
    • 2 tbs treacle
    • 2 tbs maple syrup
    • 2 tbs cider vinegar
    • 1 tbs American mustard
    • 2 x 400g tins kidney beans

    Method

    In a large pot over a moderate heat melt the butter, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the Ketchup, brown sugar, treacle, maple syrup, vinegar and mustard. Stir and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the beans, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes until thickened.

  • Grilled Corn And Lime Mayonnaise

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 4 cobs of corn
    • 2 tbs chilli salt or chipotle salt
    • 2 tbs chopped coriander
    • 2 tbs lime juice
    • 250ml mayonnaise

    Method

    Mix the lime juice with the mayonnaise. Place the corn in a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, remove the corn from the water, place on the barbecue and griddle for 6 mins turning regularly until nice and charred. Serve the grilled corn coated in lime mayonnaise, seasoned with the chilli or chipotle salt and sprinkled with the coriander.

  • Sour Baked Potatoes

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 4 baking potatoes
    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • The juice of 1/2 a lemon
    • Seasoning
    • 4 tbs sour cream
    • 4 tbs of grated cheddar

    Method

    Roast the baking potatoes at 200c for 1 hour until soft in the middle and crispy on the outside. Once cooked split them lengthways and fork out the inside, saving the skins to serve the potatoes in. Mix the potato with the olive oil and lemon juice before adding the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon this mixture back into the potato skins, top with some grated cheddar and cook in the oven, or on the barbecue with the lid down.

  • Red Cabbage Slaw

    Ingredients

    • 1\2 red cabbage shredded as thin as possible
    • 125ml cider vinegar
    • 100g brown sugar
    • 50ml pomegranate molasses
    • 1 tbs olive oil
    • 2 tbs lime juice
    • 1 handful of chopped mint leaves

    Method

    Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl. Put the vinegar, brown sugar and molasses in a pan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the hot mixture over the cabbage and add the oil, lime juice and roughly chopped mint leaves. Leave for at least an hour before serving.

  • Waldorf Salad

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 250g grated celeriac
    • The juice of 1 lemon
    • 12 walnuts roughly chopped
    • 3 apples with cores removed, peeled and grated
    • 1\2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp caster sugar
    • 1 pinch ground black pepper
    • 100g crème fraiche
    • 100g mayonnaise

    Method

    Mix the grated celeriac with the grated apples and add the lemon juice straight away to stop them going black. Add the sugar, salt and pepper. Mix the crème fraiche with the mayonnaise and mix all the ingredient together gently, then scatter with the walnuts. This salad is great with a barbecue!

  • Pear chicory and Roquefort salad

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 1 large pear halved, cored and finely sliced
    • 1 celery stick finely sliced
    • 4 small chicory bulbs quartered lengthways
    • 100g hazelnuts roughly chopped
    • 85g Roquefort cheese chilled
    • 2 tsp chopped chives

    Dressing

    • 50g Roquefort cheese at room temperature
    • 20ml warm water
    • 1 tbs white wine vinegar
    • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
    • Seasoning

    Method

    First make the dressing in a large bowl using a spatula. Cream the cheese to a smooth paste, add the warm water and vinegar and whisk till smooth. Then gradually whisk in the olive oil, season to taste.

    In a bowl mix the pears, chicory, nuts and celery. Break down the chilled Roquefort into small pieces and add to the rest of the ingredients before adding the dressing. Finally sprinkle with the chopped chives.

  • Classic Fish Marinade

    Ingredients

    • 125ml olive oil
    • 2 tbs lemon juice
    • 1\2 tbs roughly chopped basil
    • 1\2 tbs roughly chopped coriander
    • 1 tsp chopped rosemary
    • 1 tsp chopped thyme
    • Seasoning

    Method

    Combine all the ingredients. Brush on the fish 5 minutes before cooking and continue to baste the fish on the barbecue. 

  • Dipping Barbecue Sauce

    Ingredients

    • 2 tbs butter
    • 1 finely chopped onion
    • 2 garlic cloves chopped
    • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 450g treacle
    • 220g brown sugar
    • 125ml mustard
    • 125ml Ketchup
    • 250ml cider vinegar
    • 250ml orange juice
    • 125ml Worcestershire sauce

    Method

    In a large pot melt the butter over a low heat, add the onions and cook till light brown. Add the garlic followed by the cayenne pepper and mustard and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid burning.

    Add the rest of the ingredients and increase the heat and boil rapidly for a minute. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for an hour stirring regularly. Allow the sauce to cool down, it will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge. Serve this with any meat or fish as an accompaniment.

  • Spicy Barbecue Sauce

    Ingredients

    • 500ml cider vinegar
    • 1 tbs brown sugar
    • 2 tbs chili flakes
    • 1 tbs salt
    • 1 tbs freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tsp sweet paprika

    Method

    Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool the sauce before using. You can use it to baste the fish, meat and vegetables whilst cooking on the barbecue. This will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.

  • Spicy Salad Dressing

    Ingredients

    • 9 tbs Ketchup
    • 120ml white wine vinegar
    • 3 tbs Worcestershire sauce                                                                      
    • A few drops of Tabasco sauce
    • 150ml olive oil
    • 150ml extra virgin olive oil
    • Seasoning

    Method

    Mix together the Ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, then gradually add the oils using a whisk or hand blender. Season with salt and pepper.

    This dressing is great with salad leaves, or with grilled meat and fish.

  • Classic French Dressing

    Ingredients

    • 2 egg yolks
    • 2 tbs Dijon mustard
    • 2 tsp salt
    • 1 pinch black pepper
    • 150ml white wine vinegar
    • Pinch of nutmeg
    • 600ml sunflower oil
    • 100ml water

    Method

    In a bowl mix the egg yolk with the mustard, add the salt, pepper, vinegar and nutmeg then mix with a hand blender. Start to add the oil a bit at a time while continuing to blend. Once all the oil has been added, blend in the water. This is great as a salad dressing!

recipes from our skyline kitchen garden

  • Chilled Tomato Gazpacho

    Ingredients

    Serves 4-6

    • 1.5kg ripe tomatoes cut into wedges (it’s important that the tomatoes are good quality)
    • 400g tin of piquillo peppers
    • 1 cucumber peeled chopped roughly
    • 1 celery stick chopped roughly
    • 4 tbs red wine vinegar
    • 4 tbs Worcestershire sauce
    • 200ml extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 small bunch of basil leaves
    • Tabasco sauce - a few splashes to your taste
    • Seasoning

    Method

    Place the tomatoes, peppers (with their juices), cucumber, celery, basil and vinegar in a food processor and blend well. While continuing to blend, add the Worcestershire sauce, followed by the Tabasco and finally the extra virgin oil. This will give you a silky chilled soup. If you want your soup a little thicker then you can add a slice of bread and blend with the food processor.

    Serve chilled with crusty bread.

  • Garden Soup and Pesto

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    Soup

    • 200g onion diced into 1cm cubes
    • 200g carrot diced into 1cm cubes
    • 100g leeks diced into 1cm cubes
    • 200g butternut squash diced into 1cm cubes
    • 125ml extra virgin olive oil
    • 200g potatoes peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
    • 200g courgettes diced into 1cm cubes
    • Vegetable stock
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 3 sprigs of thyme
    • 100g fresh peas
    • 100g broad beans podded and skinned
    • 100g tinned haricot beans
    • 4 skinned, seeded and diced tomatoes
    • 100g cooked macaroni pasta

    Pesto

    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 1 bunch of basil leaves
    • 50g grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little extra for serving
    • 100ml olive oil (not extra virgin)

    Method

    Soup

    Place a large heavy based pot on a moderate heat. Add the extra virgin oil followed by the onions, carrots, leeks and butternut squash, then cook for 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and courgettes and sweat for a couple more minutes. Cover the vegetables with vegetable stock by roughly an inch and add the bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Add the remaining ingredients and set aside.

    Pesto

    Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and blend. Then with the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil until you have a beautiful green paste.

    To serve

    Remove the thyme and bay leaves from the soup and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and at the last moment stir in the pesto. Serve with some extra grated Parmesan cheese should you wish.

  • Pan-fried Goats' cheese with nuts, honey and thyme

    Ingredients

    Serves 6

    • 100g unsalted butter
    • 50g skinned hazelnuts
    • 2 tbs cider vinegar
    • 2 tbs honey
    • 1\2 lemon juice
    • Seasoning
    • 300g good quality goats' cheese cut into 6 even slices
    • Sunflower oil
    • A few sprigs of thyme, leaves removed

    Method

    Melt the butter in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the hazelnuts and cook until golden all over. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cider vinegar, lemon juice and the honey. Season with a little salt and pepper and set aside.

    Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and when hot, brush the cheese slices with a little sunflower oil and fry them quickly for no more than 30 seconds on each side until they are golden brown.

    Transfer the cheese slices to a serving dish and spoon over the hazelnut butter and vinegar dressing. Finish with a sprinkling of thyme leaves. Serve with crusty bread.

  • Broad Bean Hummus, Mozzarella and Peas

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    Broad bean hummus

    • 5 sprigs of mint
    • 1kg broad beans podded
    • 50g unsalted butter
    • 3 garlic cloves peeled
    • 2 tbs tahini paste
    • 1 lemon zest and juice
    • 2 tbs crème fraiche
    • Seasoning

    Dressing

    • 15ml Dijon mustard
    • 15ml sherry vinegar
    • 200ml extra virgin olive oil
    • 1\2 juice of a lemon
    • Seasoning

    To serve

    • 2 balls of mozzarella cheese
    • 2 tbs cooked peas
    • 2 tbs good quality stoned black olives
    • 100g washed rocket salad

    Method

    For the hummus

    Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the mint followed by the broad beans and boil for 4 minutes, drain and refresh under cold running water and place in a colander. Squeeze out the inner kernel from each bean and put them in a food processor, add the butter, garlic, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice and crème fraiche, then blitz to a puree. Season with salt and pepper and keep to one side.

    For the dressing

    Put the mustard and sherry vinegar into a bowl with seasoning and gradually whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

    To finish

    Spoon some hummus on each serving plate and top with the cooked peas, olives and rocket salad. Tear the mozzarella equally between the plates and finally drizzle over the dressing.

    This is great served with flat bread.

  • Beetroot, watercress, pickled cucumber and horseradish Smoked fish

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    To serve

    • Smoked salmon (you can use smoked fish of your choice)
    • 8 baby yellow beetroots
    • 8 baby red beetroots
    • 1 bunch of young watercress sprigs

    Beetroot Puree

    • 25g butter
    • 150g cooked beetroot diced into 2cm cubes
    • 1 tsp honey
    • Lemon juice
    • 100ml Apple juice
    • 50ml Port

    Pickled Cucumber

    • 1\2 cucumber peeled and halved lengthways, deseeded and sliced as thinly as possible
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2 tbs honey
    • 2 tbs white wine vinegar
    • 4 tbs water

    Horseradish cream

    • 200ml double cream
    • 2 tbs horseradish cream

    Method

    To serve

    Steam the baby beetroots until tender, peel them and put to one side and leave to cool. Wash the watercress gently and place in a colander.

    For the beetroot puree

    Melt the butter in a pan on a moderate heat and add the diced beetroot followed by the port. Add the apple juice and reduce down to a syrup. Add the honey and a squeeze of lemon juice, then liquidise to a puree and place to one side to cool.

    For the pickled cucumber

    In a pan bring the vinegar, sugar, water and seasoning to the boil, remove from the heat and pour over the cucumber and leave to cool.

    Horseradish cream

    Whisk the double cream to soft peaks, then fold in the creamed horseradish, leave to one side.

    To serve

    Serve the smoked salmon or smoked fish of your choice with the cold steamed beetroots, watercress, beetroot puree, a mound of pickled cucumber and a spoon of horseradish cream. This is great with toasted sour dough bread.

  • Risotto of summer garden vegetables

     

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    Risotto Base

    • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
    • 1\2 small onion peeled and finely chopped
    • 1\2 clove of garlic peeled and finely chopped
    • 200g arborio or carnaroli risotto rice
    • Splash of dry white wine.
    • 600 - 700ml hot vegetable stock (substitute 400ml of the vegetable stock with tomato stock if you have prepared it from the recipe further down this page)

    To finish

    • 1\2 small fennel bulb finely chopped
    • 1 small courgette cut into 1cm cubes
    • 1 small carrot cut into 1cm cubes and boiled in water for 1 minute, then placed in a colander
    • 50g peas
    • 50g broad beans dropped into boiling water for a minute, then place into iced water and remove their outer skins to reveal the beautiful green interior
    • 20g Parmesan cheese grated (plus a little extra)
    • 2-3 tbs double cream
    • 10 cherry tomatoes halved
    • 6 good quality black olives quartered (optional)
    • Lemon juice
    • Salt and pepper
    • Pea shoots or basil leaves (optional)

    Method

    Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and transparent. Stir in the rice and cook gently for a couple of minutes, then add the splash of wine and cook until the wine has been absorbed. Now start to add the hot stock a ladle at a time, continuing to add the liquid as its absorbed by the rice (add the tomato stock if using).

    After 15 minutes of cooking the rice, add the Fennel, courgettes, carrots, peas and broad beans, whilst still adding the hot stock. After around 18 minutes taste the rice, it should be nearly ready.

    Now add the cherry tomatoes and olives if using, then finish with the cream, Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper to your taste. It is quite nice to garnish the dish with pea shoots or basil leaves and grated Parmesan to finish.

  • Piccalilli

    Ingredients

    Makes 1kg

    • 200g carrots peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
    • 200g cauliflower chopped into 1cm cubes
    • 200g cucumber deseeded and chopped into 1cm cubes
    • 200g green beans diced into 1cm cubes
    • 200g silver skin onions peeled
    • 150g sea salt
    • 400ml white wine vinegar
    • 1 tbs mustard powder
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground turmeric
    • 1 tbs mustard seeds
    • 100g caster sugar
    • 2 tbs cornflow

    Method

    Once all the vegetables are prepared, sprinkle them with the salt and leave overnight in the fridge.

    The next day put the vinegar in a pan and bring it to the boil. Drain the vegetables of any residual liquid and add them to the vinegar. Add all the remaining ingredients except the cornflour. Cook the vegetables in the vinegar and spices until tender. When the vegetables are tender mix the cornflour with a tablespoon of cold water to a paste and add this to the boiling vegetables, cook for a further 2 minutes.

    Set aside to cool before putting the piccalilli into a kilner jar. It will keep for 4 weeks in the fridge and is fabulous with cooked meats, especially ham.

  • Tomato stock

    Ingredients

    Makes 800ml

    • 2.5 kg ripe cherry tomatoes
    • 1\2 small onion peeled and chopped
    • 1\2 bulb of fennel chopped
    • 1 garlic clove peeled and chopped
    • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
    • 1\2 small bunch of basil leaves
    • 10g rock salt
    • 5g caster sugar
    • Pinch cayenne pepper
    • 4 splashes of Tabasco sauce
    • 2 splashes of Worcestershire sauce

    Method

    Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. In batches start blitzing the ingredients in a food processor using the pulse button for 5 seconds so as not to over mix. Then return the mixture to the bowl and leave to marinate for 3 hours in the fridge.

    Spread a double layer of muslin cloth over a large bowl (alternatively use a clean tea towel) and fill with the chopped marinated tomatoes. Tie up the muslin using string to create a bag and suspend it above the bowl for 3-4hours. This will collect The beautiful liquid that drips through.

    You can use this tomato stock for risottos, or chilled soup. It’s great for the base of gazpacho.

favourites from peter

  • Asparagus, Ham and Manchego Cheese

    Video player requires JavaScript enabled. You can watch this video here: https://youtu.be/dfXmMDya0ok

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 20 spears of asparagus peeled (roughly 2 bunches)
    • 4 free range eggs
    • Malt vinegar 
    • 300ml vegetable stock
    • 4tbs sliced mixed mushrooms 
    • 100g chilled diced butter
    • 8 slices of cured ham 
    • 4tbs grated Manchego cheese 
    • 1 dsp butter
    • 1 tbs fresh breadcrumbs 
    • 1 tbs roughly chopped walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds
    • 1 tbs chopped parsley

    Method

    Fry the bread crumbs in the butter until they are crispy, then add the chopped nuts and parsley remove from heat and leave to cool for later.

    Bring a pot of water to the boil, simmer gently then add a few splashed of malt vinegar. Break your eggs into the water and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs.

    In the meantime place a saucepan on a medium heat and add the asparagus followed by the vegetable stock. Put a lid on the saucepan and cook the asparagus for a minute then add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes until the asparagus is tender. Remove from the pan leaving a little cooking liquor in the pan.

    Add the chilled butter to the asparagus pan on the heat and whisk to create a creamy sauce, you may need to add a little water to the pan.

    Serve by placing the asparagus on each plate, top with the mushrooms, then the poached egg, then the ham and then the grated Manchego cheese. Finally scatter over the breadcrumbs and nuts to give additional crunch to the dish.

  • Wild Garlic and Nettle Soup

    Video player requires JavaScript enabled. You can watch this video here: https://youtu.be/9kNjJHofRkk

    Ingredients

    Serves 6

    • 2 x sliced onions
    • 100g butter
    • 1x large leek sliced
    • 4 x small potatoes sliced thinly 
    • 3 bay leafs
    • 3 sprigs it thyme
    • 1 1/2 litres of hot chicken stock
    • 2 x large handfuls of roughly chopped  wild  garlic
    • 1 x large handful of roughly chopped stinging nettles 
    • Splash of cream 
    • Squeeze of lemon juice

    Method

    Place a large pot on the heat and add the butter followed by the onions then the leeks and sweat using a lid for 4 minutes.

    Add the bay leaves and thyme followed by the potatoes and seasoning. Put the lid back on and sweat for 4-5 minutes. 

    Pour over the hot chicken stock, bring to the boil and add the wild garlic and nettles. Put the lid on and cook for 5 minutes boiling rapidly.

    Add a dash of cream and boil for 2 minutes adding a squeeze of lemon and adjusting the seasoning.

    Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves and thyme, then liquidise the soup until silky smooth and serve.

    It's great with a hot roll and a piece of cheese. 

     

  • Italian Mountain Soup

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 800g savoy cabbage washed and chopped into 1”slices
    • 1.5 litres of chicken or vegetable stock (use stock cubes if no fresh stock)
    • 2 large thick slices of wholegrain bread cut into big chunks
    • 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
    • 40g butter
    • 300g fontina cheese (cheddar if you don’t have) grated
    • 60g parmesan cheese grated
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled and sliced

    Method

    Pre heat the oven to 200*c, 400*f, gas mark 6.

    Cook the chopped cabbage in a pan of salted water for 15 minutes.

    Heat up the stock and set aside (or add stock cubes to boiling water).

    Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan and fry the bread for a few minutes until golden brown, add the garlic for a further minute.

    Remove the bread and garlic and place onto kitchen towel. Discard the oil/butter.

    In a large ovenproof dish build a layer of cabbage, then bread, then cheese.

    Add a grind of black pepper.

    Add some of the stock to soak the bread then sprinkle some of the parmesan.

    Repeat these layers until ingredients used up pouring all stock into the dish.

  • Stuffed Courgette Flowers in Tempura Batter and Tomato Chutney

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    Tomato Chutney

    • 500g ripe tomatoes
    • 10ml olive oil
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 tbs tomato paste
    • 50ml Chardonnay vinegar
    • 50g caster sugar
    • 1 tbs thyme leaves, finely chopped
    • 2 tbs basil, finely chopped
    • 1 tbs chives, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • Salt

     

    Stuffed Courgette Flowers

    • 200g Dorstone goats’ cheese
    • 100g Parmesan, grated
    • 4 baby courgette flowers, courgettes still attached

     

    Tempura Batter

    • 250ml chilled soda water
    • 80g plain flour
    • 65g cornflower
    • 6 ice cubes

     

    To Finish

    • Vegetable oil, for deep frying
    • 50g plain flour, for coating
    • Salt and pepper
    • 40g honey
    • 10g summer truffle, sliced

    Method

    Cut a cross in the tops of the tomatoes and plunge them into boiling water for 15 seconds; remove and plunge into ice water. Remove the skin and seeds from the tomatoes and chop them into 1cm cubes.

    Heat the olive oil and gently cook the onion and garlic until soft, add the tomato paste, vinegar and sugar and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes.

    Cook slowly until all the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated (approximately 15 minutes). Add the thyme, basil, chives, spices and salt, and reserve for later.

    Blend the Dorstone cheese and the Parmesan in a food processor and place in a piping bag. Remove the stamens from within the courgette flowers. Pipe enough cheese mixture into the flowers so that they slightly bulge, then pinch the tops of the flowers together to seal the ends ready to fry later.

    To make the batter, place the soda water into a bowl and stir in the flours to form a smooth batter. Add the ice cubes at the last minute to help achieve a crispy batter.

    Preheat a deep fat fryer to 185c. Roll the flowers and courgettes in the coating flour and gently shake off the excess, then dip just the flowers in the batter. Fry for 2 minutes until golden and crispy, drain on absorbent paper and season with salt and pepper. Spoon some tomato chutney onto 4 plates and place the courgette tempura on top. Drizzle with some honey and slices of truffle for a luxurious finish.

  • Frittata Di Peperoni

    Ingredients

    Serves 4-6

    • 12 eggs
    • 2 ½  tablespoons white wine vinegar
    • 3 garlic cloves sliced
    • 900g red and yellow peppers deseeded and cut into strips
    • 1 medium red onion sliced
    • 6 tablespoons of olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon of salt and black pepper

    Method

    Using a 25cm frying pan heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the pepper strips and red onion, cooking on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.

    Add garlic slices and fry gently for 2-3 minutes, be careful not to burn.

    Add the vinegar and carry on cooking on a medium heat until the liquid has evaporated.

    Take the pan off the heat.

    Beat all the eggs in a bowl and add the salt and pepper.

    Return the pan of peppers & onion to the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and then add the beaten eggs.

    Stir occasionally with a spatula and cook for approx 5 minutes until set, but not too firm, and a crust has developed on the base.

    Place a large plate over the top of the pan and flip out the frittata.

    Serve with a green salad dressed with a little white wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of salt and pepper.

  • Polenta Porcini Ragout

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    Ingredients

    Serves 4-6

    Tomato cep sauce

    • 3 tps of olive oil
    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 1 small carrot finely chopped
    • 1/2 a stick of celery finely chopped 
    • 120g chestnut mushrooms sliced
    • 3 bay leafs
    • 1 sprig of thyme
    • 200ml dry white wine
    • 40g dried cep mushrooms soaked in boiling water for 2-4 hours to soften
    • 200ml chicken stock
    • 600g chopped tinned tomatoes 

    Soft polenta 

    • 240g polenta grain
    • 40g unsalted butter
    • 6 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese 
    • 150g mozzarella torn into small pieces.

    Method

    Preheat the oven at 190c.

    Place a deep sided pan on a moderate heat and add the olive oil followed by the onions, carrots, celery bay leaf and thyme. Place a lid on the pan and sweat for a couple of minutes, then add the white wine and reduce by half.

    Remove the ceps from the water, chop roughly and add them to the pan followed by the soaking water. Make sure you do not use the last bit of water as there may be a little grit in the bottom.

    Add the chicken stock and reduce the sauce by half.

    Finally add the chopped tomatoes and cook gently for around 30 mins until you have a nice sauce, check seasoning and if required add salt & pepper.

    Cook the polenta to the manufacturers guidelines and once cooked add the butter and 2tbs of the grated Parmesan and season with salt & pepper.

    To finish - in a large baking tray build layers of polenta followed by the sauce the remaining grated Parmesan and the mozzarella, like you're building a lasagne. Once you’ve built the layers place the tray in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, remove and serve.

  • Chorizo Risotto With Griddled Tuna

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 4 x 150g tuna fillets
    • 200g paella rice
    • 2tbs grated parmesan cheese
    • 1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes 
    • 1/2 chopped chilli (seeds in)
    • 4 large button mushrooms 5mm diced
    • 1/2 green pepper 5mm diced
    • 1/2 red pepper 5mm diced
    • 1/2 onion 5mm diced
    • 1, 1/2 cooking chorizo sausage 5mm diced
    • 1/4 bulb fennel 5mm diced
    • 650ml hot chicken stock
    • 2tbs olive oil plus a little extra
    • Splash of cream
    • Squeeze of lemon juice

    Method

    Heat the olive oil in a deep pan over a moderate heat and add the onions, chilli and peppers, using a lid to sweat the vegetables.

    Add the fennel followed by the mushrooms and then the chorizo. Season with salt and pepper, put the lid on and cook for 4 minutes.

    Remove the lid add the tomatoes followed by the rice then the hot chicken stock. Place the lid on top and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

    Remove the lid and heat the griddle pan. Brush the tuna fillets with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and griddle for a minute on each side.

    In the meantime, add a dash of cream, the parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon to the rice. Serve immediately with the griddled tuna and a little extra olive oil should you wish.

  • Japanese Chicken Curry

    Ingredients

    Serves 4 generously

    • 8 chicken thighs (skinless) cut into quarters
    • 2 large carrots sliced into circles (1/2cm thick)
    • 1 large onion chopped
    • 300ml chicken stock (use stock cube)
    • 1 tablespoon veg oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • Grind of black pepper
    • Ginger (paste is fine 1 tablespoon)
    • Garlic 2 cloves crushed
    • 1-2 teaspoon chilli powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
    • 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 ½ tablespoon tomato puree
    • 1 tablespoon cornflower to thicken the sauce (mixed into a paste with 1 tablespoon water)
    • 250ml milk

    Method

    Cook onion, carrots & salt in the vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes to soften in a heavy bottomed pan on moderate gas.

    Add all spices and tomato puree and stir in well for 2 minutes then add chicken, gently coating the chicken with all the ingredients and cook for 5 minutes.

    Add the chicken stock and carry on cooking gently.

    In the meantime, add the cornflower paste to the pan of ingredients as well as the milk and a grind of pepper.

    Stir well and cover the pot.

    Cook on a simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked.

    Serve with rice.

  • Tuscan Salad

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 1 small ciabatta loaf or small sour dough loaf 
    • 2 large red peppers
    • 350gr Good quality beef tomatoes 
    • 1 tsp of capers
    • 6 anchovy fillets drained of their oil

    Dressing

    • 400gr ripe large vine tomatoes 
    • 2 garlic cloves peeled
    • Rock salt
    • 4 anchovy fillets drained of their oil
    • 1 bunch basil leaves
    • 160gr extra virgin olive oil 
    • 3 tbsps cab sauvignon vinegar
    • 1 tsp capers

    Method

    Preheat a hot grill.

    Char the red peppers all over until they go black. Put them in a bowl and cover with a lid.

    Leave to cool before scrapping off as much of the skin as possible. Rinse off any seeds then cut the peppers into 1 cm strips.

    For the dressing score the skins of the Vine tomatoes then drop them into a pan of boiling water and cook for 1 minute.

    Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place into ice water then remove the skins.

    Crush the garlic with 1 teaspoon of rock salt using a pestle and mortar till smooth. Add the anchovy and half the basil pounding to a paste.

    Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and using a hand blender blend them to a pulp, then add to the garlic and anchovies.

    Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, capers and mix well.

    Remove the crusts from the bread and discard, cut the bread into 2cm pieces and place into a large serving bowl, add the peppers,  pour over the dressing and toss well so the bread soaks up the dressing.

    Roughly cut the beef tomatoes into bite size pieces and place into a separate bowl with the remaining basil leaves. Spread the tomatoes and basil over the top of the salad then top with the capers and anchovies.

  • Tarte Tatin

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    Ingredients

    Serves 6-8

    • 12 Granny Smiths apples 
    • 125g unsalted butter
    • 190g caster sugar
    • 250gr all butter puff pastry

    Method

    Preheat the oven 200c gas mark 6

    With the apples standing upright  peel and halve them through the core, then remove the cores using a teaspoon.

    Place the sugar into a 22/24 cm ovenproof frying pan, it’s important that the pan has deep sides and fits in your oven.

    Place the pan over heat and cook the sugar until it becomes a golden caramel, then add the butter and stir in carefully until the mixture combines, don’t worry if the mixture splits, remove the pan from the heat.

    Arrange the apples in the pan standing on their sides until the pan has taken all the apples from the outside to the centre. Its important to pack the apples in the pan as tightly as possible.

    Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes then remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. 

    While the apples are cooling roll the puff pastry into a disc 3mm thick and roughly 2cm wider than the rim of the pan, carefully lay the pastry over the apples and tuck the excess pastry around the edge of the pan to surround the apples.

    Place the pan back in the oven and cook for a further 25 minutes until the pastry is golden all over.

    Once you’ve removed the tarte from the oven leave to cool for 5 minutes then place a large upturned plate over the top of the pan and with your hand firmly over the plate and being very careful not to burn yourself, turn over the pan onto the plate to release the tarte onto the plate.

    While still warm Serve with whipped double cream.

  • Chocolate Soufflés

    Video player requires JavaScript enabled. You can watch this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_DrPuu20B4

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 140g milk
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 20g caster sugar
    • 7g cornflour
    • 40g golden cane sugar
    • 150g good quality dark chocolate 
    • 110g egg whites

    Method

    Butter the inside of 4 ramekins and coat with the cane-sugar.

    To make the pastry cream; whisk the egg yolks with 10g of caster sugar until pale, add the cornflour, bring the milk to the boil, pour it over the egg yolk mixture and mix.

    Pour the pastry cream into a saucepan and gently bring to the boil stirring all the time until it thickens.

    Add the chopped chocolate to the pastry cream and mix well until the chocolate melts.

    Whisk the egg whites until you have a light meringue, slowly add the remaining 10g of caster sugar whilst whisking, then gently fold into the chocolate pastry cream keeping it light and airy.

    Fill your ramekins to the top and bake at 190c for 10 minutes until beautifully risen.

     

  • Rice Pudding

    Ingredients

    Serves 8

    • 900ml whole milk
    • 6ooml double cream
    • 125g caster sugar (golden is preferable)
    • 5 drops vanilla essence or scrape out seeds of 1 vanilla pod
    • 5 strips lemon zest
    • 150g pudding rice (called Carolina)

    Method

    Pre heat oven to 160*c, 325*f or gas mark 3.

    Put milk and cream into a saucepan and add sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.

    Bring to boil and when the sugar is dissolved pour everything into a large ovenproof dish that should be at least 4”deep.

    In a sieve, rinse the rice under cold running water until the water is clear then add to the mixture in the oven dish and stir in with a fork.

    Place the ovenproof dish onto a baking tray and put in the oven for 20 minutes.

    Take out and stir the rice around to make sure it is distributed around the dish.

    Put back in for 1 hour and do not open the oven door.

    After this hour take out the dish. A golden brown skin should have formed. Cover the dish in foil.

    Now turn down the oven to 150*c, 300*f, gas mark 2 and put the foil covered dish straight back into the oven for a further 30 minutes.

    Cooking should now be finished, there should be a slight wobble in the centre.

    Serve warm.

  • Cinnamon and Orange Marmalade Truffles

    Ingredients

    Makes 25 truffles

    • 200ml double cream
    • 65g honey 
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
    • 65g orange marmalade 
    • 250g good quality milk chocolate finely chopped 
    • 200gr good quality white chocolate finely chopped

    Method

    Bring the cream, honey, cinnamon and marmalade to the boil, pour over the chopped milk chocolate and stir to combine all the ingredients.

    Cool and leave the mixture to set in the fridge.

    Once set divide the mixture into 25 and roll into balls then place in the freezer for 1 hour.

    Melt half the chopped white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

    Once melted remove the bowl from the heat, slowly add the remaining white chocolate and stir in until all the chocolate has melted. 

    Remove the truffles from the freezer and using a cocktail stick, coat the truffles in the melted white chocolate then leave to set in the fridge.

wine and food masterclasses

 

Watch our virtual festive wine and food tasting masterclass hosted by our Executive Chef, Peter Fiori and Tom Gilbey, Founder, The Vinter on Friday 13 November 2020.

 

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  • Ham cheese and almond crostini

    Ingredients

    Makes 16 canapés

    • 4 slices of brown bread (thick sliced)
    • 120g good quality ham diced into ½ cm cubes (use vegetarian ham or simply leave out the ham for a vegetarian option)
    • 150g of grated mature cheddar cheese
    • Splash of Worcestershire sauce
    • Splash of tabasco sauce
    • 80g mayonnaise
    • 40g flaked almonds

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 190 degrees c (gas mark 5).

    Combine the ham, cheese, almonds, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix well. Spread the mixture evenly over the slices of bread and cut each slice into 4 even squares. Place the squares on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to cool a little before serving.

  • Chicken Italian

     

    Ingredients

    Makes 16 canapés

    • 2 x 180g skinned chicken breasts (alternatively, monkfish, sole or halloumi would also work well)
    • 280g jar of sundried tomatoes in oil
    • 1 red chilli roughly chopped
    • 1 small bunch of basil leaves
    • 1 clove of garlic skin removed
    • 1tbs fresh breadcrumbs
    • 1tbs chopped parsley
    • 1tbs of grated parmesan cheese
    • Splash of extra virgin olive oil
    • Seasoning

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 190 degrees (gas mark 5)

    Cut each chicken breast into 8 even sized strips (so you have 16 strips in total) and place them in a bowl. Place the sun-dried tomatoes (with their oil), chilli, basil, garlic and a splash of olive oil into a blender and blend to a wet paste. Now take out half the paste and save it in the fridge for another time. Add the remaining half of the paste to the bowl with the chicken strips and season with salt and pepper before mixing together. Place each strip of chicken onto a wooden skewer and place on a baking tray. Now cover the skewered chicken with any paste that’s left in the bowl. Next mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and chopped parsley together and sprinkle generously onto the chicken skewers. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve on a serving tray.

    The remaining tomato paste will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge and is great to marinate prawns, whole chicken for roasting or even scallops.

  • Roquefort, celery and apple salad

    Ingredients

    Makes 16 canapés

    • ½ celery stick cut into 1cm strips
    • 1 granny smith apple cut into 2cm strips
    • 2 baby gem lettuces – remove and discard outer leaves (8 even-sized leaves are needed from the middle of each lettuce)
    • 50g Roquefort cheese crumbled
    • A handful of walnuts crumbled, plus a few whole walnuts

     

    For the roquefort dressing

    • 100g Roquefort cheese crumbled
    • 2-3 tablespoons boiling water
    • 100ml mayonnaise
    • Black pepper

    Method

    First make the dressing. Place the Roquefort in a bowl and whisk in the boiling water until the mixture is creamy. Stir in the mayonnaise and add a grind of pepper.

    Separate the lettuce leaves into 16 evenly sized leaves and place them onto a tray. Divide the crumbled Roquefort cheese evenly onto each leaf followed by the apple, celery and crumbled walnuts. Now spoon a generous amount of the dressing on each leaf and finish by grating the whole walnuts over each canape. Now serve on a serving tray.

  • Stuffed Gordal olives

    Ingredients

    Makes 16 canapés

    • 16 pitted Gordal olives (or a 350g tin)
    • 1 orange, segmented pith removed
    • Dried oregano
    • Splash of extra virgin olive oil
    • Black pepper

    Method

    Drain the olives in a colander. Chop the orange segments and stuff them into the olives. Next place them into a bowl, drizzle with a splash of olive oil and scatter generously with the dried oregano and a grind of black pepper. Now serve in a small serving bowl.

  • Watermelon with balsamic and pistachio

    Ingredients

    Makes 16 canapés

    • 1 ripe watermelon cut into 16 x 3cm squares (you can use a honeydew melon if you prefer)
    • A small handful of finely chopped roasted pistachio nuts
    • Good quality balsamic vinegar
    • Splash of extra virgin olive oil
    • Black pepper
    • Good quality salt

    Method

    Cut the watermelon into 16 x 3cm squares and remove the seeds. Place the melon squares in a bowl and add a generous splash of good quality balsamic vinegar and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle generously with the chopped pistachio nuts before adding a good grind of black pepper and sea-salt.

    Now place the watermelon squares in a small serving bowl and serve.

  • Pear tarte tatin

    Ingredients

    Serves 4

    • 2 ripe conference pears
    • 4 whole star anise
    • ½ vanilla pod
    • 100g caster sugar
    • 50g unsalted butter cut into cubes
    • 375g ready rolled puff pastry (all butter if possible)
    • ½ pint of double cream

    You’ll also need a 28cm non-stick pan that fits in your oven (preferably without a handle).

    Method

    Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees c (gas mark 5)

    Peel the pears before cutting them in half lengthways and removing the centre core and stems. Place the whole star anise into the cavity that was created where you removed the cores. Cut 4 x 2cm lengths from the vanilla pod and place them where the stems were so they look like the stems.

    Lay the pears flat side down on a board and cut four pieces of puff pastry big enough to surround them. Now wrap the pastry around the top of the pears leaving the flat side of the pear free of pastry.

    Place your pan on a moderate heat, add the sugar and gently cook it until you have a golden caramel. Now add the diced butter and continue to cook until dissolved, shaking the pan all the time. Place the pears flat side down into the pan directly on the caramel and place in the oven for 15 minutes until the pastry is cooked. To serve, flip the pears over to reveal the golden pear flesh and serve with pouring or whipped cream.

Watch our virtual wine and food tasting masterclass hosted by our Executive Chef, Peter Fiori and Tom Gilbey, Founder, The Vinter on Friday 2 October 2020.

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  • Butternut squash, chestnut and truffle velouté with seared scallops

    Ingredients

    Serves 4 (simply double the ingredients if you’re cooking for eight people):

    For the butternut squash velouté

    • 100g butter
    • 1 butternut squash peeled, seeds removed and diced into 1cm cubes
    • 1 onion peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3 sprigs of thyme
    • 25g of grated parmesan cheese
    • 1 litre of boiling chicken or vegetable stock
    • 300ml of double cream
    • A good squeeze of lemon juice
    • 1tsp truffle oil
    • Salt and pepper

    To finish

    • 4 medium sized scallops (ideally fresh scallops out of their shell but frozen scallops that have been defrosted will work too)
    • Olive oil
    • 8 peeled chopped chestnuts (you can use vacuum packed chestnuts if you can’t source fresh ones)
    • Salt and pepper

    Method

    Heat the pan over a moderate heat and add the butter followed by the onions, thyme and bay leaves to sweat for 5 minutes. Next add the butternut squash and sweat for a further 5 minutes using a lid. Now add the grated parmesan cheese and stir it in well before adding the hot stock. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the double cream and boil rapidly for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and take out the bay leaves and thyme. Now add the truffle oil, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Make sure the butternut squash is nice and soft then blitz in a liquidiser for a silky velouté soup.

    To finish, place a frying pan on a moderate heat and gently heat up the velouté. Brush the scallops with a little olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the frying pan and fry them for 1 minute on each side so they have a little color. Pour the warm velouté into four soup bowls and place a scallop in each bowl. Now sprinkle some chopped chestnuts on top and serve.

  • Steak in breadcrumbs with pappardelle and a tomato cep ragout

     

    Ingredients

    Serves 4 (simply double the ingredients if you’re cooking for eight people):

    Ingredients for the tomato cep ragout

    • 3 tbs of olive oil
    • 1 onion finely chopped
    • 1 small carrot finely chopped
    • ½ a stick of celery finely chopped
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 1 sprig of thyme
    • 200ml dry white wine
    • 40g dried cep mushrooms covered in boiling water for 2-4 hours to soften (ceps can be bought in many supermarkets)
    • 200ml chicken stock
    • 600g chopped tinned tomatoes
    • Salt and pepper

     

    Ingredients for the steak

    • 4 x 120g fillet steaks
    • 2tbs olive oil
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2tbs plain flour sprinkled on a flat plate
    • 2 eggs beaten with a fork in a small bowl
    • 6tbs of fresh breadcrumbs in a bowl

    Ingredients to serve

    • 500g good quality dried pappardelle pasta
    • 20g of freshly grated parmesan cheese

    Method

    To make the sauce, place a deep sided pan on a moderate heat and add the olive oil followed by the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf and thyme. Place a lid on the pan and sweat for a couple of minutes, then add the white wine and reduce by half. Remove the ceps from the water, chop roughly and add them to the pan followed by most of the water they’ve been soaking in (don’t use the last bit of water as there may be a little bit of grit in the bottom). Add the chicken stock and reduce by half. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and cook gently for around 30 mins until you have a nice sauce. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if required.

    Next place the steaks between 2 layers of cling film and using a heavy based flat object (such as a pan) tap the steaks gently to flatten them. Now season the steaks with salt and pepper. Then dip the steaks into the flour, then into the beaten eggs and finally in the breadcrumbs so that they’re nicely coated.

    To finish, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-seasoned boiling water according to the instructions on the packet. Meanwhile gently heat the tomato and cep ragout in a pan. Finally, place a frying pan on a moderate heat and add the olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add the steaks and cook until golden on both sides.

    Drain the pasta and add the sauce and half of the parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve with the steak in breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the pasta with the remaining cheese.

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Watch our virtual wine and food tasting masterclass hosted by our Executive Chef, Peter Fiori and Tom Gilbey, Founder, The Vinter on Friday 15 May 2020.

 

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