Filtering by Tag: cookbook

‘pickled quinces’ - a Diana Henry recipe

December 06, 2021 / Geoff Griffiths

On the way home from our very recent stay in Norfolk we reached the Kings Lynn road and headed east in the wrong direction. Only for a mile. We had promised ourselves a visit to Back To The Garden - Farm Shop to grab as much of their bounty as we could before leaving the county.

A pre-planned purchase of enough of Mrs Temple’s Wells Alpine cheese to cook Richard Bainbridge’s lovely ‘Alpine cheese soup’ proved successful. And then, amidst the crates of seductive fruit and vegetable produce, were these pale and exceedingly interesting quinces. I’m not sure that this fruit will make Diana Henry spring to your mind but my thoughts immediately turned to her cookbook, ‘salt sugar smoke’*, perched patiently on a shelf back home and I bagged up enough of this slightly unexpected harvest knowing that there was a recipe on page 226 waiting for my attention. This is just one of so many deliciously approachable recipes in the book. Not readily available on the interwebnet thingy - all the more reason to buy your own copy!

*Diana (or her publisher) goes all lower case headings with this 2012 offering so please don’t be jangled by my faithful repetition of the device here and in the title of this post.

“I love the quince's shape, its generous curves and bulges. It is a voluptuous, even magnificent fruit to look at, like a Rubens bottom.”

Trust Nigel Slater to wax art historically over this fruit.

The pickling liquor took up the raw sienna pigment from my cinnamon sticks.

It would have been a missed opportunity to ignore our first Poinsettia of the season’s appearance in the house. #feelingfestive

The peeling, cutting and particularly removal of the core will have you marvelling at the decidedly tough nuts you are dealing with. You will need a sharp knife and the taking of much care.

Poaching the quince segments is a tense time. The potential for reducing them to unwanted mush is roughly in line with that of parents who supervise like hawks but suddenly need to ask themselves, “How in Fook’s name did my child come to have that pair of scissors in their hand!?”

Alles in ordnung. (My low grade pass in German O-Level just reared its ugly head!) Sterilised jars and slightly reduced pickling liquid meet up with the just soft, but not too-softened, quinces. Ready for lids to be screwed down and seals to be clipped tight.

The combination of sour and sweet and the presence of quince’s perfume make this a heady mix. I’m not even going to question if this batch will be mature enough by the end of the month. It will most definitely make an appearance on Boxing Day with our traditional ‘cold collation’ lunch.

An extra reward for my efforts remains. Enough pickling liquid survived, its tang softened by quince contact. Leaf gelatin will be added to make a jelly. Lozenges of that around a cut of pork or a terrine will add a ‘Cheoffy’ touch to some of my more developed plates very soon.

Labels were applied for a final photo before I settled down to write on some of Mrs Cheoff’s hand-crafted Christmas greetings cards. It looks like we have enough of a generous Kilner jar of pickled tracklement to accompany our own festive hams, cheeses and terrines. That small, but perfectly formed, supporting duo of mini jars might be used as gifts. But for whom? Hmmm…

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tags / quince, Diana Henry, Back To The Garden, Norfolk, pickles, preserves, Richard Bainbridge, recipe, salt sugar smoke, cookbook

TOO MANY CHIEFS ONLY ONE INDIAN/SAT BAINS/

April 22, 2021 / Geoff Griffiths

#08680/OF 10,000 - Selling like warm cakes!

Published in September 2012, this cookbook has been on my wish-list for the last six years. In that time loving gift-givers have all been found lacking in sufficient generosity but, in fairness, have managed to find reasonably agreeable alternative presents to fit their reduced financial circumstances. When I recently had my first magazine article published I decided that I would buy the book. What? Yes, someone paid me for writing that article!

Sat Bains introduced himself onto my list of chefs who sound interesting when the second series of Great British Menu aired in 2007. Entering the competition reluctantly, his dish of egg, ham and peas was judged the best starter and was cooked at the British Embassy in Paris at an Ambassadors Dinner. The programme bumped up bookings at the restaurant for the best part of a year. Ham/Egg/Peas was still served to customers when this book was published five years later. But some things must move on and fair warning was given of an evolved version of the dish on the menu from 2013. Recipes for the original and for the modified dish both necessarily appear in the book. I promise to return to the food before letting you out for playtime but first a little about other aspects of the book.

The history which has made a world-class chef and restaurant is set out. Experiences and influences which have formed Sat Bains are written in plenty of publications, many available online, but all salient points are covered here through sections which nicely round up everything that has led to a bit of magic appearing at the NG7 postcode. The background story is followed by a spot of backslapping, backchat and general musing from Sat’s peers in the form of their personal response to news of his publication.

Some of the chefs contribute enjoyable and positive asides but a few ‘usual suspects’ appear and reference the worst aspects of any workplace. Kitchen bullies are still a huge problem - they diminish the business and discourage people who might otherwise enter the profession. It is sad that Sat Bains’ CV includes his involvement in activities which too many chefs defend as being a ‘rite of passage’ or an understandable response to a relentlessly tough environment. There is no compromise for me on this. I have enough personal experience to be sure that such behaviour is unnecessary and always indefensible. There. That’s done. Paragraphs below will show you that I don’t allow such flaws in the industry to completely blind me to the glorious things which come out of its kitchens.

It’s worth noting that the London ‘White Heat’ of Marco Pierre White’s iconic 1990 book is already less intensely on display in the generous galleries of photographs from the Nottingham kitchen.

My copy arrived safe and sound. It is well packaged with one more outer box already recycled and unavailable for the photoshoot above. Production values are very high. I can imagine the same thought and care was put into the book release as is put into letting a dish go out to diners at Restaurant Sat Bains. The visual impact of text, the contrast of papers and the occasional pattern from pierced sheets - think perforated metal cookware - give a deliberate aesthetic. Pages of Sat’s creative development doodlings are reproduced and this whole volume has strong vibes of a chef’s notebook in appearance. Mind you, this one weighs in at over 3 kilograms and has a slipcase large enough to garage a Robin Reliant.

Graphologists would have a fine time dissecting the crazy hand-written script used by Sat. Here is their usual assessment of ‘all-caps handwriting’.

Interesting, eh? I’m not much versed in the science of graphology but it seems to have a little more validity than the hokum of, say, astrology. Mind you, those five rather bleak judgements are blown out of the water by the nature of Sat Bains’ capitalisation. His is no rigid, four-square delivery. He flashes an idiosyncratic calligraphy across a page with flourishes, connections and ascenders and descenders which I imagine would confound any handwriting expert. Here is someone who veered away from visual art as a career but who insists on doing the hugely important job of recording food ideas through the medium of his own, inventive and eye-catching art form. I am fine with this. I like a clever bugger.

Those food ideas are revealed in their fully developed state in the recipes. Oh, yes. We are entering the main course I promised. The food. These pages take you through dishes which all fit into the progression of a tasting menu at the restaurant. So ‘main courses’ are small to fit comfortably into chef’s delivery of a huge flavour-driven spread.

SALT - SWEET - SOUR - BITTER - UMAMI

Five taste profiles are described for each dish. ‘Umami’ was recognised back in 1908 but has probably only been in anything like common usage for a couple of decades. The word ‘bitter’ pushes us towards ideas of unpleasantness but it is good to see it have its rightful inclusion. It has been given centre stage by provocative chef/writer Jennifer McLagan in this book.

Jean Anthelme Brillat- Savarin thought the number of tastes is infinite, because each one is unique. Sat Bains spares us that confusion. He offers no detailed scientific analysis of the way tastes ‘work’ together. For that, go to something like Nik Sharma’s ‘The Flavor Equation’. But chef’s decisions about the final balance of a dish rest on decades of experience, investigation and development. All of which jump from the page as convincing and reassuring - and as more immediately accessible than many other high-end cookbooks.

Be prepared for compromise. Unless you have enough equipment and experience in the kitchen you will struggle to do justice to many of the dishes. Hours - months - of rigorous groundwork has all been done for the reader but I know there are details of finish, texture and temperature which will inevitably escape me as I try to recreate some dishes. None of which will deter me. There is compelling inspiration here and it would only be respectful to go some way to trying to reproduce it at home.

Professional chefs will have eagerly gobbled up this book. Most of us cooking at home will have to invest in one more thing - a wholesale review of the way we offer our food. Inviting keen family or friends to help with preparation for a couple of days might not be a bad idea. Form your own brigade. If you go solo, completion of any one of the dishes would be a worthwhile challenge to add to your skill set and understanding. Unless you are inviting a full house be prepared to adjust quantities. This is one of very few cookbooks where each recipe will serve ten.

For the real thing we must be grateful that Covid rule relaxations have opened up bookings at the Nottingham restaurant. Be persistent. Many are already ahead of us in the queue!

I’ve reviewed what is now a relatively old book. It was given a multitude of awards on publication. Coming to it late, I still find it fresh and exciting. It would be a lie to say that it will find a permanent place beside my stoves. But only because it is far too classy to be subjected to close contact with the splash and splutter of the kitchen. Notes will be taken. Recipes will be photographed or digitised. Seasonality is highlighted throughout so that will be given a firm nod.
I’ll agonise a little before deciding what to challenge myself with first. Chef gives clear instructions for complex dishes but refuses to prescribe presentation. You and I are delightfully on our own with that. I’ve already bookmarked a comparatively simple savoury ice cream sandwich. Watch out for reports on my efforts.

The overwhelming first hit of ‘Too Many Chiefs…’ is its style. Ultimately, rather like Sat Bains, this ‘One Indian’ impresses with its huge substance. You should know that, while not dismissing the Michelin Guide, I set small store by their judgements. They do allow for one subjective but interesting criteria - the personality of a chef on his plates. This chef has stamped his personality on every page of his book.

Sat Bains recently posted evidence that he’s not a Covid denier or an anti-vaxxer. So, a couple more redeeming features to add to the complexities of forming a balanced view of one of our most compelling, multi-faceted chefs. Whatever he might do with ham and peas, he appears to be a fairly good egg.

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tags / Hospitality Action, Sat Bains, cookbook, recipes, restaurant, rsb, Nottingham, NG7, Lenton Lane, Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, Michelin Guide UK, seasonality, salt, sweet, sour, bitter, umami

Pain d'épices

March 28, 2019 / Geoff Griffiths

The ‘Great British Chefs’ website is a fine place to go for recipe ideas and for great advice from those who mostly cook for a living. So you are liable to be ‘working’ with people who like to get things right.

They also have a Facebook group with a more focused approach, involving the exploration of and cooking from a monthly changing book. I am a keen follower but can only be considered a sporadic contributor compared to some of the crazily committed and talented cooks who share their efforts there so regularly.

Richard Bertinet’s book, ‘Crumb’ is this month’s soon to be replaced volume.
I’m just reviving and revving up my kitchen forays after being told that I can cook food AND chew it! My extensive dental procedures appear to be heading to a successful conclusion.

Into the kitchen to see if there are any remnants of cooking skills which I might lightly flex.

This recipe for ‘Pain d'épices’ from the Bertinet book will see us through a few of the meals which I am planning to make for family and friends. Bertinet presents it as a ‘classic’ but I have known it from another recipe as a store cupboard standby.

You have a link to the recipe. I’ll simply clarify the modifications I made and the uses to which I intend putting the results.

The spice mix for my loaf had some finely chopped candied orange peel added. Instead of star anise I used ground green aniseed.

This is a fairly undemanding recipe and much more forgiving than those which involve yeast, dough work and proving. A good return for relatively little work.

The baking forced mix over the edges of the tin. It’s already cleared from the tray underneath in my picture but it was ready to join other ‘offcuts’ for crumbing. Any rise here is from the fizz of baking powder rather than more air-inducing yeast. The texture is a lovely combination of dense lightness… if that makes sense.

There is little likelihood that the slices will be offered for eating as they are. They are already being cut and shaped for garnish and as elements of more developed dishes. The trimmed sheets below are candidates for underpinning some pressed, caramelised apples. Maybe an orange jelly and robe of chocolate for a ‘Jaffa’ jive vibe.

The cubes have possibilities for savoury or dessert. I serve scallops with ras el hanout. I don’t see why the spices here can’t do a similar flavour profile job. A crisp in oil before serving to achieve crouton crunch.

Staying savoury - why not fry in richer duck fat. I’m sure the spices here will give enough balance. Could be served as a cheeky canapé with a plum gel atop… and no need to buy a duck!

These batons will be treated in the same way as some ‘petits fours’ which we enjoyed at the Banks family’s Black Swan at Oldstead. They will need to be dowsed in egg yolk and fried in butter. It does occur to me that a gentle soak in brandy or rum would do no real harm. Or put the booze element in a blob of cream on the side.

Those lumpy bits have been put to good use and zizzed into a crumb. Once again these would serve sweet or savoury needs. Back with scallops again, why not fry the crumb in chorizo oil and offer as an alternative to black pudding. Adding to stuffing for partridge or quail also comes to mind.

Pretty sure that rhubarb would be a good companion to the spice notes here. Many fruity sorbets and ice creams would sit well over a layer of the contrasting crumb texture.

Not too much tasting (greedily hoovering up!) of those knobbly outside bits went on and I now have the majority of this bake cut, shaped and frozen. I know it will keep well in an airtight container for a while but it will be great to ease the burden of preparation for meals planned further in the future and be able to grab today’s efforts all ready to go.

I’ve cooked all the way through my ‘tooth trials’ but much has had to be liquified or mushed. This is the first time that I’ve given serious renewed thought to planning something a bit fancier to share with family and friends.

It’s good to be back.

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tags / Richard Bertinet, baking, spices, Great British Chefs, 'Crumb', cookbook, pain d'épices

'OUT of my TREE' Midsummer House by Daniel Clifford

November 16, 2018 / Geoff Griffiths

In August 2017 Daniel Clifford began to get a little excited on social media, sharing news that a book was in preparation marking twenty years of his restaurant, Midsummer House. And social media got a little excited too. My interest was piqued.

The idiotic excuse that I most definitely do not need another cookbook stalled things for a few months after publication but it appeared on my wishlist and one of our junior ‘Cheoffs’ - the younger son (Sous Cheoff?) if you must know - sent me a birthday gift of ‘OUT of my TREE’.

My review follows but let’s throw in a spoiler straight away. This will not be loaned out in the foreseeable future… get your own lovely copy!

Mine is not the slip-cased, four-times-the-price limited edition. It doesn’t want to be. I shouldn’t like to be distracted by considerations of keeping it pristine. There is too much here which demands to be propped up in the kitchen and cooked from. Which leads to the one unfathomable serious flaw with this production. And that flaw lies in the physical production of the book. If this were a dish from Midsummer House it would never be allowed out of the kitchen. The care and finish is minimal. Head and tail bands and ribbon markers are absent. The book boards have the barest of thickness and strength. As far as a book in the hand goes, this is the most frustratingly disappointing volume which I’ve handled for many years. Maybe the flaw is fathomable after reading this from the website of the publisher, Meze:

There is no mention of bookbinding anywhere else on the site. I assume that element is discussed with clients on each project. Such a shame. I’m struggling to understand why Daniel Clifford would compromise his work in this respect. Let’s move on to much more positive stuff.

If you have come for the food you will be richly rewarded. Research and reminiscing leads Daniel Clifford to a nostalgic trawl through dishes which have disappeared or been reinvented over time at Midsummer House. Some were remembered with such affection that they have found their way back on to the menu at the restaurant. This has resulted in a very generous doubling of the originally proposed recipes to a finally published one hundred and forty.

Those recipes, presented as far as possible in chronological order, range from a very accessible one for egg sandwiches by Chef’s mum to more intricate efforts by Chef’s mum’s son. These involve techniques I am prepared to struggle with but which might be abandoned if they require a centrifuge or a pacojet. The food is gloriously presented through the patient, painstaking photography of Tim Green. The recipes and the short stories about their development make a strong claim as the star attraction of this volume.

But this is much more than a cookbook. Although it does not contain everything. As Sat Bains explains in his foreword (there are several forewords by much-respected, big-hitting members of the culinary and hospitality world), something is missing… namely ‘bullshit’. I would have expected that. My understanding of Daniel Clifford has come mainly from his appearances on Great British Menu over the last decade. He is both a winner and a ‘Veteran’ judge. In the latter guise his reaction to one competitor instigated Twitter fury. But I remember silently shouting at the screen seconds before Chef Paul Askew was pulled up short for over-enthusiastic garnishing… and thus being in total agreement with Daniel’s timely interruption. And previously his response to a teacher who exercised creative writing skills to describe her meal at his restaurant also received much coverage. The rebuttal of his customer’s letter of complaint was a lot more polite than the aforementioned Sat Bains’ occasional vitriol on ShitAdvisor. Especially considering that a Cambridge newspaper had undermined one of their community’s prize assets. I fall in with Chef’s refusal to accept such bullshit.

For me, though, there most definitely is one more large pile of doodah in the book - and I don’t mean the pant-cacking moment on page 36. This is not just an homage to Midsummer House. Chef takes us into the verbally and physically violent kitchens of his formative years and admits that his own early management skills rested on being trained by ‘animals’. I know from personal experience that Michelin star food can be produced in kitchens which offer a constantly positive and nurturing environment. This is still a harsh, unremitting profession but I am convinced that the additional prospect of being bullied is one element which has strongly impacted the recruitment of a new generation. The crassness of abuse needs to be seriously addressed… maybe we can begin to eliminate it.

Providing food in one of the UK’s top ten restaurants (have a debate on that later!) has to rely on teamwork but, in the process of becoming a culinary star, Chef Clifford concedes and regrets that he has made bad mistakes in his treatment of other human beings. The arrival of chef Mark Abbott confirmed a sea change. It revealed how much Daniel Clifford had developed as a person. The realisation and acceptance that Mark’s unassuming exterior is no barrier to being a powerhouse of cooking skill, creativity and work ethic has meant that Daniel can adjust to a new era in which he trusts someone else to match and sustain his exacting standards. Which also means that he might step back, and exhale with a big burst of pride at what he has achieved, not just in a wonderful career, but as a human being. ‘OUT of my TREE’ strongly suggests that he has now grown up more than enough to do just that.

Even if he has taken any sort of a step back, Midsummer House will always belong to Daniel Clifford. Even allowing for the help of so many others over the years it remains his creation. I am very grateful to him for producing such a fitting, thoughtful and rich book to share that creation with us.

EDIT: The book has been shortlisted in the Gourmand International Food Awards 2019 in the category of ‘Best Book of the Year in all categories’ The plaudits keep coming!

It might be worth adding that we have not yet eaten at Midsummer House. You’ll gather that we will be correcting that mistake soon.

Right. Page 208 is open and I’m looking at the ‘Pear, Fennel and Black Olive’ dessert. And trying to work out ways to achieve it as far as possible without buying more kitchen equipment. You may leave me in peace now… I’m going to be busy.

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tags / Michelin, michelin chef, Daniel Clifford, OUT of my TREE, cookbook, recipes, book review, Cambridge, Midsummer House

GREAT BRITISH CHEFS The Cookbook

September 02, 2018 / Geoff Griffiths

At present only available on Kindle, this is a cookbook which I and hundreds of others in the Great British Chefs community backed and helped to be published.
Soon after receiving my copy I set about checking how many recipes were already available on the Great British Chefs website. A few recipes have been slightly modified for the book and new food styling and photography has been incorporated.

As you’ll see there are only 21 new recipes out of 120. I remember messaging Paul Foster at Salt in Stratford-upon-Avon to thank him for his carrot recipe after I had cooked it.

This is why a good chef’s recipe will always attract me. I had eaten this dish at the restaurant and a few months later - admittedly without direct comparison - could enjoy my own home-cooked version shown above.

Paul Foster was surprised that there were so few new contributions. He had supposed that there would be a small but generous sharing of recipes like his which had not been revealed before. This would be a sticking point for some but the whole volume is still an attractive ‘old-fashioned’ media item which sits well in my kitchen. And if, like me, you enjoy the reassurance of mistreating the pages of a real, open book instead of endangering your tablet with fiery blasts and hot, oily splashes you’re stuck with the latter until a reprint! Sorry.

Here is the text I prepared after reading and cross-referencing on the internet.
I stopped naming chefs and recipe titles after Anna Hansen but you’ll fill in those details if you follow the links.
I’ve tried to indicate which recipes are modified (MOD) or are available ELSEWHERE.
Nowhere near as attractive and inspiring as the book but you still have a round-up of most of the recipes chosen for that book.
You should find much to distract you over all the rest of the GBChefs site once you are there!

BRITAIN’S CULINARY MASTERS (I’ve put the book’s sections in bold capitals)

Pierre Koffmann
15 - Stuffed pig’s trotters with potato purée (Stuffed pigs' trotters with morels)
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/stuffed-pigs-trotter-recipe

17 - Peach clafoutis
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/peach-clafoutis-recipe

Mark Dodson

20 - Chocolate fondant with peanut butter ice cream (Chocolate fondant with peanut butter ice cream and dark chocolate sauce)
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/chocolate-fondant-recipe-peanut-butter-ice-cream

23 - Beef fillet with confit shallots, sautéed potatoes and green peppercorn sauce (Beef fillet with roasted shallots, sauté potatoes and green peppercorn sauce)
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/beef-fillet-shallots-peppercorn-sauce-recipe

Michael Wignall

25 - Loin of venison, beetroot, black pudding purée, kale and jerk salsify (Loin of Yorkshire roe deer, beetroot, black pudding, kale and salsify)https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/roe-deer-with-beetroot-recipe (MOD)

28 – Grape, yoghurt & celery
https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/504033/chef-eats-out-gidleigh-park (ELSEWHERE)

Shaun Hill

30 - Veal sweetbreads
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/veal-sweetbreads-with-mustard-recipe

33 - Chocolate torte
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/chocolate-torte-recipe

Nathan Outlaw

34 - Mackerel, tomato and samphire salad
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/mackerel-salad-recipe-tomato-samphire

37 - Beetroot-cured salmon, salmon pâté, root vegetable salad and thyme crackers
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/beetroot-cured-salmon-recipe

Michael Caines

39 – Coconut panna cotta with exotic fruit salad & passion fruit sorbet (NEW)
https://www.michaelcaines.com/recipes/spiced-pineapple/

43 – Duck egg with asparagus and mushrooms (NEW)

Simon Rogan

44 - Venison leg cooked in hay with celeriac and braised red cabbage (Venison leg cooked in hay with roast celeriac and braised red cabbage)
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/venison-leg-recipe

46 - Hot fig mousse
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/hot-fig-mousse-recipe

Marcus Wareing

48 – Scallops, green chilli &coriander salsa, peach & buttermilk (NEW) (from ‘New Classics: Inspiring and Delicious Recipes to Transform Your Home Cooking’)

51 - Pineapple upside-down cake with rum caramel (Pineapple upside-down cake, spiced rum caramel, and Devonshire clotted cream)
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-cake-recipe-rum-caramel

Paul Heathcote

52 – Flattened chicken with lemon, garlic, rosemary & pomegranate molasses (NEW)

55 – Rack of lamb with Lancashire herb crumb & creamed cauliflower (NEW)

Sat Bains

57 – Braised beef cheek with oyster emulsion (NEW)
https://www.thestaffcanteen.com/chefs-recipes/beef-cheek-oysters-by-john-freeman
http://www.four-magazine.com/recipes/beef-cheek-and-oysters/

58 - Chocolate and yoghurt
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/chocolate-and-yoghurt-dessert-recipe

FLAVOURS OF EUROPE

José Pizarro

65 - Octopus with baby potatoes, pimentón and olive oil
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/grilled-octopus-recipe

66 - Croquetas caseras
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/croquetas-caseras-recipe

Luke Holder

69 - Lamb rump with burrata and marinated romano peppers
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/lamb-rump-recipe-burrata-red-peppers

71 - Agnolotti pappa al pomodoro with basil
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/agnolotti-recipe