Archive for November, 2009
Eating Out at Indian restaurants in Britain
Once long ago when you went to an Indian restaurant all you asked of the menu was mild, medium, hot or hottest. It was Vindaloo for blow the roof off your mouth bravado or Korma for girls. The huge variety and subtlety of Indian cuisine was lost in translation and most curry houses served what the customers were looking for – British adaptations of currys that are a far cry from the original dishes in India.
Nowadays Indian restaurants have been transformed by the renewed interest in world cuisine, with gourmet customers looking for authentic dishes recreating the true tastes of India. This has given good Indian restaurants scope to add a rich array of speciality regional dishes from their particular corner of India to their menus and diners can enjoy a real gastronomic tour of India, without even having to travel, if they choose their Indian restaurants with care.
India is such a huge country that the huge diversity of culinary traditions comes as no surprise. From the Himalayan valleys of the North with rich smooth sauces cooked in clay pots, to Kerala in the South with its coconut based sauces, there are a plethora of different cuisines to explore, all using different combinations of spices, different vegetables and sauces, some more rice based, others depending more on grains for their starch.
However with all this variety it can be a bit bewildering looking at all the choices on offer on an Indian menu. Often it is easier just to choose the familiar dishes that we can pronounce. There’s nothing wrong with that either: a chicken korma is deliciously creamy and fragrant with mild spices and tandoori dishes cooked in a traditional charcoal clay oven are always a fantastic choice.
If you feel like being more adventurous look further down the menu – a good place to start is with the chef’s specialities. Very often these will be traditional dishes from a specific region of India. Usually there is an explanation of the dish underneath its name, so that you can pick one that sounds appealing. Start including one unfamiliar dish each time you visit an Indian restaurant and you will soon get a feel for the rich diversity of flavours that makes up the world of Indian cuisine.
The Go dine blog will be running a series of articles on Indian cuisine over the next couple of weeks, so check back here to explore traditional Indian cooking methods, spices and regional cuisines with us.
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view Indian restaurants in Nottingham | Indian restaurants in Derby | Indian restaurants in Leicester
Crème Brulee recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Crème Brulée recipe by Nick Buckingham
Crème brulée makes a simple but rich and delicious dessert, with the satisfying contrast in textures of crisp caramel and the smooth creaminess underneath.
It needs to be prepared in advance and can be completed the evening before you need it and stored in a cool place, so it is ideal for dinner parties when you are entertaining after work and want to do as much in advance as possible.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
12 Egg Yolks
1½ pt Cream
1 Vanilla Pod (split and scraped)
55g / 2 oz Sugar
Caster Sugar
Method
Pour the cream into a saucepan and scrape the vanilla pod into it. Add the sugar and bring it all slowly to the boil. Remove from the heat when it is just boiling.
Pour the hot cream on to egg yolks and stir well until the mixture thickens, but do not whisk.
Strain through a fine sieve and fill 8 small dishes or ramekins almost to the top.
Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour in enough hot water to come half way up their sides. Cook them in this Bain Marie on the middle shelf of the oven for twenty five minutes at 100C / 200F until firm to the touch. Do not boil.
Dust with caster sugar and caramelize the sugar with a hand-held mini blow torch.
Allow to cool before serving
Points to Watch
Do not store in fridge
Do not whisk the mixture
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Courgette Gateaux recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Courgette Gateaux recipe by Nick Buckingham
A layered stack of bread croute and pan-fried vegetables, these courgette gateaux make an impressive party piece to serve alongside a main meat dish or add variety to a vegetarian main course. Plus they look fantastic and taste good too.
They do take a while to prepare and put together, but can be prepared in advance earlier in the day and just popped in the oven to bake 5 minutes before serving.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
8 Slices of Bread
8 Small Courgettes
Garlic Butter
110g / 4 oz Finely Chopped Shallots
Thyme
275g / 10 oz Tomatoes
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Method
Prepare the courgettes by scoring down the sides with a canelle knife, then slice them thinly. Pan fry them in butter and garlic until soft.
Chop the shallots finely and fry them in butter with thyme until soft.
Skin and deseed the tomatoes then dice them.
Cut croutes with a 3 inch / 7.5cm cutter from the slices of white bread. Pan fry them in butter until golden.
In the cutter, place the croute and then layer with the courgette slices, then shallots, then tomato.
Season and repeat process until the cutter is full. Press down and finish with cour-gettes and dust with grated parmesan cheese. Remove the cutter carefully to keep the gateaux intact. Make the rest of the gateaux in the same way.
Just before serving, bake the gateaux to order in the oven at 200C / 400F for five minutes with care.
To Serve
These vegetable gateau will complement any meat dish
Points to Watch
Keep in round shapes
Can be made early in the day to prevent serving problems.
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Citrus Soufflé recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Citrus Soufflé recipe by Nick Buckingham
Individual citrus soufflés make an elegant ending to a meal. The light and fluffy texture is tempting without being too filling and the citrus tang is refreshing to the palate.
Soufflés should be cooked at the last minute, just before you intend to serve them, so they may not be an ideal choice when you are hosting a dinner party as well as cooking, unless you comfortable with a longish break between courses, but they are a really impressive finale to a meal if you have the time and inclination.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
4 Egg Yolks
4 Egg Whites
55g / 2 oz Lemon, orange and Lime Juice
55g / 2 oz Sugar
½ tsp Citrus Zest
Method
Butter 8 individual soufflé moulds and sprinkle them with sugar, so that they are well coated.
In a bain-marie, or a bowl suspended over a pan of just simmering water, whisk the egg yolks with sugar until they are pale and thick.
Add the citrus juice and zest.
Whisk everything together well, and make sure it is really thick.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peak stage.
Fold the whisked egg whites carefully into the egg yolk mixture with a metal spoon.
Fill each mould ¾ full, then wipe the rims to make sure they are clean, so that the soufflés will rise well.
Bake at 200C / 400F for six minutes, until puffed up and golden. Dust the tops with sifted icing sugar.
Serve at once
To Serve
Serve with the Grand Marnier Sabayon from this recipe on the side.
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Chicken with Spinach and Parmesan Mousse recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Breast of Chicken with Spinach and Parmesan Mousse recipe by Nick Buckingham
Chicken breast is a very versatile meat that works well with almost any flavour pairing, but it can become dry and uninspired, unless you cook it well. Stuffing a chicken breast keeps the meat inside tender and adds flavour, making it a great main dish for a dinner party.
Stuffing chicken breast isn’t hard but it is much easier if you use a piping bag to get the filling right inside. Buy the whole chicken breasts on the bone and remove the bone yourself, so that you have the small fillet part of the breast as well as the main section and leave the skin on to keep the meat from drying out as it cooks.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
8 whole chicken breasts on the bone
220g / 8 oz Cooked Spinach
110g / 4 oz Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Egg
110g / 4 oz White Breadcrumbs
Seasoning
Method
Remove the bone from the chicken breast and separate the small fillet piece from the main section. Leave the skin on. Make a long deep cut at the thick end of the chicken breast.
Place the chicken fillets that you have separated out, the spinach and egg into the food processor and chop together into a fine puree. Stir in the freshly grated parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs, then season with care. This is the mousse that you will use to stuff the chicken breast.
Fill a piping bag with the mousse and pipe it into the chicken breasts.
In large roasting pan, seal the chicken breasts, by searing them quickly in a little oil on all sides. Then position them skin side up, season and roast in a pre-heated oven at 180C / 350F for twelve minutes, until firm to the touch.
To Serve
Trim the thick end of the chicken and cut on an angle. Place on plate.
Point to Watch
Ensure the chicken stuffing is cooked through.
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Chablis and Shallots Butter Sauce recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant
Chablis and Shallots Butter Sauce recipe by Nick Buckingham
A beautiful creamy sauce, with the savoury intensity of shallots and the richness of cream and white wine, this goes well with fish dishes of all sorts, as well as the Oyster and Monkfish Sausage recipe.
The sauce could also be adapted to go with vegetarian dishes by using vegetable stock instead of fish stock, partnering very well with spinach and other dark green vegetables.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
½ pt White Wine
½ pt Fish Stock
½ pt Fresh Cream
110g / 4 oz Finely Chopped Shallots
1 teaspoon Champagne Vinegar
Seasoning
1 clove garlic finely chopped
25g / 1oz butter
Method
In a heavy based pan, melt the butter over a low heat and sweat the garlic and shallots together. When they are translucent, add the fish stock, wine and cream. Bring to the boil and then simmer, reducing the liquid down until the sauce has a good flavour and a syrup like consistency.
Season with care and adjust flavour if too rich with the vinegar
To Serve
Serve the sauce over the Oyster and Monkfish Sausage recipe.
Points to Watch
Ensure the fish stock is a good quality.
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Oyster and Monkfish Sausage recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Oyster and Monkfish Sausage recipe by Nick Buckingham
Making your own sausages gives you a whole new area of creative cooking to explore. You can combine flavours and textures in new ways and cook them very simply, serving them with a sauce that complements them and a heap of mashed potatoes and wilted greens. These oyster and monkfish sausages bring a sophisticated note to the humble sausage and together with this Chablis and shallot butter sauce make a feast of flavour for a dinner or a weekend lunch.
Amount
8
Ingredients
900g / 2 lb Monkfish Meat (diced and bone free)
20 Oysters
Chopped Dill
finely grated zest of 2 Lemons
10 Green Peppercorns (crushed)
55g / 2 oz Carrot Diamonds (cooked)
½ pt Cream
2 Egg Yolks
Oyster essence
Seasoning
Method
Chop half the monk fish meat by hand with the oysters.
Chop the other half of the monk fish in the food processor with the cream and egg yolks and oyster essence, until finely chopped but not pulped.
Mix in the dill and lemon zest and crushed peppercorns and finally adding the carrot diamonds last.
Season with care. Form some mixture into a small burger and cook it, then taste the burger, to test out the seasoning and flavours before stuffing the mixture into skins. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Chill the mixture and then make into sausages using young lamb sausage skins.
To Serve
Pan fry the sausages gently for six minutes. Serve with Chablis and shallot butter sauce.
Points to Watch
If the mixture is a bit wet add some dry white breadcrumbs.
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Caviar Sauce recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Caviar Sauce recipe by Nick Buckingham
A creamy and elegant caviar sauce is perfect to accompany a range of dishes, from this asparagus soufflé to poached sea bass and a variety of other fish dishes. It adds a sophisticated hint of luxury to a dinner party and can be prepared partly in advance and finished off when you are ready to serve.
Drizzle it over scallops or salmon, or even use it as a sauce for luxurious home made ravioli or fresh pasta.
Amount
1 Pint
Ingredients
¾ pt Whipped Cream
25g / 1 oz Chopped Onion
½ Bay Leaf
¼ pt White Wine
¾ pt Fish Stock
110g / 4oz Butter
Seasoning
Lemon Juice
25g / 1oz Caviar
Method
Put onion, bay leaf, fish stock, wine and cream in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer until the mixture has reduced by half the volume.
Strain the liquid through a sieve, season with care and add lemon juice to taste.
The recipe can be prepared in advance up until this point. If so, reheat before proceeding to the next stage.
Off the heat, whisk in the butter.
To Serve
Only at the last moment stir in caviar, then serve at once
Points to Watch
Do not allow the sauce to boil after adding the butter.
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Almond Potatoes recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Almond Potatoes recipe by Nick Buckingham
When you are serving a simple main course such as grilled fish or seared steak it is nice to add a potato accompaniment that contributes a touch of complexity and finesse. Almond potatoes go well with both meat and fish and can be prepared in advance, leaving just the final stage of frying to do when ready to serve.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
675g / 1 ½ lb Cooked Mashed Potatoes (hot)
3 Egg Yolks
3 Egg Whites
110g / 4 oz Finely Chopped Almonds
110g / 4oz Fresh White Breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
Flour
Method
While the potatoes are hot, season them with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the egg yolks and mix well.
Shape the potato mix into quenelles (oval shapes) with two large spoons, place on a tray, dust with flour and allow to cool.
When the potato quenelles are firm to the touch (about 1 hour) dip each one in beaten egg white, then roll it in the mixture of almonds and breadcrumbs. Set aside until ready to cook.
To Serve
Deep fry the potato quenelles in hot clean oil, being careful not to let them colour too much. They should be a light golden brown.
Drain on kitchen paper and season lightly.
Points to Watch
Make sure potatoes are very hot, mashed and dry. This is important when making these potatoes. The heat will cook the egg yolk and make the potato firm to handle when cold.
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Brandy Snaps recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Brandy Snaps recipe by Nick Buckingham
Brandy snaps are quite simple to make and are a very versatile component to make interesting and impressive desserts. The secret is in forming them into shapes while still warm from the oven: the classic tubes which are then filled with flavoured cream, or baskets and nests to be filled with whipped cream and fruit or nuts, or ice cream and grated chocolate. The possibilities are endless.
You will need to cook these in several batches as the snaps spread out very thinly and should be spaced well apart on the baking trays. Cooking just a few on a sheet at a time, it will also be easier to work with them as they come out of the oven. Decide in advance on the shapes you want to make and have the moulds ready to shape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Wooden spoon handles can be used to shape tubes, small bowls or brioche tins to form baskets.
Amount
2lb
Ingredients
225g / 8oz Plain Flour
225g / 8oz Butter
225g / 8oz Soft Brown Sugar
225g / 8oz Golden Syrup
¾ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
Method
Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together in a pan. Take off the heat and mix in the flour and ground ginger. Allow the mixture to cool.
Form the dough into small pea-sized balls and place on to a greased baking tray with a lot of space in between each ball..
Cook in oven at 180C for approx 10 minutes or until small golden brown biscuits are formed.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for approx 2 minutes so biscuit is pliable, then shape as desired. For tubes roll the brandy snap around a wooden spoon handle, for baskets place the brandy snap over an upturned small bowl or brioche tin. When cool, remove from the mould and store in an airtight tin until needed.
To Serve
Fill tubes with whipped cream flavoured with brandy. Baskets can be used for serving sorbets and ice creams or filled with a combination of whipped cream and fruit and nuts.
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Double Bake Asparagus Soufflé recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Double Bake Asparagus Soufflé recipe by Nick Buckingham
The spring flavour of asparagus and the delicate texture of a soufflé makes this a really impressive starter for a dinner party. The best thing about the double-bake soufflé is that it can be prepared ahead of time and then re-baked just in time to serve your starters, leaving you free to prepare the main course or welcome your guests. These individual soufflés are given an even greater touch of sophistication and luxury when accompanied by a caviar sauce.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
55g / 2 oz Butter
55g / 2 oz Flour
450g / 1 lb Asparagus
1 pt Milk
8 Eggs
Butter and Parmesan Cheese – Soufflé Moulds
Seasoning
Method
Liquidise the uncooked asparagus with the milk to very fine puree.
Boil the puree for five minutes, then strain it through a chinois or a fine mesh sieve.
Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium high heat until foaming. Add the flour, stir it in and cook it stirring constantly for one minute. Add the cooked asparagus puree a little at a time and mix to a smooth, very thick sauce. This is called the base.
Grease the soufflé moulds generously with butter and sprinkle them with freshly grated parmesan.
Separate the eggs.
Mix the asparagus base with the egg yolks and season with a little salt and pepper, being careful not to overdo it.
Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold them in to the asparagus mix carefully with a metal spoon.
Spoon the mixture to a ½ inch below the rim of the soufflé moulds.
Place the soufflé moulds into a bain-marie (water bath). Bring the water to the boil on top of the stove, then bake in the oven for 9 minutes (until firm to touch) at 180C/350F.
Allow the soufflés to cool. They will fall down (don’t worry).
To Serve
Rebake in the oven for seven minutes. Serve with the Caviar sauce recipe here.
Points to Watch
Ensure the asparagus base is thick and well seasoned
Soufflé moulds should be well buttered and dusted with cheese
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
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Bailey’s Creme Brulee recipe
This simple and delicious Bailey’s Creme Brulee recipe has been sent in by Time Out restaurant in Leicester.
Ingredients:
To serve 4 to 6
6 Egg Yolks
600ml of Double Cream
50ml Baileys (or to taste)
50gr Caster Sugar
50g Extra Caster Sugar for topping
Directions:
Pre heat the oven to 140 degrees centigrade, or Gas Mark 1
1. Heat the your 600ml of Cream in a saucepan until just boiling
2. Beat the 6 Egg Yolks and Sugar together in a bowl until evenly blended
3. Add your 50ml of Baileys to the Egg and Sugar mix
4. Slowly pour your hot cream into the Baileys and sugar mix, beating until well combined
5. Strain the mixture and remove any froth from the whisking
6. Place your ramekins into a large square baking tray
7. Pour you mixture into the ramekins, nearly to the top
8. Pour warm water into your tray in between the ramekins to come halfway up the side of the ramekins
9. Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes until the mixture is set but still Jelly like
10. Leave to cool for around 10 minutes before serving then refrigerate if making in advance or just chill before serving
11. Before serving sprinkle your extra Caster Sugar over the top of the dessert, covering the mixture all the way around
12. Place under the grill until the sugar is bubbling and caramelised, alternatively use a blow torch to create the same effect.
Serve Immediately and enjoy this sweet treat with its firm sugar topping and delicious soft centre.
View more about Time Out restaurant in Leicester
Cottage Pie recipe
Home-made cottage pie is one of those comforting nursery foods that are warming and sustaining on cold winter days. Fluffy mashed potato with the top crisp and golden, over savoury beef or lamb mince, tender from slow cooking. Children love it and the chopped up vegetables mixed in with the meat will often get past the most determined of fussy eaters.
Traditionally this is called cottage pie when made with beef mince and shepherds pie with lamb mince; the recipe for both is the same, maybe just adding a touch of rosemary with the lamb version. The dish evolved as a way of using up the leftovers from the Sunday roast. Cooked meat was minced and cooked up again as a potato-topped pie. Nowadays we rarely serve large enough roasts to produce all those leftovers, so cottage pie is more often made with bought raw mince.
Recipe for Cottage Pie
Ingredients
500g / 1lb beef mince
1 medium onion
2 carrots
1 stick celery
2 courgettes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
sprig thyme
80ml / 1/3 cup milk
a dash of wine
½ tin of chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 kg / 2lbs potatoes
butter and milk for mashing
salt and pepper
Chop the onion, carrot, celery and courgettes quite finely. Sauté them all in the vegetable oil in a heavy based pan over a medium low heat until softened.
Raise the heat and add the beef mince stirring it all until it has just lost the raw red colour. It shouldn’t be too well browned as this will toughen the meat. Add the milk and stir in, letting it bubble gently till most of the liquid is gone. This extra step makes the meat more tender.
Add the wine and cook for another minute or so till the alcohol has evaporated. Now add the tomatoes and herbs. Season with the Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add ½ -1 cup water or stock just enough to keep the meat moist. Cover the pan and simmer gently for at least half an hour, preferably one hour or more.
Peel the potatoes and boil in salted water until tender. Drain them well, allowing the steam to rise off and dry them. Add a generous knob of butter and half a cup of milk. Mash with a potato masher. Add more milk as needed until you get a soft fluffy mash. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F. Transfer the meat into a roasting tin or baking dish with a slotted spoon to leave most of the excess liquid behind. Top with a thick layer of mashed potato and even it out with a fork. Make patterns as you like with the fork, which will help get those delicious crispy bits on the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is golden and the meat sizzling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Hungry for good home-style food now? Why not eat out at The Peacock restaurant in Derby and enjoy their take on the British classics.
Christmas Mincemeat recipe
The mince pie season is almost upon us as all the shops gear up for Christmas and pile tempting boxes of ready made pies at the end of each aisle. But it’s hard to find a shop mince pie that is just right, with perfect crumbly pastry and a rich but not cloying mincemeat filling.
Making your own Christmas mincemeat is the answer. It has a fresher flavour, though is still rich and satisfying, and you can easily leave out the traditional suet to make it suitable for vegetarians without affecting the taste. It keeps well in the fridge for a month or two even without the suet. You can make your own shortcrust pastry or use bought puff pastry to make delicious mince pies that beat shop-bought ones hands down.
Recipe for Home-made Christmas Mincemeat.
5 or 6 medium green apples peeled and coarsely grated
350g / 12oz raisins
225g / 8oz sultanas
225g / 8oz currants
225g / 8oz mixed candied peel chopped finely
35g / 12oz soft brown sugar
zest and juice of 2 oranges
zest and juice of 2 lemons
50g / 2oz almonds chopped fine
4 teaspoons mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ nutmeg grated
6 tablespoons brandy
225g / 8oz shredded suet (optional)
Mix all the ingredients together except the brandy. It works best to grate the apples straight into the orange juice, so that they don’t discolour.
If you are using suet: cover the bowl with foil and leave everything to soak together for at least 12 hours. Then put the bowl in a low oven 120C / 225F for 3 hours to gradually melt the suet and coat all the ingredients. This will prevent fermentation if you are going to be storing the mincemeat for a long time. Allow it to cool, then mix in the brandy and pack into clean dry jars. Seal well if storing.
If you are planning on using the mincemeat over the next few weeks the suet isn’t necessary and you can mix the brandy in straight away. Leave the bowl covered in the fridge overnight and then pack the mincemeat into clean jars and refrigerate until needed. It needs at least a day, preferably a week, for the flavours to meld and develop, so make it in advance.
This will make enough mincemeat for about six dozen mince pies, enough to keep you going over the Christmas season.
Feel like celebrating the Christmas season in style? Book ahead to taste the special Christmas menus at San Carlo restaurant in Leicester.
Up Close with The Lambs at the Market restaurant in Mansfield, Nottingham
Go dine and the Nottinghamshire tourism board had the pleasure of the spending the afternoon with Troy Lamb, the head chef and owner of the fabulous Lambs at the Market restaurant in Mansfield. The plan; to understand just how Troy, with the support of a loving family, has propelled the restaurant into the forefront of the Nottinghamshire restaurant scene, picking up numerous Nottingham Restaurant awards as well as a coveted AA rosette.
Lambs at the Market was launched under stressful circumstances, its Grade II listed building causing plenty of potential heartache, “it just felt like the council wanted to make it difficult for us, the building lay dilapidated for a number of years and all we wanted to was bring it back to life”. Troy and his wife Alison ended up investing more than the budget in updating the facade, fixtures and fittings, and by the time Lambs at the Market opened its doors Alison was 8 months pregnant. An hour before the doors opened tables were still being made up; it just begged the question, “Why put yourself through the stress!?”
Troy’s love for food, like many top-class chefs, started in his early teens. Troy was exposed to a kitchen with a simple ethos of carvery and substance, rather than style cooking. At 15 Troy watched a frustrated chef dictated to with regard to what and how to cook and Troy started to understand what was wrong with this. Thoughts of having his own kitchen and doing things his own way entered the mind of the budding entrepreneur.
“It got to a stage where the idea of opening a restaurant was constantly playing on my mind and with Alison pregnant it was now or never. Part of opening the restaurant was so we could do it our way. Seeing the family isn’t just limited to home time.”
“My daughter spends time in the restaurant and runs around on a Sunday, she comes into the kitchen; not when we’re busy, I must add, when pans are flying everywhere. This restaurant is my livelihood and it’s important to involve her in this. She is extremely well behaved as she has spent a big part of her life either in this restaurant or others when we are dining out.”
Working 18 hour days, father of a new born baby, Troy rolled his sleeves up and with help from life-long friend Martin the dream began. Working so closely together, team work and interaction are a must and watching the two chefs working their wonderful local produce to plate certainly is a pleasure.
Troy spent a week working with Sat Bains and found it to be a privilege, “the way they organise the kitchen, the actual respect they have for the ingredients and the amount of detail that goes into the preparation was something I wanted to emulate”. Troy’s love for local produce can be seen in the way he describes dishes; he aims to make his dishes appealing and accessible to any diner and looks for a relaxed fine dining angle. “I don’t tend to go out into the restaurant, so all I see is what comes back on the plates, most of which are empty!”
Troy’s cuisine is based on unpretentious, honest food and he doesn’t like looking at menus filled with extravagant language that then disappoint when the plate is presented.
“We get quite a lot of people coming in who are celiac and we are happy to cater for them. We prefer to have some notice, and we can easily tailor dishes especially as we create everything from scratch in our kitchens. I don’t like to lose my concentration during service so having notice of special dietary requirements is preferred.” – a good indication of a perfectionist.
Troy takes extreme pride in everything that leaves the kitchen. Unless each dish is perfect in presentation and flavour, as well as reflecting the concept and ideology and the reason for putting the ingredients together, the dish simply doesn’t leave the kitchen no matter how busy the service, “it’s my name above the door, Lambs at the Market is just that, my restaurant with my levels of quality.”
It was at this point that Troy passed me over an A5 piece of paper headed ‘Go dine menu’, which put a huge smile on my face. Three dishes described so eloquently with mention of the source of the ingredients brought an amazing blend of flavours to my mind. We walked through the restaurant admiring Alison’s design and entered the kitchen to be greeted by Martin. We stood to one side and watched the dishes being pieced together so intricately but in a flash.
Puff Pastry Tart of Tollerton- Shot pigeon breast with Scottish Girolles.
Assierre of Nottingham Pork- Slow cooked belly, deep fried rillette and mini pork chop with Southwell butternut squash
A taste of Kirklington damsons- Damson jelly, star anise rice pudding and plum “minifeuille” – Wow!
While I had been speaking to Troy and Allison in the reception area of the restaurant, Martin had been preparing the pastry tart and potato fondant for the main course. Troy now joined him and off they went. Troy spent time as he cooked describing the people who make the dishes possible and told us about a good friend of his who shoots the wood pigeon only 10miles east of the restaurant specifically for Lambs at the Market.
Within 2 minutes we were watching Troy apply the final touches to our starter, Tart of Tollerton ready for our delectation. But we had to contain our appetites while the main course got underway, and the three different cuts of pork were lovingly produced. Again Troy spoke in an animated fashion, local produce really is high on the list of priorities.
On went the bed of lentils, potato fondant carefully placed on top, the pork placed on top of that, the pork belly to one side with a large amount of crackling, followed by the mini pork chop that had been hand trimmed and voila, a hearty dish that, as Catherine remarked, “certainly is a man size portion”. Troy takes a huge amount of pride in the presentation of the dish, “I don’t want people walking out of here hungry!”
We then shuffled over towards the other end of the kitchen and watched Martin carefully pull together a delicious take on a British classic, using damson in 3 different fashions. His sentences starting with “well I just do this, and I just place this” made me smile. They don’t just do this or that, the skill by which they create their masterpieces is second nature to these guys, the skills on show and the thought that goes into every step certainly is something I could not emulate quickly!
We took the dishes carefully up the stairs and onto a table in a more light and airy part of the restaurant. Troy sat down opposite Helen and me with a smile on his face. Getting across to Troy what we thought of the food was not as easy as we thought, the pigeon so soft and flavoursome, and the light yet crispy tartlet complemented the pan fried mushrooms.
Second up, the main course and where to start? I went straight for the pork belly and crackling and it took me straight back to my Nan’s crackling, but sorry Nan this was better! The soft pork and the fresh local vegetables were simply amazing and we had to invite our photographer in at this point to taste the fare; the immediate smile on his face spoke volumes.
Lambs at the Market really is an absolute gem in Mansfield: the absolute commitment to local produce, the passion and skill that goes into every element of every dish. Troy truly is a talented young chef and with a loyal and loving family behind him, Lambs at the Market will go from strength to strength. There is no doubt Troy deserves his ‘best use of local produce’ award and his AA rosette and any diner will be guaranteed to be delighted with the flavours, textures and presentation that goes into every dish. Not only that but diners will walk out feeling satisfied with the portions; they will feel that what they just ate was really worth every single penny.
This is not the last time we will hear about Troy; the journey has just begun and for a chef who when asked “who would you most like to cook for?” answered “Gordon Ramsay” just shows the confidence and self belief of a down to earth, kind and welcoming man.
We wish Lambs at the Market the very best of luck, although something tells me they won’t need it!
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Book Lambs at the Market online for free or call 01623 220 915
How to cook really crispy roast potatoes
Crispy golden roast potatoes with a satisfying crunch and soft fluffy interior to soak up the gravy are one of life’s pleasures. They are the difference between a successful Sunday lunch and a disappointing one. We’ve all had a pub lunch where the potatoes were tough and leathery with little flavour and have been sitting around being kept warm for too long. There is no need for that at home when they can be served straight from the oven, but there are a few important secrets to really good roast potatoes:
First of all roast potatoes don’t like to be kept hanging around. Leave them cooking in the oven until you are ready to serve the meal, they will only keep on getting crispier.
Second, they should be par-boiled for about 5-8 minutes, drained well and then shaken in the pan to rough up their edges. This fluffy texture is what soaks up the oil and produces a crispy finish.
Lastly, the oil should be heated in the roasting tin before you put them in, so they sizzle madly when you tip them into the tin.
This is less a recipe than a guide to producing roast potatoes that will have all your family and friends coming to visit on Sundays.
How to cook really crispy roast potatoes
Allow about 200-300g / 7-10oz of potatoes per person, depending on appetite. Peel the potatoes and cut them into halves or quarters depending on how big they started off.
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F.
Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring them to the boil. When the pan boils, cook them for 5-8 minutes depending on the size you cut them into. Drain the pan well, reserving some of the water for gravy. Let the steam rise so the potatoes dry a little, then put the lid on the pan and shake it vigorously, so the surface of all the potatoes is fluffed up roughly. Leave the lid off so the steam can rise. It doesn’t matter if some of the smaller potatoes have crumbled; these crumbs will make those wonderful crispy, crunchy bits that everyone fishes for in the bowl.
Meanwhile pour a layer of olive oil, or a mixture of olive and sunflower oil into your roasting tin. It should cover the base of the tin easily, but only a couple of mm deep. If you have leftover lamb or beef dripping from a previous Sunday roast, you can use a dollop of that with some olive oil to help with the crispness. Put the tin into the oven to heat while the potatoes are boiling, for about 5 minutes, until just smoking.
Tip the drained and fluffed potatoes into the hot oil and turn them so they are well coated on all sides. They should all fit in one layer. If they don’t, use a second roasting tin and more hot oil.
Roast on the top shelf of the oven for about 1 ½ hours. Turn them about three times during the cooking period. When they are golden on all sides they are done, but if people are not ready to sit at the table leave the potatoes in the oven for a few minutes longer to keep the crispness.
If the potatoes still look a bit pale when you take the meat out of the oven to rest, turn up the heat to maximum and put them on the top shelf for the last ten minutes. A quick short cut is to put them under the grill for 5 minutes to get a golden finish.
Still looking for the ultimate Sunday lunch that you don’t have to cook? Why not try The Old Hall restaurant in Buxton for a classic Sunday roast.
Roast Chicken with Lemon
The enticing fragrance of roast chicken wafting around the house is the essence of a family Sunday; a Sunday roast with roast potatoes and steamed vegetables is one of those classic British meals that can’t be bettered and is actually not hard to cook once you get the timing right. But roast chicken can be more than just a Sunday lunch. It goes just as well with salad and new potatoes for an evening meal or can be cooked ahead of time and served cold as part of a buffet.
Roasting a chicken is simple, but you have to find a way of stopping the breast meat from drying out while the legs cook through. One traditional way is to drape the breast with streaky bacon which bastes the chicken with its fat as it cooks. A very tasty low fat alternative that works brilliantly, is to stuff the chicken with a whole lemon and start the cooking with the chicken breast down in the roasting tin. This results in beautifully moist and tender meat with plenty of lemony juices to make the gravy.
Recipe for Lemon Roast Chicken
1 whole chicken
1 small to medium lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic
bay leaf
sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper
1 onion
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F. Make sure the chicken is clean and dry before you start, patting it dry with kitchen paper after rinsing with cold water. Choose an enamel or other metal roasting tin for best results.
Pierce the lemon skin in several places with a skewer, so that it will release its juice gradually to baste the chicken as it cooks. Put the lemon and clove of garlic into the chicken cavity. If the lemon keeps falling out, tie the drumsticks together with string or wool to keep it in.
Rub the oil all over the chicken and season it with salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast down in the roasting tin. Cut the onion into quarters, leaving the skin on if it is clean, drizzle it with a little more oil and tuck the quarters around the chicken. The onion should caramelize slightly when cooked and adds colour and flavour to the gravy later. Tuck the herbs under the chicken.
Calculate the time needed to cook your chicken according to its weight. The old rule of 20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes translates to about 40 minutes per kilo plus 20 minutes. Always check if the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer in the leg meat; the juices should run clear when it is cooked.
Cook the chicken breast down for about 20-30 minutes, then turn it over carefully, trying to avoid tearing the skin and let it finish its cooking the right way up and turn a deep golden colour. The lemon bastes from inside so you don’t have to worry about basting it.
When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a carving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. It should rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Meanwhile make the gravy.
Pour off as much fat as you can from the top of the juices in the roasting tin. You should be left with intensely flavoured juices and caramelized bits of onion clinging to the tin. Put the roasting tin over a high heat on the hob and pour in a generous slosh of white wine. As it bubbles, scrape off all the residue from the onion, which should colour the gravy a dark brown. Use some of the water that the vegetables or potatoes were cooked in to add to the gravy a little at a time until the intense flavour has been diluted to a tasty jus. Add any juices that come from the chicken as it is carved.
Serve the lemon roast chicken with roast potatoes and steamed vegetables or salad and new potatoes.
Don’t feel like cooking a roast at home yet? Why not try the delicious Sunday lunches at Masa restaurant in Derby.
Salmon Salad recipe
Salmon has a sense of occasion about it. It brings a little bit of luxury to a meal despite the fact that it is a very healthy option, especially when served as part of a main course salad. Its delicious rich meat needs very little added to it, so can be cooked very simply, and it partners well with all the salad leaves, especially iron rich watercress and peppery rocket.
In this recipe the salmon is poached in white wine and water with herbs and seasoning, as the healthiest option, but if you prefer you can quickly pan fry it in butter for an extra bit of crispiness and flavour.
Recipe for Salmon Salad
Ingredients
500g / 1lb approx salmon fillets
half a cup dry white wine
half a cup water
1 shallot or half a small onion thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh parsley
a few sprigs fresh dill or other herbs
salt and pepper
a selection of fresh salad leaves and herbs
lemon wedges to serve
Put the wine, water, parsley, dill, shallot in a pan that will comfortably hold the salmon fillets in one layer. Bring it up to a simmer over a medium heat. Lower the salmon fillets, skin side down, into the liquid and simmer gently for about 5 minutes until the flesh is opaque. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cool, while assembling the rest of the salad. (If you will be eating immediately you can also serve the salmon still warm on the salad leaves with some new potatoes alongside)
Wash and dry all the salad leaves and arrange them on each plate, then top with a slice of the salmon fillet and a wedge of lemon alongside.
Serve some rhick, mustardy French dressing separately for each person to drizzle over the leaves.
Other things to add to your salmon salad:
• Boiled waxy new potatoes cooled
• Steamed asparagus
• A poached egg per person
• Crunchy slices of fennel
• Toasted almonds
Want to taste the best wild salmon cooked to perfection? Visit Loch Fyne restaurant in Nottingham to taste their excellent fish dishes.
Crab Cakes recipe
Crab cakes are quick and easy to make and make a great change from fish cakes on the family menu. You can spice them up with some Indian spices or stick to the traditional recipe, just adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce to bring out the flavour. Served with tartare sauce for adults and tomato ketchup for kids, with maybe some new potatoes and salad on the side you have a delcious weekend lunch with very little effort.
If you are cooking your own fresh crab, pick through the meat carefully once cooked, discarding any shell and cartilage before you start. Most good fishmongers and online fish companies will sell it to you ready cooked and picked. Choose white crab meat or a mixture of white and brown for your crab cakes.
Recipe for Crab cakes
Ingredients
450g / 1lb white or mixed crab meat
100g/ 3oz dry breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt and pepper
Mix together the breadcrumbs, egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, mustard together in a bowl. Add the crab meat to the mixture with some salt and pepper and mix carefully, so as not to break up the flakes of meat too much. You may need a little more mayonnaise or another egg if the mixture is too dry to form easily into patties.
With your hands form the mixture into 6 or more patties. Put them on a plate and cover with clingfilm, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry you can skip this stage but the cakes may not keep their shape so well.
Fry the crab cakes in oil or butter for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Serve immediately.
Alternative crab cake recipe
If you don’t have enough crab meat or just like the richness of the crab meat balanced with potato, you can substitute some of the crab meat with mashed potato. Usually two parts crab meat to one part potato is a good guide. Add a little chopped parsley too.
Other good things to add to your crab cakes:
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• A few drops Tabasco sauce
• Substitute the mayonnaise with crème fraiche
• Finely chopped onion or shallot
• Chopped fresh herbs
Can’t get hold of fresh crab meat where you live? Why not eat out and savour the delicious crab cakes at The Living Room, Nottingham.
Scallops and Asparagus recipe
Stylish and simple to cook, scallops and asparagus make a really impressive starter for a dinner party and are a perfect pairing in terms of flavour. The sweetness of the scallop goes beautifully with the grassy freshness of the asparagus. Though it looks like a complicated restaurant dish it is actually very quick and easy to cook at home.
If you can get fresh asparagus so early this would make an elegant starter for a romantic Valentine’s Day meal or you can increase the quantities and serve it as a sophisticated main lunch dish. Both the scallops and the asparagus must be fresh and ask your fishmonger to trim the scallops for you to make it even easier.
Recipe for Scallops and Asparagus:
Ingredients
500g / 1lb fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g / 1lb fresh sea scallops trimmed
80ml / 1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper
Cut the asparagus into 3 cm /1 inch lengths, discarding the ends if they are tough and woody. Leave the tips whole.
In a heavy non-stick pan, heat one tablespoon of oil and sauté the asparagus for 5-6 minutes until just tender, stirring occasionally. Put the asparagus onto a warm plate leaving all the oil behind.
Pat the scallops dry with kitchen towel, sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In the same pan heat another tablespoon of oil and cook the scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on size) until just cooked through and browning at the edges.
Transfer onto another warm plate.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring up any browned bits and let it bubble for a minute or two, then stir in the butter off the heat.
Plate up the scallops and asparagus and drizzle the wine sauce over them.
Other sauces to serve with scallops and asparagus:
• Salsa verde
• Hollandaise
• A drizzle of chilli oil
• Some chopped fresh parsley and thyme added to the recipe above with the wine.
To make a health conscious version of this dish, you can bake the scallops in the oven for 8-10 minutes with just a small amount of herb butter dotted on top. Steam the asparagus to go alongside and serve with some salad leaves for a tasty and healthy meal.
Don’t have a good fishmonger near you? Head out to Shaw’s restaurant in Hockley, Nottingham and sample their delicious seafood dishes.
Shish Kebab recipe
A shish kebab can be made with almost any combination of meat and vegetables, cubed and threaded onto skewers before being grilled or barbecued. Lamb, beef or chicken all work well, but the important thing is to marinate the meat before threading it on to the skewers, so that it will stay tender over the high heat of the coals.
If you are using metal skewers, choose ones with a flat or square profile, rather than round, to avoid the frustration of the meat cubes slipping round as you turn the kebabs on the grill. Wooden bamboo skewers are often easier for this, but should be soaked before threading on the meat, so the ends don’t burn while cooking.
There is no one recipe for shish kebabs. You can make them with whatever combination of meat and vegetables you like best. Choose a marinade for your meat from the list of suggestions below and alternate the meat cubes with some of the following vegetables:
• Red, green or yellow peppers cut in squares
• Courgettes in chunks
• Whole button mushrooms marinated
• Red onion quartered and separated into layers
• Dried apricots soaked
• Aubergine cubes brushed with oil
• Cherry tomatoes whole
Marinades for chicken
• ½ cup of plain yoghurt mixed with 1 teaspoon thai green curry paste
• ½ cup plain yoghurt with ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon coriander
• olive oil, lemon juice and crushed garlic
Marinades for beef
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 clove garlic crushed
Marinades for lamb
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, fresh rosemary chopped, 1 clove garlic crushed, salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 clove garlic crushed
You can adapt and vary the marinades with your own spice mixtures as much as you like. Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes before threading onto skewers. Beef and lamb are better marinated overnight to be really tender and full of flavour.
Cook your shish kebabs over a barbecue for best results, or else on a griddle pan on the hob. They can also be cooked under the grill. Usually they will take about 12-15 minutes, turning regularly, so that they cook evenly. Cut into a piece of meat to check if it is done in the middle.
Feeling like eating out tonight? Try the shish kebabs at Mogal-E-Azam restaurant in Nottingham for that great char-grilled flavour.
Waldorf Salad recipe
Fresh and crunchy, the classic Waldorf salad, created at the New York Waldorf Hotel in the 1890’s has kept its allure over the last century. Crisp apples, celery and crunchy walnuts dressed in mayonnaise make up the base recipe, to which you can add cold roast chicken or turkey and grapes to turn it into a main meal.
The great thing about a Walforf salad is that it gives some seasonal freshness and variety in autumn and winter when local salad produce is in short supply. It can be dressed up for Christmas with pecan nuts and dried cranberries to liven up the leftover turkey, but still tastes great as a summer starter on a bed of lettuce and watercress.
Recipe for Waldorf Salad
2 crunchy eating apples
2 stalks crisp celery
a handful of walnuts
4 tablespoons good mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Peel, core and dice the apples into 1 cm pieces (or leave the skin on for a bit of colour if you prefer). Toss them in the lemon juice to stop them discolouring. Chop the celery into similar sized chunks. Halve the walnuts. Toss everything with eth mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Serve on a bed of lettuce, rocket or watercress if you like.
This basic salad recipe can be added to according to what you have available and your own creativity.
Some suggestions for additions to the classic Waldorf salad:
• Cold roast turkey or chicken cut into cubes
• Shredded red cabbage
• Pecan nuts or cobnuts instead of the walnuts
• Dried cranberries, raisins or sour cherries
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard added to the mayonnaise
• a slice of grilled goats cheese to top the salad
• a handful of grapes halved and de-seeded
• a dressing of yoghurt and lemon juice can be substituted for the mayonnaise if you prefer.
Is a healthy salad what you’re wanting for lunch today, but don’t have time to prepare it? Why not head over to Amarone restaurant in Nottingham for a tempting array of light lunches and salads.
Chocolate Truffles recipe
Rich and decadent chocolate truffles are every chocoholic’s favourite indulgence. Ideal for Christmas gifts or to finish off a dinner party in style, they are quite easy to make at home. Once you start with your own handmade chocolate truffles you can invent a variety of flavours, just by infusing the cream with different flavourings or changing the alcohol you use.
It goes without saying that to make good, gourmet chocolate truffles you should start out with good quality chocolate. It can be dark and bitter or semi-sweet milk chocolate according to your own truffle preference, but don’t use one with less than 50% cocoa solids. 70% is best if you want that real, rich, chocolatey feel to your truffles.
Recipe for Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
200g / 7oz good dark chocolate
200g / 7fl oz double cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-2 tablespoons rum / cognac / Grand Marnier (optional)
cocoa powder for dusting
Chop the chocolate into smallish pieces and put into a warmed mixing bowl.
Heat the cream until just simmering. Remove from the heat and leave for a minute to cool slightly, before pouring over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has all melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the butter a little at a time. Add the rum, brandy or whatever alcohol you have decided on and stir. Leave your truffle mixture to cool in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight. It should set softly.
Sprinkle a layer of cocoa powder on a plate. Scoop a teaspoon of set truffle mixture and quickly roll it into a ball between cool hands, then roll it in the cocoa powder. Take care not to handle it for long or you will melt the mixture and make it impossible to work with. Put each finished truffle on a plate or a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate until needed. These are best eaten within a few days, but can be kept frozen for a couple of months.
Variations
Other liqueurs to flavour your truffles:
• Kirsch
• Whisky
• Kahlua
• Tia Maria
Other coatings for your truffles instead of cocoa powder:
• grated chocolate
• toasted chopped almonds or hazelnuts
• toasted coconut
• dip them in melted chocolate and dry them on baking paper.
Flavourings to add to the cream:
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder for coffee truffles
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest infused in the cream for orange truffles
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon for mellow spiced truffles
• 1 vanilla pod infused in the cream for vanilla truffles
Feel like some chocolate indulgence after reading this? Why not sample the fabulous desserts at Tonic restaurant in Nottingham.
Chicken Madras recipe
Hot, red and spicy with a tang of acidity, chicken Madras from southern India has proved to be a big favourite in British curry restaurants. Aromatic spices with plenty of heat pack enough punch to get your taste-buds going without knocking them out entirely. Served with poppadoms or naan bread, rice and raita it makes a satisfying meal for anyone in need of spicing up their palate.
As with all spiced dishes, chicken madras is best made with fresh whole spices to get the complexity and freshness of flavour, but you can substitute a bought Madras curry paste for the spices here if you prefer.
Recipe for Chicken Madras
4 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onions sliced thickly
1 tin tomatoes
1 small tin coconut milk
juice of ½ lemon
vegetable oil
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
4 dry red chillies
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
pinch mustard seeds
2 cardamom pods
4 cloves
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
pinch ground cinnamon
pinch ground coriander
pinch ground ginger
The whole spices should be toasted lightly in the pan over a low heat (with no oil) for about 2-3 minutes and then ground in a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Mix them with the pre-ground spices ready to add to the pan later.
Brown the chicken pieces in a few tablespoons of oil, then remove them to a warm plate. Cook the sliced onion in the same pan until softened and translucent. Add all the spices and cook stirring for two minutes until the fragrance rises. Return the chicken to the pan and add the lemon juice and coconut milk. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to the boil then simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve with rice, poppadoms or naan garnished with chopped fresh coriander.
Note
If using a ready made Madras curry paste use 1-2 tablespoons for a mild flavour, 3 for medium hot and 4 -5 for a hot curry. Add it at the same stage as the ground spices in the recipe above.
Don’t feel like mixing your own spices tonight? Why not eat the chicken Madras at the Viceroy restaurant in Nottingham and taste the real thing.
Chicken Pie Recipe
Golden pastry and luscious tender chicken in a creamy sauce, what could be better than a home-made chicken pie on a cold winter’s night? It is the ideal solution to left-over roast chicken, when you want a hot warming meal rather than a salad. Chicken pie is so very versatile. You can make the chicken go further by combining it with mushrooms or leeks, add potato and peas or a few rashers of bacon for a change.
This recipe is for a double crust chicken pie with home-made rich shortcrust pastry, but to save time you could use bought puff pastry instead and just make a top crust. This pastry is well worth the effort though and, being made in the processor, doesn’t take too long at all.
Chicken Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the pastry
450g /1lb plain flour
225g /8oz cold butter
3 eggs
For the filling
60g / 2oz butter
50g / 1 ½ oz plain flour
1 chicken stock cube
625ml / 1 ½ pints milk
150g / 5oz frozen peas
375g / 12oz cold cooked chicken (or 250g chicken and 100g mushrooms)
First make the pastry. Put the flour and cubed butter into a bowl and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. Beat 2 eggs with one tablespoon of iced water and put into the fridge till you are ready. Blitz the chilled flour and butter in the processor until it is the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, with the processor running, until the dough starts to come together. You may need a little more iced water but add it just a drop at a time. When the dough clumps around the blades, switch off and form the pastry into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap them in cling film and rest them in the fridge for half an hour.
Now make the sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan. Stir in the flour and the crumbled stock cube and keep stirring for a minute to let the flour start to cook, but turn the heat down if it looks like it is browning. Now stir in a little of the milk and beat until it is incorporated. Keep adding a little milk at a time, stirring in well before adding the next bit. When all the milk is added, keep stirring over a medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F.
Prepare the cooked chicken, by dicing it into bite sized pieces. Defrost the peas in some hot water and drain. Mix the chicken and peas with the sauce off the heat. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
Roll out the larger ball of pastry to line the base of one large (about 1200ml capacity) or two small pie dishes. Pour in the filling, Roll out the smaller ball to form a lid. Dampen the edge of the base and press the lid all round the edges to seal. Trim the edges and use any leftover pastry to make a pattern on top of the lid. Beat the last egg and brush the top with it to glaze. Make a cross or slit in the top to let steam escape. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling sizzling. Rest the pie for five minutes or so before serving.
In the mood for chicken pie but want it now? Head out to Lord Nelson restaurant in Nottingham for great pies and classic British food.
