Head to your nearest farmer’s market to pick up a few stand-out ingredients to take these recipes to the next level.
Seasonal vegetables and locally sourced meat are the perfect addition to the pantry ingredients that make up these delicious dishes, created by our Development Chef Euan Peach.
STARTER
Hand-dived scallops with lime, parmesan and soy
For 4 people
Cook this recipe in a hot barbecue to achieve a smoky flavour, but if the weather’s not on your side,place the scallops under a hot grill.
100g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 clove of garlic (minced)
¼ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
8 hand-dived scallops (Large)with shells
50g finely grated parmesan
1 bunch coriander
50g light soy sauce
2 limes
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• In a bowl mix the butter, garlic, black pepper, coriander and chilli flakes together.
• Wash the scallop shells thoroughly, then divide the butter between them.
• Slice the scallops in half horizontally, place on top of the butter and spoon the soy over, followed by a sprinkling of parmesan.
• Place onto the barbecue with the lid down (or underneath a very hot grill).
• Cook until you can see the parmesan and butter has started to caramelise.
• Place onto a plate and squeeze the lime juice over the scallops.
• Eat while hot.
MAIN COURSE
Beef and onions
For 8 people
1kg beef short rib (bone still in)
4 white onions, Sliced
100g maple syrup
100g honey
1 litre white chicken stock
1 litre water
1 500ml bottle of London pride
1 knorr chicken stock cube
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1½ tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
20ml sherry vinegar
8 Charlotte potatoes
50g butter
Vegetable oil
2 banana shallots, finely diced
For the beef and onions
• Pre-heat your oven to 130ºc.
• In a frying pan add 100ml of vegetable oil and place over a medium heat.
• Add the beef short rib and begin to brown, seasoning with salt as you turn the beef ensuring a rich colouration all over. Once this is achieved, remove the beef from the pan and place to one side.
• Add the chopped onions and cook over a medium heat to allow slow caramelisation; this should take about 30 minutes.
• In a saucepan, add the chicken stock, water, beer, honey and garlic and bring to a boil.
• In a deep roasting tray, add the short rib, roasted onions and stock along with the thyme, bay and peppercorns, making sure the beef is covered in the stock. Then cover with three layers of foil and place into the oven for four hours.
• Remove the beef from the oven and check the texture by removing the bone easily – if this is a struggle then the beef is not ready so it will need at least another hour in the oven.
• Once the beef is cooked, place it and sauce back into a saucepan over a medium heat and start reducing. The sauce will be ready when it is thick and glossy.
• At this point mix in the chopped shallots and sherry vinegar.
For the potatoes
• Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.
• In the pan, add a clove of garlic, the stock cube and a teaspoon of black or white peppercorns (it doesn’t matter which).
• Bring to a gentle simmer and aim to overcook the potatoes so they are softer than you would normally allow. Then let the potatoes cool in the stock to room temperature.
• Once at room temperature, remove the potatoes, discarding the stock, and slice in half. Add four tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan on a high heat. When the oil starts smoking, add the potatoes flat side down, then turn the heat right down.
• When there is a nice golden colour on the flat of the potato, add the butter, still on the flat side, and allow for a consistent caramelisation. At this point, pour in the maple syrup and season well with salt. Make sure the maple syrup thickens slightly to coat the potatoes, which will take about 45 seconds.
• Serve straight away.
DESSERT
Brioche bread and butter pudding
For 6 people
Start the day before
1 x 400g of loaf of brioche
500g double cream
200g whole milk
2 whole large eggs
100g golden caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
¼ teaspoon of salt
Demerara sugar for the topping
Vanilla ice cream to serve
• Mix the eggs and sugar together in a bowl, then add the vanilla pod, followed by the milk and cream.
• Mix well, but don’t use a whisk as you do not want to encourage air bubbles into the Anglaise. Place into the fridge and leave overnight.
• The next day, slice the brioche and place into a baking dish and pour the custard over. If it doesn’t go in all at once, use your finger to help the bread absorb the Anglaise.
• Add the remaining Anglaise then sprinkle with demerara sugar.
• Place the dish into a deep tray filled with hot water, then into an oven at 165ºc for 45 minutes.
• Serve the delicious dish with ice cream and salt caramel.
Salt caramel
For 6 people – generous portions
300g caster sugar
300g double cream
10g salt
• In a saucepan, add the cream and salt and bring to the boil.
• In a separate saucepan, add the sugar over a medium heat and make a golden caramel. Then in stages, add the cream, stirring off the heat until all the cream has been added.
• Pour through a fine sieve and serve it with your home-made brioche bread and butter pudding.
Let us know how it goes by tweeting @Createfood, we’d love to see what you make!