Ingredients

2 medium courgettes

2 tbsp self-raising flour

40g Pamesan cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

salt / seasoning

Method

1. Grate the courgette and the Parmesan cheese and combine with the flour. Shape into fritters. Cook for 203 minutes in a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil until golden brown.
2. There are many recipes and you can use egg or breadcrumbs to bind them. Add herbs or finely chopped onion for added flavour or switch the Parmesan for feta!
3. Great for dipping in humous or crème fraîche.

Ingredients

65g        soft bap mix

40ml      water for bap mix

260g      apple one red and one green

40g        soft brown sugar

40ml      cream

40g        butter

50ml      syrup

50g        castor sugar

10g        sugar

1g           cinnamon

20ml      lemon juice

50ml      water for apples

Method

1. Make up soft bap mix, leave in a warm place. For 20 minutes
2. Make toffee sauce by heating butter, sugar and cream – allow to cool
3. Line a tin with parchment x 2 – one with sugar and cinnamon mix ready for dough balls
4. Make cinder toffee, by heating syrup and sugar to 150 – add bicarb and whisk, pour onto lined tin.
5. Diced one apple into squares, slice the other and leave all in lemon juice and water
6. Sweat diced apple lightly – leave till needed
7. Knock back dough, and roll into 4 balls – place in oiled cupcake case – (this makes it easier to transfer into fryer).
8. Heat deep fat fryer to 160
9. Once balls have grown, fry for two minutes each side
10. Place dough balls in to sugar and cinnamon, roll around until coated.

Ingredients

320g      Large chicken breast – skin on x 2

150ml   boiling water for stuffing

56g        sage and onion stuffing

500g      potato

300g      butternut squash

120g      peas

200g      carrots

100ml    beetroot juice

20g        horseradish

20g        The Best chicken gravy

10g        chicken bouillon

8g           McDougalls thickening granules

10g        Paprika

15g        salt

5g           pepper

40g        butter for mash

 

Method

1. Skin chicken, place skin on parchment on baking tray, season skin and place more parchment and another tray on top.
2. Cook at 180 for 15 minutes, remove top tray and bake again for 10 minutes.
3. Place chicken in tin, season, add some chicken stock. Cook for 25 minutes at 180 basting occasionally, dust with paprika on final baste.
4. Make up stuffing, roll into balls and bake for 12mins.
5. Peel potatoes, butternut squash and carrots.
6. Boil potatoes, once boiling add butternut squash after five minutes.
7. Make sauce by heating up beetroot juice and horseradish, add thickening granules, heat until dissolved.
8. Cook carrots, when tender add peas.
9. Mash potatoes and butternut with butter – season.
10. Make up best of gravy, with boiling water until desired consistency reached.
11. Cut chicken crackling and portion chicken up.
12. Pipe mash on to plate. Assemble the rest of the dish.

Ingredients

120g      fresh apples

1g           cinnamon

25g        sugar

2ml        vanilla extract

10g        ginger

80g        strawberries

100g      mixed berries frozen

200g      McDougalls crumble mix

30g        corn flour

320ml    semi skimmed milk

2g           ginger

Method

1. Turn oven to 180c
2. Wash and finely slice strawberries and apples
3. In a pan place strawberries, mixed berries and water and bring to boil
4. Reduce heat, add ginger, stir and let simmer for 10mins
5. In a bowl measure out and follow instructions for McDougalls crumble mix
6. Measure out corn flour and milk and vanilla
7. In a square baking tin place baking paper
8. Drain berry mix and marinade apple slices in cinnamon
9. Assemble crumble and place another baking tin on top heavy enough to compress it
10. Place in oven for 25-35 minutes
11. Remove top baking tin and place crumble back in oven until top becomes golden
12. Remove and serve with berry mix, fresh strawberry slices and vanilla sauce

Ingredients

320g      chicken breast

3g           Cajun spice

300g      chopped tomato

220g      basmati rice

60g        cauliflower

60g        cabbage

60g        carrots

25g        red onion

25g        white onion

2g           fresh garlic

20g        spring onion

50g        fresh peppers

2g           vegetable bouillon

20g        lime

2g           coriander

160g      Hovis Best of Both

5g           tomato  paste

1g           white pepper

40g        yoghurt

15ml      vinegar

5ml        vegetable oil

12           skewers

2g           chilli powder

 

Method

1. • Set oven temperature to 180 & turn on char grill
2. • Wash and grate vegetables for coleslaw
3. • Finely chop onion and garlic and sweat off in a pan with oil
4. • Add tomato paste and chilli powder & stir
5. • Add tinned tomatoes, veg bouillon and water
6. • Continue to stir and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat
7. • Wash and cook rice for 20-30 minutes on medium heat
8. • Slice chicken breast into thin fillets (aim to get 4-5 pieces per breast)
9. • Marinate in Cajun seasoning and splash of oil
10. • Skewer chicken (one fillet at a time)
11. • Place skewers on grill and char mark both sides (1 minutes at a time)
12. • Prepare cauliflower into florets (rub with black pepper & oil)
13. • Place cauliflower in steamer for 7-10 minutes
14. • Using Hovis Best of Both (make the dough for the pitta bread)
15. • Roll dough into four round dough balls
16. • hot pan place one flat bread at a time cooking for two mins on each side. (flip until cooked and golden on both sides)
17. • Roast cauliflower for 10-15minutes in oven (until golden brown)
18. • Place chicken in oven for 12-18 minutes
19. • In a ramekin add small amount of tomato sauce for side dipping
20. • Stir rice into the spicy tomato sauce and add herbs
21. • Mix slaw mix with lime juice and vinegar and season with black white pepper
22. • In a bowl add yoghurt and Cajun spice mix and place in ramekin
23. • Slice peppers into thin strips for garnishing • thinly red onion and limes into wedges for decoration •
24. Assemble on plates and serve

Ingredients

200g      McDougalls Brownie Mix

50g        Cooked beetroot

60ml      Water

40g        McDougalls Crumble Mix

120g      Frozen Banana

80ml      Fat free vanilla yoghurt

25           Fresh raspberries

80g        Frozen raspberries

1g           Fresh mint leaves

6ml        Honey

3g           Icing sugar

2g           McDougalls Thickening granules

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180
2. Place 60g of yoghurt into the freezer.
3. Put the cooked beetroot, 10ml of water and brownie mix into a blender and wizz until it becomes a thick paste.
4. Using a non-stick cupcake pan (I use a silicon one) Divide the brownie mix equally into 4 and bake for 10-15 minutes, the brownies should have a crusty top but still feel soft to touch. Set aside to cool.
5. Spread the crumble mix out on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes until dark golden brown. Set aside to cool.
6. Put the frozen raspberries, honey and 50ml of water into a pan and place on a medium heat on the hob, cook until the mixture reduces and thickens slightly. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the thickening granules and stir for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
7. Once cooled, pass the raspberry mix through a sieve, throw away the seeds. Put just over 1/3 of the coulis into a separate bowl and mix in 20g of the yoghurt. Pour into 2 sauce bottles and set aside
8. In a blender, put the frozen banana and 60g of vanilla yoghurt and blend until smooth, mix in the cooled crumble and return to the freezer.
9. Remove the brownies from the mould by running a knife around the edge and gently ease them out, dust with icing sugar.
10. To plate - Diagonally across the middle of the plate, dot 8 dots, (4 raspberry, 4 vanilla) of the coulis’s alternating between the two, then using a chopstick and starting at the top of the line drag it down the centre to create a “heart” pattern. Place the brownie in the bottom left corner and top with 2 fresh raspberries and a mint leaf, scoop out a ball of ice cream and place in a small bowl in the opposite corner to the brownie.

Ingredients

170g      Braising steak

25g        Onion

50g        Carrot

6g           Garlic

7g           Beef boullion

2g           Fresh thyme

1             Bay leaf

1             Egg

110g      McDougalls plain flour

20ml      Olive oil

5ml        Semi skimmed milk

125g      Cherry tomatoes

4g           Fresh Basil

20g        Parmesan cheese

20g        Butter

115g      Spinach

60ml      Balsamic Vinegar

5g           Pea shoots

7ml        Honey

100g      Soya Beans

6g           McDougalls thickening granules

 

Method

1. Heat an electric pressure cooker on high, add the beef to the hot pan and seal each side for about 40 seconds, alternatively you can do this with a hot pan on a hob.
2. Finely dice the carrot and onion and add to the pressure cooker, along with the thyme, bay leaf and 3g garlic (I use a garlic press and just squeeze it directly into the pan, if you do not have one, just finely chop)
3. Add the bouillon to 190ml of hot water, stir until fully dissolved and add to the pan.
4. Cook on high for 35 minutes.
5. While the filling is cooking make the pasta and prepare the sauce.
6. Add the egg, 100g flour (keeping 10g for flouring surface, pasta machine and fingers) and 7ml olive oil to a food processor and pulse until a breadcrumb texture is achieved.
7. Tip the mix onto a lightly floured surface and bring together to form a dough, knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth and elastic. Roll into a ball and wrap in cling film and put into the fridge for about 20 minutes.
8. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters, finely chop the basil and set aside.
9. Once the pressure cooker has finished cooking pour the meat filling into a pan, using 2 forks shred the beef, then put the pan onto a hob on a medium-high heat, once the mixture is bubbling add 4g of thickening granules and cook until the mixtures thickens and no liquid remains. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. Grate the parmesan and take out 5g for plating, on a non-stick baking sheet, share the remaining cheese between 4 equal piles, pat down slightly and bake for 4-7 minutes in an oven at 180 until golden brown, set aside to cool.
11. Add the balsamic and honey to a pan on a high heat, once they reach a rolling boil, reduce the heat and add 2g thickening granules and simmer until thickened, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
12. Take the pasta from the fridge and remove the cling film. Flatten the ball with a rolling pin and lightly flour the pasta machine.
13. Starting on the widest setting feed the pasta through the machine, holding the dough as it comes out. Turn the machine down a setting each time until you reach the thinnest setting. Place the dough in between layers of cling film to prevent it drying out.
14. Cut 24 circles from the dough, using a 6cm cutter, if you can’t cut enough circles out of the dough, roll the excess back into a ball and repeat stage 11. Remember to flour the machine sporadically to prevent sticking.
15. Lightly brush around the edge with milk, place about a teaspoon of meat filling in one half of the circle, fold the other half and press to seal, bring the 2 corners together to create a ring and pinch to seal. Repeat until all the tortellini is made.
16. Fill a medium pan with hot water and put on the hob on a high heat to boil, once boiling, reduce heat to medium and add half the tortellini. Once they are floating remove, check they are above 75 degrees and remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm, repeat with the second half.
17. For the sauce . Heat 14ml of olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, squeeze in the garlic (again I use a garlic press but if you don’t have one just finely chop and add) fry for 1-2 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes and basil and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring continuously. Set aside. In a separate pan on a medium heat add butter and once melted add the soya beans and stir them around for about 2 mintues, add a splash of water and the spinach, cook until the spinach is wilted and set aside. Put the tortellini into the tomato sauce with a few tablespoons of the pasta water and gently mix so all the tortellini is coated.
18. To plate. Place the spinach and soya beans in the centre of the plate, using tongs pick out the tortellini and place around the spinach then spoon the tomatoes into the centre to sit on top of the spinach. Place the parmesan crisp standing up in the centre of the tomatoes. Drizzle the balsamic around the edge of the plate and sprinkle the remaining grated parmesan over the pasta. place the pea shoots on top of the pasta to finish.

Ingredients

 

• 1 Polarbröd Soft Thin Bread XL
• 70 g avocado, fresh or thawed from frozen
• 6 g lemon juice
• 60 g cream cheese
• 15 g horseradish, grated
• 70 g tofu, preferably firm
• 70 g bell pepper, preferably red
• 10 g dill, fresh or thawed from frozen
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. If using fresh avocado, peel and pit it. Cut the avocado into pieces about 10 mm in diameter. Gently toss the avocado in the lemon juice and place it on a paper towel to drain.
2. Mix the cheese with the horseradish, add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mix on the bread, making sure to cover it completely.
3. Cut the tofu into cubes of the same size as the avocado. Chop the bell pepper into smaller pieces.
4. Place the avocado, tofu, bell pepper and dill on the thin bread, preferably in rows so that there is space between the different ingredients. This will make the sliced Mini Rolls look nicer.
5. Sprinkle the surface with a little salt and pepper. Roll it tightly together lengthwise and wrap it in plastic.
6. Store the sandwich roll in the refrigerator until serving. When serving, decorate with small pieces of fresh dill and bell pepper.
7. Preparation tip! To make a vegan variant, substitute vegan cheese (spreadable) or vegan mayonnaise for the soft cheese.

Ingredients

• 6kg Country Range Sponge & Pudding Mix
• 6ltr Country Range UHT Dairy Whipping Cream
• 750g Country Range Instant Coffee Granules
• 200g granulated sugar
• 10ml lemon juice
• 50ml vanilla essence
• Country Range Cocoa Powder for dusting

Method

1. Make up the sponge and pudding mix and pour into a large flat tray so that it is one inch deep. Bake in the oven (180°C) very flat for 50 minutes.
2. Add the lemon juice and vanilla essence to the whipping cream and whip it up until it is stiff and forms peaks.
3. Make up the hot coffee in a jug and add the sugar. Pour it over the sponge until it is completely soaked.
4. Smooth the cream over the layer of coffee-soaked sponge.
5. Add another layer of sponge then a second layer of cream.
6. Before serving, dust with Country Range Cocoa Powder.

Ingredients

125ml rosé wine
25ml elderflower cordial
7 raspberries

Method

1. Blend all of the ingredient together with ice.
2. Garnish with raspberries.

Ingredients

Salt cure
• 75ml Country Range White Cooking Wine
• 75g coarse salt
• 75g caster sugar
• Zest of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange
Anchovy Emulsion
• Yolks of two Country Range Free Range
Medium Eggs
• 1 pinch Country Range Smoked Paprika
• 25ml Country Range White Wine Vinegar
• 15g smoked anchovies
• 75ml rapeseed oil
• 1 pinch saffron
Fish
• 1 side Dollaghan (Trout)
Bouillabaisse
• 2 Country Range Dried Bay Leaves
• 1 Country Range Whole Star Anise
• 1 tbsp Country Range Tomato Paste
• 2½ ltr fish stock, refined
• 1 brown crab
• 1 celery stick
• 1 carrot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 leek
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 20ml brandy
• 20ml sherry

Method

1. Prepare the Dollaghan by de-boning the trout fillet, rinse under cold water and pat dry and leave to one side.
2. Mix the dry cure ingredients, together and rub onto the trout fillet, wrap tightly in cling film and leave to cure for up to two hours.
3. Add the brown crab to boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes or until cooked. Remove and refresh in cold water. Dissect the crab removing any crab meat and separating any waste.
4. To prepare the bouillabaisse, sweat off the chopped onion, fennel, leek, garlic and celery for 6-7 minutes. Add the brandy and sherry and reduce, add in the fish stock, crab shells and crab meat, bay leaf, star anise, and tomato paste and reduce for 2 hours.
5. Roast the tomatoes for 8-10 minutes, add to the bouillabaisse and reduce until a third of the liquid remains. Remove from the heat, purèe the mixture and pass through a fine sieve. When cool transfer into a plastic bottle and refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. To make the anchovy emulsion, beat the egg yolk with the white wine vinegar until slightly thickened. Pour in the rapeseed oil very slowly, continually whisking until an emulsion is formed.
7. Add the saffron, anchovies and smoked paprika and pulse in a blender until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve, transfer into a plastic bottle and chill.
8. Wash off the Dollaghan under cold water, and pat dry. Rub with a little oil, and sear with a blow torch fr 1-2 minutes to finish.
9. Portion the dollaghan. Present on a plate. Add some of the crab sauce, anchovy emulsion and herring roe then garnish with a sea purslane.

Ingredients

For the Sandwiches:
400g Country Range Supreme Coronation Chicken Filling
300g Country Range Medium White Sliced Bread (crusts removed)
900ml Full fat milk
20g Vegi gel
Thickener (as needed)

For the Scones
6cm Plain Scone made with Country Range Scone Mix
140 g Single Cream
2 tbsp Seedless Raspberry Jam
Thickener as required
3 tbsp whipped Cream

For the Pudding
375g Country Range Plain Sponge (Baked)
200ml Ambrosia custard
50ml yoghurt
50ml Double Cream
250g Country Range Milk Chocolate Drops
300ml Ambrosia Custard
2 tbsp Seedless Raspberry Jam

Method

1. Sandwiches: For the filling - Transfer the Country Range Supreme Coronation Chicken Filling to a blender and process until smooth.
2. Check seasoning and, if required add food thickener.
3. Sandwiches: For the bread - Heat the milk to 90°c, add the bread slices and blend to a smooth purée. Add vegi gel and cook for a further 2 minutes. Immediately pour the mixture onto a tray lined with cling film. Smooth out the mixture and set on the tray.
4. When the bread mix is cold, pipe the filling mixture over half of the bread sheet. Fold the naked side over and cut into 15 finger sandwiches or triangles.
5. Complete checks using IDDSI Framework Testing Methods for Level.
6. Scones: Place the scones and cream into a food processor and blend to a crumb. Add cream, blend and complete checks using IDDSI Framework Testing Methods for Level 4. Add more cream if required.
7. Add mixture into a piping bag and create small rounds 3cm in diameter
8. Thicken jam with Thick and Easy, and pipe in a swirl over the scone.
9. Pipe a small swirl of whipped cream on top of the jam.
10. Pudding: Place sponge into a food blender and blend to a fine crumb. Add the custard to make a puree. Check list to ensure it passed, if there are any bits or it is not the correct consistency blend or adjust as needed. Place in a piping bag.
11. Melt the milk chocolate over a hob or in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add double cream and whisk until well mixed and thickened. Place into a piping bag.
12. Serve in clear glasses or bowls layering sponge, chocolate, custard adding a touch of jam onto the centre of the top custard layer
13. Complete checks using IDDSI Framework Testing Methods for Level 4.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 courgette, sliced
200g tinned chopped tomatoes
125g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp dried thyme
150g pasta
12 large raw king prawns
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A few basil leaves
To serve: Parmesan (optional)

Method

1. Heat half the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
2. Fry the onion for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and courgette.
3. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the chopped and cherry tomatoes and thyme and simmer for 8–10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile cook the pasta in boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain and mix with the tomato mixture. Return the pan to a medium heat and add the remaining oil.
5. When hot add the prawns, then season and fry, stirring for 2–3 minutes until they’re pink and cooked through.
6. Put the pasta in a bowl, arrange the prawns on top, and scatter over the basil and Parmesan, if using.

Ingredients

For the cauliflower purée

600g cauliflower

30g Butter

300 ml milk

1 clove

½ bay leaf

½ teaspoon almond extract

Seasoning to taste

For the brown crab and cognac mousse

250g fresh brown crab

25 ml Cognac

1 sheet of gelatine

For the trout

2 whole trout, filleted

350g asparagus

65g almonds

Method

1. Gently cook cauliflower in butter for 2 mins and season. Add the milk to cover, cloves and bay leaf and cook until tender. Remove cauliflower and blend. Add almond extract and if necessary milk until correct consistency is reached.
2. Soften the gelatine in cold water. Place into a small pan with the cognac and heat until dissolved. Pick the crab meat and place in blender and the cognac mix and blend to a smooth consistency.
3. Clean bones and place in cold water with leek, onion and celery. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20minutes skimming regularly. Pass into a clean pan and reduce by ¼.
4. Peel and trim the asparagus.
5. Place the almonds in blender and pulse until crushed but not powdered.
6. Place the mousse on the trout fillets and then roll each fillet up and poach in the fish stock with the asparagus for 8-10 minutes.
7. Serve as shown.

Ingredients

For the torte

100g smoked Scottish sea trout

100g picked cooked white crab meat

½ lime, juice

30g crème fraiche

5g dill, chopped

2 Scottish plum tomatoes (skin, deseed and dice)

5 ml rapeseed oil

Seasoning

For the avocado

1 soft Hass avocado

30g crème fraiche

½ lime juice

Salt, to taste

Method

1. Finely dice trout and pack in 2cm high into a greased 5cm ring mould. Combine crab with crème fraiche, dill and lime juice, season with salt. Pack a further 2cm high on top of trout. Season tomato and combine with rapeseed oil and place on top of crab, refrigerate until required.
2. Half and remove flesh from avocado then stick blend until smooth with remaining ingredients For the citrus dressing 1 orange, segmented ½ lemon, segmented 5 ml runny honey 60 ml sunflower oil Stick blend all ingredients until smooth, strain through sieve, season and reserve For the salad 2 radish, thinly slice 4 orange segments mixed micro herbs
3. Serve as pictured.

Ingredients

For the soup
50ml extra virgin olive oil
300g smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 red onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 large leek, roughly chopped
2 large waxy potatoes, roughly chopped
6 vine tomatoes, roughly chopped (reserve the vines)
Small bunch fresh rosemary and thyme, tied with string
130g small orecchiette pasta
2 litres good-quality beef stock
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
16 small florets purple sprouting broccoli
100g baby leaf spinach
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the wild garlic pesto
15g fresh basil, roughly chopped
15g wild garlic, roughly chopped
50g pine nuts
3 tbsp olive oil
15g Parmesan, finely grated
1⁄2 lemon, zest only, finely grated
1 tsp lemon juice, to taste

To serve
Small handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
Small handful fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
Small handful fresh chives, snipped
100g Parmesan, finely grated
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 loaf crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. For the soup, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a high heat.
2. Add the bacon, then season and fry for 3–4 minutes, until caramelizing but not burning.
3. De-glaze the pan with the sherry vinegar. Add the red onions, carrots, garlic, celery and leek and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until softened. 

4. Stir in the potatoes and tomatoes (with their vines) then add the rosemary and thyme bundle. Squash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Bring the pan to a simmer
5. Heat the beef stock in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the pasta to the vegetables. Once the stock is simmering, pour this in too.
6. Pour the soup into a pressure cooker (CAUTION: Please follow the manufacturer's guidelines for safe use of your pressure cooker). Bring up to pressure and cook for 5 minutes at pressure.
7. Turn off the heat and slowly release the pressure. Remove the rosemary and thyme bundle and tomato vines and discard.
8. Stir in the cannellini beans, broccoli and spinach and allow to soften in the residual heat for 5 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, to make the pesto, grind the basil and wild garlic in a mortar with a pestle or food processor to release the natural oils. Then, add the pine nuts and lemon zest and grind.
10. Once combined, add the olive oil to make a paste and grind in the Parmesan.
11. Add a squeeze of lemon and season to taste.
12. To serve, pour into soup bowls and sprinkle over the fresh herbs, parmesan, wild garlic pesto and olive oil. Serve with crusty bread.

Ingredients

4 rainbow trout fillets

For the cure

1 tbsp juniper berries

2 tsp star anise

80g sugar

80g salt

2 tbsp London Dry Gin

1 bunch of dill, roughly chopped

For the gel

250ml Indian tonic water

2 limes, juice and zest, reserving the zest for garnish

1 tsp agar-agar

To finish

1 cucumber

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp beetroot juice, from a carton is fine

2 shallots, finely sliced

20g keta caviar or lumpfish roe

salt and black pepper

Equipment

tweezers

piping set

Fruit gel

• 250ml fruit purée
• 250g caster sugar
• 250ml water
• 1 tsp agar-agar

 

Method

1. Check the trout fillets are fully boned by running your finger along the flesh. Use a pair of tweezers to pin bone any that remain. Place the fillets as an even layer in a shallow dish.
2. Blitz the juniper berries and star anise in a food processor into a fine powder. Mix the spices with the sugar, salt, gin and dill.
3. Spread the mixture evenly over the fish, cover with clingfilm and leave to cure in the fridge for 12 hours.
4. Prepare the tonic and lime gel using Indian tonic water and lime juice in place of water (see below), saving the lime zest for garnish.
5. Split the cucumber lengthways, remove the seeds and slice into half moons. Dress with a little vinegar, sugar and salt. Leave for 20 minutes.
6. Drain the juice off the cucumber, add the beetroot juice and pour over the shallots to lightly pickle.
7. Wash the cure off the trout fillets under cold water. Carve into neat thin slices (approximately 3mm).
8. Arrange the sliced trout on individual plates with the pickled cucumber and shallots.
9. Pipe the tonic gel onto the plate and finish with caviar or roe and lime zest, and a sprinkle of pepper.
10. Fruit gels can be used for sweet or savoury dishes – and they don’t melt on a hot plate. Rhubarb, redcurrant, cranberry or blackberry all work really well.
11. Begin by making or buying a good-quality whole fruit unsweetened purée, not juice.
12. Place the sugar and water in a small pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
13. Transfer to a measuring jug. Make sure you have 250ml of sugar syrup and allow to cool.
14. Put the sugar syrup and fruit purée back in the pan and, using an electric hand whisk, beat in the agar-agar.
15. Allow to stand for a couple of minutes then place over a low heat. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 2–3 minutes.
16. Pour the mixture into a shallow tin and chill to set.
17. Turn the set jelly out onto a chopping board and cut into cubes.
18. Transfer to a liquidizer and blitz to make the gel. You may want to add a little water at this stage to achieve the desired consistency.
19. The gel can now be used in a piping bag, squeezy bottle or just by the spoonful.
20. Savoury gels are made just as above but without the sugar and are seasoned with salt, pepper or spices. A huge variety of vegetable gels are possible from your own vegetable purées – spinach, pumpkin and red pepper will give you a perfect set of traffic lights!

Ingredients

1 British brown trout

1 lemon

50g sea salt

100g hickory chips

½ cucumber

700ml vegetable stock

100ml white wine vinegar

200ml white wine

2 tbsp sugar

5 peppercorns

5 fennel seeds

200g frozen peas

10 asparagus spears

100g samphire

pea shoots for garnish

salt to taste

1 tbsp white wine vinegar)

3 tbsp olive oil  for the vinaigrette

1 tsp mustard)

1 tsp grain mustard)

Method

1. Prepare the trout and portion into 100g supremes, zest the lemon and mix with the sea salt, then pack this into the trout. Leave in the fridge for 5 minutes. In a saucepan heat 200ml of vegetable stock, 2 tbsp sugar, 100ml white wine vinegar, 200ml wine, peppercorns and fennel seeds and bring to the boil. Peel and slice the cucumber into a 5cm thick barrel and remove the seeds, drop these into the pickle then take the pan off the heat. Slice the cucumber finely.
2. Blanch the peas in boiling vegetable stock. After 3 minutes drain and blend with a little of stock and season to taste, pass through a chinois and cool over ice.
3. Peel, blanch and refresh the asparagus for 3 minutes.
4. Blanch the samphire.
5. Make the vinaigrette by mixing the white wine vinegar with both mustards and then incorporating the olive oil, season.
6. Hot smoke the trout for 5-6 minutes. Re-heat the purée, reheat the samphire and asparagus. Warm the cucumber slices up in a little pickling liquour. Begin to plate up, swipe the purée and make a nest of samphire, scatter the cucumber around, place the asparagus in a basket and drizzle the vinaigrette, then place the fish on top of the samphire.