Darjeeling and pink peppercorn scones
These are good with a smear of butter, but even better with lots of clotted cream and The Modern Pantry's berry and liquorice jam.
The Modern Pantry
Makes 10
225g self-raising flour
65g wholemeal flour
40g porridge oats
52g caster sugar
1 tbsp darjeeling tea, ground
1 tbsp pink peppercorns, ground, plus a little extrafor sprinkling
⅓ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
50g butter
250ml buttermilk
1 tbsp milk, for brushing
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingers to form a crumb-like texture. Gradually add the buttermilk until the mixture forms into a dough.
2 Roll out to 2cm thick, then cut into 6cm-diameter rounds. Put on to a baking tray lined with baking paper, brush with the milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar and a few ground peppercorns.
3 Bake for 10-12 minutes, until light golden. Cool on a wire rack, then serve with jam, clotted cream and a pot of darjeeling tea.
Pork scratchings
Tom Kerridge's pork scratching recipe needs little introduction – just make sure you have afew good ales in stock.
Proper Pub Food by Tom Kerridge (Absolute)
Serves 10-12
1kg pork skin from a pork loin – ask your butcher for the skin
1 tbsp salt
200ml white wine vinegar
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cut the skin into roughly 7cm pieces. Don't worry, they don't need to be exact. Put them in a large non-metallic bowl, add the saltand vinegar, mix thoroughly and leave tostand for 1–2 minutes.
2 Transfer the pieces to a wire rack in a roasting tray. Roast them for 10–15 minutes until crispy and crunchy. Watch the scratchings closely, as they might even take longer. The better the quality of the pork skin, the quicker they will cook. Leave to cool completely, then serve. These will keep crispy for 2–3 days in an airtight container.
Goat balti
Karam Sethi's version of this Midlands curry-house classic is our new Friday-night favourite. Serve with roti ornaan.
Recipe supplied by Karam Sethi, chef‑proprietor, Trishna and Gymkhana
Serves 6
4 tbsp mustard oil
2-3 cinnamon sticks
2-3 bay leaves
3-4 black cardamom pods
10-15 cloves
10-12 green cardamom pods
1kg onions, finely chopped
1kg boneless goat leg or lamb, diced into 2cm cubes
4 tbsp garlic-ginger paste
500g tomatoes, pureed
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
Salt, to taste
200g yoghurt
200g coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve
1 tsp garam masala
Roti or naan, to serve
1 Heat the mustard oil in a deep frying pan then add the cinnamon, bay leaves, black cardamom, cloves and green cardamom. Stirand then add the onions.
2 Add the meat and stir to coat. Cook on a high heat for 5-7 minutes, constantly turning the goat around, then add the garlic-ginger paste, again stirring constantly. Add the tomato puree, then cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 20minutes. Add the chilli powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt, to taste. Mix well.
3 Add the yoghurt and coriander leaves then cover with the lid again and let the meat cook for another 25-40 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Finally, add the garam masala and the coriander, then serve with roti or naan.
Lamb Lancashire hotpot
Chef Nigel Haworth serves this at his Lancashire restaurant with pickled red cabbage, steamed carrots and leeks. Using three cuts of lamb might be a little extra work for Sunday lunch, but we think it's more than worth it.
Nigel Haworth, northcote.com
Serves 4
440g mix of shoulder and neck of lamb, cut into3cm dice
1 x rack 8 lamb chops, trimmed then cut into 4
3½ tsp salt
25g granulatedsugar
Black pepper
10g plain flour
600g onions, thinly sliced
40g salted butter, melted
500g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled; very thinly sliced
300g lamb loin
1 Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1. Season the diced lamb and chops with 2tsp of the salt, the sugar and a good pinch of pepper, then dust with flour. Put the diced lamb in a hotpot dish and set aside the chops.
2 Next, fry the onions with ½ tsp salt in 15g melted butter for 3-5 minutes until softened, but not coloured. Spread the onions evenly ontop of the lamb in the hotpot dish.
3 Space the chops evenly around the edge of the dish, pushing them into the onions, so thebones are sticking prominently out of the dish of the top.
4 Place the potatoes in a medium-sized bowl, then add the remaining 25g melted butter, season with the last tsp of salt and some morepepper, then mix well.
5 Place a stainless steel biscuit cutter in the centre of the hotpot dish on top of the onions – this is to leave a space to put the roasted loin of lamb, when ready to serve. If you don't have one, you can just put the loin on top of the dish instead. Arrange the potato slices evenly on top of the onions, then cook in the oven for 2½ hours.
6 Meanwhile, add a little butter to a frying pan, then fry the loin in a little butter until browned all over and sealed. When the hotpot has about 20 minutes to go, put the loin in a roasting tin and cook for about 10 minutes – this will be medium-rare. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
7 Remove the hotpot from the oven, remove the stainless steel cutter, if used. Carvethelamb loin and arrange on top of thehotpot, then serve in the middle of the table for people to help themselves, with steamed carrots, leeks and some pickled red cabbage, if you like.
Kedgeree
A classic colonial breakfast from the iconic Piccadilly eatery. If it's a bit too rich before midday for you, it fits the bill for supper, too.
Recipe supplied by Lawrence Keogh, TheWolseley
Serves 4
For the sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
75g onions, finely diced
30g ginger, finely chopped
10g garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp mild curry powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
50g madras curry paste
1 litre fish stock
500ml double cream
Salt and black pepper
For the kedgeree
250g basmati rice
1 tsp ground turmeric
500ml kedgeree sauce (above)
400g smoked haddock, poached in milk, then flaked
½ bunch parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper
4 eggs, gently poached
1 To make the sauce, in a large, heavy-based saucepan, heat the vegetable oil then cook the onions, ginger and garlic for 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Add the curry powder and cumin seeds, then cook for 3 more minutes. Stir frequently to stop the mix from catching. Add the curry paste, then cook, still stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the fish stock and reduce by ¾, then add the double cream and simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened. Whizz to a smooth sauce in ablender, then season with salt andpepper.
2 Cook the rice as per packet instructions in a saucepan with the turmeric. Gently reheat the sauce, then gradually add to the rice pan, stirring, until you have a thick rice pudding consistency. Add the smoked haddock to the pan and gently warm through.
3 To serve, divide the kedgeree between four bowls then scatter with chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper then top each with a soft poached egg.
Scampi and chips with tartare sauce
Scampi has long had a bad reputation – but nolonger! Mitch Tonks says buy the best quality langoustine you can.
Recipe supplied by Mitch Tonks
Serves 4
Sunflower oil, for frying
500g raw langoustine tails
6 tbsp plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
A handful of panko breadcrumbs
Lemon wedges, to serve
For the tartare sauce
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
200ml vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper
½ lemon
1 red onion, chopped
1 tbsp gherkins, roughly chopped
1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
Small handful parsley, finely chopped
4-5 green olives, chopped
For the chips
8 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky chips
1 First, make the tartare sauce. Whisk together the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar, then while whisking, pour in the oil very slowly in asteady stream until you have a thick, creamy mayonnaise. Taste and season then add a squeeze of lemon. Stir in the red onion, gherkins, capers, parsley and olives. The sauce should be piquant and chunky, and have the consistency of very thick double cream.
2 Heat a deep fat fryer to 170C/335F, or fill a wok or saucepan a third full with the sunflower oil. It will be hot enough when a cube of bread sizzles and turns golden within 30 seconds. Dip the langoustine tails in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs, then fry in batches until crisp and golden, which should be 2-4 minutes, depending on size. It is really important not to overload the fryer or pan, as the oil will cool and you won't get a nice crisp batter. Keep them warm while you fry the chips.
3 Turn the heat down on the fryer or reduce the heat of the pan to around 140C/275F, then fry the chips for 8-9 minutes, so they're just cooked. Drain on kitchen paper, then turn the heat up to 190C/375F and cook for a further 2-3minutes, until golden and really crisp. Serve with the tartare sauce and scampi.
Hot pease pudding, fried duck egg and baked mushrooms
This thick, stew-like split pea dish from north-east England is usually served with ham, but the hit of Marmite in this vegetarian version adds all the salty, savoury edge you need.
Recipe supplied by Andrew Dargue, VanillaBlack
Serves 4
Sunflower oil
1 onion, very finely chopped
500g yellow split peas, soaked overnight incoldwater
2 bay leaves
30g butter
1 tbsp Marmite
Salt and black pepper
4 large flat mushrooms
4 duck eggs
1 In a large pan, add 1 tsp sunflower oil and gently fry the onion until soft.
2 Next, add the split peas and bay leaves, cover with water and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until soft and mushy. The water will also have evaporated and helped with the thickening. When cooked, fold in the butter and Marmite, then season.
3 While the peas are cooking, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Drizzle a little sunflower oil on the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper then bake for 10 minutes.
4 Place the pease pudding in a serving dish, top with the mushrooms, so that some of the juices run into the pudding, then keep warm while you fry the duck eggs in a little more sunflower oil, until done to your liking. Serve either at the table for people to help themselves, or divide the pease pudding and mushrooms between warmed plates and top with the duck eggs.
Glamorgan sausages and mash
This hearty veggie main is the ultimate in comfort food. Serve with cider or a pale ale.
Ross Bruce, head chef at The Felin Fach Griffin
Serves 4
1 small cauliflower, cut into little florets
3 sprigs thyme
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 leek, split lengthwise and washed
2 beef tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and diced
4 spring onions, finely chopped
150g hafod, cheddar or vegetarian hard cheese, grated
50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated
10g chives, finely chopped
1 tsp English mustard
1 tbsp grain mustard
2 tsp small capers
6 tbsp seasoned flour, for dusting
2 large eggs, beaten with a little water
150g panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
Mashed potato or bitter salad leaves, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Put the cauliflower florets on a baking tray with the thyme, oil and seasoning. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and roughly chop into small pieces, leaving tiny florets whole.
2 Meanwhile, toss the leek in oil and seasoning then cook on a hot chargrill panor frying pan until heavily scorched. Allow to cool then thinly slice.
3 Combine the leek, cauliflower, tomatoes and spring onions in a large bowl with the cheeses, chives, mustards and capers, then mix well with a pinch of pepper, being careful not to crush the ingredients. If the mixture is very soft, transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up a little.
4 On a large work surface, layer three sheets of clingfilm on top of each other so you have a sort of three-ply sheet to work with. Spoon on half the mixture into a sausage shape, about 2cm wide. Roll the clingfilm around the sausage and tie off one end, then twist the other end until really firm, then tie that end. Repeat for the rest of the mixture, then chill for 1 hour.
5 Remove the clingfilm and cut each sausage into four pieces. Roll each one through the seasoned flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
6 Heat a deep fat fryer to 180C/350F, or fill a wok or saucepan a third full with vegetable oil. The oil will be hot enough when a cube of bread browns and sizzles within 30 seconds. Cook the sausages for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with mash or salad.
Stovies with braised beef
With braised beef blade mixed in, Tom Kitchin's stovies, a potato-based stew withScottish heritage, have a refined, grown-up edge.
Recipe supplied by Tom Kitchin, thekitchin.com
Serves 4-6
For the braised beef
2 tbsp vegetable oil
400g beef blade, diced
1 carrot, sliced
½ onion
2 garlic cloves
1 stick celery, chopped
500ml-1 litre stock (just enough to cover the beef)
For the stovies
Vegetable oil
200g beef mince
1 onion, sliced
400g braised beef blade (above)
4 large potatoes, diced
1 litre chicken or beef stock
1 To make the braised beef, fry until browned all over – around 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add the vegetables and gently cook for 2-3 minutes, then place the beef back on top and cover with the stock. Cook on the hob over a low heat for2-3 hours, until the beef is tender.
2 To make the stovies, heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the mince until brown and crispy. Add the onion then cook foranother 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add thebraised beef blade, potatoes and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes feelsoft and have absorbed all the liquid. Serve immediately.
Marmalade bread and butter pudding
Breakfast bed partners bread, butter and marmalade, made into an indulgent pudding. Use a thick-cut marmalade for texture.
The National Cookbook by Oliver Peyton (National Gallery Company)
Serves 4
8 thin slices bloomer/white bread, crusts removed
50g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
3 tbsp orange marmalade
50g currants
3 eggs
275ml milk
4 tbsp double cream
50g caster sugar
Zest of ½ lemon
Whole nutmeg, for grating
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, then grease a 1-litre, ovenproof baking dish.
2 Spread both sides of the bread with butter, then spread marmalade on one side. Cut each slice into two triangles. Layer half the triangles in the dish, all pointing in the same direction and marmalade side up. Scatter half the currants over the top, then cover with the remaining bread, but arranging it in the opposite direction to the first layer. Sprinkle the remaining currants evenly on top.
3 Whisk the eggs in a jug with the milk, cream,sugar and lemon zest. Pour the mix over the top and liberally grate over some nutmeg. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the custard is set and the pudding is golden brown. Serve warm.
