Fish
High winds last week affected supplies of most native fish, and although the weather eased over the weekend, cod, haddock, plaice, brill, catfish, dogfish, lemon soles, red mullet and sardines will all be scarce at market. There are farmed alternatives, however: turbot from Spain, and salmon and halibut from Scotland. Further afield there are good supplies of exotics from the Indian Ocean, including red snappers, goat fish, barramundi and kingfish. Farmed UK oysters are, of course, now plentiful, and there are good supplies of langoustines and lobster.
Source:
M&J Seafood
01296 588221
www.mjseafoods.com
Fresh produce
Fresh chanterelle mushrooms are available again but at present expensive. Lactaire mushrooms are also in season. Popular in France and Spain, these mushrooms are orange in colour, although the flesh bruises green. They are delicious and highly prized by collectors. Wild crab apples are also at their best before the real cold sets in, and the sloe berries are almost ready now. Meanwhile, Bramley apples are the essential cooking apple; perfect for pies and crumbles, combined with the last of the UK blackberries, they make a classic combination. Curly kale has been quite slow to hit the markets, but the early purple sprouting broccoli has been excellent.
Much of the baby salad leaf production is now due (from next month) to switch back from the current UK grown crops to European crops.
This week also sees the start of the fresh white truffle season in Italy.
Source:
Chef's Connection
020 7627 4809
www.chefs-connection.co.uk
Meat
Pheasants are available from tomorrow (1 October), although won't be at their best until November. Also now in season is wild duck - mallard, widgeon and the expensive but sought-after teal. Wild venison is also now available from Wales and the North of England with the best of Scottish (Balmoral) available in a couple of weeks' time. The rest of the market remains similar, with lots of good quality British lamb still available, though not much top-notch British beef.
Source:
Aubrey Allen
024 7642 2222
www.aubreyallen.co.uk
...and how to use them
Roast pheasant with butternut squash, cépes bordelaise, and sage
Ingredients
(Serves two)
1 whole pheasant
Duck fat
8-10 small Roseval potatoes
150g butter
5 sprigs thyme
4 cloves crushed garlic
5 sage stalks
For the liver mixture
200g chicken livers, cleaned and chopped
200g foie gras, roughly chopped
4 chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic
Madeira, port, Armagnac
1 baguette and a little duck fat
For the cepes
500g cepes or wild mushrooms
8 chopped shallots
5 cloves garlic and parsley
200ml red wine sauce
100ml double chicken stock
Lemon juice
Sage leaves
Method
Take the legs off the pheasant, and then chop them up (with the bones). In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the duck fat, brown the seasoned crown and remove it. Colour the chopped bones in the same pan and remove. Replace with the potatoes and colour them. Put back the crown and bones, adding the butter, thyme, sage and the crushed garlic. Roast in a preheated oven (180¡C), basting continuously for eight to 10 minutes, being careful not to overcook it as the meat will be very dry. Take the crown out of the oven and rest up to 20 minutes. If necessary, roast the potatoes in for a little longer.
While the meat is resting, cook the foie gras in a hot pan (no fat) and remove when pink. Cook the livers in the same pan and remove when pink. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook until soft. Deglaze with Armagnac, port and Madeira, flame and reduce until all the alcohol has evaporated. Put the livers and reduction in a food processor, blend together (leave it quite coarse) and check seasoning.
Slice the baguette, brush it with duck fat and cook in a hot oven until golden and crispy. Spread the mix.
To finish the dish, remove the bones, garlic and herbs. Fry the cŠpes in the roasting juices until golden. Add shallots, garlic and parsley, then the red wine sauce and a little chicken stock. Check the seasoning and finish with a little lemon juice. Serve one breast for each plate with four or five potatoes and the cŠpes. Deep-fry the sage leaves and serve with the dish.
At La Trompette, we serve this dish with butternut squash and black truffle shavings.
Ollie Couillaud, head chef at La Trompette, Chiswick, London