Peel the salsify and put straight into cold water with a squeeze of lemon. Cut into lengths of 10cm and cook in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes, then refresh under cold water, drain and dry on kitchen paper.
Posted: 10 Feb 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
What was your first job? Paper boy at 13 - I got tricked into it by my dad, but it taught me the work ethic required in the catering industry; What do you normally have for breakfast? A six-egg-white omelette; What is your favourite drink? Gin and tonic - Sipsmith and No. 209 are very good gins
Reviewing On the Menu has been an enjoyable experience. Not only has it introduced me to the talented chef, James Mackenzie, but it has also inspired me to cook a host of down-to-earth, fabulous-looking dishes.
This special utensil peels, slices and cores apples. I don't actually use it for apples; instead I use it to peel courgettes into spirals and create other decorative touches, such as thin strips of pepper to garnish soups.
I couldn't live without my iPhone and its many useful apps. File Magnet stores all my recipes, conversion charts and documents, such as menus or function menus, and links wirelessly to my computer and updates when I get home.
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
Chris Bell, head chef at Galgorm Resort & Spa in County Antrim, talks about his love of Coldplay, his hatred of lambs' kidneys, and reveals his fantasy brigade...
Alan Stewart's recipe for mushroom broth with venison meatballs uses up trimmings from mushrooms, shallots and salsify; any leftover egg whites; outer leaves of Brussels sprouts; the outside of the muscle from venison haunch; and breadcrumbs.
Our Hamilton Beach Commercial Blender seems to be on in my kitchen all the time. Whether we are blending soups or purées, it makes short work of all jobs we give it and for under £400. The blender is robust and the stainless steel beaker is well made...
Posted: 02 Feb 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
Roast the seasoned chicken supremes until just tender, at approximately 180°C for 9 minutes. Add the sliced shallots and a pinch of salt to a pan with a little butter or oil and sweat down for 3 minutes. Cut the field mushrooms into dice and add to the shallots.
Originally from Cumbria, Tony Leck made his home in Guernsey in 1987, having moved there as a young pastry chef. Very quickly, inspired by the slow pace of life and the bountiful local produce, he worked hard at extending his culinary knowledge working through a variety of establishments.
What was your first job? Delivering lemonade off the back of a lorry, aged 14; What was your first job in catering? Polishing glasses; What do you normally have for breakfast? Large coffee and muesli; What do you do to relax? Play on my mountain bike What's your favourite restaurant? Pierre Gagnaire, Paris
The Dining Room at Stoke Park has achieved two AA rosettes in the past year and is hunting for a third, and a Michelin star. Janet Harmer reports
Posted: 01 Feb 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
Continuing our tutored tasting series, we look at the diversity of popular root vegetable varieties. The delicious earthiness of root vegetables makes them the perfect ingredient in soups, stews and other warming dishes popular at this time of year.
Posted: 27 Jan 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
The Grant SV100 immersion circulator is more versatile than a water bath as it clamps onto any suitable sized pot, so we can use it in a smaller container for service, but if larger amounts are required we can simply clamp it to a larger container.
Posted: 20 Jan 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
Place the rabbit shoulders on a cutting board. From each one remove the blade and arm bone, making sure you leave the remaining small bone in place. Rub in the salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary and then roll each shoulder into a ball with the little bone sticking out, and wrap it in the caul fat.
What was your first job? From the age of 10 to 13, I spent my school holidays working in a restaurant at a local coach station in Calabria, Southern Italy; Which is your favourite restaurant? Marco Pierre White's Wheeler's of St James's restaurant in London; Which ingredient do you hate the most? Kidneys
After the success of tapas restaurant Salt House, Paddy Smith opened Hanover Street Social, a brasserie just along the road. Joe Warwick visited
Carefully remove the legs from the four partridges, leaving as much of the skin on the crowns as you can. Press the legs with salt, garlic, cracked black pepper and thyme for eight hours. Wash off and confit sous-vide for three hours at 85°C with 100g of goose fat.
Posted: 13 Jan 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
Beer writer Melissa Cole makes a point of chastising brewers and pub operators who use the terms "malty" and "hoppy" to describe beer. Beer deserves, as she points out, a little bit more reverence than that. It certainly has begun to receive it as the growing ranks of the beerati get more vocal.
What was your best subject at school? Physics, not home economics; What was your first job in catering? Making bacon sandwiches in a transport café; What do you normally have for breakfast? Four Weetabix; Which is your favourite restaurant? I have two - Michel Bras' Bras and Pascal Barbot's l'Astrance
Created by internationally renowned chef Heinz Beck, Apsleys showcases his style of "light cuisine of Mediterranean flavours". Kerstin Kühn reports
Aside from making your food shine, a well-balanced wine list can inject individuality and boost your bottom line. Fiona Sims explains how to ensure your list is interesting enough for diners to try something different...
Posted: 11 Jan 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
oak the mussels and remove the beards. Place a solid bottomed pan on a high heat until it's very hot. Drain the mussels, place them in the pan and add the bay leaves, thyme, onion, leek and cider. Cook with a lid on until the mussels open, then drain in a colander.
Posted: 04 Jan 2012 | FULL ARTICLE
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Begin by making the filling. Slowly bring the cream to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Stir in the Drambuie and mincemeat and leave to set in the fridge. When set, mould into balls, roughly 125g each.
Posted: 23 Dec 2011 | FULL ARTICLE
It might not have the most alluring title, but Odd Bits is initially more appealing than Jennifer McLagan's previous two books, Fat and Bones. The cover picture looks like a tray of exhibits from a crime scene, but do not be sidetracked by this offal and giblet bravado...
What was your first job? Washing up for 500 covers a night in a privately owned steakhouse; What do you normally have for breakfast? Tea and a fry-up at the weekends; Which is your favourite restaurant? It used to be Chez Bruce, but since I moved I haven't been for ages. The most consistent restaurant that I love is Le Caprice.
Most commonly associated with Christmas, nuts are a favourite for the festive season. However, they are a welcome addition to a number of dishes, both sweet and savoury.
Posted: 16 Dec 2011 | FULL ARTICLE
Sprinkle the venison with the fennel seeds and plenty of ground black pepper in a shallow dish then drizzle with grapeseed oil. Cover and marinate for about an hour. Meanwhile, cook the artichokes in salted water to which you have added a good squeeze of lemon juice.
As a long time admirer of the Galvin brothers' food and their restaurants, I have been eagerly looking forward to the publication of this, their first book, Galvin a Cookbook de Luxe. It has been a long time coming, but has most definitely been worth the wait.
What was your best subject at school? Drama; What was your first job? Bagging potatoes in a vegetable shop; What was your first job in catering? Washing up in local pub; What do you do to relax? Read cookbooks and go mountain biking - in Norfolk!
Still time to get your nominations in for this year's Cateys. Closing date is Monday 13 February 2012.
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Using foraged ingredients is nothing new but the trend has become more mainstream over the past two years. However, the wider use of foraged food in restaurants also carries a certain amount of danger.
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