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Taking Stock
Before I give out any recipes, I want to talk about stocks. The reason being that so many dishes rely on a stock – soups, stews, casseroles, sauces, purés, even some curries. And for all these dishes, the quality of what you get out is very much dependant on the quality of the stock you […]
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Are you a recipe person?
I think people fall in to two categories when it comes to following recipes. There are those who like to follow recipes in detail, following every little instruction in order to the get the exact result the chef we trying to get across. Then there are those who use a recipe as a guide, giving […]
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Wild Food Survey: Would you eat squirrel?
I am a big fan of eating wild food, especially when there’s an abundance of it. When it comes to meat, there are several species that many considered pests, for example pigeon and rabbit. They are so underrated – they taste great, couldn’t be more free-range, and are being “controlled” by farmers any way. Ask […]
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Eating Out: The Foxhunter
Yesterday we made the trip over the bridge in to South Wales to eat at the Foxhunter in the small village of Nantyderry near to Abergavenny. It is run by chef Matt Tebbutt (who you may know from the TV shows Market Kitchen, Great British Menu and guest presenter of Saturday Kitchen). The Foxhunter is […]
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In Season Now
This is a great time of year. If have been keeping an eye out in the supermarkets for British fruit and vegetables, you’ve probably over-dosed cabbages, other brassicas and root veg recently. But from now there are lots of other goodies coming in to season. Jersey Royal potatoes are there now, along with outdoor rhubarb […]
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Chilli – the verdict, and duck with a twist
The results are in – thank you all for your comments via the blog and Facebook. Your special ingredients for the best chilli con carne are: loads of chillies, garlic, cumin seeds, ground coriander, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, tobasco, beef pieces rather than mince (chuck, brisket or shin – ideally slow-cooked), a little pork, and interestingly […]
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What’s your secret chilli ingredient?
I’m thinking of making a chilli con carne at the weekend. It seems that everyone I speak to has their own secret ingredient that makes ‘their’ chilli special. If I’m feeling decedent, I sometimes as a little chorizo. I’ve heard that a bit of chocolate works well, but I’ve never been brave enough to add […]
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Easter Sunday: English Rose Veal
I wanted to prepare something that was quick but still a little decedant. I got some rose veal steaks, again from Tortworth Estate Farm Shop, and served that simply with left overs from the other night, some crushed new potatoes and veg. Veal often raises an eyebrow as it has a bad reputation in the […]
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Saturday: Wild Garlic and Other Wild Treats
On Saturday we went out driving around the south Wales border with our guests, and came across some wild garlic (ramsons) which aren’t flowering yet but the leaves were nice and fresh, so I just had to pick some. So, that gave me the excuse to do an improvised wild garlic risotto (with the stock I […]
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Heston’s at it again
Just watched Heston Blumenthal’s Chocolate Factory Feast on Channel 4 – as ever, absolutely amazing, though completely mad! Lickable wallpaper, chocolate waterfall that separates as it flows, and my favourite, duck a l’orange turned in to confectionary (including a chocolate orange made predominantly of duck!) I can imagine the layered mushroom dish would taste brilliant […]