NEIL'S RECIPES: SCOTCH LAMB FILLETS WITH TAPENADE

I remember clearly the first time I ate lamb with tapenade. It was over twenty years ago at Alastair Little’s restaurant in Soho. I was blown away by the flavours of salty olives, capers and anchovy which cut through the richness of the lamb. It was sublime. Don’t overcook the lamb for this recipe, keep it nice and pink please!

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 fillets of Scotch Lamb

4 Pink Fir Apple potatoes, cooked and cut into thick slices

1 large handful mini plum Isle of Wight tomatoes

3 tablespoons pitted black Kalamata olives

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers

3 to 4 anchovy fillets

75ml organic olive oil

Some fennel herb

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

To make tapenade, add the olives, capers, garlic, anchovy, and half the olive oil to a food processor. Don’t season with salt, but add a little pepper. Blitz to a rough paste.

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and bring to a high heat, but not smoking or the oil will burn. Season the lamb and add it to the pan with the potatoes and cook until nicely browned all over. Be careful not to overcook the lamb – it will cook in 3 to 4 minutes.  

Then add the mini plum tomatoes and season the entire pan with salt and pepper. Remove the lamb from the pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes.

To serve, slice the lamb into bite-size pieces. Place the potatoes on warmed plates along with the tomatoes and slices of lamb. Garnish with dots of tapenade and decorate with fennel herb. Drizzle any remaining olive oil all over the dish. Perfect.

NEIL'S RECIPES: PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM WITH SPINACH, WHITE SAUCE AND HERB CRUMB

Such a good dish to eat, a joy to cook and a test of skills! For me it's rare for a dish to be so long in prep. You can simplify this by removing the chard or the white sauce, but I encourage you to make this delicious and classic sauce. The onion cloutie, studded with bay and clove, gives this humble and versatile sauce its edge. Don't rush it, take your time and enjoy beating the hot milk into the butter and flour. 

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

A big handful of rainbow chard, washed and dried, roughly chopped

A shallot, peeled and finely chopped

2 bay leaves

A few sprigs of thyme

3 tablespoons organic olive oil

A splash of white wine

250ml double cream

500ml full fat milk

150g butter

50g plain flour

1 small onion

3 cloves

4 cloves of garlic

4 large handfuls of baby spinach, washed and dried

4 field/ flat or Portobello mushrooms

A small handful of herbs you like, tarragon and parsley work well

A handful of breadcrumbs

A few chanterelle mushrooms

A knob of butter

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Firstly, prepare the chard.  Sweat the shallot in a tablespoon of olive oil with a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme. Add the chard and cook on a medium heat until soft. Season. Next add the white wine to the pot and cover with a lid. Add a little water or stock if you prefer. Let the chard braise for about an hour. Remove the lid and allow some of the liquid to evaporate for a few minutes whilst keeping the heat on medium setting. Then add the cream, bring to the boil and reduce until a sauce consistency. Season to taste and leave to one side in a warm place.

Make an onion cloutie by attaching a bay leaf to the onion with the cloves. To make a white sauce, heat the milk with the onion cloutie. Be careful not to boil. In another pot, melt 50g of butter and stir in the flour until you achieve a texture like wet sand. Cook the flour through for a minute or two, but don't burn it. Keep it on a low heat and add the milk a little at a time, continuing to stir. When all milk has been added, you should have a rich, glossy sauce. Add the onion to the sauce and cover with a lid. Keep warm.

Clean the Portobello mushrooms with a wet cloth and season all over. Place them on a roasting tray and dot over with the remaining butter. Season again. Gently bash the garlic, and rip a few sprigs of thyme. Add these to the roasting tray and place in a hot oven (180°C) for 20 to 30 minutes until just soft. Remove from the oven (leave the oven on). Leave the mushroom on the try and keep warm.

To wilt the spinach, heat a little olive oil in a pot with the juices from the mushrooms. Cook the spinach until wilted and season.

Make a herb crumb by mixing the herbs with breadcrumbs in a food processor.

Top each mushroom with some spinach, then one or two tablespoons of white sauce, finished off with the herb crumb. Return to the oven and bake at 180°C for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the knob of butter in a medium hot frying pan and cook the chanterelles for a couple of minutes, or until cooked.

To serve, place two tablespoons of the creamed chard on each plate and top with a Portobello mushroom. Arrange the chanterelle mushrooms in a circle around the plate. 

NEIL'S RECIPES: HERRING ROLL MOPS

"People have been pickling herring since medieval times. In Old Norse ‘herring’ means ‘army’. These vast silver shoals were on the move and needed to be contained and conquered! Pickled herring makes a refreshing change from smoked trout or mackerel and is low in fat and high in Omega 3. It’s easy to make at home and will keep the fridge for weeks. Pack some for a picnic or be brave and put one in the kid’s packed lunch box!"

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 fillets of the freshest herring your can buy

2 shallots, peeled and sliced into rings

1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin slices

A few peppercorns

A small sprig of thyme

1 tablespoon of salt

200ml cider vinegar

200ml water

50g sugar

1/2 bulb of fennel, shaved thinly on a mandolin

1 radish, sliced

1 apple, cut into matchsticks

Salt and pepper for seasoning

METHOD

Make the pickle liquor first by bringing the vinegar, water and sugar to the boil with the carrot, shallot, peppercorns, thyme and pinch of salt. Remove from the heat as soon as it reaches boiling point and allow to cool in the fridge, it must be cold.

Meanwhile, rub the salt into the herring fillets and leave them to cure overnight. The next day, rinse them well, then roll them up from tail to head and secure with a cocktail stick.

Submerge the fillets in the chilled pickle liquor and leave for 2 to 3 days before eating.  

To serve, slice the roll mops and arrange them on a plate, with some of the carrot and shallot from the pickling liquor, and top with a few slices of radish, the apple matchsticks and some shaved fennel. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

NEIL'S RECIPES: PEASEMEAL AND HAM SOUP

Golspie Mill in Sutherland produces incredible stone-ground peasemeal flour made from ground yellow peas. It's an absolute revelation, and simple to use. This traditional Scottish ingredient was popular in days gone by because it was cheap, filling and very tasty. Just by adding a hot stock, some butter and seasoning you’ll make a substantial soup, to enjoy on its own or with added ingredients like ham. By choosing peasemeal from Golspie Mill, you’ll ensure this tradition will be carried on. So, throw away those instant soup packets, this is a thousand times better!

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 

4 tablespoons peasemeal

500ml hot stock or water (ham stock is good)

A knob of butter

A handful of leftover gammon or ham (or cook a ham hock and flake the meat off - after braising for 3 hours in just water, retain the stock for the soup)

Salt and pepper

A large pinch of curly parsley, roughly chopped

METHOD

Boil the stock or water and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter.

Next, add the peasemeal flour to the hot liquid and whisk vigorously for a few minutes. Check the seasoning and add more butter if required.

Let it bubble for a minute then pour into warm bowls. If it seems too thick, just add a little more liquid.

Crumble on the ham, gammon or hock and garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve steaming hot.

NEIL'S RECIPES: GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH YOGHURT AND CUCUMBER

This recipe is inspired by a recent family holiday to the wonderful sun-baked island of Crete. I'm using best end of lamb here but you can use gigot chops. I'm going to suggest you cook it a little more than medium. I usually like my chops rare but to be true to Crete, I think a more well-done chop works better with the tzatziki. It's good idea is to marinade the lamb in a little olive oil with thyme and fennel seeds the night before cooking.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Allow for 3 to 4 chops person - ask your butcher or stall-holder to French trim them

A few sprigs of thyme and marjoram

400g 10% full-fat natural Greek yoghurt - try Total, it’s very good, but a organic one is would be even better

1 medium-sized cucumber

1 small clove garlic, crushed

Good salt and pepper

A drizzle of olive oil – from Crete if you can

Half a lemon

METHOD

Place a griddle on the hob to heat whilst you marinate the chops in olive oil, thyme and marjoram (reserve some of the herbs for garnish). Aim to get the griddle to a moderate heat.

Grate the cucumber into a bowl. Squeeze the water out of the cucumber and mix in the yoghurt and crushed garlic. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Remove the excess oil and herbs from the chops and place onto the griddle and cook for around 5 to 7 minutes on each side in total - check them as you go and turn frequently. Don't cook to well done stage, but don't cook too rare either.

At the end of cooking, season the chops and squeeze over the juice of half a lemon. Serve with a huge dollop of the yoghurt mix and garnish with some marjoram and thyme.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CRISP LOCH CRERAN OYSTERS WITH SAUCE GRIBICHE

Given that oysters were once the food of the poor, it's hard to believe that they are now perceived to be a luxury, as they are relatively cheap to buy. They’re full of lots of healthy stuff too and so tasty. I was told that Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is built on oyster shells, as in days gone by there were oyster sellers on every street corner and the discarded shells were tossed away. I love a freshly-shucked oyster, simple and clean. I try to persuade doubters to try them by describing the taste as that intense, refreshing feeling you get when you jump into the sea for the first time on holiday. Cooked, they are equally delicious!

Images: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Allow 4 to 6 oysters per person

1 tablespoon of plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk

1 handful of breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil for shallow frying

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1 hard-boiled egg, white and yolk chopped separately

1 tablespoon of cornichons and capers, chopped

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley and tarragon

4 tablespoons of mayonnaise

A few fennel fronds for garnish

A squeeze of lemon juice

Some course sea salt, mixed with a little water, to place the oysters on

METHOD

Be very careful not to puncture the oyster flesh when removing them from their shells. Ask your fishmonger to do this for you if you prefer, but make sure you keep the shells.

Roll each oyster through the flour, then the egg wash, then breadcrumbs and set to one side.

Clean the oyster shells for serving.

To make the sauce gribiche, gently mix the chopped egg and mayonnaise, then add the shallot, cornichons, capers, parsley and tarragon, and a splash of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix together gently.

Place a frying pan on the hob and bring it to a medium heat before adding the oil. Once the oil is hot, gently cook the oysters, being careful not to burn them. Turn them often and cook for a minute or so either side. Remove the oysters from the pan and dab them with kitchen paper.

To serve, place the wet salt on to serving dish, arranging the oyster shells on top. Return the cooked oysters to the shells, placing a dod of sauce gribiche and a frond of fennel on top of each. Eat immediately.

NEIL'S RECIPES: ISLE OF WIGHT TOMATO AND SOURDOUGH PANZANELLA

This is one of the simplest and most delicious salads you can make. A wonderful combo of stale bread, salty, zingy capers and sweet, fat Isle of Wight tomatoes. I love it and serve it in many ways at the restaurant: with grilled fish, or a simple goats’ cheese, but I also love it on its own. The addition of Summer Harvest bramble vinegar gives it a wonderful rounded flavour and makes it something special. Originating in Italy it’s a brilliant way to use up leftover bread. We use day-old sourdough fried in butter, oil and salt to bring it back to life. This salad is great at a barbeque, and can even be made the day before.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1/3  loaf of sourdough, crusts removed

A big handful of Isle of Wight tomatoes, cherry toms are good

1/2 cucumber, seeds removed

1 Ramiro pepper, the long red ones

1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp capers

A small handful of basil and mint leaves

50ml Summer Harvest bramble vinegar

75ml Summer Harvest cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A few radishes

A knob of butter

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat 25ml of oil in a frying pan and add the butter. Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1cm cubes, and then fry them in the pan tossing and seasoning all the time until they just start to turn golden. Set to one side on kitchen paper.

In a large bowl, mix the finely chopped red onion with the vinegar then remaining oil; it takes the harshness away by adding it first.

Dice the pepper, cucumber and cut the cherry toms in half, then add to the bowl with the capers. Slice a few radishes and add those to the bowl as well.

Next, add in the croutons then rip the basil and mint leaves gently (being careful not to bruise them) and add to the bowl too. Season and mix gently.

Use your taste buds to figure out if it needs more of this or that. Serve with grilled meats, fish or cheese. Delicious! 

NEIL'S RECIPES: ARRAN WHISKY AND OAT PARFAIT

Last month I set off from the Ayrshire coast bound for Arran. After a wonderful (if slightly choppy) hour on the ferry, the island appears standing majestic and strong, looking like a location from Lord of the Rings with its snow-capped peaks welcoming us. What a spectacular sight it is!

Stepping onto the jetty at Brodick, we’re met by Kim Ryan who will be our guide for the day, along with Gordon Kinniburgh from Arran Cheese. After a quick bag drop at the Douglas Hotel, a splendid Edwardian hotel with grand rooms and a great restaurant, we’re ready for the tour.

I'm here with a few others as a guest of Taste of Arran, to learn about the fabulous produce on this beautiful island. After a short drive through the pretty countryside, our first stop is to see how the famous Arran Mist and Arran Blue are made. These cheeses are only made in small batches and only ever released when they’re in perfect eating condition. I like this approach, and it's inspiring to see true artisans at work. Callum the cheese-maker is very knowledgeable and answers all our questions.

Next stop is The Arran Butcher Shop, a family-run business that’s been operating for decades and is still going strong. They make their own black puddings and haggis, as well as selling many cuts of meat including ‘coos tail’ (or oxtail), which I love.

Time is precious, so next we head off to see the production of oatcakes at Wooleys of Arran, a traditional family bakery. It’s a relatively small operation and it’s great to see the staff working together to create a very distinct-tasting oatcake. 

Finally, we just have time to make a brief tour of the distillery (a bottle was bought!) where we meet Taste of Arran’s founder Alastair Dobson, who does a wonderful job making ice-cream at Arran Dairies as well as spreading the word about this unique Island. I must thank our guide Kim who was brilliant. Let’s show our support - when you see the name Arran - buy it!

How to describe this pudding? Iced, smooth, oaty, rich, with bright egg yolks and that distinct whisky. I’ve used a 10-year-old Arran Malt with notes of citrus and honey followed by vanilla and butterscotch on the palate. It makes a wonderful parfait. I’ve only recently started to appreciate whisky properly and am better at distinguishing all those complex flavours. I know some people don't really get it, but go on, give it a try!

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

4 organic egg yolks

125g caster sugar

100mls water

500mls double cream

A good splosh of 10-year-old Arran whiskyA handful of pinhead oats, lightly toasted

A handful of porridge oats, fried in butter and sugar until golden

A few Scottish strawberries

Sweet cicely for a garnish

 METHOD

Add the water and the sugar to a pan and gently bring to the boil. It must reach soft-ball texture, so it looks like a clear syrup. Whisk the egg yolks and trickle in the sugar solution a little at a time - you can use a Kenwood for this - until the mix is full of volume. Allow this mix to cool for about 10 minutes.

In a clean bowl, semi-whip the cream until it reaches ribbon stage. Then gently fold it into the egg yolk and sugar mix, using a cutting/folding action.

Add the whisky to taste, then the toasted pinhead oats and combine. Pour into a terrine mould double-lined with cling film and freeze overnight.

To serve remove from the freezer, tip the parfait out of the mould and remove cling film. Then cut into slices and place on cool plates and serve with a few berries, some sweet cicely and some of those buttery sugary oats. Now eat!

NEIL'S RECIPES: WILD SCOTTISH RABBIT, BUTTER BEANS AND PRESERVED LEMONS

Rabbit is a delicious meat, hugely versatile, sustainable and local. Try wild Scottish rabbit and use the back legs and shoulders for braising, or cooking slowly in duck fat like a confit. The loins can be quickly sautéed and kept quite rare. Served with a few butter beans and a kick of preserved lemon and thyme, it’s lovely and simple, hot or cold. Don't be afraid to have a go at butchering your own rabbit, it’s good fun and you’ll be so chuffed if you get it right. I usually leave the hind legs on the bone during cooking as it seems to stay moist and juicy that way. And remember to add lots of parsley! 

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 large organic unwaxed lemon

1 large cup of course salt

1 whole wild Scottish rabbit

250g duck fat

A few sprigs of thyme

A clove of garlic

200g butter beans, soaked overnight and cooked in water gently for 1.5 hours until just tender

A small handful of curly parsley, chopped

100ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A knob of butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

To make preserved lemons simply make a cross cut 2/3 of the way down the lemon and fill with salt, put the remaining salt into a jar and submerge the lemon in this for a month turning every 2 to 3 days. After a month, remove from the salt and rinse. Scrape out the insides and discard - it’s the pith and the peel you want. Chop finely.

Heat the duck fat and with the thyme and garlic, then add the seasoned front and back legs of the rabbit. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, submerged in the fat, until tender. Don't overcook.

Add the chopped shallot to the rapeseed oil and gently cook on the hob on a low heat until the shallot is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the preserved lemon, and the butter beans.

Remove the cooked legs of rabbit from the duck fat and flake the meat into the bean mix and stir.

Heat the butter in a pan and fry the loins for 3 to 4 minutes being careful not to overcook. Slice and add to the bean mix.

Stir in the parsley and check the seasoning. Remember, the lemon is a little salty but a wonderful addition to this dish.

Serve in a bowl - not too hot - a bit like a warm salad.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SMOKED MACKEREL PÂTÉ, PICKLES

This recipe is almost too easy, but what is wrong with that! You might prefer to buy ready-made (at a hugely inflated price) but this doesn't take long and tastes so good you will make it time and time again. And it’s cheap! It’s good for packed lunches, and will help with the new year detox as it’s packed full of Omega oils. Oily fish used to play a huge part in our diet, but now sadly we need to fortify our processed foods to replenish these good things in our diets. Try it with oatcakes and a dollop of horseradish, or some pickles. Or just with a simple salad, a squeeze of lemon juice, a twist of pepper and pow! It's that good. Try using peppered mackerel for a wee hit.

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Makes enough for several servings

INGREDIENTS

3 fillets of smoked mackerel

2 tablespoons of crème fraîche

Juice of half a lemon

A twist of pepper

250ml cider vinegar

250ml water

100g sugar

A few spices (star anise, peppercorns)

A handful of vegetables like carrots, cucumber and onion, peeled and cut into nice shapes

A teaspoon of good salt

A few oatcakes

METHOD 

Firstly make a pickle by boiling the spices, vinegar, water, salt and sugar together for a minute.  Then add the vegetables to this liquor. Remove from the heat and put in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. This can be stored for months if you don’t use all the pickles at once.

To make the mackerel pâté, blitz the mackerel with the crème fraîche in a food processor until smooth. Then add the pepper and lemon to taste. It should be nice and smooth.

Keep the pâté in a tub in your fridge until required. It’s perfect with oatcakes and those pickles!