NEIL'S RECIPES: BREAST OF PHEASANT, CHESTNUT, ORANGE, BACON, SPROUTS AND THYME

“This is a delicious dish. The sprouts are quartered which stops them being overcooked and brown, or worse, undercooked and crisp. I use vac pac chestnuts as they are good, tasty and easy to use. If you have time on your hands, roast whole chestnuts on an open fire. The addition of orange and thyme gives a sense of Christmas. Just be careful not to overcook the meat as it can easily become dry and tough.”

Serves 1

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 breast of pheasant, skin on

1 tablespoon of chestnuts, halved

1 tablespoon of bacon lardons, cut chunky

1 teaspoon of chopped orange zest and thyme 

3 or 4 sprouts 

1 tablespoon of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A knob of butter

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 220°C / Gas Mark 7

Cut the sprouts into quarters and blanch in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes, then refresh in cold water.

Heat the oil to medium heat in a large, oven-proof frying pan and add the pheasant skin-side-down, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and continue to cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the bacon lardons to the pan and cook until golden. This should take 4 to 5 minutes whilst the pheasant is cooking.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove and add the butter, chestnuts, zest of orange and thyme, and sprouts and give the pan a toss to combine everything.  

Remove the pheasant and let it rest for a few minutes in a warm place before giving it a final season. 

To serve, arrange the garnish around the pheasant on a warm plate and serve with gravy if you like, or a cream and tarragon sauce would work too.

NEIL'S RECIPES: PORK BELLY, CHAMP, CRISPY SAGE, FENNEL AND LEMON BUTTER

“We often use this classic way of cooking pork belly at Cafe St Honoré. It’s simple: skin removed, boned out, seasoned, rolled, tied, braised, chilled, then cut and pan fried. The process creates a wonderful taste that’s not fatty, with the fennel seed and lemon helping to cut through the richness. Buttery champ is so good with the pork, and the addition of sage is classic, but optional.”

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 45 minutes; cooking time: 4 hours

INGREDIENTS

750g rare-breed organic pork belly, skinned and boned

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

1 carrot, scrubbed and halved

1 onion, peeled and halved

1 stick celery, halved

A few sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

A few peppercorns

Zest of 1 lemon

Good salt and pepper

400g good mash made with lots of butter

3 or 4 spring onions, finely chopped

A small handful of sage leaves, gently shallow-fried until just crisp and dried on kitchen paper

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

75g unsalted butter

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C.

Firstly, lay the pork belly out on a board and season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle over half the fennel seeds and half the lemon zest. Roll the belly up like a swiss roll and tie with butchers twine, or string, but not too tight. 

Next, place the pork in a pot and cover with hot water. Add the carrot, onion, celery, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring the pot to the simmer then cover with a lid or foil and place into the oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is very tender. 

Remove from the oven and allow the pork to cool in the liquid for about an hour or so, no rush. Once cooled, remove the pork from the liquid and drain on a tea towel to make sure it’s dry.

Then line your work surface with 4 layers of clingfilm about 6 inches wider than the belly and place the pork onto the cling film. Remove the string with scissors and discard, then roll the pork in the clingfilm very tightly and refrigerate overnight. 

To cook, preheat the oven to 180°C, then cut 4 slices of pork about an inch or so thick, and fry in the rapeseed oil for 3 to 5 minutes each side. Then place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes to ensure the pork is hot and coloured. It should be a lovely golden colour. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot, and add the remaining fennel seeds and lemon zest to it. Season.

Just before serving, add the chopped spring onions to the mash to make champ, and place some in the centre of each plate. Top with the sliced pork and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with crispy sage leaves. Serve at once.

Neil's Recipes: Oatcakes with Smoked Trout and Crème Fraîche

“If you have never made your own oatcakes have a try, it's so easy. I recently bought a girdle from a charity shop - one of the old ones our ancestors would have used to cook drop scones on - and the taste is completely different from baking in an oven. The smokiness from the flames of a real fire lick the edges of the girdle which flavours the oatcakes, giving them real character.” 

This recipe will make about 50 £2 coin sized oatcakes that will keep in an airtight tub for a week.

INGREDIENTS

For the oatcakes:

500g pinhead oats

100g porridge oats

40g plain flour

1teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

150g bacon fat, lard or butter, melted

30g sugar

15g salt

Approximately 500ml water, or buttermilk, which makes for a really rich oatcake

For the topping:

A few slices of smoked trout, I get mine from Belhaven

Enough crème fraîche for a dollop on each oatcake, I like Katy Rodgers

A few cornichons, or pickled cucumbers

A few chives

METHOD

Mix all the oatcake ingredients together and trickle in the water, or buttermilk, a little at a time. If you are using a mixer or food processor, combine until you have a good dough.

Roll the dough into 4 sausage shapes, about the width of a £2 coin, then wrap in cling film and store in the fridge until firm. Then slice into ½-cm thick discs using a very sharp, serrated knife. Cook on a pre-heated girdle, or heavy-based frying pan, rubbed with a little lard or butter, for a couple of minutes on each side. Finish cooking them in a low oven (125°C) for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden and crisp. 

To serve, top each oatcake with a few flakes of smoked trout, a slice of cornichon or pickled cucumber, a dollop of crème fraîche and snipped chives. Perfect!

NEIL'S RECIPES: SCALLOPS, STORNOWAY BLACK PUDDING, CEPS AND BUTTER SAUCE

“I put this dish on at Cafe St Honoré when we receive a hoard of ceps. It always sells well and is delicious. Cook the ceps, black pudding and scallops in the same pan as all the flavours marry well, and the fat released from the black pudding adds extra flavour to the ceps and shellfish. Don’t be afraid of the butter sauce, or beurre blanc as we chefs call it. A little splash of cream stabilizes the reduction and prevents the sauce from splitting.”

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 1
Prep time: 15 minutes; cooking time 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 hand-dived scallops, coral left on

1 slice of Stornoway black pudding

A small handful of ceps, lightly washed

2 peppercorns

1 sprig thyme 

1 sprig tarragon

100ml white wine

100ml white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon double cream

75g unsalted butter, 1cm cubes

A few wood sorrel leaves, optional

Good salt and pepper

Juice from half a lemon

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

1 knob butter

METHOD

Prepare the ceps by cutting in half and scoring a criss-cross pattern on the cut sides.

Make a butter sauce by adding the wine, vinegar, peppercorns and herbs to a small pan and reducing to a couple of tablespoons. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan and add the cream. Whisk together and bring to just below the boil. Then add the butter one cube at a time until emulsified. Season with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Keep at a steady temperature until needed.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in large non-stick frying pan on a high heat on the hob. Once hot, add the black pudding, scallops, ceps, Thyme and tarragon. Season the scallops and ceps. Cook everything for 2 minutes before turning. Once turned, season the scallops and ceps again with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Ensure the black pudding has a nice crust all over.

To serve, place the black pudding, scallops and ceps on a warmed plate. Spoon over the butter sauce and decorate with the zesty wood sorrel.

How to decant a bottle of wine, and why we should all be doing it

Our wine-loving general manager James Mackenzie explains why decanting helps enhance the taste of all wines. 

Let's be honest, many of us have a decanter of some sort. Often given as a 21st birthday, wedding or retirement gift, many find their way to the back of a cupboard, or for the more imaginative amongst us, are used as a flower vase. Yet they possess a secret power - they can make cheap wine taste good, and good wine taste excellent!

Like most aspects of wine appreciation, decanting is often seen as just another one of those ceremonious and pompous activities undertaken by wine snobs (smelling the cork after opening the bottle tells you nothing about the wine, btw). These people inhabit films, sometimes fine-dining restaurants, and have managed to make the subject of wine seem impenetrable.

Whilst many traditions surrounding the service and consumption of wine seem can seem a little intimidating, decanting wine is something I urge the everyday wine drinker to try for these three reasons: the first is to remove sediment from the wine; the second is to expose the wine to oxygen, allowing it to breathe; and the third is a bit of both (read on).

Decanting to remove the sediment

The first reason, to remove the sediment, is quite important if you have an older wine, or you’ve aged a special bottle. As wine ages, natural molecules in the wine bind together and fall to the bottom of the bottle forming a sediment. This is more common with red wines, but can also occur with some whites and rosés. Sediment is completely fine to consume, but if you like drinking wine without a muddy texture, it’s best to try to get rid of most of the sediment. 

To do this you’ll need a decanter and a candle. Before you begin, leave the bottle in the same position for a day or two - either standing up or lying down. If it’s lying down, make sure you don’t rotate the bottle during the decanting process. When you’re ready to decant, open the bottle as gently as possible so as not to undo the settling process. Then, with a lit candle positioned so you can see clearly through the neck of the bottle (do not place it too close to the bottle or you will heat the wine), begin to slowly pour the wine into the decanter. As you pour, keep the candle shining directly through the neck of the bottle until you start to see the ‘smoke’. This is the precursor to the sediment proper and looks a bit like, well, smoke. At this point, you need to slow the speed of pouring. Now, the next bit is up to you. Either stop immediately or chance your arm and continue until the smoke becomes slightly denser and then stop. It's your choice, but if you get greedy you run the risk of ruining the whole process, ending up with a lovely mix of sludge and wine. Leaving a little bit in the bottle may seem a like a waste, but read Aesop's fable, The Dog and The Bone, and the reasoning will become apparent.

Decanting to expose the wine to oxygen

It’s the second reason applies young wines bought for almost immediate consumption. Throughout much of the production and bottling process, wine spends most of its time in a fairly oxygen-free environment, often developing unpleasant aromas that can be expelled on contact with oxygen. Many wines under screwcap are bottled with a small amount of gas between the wine and the seal which can also result in an 'off' smell when the bottle is first opened. Decanting is the perfect solution to get rid of these odours and is a very easy process. 

All you need to do in this scenario is pour the wine - quite vigorously - into the decanter. The aim is to introduce as much oxygen as possible to the wine. Then let the wine sit in the decanter for a while. Any length of time is good, but an hour or longer is best. Just as we need oxygen to live, so does wine. The interaction between the wine and the air will bring out its best.

Decanting to remove sediment and expose wine to oxygen

And finally, the third reason. Some wines are produced with as little intervention as possible. In
particular organic, bio-dynamic and natural wines, that producers choose to bottle without much
filtration, meaning bits of grape and dead yeast are purposely left in when bottled. Many producers
argue that continued contact with these sediments give their wines fuller character and style. And who are we to argue. When decanting these wines, employ the same technique as with older wine – let the wine settle, decant it gently and don't be greedy. Decanting these wines also achieves the aim of exposing them to oxygen and letting them fully open up.

Wine will forever be a topic that divides opinion, but that should never stop us from enjoying it. If decanting a bottle of cheap plonk heightens our enjoyment, then why not do it. Whether you spend £5 or £500 on a bottle of wine, it’s always worth considering decanting before drinking. 

No decanter? Decant the wine into a clean jug before pouring it back into the original bottle using a funnel. Do not do this with older wines though, as it will cause too much contact with air.

No candle? Use the torch on your phone. 

Can't be bothered doing the whole waiting for the smoke thing? Place a coffee filter paper and a funnel into a decanter or jug then pour the whole bottle through slowly. The wine snobs will never agree with this one but it works, and works well!

When somebody opens a bottle of wine and smells the cork? Ask them why they are doing it.

Dining at Cafe St Honoré, or anywhere else? Do not hesitate to ask for your wine to be decanted.

NEIL'S RECIPES: OX TONGUE, WATERCRESS, RADISH, SAUCE GRIBICHE

"I’m choosing this forgotten cut of meat because it is truly delicious, and very sustainable. It’s an old-school part of an animal that’s often discarded – an ingredient from our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. I love it. In this recipe it’s simply brined overnight then gently simmered in a rich veg stock and served with the piquant gribiche. Order the tongue ahead of time from your butcher."

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 6 to 8

Brining time: overnight; prep time: 40 minutes; cooking time: 4 to 6 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 organic ox or field-raised ruby veal tongue, rinsed

400ml red wine

2 sprigs of thyme

3 cloves

200g brown sugar

1 clove of crushed garlic

200ml water

250g salt

1 large carrot, peeled

1 large onion, peeled

1 stick of celery

A few parsley stalks

6 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 hard boiled eggs, yolks and whites chopped separately

2 tablespoons cornichons, chopped

2 tablespoon capers, chopped

2 to 3 shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons tarragon, chopped

6 to 8 tablespoons mayonnaise

Good salt and pepper to season

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A few handfuls of watercress and red chicory

A few radishes, sliced

METHOD

Make a brine by adding the red wine, thyme, cloves, brown sugar, garlic, water and salt to a pot and bringing to a gentle simmer. Once the sugar has dissolved, leave it to cool completely for a few hours. Once cold, submerge the ox tongue in the brine and leave in the fridge or in a cool place overnight. 

Remove the tongue from the brine and give it a rinse under a cold tap. Place the tongue into a clean pan and cover with cold water. Add the carrot, onion, celery, parsley stalks, peppercorns and bay leaves and cook on a low simmer for 4 to 6 hours until tender when pierced with a skewer at the thickest point. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly then remove the skin. Either press into a terrine mould or wrap in cling film and leave to cool thoroughly.

To make the sauce gribiche, combine the eggs, cornichons, capers, shallots, parsley, tarragon and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix well. Season to taste and stir in a little rapeseed oil. 

To serve, carve a few slices of tongue per person and top with the sauce gribiche. Garnish with salad leaves and radishes, then trickle over the remaining oil or your favourite dressing and season with a little more salt and pepper.
 

NEIL'S RECIPES: BREAST OF DUCK WITH ASPARAGUS, RADISH AND NEW POTATOES

"I remember one of my first jobs as a young commis chef was to pluck hundreds of game birds after a shoot on the estate I was working on. I looked like something out of Ghostbusters with a hoover on my back, goggles, and a bandana to cover my mouth from all the dusty feathers. Oh, the fun I had in the plucking shed! This dish is very simple to cook. Make sure you season the meat before, during and after cooking, and crisp the skin by cooking mainly skin-side down in a heavy pan alongside the potatoes with some thyme and garlic. Use whatever veg you like. Kale, spinach or cabbage are all excellent, but remember to use any fat rendered from the duck when you season the veg before serving."

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 2
Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 free-range duck breasts
1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil
4 to 6 spears of British asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 to 6 radishes, quartered
4 to 6 new potatoes, little sweet ones are great, scrubbed, par-boiled and halved
2 tablespoons duck fat
1 sprig of thyme
1 clove of garlic, smashed
Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Season the breasts with good salt and pepper. Heat a pan on the hob then add the cold-pressed rapeseed oil and place the breasts skin-side-down in the pan, ensuring good contact is made between the skin and the pan. Turn over after cooking for 2 to 3 minutes and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn the breasts back to skin-side-down and add the thyme, garlic and potatoes to the pan and place in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the duck is cooked medium rare. The firmer the duck is to the touch, the more well-cooked it is. 

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and season with salt. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes on a rolling boil. 

Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the duck breasts to a warm plate to rest. Once rested, season.

Add the radishes and the cooked asparagus to the potatoes and stir in the duck fat. The pan should still be quite hot from the oven.

To serve, either slice the duck, or leave them whole as I prefer, and place on a plate with the asparagus, potatoes and radishes as a garnish on top.

HOW TO FILLET MACKEREL

Neil takes us through a step-by-step guide of how to fillet mackerel. In just four easy steps, he makes it look so simple! 

STEP ONE

Remove the head and guts.

STEP TWO

Insert knife just above back bone and remove the fillet.

STEP THEE

Using a filleting knife, remove the belly bones.

STEP FOUR

Using the same sharp knife, insert it either side of the central pin bone line and remove all bones in one.

VOILA!

The final boneless, skin-on fillet is ready for pickling, frying or grilling.

HOW TO CHOP AN ONION IN 6 EASY STEPS

Ever wondered how chefs manage to chop onions so quickly and effectively? We have decided to share the secret. Follow our 6 easy steps...

STEP ONE

Remove the top and bottom of the onion, keeping the root intact.

STEP TWO

Remove the skin and the outer papery layer.

STEP THREE

Cut the onion in half, through the root. 

STEP FOUR

Cut vertically down, towards the root, but not slicing though it.

STEP FIVE

Cut horizontally, 2 or 3 times depending on the size required, again keeping the root intact.

STEP SIX

Now you're ready to dice, until just the root remains.

NEIL'S RECIPES: MALLARD WITH CLAPSHOT, BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND PARSNIP

"I adore this dish. The almost sticky red cabbage is not overly sweet and has just the right amount of sharpness. The mallard breast is cooked in a pan and shown the oven for just a minute or two. Served with a little garlic, thyme and clapshot - essential in these chilly months to warm the soul."

Image: Paul Johnston, Copper Mango

Serves 2

30 minutes prep time, 2 hours cooking time

INGREDIENTS

2 mallard or wild duck breasts, skin on

2 large potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed, Roosters are good

200g turnip, peeled, diced, boiled and mashed

1/3 small red cabbage, cut thinly with a sharp knife

1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly

1 cinnamon stick

A pinch of mixed spice

A small handful of Californian raisins

1/3 apple, grated

1 star anise

1 glass of red wine

2 tablespoons of bramble vinegar

Good salt and pepper

2 small parsnips, peeled and blanched in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes and refreshed in cold water

1 sprig thyme

1 clove garlic, halved

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil for frying

50g butter, diced into 1cm cubes

Around 100ml stock for reducing, chicken, game or beef will do

METHOD

Heat oven to 180°C

Begin by placing the shredded cabbage, jelly, cinnamon, spice, raisins, grated apple, star anise, red wine (leave a small amount in the glass for later) and vinegar into a large pot, season and place onto the hob on a moderate heat with the lid on. Leave for around 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not let it burn, if it looks like it’s getting too hot, turn down the heat and add a splash of water.

Prepare the clapshot by combining the mashed potatoes and turnip whilst they are still hot. Season with salt, a lot of pepper and nearly all the butter, leaving some for the mallard. Keep to one side in a warm place.

Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan and place the mallard breasts in the pan skin side down, alongside the parsnips, thyme and garlic and begin to caramelise the duck and parsnips together. Add a knob of butter and season. Turn the duck and parsnips over after a couple of minutes, then place the pan in the oven for a minute or two.

Remove from the oven and place the duck on a plate to rest. Continue to fry the parsnips if they need colour.

Deglaze the frying pan with the remaining red wine until it reduces and incorporates all the bits of roasting goodness from the pan. Then add some stock, and reduce again for a few minutes until the sauce is rich and dark. Add a knob of butter and incorporate.

To plate up, place a spoonful of red cabbage on each plate and add a dollop of clapshot alongside. Then carve the mallard on a slant giving 6 to 8 slices from each breast, and place that from the knife on to the plate. Lean the parsnip on the clapshot and garnish with a trickle of sauce.