NEIL'S RECIPES: CRISPY LAMB BELLY

“Lamb belly is one of my favourite cheap cuts. This recipe is taken from a wonderful old cook, Ruth Mott, an inspiration. Crispy on the outside and moist, sweet, tender and packed full of flavour inside. I often serve these little ‘cakes’ as a garnish with a few slices of roast lamb and wilted greens, but they’re so good on their own, and brilliant with new-season radishes. The capers help to cut through the richness of the meat, whilst the homemade mayonnaise brings it all together. I saw Ruth Mott making a version of this dish using leftover slices of mutton, rolled through flour, eggwash and breadcrumbs then pan fried in a little oil and butter. It’s just good.”

INGREDIENTS

1 lamb belly, boned and skin removed, rolled and tied with string

250g duck fat

4 eggs

50g plain flour

200g breadcrumbs or panko crumbs

1 tablespoon of capers

A splash of vinegar

1 tablespoon Arran mustard

100ml rapeseed oil

100ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil

Good salt and pepper

Juice of half a lemon

25ml oil for frying

50g butter

A bunch of French Breakfast radishes

2 tablespoons capers

METHOD

Firstly, melt the duck fat in an oven-proof dish deep enough to house the rolled belly. When melted, add the belly and cover with tin foil and confit for 3 to 4 hours at 150°C.

When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Then remove the string and roll in cling film and place in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up - it should look like a sausage. Once it’s properly chilled, remove the cling film and slice into 1cm thick discs.

Whisk 2 of the eggs and season. Then roll the discs of lamb through the flour, then the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs. Set to one side. 

To make the mayonnaise, whisk the 2 egg yolks with a tablespoon of mustard and a splash of vinegar until it increases in volume, then slowly trickle in the rapeseed oil and the cold-pressed rapeseed oil, a little at a time, as you whisk. Season with salt and pepper and add a little lemon juice if you like.

To cook the lamb, place a frying pan on a moderate heat on the hob and add 25ml of oil. Heat gently and add the lamb discs a few at a time, with a little nob of butter each time. Fry on both sides until golden and crispy, they should take about 4 to 5 minutes each side. Don't over colour them. 

To serve, place 2 to 3 discs of lamb per person on each plate and dress with a generous serving of mayonnaise, several whole radishes and a sprinkling of capers. Finish with a pinch of good salt. Delicious.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHOU FARCI

“Oh this is good! Classic and very French. I look on this dish as ‘’do whatever you feel “ with regards to the stuffing. Sometimes I use a mixture of offal and pork mince, but other times I use game mince and black pudding. Here, I’ve opted for Peelham Farm organic chorizo as the key flavour. Use up some store cupboard things like a spoon of mustard, a kick of a spice, or whatever herbs you may have in the fridge. Even horseradish would work if you find any scrapings in a jar in the fridge.”

Serves 2 
Prep time: 30 minutes; cooking time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

2 large outer leaves from a Savoy cabbage

150g minced pork belly, nice and fatty

1 large tablespoon Peelham Farm organic chorizo, small dice

1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard

1 tablespoon breadcrumbs

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Good salt and pepper

2 6-inch-square pieces of crepinette or pig’s caul, it’s the lining of the intestine and is used like a sausage skin, if you can’t get this don’t worry

1 tin good chopped tomatoes or passata

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic

500ml beef stock

1 carrot

1 celery stick

1/2 small onion (for the stock)

A sprig of thyme

1 bay leaf

METHOD

Begin by blanching the cabbage leaves in salted, boiling water for 4 minutes. Then refresh in cold water. Set aside.

To make the stuffing, mix the mince and chorizo together in a bowl with the mustard, half the red onion, breadcrumbs, parsley and seasoning. Once mixed, form into 2 balls and wrap these in the crepinette ready for cooking.

Heat the oven to 200°C / Gas Mark 6

Place half the stock in an ovenproof pot with the onion half, thyme, bay leaf, carrot, garlic and celery. Then add the stuffing balls to the pot and bring to the boil on a moderate heat. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 1 hour, or until just cooked. Remove the pot from the oven and set to one side to cool slightly. 

Make a rich tomato sauce by sweating the remaining red onion in the olive oil until just soft before adding the garlic. Stir, then add the tomato purée and remaining stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes or passata. Return to a high heat, stir, season and cook until the sauce is quite thick.

Remove the stuffing balls from the stock and wrap them in the blanched cabbage leaves and place back into the stock. Some people wrap the cabbage in cling film to keep it in place, but I like a rustic approach. Cook the stuffed cabbage in the stock, covered with a lid, for 20 minutes or so.  Remove and drain. Serve on a bed of the rich tomato sauce.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHARRED HISPI CABBAGE WITH WILD GARLIC

“These sweet brassicas are a delight to cook in a pot with some butter and seasoning, but the flavour you get from these tender cabbages is also astonishing when charred on a griddle or a bbq. It’s ok if they look overly charred, it adds such a lovely flavour. The wild garlic sauce is a brilliant way of making this dish sing. The crispy chicken skin is optional, but lovely.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 medium-sized hispi cabbage, outer leaves removed, quartered

1 large handful wild garlic

1 tablespoon toasted hazelnuts

1 tablespoon grated hard cheese, like a strong cheddar

200ml good extra-virgin olive oil

Skin from 1 chicken

Good salt and pepper

A few wild leeks, blanched

1 egg, soft-boiled for 4 minutes, cold

METHOD

Heat the oven to 160°C / Gas Mark 3

Season the chicken skin and rub all over with a little oil. Lay flat between 2 baking trays and bake in the oven until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes. Set aside.

Season the quartered cabbage and place cut-side-down on a moderately hot griddle. Cook until charred, about 10 minutes, before flipping over to cook the other cut side. Turn the heat up and down as you cook and season as you go along.

Make a pesto by placing the cheese, hazelnuts, 75ml of oil and a third of the wild garlic in a liquidiser. Season and blitz until a paste forms. You may need a little more oil.

Rinse out the liquidiser and use it next to make a sauce. Add the remaining oil and wild garlic plus a pinch of salt and blitz until the oil turns a vibrant green. Remove and pass through a fine sieve. Clean the liquidiser and add the egg and seasoning. Blitz the egg, and as it’s blending trickle in the wild garlic oil to make a sauce with the texture of mayonnaise.

To serve, arrange 2 pieces of cabbage on each plate and top with the wild leeks. Drizzle over the pesto and wild garlic sauce. Garnish with shards of crispy chicken skin.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BROSE WITH COCKLES AND MUSSELS

“In Auchterless, Aberdeenshire, a school’s log book notes that on the 1st March 1881 the children celebrated ‘brose and bannock day’ in their parish. I adore brose. I’m making it here with leeks and mussels, but the old way with oatmeal, good beef stock, beef fat and salt is also delicious. It’s easy to make, and it keeps very well. Just reheat with a little stock or water if there are any leftovers.”

Serves 2
Prep time: 10 to 20 minutes; cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

100g pinhead oats, soaked overnight in cold water, just enough to cover
1 handful mussels, beards removed and washed
1 handful Barra cockles, thoroughly rinsed under running water
1/2 leek, small diced
1/2 onion, diced
2  knobs butter
A pinch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Some pepper dulse seaweed as a garnish
Lemon juice to taste
Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Place a large pot on the hob and get it quite hot. Add the mussels, put the lid on and shake the pot. The mussels should be open and be cooked in a minute or two. Remove the mussels and strain the liquid through a fine sieve. Set both aside.

Give the pan a quick rinse and sweat the onion and leek in half the butter until just soft. This should take 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the oats and add them to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Stir then add the mussel stock and a little water if required. You are aiming for a thick porridge consistency. Taste the oats as you go and keep stirring, as it is prone to sticking.

After 10 to 15 minutes cooking and stirring, add the cockles to the pot and cover with the lid. The shellfish will open with the heat of the cooked oats. Then add the cooked mussels and season with salt, pepper and good squeeze of lemon juice. Stir in the remaining butter.

Be gentle with this dish - don’t mix it too much but do be careful of sticking.

Spoon the brose into warm bowls and garnish with parsley and pepper dulse seaweed.

RHUBARB COCKTAIL

When life gives you rhubarb - make a cocktail!

INGREDIENTS

25ml (1 part) Kirsty's Gin (or any other good Scottish gin)

50ml (2 parts) rhubarb syrup

25ml (1 part) sea buckthorn juice

3 pieces (5/6cm long) rhubarb poached in equal parts sugar and water

Soda water

Sprig of sage

STEP ONE

Gather the ingredients.

STEP TWO

Muddle the rhubarb in a cocktail shaker.

STEP THREE

Add the gin.

STEP FOUR

Add the rhubarb syrup.

STEP FIVE

Add the sea buckthorn juice.

STEP SIX

Add lots of ice.

STEP SEVEN

Shake for 10-15 seconds.

STEP EIGHT

Double strain into a tall, ice-filled glass.

STEP NINE

Top up with soda water.

STEP TEN

Add sage and serve.

NEIL'S RECIPES: WARM SALAD OF WILD WOOD PIGEON, BLOOD ORANGE, BACON AND TOASTED HAZELNUTS

“It’s still not that common to see pigeon in the shops. I’ve been cooking it for years and find it to be the most amazing source of protein. I love its slightly gamey flavour, and it is relatively cheap. Pigeon is hugely versatile and goes so well with roots, in particular beetroot and celeriac. Spices like cumin and star anise also work well. In this recipe, I’m keeping it nice and simple with good bacon and some toasted nuts.”

Serves 2
Cooking time: 7 minutes; prep time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 to 4 breasts of wild wood pigeon, skin on
2 blood oranges, cut into segments
A small handful of peeled hazelnuts
2 large handfuls of mixed salad leaves. A mix of organic mustard leaves, watercress and rocket is good.
3 to 4 rashers of bacon, cut into lardons
4  tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 tablespoon of your favourite vinegar, like a cider or a Beremeal
1 teaspoon runny honey
1 teaspoon grain mustard
A few chives, cut into small batons
Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Toast the hazelnuts in a good frying pan on a high heat for a minute or two, moving them all the time as they brown. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil and bring to a moderate heat. Fry the bacon until crispy, but not overly so. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and add the pigeon breasts, skin-side down. Season and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook or it will be well done. The meat needs to be rare and pink inside. Remove from the pan and allow to rest with the bacon.

In the same pan, off the heat, add the remaining oil and stir vigorously to combine the remaining delicious bits of goodness. Then add the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir well, season and taste, then add the chives.

To serve, arrange the salad leaves onto plates. Slice the pigeon into thin slices and arrange over the salad. Then scatter over the bacon, toasted hazelnuts and segments of blood orange. Spoon over the dressing and eat at once. This dish is great served on a big platter in the centre of the table with sautéed potatoes.

NEIL'S RECIPES: VENISON COTTAGE PIE

“Now, this is a favourite of mine and I suspect most of us remember one from our childhood. I remember my mother’s fondly. It was huge. She would use the back of a fork to score the mash and then place in a hot oven. I use a piping bag with ridiculously buttery mash. Try using venison mince instead of beef for a change, or even replace half the meat with cooked lentils. And more veg if you so desire. Whatever you do, make sure it has that golden topping.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

400g of lean, very good venison mince

4 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

150g of mixed diced vegetables, such as carrots, celeriac, turnip and onion

1 bay leaf

A sprig of thyme

1 litre of very good beef or game stock, chicken stock would do - any leftover gravy is good to add here

1kg potatoes

200ml double cream – heated

100g butter

1 egg, beaten

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 160°C.

Heat a large ovenproof pot (with a lid) on the hob - get it quite hot – then add half the oil. When smoking, add the venison mince. Keep the heat up and keep stirring until the mince is nicely browned, this should take 7 to 8 minutes. Drain through a sieve and reserve.

Bring the same pot back up to a high heat and add the remaining oil. Fry the veg for around 6 to 8 minutes. The more colour you add, the more flavour your pie will have. Then add the thyme, the bay leaf and the drained venison mince. Combine whilst still on a high heat and season with salt and pepper. Next add the stock and any leftover gravy and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, remove from the heat and cover with a lid. Then place the pot in the oven to simmer for 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so. Then remove the lid and cook for a further hour, stirring every 15 minutes. It should reach a rich, thick mince or stew consistency. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.

For the mash, boil the potatoes in salted water, drain and pass through a potato ricer. Stir in the hot cream and butter.

Top the pie with the mash. Use a piping bag to create a decorative design, or spread the mash with a palette knife and use a fork to create ridges.

Brush all over with a beaten egg and brown in a very hot oven or under a piping hot grill. Serve at once with some cabbage or greens cooked with a little beef fat left over from Sunday lunch.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHEESE STRAWS

“These are a classic; very easy to make and a great way to use up bits and bobs of cheese tucked away at the back of the fridge. Sometimes I roll the mix out on a floured surface, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy and sesame seeds, but the classic straw is great, and the perfect garnish for a bowl of soup.”

Serves 6 to 8

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time 15 to 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

200g good, strong cheddar or any hard cheese like Mull or Corra Linn, finely grated

190g plain flour, sifted

150g unsalted butter, diced and soft

1 egg

A pinch of good salt

A pinch of paprika pepper

Extra flour for rolling

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C.

Combine the flour and butter in a bowl with the seasoning, then mix in the cheese, before adding the egg to form a dough.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 1cm thick. Cut into 1cm-wide strips with a sharp knife and lay the straws on a non-stick baking sheet.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. They may take a wee bit longer depending on your oven.

Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve with some dips like a horseradish crème fraîche or a salsa.

PICKLING LIQUID IN FOUR EASY STEPS

This really simple method for preserving veg is a must at this time of year when there’s often just too much good stuff to eat. It’s the perfect way to store beetroots (cook, peel and quarter them first), shavings of carrots and courgettes, blanched onion slices, cauliflower florets, sliced radishes, green beans - the list goes on! You’ll also have a lovely display of colourful veg in your kitchen to admire, and of course - to eat!

STEP ONE

Gather your ingredients: 150ml water, 150ml vinegar, 150g sugar, a teaspoon of salt plus herbs and spices like peppercorns, star anise, thyme, bay leaves, mustard seeds. Experiment!

STEP TWO

Add all the ingredients to a pan and bring to the boil.

STEP THREE

Boil until all the sugar has dissolved.

STEP FOUR

Pour into a clean jar. No need to wait until it’s cooled down to add the veg. If storing out of the fridge, sterilise the jar first.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BRIOCHE WITH ASPARAGUS AND WILD MUSHROOMS

“This dish is simply divine. I love a charred slice of rich brioche, as it lends the bread another flavour. Served here with a sauté of the last of this season’s asparagus and some wild mushrooms. If you can’t get hold of wild mushrooms, button mushrooms would do the trick.”

Serves 2
Prep time 10 minutes; cooking time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of pre-made brioche (see recipe below)

4 spears British asparagus

A small handful of brushed wild mushrooms

A knob of butter

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil

1 tablespoon chopped parsley and chives

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Begin by blanching the asparagus spears in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Refresh under cold running water. Cut into thirds.

Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed frying pan and add the oil. Once at a moderate temperature, fry the mushrooms for a minute or two to add a little colour.

Then add the add the asparagus spears and mix. Season and add the parsley and chives. Check the seasoning and add more if necessary.

Toast or char on the brioche slices on a griddle and rub with a little butter.

Top the toasted brioche slices with asparagus and mushrooms and serve at once.

BRIOCHE LOAF RECIPE

Makes one loaf
Prep time: 2 hours; cooking time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

100g milk
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
7g salt
10g sugar
10g fresh yeast
330g strong bread flour, I only use organic
Zest from half a lemon
100g unsalted butter, softened
75g unsalted butter, melted

METHOD

Warm the milk with the sugar, yeast and lemon in a pot.

Place the flour, salt, eggs and egg yolks in a food mixer with a dough hook, then add the milk mixture and mix until a good dough is produced. You can also do this by hand.

Place the dough clean, oiled bowl to prove in a warm place for 2 hours until it doubles in size. Then return the dough to the mixer and add the softened butter and beat until all the butter is incorporated.

Press the dough into a buttered and floured terrine mould or bread tin and prove again until the dough reaches the top.

Bake at 185°C for 45 minutes then reduce the temperature for a further 25 minutes to 150°C. Remove from the oven and carefully remove from the tin. Brush all over with the melted butter as it cools.