NEIL'S RECIPES: CHOCOLATE TART

“Lovers of rich chocolate will adore this, although I can only manage a small slice. Of course, it all depends on the ingredients you use. I’m using Montezuma’s organic dark chocolate just now, and adore it. The trick to this dish is to trust your oven and serve the tart on the day you make it. It’s just not the same the day after!”

Makes on 9-inch tart – but small, individual tarts work very well too

INGREDIENTS

9-inch pastry case, lined

275ml double cream

200ml whole milk

400g dark chocolate, I use Montezuma’s

3 whole eggs

Cocoa powder for dredging (optional)

For the pastry (this will give you some for your freezer for next time):

600g plain flour, sifted

185g icing sugar, sifted

215g unsalted butter, diced

3 eggs, cracked and gently whisked

METHOD

Cream the icing sugar and butter together for a few minutes until light in colour. Add the flour and scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the eggs - a little at a time - to make a soft, wet paste. Chill for 20 minutes then roll out and line your pastry case and allow it to rest for a further 20 minutes in the fridge.

Remove from the fridge and cover the pastry with greaseproof paper or a triple-layer of cling film, add baking beans and bake at 180°C for 35 to 40 minutes, until just golden and crisp. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper.

Meanwhile, warm the cream and the milk together in a pan until it nearly comes to a boil. Then remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Mix well with a whisk, and then allow it to cool gently for 5 minutes or so.

Add the eggs to this mixture one at a time, stirring gently as you do. Then pour this mixture into the blind-baked tart shell and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until there is no wobble when you gently shake the tray.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing carefully from the tin. Dust with cocoa powder (optional). Cut into slices and serve with crème fraîche.

A top tip is to use a sharp, hot, wet knife to cut the tart into perfect slices.

NEIL'S RECIPES: VENISON STEW AND DUMPLINGS

“This is a regular dish at home, and those dumplings are just exquisite. You can substitute beef if you prefer, but it’s the kick of cinnamon that lifts the stew and gives it a festive touch.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

500g diced shoulder of venison, beef or lamb would be as good

2 local carrots, washed, peeled and diced

2 medium-sized onions, peeled and roughly chopped

1 wedge of turnip, peeled and diced

500ml really well reduced. good beef stock

200ml leftover gravy or sauce

½ a cinnamon stick, optional but a hint of spice in winter adds something special

1 glass of red wine

1 sprig of thyme

1 bay leaf

Good salt and pepper

100g self-raising flour

50g proper beef suet, minced, packet suet would do

Herbs e.g. chives; horseradish, mustard, optional flavourings for the dough balls

Extra flour for dusting

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil for frying

METHOD

Add the oil to a hot casserole dish and fry the diced venison until golden brown. It will take a few minutes on high heat. Season with salt and pepper and add the diced carrot, turnip, onions and the cinnamon if you’re using some and fry for a further 5 minutes until you achieve a good colour.

Still on a high heat, add the wine and reduce slightly. Then add the thyme, bay leaf, gravy and stock. Season again and bring to a simmer.

Place in a hot oven (180°C) without a lid for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Then turn down the heat to 150°C and cook for a further 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so to ensure the stew doesn't dry out.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings by adding the flour to a bowl and stirring in the minced suet and salt, then combining with cold water until you have a rough dough. Don't overwork the dough. You can add any flavourings you like such as chopped chives, horseradish or mustard.

Divide the dough into 4 balls - you may need extra flour for rolling as it can get quite sticky - and plop them into the stew pot after the first 3 hours is up and place the lid on. Turn the heat up to 180°C again and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve at the table in the dish it’s cooked in.

NEILS RECIPES: CARAMEL TART WITH CRÉME FRAÎCHE

“This tart looks very simple, but it’s a little bit tricky to make. I’m using blind-baked sweet pastry with whisky, rum or madeira added to the caramel. Gentle cooking is required, not too hot an oven, and remember to let it cool before cutting. Lovely with that kick of salt through the mix.”

Serves 10

INGREDIENTS

1 pre-cooked blind-baked 12-inch pastry shell

280g caster sugar

50ml Madeira, or whatever alcohol you prefer

1 litre double cream

Pinch of good sea salt, optional

70g light brown sugar

9 egg yolks

A few dollops of good crème fraîche

METHOD

Heat oven to 145°C.

In a good pot on a medium heat on the stove, heat the caster sugar to a golden-brown caramel. Do not leave it.

Carefully add the alcohol, then the cream. It will look a bit strange but bring it back to a temperature that will melt the caramelised sugar. Allow to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and egg yolks. Add the slightly cooled cream and caramel mix, whisking immediately. Add the salt, stir, sieve into a clean pot or jug, then pour into the tart case.

Bake for 35 to 55 minutes, checking all the time. When there is a nice wobble on the tart, it’s ready. Remove from oven, chill and serve with a dollop of good crème fraîche.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CULLEN SKINK WITH CHEDDAR TOPPING

“This dish goes back generations. I have cooked it for 30 years and I only hope I do it justice. Some chefs have taken this humble bowl of smoked fish, potato and leeks and deconstructed it to make it into a distant cousin of the actual dish, which incidentally has nothing wrong with it so there’s no need for any form of deconstruction! Anyway, enjoy it with this cheese and herb crumb as a main course on a blustery north-east Scotland sort-of-day.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

550g smoked haddock pieces

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 large leek, washed, sliced and chopped

500ml double cream

Knob of butter

2 handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs, don’t be tempted to use shop-bought breadcrumbs for this, it’s not the same

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

Zest of half a lemon

1 handful grated cheddar, I love Keens just now

Good salt and pepper

Extra parsley for garnish

METHOD

Sweat the onions in the butter in a thick-bottomed pan until translucent. Then add the potatoes and cream. Cook until the potatoes are just soft, then add the leek and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the smoked haddock. Stir gently until the fish is cooked, and spoon into bowls.

Make the topping by mixing the breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley. Add to each bowl and place under the grill until bubbling and golden. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BACON

If you've ever thought about making your own bacon but thought it would be too complicated. Think again.

“There’s nothing quite like opening your fridge door on a Sunday morning and seeing your own bacon sitting there ready for breakfast. It's the most satisfying feeling to see and hear your own bacon sizzling away in the pan whilst you inhale those wonderful bacon-y aromas as you anticipate the best breakfast of the week!”

Neil's recipe below is just a starting point. It's rewarding to try different flavour combinations every time you make it. Trust us, once you have tried this, you will never go back!

INGREDIENTS

1kg of pork belly – ideally skin and bone on – if you can’t get bone, just reduce the salting time by 2 or 3 days

500g of coarse sea-salt

250g of unrefined, soft, dark sugar

Optional: handful of fennel seeds – coriander and star anise also work well – experiment with flavours

200-300ml alcohol - sherry, Madeira or an oak-aged beer are good options

Ground white pepper or paprika

METHOD

Mix the salt, sugar and fennel seeds well. Cover the bottom of a deep plastic tray and place the pork on top. Work the mix over the entire surface area of the pork. Place the tray in the fridge or somewhere cold. Massage the salt and sugar mix into the meat and turn it in the tray every day for 5 days. As time goes by you will notice moisture draining from the meat.  This is fine – don’t drain it off! On day 6, remove the meat from the tray and give it a good rinse under a cold tap.  Dry it off with a clean tea-towel. In a clean tray, douse the meat in the alcohol of your choice. Add a dusting of ground white peppercorns or paprika.

At this stage it’s best if some air can circulate around the meat – but it’s not essential. If there’s somewhere cool you can hang it, like a cellar, larder or garage – great. But if not, just on a plate or a tray in the fridge is fine. After 2 or 3 days, your bacon will be ready. Enjoy!

NEIL'S RECIPES: CÔTE DE BOEUF WITH TWICE-FRIED CHIPS, ROASTED GARLIC, MUSHROOMS AND WATERCRESS

“Big, meaty, and perfect for sharing—côte de boeuf can be a bit tricky to cook, with methods varying. I prefer to pan-fry it and then roast, and occasionally cook it over wood at the back door to add more flavour. A real treat, especially when served with something classic like béarnaise or roast bone marrow for extra beefy goodness.”

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS 

500g côte de boeuf

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil

2 bulbs garlic, peeled

1 bulb garlic, top 2cm removed

2 sprigs of thyme

A few flat mushrooms, whole

3 large potatoes, peeled

Oil for frying the chips

A big bunch of watercress

Good salt and pepper

A small knob of butter

METHOD

Heat oven to 190°C / 375°F

Marinate the beef in the cold-pressed rapeseed oil, peeled garlic bulbs and a sprig of thyme for at least one hour.

Place the garlic bulb in a sheet of tin foil with some salt and a knob of butter. Scrunch up and roast for 45 minutes in the oven.

Cut the potatoes into chip shapes and fry at 130°C in a fryer for 7 to 10 minutes - until just cooked. Remove the chips and turn the fryer off.

Place a griddle pan on the hob and cook the mushrooms for about 6 minutes on one side, then turn them over to cook through. Keep warm.

Sear the marinated beef on an oven-proof griddle to create a criss-cross pattern. Then season and place the griddle in the oven with the thyme and butter for 7 to 10 minutes for medium rare, or longer if you like it more well-cooked. The longer the cooking and grilling the more well done it will be.

Allow the meat to rest on a clean plate in a warm place so it becomes more tender and easier to carve. Any resting or cooking juices can be simply drizzled over the steak as you serve.

Turn the fryer up to 190°C and submerge the chips in the hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.

I like to serve this dish on one large wooden board with a few slices carved into the beef and all the other components scattered around. I suggest squeezing the roasted garlic over the beef and the mushrooms before you tuck in, it’s delicious!

NEIL'S RECIPES: CALIFORNIAN WALNUT AND MELLIS HONEY TART

“This is a great little dessert, not too tricky to make and perfect for this time of year. Always opt for Californian walnuts—they’re top quality and incredibly healthy. Paired with good honey, they come together to make a crisp and buttery tart that sells very well in the restaurant.”

INGREDIENTS

Serves 10

Cooking time: 50 minutes; prep time: 30 minutes

10-inch blind-baked sweet pastry tart case

250g lightly toasted Californian Walnuts, roughly chopped 

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

340g honey, I use Mellis Honey

200g soft light brown sugar2 tablespoons double cream

1 tablespoon plain flour

Natural yoghurt to serve 

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Sprinkle the walnuts onto the bottom of the pastry case.

METHOD

Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl. Skim off any froth that may appear and pour the mix on top of the walnuts.

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes until golden. Allow to cool and serve with natural yoghurt. 

NEIL'S RECIPES: VENISON, BLACK PUDDING & ROOTS

“Many of you who have eaten at Cafe will be familiar with this dish. We sometimes accompany it with red cabbage braised with a touch of autumn spice, but here it’s served with roots and greens. Root vegetables are so flavoursome, and good for you too. Consider adding a kick of spice, or some sweet honey, as they are roasting. If you can’t find roe haunch, use loin; or equally, beef would be a great replacement. But the black pudding really is the star of the show, it’s so very popular with our guests when we serve this dish.”

Prep time 20 minutes, cooking time 30 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
300g piece of venison haunch, seam-boned from the back leg
4 slices of Stornoway black pudding
1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into batons
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into batons
1 beetroot, peeled and cut into batons
1 big handful of kale or cavolo nero, stalks removed and blanched in boiling salted water, then refreshed in cold water
1 large tablespoon of beef or duck fat
A  few sprigs of thyme
1 litre of thick, strong beef stock
1 glass of red wine
1 tablespoon of redcurrant jelly
1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons of cold-pressed rapeseed oil
2 knobs of butter
Good salt and pepper

METHOD
Firstly, to make the sauce, add the shallots to a pot with a little oil and fry until browned. Add the wine and red currant jelly and bring to the boil and cook until jam stage. This will take about 10 minutes. Then add the stock and reduce by two thirds or until the desired consistency is achieved. Pass through a fine sieve and keep warm.

Heat the oven to 200°C.

Begin to prepare the root veg by blanching in boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until just cooked. Refresh in cold water then dry on a cloth. Heat a large ovenproof pan on the hob and add half the beef fat and half the remaining oil. Add the roots and thyme. Season and fry until the roots are turning golden, then add a knob of butter and roast in the oven for 10 minutes until cooked and golden. Keep to one side.

Season the venison. Heat an ovenproof pan on the stove with the remaining oil and a knob of butter and brown the meat all over for 2 to 3 minutes, then place in the oven and roast to your liking. I like it medium rare which takes about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it can overcook quickly. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.

Using the same pan as the venison, add the blanched green veg with the remaining beef fat and butter and season with salt and pepper. Stir and heat through thoroughly. Whilst cooking, grill the black pudding.

Before plating, carve the rested venison into slices then divide the green veg between 4 warmed plates and place the carved meat on top. Add a slice of black pudding to each plate and arrange the roots alongside. Finish with a trickle of sauce all over each plate. If you like a stickier sauce, simply reduce by half again. Season the whole plate with a little salt and garnish with the thyme from the root veg.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE

“I don’t have a sweet tooth but sometimes, very good dark chocolate is required, and here it gives the cheesecake a wonderful richness and smooth interior. A buttery base is a must but try putting something through the base to give it texture, like crushed hazelnuts or roughly-chopped pistachios. Serve it with crème fraîche and you have a wonderful dessert.”

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes; refrigeration time: 4-5 hours

INGREDIENTS

6 digestive biscuits

A small handful of hazelnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon rapeseed oil

40g melted butter

200g dark chocolate, we use Montezuma’s organic

200ml semi-whipped double cream

150g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons caster sugar

A dusting of cocoa powder

4 tablespoons crème fraîche, we use Katy Rodger’s

A few berries to garnish (optional)

METHOD

On a metal tray, line 4 metal rings (about 4 inches in diameter) with a tiny amount of rapeseed oil. Or use one large, bottomless tin if you prefer.

Whizz the biscuits with the nuts in a food processor and add the melted butter. Spoon the mixture into the metal rings. Ensure you press down well.

Make the filling by whisking the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth. Set to one side.

Next, melt the chocolate over a pan of hot water (this will take about 5 minutes) then add the semi-whipped cream, stirring all the time.

Little-by-little, add the cream cheese mixture to the chocolate cream mixture, ensuring everything combines. Work quickly! Then pipe, or spoon, this mixture into the metal rings, smoothing over the top with the back of a warm, wet spoon.

Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours then carefully remove from the rings. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche, and maybe a few berries.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SALAD OF HERITAGE TOMATOES, CROWDIE, PESTO AND CROUTONS

"Heritage tomatoes are delicious. They aren't cheap, but that’s ok as they really are exceptional paired with crowdie—a soft, slightly granular cheese. This dish is a perfect light starter if you’re serving something rich and heavy as a main course. The croutons add crunch, and the pesto adds texture. Try playing with different cheeses in your pesto; we recently enjoyed using a cheese from Berkshire called Spenwood."

Serves 4
10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 tablespoons crowdie

Around 6 or 7 different varieties of tomatoes, or home-grown

A small handful of fresh basil

A few lightly-toasted pine nuts, or hazelnuts

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or a good British hard cheese, even a good cheddar is fine

2 cloves garlic, peeled

250ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the croutons

A few thyme leavesGood salt and pepperSome stale bread, ideally a loaf from the previous day

A few salad leaves and slices of radish

METHOD

Heat the oven to 165°C.

Begin by making the croutons. Slice the stale bread into wafer-thin shards, and trickle with some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, a few thyme leaves and bake on an oven tray for around 20 minutes until just crisp. Allow to cool. 

Next, make the pesto by placing the nuts, cheese, oil and garlic in a liquidiser and blitzing for a few seconds. Add the basil leaves and continue to whizz for a few more seconds. I sometimes use a pestle and mortar to make pesto.

Remove the eyes from the tomatoes and cut them into slices and arrange on plates. Add some dollops of crowdie and trickle over some pesto. You will have some left over for another day. Arrange the shards of croutons and scatter a few salad leaves and slices of radish as a garnish. Finish with a pinch of good salt and pepper.