Lancashire Hotpot with Pickled Red Cabbage, Buttered Baby Carrots and Leeks

 

This is a recipe by Nigel Haworth Michelin Star Chef from Northcote Manor. This takes a bit of effort but as it tastes amazing is well worth it!. I did all this for Easter Sunday lunch. I have not adapted the recipe ( except for making the Lamb easier to source than the original recipe) Really put that little bit of effort in and make the cabbage as its the best red cabbage ever and goes perfectly with the lamb! Great dinner party meal especially if you get the pots to serve it in!

Ingredients:

500g Shoulder, neck & shin of lamb, cut into 3cm pieces (equal quantities of each)
600gm Onions, thinly sliced
500gm Maris Piper potatoes, peeled, medium size
10g Plain flour
40g Salted Butter - melted
2tsp Sea Salt Black Pepper
25g Sugar
10g Melted butter

What To Do:

Season the lamb with salt, sugar and a good pinch of pepper, dust with flour, put the diced lamb into the base of the Hot Pot dish Sweat off the onions in 15gm of butter with half a teaspoon of salt for 2-3mins (to sweat is to cook without colour in a covered pan, on a moderate to hot temperature).

Spread the onions evenly on top of the lamb in the Hot Pot dish. Make sure the top of the chop meat is fully covered with the onions and any juices.

Slice the potatoes vertically [2mm thick]. Place in a medium size bowl, add the remaining 25gm melted butter, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper, and mix well.

Put the sliced potatoes evenly on top of the onions, reserving the best-shaped potatoes for the final layer,

Place the Hot Pot in a pre-heated convection oven for 21/2 hours on 140C.

Once the Hot Pot is cooked remove from the oven. Serve with pickled red cabbage in one dish and the carrots and leeks tangled together in another.

Pickled Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

300gm Finely shredded Red Cabbage
1 Star Anise
400ml Red Wine
275ml Malt Vinegar
140ml White Wine Vinegar
140ml Balsamic Vinegar
5 Bay Leaves
10 Whole Cloves
1tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
1tsp Whole Pink Peppercorns
1 Stick Cinnamon (snapped in half)
5 Whole Dried Chillies
250gm Sugar
80gm Coarse sea salt

What To Do:

Half and quarter the red cabbage. De-vein away the large stem and finely slice the red cabbage leaves. Put the sliced red cabbage in a bowl or on a tray and salt with coarse sea salt, mix well. And leave for 2-3 hours until a deep rich colour is achieved. Drain and wash all the salt away thoroughly – pat dry.

Place all the vinegars, wine and sugar in a suitable pan and reduce by half.

Place all the dry ingredients in a pestle and mortar and coarsely pound. When the reduction is near completion throw all the dry spices into the reduction and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Pass the reduction through a fine sieve and, while warm, pour on to the red cabbage, allow to cool.

Place the cabbage in a Kilner jar and seal. The liquor should just cover the cabbage.

Baby Garden Carrots:

Ingredients:

120g Baby Carrots

500ml Evian Mineral Water

1tbsp Natural Sugar

100gm Butter

Pinch of salt

What To Do:

Carefully wash the carrots and clean thoroughly Place the carrots in a heavy bottomed pan, add the sugar, butter and a pinch of salt, barely cover with water.

Bring to the boil and cook until tender.

Garden Leeks

Ingredients:

2  Garden Leeks

500ml Mineral Water

1tbsp Natural Sugar

100gm Butter Pinch of salt

What To do:

Carefully wash the leeks and clean thoroughly. Put the leeks into the boiling salted water with the butter and rapid boil for 30 seconds. Remove and mix with the carrots.

 

Recipe by Nigel Haworth

Photos by Rach & Matt Grice

Raspberry Trifle

This is a delicious raspberry trifle. It has everything you would expect from a trifle but by using good fresh quailty ingredients it makes it extra special. The key is making your own custard and making your own rasberry coulis instead of jelly, this gives the everyday trifle a taste boost!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

20 trifle sponges
3 250g punnets of fresh raspberries
1 dash of lemon juice
110g of caster sugar
200 ml of orange Juice
2 x 500ml of double cream
100ml of milk
1 vanilla pod
6 egg yolks
2 tsp of cornflour
1 dash of water
1 handful of fresh mint
block of dark chocolate
Handful of Pistaichio nuts


WHAT TO DO:

Put one punnet of raspberries in a very hot, dry pan. Add the lemon juice and sugar and cook quickly for one minute. Whisk, then pass through a sieve and cool.

With a potato masher take the sponges, a punnet of fresh raspberries and the orange juice, put in a bowl and mash all together.

Put a spoonful of coulis in the bottom of each glass tumbler, along with three raspberries. Spoon the sponge mix between each dish then add any remaining coulis, plus another raspberry. Place in the fridge.

To make the custard:

Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds out. In a pan place 500ml of double cream and  all of the milk, then add the vanilla pod seeds. Bring to the boil.

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Add the corn flour paste (mix it with a dash of water to make a paste) to the yolks

Ladle some cream into the yolks and whisk well, keep doing this until you have put all the cream mixture into the yolks.

Handy Hint:

Keep mixing all the time while ladling the cream as by not doing this can then cook the eggs making it like scambled eggs

Then return all the mixture to the pan, cooking until thick (continuing to stir). Set aside and leave to cool down completly.

Once cooled down place the custard into a pipping bag and pipe the custard around the dishes (making sure you do it neatly...presentation is Everything!!!). Once done, place back into the fridge.

Take the remaining 500ml of double cream and place in a bowl and add the vannila essence and wisk until thick. Place in a piping bag and pipe the cream around the glasses.
Finley slice the chocolate and sprinkle over the cream, then do the same with the crushed patachio nuts. Take a couple of leaves of Mint and place on the side.

Place in the fridge until ready to serve.


recipie by Paul Heathcote

Photos by Rach & Matt Grice

Amazing Chilli

I love this Chili! By swapping mince for stewing beef, adding spices and some TLC this Chili changes from being bog standard, to a dish rich in depth of flavour.  Spending a little more time and thought takes it from being a bland dish to a tasty dinner with friends meal or fantastic lads grub...in either case, drink with Mexican beer...Corona with a slice of lime...perfect!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

2lb Diced stewing beef (from a quality Butchers)
1 tsp Oregano
Thumb nail piece of fresh chili, finely chopped
400g tinned kidney beans
Heaped tsp of Smoked Paprika
Heaped tsp of Ground Cinnamon
Heaped tsp of Cumin
2 tbsp of Tomato Puree
400g Chopped tomato's (Tinned)
2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
1 large Glass of Red Wine
1 Onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp of chilli flakes
Sea Salt
Ground pepper
1 red pointed Pepper, finely sliced
1 lime
Fresh Coriander chopped.
3/4 cubes of Dark Chocolate
plain flour
500mls of chicken stock


WHAT TO DO:

Turn the oven onto 170c

In a Cast iron pan (or a pan suitable for both the hob and oven) pour a glug of olive oil and place on a medium heat.  Spread some flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Take the beef and coat in the flour and then in batches fry the beef in the pan. (you want to brown the beef on all sides). Once browned, remove and set aside, do this with all the beef, remove and set aside.

In the pan pour a glass of wine and deglaze the pan (to deglaze; is to use liquid with a wooden spoon to scrape all the crispy bits off the bottom of the pan). Once you have done this pour the wine into a jug (do not throw this away as this liquid is amazing and helps flavour the dish later).

In the empty pan pour a tiny bit of oil and place on a medium heat, and add the onions, Paprika, Cumin, Cinnamon, Oregano, Chilli's and Garlic. Gently fry to allow the oils to come out (takes about 5 minutes). Add the meat back in and stir.

Now pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, reserve red wine (saved from before), the tomato puree and stir, add the stock.

Take a large sheet of tin foil, fold in half and wrap over the top of the pan. Place the lid on top and put in the oven for 2 1/2 hrs.

Handy Hint:

After 1 1/2hrs check the liquid if you feel it is drying out a bit add some boiling water.

After 2 1/2 hrs remove from the oven, add the kidney beans and the finely chopped coriander, chocolate and chopped red pepper. Put back in the oven for 30 Min's.

Handy Hint:

Add the kidney beans later on in the cooking process so not to over cook the beans as they can go mushy if this happens

Remove from the oven. The chili should have a thick sauce. If you need to thicken more, cook for a little bit longer.

Serve the Chili with Mexican tortillas, nachos (this brings in different textures to the dish) and lime on the side. You could also serve it with plain rice....And don't forget the Beer!

Pictures by Matt & Rach Grice

Herb Infused Lamb Shank in White Wine with Mustard Mash

 

This is a different way of doing Lamb Shanks, by cooking the white wine, herbs and vegetables together it adds a fresher taste to a much loved cut of meat. Serve with creamy Mustard mash. Great Sunday lunch or having people over.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:


2 Lamb Shanks (from a quality Butchers)
4 Sprigs of Rosemary
2 Sprigs of fresh Thyme
10 Sage Leaves
70g Butter
6 Cloves of Garlic, Unpeeled
1 Large Carrot, peeled and finely sliced
1 Leek, washed, halved, and finely sliced
1 large Glass of White Wine
1 Onion, peeled and finely sliced
Sea Salt
Ground pepper

Mustard Mash

6 large White Potato's, peeled and chopped
Dijon Mustard
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper


WHAT TO DO:

Turn the oven to 200c. Pick the leaves off 2 sprigs of rosemary, the thyme and 8 sage leaves, put in a food mixer with the butter. season with salt and pepper and blitz together.

Using a small knife, slide the knife up the bone and make a whole. Take some of the whizzed up butter and push it into the pockets you've just made. This will flavour the shanks right to the core.

Tear off 2 arms-length sheets of tin foil. Divide the sliced veg between the two and add the garlic and remaining sage leaves, making a pile in the middle of each sheet.

Rub the lamb Shanks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the shanks on top of the pile of veg, adding the rosemary and the thyme to each pile. Carefully pull up the tin foil around the shank and pour half the wine into each parcel. Then gather the foil around the bone of the shank, and pinch together tightly.

Place both shank parcels on a baking tray, with the bones facing up (see picture). Put them into the preheated oven for 2 1/2hrs (for a fan assisted oven), until the meat is tender.

Handy Hint:

Check the parcels after 1 1/2hrs to make sure the liquid has not evaporated. If needed add more wine.


Mustard Mash:

With half an hour of the lamb cooking time left, put the potatoes into a pan of boiling water, cook until soft when prodded with a knife.

Once cooked, drain the potatoes and put them back in the pan. Pour a good glug of Olive oil into the pan and breakdown with a potato masher (you can also use a potato ricer if you have one, easy and same results).

Once mashed up, take a strong wooden spoon and mix the mash until smooth (you will have to put some effort into this as you want NO lumps and to be creamy). Once the potato is smooth, mix in about 3/4 teaspoon of mustard (depending on your how mustardy you want it) and mix together well. 

Plate up each Lamb Shank with the veg and the juices, spooning on some mash on the side.


Recipe by Jamie Oliver

Photos by Rach Grice

Buffalo Mozzarella with Tomato & Parmesan Crust Salad

This is a fresh summer salad. it uses flavours that love being together in tomato, basil and mozzarella cheese. The crunch of the Parmesan breadcrumbs contrasts fantastically Basil and Parsley pesto works really well.

Serves 2/3

INGREDIENTS:

for the Tomato and Basil Parmesan Crust:

20 vine ripened tomato's
Handful of basil leaves
Couple of slices of thick crusty bread
Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Ground pepper

For the Buffalo Mozzarella salad:

Good Quality Buffalo Mozzarella x 2 large balls
Handful of Basil leaves
Handful of Parsley
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
SSa Salt 
Ground Pepper

Parma Ham
Italian Salami

 

WHAT TO DO:

Remove the tomato's middle  and chop the tomatoes into cubes and lay on the bottom of an oven proof dish, rip the basil leaves and scatter across the tomato's and salt and pepper.

Take the bread an put in a blender and blitz into breadcrumbs, leave a varied of different sizes of breadcrumbs as this adds texture ( do not blitz into fine breadcrumbs)

Scatter the bread crumbs over the tomatoes ( make sure every part of the dish is covered ) then take the Parmesan cheese and grate generously over the breadcrumbs (cover the whole dish) then drizzle some olive oil over the dish.

Place under a grill until browned

For the Buffalo Mozzarella salad:

In the blender put the basil and parsley and a good glug of olive oil. blitz the ingredients together, add some grated Parmesan and add seasoning to your taste.

Tear the mozzarella and place on a dish, drizzle the basil and parsley pesto on top. place the meats in between the cheese.

Serve together and add some crusty bread and olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip

Recipie by Nigel Slater

Photos by Rach Grice

Melt in the Mouth Stew

This stew has been tried and tested, a favourite of everyone who tries it. It is a great winter warmer and is even better the next day! Mustard mash is great to serve with this, but be sure to use good quality red wine!

Serves 6/8

INGREDIENTS:

2lb of diced stewing beef (from a quality butchers)
Chantenay Carrots
Button Mushrooms
Shallots
Plum Tomatoes
Plain Flour
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Chicken Stock
Red Wine
Crusty Loaf
2 Garlic Cloves
5 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
5 Sprigs of Rosemary
2 tsp of Ground Ginger

WHAT TO DO:

In a big casserole pan heat a good glug of olive oil. In a bowl, put 2 cups of plain flour and add salt and pepper to season. Then in batches put in the diced beef, coating the beef in the flour.

In batches fry in the beef in the pan until brown, and put to one side (the bottom of the pan will have knarly bits in, DO NOT get rid of this as this is where the flavour comes from). Put the onions, carrots, rosemary, thyme, ginger, salt and pepper in the pan and fry until coloured.

Pour the wine into the pan and deglaze (deglazing is when you put fluid into a pan and scrape the pan of the encrusted flour and meat from the bottom), reducing the wine.

Put the meat back in the pan and stir adding the stock, then add the tomatoes, mushrooms and gently mix.

Handy Tip:

Add the tomato's and mushrooms at the end as you do not want to break them up by stirring.

Take some tin foil, double fold and tightly cover the top of the pan. Place the lid on top of the foil and place in a preheated oven 180c for 3 & 1/2hrs.

The stew is ready when you touch the meat and it breaks apart and when the fluid in the pan has reduced and thickened.

Check the stew and see if it needs seasoning.

Serve with crusty bread or mustard mash.

Recipe by Matt Grice

Photo taken by Rach Grice

Holly's Fav Leek & Potato Soup

Holly's Favorite Leek & Potato Soup! I have added and played with this recipe for ages now and feel that it now ticks all the boxes. The potatoes are sweet and so are the onions and leeks, but this is balanced with the depth of ginger and garlic. A subtle heat from the smoked Paprika and chilli is completed by the freshness of the Corriander. 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

New Potatoes (Medium bag)

4 Large Leeks

2 Large Onions (finely chopped)

2 cloves of fresh garlic (finely chopped)

Fresh Ginger around £1 coin size (grated)

Handful of fresh Coriander (finely chopped)

Green Chilli (thumb nail size)

Sea Salt

Ground Pepper

Vegetable bouillon

2 pints of boiling water

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp of smoked Paprika

WHAT TO DO:

Boil the 2 pints of water and add enough veg bouillon for 2 pints of water. Take a large pan and put on the heat, pour in some olive oil then add the finely chopped onion's to the pan (do this over a medium heat as you want to bring out the sweetness out of the onions not caramelise them). Heat for around 10/15 mins, adding a splash of water occasionally. This helps bring out the sweetness in the onions.


Take the leeks and cut down the lengh of each leek. Wash under the tap to remove any dirt, then thinly roughly chop the leeks up (you want texture to the soup but you don't want massive chunks). Add the leeks to the pan with some more olive oil, the smoked paprika, grated ginger, chopped chilli and garlic. Season with salt and pepper then suatee the leeks with the onions until soft. Roughly slice the potatoes (again differnt sizes as this adds to the texture of the soup) then add to the leeks and onions. Stir around the ingredients.

HANDY TIP:

I use new potatoes as they are sweeter to taste, we are not going to blitz the soup so it will have a great texture. Using new potatoes makes eating the soup far tastier then using large potato's.

Add the stock and the finley chopped coriander, bring to the boil and then reduce and simmer, this i do for around 30 minutes.

Stir the potato's in the pan until you get them broken up (you what to keep some whole as again it adds to the texture of the soup).

Taste to see if more seasoning is needed.

Serve with crusty bread.

Recipe by Matt Grice

Photo taken by Rach Grice

Parma Ham Wrapped Chicken with Mozzarella, Basil and Sundried Tomato's

A good recipe when you are having friends round, quick and easy to prepare and looks really appertising. The trick with this dish is to keep the chicken moist, great to serve with a salad or cous cous.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 Chicken breasts (from a quailty butcher)

Parma Ham 8 pieces

Buffalo Mozzarella sliced/torn

Sundried Tomatoes

Hand Full of Fresh Basil Leaves

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Tin Foil


WHAT TO DO:

Turn the oven on to 200c

Take a A3 size piece of tin foil and lay it out.

Take the chicken breasts, cut into the chicken across the sides to make pockets. Take the mozeralla slices and place a few slices in each pocket along with the sundried tomatoes and the basil. Season with salt and pepper. Rub the outside of the chicken with a little oilive oil and sesaon again.

Handy Tip:

By using the foil this keeps all the juices and helps to keep the chicken moist, also the juices created can be used to pour over the chicken when serving.

On the foil layout the 4 pieces of parma ham by each other, lay the chicken on top of the ham, then take the ham and wrap the chiken tightly.

Fold the foil up to make a parcel, repeat this process agin for the second chicken.

Cook the chicken for around 25/30 mins (depending on the oven used).

Serve with a salad.

Recipe by Matt Grice

Photo taken by Rach Grice

Lemon Posset

 

This is a sweet, tangy, creamy dessert that is simple to make, tastes fantastic & looks great to.. especially at dinner parties. 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

300ml of Double Cream

75g Caster Sugar

Juice of 2 Lemons

Raspberries

White Chocolate

Almond thin biscuits to serve


WHAT TO DO:

Pour the cream in a pan and add the sugar. Slowly bring to the boil stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Once the cream starts to bubble leave it for 3 minutes.

Squeeze the juice of 2 Lemons and add the juice to the cream, this will then thicken straight away. The posset should taste sweet, tangy and creamy.

Cool for 5 minutes then pour into individual glasses (the small glasses are best, around twice the size of shot glasses). Cover with cling film and allow to cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

HANDY TIP:

Take them out around 20 minutes before you serve, this allows them to soften a little.

Serve on a plate with some raspberries and grate some white chocolate over them.

Fantastic light dessert, especially if your main course was heavy.

Recipie from Gordon Ramsey

Photo taken by Rach Grice