tbsp olive oil
150g (5oz) pancetta, cut into small chunks
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
75ml (3fl oz) brandy
500ml (18fl oz) red wine
1 litre (1¾ pints) beef stock
1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley)
115g (4oz) baby onions
25g (1oz) butter
Salt and black pepper
1. Season the flour with salt and pepper and toss the beef in it. Place a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat, add 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the beef for 1–2 minutes in batches, removing each batch from the pan when browned and placing it on a plate while you fry the rest, adding more oil as needed. (Too much meat in the pan at once will mean it takes longer to brown.)
2. Add the pancetta and fry for 1–2 minutes or until golden brown, then tip in the shallot, onions and garlic and fry for a further 2–3 minutes or until browned. Return the cooked beef to the pan and mix well with the other ingredients.
3. Pour in the brandy and carefully set it alight to burn off the alcohol, then add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Add the bouquet garni, then cover and cook on a low heat for 2 hours or until tender and thickened. Alternatively, cook in the oven at 140°C (275°F), Gas 1, for 2 hours, or in a slow cooker for 3–4 hours.
4. Half an hour before the meat is cooked, blanch the baby onions in boiling water for 30 seconds, then peel. Place a separate frying pan over a high heat, add the butter and a little olive oil and fry the onions for 2–3 minutes or until just golden, then add to the casserole for the last 20 minutes of cooking time.
5. Just before serving, check the seasoning. Spoon a generous portion of beef bourguignon on to each plate and a pile of Creamy Potato Mash alongside, together with some green beans or Vichy Carrots.
COURGETTE, TOMATO AND BASIL PIE WITH DORSTONE CHEESE
Dorstone is a cheese I came across once at a farmers’ market, made by Charlie Westhead of Neal’s Yard Dairy. It’s an unpasteurised goat’s cheese made in Herefordshire, with a moist, fluffy texture and coated in ash. If you can’t get it, don’t worry; a non-chalky goat’s cheese will do fine, even a French Crottin.
SERVES 4
2–3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
4 courgettes, topped and tailed and sliced lengthways
1 x 250g jar of sun-blushed tomatoes, drained
2 banana shallots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
6 large basil leaves, torn
200g (7oz) firm goat’s cheese, such as Dorstone or Ogleshield
Plain flour, for dusting
200g (7oz) ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper
ONE 25CM (10IN) OVENPROOF DISH
1. Preheat the oven 170°C (325°F), Gas 3, and oil the ovenproof dish with olive oil.
2. Lay the courgettes on a baking tray, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown, then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
3. Place the tomatoes, shallots, garlic and basil leaves in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the baked courgettes and mix well, then crumble over the cheese and set aside.
4. On a clean, lightly floured work surface, lay out the pastry and cut out a circle 2cm (¾ in) wider all round than the ovenproof dish. Place the courgette mix in the dish, then brush the edges of the dish with some of the beaten egg and lay the pastry on top, pressing the edges of the pastry on to the rim of the dish. Trim away any excess pastry and brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg.
5. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown, then remove and serve immediately.
Who says British food isn’t great? I keep saying to people and young chefs that the best way to move forward in terms of cooking is often to look back. Shepherd’s Pie with garden peas is a dinner my mother used to cook all the time and still does. Look out for minced lamb that isn’t fatty as this will make it much better. And don’t put too much liquid in the mash or it will be too soft and the potatoes will just sink into the meat mixture.
SERVES 4
1–2 tbsp olive oil
1.5kg (3lb 4oz) boneless shoulder of lamb
300g (11oz) baby onions, blanched and peeled (see method on page 20)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 sprigs of rosemary
500ml (18fl oz) red wine
500ml (18fl oz) beef stock
75g (3oz) butter
25g (1oz) plain flour
Salt and black pepper
FOR THE MASH TOPPING
500g (1lb 2oz) large floury potatoes, such as King Edward, peeled and cut into quarters
50g (2oz) butter
100ml (3½fl oz) whole milk
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish, season the lamb with salt and pepper on both sides, then seal the meat all over on a high heat for 1–2 minutes or until nicely browned.
2. Remove the lamb from the pot and add the baby onions, frying these for 2–3 minutes or until golden, then add the garlic and 3 sprigs of rosemary.
3. Place the lamb back in the pot on top of the onions and rosemary, then pour in the wine and stock. Smear a third of the butter over the lamb and place the remaining rosemary sprig on top. Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 2 hours or until tender and crispy on top.
4. Meanwhile, make the mashed potato for the topping following the instructions for Creamy Potato Mash on page 179.
5.
