Loire Food & Wine Evening at The Guildford Arms

I really enjoyed our Loire evening with the Theatre of Wine last Wednesday.  Being from the Loire himself my chef Jean Jacques, with the help of Louis, had prepared some wonderful food to match against the wines Daniel had chosen.

Next up the food and wines of Italy; hopefully in the garden!

Guy Awford at the Guildford Arms and Theatre of Wine
Present
A Loire Love Affair

Crottin of Chavignol
Dom. Cordaillat Reuilly Vin Gris 2011

 Smoked Eel & Beetroot with Chive Blini & Creme Fraiche
Dom. Gilbert Menetou-Salon Blanc 2010

Seared Scallop with Asparagus and Chervil Butter
Luneau-Papin Muscadet Butte de la Roche 2009

Rabbit, Saffron & Armagnac Prune Terrine, Rabbit Parfait with Truffle Oil
Chateaumeillant Prestige des Garennes Rouge 2010

Confit of Pork with Black Pudding Fritter & Thyme & Morel Jus
Yannick Amirault Bourgeuil La Source 2009

Tarte Tatin with Calvados & Bayleaf Ice Cream
Gigou Jasnières Selection de Raisins Nobles 1997

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Chargrilled English Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

English asparagus is the best in the world. Our cool climate ensures a slow growth, which allows an intense flavour to develop. The season is short, lasting about six weeks, so make the most of it. Fresh asparagus needs little more than 3 minutes in boiling salty water, a squeeze of lemon and a knob of butter. It is also delicious grilled and served with hollandaise sauce; the lovely smoky taste combines perfectly with the rich, lemony sauce.

There is a lot of fuss surrounding the making of hollandaise sauce. At first glance it seems fiddly and tricky but it is in essence a fairly simple emulsion sauce. Whisk the yolks in a bowl over simmering water until they reach the ribbon stage; this is when the mix is thick enough that if you lift up the whisk and draw a number 8, it remains visible for a second. Then slowly whisk in the warm (not hot) melted butter.

Char grilled Asparagus

Grilled English asparagus with hollandaise sauce – serves 4

• Wash 16 asparagus spears thoroughly, cut off the base and peel the last two thirds. Keep the off-cuts for a stock or sauce. Cook in plenty of lightly salted, vigorously boiling water for about 3 minutes until tender then plunge into very cold water.
• Melt 250 grams of butter. In a large metal bowl whisk 3 egg yolks with a splash of water over a pan of simmering water until thick. Add the butter in a slow, thin stream whisking constantly. If it looks a little thick add a drop of warm water and then continue. Add the juice of ½ a lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat a grill pan until very hot.
• Season the asparagus and lightly brush with olive oil. Grill on all sides until nicely charred.
• Serve with the hollandaise sauce.

Braised Red Cabbage with Toasted Cumin, Coriander & Fennel

This is a wonderfully savoury side dish that works perfectly with roast lamb. The slight tang of vinegar also helps it to cut thorough fatty meats such as pork belly. It is quite a simple dish to prepare, the biggest task being the cutting of the cabbage itself.

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1 red cabbage
1 red onion
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaf
2 star anise
2 cups soft brown sugar
2 cups of red wine
2 teaspoons each of fennel, cumin & coriander seeds

• Peel and slice a red onion and soften, in a little olive oil, over a low heat.
• Remove the tougher outer leaves from the cabbage and cut into quarters.
• Cut out the core and slice thinly.
• Add to the pan with a bouquet garni of fresh thyme, star anise & bay leaf.
• Add the brown sugar & the of red wine vinegar and cook gently until soft (approximately 2 hours). Give it a stir every now & then to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn on the bottom.
• Dry fry the spices for a few minutes, keeping them moving so they don’t burn.
• Once the cabbage is done, remove the bouquet garni, stir in the spices, and serve.

Pan-fried Sea Trout with Spinach Puree, New Season Vegetables & Sauce Vierge

Early spring is a great month for sea trout, so this weekend I am putting it on the menu at The Guildford Arms Restaurant.

I am serving the trout with a mineral rich spinach puree, steamed new season vegetables and a fragrant sauce vierge; a dish I created for a recent Theatre of Wine Tasting to match a flinty Chablis. The result is a very well balanced dish; the fish’s delicate flavour supported, but not overpowered, by the spinach’s earthy undertones and then lifted, with hits of intense flavour, by the basil & toasted coriander. The lemon juice in the sauce is vital to counter the richness of the olive oil.

When pan-frying sea trout it’s important to follow a few simple rules; adhere to these the skin will be crispy, the flesh moist, and the wonderful flavour enhanced. Dry the fillets thoroughly with kitchen paper, heat a little oil in a non-stick pan, season the pan with salt and then carefully lay in the fillets, pressing down with a fish slice to encourage them to lie flat (scoring the skin helps). Reduce the hob to a medium heat and cook until the skin turns golden and crispy. Turn over the fish and cook on the flesh side for a minute. Pull the pan off the heat and leave for a few minutes to allow the residual heat to complete the cooking process.

Pan Fried Sea Trout

Pan-fried Sea Trout with Spinach Puree, New Season Vegetables & Sauce Vierge

Serves 2

2 x 180g sea trout fillets – skin on, scaled
200g spinach – stalks removed
50g butter
10 new potatoes
6 baby carrots
4 baby fennel
4 baby leeks

Sauce Vierge
100ml olive oil
1 plum tomato – skinned, seeded & diced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds – lightly toasted
4 medium basil leaves – rolled & sliced finely
Juice ½ lemon – strained of any pips
Pinch Salt

• Pour the olive oil into a pot and add the lemon juice, coriander seeds, diced tomato, basil & salt.
• Warm gently for 1 minute over a low heat & set aside.
• Rinse the spinach and shake off the water. Place in a pot with the butter and cook until thoroughly wilted.
• Puree in a food processor until smooth (push through a sieve if you like it very silky). Season and set aside.
• Cook the vegetables, drain and pour over a little of the sauce vierge whilst they are still hot.
• Pan-fry the trout as above.
• Re-heat the spinach and spread over the plate.
• Place on the fish, and scatter on the vegetables. Dress with a little more sauce vierge.

The Perfect Boiled Egg

Simple to make and wonderfully satisfying  a boiled egg with hot buttery toast is one of the best breakfasts going. I like mine cooked so the white is just set but the warm yolk is still runny.  Salt & freshly ground pepper are essential. The devil is in the detail here; over or undercook it and it’s barely worth eating.

Boiled Egg

After a few experiments here is my method for a perfectly cooked (medium sized) egg each time.

• If you store your eggs in the fridge put into a bowl of warm water to take the chill from the shell. This will stop it cracking in the boiling water.
• Bring a pot of water to the boil & carefully put in the egg. There should be enough water to cover the egg.
• Simmer for 2 minutes.
• Turn of the heat & leave the egg in the water for 4 minutes.
• Remove the egg to an egg cup. Leave for 1 minute to allow the residual heat to complete the cooking process.
• Serve with hot buttery toast and lots of salt & pepper.

Banana & Chocolate Bread

Simple to make and very tasty, banana bread makes a wonderful brunch dish. If, like me, you are lucky enough to have a very competent egg breaker, masher and stirrer working with you, then the mix can be prepared in less than 10 minutes.

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250g Plain Flour
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Bananas – ripe
250ml Creme Fraiche
125g Unsalted Butter – diced & soft
250g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs – lightly beaten
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
125g Dark Chocolate Chips/buttons
50g White Chocolate Chips/buttons

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
• Butter & flour a small loaf tin (19 x 11 cm).
• Sift flour & baking powder unto a large bowl.
• Mash the banana with the creme fraiche, sugar, vanilla & soft butter.
• Mix in the eggs and the chocolate.
• Gently fold in the flour. Don’t overwork the dough.
• Pour into the tin and bake for about an hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Leave in the tin for five minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Fondant Potato

This is a lovely way to prepare such a humble ingredient.  Soft, buttery and infused with rosemary, garlic and thyme it is comfort food of the highest order.

To begin you will need to chose 4 potatoes of a similar size. I use desiree as they are floury and turn a lovely golden colour.  Peel and cut lengthwise to give an even top and bottom. Use a potato peeler to evenly shape the sides. Heat 150g of butter in a non-stick pan. Place the poatoes in the pan and sprinkle in some chopped garlic, rosemary & thyme. Season and add enough water to come halway up the sides of the potatoes. Cover the potatoes with a cartouche (a piece of greeseproof paper, cut to the size of the pot, that acts like a lid).

Cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Turn and cook for about 10 minutes on the other side. At this stage keep your eye on it. The water should evaporate leaving the potatoes to turn golden brown in the remaining butter.

Test that the potateos are soft in the center by pusing a sharp skwere through. It should meet no resistance.

Fondant Potato