Category: Everyday meals

Welsh Rarebit

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  • 56 grams of grated good quality strong cheddar
  • 12.5 grams of unsalted butter
  • 12.5 grams of plain flour 
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard 
  • 2 shakes of Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 70 grams / Ml Guinness
  • 70 grams / Ml Semi Skimmed Milk 
  • Pinch of black pepper 

N.B This recipe serves four to six people 

  1. To begin, in a large Range Master sauce pan add your 12.5 grams of unsalted butter allow to melt and not catch. Once the butter has melted and is foaming add in your flour, reduce the heat and cook till you have a roux (the texture of sand) meaning the flour has been cooked out. 
  2. Next add in your milk and Guinness, mix gradually to form a thick béchamel type consistency.
  3. Add in your mustard and smoked paprika along with a pinch of black pepper for seasoning. 
  4. Then remove your pan from the heat and add in your cheese gradually. At this point your rarebit can split so be careful that the mixture is not too hot, you want your mixture to be blood temperature. 
  5. Then add to a pre-chilled bowl and leave in the fridge. Cover it loosely with cling film for up to two hours, till the rarebit is firm with a little wobble, as this is perfect to be spread over hot grilled sourdough toasts. 

I paired this Welsh Rarebit with a free range poached egg, gin cured smoked salmon and fennel thongs from the garden the Gourmet Gent take on the classic Welsh Rarebit.

Bean stew – a celebration of the veggie patch

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Veggie Patch stew: Heritage tomatoes and seasonal garden bean selection 

For your base of the stew:
• 2 white onions from the garden sliced finely

 • 1 chilli sliced with seeds left in for a little heat

• 2 garlic cloves crushed and pureed

• 2 large vine tomatoes sliced

 • 1 seasonal large potato from the veggie patch / sweet potato peeled and diced small. 

1. To begin add a good glug of olive oil to the large range master saucepan, then add your chilli and onions along with a pinch of sea salt and cook down till soft with a little colour as colour equals flavour.

 2. Next add your garlic and long with the diced potato as this will help to thicken the stew, once the base is soft add your tomatoes to deglaze and remove all of the cooked one goodness form the bottom of the pan. 

Add 1 litre of good quality simple GG Vegetable stock :

• Carrot 

• Leek tops

• Celery 

• White onions and peel

 • Bay leaves 

• Black pepper 

• White wine to deglaze 

• Water to cover 

• Black peppercorns. 

For this dish is used a selection of seasonal beans consisting of fine, runner and white beans but you can use any the seasonal beans which can be found in your garden or allotment as this time of the year. 

Slice into thin slices as this ensures for better texture ensuring they are cooked all the way through and they the beans inside can be released to give further body to the stew. 

Add one glass of the water along with one more large garden tomato and then allow to cook and simmer for at least two hours as this will help to ensure for further depth of flavour season with a good pinch of black pepper. 

To finish:

• Sliced tomatoes from the garden

 • Fresh selection of garden herbs – sage, purple sage, parsley, organeo, thyme.

 • Olive oil for gloss and shine to finish. 

Pair with GG sourdough and sea salted butter. 

Gardener’s delight

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An assortment of freshly picked garden produce: mixed lettuce, rocket, variety radishes and beetroot
Topped with French anchovy dressing and hard boiled eggs (all we need now are some chickens), served with sourdough and salted butter… of course! IMG_2713IMG_7082IMG_7059IMG_7047IMG_7033IMG_8007IMG_6207

Pan seared Scallops, lemon butter sauce, toasted pistachio nuts and local honey

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This delicate fresh dish is full of flavour and perfect for a starter or light lunch. I always try and support local independents when I buy my produce and Sandy’s Fishmonger in Twickenham had some beautiful Orkney Scallops. I collaborated with Neptune Home on this dish and have been working alongside the team at their Weybridge store to generate content, they kindly lent me these beautiful plates.

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Lemon Oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• 20 ml of cold pressed olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt / white pepper

1. In a jam jar add your lemon juice, zest and seasoning shake
2. Next add your olive oil shake to incorporate.
3. Taste
4. Place to one side to marinate


Toasted pistachio nuts:
• 250 grams of unsalted de-shelled Pistachio nuts

1. In a large frying pan over a medium heat, toast as this helps to release their essentials oils, whilst the pistachios are still warm lightly crush to increase texture.
2. Reserve to one side till required later on at plating.

Local runny honey:
1. Drizzle over the finished dish when served.

Lemon Butter sauce:
• 20 grams of unsalted butter diced
• Juice and zest of one un-waxed lemon
• 50 ml of good quality white wine
• 20 ml to deglaze
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch white pepper

1. To begin in a medium saucepan add your white wine reduce by half
2. Next deglaze with the 2o ml of white wine.
3. Whisk in the butter cube by cube to form a creamy emulsion.
4. Season
5. Add your lemon juice and zest.


Pan seared scallops:
• 8 large prepped scallops.
• Seasoning
• Twist of lemon

1. To begin place a heavy based pan onto a medium heat.
2. Once the pan smokes add a little olive oil, season your scallops.
3. Add to the pan cook till golden in both sides
4. Add a knob of butter and baste
5. Remove from the pan rest onto a j cloth to absorb any excess butter from the cooking.

To plate pre-warm your Neptune artisan plate and plate your scallops into a large circle, top each with a little of your butter sauce, drizzle with your scented olive oil to form a split sauce, add your toasted pistachio’s and lastly I love to garnish with a drizzle of honey.
Lastly add fresh garden bronze fennel delivers an aniseed note.

Enjoy,
The Gourmet Gent.