Category: Everyday meals

Aromatic fragrant base:

• 2 large shallots – peeled and sliced finely
• 1 thumb sized peel of Galangal – peeled and sliced finely
• 1 thumb sized pieced of ginger – peeled and finely sliced
• 2 lemon grass sticks – smacked, and chopped finely
• 3 cloves of garlic – peeled and finely sliced
• 2 green birds eye chillies – sliced finely seeds left in
• 1 large red chilli – sliced finely seeds left in
• Coriander stalks finely sliced
• Half a bunch of coriander leaves torn
• Zest of one lime
• Juice of one lime
• Kaffir lime leaves

Place all of the ingredients above into either a food processor or my chosen item a pestle and mortar. You want to bash the ingredients until they form a coarse paste, if needed you can add a little water into the ingredients once completed.

Spice, spice baby…

• Whole cumin
• Cloves
• Black pepper corns
• Coriander seeds

To make the fish stock:

• 1.5 kg washed and cut turbot bones
• 500 grams white wine
• 1 tablespoon of white pepper corns
• 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
• 60 grams of thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 white onions
• 1 leek
• 1 head of celery
• 2 garlic bulbs sliced in half
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 lemon sliced
• 500 grams parsley stalks

Turbot bones are considered to be the Rolls – Royce of fish bones when it comes to making a fish stock, as they are packed full of flavour and result in a deep and flavoursome stock.

1. To make the fish stock firstly cut the vegetables in the same size so that they colour and cook evenly.
2. Place a medium sized pan onto the heat, once the pan is gently smoking add your vegetables. Allow them to cook until they are al dente without any colour, as you want this to be a white clear stock.
3. Once the vegetables are ready add your white wine, allow for the alcohol to cook off and reduce away as this helps to intensify the flavour of the wine.
4. Add your washed and cut fish bones. Cover with enough cold water so that the bones are submerged.
5. Add your aromats, allow to simmer for half an hour. Ensure that you skim off any scum from the top of the stock as this will result in a mercy and unclear stock.
6. Once the fish has boiled for half an hour add your parsley stalks along with one lemon which has been sliced
7. Allow to stand for one hour to cool. Once cooled pass with a fine muslin to remove any impurities, you should be left with a clear stock.

N.B. Any stock which you have left over, decant into freezer proof container and freeze for up to one month as this means you have the stock ready for your next recipe.

The aromats…

1. Begin by toasting them, place a small pan onto a medium heat once the pan begins to gently smoke add in your aromats, careful not to burn them, rather you want them to gently warm and release their natural perfume and oils.
2. Once toasted remove from the pan as soon as possible and then place into a pestle and mortar and smash them.

To the good bit…

1. To form this fragrant curry place a large saucepan, onto a medium heat, once the pan is up to temperature add a little low flavoured oil – toasted groundnut oil works best.
2. Cook the paste out for two / three minutes to release all of the perfume from the aromats,
3. Once the paste is cooked off, add one tin of light coconut and one tin of fish stock, next add 1 cinnamon stock.
4. Reduce the liquid by half.

For the fish firmer flesh fish works best such as hake or its Asian equivalent

1. Cut the fish into manageable pieces as this means they cook evenly and thoroughly.
2. Once the fish is cooked the way to test is that it should flake apart.
3. To finish add some tiger prawns and fresh coriander leaves. Cook the prawns until they go a beautiful blushing pink.
4. Next hit the curry with some fresh lime juice.
5. At this point add in some lovely seasonal greens as they are packed full of important vitamins and minerals.

Serve alongside, some beautiful rices…

Aromatic infused rice

• 1 cup of basmati rice
• 1 cup of boiling water
• Ginger skins and cloves

To cook this rice use the absorption method meaning that there should be no water left in the pan, leaving you with light fluffy rice.

Ensure that you always wash rice before cooking it.

For this dish I served the GG Thai curry alongside a mixture of wild and basmati rice, as I wanted to increase the fibre. To cook this rice follow the absorption method, for 4 people I used two small cups along with three small cups of boiling water, which I infused with half a lime.

Drink Pairings:

Light Zesty Larger:

• Sol
• Corona Extra
• Brew Dog IPA

Each of these lagers and IPA will help complement the dish with their citrus and botanical notes.

Or… Ginger Beer paired with Mint

This will obviously complement the dish, as there is a lot of ginger being featured in this dish offering a light-refreshing hit.

Ingredients:

• 1 small cup of basmati rice
• 2 small cups of boiling water
• 2 large white onions – (finely sliced)
• 4 teaspoons of medium curry powder
• ½ bag of washed spinach
• 4 large free range eggs
• 2 pints of milk
• 1 bay leave
• 1 shallot (halved)
• 3 white pepper corns
• a knob of softened butter
• 2tablespoons of plain flour
• 4 fillets of naturally smoked sustainable Haddock

Weigh all of the ingredients out as stated above. This recipe taken from the Gents first notebook!

The Wilted Spinach:

1. Melt a knob of softened butter in a heavy based pan, add the washed spinach, season with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.
2. Remove from the pan and allow to wilt by gently mixing with your hands,
3. Add to a tray with a J cloth to drain.
4. Allow to cool and reserve in the fridge for later on in this recipe.

The Caramelised white onion:

1. Peel two large white onions and finely slice, add into a large heavy bottomed pan along with a dash of olive oil and a knob of softened butter.
2. Allow to caramelise, you want your onions to be soft and golden brown, once at this stage add your curry powder and cook out gently over a low heat.

The Banging Bas Rice !!!!

1. Place a heavy based range master pan onto a medium heat, for the perfect rice you want to do the absorption method, to achieve this add two small cups of boiling water to the pan along with one small cup of rice
2. To infuse the rice add one bay leaf, three white pepper corns and season with a pinch of sea salt
3. Allow to cook on a medium heat, until all of the water has been absorbed and the rice is beautiful and tender.

Béchamel: Infused milk

For the perfect béchamel…

1. Place a heavy based pan onto the heat, add 2 pints of semi skimmed milk, one shallot peeled and sliced in half, one bay leaf and three white pepper corns
2. To infuse the milk, bring to the boil, once boiled cover with cling film and allow to stand for at least half an hour.
3. Strain the milk, add your smoked haddock fillets.
4. Return to the heat and poach the fish until just cooked and flaky
5. Remove from the pan and place onto a pre-warmed artisan plate.

For the roux…

1. In a heavy based range master pan add a knob of softened butter, once melted add two tablespoons of plain flour and stir using a wooden spoon (you want your roux to resemble the texture of sand) – also ensure that you cook out your flour or otherwise your béchamel will just taste of just that.
2. Gradually add the milk from a Pyrex jug, by adding the milk gradually you ensure that you work all of the lumps out of your roux, which will give you a beautifully silky glossy béchamel.

Assembling the Kedgeree:

1. In a large range master pan add a knob of softened butter, once melted add the caramelised white onion cook for about to 2-3 minutes to re-heat.
2. Then add your cooked rice and wilted spinach, for that EXTRA CREAMY HIT you can add a little double cream along with your béchamel as this will make the dish more luxurious.
3. Cook for a further 2 minutes and then flake the smoked haddock into the rice, GENTS TIP – instead of mixing the kedgeree, gently fold it, as this way you don’t break down those beautiful flakes of fish.

Traditionally a kedgeree would be served with hard boiled eggs BUT

GO FREESTYLE !!!!

For the perfect poached egg bring a pan of cold water to the boil, add a cap full of white wine vinegar. Before adding your eggs make a swirl in the water with a metal spoon allow the pan to come up to come up to temperature and add one egg at a time.

Cook for 2/3 mins

Remove with a spider spoon and drain on a J cloth

TIME TO PLATE !!

Pre-heat an artisan plate, place a bed of kedgeree onto the plate, top with your trimmed poached eggs and to garnish add a little parsley leaf. Serve with warm crushy bread.

Ingredients:

• 100 grams of green lentils
• 100 grams of Buckwheat
• 2/3 fresh washed Bay leaves
• 500 ml of cold water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch of black Italian cabbage – washed
• Beetroot leaves – washed
• 1 Bunch of carrots – washed
• 3 large Beetroots – washed
• 1 bunch of breakfast radish – washed
• Organic honey
• Crumbled Goats cheese

This is the perfect salad for a cold afternoon in front of the fire or after an intense morning of exercise as it is packed full of important vitamins and minerals, as well as protein. Helping your body to repair quicker, with the addition of both green lentils and buckwheat, which are both super foods, and a source of slow releasing carbs.

To begin this warm wholegrain salad, weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as stated above.

1. In a medium pan add 100 grams of buckwheat, cover with cold water. To transform these whole grains add a couple of freshly picked Bay leaves (use dry if needs be.) Place onto a high heat bring to the boil and simmer for 35/40 minutes until the buckwheat is just tender.
2. To get the best out of your Goats cheese, leave the cheese out of the fridge, to be served at room temperature.
3. Next quickly wash your beetroot and heritage carrots, leaving the carrots whole, depending on the size of the beetroot you can either half or quarter them so that they cook evenly. Lay them out onto a large baking tray, season with Maldon and freshly cracked black pepper, give them a little drizzle of olive oil.
4. Place into a pre-warmed oven at 200 degrees, cook for half an hour. To check both the carrots and beetroot use a tooth pick, there should be a little resistance but cooked al dente. The beets will take a little longer than the carrots once the carrots are cooked remove and place onto an artisan dinner plate drizzle liberally with organic honey, just five minutes before service place them back into the oven to warm through.
5. 15 / 20 minutes into the cooking process of the whole grains add your green lentils as they take a little less time to cook than the buckwheat.
6. Whilst all of the elements are ticking over its time for some quick vegetable prep. Ensure that you save the leaves from your beetroot as just blanched they help to give a subtle beetroot flavour but most importantly they are packed full with iron and vitamins.
7. When prepping the black cabbage, it all comes down to personal preference; for a little texture leave the stalk in or just remove it, place these to one side as they only take a matter of seconds to cook.
8. Check both your beetroots and whole grains. Once the beets are ready add your carrots back to the pan along with a little more organic honey; drain the whole grains, removing the aromats.
9. To plate pre-warm an artisan plate, lay a bed of the mixed wholegrain onto the base of the plate, then arrange four quarters of beetroot to the left of the wholegrain, leave the carrots whole as they are beautiful tender and sweet. Quickly blanch your greens, drain lay on top arranging it so that both the black cabbage and beet leaves are visible. To finish this vitamin packed winter warmer, crumble over the goats cheese and allow it to melt a little then place four / five wafer thin slices of breakfast radish on top as this again helps to offer both colour, texture and most importantly both vitamins and minerals.

Enjoy with friends and family,

The GG.

Ingredients:

• 2 free range frying steaks
• 400 grams of exotic mushrooms
• 2 bulbs of garlic
• ¼ bunch of scented thyme
• 25 grams of capers
• 50 grams softened butter (for finishing off the steak and the burnt butter sauce)
• 15 grams of raw diced shallot
• A glug of olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Natural organic sea salt

When preparing mushrooms, especially exotic ones you have to very careful, as they are delicate; to clean them gently brush with a clean pastry brush. When preparing mushrooms you want to use a very sharp knife, and only trim the ends, as the beauty of this is dish is the simplicity and rustic-ness.

1. To begin place a heavy based pan onto a very high heat, allow the pan to come up to temperature, you will be able to see this as it begins to gently smoke.
2. On an artisan wooden board place your two frying steaks, hit them with a little olive oil and then season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, by oiling the steak before it goes into the pan you are not burning the oil which will taint the flavour.
3. Place the steak into the frying pan away from you, allow to cook on one side for a minute as these are very lean steaks they will take no time to cook, for me to regulate the cooking of the steak I generally turn it over every minute until it has reached the desired finish which in this case is medium rare.
4. Once the steak is nearly ready add a knob of softened butter, along with some crushed garlic cloves and a little thyme, as this will perfume the butter as it melts. Then blast the steak with the perfumed butter as this gives the steak a beautiful rich buerre noisette flavour.
5. Remove the steak from the pan along with the thyme and garlic, lay this on the plate first and then place your steaks on top as this will help to infuse the steak whilst it rests but also add some attitude to your wonderful resting juices. Resting on a pre-warmed plate for around the same time as it took to cook, as this allows the temperature to evenly distribute through the steak, as well the allowing the steak to relax.
6. In this time add your freshly prepared mushrooms along with a little more butter you want the mushrooms to have body so quickly sauté them to release their nutty flavour.
7. Place onto your plate alongside your relaxed steak.
8. To make a beautifully quick burnt butter sauce, add a little more butter to the pan, adding your capers as they will deglaze and remove all of the cooked on goodness. Then remove from the heat, add your raw shallot and pour over the steak and mushrooms.
9. Enjoy with fresh artisan rye, roasted garlic and a glass of red.

Vampire killers… the Gent’s roasted whole bulb garlic:

• 2 bulbs of garlic
• 15 grams of oiled thyme
• Pinch of sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A glug of olive oil
• 20 x 20 cm tin foil

1. Pre-heat you oven to 180 degrees.
2. To begin these beautifully roasted alliums, carefully using a sharp paring knife pierce the outer skin as this allows the aromats to penetrate the bulb whilst it cooks.
3. On the base of the tin foil lay your oiled thyme; place your garlic bulb on top, as this will stop the garlic from burning on the base therefore acting as a trivet.
4. Next, season with freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and a good glug of olive oil.
5. Roll the tin foil to make a parcel, in which your garlic will stem and cook, place onto a baking tray and cook for 45 minutes you want your garlic to be sweet and roasted. The best way to tell when the cloves are cooked to perfection; they should easily pop out of their casing.
6. Once cooked leave in the tin foil to cool, and serve with some artisan bread

Wine and Whiskey Pairings:

Red wine– Shiraz from California or Australia as this frying steak is a very lean piece of meat, this would pair better with a win e which has less tannic, some maybe choose a merlot, Bordeaux, sauvignon or cabernet.

Whiskey – Monkey Shoulder Blended Whiskey, Rye Whiskey.

Beer and Stout pairing – 1809 Berliner Weisse, Steeped Empero’s Lemon Saison, Iron Sunrise.

N.B – To make this dish Pescatarian, pan fry some sustainable sea bass fillets as they have a beautifully meaty texture which pair so well with the buttery softness of the sauté mushrooms, a nutty yet sharp hit which is delivered via the burnt butter sauce.