Category: Seasonal

Gooseberries with hazelnuts and natural yoghurt

on By

37583653_670313756654351_1420964237387235328_n37704798_670313636654363_1324874901168848896_n37673817_670313656654361_1715765672983658496_n37654133_670313746654352_6283888538207387648_n37608775_670313726654354_8409324456924676096_n37715313_670313293321064_2514742285686538240_n37646007_670313266654400_5418091661831962624_n37676832_670313336654393_1613550807163076608_n37658567_670313189987741_6097880891961376768_n37638140_670313429987717_1785486680258510848_nSweet pickling liquid:

  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  1. Bring liquid to the boil so that the sugar dissolves
  2. Add your bruised bay leaves allow to infuse
  3. Then pour over 150 grams of washed gooseberries
  4. Place into an air tight jar.

Gooseberry Compote:

  • 150 grams of picked and washed gooseberries
  • 50 grams of sugar
  • 10 ml of water
  • A squeeze of lemon juice
  • 1 bay leaf
  1. In a medium sauce pan add all of your ingredients, place onto a medium to high heat
  2. Once the berries have just began to break down reduce the heat and cook to your desired consistency
  3. To finish add a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 bay leaf.

Toasted Hazelnuts:

RULE NUMBER ONE: DON’T BURN YOUR NUTS!!

  1. Place 150 grams of hazelnuts into a saucepan lightly toast them until they release their natural oil
  2. Pour them into a clean tea towel and rub their jackets off
  3. Then place them into a pestle and mortar, and crush them to your desired consistency.

To plate:

  1. You’ll need some natural yoghurt, using a large table spoon drag the yoghurt up the plate, then in the well which you have created lay a bed of your gooseberry compote.
  2. Next position your pickled gooseberries around the plate, items look better when you lay them in odds so go for 3 or 5.
  3. Then sprinkle over you crushed nuts and lastly drizzle with some organic Richmond honey.

GG.

Garden ravioli 

on By

37585973_670314079987652_1560255885131907072_n37536368_670314166654310_8698895064736202752_n37584920_670314396654287_5596292870010044416_n37608753_670314139987646_6616192236663078912_n37614787_670314209987639_6619398502763986944_n37595559_670314183320975_8522205968514154496_n37665992_670313993320994_3795044067797106688_n37613772_670314069987653_5296844683526275072_n37585973_670314353320958_597191021842923520_n37663767_670313976654329_3050154004022558720_n37626325_670313999987660_646171653520228352_n37662902_670313473321046_2642131213254393856_n37608753_670313409987719_3216512071810154496_n37526073_670313483321045_4184557675528323072_n37578803_670313526654374_5958433981148954624_n37613698_670313576654369_3576726761267789824_n37624195_670313546654372_8218234124905742336_nGarden pea, sage, lemon zest and ricotta ravioli with lemon thyme buerre noisette and edible flowers.

For the Pasta:

  • 3 large free range eggs
  • a pinch of coarse natural salt
  • 300 grams of 00 flour
  • a drizzle of olive oil.
  1. To begin this recipe weigh out all of the ingredients as stated above.
  2. Next in a large mixing bowl or onto a clean work surface, sieve your flour once you have sieved your flour, make a well in the middle of the flour.
  3. Crack each of your eggs into the well, which you have just created.
  4. Using a fork, begin to bring the mixture together, once the mixture resembles breadcrumbs use your hands to bring the rest together.
  5. Cling film your dough and place the dough into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling:

  • 250 grams of ricotta cheese
  • 300 grams of freshly podded and blanched garden peas
  • Lemon zest
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper.
  1. To begin this recipe weigh out all of the ingredients as stated above.
  2. Next in a large bowl add your ricotta cheese, seasoning and lemon zest
  3. In a separate bowl crush your gardens peas with the back of your fork to gently release their sweetness.
  4. TASTE
  5. Cling film and reserve in the fridge until later on.

You’re on a roll…

  1. Firstly fill a pan of cold-water season with a pinch of sea salt, and place onto a medium heat.
  2. When rolling pasta you need a lot of room, ensure that you are working in an area with this.
  3. Set your pasta machine onto the thickest setting, to make your pasta dough more manageable cut the dough in half.
  4. You want to run your dough 10 times through the thickest setting, folding the dough each time, as this helps to develop the glutens in the dough.
  5. Next, drop the setting and roll the dough through 2 times repeat this until you reach second to last setting.
  6. Using a cookie cutter, cut your discs out, place your bottoms onto a floured surface and using a teaspoon spoon the mixture onto each piece of pasta.
  7. Run the lids through the machine once more, using a little water run your finger around the outside of the pasta, gently, ensuring not to make any holes, stretch over the lids.
  8. Once you are happy with the positioning, pinch out any air, as this will cause your rav’s to explode in the water.
  9. To seal your dough place each of your rav’s into the pan of boiling water for one minute ,refresh them in a bowl with icy water as this helps to cook the pasta dough which makes it more stable.

To plate pre-heat an artisan plate, I prefer to lay pasta out on plates instead of bowls. Once your pasta is cooked, lay them onto the plate. To garnish this dish, any rich sauce would just overpower the subtle freshness of the peas, so I quickly made a lemon thyme buerre noisette along with crispy sage leaves. I then hit it was some fresh garden peas and some edible flowers.

Warm chickpea, sultana, apricot and garam marsala salad with harissa yoghurt and lemon thyme buerre noisette french trimmed chicken breast

on By

37303165_2126798910897359_5845096992572702720_n37296590_2126798934230690_7886243581105537024_n37273877_2126573627586554_803627207585955840_n37334351_2126573644253219_4148832412438102016_n37332309_2126799147564002_4933722619036827648_n37352179_2126799120897338_407359660702564352_n37312684_2126573497586567_8291503406527283200_n36968121_2126573487586568_1420794375725645824_n37386771_2126799100897340_4749348829889822720_n37388364_2126799030897347_317197873273896960_n37390714_2126798974230686_4880464328781725696_n37419662_2126798837564033_3146383111361658880_n37264455_2126573564253227_3454927802355154944_n37406435_2126573584253225_302591402464772096_n37544507_2126574340919816_8488447504092758016_n37383504_2126574164253167_334027887306866688_n37400853_2126574327586484_7573403300045783040_n37287450_2126574297586487_652904255274876928_n37274730_2126574374253146_3065526916040622080_n37378829_2126573774253206_2344972141260177408_n37388602_2126574280919822_1625454012671197184_n37336481_2126573907586526_4586811629433257984_n37317346_2126573700919880_4558892142986002432_n37313500_2126574100919840_1546991784876310528_n37305843_2126574134253170_4281455346066653184_n37261067_2126574010919849_6049714590378360832_n37305827_2126574057586511_7018046634055434240_nHarissa Yoghurt

  • The juice of half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon of harissa powder
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons of 0% fat Greek yoghurt
  • Pinch of sea salt
  1. To make this quick yoghurt dressing, firstly weigh out all of the ingredients as stated above.
  2. Into an artisan bowl place four tablespoons of Greek yoghurt along with a pinch of sea salt and the juice of one half of a lemon.
  3. In a separate bowl add your harissa powder along with the olive oil, and then mix together to form a paste.
  4. Ripple this through the yoghurt and reserve in the fridge until later on.

Chickpeas:

  • 250 grams of soaked chickpeas
  • 500 ml of cold water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 black pepper corns
  1. Place 250 grams of soaked chickpeas into a large saucepan along with 500 grams of cold water.
  2. Next add your bay leaves along with 10 black pepper corns, place onto a high heat and allow boiling, once at this point, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20-25 minutes until they are cooked and tender.

The salad:

  • 150 grams of sultanas
  • 5 chiffonade dried apricots
  • ½ teaspoon of garam marsala
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Zest of one lemon
  1. Once your chickpeas are perfectly cooked drain them off and place into a large serving bowl, add a pinch of Maldon sea salt.
  2. Next add the juice and zest of one lemon, along with a drizzle of cold pressed olive oil. Then add ½ teaspoon garam marsala, along with 150 grams of sultanas and 5 chiffonade dried apricots.
  3. Stir to incorporate and of course taste to make sure that the salad is perfectly seasoned.

Proteins:

By purchasing a whole free range chicken you are able to complete the quality control checks, which consist of; dry skin to touch, no aroma and lastly the chicken skin should be firm and plump.

Prep and French trim a chicken breast, the term French trim means to expose the bone, offering a more appealing product once plated. (Find the step-by-step photos of me breaking down the free-range chicken for sauté as I didn’t want to waste the other cuts, classically this will consist of two breasts, two thighs, two legs, and two wings.)

How to cook the perfect chicken breast every time:

  1. Firstly place a heavy based frying pan onto a medium heat, once the pan is up to temperature, add a generous amount of creamery butter. Allow the butter to colour a little as this helps to deliver a beautiful nutty flavour.
  2. On a separate plate or ideally a red raw chopping board, season the breast all over with freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt.
  3. Add the chicken breasts skin side down and allow to cook until a beautiful golden brown, (as colour equals flavour) just before removing from the pan add a little sprig of lemon thyme as this will perfume the butter and chicken while it cooks in the oven.
  4. To finish the chicken place into a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until the core temperature has reached 75 degrees so it’s perfectly cooked all of the way through.

The alternative – Mackerel:

You will need… 2 whole mackerel that have been gutted and filleted if you are not comfortable about doing this ask your fishmonger to prepare these for you.

  1. Firstly place a heavy based pan onto a medium heat once the pan is up to temperature add a little olive oil as mackerel is a very oily fish any way you will need a lot of olive oil.
  2. Place your fish into the pan away from you as this way you avoid being splashed by the hot oil, cook your fish solely on the ring burner
  3. To achieve the perfect crispy skin, which everyone loves, cook your fish 80% of the way on the skin, once you see a little golden outline turn your fish over to gently cook the flesh.
  4. Remove from the pan and place onto a pre-warmed plate.

To plate:

Add your gently warmed chickpea salad to the centre of the plate then dot four spoonfuls of the yoghurt dressing around the plate and a little under the protein, carve your chicken on the angle to display the contrast between the crispy golden skin and the white flesh finish with some fresh sage leaves. To make this dish Pescatarian add the mackerel.

Rose Water and Pistachio Cupcakes

on By

37111373_2124028501174400_2176750177925201920_n37131063_2124028917841025_2338652788373848064_n37148971_2124028944507689_7445449129011970048_n37169875_2124025451174705_1962061800933425152_n37205621_2124019761175274_2075978743238623232_n37221204_2124019677841949_623830131294601216_n37140698_2124020094508574_264269964788105216_n37121010_2124020011175249_8615339555484073984_n37147513_2124020351175215_1723299749995479040_n37140698_2124022957841621_6815662170135592960_n37192047_2124024211174829_4308886292868890624_n37192269_2124021101175140_2915296622248198144_n37199722_2124020701175180_5476666069332525056_n37185916_2124021011175149_2763604085365014528_n37228092_2124023024508281_2371265334045835264_n37240689_2124022594508324_4204839726575779840_n37237293_2124023667841550_357833555293765632_n37243151_2124022354508348_8107753843632111616_n37260442_2124021704508413_6429475066114736128_n37241391_2124020334508550_1361675405026656256_n37129433_2124024237841493_8899453424525901824_n37208221_2124024277841489_3736355727699083264_nIngredients:

  • 175 grams of butter
  • 175 grams of self raising flour
  • 175 grams of golden caster sugar
  • ½ tsp of baking powder
  • 3 large free range eggs
  • ½ tbsp of vanilla paste
  • the zest of one lemon
  • 200 grams of pistachio nuts
  • a cap full of rose water
  1. To begin this recipe weigh out all of the ingredients as stated above.
  2. Pre-heat your oven to 180.
  3. In a large mixing bowl cream together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy.
  4. Once you’re at this stage add your eggs into the mixture, one at a time, then add your flour along with your baking powder.
  5. Using a folding technique incorporate the mixture, ensure that you don’t knock out all of the air. Next add your vanilla paste, lemon zest and one cap of rose water, add this cautiously otherwise it will just overpower the dish.
  6. Place your cupcake cases into large muffin cases, half fill each of the cases and place into the oven for 18 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through.
  7. Whilst they are still warm dust them lightly with icing sugar and place one pistachio nut on top
  8. Enjoy with a cup of artisan coffee.

The Gourmet Gent.

World Cup Semi Final Spread with braised fennel and cured meats

on By

36974482_2120207588223158_6871010644879998976_n37066170_2120207684889815_2922171155492110336_n37121518_2120207401556510_4740821588935442432_n36955648_2120207598223157_2415627166482956288_n36937012_2120207738223143_2579884909363462144_n37048509_2120207428223174_7709610233558990848_n36952843_2120207791556471_8707786179614867456_n36910877_2120207498223167_6662784286703222784_n36990710_2120207934889790_2533931628334415872_n37015814_2120207834889800_545495034531676160_n37017943_2120207944889789_6659321507975528448_n36939209_2120207888223128_5431089401100763136_n36924214_2120207908223126_6440966448683679744_n36935708_2120207648223152_4611926742754394112_nBraised Fennel:

  • 2 lemons – sliced finely
  • 1 bulb of garlic
  • 10 bay leaves
  • Maldon sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • A touch of water
  • Preserved lemons
  • 4 whole fennels
  1. To prepare this citrus dish, take four whole fennel bulbs removing the herbs before hand (as this will act a garnish later and give the dish a light anise lift when it is served)
  2. Slice each of the fennel bulbs into quarters, ensure that they are cut around the same size as this will result in even cooking.
  3. Place these into a large baking tray, along with a sliced garlic bulb, 2 finely sliced lemons, 10 twists of black pepper and a pinch of Maldon sea salt.
  4. Now drizzle the whole tray with a little oil and a add 15 ml of cold water.
  5. Place the tray onto a medium heat, bring the liquid up to a medium simmer wrap with tin foil and place into a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for half an hour.
  6. The first part of the cooking process is to cook the fennel so that it is tender and al dente. Once this has been achieved remove the tin foil to brown off slightly and gain some colour (as colour equals flavour)

To accompany the dish:

A selection of cured meats

Warm artisan breads

Olive oil and balsamic vinegars

Cold artisan beer or a Malbec of your choice

Pan seared Sustainable Cod, Pickled Cucumber, Pickled Ripley Common Nettles and geranium petals.

on By

36343411_2108853859358531_1430650110194221056_n36342042_2108854049358512_8800283097812697088_n36365592_2108854082691842_6017880516118708224_n36372431_2108852702691980_3349351441725652992_n36387654_2108853946025189_2374579038753652736_n36376821_2108852869358630_1333799117360463872_n36431731_2108853056025278_6485994280224555008_n36423615_2108853659358551_8662420690630082560_n36411744_2108854182691832_3937389411519430656_n36344912_2108853736025210_6460976538106986496_n36328563_2108844879359429_6603207360821329920_n36345251_2108844989359418_5704320488734457856_n36466285_2108844942692756_5034452542864490496_n36333939_2108844579359459_8885375165974708224_n36342111_2108844292692821_7887901571625779200_n36392051_2108844642692786_6654658058255335424_n36425804_2108844469359470_8206169956908269568_n36503299_2108844539359463_303700058077921280_nFor this light summery dish you will need:

4 portions of sustainable cod

Half a cucumber

Pickled Nettles

Geranium petals

  1. To begin this dish, using a Japanese mandolin (on the thinnest setting) slice half your cucumber, you want the slices to be see through.
  2. Place them into a heat proof container, next for your pickling liquid, weigh 250 ml of distilled vinegar and 150 grams of granulated sugar into a medium saucepan, simmer on a low heat for five minutes until the sugar has been dissolved.
  3. While the liquor is still hot pour it over your cucumber, reserve in the fridge until cool. Once cool drain off the liquid and reserve in the fridge until needed later.
  4. For the pickled nettles please follow the recipe which can be found by clicking on the word ‘nettle’ above
  5. To complete your garnish stage; using a pair of tweezers pick off the petals from four geranium flowers as they will give the dish both colour and texture.
  6. Before cooking your Cod place out four artisan plates and arrange six pieces of pickled cucumber on each of the plates, in a separate bowl place three nettles for each portion along with your petals.
  7. To begin your fish, heat a medium pan, once the heat has began to lightly smoke, add a dash of olive oil. When the pan is up to temperature place the Cod into the pan away from you, as you don’t want to be splashed by the hot oil.
  8. Allow the fish to cook 80% of the way on its skin as this helps to result in that crispy skin which everyone loves, once the fish has turned a light golden colour around the outside, using a fish slice flip the fish over and blast with butter.
  9. Remove the fish from the pan and place it onto a J cloth to absorb any left over butter or oil, finish your plate by placing the cod in the middle, lay your nettle leaves around the outside, to finish place your petals.
  10. Enjoy with family and friends on a summers evening, accompanied by a glass of white wine, GG recommendation Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Fresh Oysters and raw British rhubarb

on By

36480469_2108853492691901_1546967698699714560_n36329539_2108853549358562_7929571361511440384_n36401059_2108853306025253_8230053630091198464_n36457809_2108853379358579_5702399324093153280_n36353390_2108841069359810_6598354584647761920_n36366170_2108841092693141_2773361280398917632_n36347135_2108841126026471_4229676062159667200_n36294300_2108841152693135_2200485103505768448_n36509290_2108841019359815_2205576486587465728_nFor this quick and simple dish you will need:

1 stick of British rhubarb

4 sustainable Whitstable oysters

  1. To begin this dish ensure that you have put your oysters onto ice and they are kept in the fridge.
  2. For the garnish brunoise a stick of rhubarb, as you are eating this raw try to get the brunoise as small as possible.
  3. To serve shuck your oysters using an oyster knife, on a safely secured chopping board and clean tea towel.
  4. Arrange them onto an ice platter, sprinkle with the raw rhubarb, enjoy with a glass of cold white wine or your favourite whisky.
  5. To take this dish to the next level you can pickle half the rhubarb, offering another dimension and texture to the dish.

Rainbow Trout & Warm Summer Salad

on By

32202839_2077957862448131_3619060252449701888_n32207866_2077957929114791_7967102237442834432_n32147716_2077957909114793_4954534965401354240_n32130633_2077957945781456_1329144575402442752_n32116965_2077957922448125_8094585383708262400_n32170126_2077957869114797_119065903718465536_n32186363_2077957832448134_8946011179252187136_n32218843_2077957819114802_4347679266415050752_n32150145_2077958162448101_3551918587784462336_n32089802_2077957799114804_8964967446909812736_n32104844_2077957975781453_5356372393377923072_n32104808_2077958079114776_1241016532297842688_n32089751_2077958025781448_5213248346315030528_n32187773_2077961732447744_5626159531420549120_n32162822_2077955322448385_5736863400101675008_n32159605_2077955345781716_4717756055482793984_n32104986_2077955242448393_8888611952113221632_n32159583_2077955252448392_7537467725291978752_n32089746_2077955359115048_6475450809822740480_n32247336_2077955269115057_7614292505395200000_n32162687_2077955565781694_2254903919694053376_n32159995_2077955575781693_8235860674983493632_n32105358_2077955545781696_8310574281092235264_n32089944_2077955519115032_7616987837891608576_n32085023_2077955475781703_5854129562199261184_n

Pan seared rainbow trout, griddled aubergine, charred peppers, crumbled goats cheese, toasted pistachio nuts, bay leaf infused buckwheat, fresh lemon thyme, thyme, sage and mint cold pressed olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest dressing sea salt and black pepper.

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole rainbow trout, descaled, gutted and filleted
  • 2 washed peppers
  • 2 large aubergine sliced into eight equal slices
  • 100 grams of crumbled goats cheese
  • 200 grams of dried buckwheat
  • 25 grams of black olives
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 400 grams of cold lightly salted water.
  • 50 grams of fresh picked thyme
  • 50 grams of fresh lemon thyme
  • Chiffonade of fresh mint
  • Chiffonade of fresh purple sage
  • A handful of pistachios
  1. To begin this recipe, weigh and prepare all of the ingredients as stated above.
  2. Once you have prepared your fish, place the fillets onto a clean artisan plate and reserve in the bottom of the fridge.
  3. Place your buckwheat into a large saucepan cover with cold salted water next add your bay leaf, place onto a medium heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the buckwheat is cooked and tender.
  4. To char your peppers quickly, firstly wash them under cold water, dry and then to char place them over an open ring burner, you want to char the outer flesh of the pepper as this helps to intensity the natural sweetness once blackened and charred remove from the gas.
  5. Wrap them in cling film and allow to cool.
  6. Next slice your aubergine into 8 equal slices, place them onto a large artisan plate and gently brush with oil, next sprinkled them lightly with a little table salt.
  7. Next place them onto a pre-warmed griddle pan, allow to cool until the aubergine has been lightly charred with those beautiful black char lines, ensure you char these on both of the aubergine. They are tender and cooked through.
  8. Once all of the elements are cooked, in a large serving bowl place your herbs, lemon zest and a little olive oil into the bottom of the bowl along with 25 grams of sliced black olives.
  9. To cook your trout place a heavy based saucepan onto a medium heat, once the pan is lightly smoking, add a little olive oil into the pan. Lay the fish into the pan away from you, as you don’t want to be splashed by the hot oil. Cook on the skin 80% of the time and flip the fish over to finish the cooking of the fish.
  10. To finish the warm salad, drain the buckwheat remove the bay leaf, add to the bowl, along with a little washed spinach and rocket the heat from the buckwheat will wilt the leaves, to finish the salad add your charred peppers, griddled aubergine and lastly crumbled goats cheese.
  11. Place your trout onto a pre-warmed plate along with your warm early summer salad, crumble over some smashed and toasted pistachios for added texture.

Enjoy with a cold glass of pinot or ginger beer with a twist of lime, the GG

Breakfast Eggs with the Gourmet Gent

on By

31139115_2073740149536569_666985414_o30991174_2073740036203247_1754618409_o31118063_2073740139536570_666488121_o31042741_2073740132869904_33649631_o31296584_2073745289536055_2090218268_o31326152_2073745309536053_1806597886_o31288733_2073735656203685_1141434273_o31514302_2073740162869901_1904765062_o31065717_2073735562870361_404368114_o31028343_2073735572870360_1697434933_o30961984_2073735582870359_13195110_o31489818_2073735606203690_868627831_o

Black truffle scrambled Eggs.

When you add your milk and eggs to a small bowl before seasoning and whisking add a couple of drops of black truffle oil. To garnish add shavings of fresh summer black truffle.

 

Dorset Wild Garlic scrambled eggs.

Just before service, chiffande some freshly washed wild garlic leaves add then to the eggs until they begin to gently wilt, to garnish add ediable wild garlic flowers.

Scrambled eggs the Basics, you will need:

3 medium free range eggs

50 ml of semi skimmed milk

salt

white pepper

Knob of butter

To begin your scrambled eggs weigh out all of the ingredients out as stated above.

  • Place a large frying pan onto a medium heat, melt a knob of butter until it gently foams.
  • Pour your eggs into the frying pan allow them to cook a little on the edges then using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently bring the edges in.
  • Then gently mix the eggs until you achieve silky soft ribbons of egg.
  • You want to serve your eggs baveuse.
  • Spoon onto a pre-warmed artisan plate
  • Add you preferred garnish and flavours
  • To serve, enjoy with warm artisan bread, sea salted butter and lastly Café Central filtered coffee.

Sustainable Sea Bass with crushed Charlotte potatoes & Devonshire wild garlic oil

on By

31135822_2072436933000224_1659060386_o30849820_2072436943000223_1593762884_o30826239_2072436923000225_504917223_o30946268_2072436959666888_1891314059_o30966081_2072436953000222_1407641416_o31028336_2072436949666889_1966353800_o30994616_2072436963000221_1317615209_oWhen buying any fish try and buy local, avoid farmed, as not only is there a difference in taste, we have such amazing seafood on our door steps, so why don’t we just celebrate it!

For this recipe I wanted to choose items that firstly complement each other, but also allow each element of the dish to shine.

To begin this dish…

  1. Add two litres of cold water to a medium saucepan, along with 30 grams of table salt. Into which add your halved charlotte potatoes.
  2. Place them onto a medium heat allow the pan to come to a high simmer, reduce the heat and after ten minutes check that they are cooked perfectly.

Wild Garlic Oil:

8 wild garlic leaves (washed, stalks removed)

30 ml of olive oil

As wild garlic is very powerful, to begin this quick wild garlic oil you only want a little to drizzle over the sea bass once it is perfectly cooked.

  1. In a marble pestle and mortar, add your chiffonade of wild garlic leaves along with a little Maldon sea salt as this acts as both seasoning but will also add a little friction to the leaves, ensuring that they are perfectly ground and all of their natural perfume is released.
  2. Next add your olive oil, and beat the leaves depending on what type of wild garlic oil you would like, you can pass this through muslin which will give you a beautifully fine and silky oil.
  3. For this recipe I wanted the oil to be quite course and rustic as this gives the dish a little texture.
  4. Decant into a glass bottle until it is needed later on in the process.

Check your potatoes… If ready drain allow to stem a little, then using the back of a fork gently crush the potatoes, at this point hit them with a little black pepper, butter and of course freshly chopped parsley.

Pan seared Sea Bass

  1. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat once the pan is up to temperature add a little olive oil.
  2. Next season your fish on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Place the fish into the pan skin side down, ensure that you lay the fish into the pan away from you as this way oil will not spit and burn you.
  4. Cook the fish 80% of the time on the skin as this helps to keep the fish moist but also gives you that amazing crispy skin, which everyone loves.
  5. Once the skin has gone a beautiful golden brown flip the fish over to quick cook the flesh side, add a knob of butter to the pan and then blast the fish with that beautiful golden brown foaming butter.
  6. To finish add a little lemon juice.

To serve pre-heat an artisan plate, place your crushed potatoes as the base, next lay your sea bass on at an angle, lastly to finish; add your wild garlic oil and to garnish you could add some wild garlic flowers.

Enjoy, GG