Recipes

With Christmas upon us, I am proposing the always decadent Beef Wellington. ‘Celebrity’ Chefs, and all those weekend glossy mags, will tell you that only a ‘Centre Cut’ Beef Fillet will do the job. That’s all very well if you are running a smart restaurant, and you want every piece to look the same, but the Rump Fillet, Chateaubriand, has all the flavour, is just as tender and will save a few pennies. It’s my cut of choice. As with all good things, your Beef Wellington will need a little investment of money and time, but, as it sets off your festive table, you will decide it is worth the effort. (BTW; this is the Christmas treat destined for my table this year).

Although Cassoulet is technically a delicious French stew, I don’t mind playing fast and loose with the idea, and making our own Cassoulet in order to really enjoy our newly crowned ‘Stokey Pokey Champion, 2023’. How often do you come across a recipe, where the main ingredient doesn’t even exist yet!!

The season dictates we turn to dishes more ‘hearty’ in nature. With the option to slow cook, packed with flavour, made with minimal effort, and without breaking the bank, Coq au Vin is the perfect dish. Best served with creamy mash, with freshly baked crusty bread to mop up the rich gravy, in my opinion. As Paul is on his jollies in France, as well as his extensive career in Paris, I thought we could have a French inspired dish for this month.

Heat the oven to 200˚c / Gas 6.
Push the sprigs of thyme into the cavity of each bird. Season with salt and pepper and, using half of the butter, rub all over the birds, including under any loose skin.
Melt the remaining butter in a heavy bottomed pan. It will be helpful if the pan can be placed into the oven, but if not, have a warm oven dish ready. As the butter starts to foam, place each bird breast side down in the pan.

Heat the oven to 220˚c.

Poor the oil into a roasting pan and season well with salt and black pepper. Roll the beef in the oil, ensuring that it is well covered.

Put the tray with the beef onto the middle shelf of the oven and allow to cook for 20mins.

Turn the oven down to 180˚c and allow to cook for a further 20 mins.

A really good BBQ Sauce will set your BBQ off on just the right footing. Craig’s delicious recipe is the star of much of what we do in the Meat London Garden. Once made, the sauce can be chilled and decanted to a jar with a fitting lid, or ideally a kilner jar. The sauce will last for up to a week if refrigerated.

This simple, Chinese-inspired marinade works a treat, adding flavour without
overpowering the taste of the Chicken. We are suggesting this dish for the BBQ, but the thighs will cook just as well in the oven.

During the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020, my wife (who runs a cheese shop and restaurant) kept her team together by getting their chef to set a culinary challenge every week. The idea was that they all cooked it and sent each other pictures. Cooking Chicken Marbella was one of the challenges he set, and I couldn’t help giving it a go. It’s a classic dish, which I understand comes from New York, and is delicious. It can be served with almost anything.

Beef shin is bursting with flavour but it takes time to entice the flavour out. This recipe doesn’t take long to put together, but there will be plenty of time to do the chores, or pop out for a beer while waiting for it to cook.