Chefs' specials
The first two cook-offs in the PubChef Awards took place earlier this month. Here we feature recipes from the winners of the 'Meat' and 'Food from Britain' cook-off categories.
Daniel has Eagle eye for tasty dish
Daniel Kirkpatrick, 21, is head chef and partner at the Eagle & Child in Shuttleworth, Ramsbottom, Lancashire. He was the winner of the Meat category in the PubChef Awards with this recipe.
Cumbrian air-dried ham wrapped Lune Valley lamb fillet with vanillabean roasted parsnips and pear sauce
Serves 1 Ingredients 25g/1oz Cumbrian air-dried ham 250g/9oz lamb fillet Vanilla beans - quarter pod Parsnips Butter Brown sugar 2 pears Pinch pepper and salt Few sprigs of rosemary 100ml/7tbsp beef stock Olive oil
Cost of ingredients: £2.69 Menu price: £9.50 Gross profit: 71%
Method First peel the parsnips and slice into four length-ways. Melt some unsalted butter in a thick-based pan then add soft brown sugar. Continue to heat until the mix is slightly caramelised and then add the chopped parsnips. Scrape out the vanilla pod adding the contents to the parsnips. Add a little water and cover with tin foil. Roast the dish at 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7 for 20-25 minutes
Peel and core one and a half of the pears and cook them gently in a little butter. Add a little brown sugar to the pears and a few sprigs of rosemary. When the pears have softened, add the beef stock. Reduce the mixture by half and add to a blender. Pass through a fine strainer and season to taste. Lay three slices of ham on the work bench so that they overlap each other. Place the lamb on top and roll so the meat is covered in a ham blanket.
Pan-fry in a little olive oil until browned. Add to the oven at the same temperature as before for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest. Add a little butter and sugar to a hot pan and caramelise. Add a few tablespoons of water to loosen the caramel. Add the remaining half pear core-side down and simmer for four minutes. Turn the pear over and bake for five minutes. Place slices of ham on a tray and place in a pre-heated oven. Cook on a high heat for four minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The ham should set hard. Place the parsnips in a small cluster on the plate and top with the caramelised pear. Slice the lamb into two lengths and stand. Place the sheet of baked ham between the two lambs and drizzle with the sauce.
Go wild for Neil's winning recipe
Neil Clark, head chef of the Linnet in Great Hinton, Wiltshire, was the winner of the Food from Britain category in the PubChef Awards with this dish which uses produce all sourced from within a few miles of the pub.
Wiltshire pork tenderloin filled with spinach and prunes, wrapped in Sandridge Farm bacon on a wild mushroom sauce
Serves 2 Ingredients 1 pork fillet 6 rashers of Sandridge Farm bacon Handful of prunes soaked in brandy 200g/7oz of Lovejoy's wild mushrooms 250ml/8fl oz veal stock 50ml/3tbsp double cream 10 spinach leaves Clove of garlic
Cost of ingredients: £4.04 Menu price: £12.50 Gross profit: approx 65%
Method Prepare the pork tenderloin by trimming off all the sinew and tissue. Cut it in to 2in-thick pieces and butterfly the meat open. Season the meat. Lay 10 spinach leaves on top of the pork pieces. Lay four brandy soaked prunes, which have been pre-soaked, on top of the spinach. Roll the pork back up to keep the tenderloin shape.
Remove the rind from the streaky bacon. Use three rashers of bacon per portion; lay the pork on top and wrap the bacon around it. Pan-fry for a couple of minutes and then place in a hot oven (200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6) for 20 minutes.
For the sauce: clean and prepare the wild mushrooms. Fry in the pork pan with a touch of garlic and when soft, add the veal stock and a splash of cream. Remove the pork from the oven, rest and slice. Place the pork on a plate and spoon sauce over it. Serve with dauphinoise potatoes and fresh herbs.
Neil's winning suppliers
Lovejoys greengrocers
53 High Street, Melksham, Wiltshire - 01225 708838 - local source of wild mushrooms.
Downland Produce
Neil sourced his pork tenderloin from Downland Produce in Lacock, Wiltshire. Downland pigs are reared and fed naturally, which guarantees a succulent end product. Using traditional farming methods, the herd graze freely within a paddock system, without overcrowding, or the routine infeed of antibiotics. There is a large product range featuring traditional cuts of pork, handmade sausages, dry-cured bacon and quality hams.
Recently a range of quality European herbs and spices has been introduced, with products carefully selected for their subtle flavours. Downland deals direct only, ensuring the freshest results for localcustomers. For more information contact Downland Produce on 01249 730 101.
Sandridge Farmhouse bacon
Sandridge Farmhouse bacon comes from a family-owned business in Wiltshire. The 350-acre farm also grows grain that, along with yoghurt, beer and cider yeast, provide the staple diet for the pigs. The pigs are reared free from artificial hormones, growth promoters and routine antibiotics.
Instead of using machines to aid the process, the staff on the farm have reverted to a more traditional style of curing their meats. A total curing time of three weeks allows for a full flavour with no added water to ensure a satisfying, rich taste. For more information visit www.sandridgefarmhousebacon.co.uk, or call 01380 850304.
