Thanks to all of you who sent in your cookery questions. Here are my answers to some of them. Check to see if yours is included. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer them all, but keep them coming in.
Darrell from Salisbury asked:
Hello Tom, when I was small, and nan used to do a beef roast dinner for all the family, how did she manage to get the big bowl of dripping that was white on top, with plenty of brown jelly under the white lid, because we just can’t get that anymore.
That beautiful jelly and rich creamy white fat comes from the rendering of good quality beef fat.
When you buy the joint for roasting from your butcher look for a joint with plenty of good quality fat around it. Ask the butcher for some bones to place the beef on when roasting.
When you’ve roasted the beef to your desired cooking degree, drain off all the fat and juice from the tray.
Place in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer, skim off any impurities. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool. After an hour or so, place it in the fridge to set.
The next day, you will have the creamy white fat with delicious jelly below it.
Sam from Eversholt asked:
We are lucky to get a lot of game this time of year and venison throughout the year. Could you give some pheasant recipes and slow roast/cooker type venison recipes ?
A venison recipe I love is Venison Madras.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½kg stewing venison, diced into large chunks around 3cm square
For the marinade
- 8 garlic cloves
- grated thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 100ml full-fat plain yoghurt
- 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
- 60g tomato purée
For the sauce
- 100g butter
- 5 large onions, chopped
- 8 garlic cloves , peeled and grated
- 6 tbsp madras spice paste
- 600ml beef stock
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 100g creamed coconut in a block
- 10 dried curry leaves
To serve
- rice
- sliced green chilli
- natural yoghurt
METHOD
- To make the marinade, mix all the ingredients for it with some salt in a bowl, add the venison and stir to coat, cover and place in the fridge overnight.
- Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
- Spread the venison out on a baking tray lined with parchment and roast for 30-35 mins, stirring halfway through if needed, until the meat has lots of colour. If the meat releases too many juices, spoon some off halfway.
- Reduce the oven to 170C/150C/gas 3.
- While the venison is cooking, heat the butter in a large casserole dish and fry the onions for 15 mins over a medium heat until golden brown, then add the garlic and cook for a few mins more.
- Stir in the spice paste and fry for 5 mins, then add the stock and tomatoes and crumble in the creamed coconut along with the curry leaves. Bring to the boil, add the venison to the dish and stir to coat in the curry sauce.
- Season with salt, then cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs-2 hrs 30 mins until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender.
- Chill for up to three days and reheat before serving or freeze for up to three months. Serve with fluffy rice, a dollop of yoghurt and some sliced green chilli.
For pheasant, this is a great recipe that is a little different from the norm.
Pheasant, Mushroom and Pear skewers with Honey Glaze
INGREDIENTS
- A pinch of rock salt, crushed
- A pinch of crushed juniper
- 150ml pear cider
- 100ml rapeseed oil
- 2 pheasant breasts
- 2 comice pears
- 2 portobello mushrooms, stalks removed
- ½ tsp picked thyme leaves
- Sea salt flakes, to finish
For the honey glaze
- 75g honey
- 75ml pear cider
- 200ml chicken stock
METHOD
- Marinate the meat the day before to get the best flavour. In a bowl, mix the salt, juniper, 150ml cider, and rapeseed oil, giving it a good stir. Cut the pheasant breasts into bite-size pieces and put them into a deep-sided tray or dish. Pour the cider marinade over and leave for 6-8 hours or overnight. At this stage, you could also soak your wooden skewers, as this will help prevent them from burning.
- For the glaze, pour the honey into a heavy-based saucepan and heat it. Then, carefully pour in the 75ml cider and stock. Leave to simmer until reduced to a syrupy glaze, then turn off the heat and leave to cool.
- When you’re ready to make your skewers, preheat your grill to medium.
- Peel the pears and dice them and the mushrooms the same size as the pheasant pieces. Push one piece of pheasant, then mushroom, then pear onto the skewers, adding more of each if you have room.
- Place under the hot grill for 4-5 minutes. Remove and brush with the honey glaze, then return to the grill for 2 minutes until cooked through – but keep an eye on them in case they catch.
- Remove the skewers from the heat and place them on a plate. Brush the skewers with any remaining glaze, sprinkle over the picked thyme, and add a pinch of sea salt.
- Let the skewers rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Richard from Barnstaple asked:
Hi Tom, A couple of years ago we bought one of your Christmas hampers. All the ingredients needed for a perfect Christmas meal. I recall beef Wellington with additional courses. Will you be doing something similar for this festive season?
We aren’t doing the hampers this year, but we will be selling our delicious Beef Wellingtons for collection from both of our Butchers Tap & Grill pubs.
Aneta from Sheffield asked:
Hi Tom, My question is what food would you recommend for dinner party for about 10 people?
So many choices, but I’d recommend something that can be made in advance so you can enjoy your time with your guests.
My Lamb Boulangere is a beautiful dish and looks amazing on the table.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 6 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 bunch of thyme leaves picked
- 1 whole shoulder of lamb, approximately 3kg
- 1 head of garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
- 570ml chicken stock
METHOD
- Heat the oven to 130C (150C non-fan). Thinly slice the onions and potatoes and put in a big bowl. Add the thyme leaves and season well. Stir to combine.
- Roughly layer the onions and potatoes in a roasting tray and place the lamb on top.
- Cut holes in the meat with a knife and stick a clove of garlic in each one. Pour over the chicken stock and put in the oven. Cook on the low heat for 4-5 hours.
- This recipe is great to stick in the oven on a Sunday morning, go for a long walk or call in at the pub for a couple of drinks and when you get home, the house smells great, and lunch is ready. Serve with kale or some late-summer cabbage.
Christine from Birmingham asked:
How can I stop my honey from crystallising, please?
Honey is a perfect balance of sugar and water, so when the water level decreases through evaporation, the honey will start to crystallise.
The best way to stop crystallising is to keep the honey at room temperature, airtight and in a dark cupboard
Karen from Wolverhampton asked:
I have a bag of frozen celeriac; any suggestions on how to use it?
SOUP!! It’s perfect for this.
INGREDIENTS
- 60g butter, diced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 celeriac, peeled and diced to 1cm (YOU CAN USE FROZEN)
- 2 Bramley apples, grated
- 100ml cider
- 500ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 60ml double cream
To finish
- 1 Bramley apple, peeled and finely diced
- 4 tbsp celery leaves
- 4 tbsp crumbly blue cheese
- 1 tbsp chives, chopped
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
METHOD
- In a large pan, heat the butter until golden and foaming. Add the onion and fry until you get a good colour to it — allow 10 min.
- Add the celeriac and the grated apple. Fry for 8 min, then add a pinch of salt and the cider. Cook for 5 min more to soften the veg.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer until the celeriac is fully cooked. Finish with the double cream.
- Pour into a jug blender and puree until smooth (you can pass it through a fine sieve if you like it super-smooth). Check the seasoning and ladle into soup bowls, then top with little cubes of apple, celery leaves, cheese, chives and a swirl of rapeseed oil.
Kevin from Wheathampstead asked:
Hi Tom. What is your go-to one pot supper when you get in late and just want a tasty bowl of something delicious before crashing in front of the tv?
You can’t beat a bowl of Chinese chicken noodle soup, and it only takes 30 minutes to make.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp dark soy
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 80g leftover roast chicken (optional)
- 20g pickled pink ginger or normal ginger, peeled and finely sliced
- ½ Chinese cabbage, shredded
- 300g pouch straight-to-wok thick noodles
- 4 spring onions, sliced
METHOD
- Drizzle the honey over the base of a large saucepan and bubble briefly to a caramel, then splash in the soy, bubble, add half the chilli and the chicken stock and simmer for 5 mins.
- Add the chicken, if using, and ginger, and simmer for another 5 mins. Stir in the cabbage and noodles and cook until just wilted and the noodles have heated through.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle over the remaining chilli and the spring onions.
Jacqueline from West Malling asked:
Cauliflower steaks … any suggestions other than curry or paprika please.
100% give this Cauliflower Rarebit recipe a go, it’s absolutely delicious.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large cauliflower, trimmed and sliced into 2 thick steaks through the root to hold shape (use the trimmings for another dish)
For the rarebit
- 20g butter
- 20g flour
- 100ml milk
- 100g grated extra mature Cheddar
- large pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp English mustard
- large splash of Worcestershire sauce or vegetarian alternative
- 2 egg yolks
- red onion chutney and a watercress salad, to serve
METHOD
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sear the cauliflower steaks for 3-4 mins on each side until nicely browned. Lift onto kitchen paper, then put in the fridge to keep cool. This can be done up to two days ahead.
- To make the rarebit, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour to make a sandy paste. Add the milk a little at a time to make a thick white sauce. Bubble gently, stirring often for a couple of mins, then stir in the cheese, cayenne, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and stir until the cheese has melted into a smooth, rich sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then beat in the yolks and season. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge if not using straight away. Can be made up to two days ahead.
- Before you assemble, take the cheesy rarebit mix out of the fridge at least an hour before you need it. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
- Lay the cauliflower on a baking sheet, then divide and spread or press on the rarebit mix until completely covered.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 mins, then finish under a hot grill until bubbling and golden. Transfer the cauliflower rarebits to two plates and serve with a spoonful of chutney and a generous handful of watercress salad. Perfect with a pint of beer.
Sarah from Ware asked:
I have a fig tree laden with fruit and no hope of them ripening. What can I do with green figs, please, other than leave them for the wildlife?
Figs make a beautiful chutney, you can harvest them all and then make enough for the year, just multiply the recipe by however many figs you have.
Fig Chutney
INGREDIENTS
- 12 diced figs
- 40g diced onions
- 3 diced granny smith apples
- 3 diced bramley apples
- 250g chopped dried figs
- 500ml cider vinegar
- 500g Sugar
- 7g mixed spice
- 1 cinnamom stick
METHOD
- In a large pan, sweat the onion with a small amount of butter.
- Add the sugar, vinegar and mixed spice and simmer to reduce bu half.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and cook slowly. uncovered, stirring occasionally until it gets sticky and jammy.
- Spoon into a clean jars with lids.
Deborah from Matson asked:
Hi Tom, I need a good curry sauce to serve with chips. I am gluten-free, and when I make one, it tastes powdery.
Try this Matson Curry Sauce recipe, using distilled vinegar, GF curry powder, make sure the cornflour is pure and doesn’t contain any gluten products.
INGREDIENTS
- 250g butter
- 1.5kg Spanish onion, sliced thinly
- 60g garlic, sliced thinly
- 10g salt
- 75g medium curry powder (gluten-free)
- 3 star anise tied in muslin
- 150g raisins
- 150ml distilled vinegar
- 625ml vegetable stock
- 60g cornflour
METHOD
- Sweat the onions, garlic, salt and butter until translucent and soft (no colour).
- Add the spices and raisins and cook for a further 5 minutes
Add the stock and vinegar. - Cook for 30 minutes on a low heat being careful not to catch it.
- Add the cornflour and cook out for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the star anise and blend until smooth.
- Pass through a chinois and season as required.
Sally from Durham asked:
Hi Tom, I’m allergic to coconut, what could I use as a substitute to coconut milk or cream in a Thai curry?
I would suggest plain Greek yoghurt.
Please keep your questions coming in.
