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.
“I always make your lemon posset as it’s amazing. We were having lunch with friends & I thought I’d do a twist & use oranges instead of lemons! Big mistake it didn’t set! I made it the same always except for the change in flavour. Do you know what I did wrong? Many Thanks”
Sandra, Watford
It’s all to do with acidity levels, so that’s maybe why it didn’t work so well. I have included our blood orange posset recipe below (you can also use Seville oranges too, if blood oranges are out if season). This works really well.
Ingredients
600ml double cream
120g sugar
Juice from 3 blood oranges
- Add cream and sugar to the pan, bring to the boil, and then simmer for 3 minutes
- Add zest of oranges and juice
- Mix well for 1 minute
- Pass through chiniose and pour 100ml into dessert glasses
“Hi Tom. Do you ever use MSG as an alternative to salt as a flavour enhancer and reducing sodium intake.”
Paul, Botley
My cooking is always based around maximising flavour. I am a big fan of salt and what it does to food. I use a very good, quality celtic sea salt in my cooking and I personally don’t like the use of MSG.
“Hi Tom, I am cooking a high quality grass-fed 4kg rolled dry-aged sirloin for Xmas this year; what method would you recommend cooking it, please? I was thinking I might sous vide it (Pros: Frees up oven space & time for the other meats and trimmings, and it guarantees even medium-rare cooking across the whole 4kg piece. Cons: I don’t really know how long to cook it for at that size, and I am not sure on the best way to get a good crust at the end). Any advice would be amazing. Thank you!”
Holly, Bromley
I would recommend cooking this quality cut of meat in an oven set at 58 degrees for 3 hours, using a probe to check that the core temperature of 58 degrees is reached. To get a good crust, seal in a hot pan with a generous knob of butter, garlic and fresh thyme. Then place the meat back in the oven to rest. This should give you a medium/pink cook.
If oven space is a worry, then it can remain on the side covered with tin foil until required.
“Do you do any cold smoking?”
Authur, Loughton
We don’t. We use a hot smoking method due to the equipment we have. Cold smoking is very technical and we use dedicated cold smoking houses to achieve these results.
“Hi Tom, What’s the best way to roast fennel bulbs? I get mixed results. Also, what other ways do you like to cook with fennel?”
Anthony, Manchester
I like to cut the builb in half, sear in hot pan with olive oil. When brown, add the fresh juice of an orange, a bay leaf, sprig of thyme. Cover with greaseproof paper, place in the oven at 150C for 5-6 minutes until a knife just cuts through. Roll the fennel in the pan to soak up the orange juice and olive oil before serving.
I like to eat fennel raw. Sliced up very finely and dressed in a simple vinaigrette with fresh chopped herbs and good cracked black pepper.
