NEIL'S RECIPES: BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

“A real crowd pleaser. It can be stodgy, so do not give too big a portion. Served with a light custard makes for easy eating. Use whichever dried fruit you like; apricots, dried figs or cranberries are great. The brush of apricot jam on top is a lovely touch.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 

Half a loaf of leftover bread, crusts removed. Panettone or brioche are also good.

250g unsalted butter, melted

500ml double cream

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

3 egg yolks

150g sugar

1 whole egg

1 small handful of Californian raisins and mixed peel

2 tbsp jam or marmalade, warmed. I like home-made plum jam.

METHOD

Rub an ovenproof dish with a little of the melted butter.

Slice the bread 1cm thick and submerge in the melted butter. 

To make the custard, heat the cream and the vanilla pod on the stove until it comes to the boil, turn off the heat and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy, and whisk into the cream. Whisk in the whole egg as well.

Layer the butter-soaked bread with the custard and raisins and mixed peel, repeating until you reach the top of the dish. Don't put fruit on the top layer as it will burn in the oven.

Bake in an oven at 180°C for 45 minutes until hot. Top with a few more raisins and mixed peel, then spoon warm jam over the top. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

NEIL'S RECIPES: WARM SALAD OF WILD WOOD PIGEON, BLOOD ORANGE, BACON AND TOASTED HAZELNUTS

“This is a cracker of a dish, great any time of year. Rich and earthy, with lentils and nuts adding crunch. Play around with different dressings, though classic hazelnut oil works beautifully. Keep the pigeon rare—overcooked, it turns into shoe leather.”

Serves 2
Cooking time: 7 minutes; prep time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 to 4 breasts of wild wood pigeon, skin on
2 blood oranges, cut into segments
A small handful of peeled hazelnuts
2 large handfuls of mixed salad leaves. A mix of organic mustard leaves, watercress and rocket is good.
3 to 4 rashers of bacon, cut into lardons
4  tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 tablespoon of your favourite vinegar, like a cider or a Beremeal
1 teaspoon runny honey
1 teaspoon grain mustard
A few chives, cut into small batons
Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Toast the hazelnuts in a good frying pan on a high heat for a minute or two, moving them all the time as they brown. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil and bring to a moderate heat. Fry the bacon until crispy, but not overly so. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and add the pigeon breasts, skin-side down. Season and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook or it will be well done. The meat needs to be rare and pink inside. Remove from the pan and allow to rest with the bacon.

In the same pan, off the heat, add the remaining oil and stir vigorously to combine the remaining delicious bits of goodness. Then add the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir well, season and taste, then add the chives.

To serve, arrange the salad leaves onto plates. Slice the pigeon into thin slices and arrange over the salad. Then scatter over the bacon, toasted hazelnuts and segments of blood orange. Spoon over the dressing and eat at once. This dish is great served on a big platter in the centre of the table with sautéed potatoes.

NEIL'S RECIPES: PRUNE & ARMAGNAC PARFAIT

“Staff love this one. It has to be boozy, but alcohol doesn’t freeze, so the balance is crucial. Add too much and it won’t set; get it right and it works beautifully. Big, plump prunes are a hit, warm and full of flavour.”

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

4 egg yolks

125g caster sugar

100ml water

500ml double cream

3 generous tablespoons of Armagnac

A handful of Agen (or any other type) of prunes, stones removed

An extra 50g caster sugar and 75ml water to make a syrup

METHOD

Bring 100ml water and 125g sugar to the boil in a pot then boil gently until it reaches soft-ball stage, or becomes syrupy and clear. This should take about 5 minutes.

Whilst the sugar is boiling away, whisk the egg yolks trickling the syrup in slowly and carefully – maybe get someone to help you. You want this mix to become very fluffy and increase in volume. It can take a good few minutes to do this.

Once this is achieved, leave it for a moment and whisk the cream to ribbon stage in a clean bowl. Then combine the cream and egg mixtures together, a little at a time. This is the base for the parfait.

Chop two thirds of the prunes and add them to the mixture alongside two tablespoons of Armagnac. Fold in gently - try not to let any air escape.

Line a terrine mould or ice cream tub with cling film or parchment paper and fill with the mixture. Cover with film and freeze for at least 6 hours.

Whilst the parfait is freezing, make a syrup with the remaining Armagnac, sugar and water by bringing them to the boil on the hob. Allowing the syrup to cool then add the remaining prunes, whole, to the syrup.

This dish is best made the day before so the prunes really absorb the syrup and the parfait is properly frozen.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BEETROOT TART TATIN WITH BLUE CHEESE, APPLE AND ENDIVE

“A big seller at the restaurant and now in season. Beetroot can be overly sweet at times, but here the bitter leaves and blue cheese cut through. It works well as a main course alternative to meat or fish. Try shallots, red onions, or other roots for variation.”

Serves 1
Prep time: 0.5 hours; Cooking time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 large or 2 small beetroots, scrubbed and cooked in water on the hob for 1 .5 hours until tender, peel skin off under running water

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 tablespoon of butter

1 sprig of thyme

1 disc of puff pastry, 1/2 cm thick cut to the same size as the blini pan

1 endive, cut into leaves and shards

A few toasted nuts

A few radish slices

A few slices of apple, cut into sticks

A few cubes of Blue Murder cheese or any other blue cheese of your liking

1 teaspoon of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard

1 teaspoon honey

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Firstly, make a caramel by melting the sugar and butter together in the cast iron blini pan until it’s golden and caramelised. Then take the sprig of thyme and place it into the centre of the caramel. Next cut the beetroot into chunky pieces, and place onto the thyme and caramel. Cover the beetroot with the disc of pastry and prick a hole into the top and bake into a hot oven 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and cooked.

Leave the tart to cool slightly otherwise it will fall apart. Whilst it’s resting, make the salad by adding the cheese to a bowl with the endive, apple, a few radish slices and some toasted nuts. Make a dressing by mixing together the oil, honey and mustard and drizzle over before giving it a season with salt and pepper.

To serve, carefully tip out the tart out of the pan and onto the plate and garnish with the salad. Serve immediately.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SMOKED TROUT WITH DILL SCONE AND PICKLES

“A clean and simple dish to make and prepare. Get the textures and the acidity right, but there is not a lot that can go wrong here. Serve as a simple starter or as a light lunch and try and avoid salmon and go for trout instead. The little scone is so lovely.”

Serves 4 to 6

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Allow about 75g to 100g of smoked trout per person, I like to buy unsliced and slice it myself but sliced is good from Belhaven

1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and sliced

Half a red onion, peeled and sliced in to rings

100g caster sugar

100g cider vinegar

100ml water

A few mustard seeds

1 sprig of thyme

200g plain flour

Half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

10g chopped dill

Half a teaspoon fennel seeds

25g unsalted butter, cubed

150ml milk

Pinch of salt

A few radishes

Crème fraîche, optional

Twist of black pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 200°C / Gas Mark 7

To make the scones, mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, dill, fennel seeds and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Rub in the butter to breadcrumb stage, then add the milk until it becomes a soft dough.

Dust a surface with flour and push the dough into a flat shape about 1-inch thick. Use a floured cutter, about a 2-inch diameter, to cut out the scones and place them on a greased baking tray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

To make the pickles, boil together the water, sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds and thyme then add the sliced cucumber. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.

To make the pickled red onion, place the onion slices in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Leave to soak for 5 minutes, then drain and pour over some of the pickling liquid.

To serve, simply arrange the smoked trout on a plate with a scone, the pickles, some halved radishes, a twist of black pepper and maybe some crème fraîche.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BATH CHAPS

“I have been making a version of Bath chaps for years and I find it absolutely delicious. Usually made from the boned head of a pig, firstly rolled, brined and braised, chilled and sliced, then fried until golden and crispy. The flavour is remarkable and the fat here is a good thing. As always, fat is flavour, and this is something historical and a bit different for you to try.”

4 portions

INGREDIENTS

1 pig’s head (use a rare breed if you can), eyes and hair removed, fully boned and in 2 pieces

5l water

500g salt

6 bay leaves

A sprig of thyme

10 peppercorns

1 onion, sliced

A blade of mace

25ml rapeseed oil

Good salt and pepper for seasoning

4 handfuls of kale, stalks removed

A tablespoon wholegrain mustard

A knob of butter

Buttery mash to serve

METHOD

Tie each piece of the pig’s head into a thick sausage shape using butchers’ twine, your butcher may do this for you but give it a go.

Next, make brine by adding the salt to the water and bringing to the boil along with 3 bay leaves, the thyme, the onion and the blade of mace. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, and when it’s cold, submerge the pork and leave it covered in a cool place for up to 7 days. I usually leave it for 3 to 4 days to take on all the flavour of the aromats.

Then braise the Bath chaps. Add them to a pan of fresh, clean water with 3 bay leaves and cook them slowly in the oven for 4 to 6 hours (at around 140-160°C) until they are very soft and well cooked. Allow the chaps to cool in the liquor, and when cool enough to handle, remove and set aside.

Once they are cool, lay 2 or 3 layers of cling film on a work surface and remove the twine from the chaps. Now roll them up in the cling film - nice and tight – and pop them in the fridge overnight.

The next day it’s time for the good bit! Put a frying pan on a moderate heat on the hob and add the rapeseed oil. Cut the Bath chaps into 5mm-thick slices, and fry for 7 to 8 minutes on each side, ensuring they don't burn, you want them to turn golden.

Then blanch the kale in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan, and stir in the mustard before adding the drained kale. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide the kale between four warmed plates and top with the crispy, browned chaps. Delicious served with a buttery mash.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHOCOLATE & ALMOND PITHIVIER

“I adore this rich and decadent pudding, I remember making hundreds of these when I worked at Kinnaird House in Perthshire many moons ago, with the great John Webber. The addition of crème pâtissière to the chocolate is wonderful and lightens the rich frangipane. Have a go at making your own rough puff pastry, there is nothing more rewarding. And here the coffee anglaise works oh so well. A true French classic at this time of year.”

Serves 4

For the rough puff pastry:

500g plain flour

500g unsalted butter, softened

10g salt

50ml cold water

A small splash of vinegar

Combine the flour, butter, salt and vinegar but don't over mix, and slowly add the water. Again, don't over mix. You should see flakes of butter through the dough. Chill for 20 minutes.

Roll the chilled dough into a long scarf shape, then fold the left side into the middle, and the right side onto the (now) top of the left side so you begin to create many layers. You may need a lot of extra flour to do this. Repeat this process another 3 times rolling and folding as you go. You will have an incredible puff pastry (suitable for freezing) and you’ll never need to buy the industrially-made stuff again!

For the pithivier filling:

100g unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

50g cocoa powder

100g ground almonds

100g chopped chocolate, I use Montezuma’s

A splash of dark rum

A spoonful of custard to bind

Egg wash

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and add the almonds. Sift in the cocoa powder and add the rum and the chocolate, chopped into small pieces. Next, add a spoonful of custard to help bind the mixture and combine all the ingredients,

Shape the mix into hockey-puck-sized shape and allow to rest.

For the coffee custard:

750ml double cream

100g caster sugar

10 egg yolks

2 shots of good, fresh coffee made with a very course grain that won’t go through your sieve

Place the cream on a moderate heat with the coffee for 5 to 10 minutes, being careful not to over boil.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a clean bowl until combined, then add the hot coffee cream, stirring all the time.

Add this mix to a clean pan and cook until the custard coats the back of a spoon, or reaches at least 75°C. Pass this through some muslin cloth, or a very fine sieve.

To assemble, roll out the puff pastry to a 3mm thickness and cut 2 circles, each about the size of a side plate. Place the filling in the center of one piece of pastry and brush egg wash around the edges, before covering with the other piece. Crimp the edge with a fork and score the top in a swirl pattern, then brush with egg wash again and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes, or until risen and golden.

Remove from the oven and when cooled a little, dredge with icing sugar.

Serve warm or cold. If you don’t like coffee, make a plain custard by omitting the coffee from the recipe.

NEIL'S RECIPES: STEAK AND ROAST GARLIC BUTTER

“This is rich and a real treat. Having steak once a week is a thing a lot of folk do; and why not, it boosts our iron intake and is a good source of protein. Buy the best you can find or afford and always try and keep it medium-rare at most. The roast garlic butter is just wonderful.”

Serves one 

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour for roasting garlic
Cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 really good steak of your liking, I’m enjoying flat irons just now

1 sprig thyme

1 bulb garlic 

1 knob butter, for frying 

100g butter, softened

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon beef fat

1 handful of good salad leaves

A few red onion rings

1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon apple vinegar

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C / Gas Mark 4

Remove the steak from the fridge.

Wrap the garlic bulb in foil with a little oil and salt. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove the garlic from the oven and turn up the heat to 200°C / Gas Mark 6.

To make the roast garlic butter, simply remove the garlic from the foil and squeeze the roasted flesh into a bowl. Add 100g butter, the parsley, season with salt and pepper and mix. Roll the butter mix up in a sheet of greaseproof paper like a sausage and refrigerate. Once firm, cut into discs the size of a pound coin.

Make a salad dressing by adding the honey, mustard and vinegar to a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper then whisk whilst trickling in the rapeseed oil. Set to one side. 

Place a good frying pan on the hob and take it to a moderate heat, then add the beef fat. Season the steak and add to the pan with the thyme. Turn the heat up a bit if needed, then add the knob of butter and continue to cook on each side until it begins to caramelise. This should take about one minute on each side. Season again and place in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and rest on a plate in a warm place. Just before serving place a disc of garlic butter to the still-warm steak to melt.

Mix the red onion with the salad leaves and toss with the dressing. Season and place onto a fresh plate with the steak.

NEIL'S RECIPES: QUEEN OF PUDDINGS

“My mum used to make this when we were little, and it has incredibly strong food memories for me. It’s a great way to use up stale bread. It’s cheap to make as most of us have a half-used jar of jam open, don’t we? And meringue isn’t too difficult to make. The hint of lemon works great with this.”

Makes one pudding

INGREDIENTS

Half a loaf of good bread, and/or cake crumbs, 200g in total

Zest of one lemon

A pinch of nutmeg

220g caster sugar

A knob of butter

4 eggs, separated

2 large tablespoons of any jam you like, I like bramble but raspberry is good

350ml milk

350ml double cream

METHOD

Firstly, mix the cake and bread crumbs into the milk and cream then add the nutmeg, lemon peel and half the sugar. Give it a good mix then add the egg yolks and mix again. Place into a butter-lined ovenproof dish.

Next, dot wee knobs of butter over the top of the mix. Place the dish in a roasting tin half-filled with hot water and bake at 180°C for 40 to 45 minutes, until just firm to the touch. The deeper the dish, the longer it will take.

Allow to cool slightly then whisk the egg whites until stiff then add gradually add the remaining sugar, a little at a time to make a meringue. Pipe or spoon the meringue in small circles around the edge of the bread pudding (to resemble a crown) and glaze under the grill.

Melt the jam in a pot on the stove and spoon into the centre of the crown of meringue. Serve warm.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SMOKED MACKEREL PÂTÉ, PICKLES

“This is so popular at Cafe. You can try smoking your own or buy good-quality smoked fish from a fishmonger or market stall. This keeps well in the fridge for up to a week and can be potted up into ramekins, topped with a splash of melted butter for storing. The pickles are a great addition, as are oatcakes of course.”

Makes enough for several servings

INGREDIENTS

3 fillets of smoked mackerel

2 tablespoons of crème fraîche

Juice of half a lemon

A twist of pepper

250ml cider vinegar

250ml water

100g sugar

A few spices (star anise, peppercorns)

A handful of vegetables like carrots, cucumber and onion, peeled and cut into nice shapes

A teaspoon of good salt

A few oatcakes

METHOD 

Firstly make a pickle by boiling the spices, vinegar, water, salt and sugar together for a minute.  Then add the vegetables to this liquor. Remove from the heat and put in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. This can be stored for months if you don’t use all the pickles at once.

To make the mackerel pâté, blitz the mackerel with the crème fraîche in a food processor until smooth. Then add the pepper and lemon to taste. It should be nice and smooth.

Keep the pâté in a tub in your fridge until required. It’s perfect with oatcakes and those pickles!