NEIL'S RECIPES: LOIN OF VENISON WITH GREENS AND BARLEY

“The flavours of a roasted piece of venison—even in summer—are delicious. The trickle of meat juices and the barley go so well here, and a kick of wild garlic, if you have it, is very welcome. A few leaves make it a lovely dish.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

450g piece of loin of venison, red deer or roe deer

200g of pearl barley, washed in a sieve

1 Savoy cabbage, or equivalent of spring greens

3 nobs of butter

A few hard herbs, like thyme

Good salt and pepper

A trickle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

METHOD

Drain the barley and place in a pot. Cover with water, season with salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until just soft. Drain and add a nob of butter on top. Keep in a warm place.

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and season the venison with salt and pepper. Fry in a trickle of rapeseed oil with a wee nob of butter and some thyme. Baste as you go, cooking for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown all over. The longer you cook it for, the more well done it will be.

Allow the venison to rest before carving. At least 5 minutes, then give it a flash under a grill to heat up again.

Cut the cabbage into strips and wilt down in a pot with a nob of butter and salt and pepper. I like it quite crunchy.

To serve, carve the venison and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle the barley and drape the cabbage over and around the meat. Delicious and simple.

NEIL'S RECIPES: WHISKY AND OAT PARFAIT

“For this pudding I’ve used a 10-year-old Arran Malt with notes of citrus and honey followed by vanilla and butterscotch. It makes a wonderful parfait. I’ve started to appreciate whisky properly and am better at distinguishing all those complex flavours. I know some people don't really get it, but go on, give it a try!”

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

4 organic egg yolks

125g caster sugar

100mls water

500mls double cream

A good splosh of whisky

A handful of pinhead oats, lightly toasted

A handful of porridge oats, fried in butter and sugar until golden

A few Scottish strawberries

Sweet cicely for a garnish

METHOD

Add the water and the sugar to a pan and gently bring to the boil. It must reach soft-ball texture, so it looks like a clear syrup. Whisk the egg yolks and trickle in the sugar solution a little at a time - you can use a Kenwood for this - until the mix is full of volume. Allow this mix to cool for about 10 minutes.

In a clean bowl, semi-whip the cream until it reaches ribbon stage. Then gently fold it into the egg yolk and sugar mix, using a cutting/folding action.

Add the whisky to taste, then the toasted pinhead oats and combine. Pour into a terrine mould double-lined with cling film and freeze overnight.

To serve remove from the freezer, tip the parfait out of the mould and remove cling film. Then cut into slices and place on cool plates and serve with a few berries, some sweet cicely and some of those buttery sugary oats. Now eat!

NEIL'S RECIPES: SCALLOPS WITH LEMON, PARSLEY AND GARLIC BUTTER

"Always, only buy hand-dived scallops—the dredged ones are awful and do untold damage to the seabed, wiping out the habitat of so many species. Cheap scallops are exactly that. They are in great demand at Cafe St Honoré, but we take them off the menu regularly to allow stocks to recover. Simply served, as here, is an absolute classic." 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 

Allow 3 scallops per person

2 large garlic cloves, bashed, peeled and chopped quite finely

150g unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons of freshly-chopped curly parsley

Zest and juice of 1 very large organic lemon

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Keep the scallops in the shell - ask your fishmonger to do this for you, and leave the orange coral on too.

To make the butter, add the chopped garlic to the melted butter and add some fine zest of lemon and season with salt and pepper. Add the parsley and mix.

You can fry the scallops in a hot pan with a little rapeseed oil, one at a time, but I prefer to spoon on the garlic butter on to each scallop in the shell and place under a very hot, pre-heated grill or the top shelf of a very hot oven (250°C) until they are golden brown but not over-cooked.

Serve in the shells with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of good salt and a lemon wedge. Eat at once.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SUMMER PUDDING

"This has to be the perfect pudding to have when the weather is warm and fruit is in abundance. The flavour of cooked fruit—sweetened, but not too much—and soaked bread is lovely, served with either crème fraîche or clotted cream. The addition of vanilla makes a big difference."

Serves 4

20 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 slices of white bread, the best you can find, not too thickly cut, crusts removed

4 handfuls of blackcurrants

4 handfuls of redcurrants

8 large strawberries, tops removed

A handful of brambles

A handful of raspberries

Extra berries for garnish

2 to 3 tablespoons of caster sugar

1/2 a vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

4 dollops of extra-thick double cream

METHOD

Firstly line 4 dariole moulds or tea cups with oiled cling film. I would suggest using 2 to 3 layers.  Line the moulds with the bread to create an outer layer, leaving a piece of bread for the top of each pudding. Set to one side.

Now, give the berries a good wash and place them in a pot with the sugar and vanilla. Place on a gentle heat and bring to a simmer. Turn up the heat a little and boil for a few minutes until all the berries have softened. 

Remove the pan from the heat and tip the berries into a sieve, returning the liquid to the boil to reduce by half. Place the berries in the centre of the lined moulds and seal with a piece of bread.

Once the berry juice has reduced, pour it over the puddings, ensuring the liquid stains the bread. Reserve 2 tablespoons for serving. Wrap the cling film over to seal and place a weight on top. Pop into the fridge overnight. 

To serve, turn out the puddings onto plates and garnish with a few berries and the reduced berry juice. Serve with extra-thick double cream.

NEIL'S RECIPES: MACKEREL WITH SHAVED FENNEL AND CAPERS

“Simple, clean and elegant. Another fish dish but served with a light shaved fennel salad—crisp and fresh—and the mackerel must be newly-caught to be delicately cooked in a pan. I like the skin to be golden and just a touch crisp. A few capers are welcome to cut through the richness.”

Serves 1
Prep time: 10 minutes; cooking time: 4 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 fillets of fresh mackerel, all bones removed

1/2 fennel bulb, peeled

A few salad leaves

Chopped mixed herbs, like chervil and dill

1 tablespoon mini capers

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon vinegar, or any fruit vinegar will do

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

Juice of half a lemon

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Make the salad by slicing the fennel on a mandolin or cutting very thinly with a knife. Add this to a bowl with the chopped parsley, vinegar, capers, 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Set to one side. 

Place a non-stick pan on a moderately hot hob and heat 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling it to coat the base of the pan. Ensure the fish is dry, then carefully place the fillets skin-side-down into the hot pan. Press down lightly with a fish slice, then season with salt and pepper. Ensure the skin is in contact with the oil and doesn’t warp in the heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, season again, then carefully turn over and cook for 45 seconds. I prefer it to be cooked slightly under, rather than over. 

Remove the mackerel from the pan and place straight onto a plate. Garnish with the fennel salad and a few mixed leaves and herbs. Drizzle with the remaining oil and a good squeeze of lemon.

NEIL'S RECIPES: STRAWBERRIES, CREAM, MERINGUE AND BRAMBLE VINEGAR

“A taste of summer in a bowl. There are many farms now growing red fruits, so support your local one, farm shop or farmers’ market. It is an Eton mess, but more elegant. The sweet cicely is a lovely addition with a hint of anise.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 punnet of local, new-season strawberries, husks removed, washed and at room temperature

150ml double cream, lightly whipped

A handful of mini meringues – shop-bought is fine

A few tablespoons of bramble-infused vinegar

Icing sugar for dusting

A few sweet cicely leaves

METHOD

Arrange the strawberries in a bowl, with the mini meringues dotted around then pipe the cream on top. Drizzle the vinegar over the top and add a dusting of icing sugar and a few leaves of sweet cicely.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CRISPY ERRINGTON’S ELRICK LOG GOAT'S CHEESE WITH SALSA ROSSA

“The light crispness comes from the flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs that coat creamy slices of Selina’s fine cheese. The piquant addition of salsa rossa makes this dish a great starter or main. The use of fresh mint, parsley and basil is essential here. Do not use dried herbs please.”

Serves 2
Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking  time: 5 minutes plus 1 hour to roast the peppers

INGREDIENTS

1 Errington Elrick Log, cut into 6 slices, available from IJ Mellis or George Mewes or online from Errington Cheese
1 red pepper
2 tomatoes, quartered, seeds removed and diced
Quarter of a radicchio lettuce, washed and diced into small cubes
Half a small red onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon capers
1 tablespoon good red wine vinegar, I like Forum Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar for its sharp but subtle sweetness
2 to 3 tablespoons good olive oil
Good salt and pepper
2 eggs, whisked with a little milk, salt and pepper
2 tablespoons plain flour
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs, Panko are good to use here
A handful of ground almonds
A few radish slices to garnish
500ml rapeseed oil

METHOD 

Heat the oven to 180°C and roast the pepper for an hour. Allow to cool, remove the skin and seeds, then dice.

Make the salsa rosso by mixing the onion, radicchio, parsley, mint, basil, capers, diced tomatoes, diced peppers and vinegar together in bowl and trickling over a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the rapeseed oil in a fryer or small pot to 180°C.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the ground almonds. Dip the goat’s cheese in flour, then the egg wash and then the breadcrumbs to give them a good coating. Fry in the hot rapeseed oil until golden - about 1 to 2 minutes.

Plate this dish up simply. Add the salsa to the plates and place the crispy goat’s cheese on top. Add a few slices of radish for a crunchy garnish.

NEIL'S RECIPES: ARBROATH SMOKIE AND TOASTED OAT SALAD

“This is a delicious little salad, full of flavour and helpful to have most of the work done beforehand. It looks light and summery, but it is rich—so do not make the salads too big. The crème fraîche really helps, and the oats should be gently toasted.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 Arbroath smokies

4 dollops of crème fraîche

2 tablespoons pinhead oats, lightly toasted

4 small handfuls of washed salad leaves, I like a good mix from Phantassie Organic, but rocket is just as good

A squeeze of half a lemon

Good salt and pepper

2 radishes, very thinly sliced

A wee trickle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil

METHOD

Heat the oven to 150°C. Place the smokies on an ovenproof tray and warm them for around 15 to 20 minutes. Then allow them to cool slightly before peeling the skin off and removing the bones. Keep to one side.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the salad leaves, oats (save a few for a garnish) and crème fraîche. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice before adding the flaked smokies to the bowl.

Give it a good mix and add a drizzle of cold-pressed rapeseed oil. Have a taste, it may need some more seasoning.

To plate up, distribute the salad between 4 plates and scatter the radishes on top. Then add a few more toasted oats. Delicious.

NEIL'S RECIPES: WARM VANILLA RICE PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRIES, WILD MINT AND PRALINE

“This takes me right back to childhood around the dining room table when rice pudding was a treat, with a dollop of mum’s homemade strawberry jam spooned into the middle. I’d always swirl it around and make it into a pink mess, to my mum’s horror. Tasted great though!”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the praline

1 tablespoon hazelnuts, peeled
2 tablespoons caster sugar

For the pudding

1 heaped tablespoon pudding rice
1 teaspoon butter
1/3 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out and pod retained
1 tablespoon caster sugar
300ml milk
2 tablespoons double cream
6 strawberries, two halved, the others left whole
4 mint leaves, shredded

METHOD

Heat the oven 180°C

Make praline by gently melting the sugar on a moderate heat until it becomes caramel, making sure it doesn’t burn. This shouldn’t take long. When golden brown, add the hazelnuts and combine whilst still on the heat. Then carefully pour from the pan onto an oiled surface or a non-stick silicon mat, and allow to cool for an hour or so. Once cool, blitz in a food processor to the texture of breadcrumbs. Set aside.

To make the rice pudding, place the rice, milk, sugar and the vanilla seeds and pod in a an ovenproof dish and bring to a very gentle simmer on the hob. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Keep checking to ensure it isn’t catching on the bottom. Once the rice has swollen, it’s cooked.

If you prefer skin on your rice pudding, how my mum makes it, then cook in a shallow ovenproof dish and do not cover. It may take a little longer.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and add the butter and cream to enrich the rice. Allow to cool for a minute or two then serve in warm bowls topped with a few strawberries, a sprinkle of praline and some shredded mint leaves. 

NEIL'S RECIPES: CRISP LOCH CRERAN OYSTERS WITH SAUCE GRIBICHE

“I could eat oysters every day. There are many types of oysters out there to try, and we use a lot of them. Their character and flavour change with the area, weather conditions and the seasons — but these are delicious, and the crispy batter is to die for. Even if you think you don’t like oysters, try these.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Allow 4 to 6 oysters per person

1 tablespoon of plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk

1 handful of breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil for shallow frying

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1 hard-boiled egg, white and yolk chopped separately

1 tablespoon of cornichons and capers, chopped

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley and tarragon

4 tablespoons of mayonnaise

A few fennel fronds for garnish

A squeeze of lemon juice

Some course sea salt, mixed with a little water, to place the oysters on

METHOD

Be very careful not to puncture the oyster flesh when removing them from their shells. Ask your fishmonger to do this for you if you prefer, but make sure you keep the shells.

Roll each oyster through the flour, then the egg wash, then breadcrumbs and set to one side.

Clean the oyster shells for serving.

To make the sauce gribiche, gently mix the chopped egg and mayonnaise, then add the shallot, cornichons, capers, parsley and tarragon, and a splash of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix together gently.

Place a frying pan on the hob and bring it to a medium heat before adding the oil. Once the oil is hot, gently cook the oysters, being careful not to burn them. Turn them often and cook for a minute or so either side. Remove the oysters from the pan and dab them with kitchen paper.

To serve, place the wet salt on to serving dish, arranging the oyster shells on top. Return the cooked oysters to the shells, placing a dod of sauce gribiche and a frond of fennel on top of each. Eat immediately.