NEIL'S RECIPES: OXTAIL CROQUETTE WITH BEETROOT

“I adore oxtail and I have been cooking it for nearly 40 years. It has a richness that you don’t get from any other cut. Cooked on the bone and flaked off after long and slow cooking makes these delicious croquettes with a delicious, moist interior and a crunchy, golden exterior.”

Serves 4

Prep time: 40 minutes; cooking time 4 to 6 hours; cooling time: overnight

INGREDIENTS

1 large oxtail, cut into segments, get your butcher to do this as it’s quite tricky

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

1 stick celery, roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

A few peppercorns

1 large glass of red wine

2 litres good beef stock

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

Pickled beetroot for garnish

Salad leaves for garnish

Caper mayonnaise, optional

METHOD

Heat the oven to 140°C.

Heat the oil until very hot in a thick-bottomed pan. Add the oxtail and cook carefully until golden brown all over—this will take 5 to 10 minutes—take your time.

Remove the oxtail from the pan onto a plate. In the same pan, cook the roughly-chopped veg until golden—you may need to add more oil.

When browned, return the oxtail to the pan, then the red wine and bring to the boil. Reduce the by half then add the stock.

Next, add the bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns and cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper.

Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid, discarding the greaseproof paper.

Place the pan in the oven to cook slowly for 4 to 6 hours until the meat is falling off the bone with ease. Check after 3 hours.

When cooked, remove from the oven, and place the oxtail on a tray. Once cooled enough to touch, pick all the meat off the bone and keep it warm.

Pass the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pan and reduce until just a small cupful remains—this will take 20 to 30 minutes. Pour this liquid into a bowl and add the oxtail meat. Season and mix well.

Press this mixture into a clingfilm-lined container or terrine mould and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove from the fridge and cut into chunky slices, about an inch thick. Run these slices through the plain flour, then the beaten eggs, followed by the panko breadcrumbs, and deep fry until golden brown—this should take 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve with pickled beetroot, caper mayonnaise and a few salad leaves.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CURED TROUT WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER AND HORSERADISH

“Trout is similar to salmon but more sustainable. Here I have cured the raw fish in salt and sugar in the same way you would gravadlax—so flavoursome and fresh. It keeps well and looks great on a white plate with some good radishes and pickled items. Horseradish is good from a jar but try making your own with crème fraîche and some acidity from the juice of a lemon to give a nice kick to the fish.”

Serves 10, if using a whole side

Cooking time: 20 minutes; prep time: 30 minutes, plus three days

INGREDIENTS

1 side of trout weighing around 800g, skin on and pin-boned

For the cure:

175g coarse salt

75g good, light brown sugar

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

3 star anise

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the cucumber pickle:

1/2 a cucumber, halved and seeds scraped out

100g caster sugar

200ml cider vinegar

200ml cold water

2 star anise

Pinch salt

For the horseradish:

1 heaped tablespoon freshly grated horseradish, or a tablespoon from a jar

2 tablespoons crème fraîche

Juice of half a lemon

To garnish:

A few radishes, quartered

A few salad leaves, like lamb’s lettuce or watercress

METHOD

To make the cure, combine all the ingredients. Spread half in the centre of a sheet of greaseproof paper. Lay the trout on top and rub the remaining mixture over the top. Press it down and wrap the fish up in the paper. Place on a tray in the fridge for three days.

After three days, remove the fish from the paper and run it under a cold tap for a minute, then pat dry with a clean tea towel. Mix the chopped dill with the olive oil then rub it all over the fish. Wrap in cling film and leave aside for 3 to 4 hours. After this the trout will be ready to be sliced for serving using a sharp serrated knife.

To make the pickled cucumber, slice the cucumber into half-moon shapes and add to a pot with all the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Allow to cool and set to one side. This will keep well in an air-tight jar.

To make the horseradish, mix all the ingredients and give it a little whisk so it stiffens slightly. 

To serve, arrange slices of trout on a plate and then decorate with a few radishes, some lamb’s lettuce or watercress, pickled cucumber, and the horseradish. Perfect with some toasted rye bread.

NEIL'S RECIPES: WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH CHERRIES

"Simple and delicious, a cheesecake needn’t be overly fancy. The little kick of orange zest in the mix is lovely. Try to buy British cherries as our orchards are disappearing every year and it would be a shame to lose them forever. Use a different alcohol if you prefer, or none at all, but use the sugar as it helps to cut through that rich cheese cake." 

Makes one 10” cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

150g digestive biscuits

50g unsalted butter, melted

400g white chocolate

100g caster sugar

Zest of 1 orange

350g cream cheese

3 eggs

100ml double cream

A large handful of cherries, pitted and halved

50ml Cointreau

50g caster sugar for the cherries

Edible flowers for garnishing

METHOD

Blitz the biscuits to crumb stage in a food processor. Thoroughly mix the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter and half the orange zest in a bowl, then press this mixture into a loose-bottomed 10” spring-form cake tin lined with greaseproof paper.

Next, cream the sugar and cream cheese to a loose consistency then add the remaining orange zest before beating in the eggs one at a time. Then fold in the cream.

Heat the chocolate very gently in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Once melted, combine with the cream cheese mix and spread it over the biscuit base. Tap the cake tin on your work surface to remove any air bubbles.

Place into the oven to bake for 45 minutes at 150°C until set. Remove from the oven and place in the fridge until cold.

To make the cherry topping, put the fruit in a pot and place on a medium heat on the hob. Add the Cointreau and sugar and bring to the boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes then allow to cool before topping the cheesecake. When serving, garnish with edible flowers from the garden. I like calendula and borage just now.

NEIL'S RECIPES: COURGETTE TART

“This is a stunningly simple little tart to have as a starter or a main course. The tiny amount of grated lemon really makes a difference here. Serve a big home-grown salad on the side and you have the perfect summer dish.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 2 hours for drying the tomato); cooking time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 saucer-sized circles of puff pastry, cut out about 0.5 cm thick

2 medium courgettes, washed and thinly sliced

4 tablespoons crowdie

Zest from half a lemon

1 tomato

A few thyme leaves

1 clove garlic, bashed

1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus extra for the tomato

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat oven to 110°C.

Remove the eye from the tomato and cut it in half. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and a drizzle of olive oil and cook slowly in the oven for 2 hours.

Turn the oven up to 180°C.

Place the pastry discs on an ovenproof tray.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and courgettes and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes to just get a flavour of garlic on the slices of courgette. Season and remove from the pan. Set to one side.

Next, use an electric whisk to whip the crowdie in a bowl until it’s nice and smooth. This will take about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and some pepper and place into a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a spoon to smear a layer of crowdie over the pastry discs. Retain some crowdie as a topping.

Arrange the sautéed courgettes on top of the crowdie and season. Pop in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the edges of the pastry are golden brown. Check the bottom isn’t soggy; if so bake for a little longer.

Remove the tarts from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes, then pipe the remaining crowdie into the centre of each tart and place a dried tomato on top. Finish with a trickle of olive oil and serve.

NEIL'S RECIPES: ORGANIC CHICKEN & LEEK TERRINE, SAUCE GRIBICHE

“The flavour from Grierson Organic birds is superb. Keep this simple because you want to taste the leek and the chicken—you could easily mask their subtlety.”

Serves 4 to 6

Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours; prep time: 40 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration

INGREDIENTS

For the terrine:

4 legs of organic free-range chicken, I get mine from Grierson Organic

1 large leek

750g duck fat, melted on the hob until hot

A sprig of thyme

1 garlic bulb

1 tablespoon grain mustard

A few fronds of tarragon, chopped

100g butter, melted

Good salt and pepper

For the sauce gribiche:

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon cornichons, chopped

1 teaspoon capers, chopped

1 hard-boiled egg (10 minutes), white and yolk chopped

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon, chervil, parsley and chives

4 tablespoons fresh mayonnaise

A few cornichons and radishes to garnish

Lemon juice (optional)

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Begin by washing the leek. Cook it whole or halved in salted water or stock for 45 minutes until soft. Dry by rolling in a tea towel.

Heat the oven to 140°C

To make the terrine, season the chicken legs with plenty salt and pepper and leave for 40 minutes, then rinse under a cold tap and place into a deep oven-proof dish or pot. Add the hot duck fat (retaining a few tablespoons for later), thyme and garlic and cover with a lid. Place in the oven for 2 to 3 hours, turning each leg occasionally.

Once cooked, remove from oven and leave in the fat to cool for 1 hour, then remove the legs from the fat and place them on a cooling wire for 20 minutes. Once cooled, remove the skin and flake the meat into a bowl, it should still be slightly warm. I like to keep the skin and crisp it up on a tray in the oven to enjoy as a snack.

Add the mustard, a little tarragon and a few tablespoons of the duck fat to the meat. Mix, season and add the melted butter.

Rub the insides of a terrine mould or Tupperware container with a little oil and layer with 3 sheets of clingfilm.

Press half of the chicken mixture in the mould, then add all the leek in one layer, top with the remaining chicken. Fold over the clingfilm over to cover and weigh it down with something that fits. Refrigerate overnight.

To make the sauce gribiche, simply combine all the ingredients together and taste. Does it need more mustard perhaps? Lemon juice even? Seasoning? 

To serve, remove the cling film from the terrine and carefully slice. Arrange on a plate with the sauce gribiche, some cornichons, radishes and a few salad leaves.

NEIL'S RECIPES: NICOISE SALAD

“A classic dish, it has everything you need: just warm potatoes, green beans, radishes, fat and sweet olives, and new season tomatoes. Even sun-dried tomatoes are delicious through this. And of course, the anchovy and egg. A rich, organic soft-boiled egg brings the dish together and creates a dressing in itself. Topped with a drizzle of good, extra-virgin olive oil I am happy to sit and eat that plate of food with a cold glass of rosé.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 organic egg

A small handful of green beans

A few tomatoes, chopped (or a tablespoon of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

6 anchovy fillets

2 or 3 new potatoes

1 tablespoon of black kalamata olives, pitted and halved

A few watercress leaves

A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Boil the egg for 6 minutes to achieve a soft-boil. Cool, peel and cut in half.

Blanch the green beans in boiling, salted water for 4 minutes. Refresh in cold water.

Boil the potatoes until soft. Allow to cool slightly, then slice.

To create the salad, simply combine the still-warm potatoes with the beans. Then add the watercress, and tomatoes. Season, and add some olive oil.

Divide between two plates, then scatter over the anchovies and place each egg half on top. Add a touch more seasoning and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Serve at once.

NEIL'S RECIPES: HALIBUT, SHETLAND MUSSELS, DILL CREAM AND LEEKS

“Halibut has loads of flavour and colours-up beautifully when cooked with a knob of butter. Here it’s served with Shetland blue shell mussels and a creamy rich sauce made using fish stock from the halibut carcass. If you can, make your own stock and freeze any left over. And always use fresh herbs!”

Serves 2

Cooking time: 20 minutes; prep time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

x2 150g halibut fillets

1 handful blue shell mussels, beards removed and washed

75ml white wine

1 sprig of thyme

1 shallot, roughly chopped

500ml fish stock

250ml double cream

A bunch of dill, stalks and fronds separated

1 small leek, roughly chopped

Half an onion, roughly chopped

2 knobs of butter

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

Lemon juice

1 teaspoon of parsley / chives, chopped

Good salt and pepper 

METHOD

To make the sauce, add the wine, shallot and thyme to a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce by two thirds. Then add the fish stock (retain a couple of tablespoons for later) and reduce by two thirds. Add the cream and bring to the boil being careful that it doesn’t boil it over. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the dill stalks. Season with salt and pepper, and lemon juice if needed. Strain through a fine sieve and keep warm.

Next, cook the onion and leek in a knob butter and the remaining fish stock for 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Season and set to one side.

To cook the fish, place a non-stick frying pan on the hob, add the rapeseed oil and bring to a medium heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper and carefully pat dry on a tea bowl. Add the fish to the pan and cook for a few minutes on one side. When it’s just about colouring, flip the fish over and add a knob of butter. Baste and season again with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

As the fish cooks, bring the sauce to the boil and add the mussels. Return to the boil; the mussels will open quickly. Stir in the chopped parsley and chives.

To serve, place the leeks on a plate and top with the fish. Drizzle the sauce over the dish and top with a few fronds of dill.

NEIL'S RECIPES: HERRING IN OATMEAL

“I adore the history, simplicity, taste and method of this recipe. Try mixing the pinhead oats with some oatmeal flour or porridge oats, as the pinheads can fall off in the pan. Don’t overcook it, or worry about the bones as they are a great source of calcium. The oats help you crunch through them, so you won’t notice them at all. If the salad sounds like too much hassle, I love herring cooked this way served with buttery, boiled new potatoes and a big green salad.”

Serves 1
Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes; cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 herring, butterflied

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon pinhead oats 

1 tablespoon oatmeal or porridge oats

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil

3 to 4 cherry plum tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon chopped cucumber, seeds removed

1 tablespoon thinly-sliced red onion

1 teaspoon mini capers

1 tablespoon croutons (cubes of stale bread fried in cold-pressed rapeseed oil until golden)

A few strips of roasted pepper

A few radish slices

A few mint leaves, ripped

A few basil leaves, ripped

A few marjoram leaves

1 tablespoon red wine or bramble vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Good salt and pepper

A squeeze of lemon

METHOD

I’d suggest making the salad first, so mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, capers, croutons, roasted pepper, radish, mint, basil, marjoram, vinegar, oil and seasoning in a bowl and set to one side.

Place the melted butter in a bowl big enough to place the fish fillets into. Do the same with the oats and oatmeal, giving them a season and a quick mix also.

Then dunk the skin-side of herring into the melted butter, then into the oat mix, patting it down firmly so it sticks.

Next, place a good non-stick pan on the hob and heat to moderate temperature and add the rapeseed oil. Then place to fish in, skin-side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Try not to move it too much. Then very carefully, flip the fish over using a large fish slice or palette knife. Continue to cook and add more oil if you need to. The oats should be golden, but if not, place the pan under the grill and finish cooking the fish here. Otherwise, continue to cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes and season with salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice.

To serve, place the herring on a plate, skin-side up and arrange the salad all around the fish, and eat at once.

NEIL'S RECIPES: COURGETTE, BASIL AND MINT SOUP WITH OVEN-DRIED TOMATO AND ANSTER CHEESE

"This is a great way to use up these wonderful vegetables when you have a glut. The recipe is so easy and it keeps well - it’s great served chilled in small amounts on a very hot summer’s day. The extra-virgin olive oil really works here. And do use the courgette flowers as a garnish." 

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: tomatoes up to 2 hours, soup 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 large courgettes, diced into rough 1-inch cubes
1 banana shallot, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small handful of basil and mint leaves, roughly chopped
100g grated Anster cheese, or any other hard, crumbly cheese
2 tomatoes
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
Good salt and pepper
A few edible flowers like cornflower blue or calendula to garnish

METHOD
Heat the oven to 150°C / Gas Mark 2

Remove the eyes from the tomatoes and give them a good wash. Cut them in half and lay them on an ovenproof tray. Sprinkle with good salt and pepper and trickle over some extra-virgin olive oil. Place in the oven for between 1 and 2 hours. Remove and keep in a tub in the fridge if you wish.

Heat 50ml of the oil in a pot and sweat the shallot and the garlic until soft, then add the courgette and season with good salt and pepper. Stir and add enough boiling water to cover and a bit more.

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until soft - don’t let it dry out – then add the herbs and blitz with a hand-blender.

Add 3/4 of the cheese and blitz again - it doesn’t need to be super-smooth. Check the seasoning. 

To serve, pour the soup into warmed bowls and add the tomatoes and the extra cheese. Garnish with some edible flowers and an extra trickle of olive oil. Serve with some good bread.

NEIL'S RECIPES: BUTTERMILK PUDDING WITH PERTHSHIRE BERRIES

“I prefer this British version of panna cotta as the buttermilk gives it a creamy richness. I had this recently at St John in London and they served it with boozy raisins, delicious. This recipe was given to me by a young chef called Jess who worked at Balintaggart Farm—she’s a great cook. We serve it with a few berries and a biscuit, or as here, a ginger snap.”

Serves 6
Prep time: 45 minutes; cooking time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

600ml buttermilk

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed

400ml double cream

250g caster sugar

3 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water to blooM

A handful or Perthshire berries (optional)

Shortbread or gingersnaps (optional)

METHOD

In a thick-bottomed pan, carefully heat the buttermilk, cream and sugar with the vanilla pod until just about to boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the vanilla to flavour the cream.

After 5 minutes, add the bloomed gelatine and mix well until it dissolves entirely.

Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and put this into a larger bowl of cold, iced water until it almost sets, stirring all the time. This will take around 5 to 10 minutes. We do this to suspend the vanilla in the cream, so it doesn’t sink to the bottom.

Pour the mix into pretty glasses or ramekins and pop in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours to set.

To serve, decorate with berries in season or perhaps a spoonful of compote. I like to serve a biscuit with mine too—some shortbread or a ginger snap is delicious.