NEIL'S RECIPES: PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH ELDERBERRY SYRUP

“It’s a sign Autumn is here when Ben our forager brings elderberries into the kitchen. Those vibrant, deep shades of reds and purples will stain anything within 100 yards, be warned! The flavour of the syrup is salty, sweet, earthy with a tang. Serve with any ice cream you like. I have used cinnamon, made at Cafe St Honoré with sticks instead of cinnamon powder as it has a finer, more refined flavour.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 30 minutes; Cooking time: 1.5 hours

INGREDIENTS

300g peeled pumpkin flesh

4 tablespoons crowdie cheese

1 egg

2 tablespoons caster sugar

4 digestive biscuits

1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds

40g unsalted butter, melted

A pinch of cinnamon

A pinch of mixed spice

2 scoops of ice-cream to serve, optional

Mint to garnish, optional

For the elderberry syrup:

250g elderberries, removed from their stalks with a fork, and lightly crushed

1/2 a lemon, sliced

1-inch piece of ginger

1/2 a cinnamon stick

Enough water to cover

200g caster sugar

METHOD

Begin by making the syrup. Bring all the ingredients to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so on a moderate heat. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin, squeezing every last drop out. Be careful and wear an apron as the mixture may splash and stain your clothes. 

If you have 200ml of juice, add 200g of caster sugar to the liquid (if you have 150ml juice, add 150g sugar, etc) and bring to a gentle boil on a moderate heat and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve or muslin again, and leave to cool in a jar or container with a sealed lid. A sterilised jar is great.

Heat oven to 200°C / Gas Mark 7

To make the cheesecake, cook the pumpkin flesh in a hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes to ensure its soft. Remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 160°C. Place the pumpkin  in a bowl and smash with a whisk until smooth. As it cools, add the crowdie cheese, a pinch of mixed spice and cinnamon, and beat in the egg and sugar. Set to one side. 

Next, bash the biscuits and seeds until they have a very fine sand texture - use a processor if required. Add the melted butter, a pinch of cinnamon and mixed spice and combine. 

Oil two 4-inch metal ring and spoon in half the base mixture into each, pressing down firmly. Next, top each base with the cheesecake mix and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until just cooked. Allow to cool and be careful when removing the metal rings. Run a small, hot knife round the edge of the cheesecake before attempting to remove the ring. 

Serve with your favourite ice cream and a trickle of elderberry syrup and crumble any leftover biscuit base over the top and top with a sprig of mint.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SEARED SCALLOPS WITH GAZPACHO SAUCE

“The flavour of a scallop with a kick of salt and lemon is simple but sensational. Here I have added a gazpacho with a good amount of olive oil. Easy to make and serve. A few sprigs of dill help bring the taste together. Remember to always buy hand-dived scallops and ask your fishmonger to take them out of the shell for you.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

6 hand-dived scallops, removed from shell­­—get your fishmonger to do this

3 very red tomatoes, washed, cored and roughly chopped

1/3 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

1/2 red pepper, roughly chopped

1/3 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 slice good sourdough, roughly chopped

2 basil leaves

50ml olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Good salt and pepper

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

A knob of butter

Lemon juice

A few dill sprigs

METHOD

To make the gazpacho sauce, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, pepper, onion, bread, basil, vinegar and half the olive oil together in a bowl. Season and leave to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to macerate.

Next, carefully blitz the mixture in a food processor or blender for 2 to 3 minutes until a smooth consistency is achieved. A bit more oil may be required. Taste and season again if required. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and keep cool.

Rinse the scallops and dry on a cloth. Season. Then place a non-stick frying pan on the hob and take to a moderately high heat. Add a tablespoon of rapeseed oil and add the scallops carefully to the hot oil.

Cook on one side for a minute or two; do not be tempted to overcook them. Then turn the scallops and add a knob of butter, basting as you go for another minute or two. Season again and turn off the heat. Squeeze over a little lemon juice.

To serve, spoon the scallops onto warmed plates and spoon over the sauce. Decorate with a few sprigs of dill. Trickle over the remaining olive oil and eat at once.

NEIL'S RECIPES: VENISON SHOULDER AND AUTUMN VEG PIE

“Most of us love pies. They come in all shapes and sizes. I put my love of pies down to homemade pastry. Proper pastry with butter, or in a pork pie, a hot water paste. And using lard, or fresh beef fat or suet, can take a pie to a new level. Including animal fat in pastry (and cheap cuts in the pie) makes sense to me, ensuring the whole animal is used. 

That first sight of the cooked pie approaching the table can have an emotional effect on people. It’s that warming, homely experience that we all love. And of course, a pie must be served with a buttery mash, always buttery!”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

400g diced venison shoulder, or you can use beef or lamb

A little beef fat, or oil

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1/4 turnip, peeled and diced

2 sticks celery, peeled and diced

500ml leftover gravy or very thick reduced game or beef stock

Good salt and pepper

Pre-made rough-puff pastry – to cover your dish

1 egg beaten in a cup with a little salt

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf

METHOD

Fry the venison dice in the beef fat or oil in a thick-bottomed pot a hot hob. Be sure to get some good colour on the meat before adding the vegetables. Get a good colour on the veg before adding the thyme and bay leaf.

Season the pot with salt and pepper then add the leftover gravy or reduced stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and place a lid on top. Place in a low oven (150°C) for 2 to 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat and vegetables are soft and tender.

Pour the stew into a pie dish (I like Falcon Enamelware) and chill for an hour by an open window so it’s cold when you add the pastry lid.

Roll out your rough-puff pastry on a floured surface, to the same size as the dish top, and lay on the pie. Trim the edges and score a design on top, then brush the egg wash all over.

Cook in the oven at 200°C for 1 hour or until the pastry is cooked and the meat inside is piping hot. Glaze again on exit from the oven with more egg wash, and take to the table with lashings of buttery mash. 

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.