Sophie Grigson

Pasta with tomato sauce, mozzarella and

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1kg/2lbs 4oz fresh tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed and roughly chopped or 2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes in their juice
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of sugar (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme

To serve

• 400g/14oz pasta of your choice, cooked according to packet instructions
• 150g/5oz ball Italian mozzarella (or same weight of bocconcini, small balls of mozzarella)
• handful fresh basil leaves

Preparation method

1. Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over a gentle heat.
   
2. Add the onions and fry gently, stirring frequently, until translucent. They should be softened and not browned. Don't rush this stage - it should take about 8-10 minutes.
   
3. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or so to soften.
   
4. Tip in the fresh or tinned tomatoes and the tomato puree and stir.
   
5. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, sugar (if using), the bay leaf and thyme.
   
6. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes have reduced down to a thick sauce. You may need to add a little water to prevent it from catching.
   
7. When the sauce has been simmering for 10-20 minutes, bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook your pasta according to the packet instructions.
   
8. When the pasta is cooked, drain.
   
9. When the sauce is cooked, taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary. (At this stage, the sauce can be cooled and then frozen in containers for several months.)
   
10. When you're ready to serve it, tear the mozzarella into chunks and add to the sauce. Tear the basil leaves and add to the sauce, then turn off the heat from under the sauce.
    
11. Remove the bay leaf and thyme.
    
12. Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve.
    
    

    Stephen Terry's recipes

    Seared lamb with honey carrots and pesto dressing

    Ingredients

    For the seared lamb

    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 150g/5½oz lamb fillet
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic in their skins, crushed

    For the honey carrots

    • 1 bunch baby carrots, trimmed and washed
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 tbsp honey
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the pesto dressing

    • 85g/3oz pine nuts, toasted
    • 1 large handful basil leaves
    • 1 clove garlic, crushed
    • 4 tbsp olive oil

    Preparation method

    1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
       
    2. For the seared lamb, rub the oil into the meat and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry in an ovenproof frying pan along with the garlic cloves, until golden-brown all over. Transfer to the oven for 5-6 minutes (for rare), or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the oven to rest.
       
    3. For the honey carrots, cook the carrots in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, then drain well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the carrots along with the honey. Gently braise the carrots over a medium heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
       
    4. For the pesto, place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend to a smooth paste, adding more oil if necessary.
       
    5. To serve, arrange the honey carrots on a serving plate. Slice the lamb and place on top of the carrots. Drizzle the pesto around the edge of the plate.
       
       

       Theo Randall's recipes

       Salt duck breast and duck hash with

       Ingredients

       For the duck

       • 1 Madgett's Farm (or other quality supplier) duck, legs removed
       • 2kg/4lb 8oz Halen Mon sea salt (or other quality sea salt)
       • 2 tbsp olive oil

       For the duck hash and sauce

       • 2 duck legs (taken from the whole duck above)
       • salt and freshly ground black pepper
       • 400g/14oz duck fat
       • 500ml/18fl oz duck stock
       • 3 Desirée potatoes, peeled, cubed

       For the gizzard sausage

       • 25g/1oz salted butter
       • gizzards, liver and kidney from one duck, chopped
       • ½ bunch flatleaf parsley
       • salt and freshly ground black pepper
       • plain flour, to dust
       • 1 tbsp olive oil

       For garnish

       • 25g/1oz butter
       • 200g/7oz fresh peas
       • 200g/7oz fresh broad beans
       • 225g/8oz fresh spinach
       • 12 quails' eggs, fried, to garnish
       • large handful pea shoots

       Preparation method

    
    
    6. For the duck, remove the duck legs and set aside. Place the duck saddle on a bed of sea salt, cover and leave in a cool place for 36 hours.
       
    
    
    7. After 36 hours, wash and dry the saddle and steam for 30-40 minutes. Just before serving, remove the breasts from the duck saddle, heat a little olive oil and then pan-fry the duck breasts until golden-brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and rest for a few minutes before slicing.
       
    
    
    8. Meanwhile, for the hash, season the duck legs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and leave for one hour. Place the duck fat into a large pan, add the duck legs and cook gently (confit) at 100C/200F for five hours. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When cool, remove the duck legs from the fat. Pick the meat off the bones, dicarding the skin, and set the meat aside.
       
    
    
    9. Pour the duck stock into a large pan, add the potatoes and blanch for 5-6 minutes or until almost tender. Remove the potatoes from the duck stock and cool quickly on a tray in the fridge. Place the duck stock back on the heat, bring to a simmer, add the duck bones and any trimmings and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain, discard the bones and then place over a medium heat and boil until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Whisk in a little butter to thicken.
       
    
    
    10. For the gizzard sausage, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the gizzards, liver and kidney and pan-fry until golden-brown on all sides. Add the parsley and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave to cool, then shape the mixture into a sausage-shape, wrap in cling film and chill well for at least an hour. Slice into 2cm/1in rounds and dust each piece in plain flour. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, add the rounds and pan-fry until golden-brown on all sides.
        
    
    
    11. For the garnish, melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the peas and stir over a low for 3-4 minutes, or until tender, and then mash the peas.
        
    
    
    12. Drop the broad beans into a large pan of boiling salted water and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water. Remove the outer skins from the broad beans and set aside.
        
    
    
    13. Wilt the spinach in a large pan and then drain off the excess water.
        
    
    
    14. To complete the duck hash, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, add the blanched potatoes and confit duck and pan-fry until golden-brown all over.
        
    
    
    15. To serve, place a bed of spinach on four serving plates, top with the duck hash, place the sliced, cooked duck breast on top and then garnish with fried quails' eggs. Scatter round the broad beans and serve with a pile of peas, a slice of gizzard sausage and a small pile of pea shoots on the side. Drizzle with the duck stock sauce
        
        

        Lamb rump with roasted onion squash and salsa verde

        Ingredients

        For the lamb

        • 2 lemons, juice only
        • 75ml/3fl oz olive oil
        • 6 garlic cloves, left whole
        • 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
        • 4 lamb rumps, with fat on
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper

        For the salsa verde

        • 50g/2oz fresh flatleaf parsley leaves
        • 25g/1oz rocket leaves
        • 15g/½oz fresh mint leaves
        • 15g/½oz fresh marjoram leaves
        • 4-6 tbsp olive oil (to cover the herbs)
        • ¼ garlic clove
        • 1½ tbsp capers
        • 6 anchovy fillets
        • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, or to taste
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper

        For the roasted onion squash

        • 4 onion squash (or other small autumn squash), peeled and cut in half, seeds removed, flesh cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
        • 35ml/1¼fl oz olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
        • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
        • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
        • 800g/1lb 12oz fresh spinach
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper

        Preparation method

        1. For the lamb, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
           
        2. Pour the lemon juice and olive oil into a bowl. Add the six whole garlic cloves and all of the rosemary and mix together.
           
        3. Add the lamb rump and rub it all over with the marinade. Set aside for at least one hour.
           
        4. Meanwhile, for the salsa verde, finely chop the herbs and cover with oil immediately so that they don’t turn brown.
           
        5. Pound the garlic, capers and anchovies to a paste in a pestle and mortar (or in a food processor).
           
        6. Mix the herbs into the paste, then stir in Dijon mustard, to taste.
           
        7. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper (remember that anchovies and capers are both quite salty).
           
        8. For the roasted onion squash, place the cubes of onion squash into an ovenproof dish. Mix with the olive oil, the thyme and the chopped garlic.
           
        9. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and cook for 30 minutes, or until softened.
           
        10. Remove the aluminium foil and return the squash to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes, or until golden-brown. Keep warm.
            
        11. Remove the lamb from the marinade and pat dry. Season all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
            
        12. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over very high heat. When the pan is hot, add the marinated lamb rump and fry on all sides, or until browned all over.
            
        13. Transfer the lamb to the oven and roast for 10-12 minutes (for medium, depending on the size of the rump).
            
        14. Remove the lamb from the oven and set aside to rest for a couple of minutes.
            
        15. While the lamb is resting, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spinach and boil for one minute, or until wilted. Drain into a colander and press lightly with the back of a wooden spoon to remove any excess water. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil.
            
        16. To serve, spoon a little of the roasted onion squash into the centre of each of four serving plates. Pile a little spinach on top of each portion of squash. Carve each lamb rump lengthways into three slices and rest them against the spinach and squash. Spoon some of the salsa verde on top of the lamb.
            

         

        Tom Aikens

        Sea bass with lime and lemongrass

        in season

        Ingredients

        For the sea bass

        • 55ml/2fl oz olive oil
        • 1 lime, finely grated zest only
        • 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh chervil
        • 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh dill
        • 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh tarragon
        • 2 medium sea bass fillets, cut into 12 thin slices
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper

        For the lime syrup

        • 5 limes, zest and juice only
        • 40g/1½oz caster sugar

        For the apple and lime purée

        • 3 apples, Braeburn or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, cut into small cubes
        • 3 limes, zest and juice only
        • 15g/½oz caster sugar
        • sea salt and black pepper

        For the lemongrass sauce

        • 500ml/18fl oz fish stock
        • 500ml/18fl oz double cream
        • 6 lemongrass stalks, crushed and finely chopped
        • 2 lemons, juice only
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper

        Preparation method

    
    
    16. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
        
    
    
    17. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat.
        
    
    
    18. Cut four pieces of greaseproof paper, large enough to hold three pieces of sea bass each, and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle a little lime zest onto each of the oiled sheets.
        
        

        Tom Kime's recipes

        Spiced fish tagine

        : This recipe makes more ras-el-hanout than is necessary for this dish. The remaining ras-el-hanout will keep indefinitely in an airtight jar but loses its pungency the longer it is kept.
        

        Ingredients

        For the ras-el-hanout

        • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
        • 1 tsp ground turmeric
        • 1 tsp coriander seeds
        • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
        • ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
        • ¼ tsp freshly ground cardamom seeds
        • ¼ tsp freshly ground cloves

        For the tagine

        • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
        • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
        • 3 onions, peeled, finely sliced
        • 1 tsp cumin seeds
        • 2 tsp freshly ground ras-el-hanout (see above)
        • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
        • 3 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, roughly chopped
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper
        • 110ml/4fl oz fish stock or water
        • 4-6 plaice fillets, skin removed

        For the couscous

        • 200g/7oz couscous
        • 1 tbsp olive oil
        • ½ lemon, juice only
        • 250ml/9fl oz boiling water
        • 50g/2oz pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
        • 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
        • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
        • salt and freshly ground black pepper

        To serve

        • 1 lemon, juice only
        • 4 fresh coriander sprigs, leaves only

        Preparation method

        1. For the ras-el-hanout, mix all of the ras-el-hanout ingredients together until well combined. Grind in a spice grinder or coffee grinder to a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar.
           
        2. For the tagine, heat a terracotta tagine or heavy-based, lidded casserole over a medium to high heat.
           
        3. Heat the oil in the tagine or casserole, then add the garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
           
        4. Add the onions and reduce the heat, then cook the onions slowly for 10-12 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
           
        5. When the onions have softened, push them to one side of the tagine or casserole, then increase the heat slightly and add the cumin seeds, ras-el-hanout and cayenne pepper to the empty side of the casserole. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant, then stir the spices into onion mixture until they coat the onions.
           
        6. Add the chopped tomatoes and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring well.
           
        7. Add the fish stock or water, then return the mixture to a simmer.
           
        8. Add the plaice fillets to the tagine or casserole, then spoon over some of the sauce to cover the fish. Cover the tagine or casserole with the lid, then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for eight minutes, or until the plaice fillets are cooked through.
           
        9. Meanwhile, for the couscous, place the couscous, olive oil and lemon juice into a bowl. Pour over the boiling water, stir once, then cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Set aside for five minutes, or until the couscous has absorbed all of the water, then fluff the couscous grains with a fork.
           
        10. Stir the chopped pistachios, pomegranate seeds and coriander into the couscous until well combined, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
            
        11. Just before serving, squeeze the lemon juice over the plaice tagine, then sprinkle over the coriander leaves.
            
        12. To serve, divide the couscous equally among four to six serving plates. Place one plaice fillet on top of each serving, then spoon over the remaining tagine.
            
            
            

            Tom Kitchin's recipes

            Razor clams with diced vegetables, chorizo, sautéed squid and wild herbs

            Ingredients

            For the razor clams

            • 8 razor clams, washed well under running water to remove any grit
            • 2 shallots, peeled, finely chopped
            • 110ml/4fl oz white wine
            • 2 tsp vegetable oil
            • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 0.5cm/¼ cubes
            • 1 courgette, peeled and cut into 0.5cm/¼ cubes
            • 1 fennel bulb, cut into 0.5cm/¼ cubes
            • 110g/4oz cooking chorizo, cut into 0.5cm/¼ cubes
            • 110ml/4fl oz whipping cream
            • 110g/4oz broad beans (podded weight), pods removed, inner membranes removed
            • 50g/2oz finely chopped fresh chives or parsley
            • 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
            • 1 lemon, zest and juice
            • 25g/1oz unsalted butter
            • 110g/4oz squid, cleaned, spines and beaks removed, flesh cut into triangles
            • salt and freshly ground black pepper

            For the garnish

            • 3 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
            • 1 bunch chopped fresh chives
            • 1 bunch fresh amaranth leaves
            • 2 sprigs fresh chervil, leaves only
            • 10g/½oz wild edible flowers (optional)
            • NB: For this recipe you will need to use a pan that is large enough to hold all the razor clams at once and has a tight-fitting lid.

            Preparation method

            1. Heat a pan with a tight-fitting lid over a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the razor clams, shallots and white wine and immediately cover the pan with a lid so that the clams steam.
               
            2. Steam the razor clams for 30 seconds, at which point they should all spring open.
               
            3. Strain the cooking liquid from the steamed razor clams into a clean pan. Set aside.
               
            4. When the razor clams are cool enough to handle, remove the clam flesh from the shells using your hands (reserve the shells). Discard any razor clams that have not opened fully during cooking.
               
            5. Slice the cooked razor clam meat thinly at an angle, then set aside.
               
            6. Heat one teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped carrot, courgette and fennel and fry gently for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Set aside.
               
            7. Return the reserved cooking liquid to the heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer the mixture until the volume of liquid has reduced by half.
               
            8. Add the chopped chorizo, cream, cooked carrots, courgettes and fennel, the broad beans, fresh chives or parsley and anchovy fillets to the cooking liquid. Stir well. Continue to simmer the mixture until it has thickened slightly.
               
            9. Add the sliced razor clams, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter to the mixture. Stir well until the butter has melted.
               
               Technique: Zesting citrus fruit
               Watch technique1:02 mins
            10. Heat the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Season the squid meat, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the oil is smoking, add the seasoned squid to the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the flesh has turned opaque. (NB: Do not overcook or the squid meat will be tough.)
                
            11. To serve, place two razor clam shells into each of two serving bowls (discard the remaining shells). Place pieces of the razor clam and squid meat into each of the shells, then spoon over the vegetables and sauce. Garnish with the fresh herbs and edible flowers, if using.