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INTRODUCTION

What does the phrase ‘new classic’ mean when discussing food? To me, when talking of a ‘classic’ in cookery, I think of tradition, dishes that are tried and tested, or that represent a time or place, and have stood the test of time. The notion of a ‘new classic’ accepts that a shift has taken place, whether in taste, produce or technique, which means a new twist can be put on that dish. I want to share these recipes with you, to introduce you to new flavour combinations and cookery methods that you may not have used before. I also want to reveal my favourite dishes that are in the process of becoming classics – brilliant dishes that will become time-honoured themselves.

The ‘classics’ were exactly what I learnt at college in the 1980s. Dishes such as lobster Thermidor, sole bonne femme, béarnaise, lemon meringue pie, millefeuille, éclairs, croissants – the list goes on and on. The techniques involved in these recipes, such as emulsifying, braising, sauce-making and pastry skills, were the cornerstones of my training. Most of you will be familiar with a number of these dishes and would deem them as ‘classics’, but I would hazard a guess that you cook and eat them very rarely – some because of their heaviness or the lengthy work involved, and some just because they’re not to our modern tastes. This is what led me to write this book. I felt that, while classics will always have a firm place in any cuisine, new versions of the classics and new classics themselves deserve to come to the fore.

When I was a child, our family ate relatively simple food – generally meat and two veg, one of which was almost always a potato. As a family, we were not particularly adventurous and my siblings and I ate what was put in front of us. We all sat down together as a family to have our evening meal, though – always. My favourite dinner was roast leg of lamb with mint sauce and Jersey royals, followed by apple pie and cream. Fast-forward to today, and what my wife and children and I eat together is much more varied. We’ve always encouraged our children, and still do, to try new foods and flavours. These days you’re likely to find us eating chicken curry on a weeknight, and enjoy a pork chop with mustard sauce and tarragon on a Sunday. My children are very keen cooks themselves, which is of course actively encouraged!

Any good dish must start with great ingredients. It was in my father’s fruit and potato warehouse that I learnt the value of ingredients. I began to understand the difference between the flavour of unripe fruit and that of wonderfully vibrant, ripe produce. Selecting seasonal ingredients will ensure they are at their best. As I have always advocated in my cooking, ingredients are a key factor to success, so I have divided up the recipes by where we source our ingredients: the garden, the farm, the sea and the storecupboard.

FROM THE GARDEN

This chapter is something close to my heart – my father is the one to thank for my love of the humble vegetable. When sourcing ingredients, ripeness is key. Do not be afraid of over-ripeness, as this can often intensify flavour and sweetness. The Summer Vegetable Lasagne is my take on a great recipe for families, as it is a delicious way to get children to enjoy vegetables. Another favourite is Tempura Fennel, a flavoursome dish that allows the fennel to really sing out. If you want to try making your own ravioli, I’ve provided a twist on the classic with my Mushroom ‘Ravioli’ with Shallot Sauce. In this chapter I also look in-depth at the technique of salt-baking. By making a salt dough and infusing it with herbs, you can impart seasoning and flavour deep into vegetables, as well as meat and fish. It is a great, simple technique that adds so much to any dish, so why not try it with the Salt-baked Parsnip and Horseradish crumble for a winter supper or the Salt-baked Kabocha Squash, Pomegranate, Ricotta and Mint in late summer?

FROM THE FARM

Here I feature some of my favourite cuts of meat, such as Hanger Steak, which is rather underused. There is also my favourite Roast Chicken recipe, where the chicken is baked with fennel and potatoes. Both recipes showcase brining, which seasons meat or fish right to the core and tenderises it in the process. It takes a little more organisation but it’s well worth it, with a tender, moist and well-flavoured dish as a result. The caramelised pears give an extra dimension to a classic Slow-cooked Pork Belly for a weekend family lunch, and my Herb and Mozzarella Meatball Bake is a great one for a midweek supper. When it comes to meat, look for good marbling in beef and lamb and vibrant flesh. What the animals are fed on can also affect the flavour and texture of the meat, so if you can, buy grass-fed or pasture-fed.

FROM THE SEA

This takes me back to my time at the Savoy Hotel kitchen when I was 17 and working on the fish section. I have included a few classics, such as Fish Soup, which I’ve updated with a few of my own ideas, while eggy bread is given a delicious makeover in Prawn French Toast. In this chapter I also feature the technique of hot smoking. Traditionally this is done to preserve fish, but more importantly for us it adds another flavour dimension to the dish. Smoke is a match made in heaven with oily mackerel, so look for my recipe for Rosemary Smoked Mackerel with Baked Lemon Jam, Fennel and Crème Fraîche. You might be used to smoked salmon, eggs and hollandaise for brunch, but once you’ve tried it with home-smoked salmon in my twist-on-a-classic Hot Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, you won’t go back. For fish and seafood, choose the brightest-looking fish, with no strong smells. When purchasing seafood, always look for the glossiest produce and wash well in cold water before using.

FROM THE STORECUPBOARD

This chapter encompasses baking recipes that use base ingredients potentially already in your cupboard (which makes baking possible when you have last-minute cravings!). As well as cakes, biscuits and tarts, there are breads such as Marmite, Onion and Cheddar Bread, which is a favourite with my kids and a lovely accompaniment to soup. When it comes to puddings, you can’t beat the Baked Honeycomb Puddings as a delicious finish to a Sunday lunch. I also focus on caramelising sugar, something which can seem a little daunting. It’s not a complicated method once you know how; the trick is to be patient and ready for the next step as soon as the sugar begins to colour. Try out the technique with one of my favourites in this chapter, the Warm Spiced Courgette Cake with Anise Caramel, which is a lovely pale green at the centre – it’s a good way to get a few more vegetables into children and for them to see the versatility of ingredients. Caramel finds its way into ice cream as well, here, for a delicious pudding of Banana and Coconut Cake with Caramelised Banana Coconut Ice Cream.

Above all, do remember to enjoy cooking. Food is something to be treasured, and cooking is such a wonderful way to learn, educate, socialise and enjoy quality time with family and friends. So please don’t be daunted by any of these recipes – they have all been written with home cooking in mind. This book is about sharing my passion for cooking and ingredients with all kinds of home cooks, from beginners all the way up. My advice is to dive straight in! Enjoy reading, creating and, of course, eating.