NEIL'S RECIPES: VENISON COTTAGE PIE

“We sell so many of these in the restaurant—it’s utterly delicious, rich, and comforting. The mash has to be buttery, served with organic winter greens, blanched and finished in butter and beef fat. For an extra layer of flavour, try adding pancetta or bacon cubes.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

400g of lean, very good venison mince

4 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil

150g of mixed diced vegetables, such as carrots, celeriac, turnip and onion

1 bay leaf

A sprig of thyme

1 litre of very good beef or game stock, chicken stock would do - any leftover gravy is good to add here

1kg potatoes

200ml double cream – heated

100g butter

1 egg, beaten

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the oven to 160°C.

Heat a large ovenproof pot (with a lid) on the hob - get it quite hot – then add half the oil. When smoking, add the venison mince. Keep the heat up and keep stirring until the mince is nicely browned, this should take 7 to 8 minutes. Drain through a sieve and reserve.

Bring the same pot back up to a high heat and add the remaining oil. Fry the veg for around 6 to 8 minutes. The more colour you add, the more flavour your pie will have. Then add the thyme, the bay leaf and the drained venison mince. Combine whilst still on a high heat and season with salt and pepper. Next add the stock and any leftover gravy and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, remove from the heat and cover with a lid. Then place the pot in the oven to simmer for 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so. Then remove the lid and cook for a further hour, stirring every 15 minutes. It should reach a rich, thick mince or stew consistency. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.

For the mash, boil the potatoes in salted water, drain and pass through a potato ricer. Stir in the hot cream and butter.

Top the pie with the mash. Use a piping bag to create a decorative design, or spread the mash with a palette knife and use a fork to create ridges.

Brush all over with a beaten egg and brown in a very hot oven or under a piping hot grill. Serve at once with some cabbage or greens cooked with a little beef fat left over from Sunday lunch.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHOCOLATE PITHIVIER

“Traditionally served at this time of year in France, the classic pithivier with frangipane gets a twist here with a rich and decadent chocolate and crème pâtissière mix. Perfectly indulgent, especially paired with a coffee custard.”

Serves 6 to 8

Prep time: 45 minutes to 1 hour; Cooking time: 30 minutes

Begin by making a crème pâtissière:

INGREDIENTS

300ml whole milk

3 large egg yolks

5 tablespoons caster sugar

1 tablespoon plain flour sifted

1/2 vanilla pod, seeds removed

METHOD

Heat the milk in a small pot with the vanilla pod, being careful not to bring it to a boil. Set to one side.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour together to a smooth paste, then pour in the warm vanilla milk and whisk to combine.

Pour this mixture into a clean pan and bring gently to the boil, stirring continually, until it thickens. Allow to simmer for a minute or two then pass through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Allow to cool with a cover or a dusting of icing sugar to avoid a skin appearing.

For the pithivier:

INGREDIENTS

225g unsalted butter

225g caster sugar

110g cocoa powder

225g ground almonds

225g dark chocolate, grated or chopped into small pieces, I like Montezuma

25ml good rum

3 to 4 tablespoons crème pâtissière

1 roll puff pastry

1 egg, mixed in a cup for brushing

METHOD

Heat the oven to 190°C.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until soft and light, then add the cocoa powder, ground almonds, rum and crème pâtissière, in that order, mixing all the time, then fold in the chocolate.

Roll the mix into balls about golf ball size.

Roll out a sheet of puff pastry and brush with the egg wash. Place the chocolate balls on top, spaced out evenly, then place a sheet of puff pastry over the top. Cover the chocolate mix with the top sheet, a bit like making ravioli. Then press the edges down and crimp, like a Cornish pasty, all the way around to seal. Score the top lightly with the tip of a small knife a swirl pattern and brush egg wash all over.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with coffee custard.

NEIL'S RECIPES: FENNEL, SQUASH, BLACK PUDDING & APPLE

“I like using black pudding as the star of a dish, here with fennel and squash, it goes really well. Add some whipped crowdie or goat’s curd for extra creaminess. Great as a starter or main.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and diced

I tablespoon sugar

1/2 bulb of nice, clean fennel, peeled and quartered

2 slices of good black pudding, I like Simon Howie or Stornoway, cut into bite-size pieces

1 fair-sized cox apple, quartered and diced into 1cm cubes, skin on

A few thick wedges of butternut squash, seeds and skin removed

A few stalks of curly parsley

100ml sunflower oil

A few fennel fronds

1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds, toasted

Good salt and pepper

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil

A few fennel seeds

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Cook the Bramley apple, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water on a moderate hob until a rustic purée is made. This will take about 15-20 minutes.

Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Add salt, then blanch the squash and fennel for 3 to 5 minutes until just soft. Drain and pat dry.

Heat the rapeseed oil in a non-stick, oven-proof pan on a medium heat. Add the squash and fennel, season with salt, pepper and a few fennel seeds, turning a few times then place in the oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile pour the sunflower oil into a small pot and take to a moderate heat on the hob, then carefully add the curly parsley. Fry for a minute until it's crisp, then leave on some kitchen paper.

Remove the squash and the fennel from the oven and add the black pudding and Cox apple. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes or so until all is hot and cooked. Place the pumpkin seeds on a non-stick oven tray and place in the oven to toast – keeping an eye on them.

To serve, spread a tablespoon of apple purée in the centre of each plate, then arrange the fennel, squash, black pudding and crispy parsley. Top with the toasted pumpkin seeds and a season with freshly-ground black pepper and good salt.

NEIL'S RECIPES: ECCLEFECHAN TART

"Simple to make and utterly heavenly to eat. Have a go and try it with different flavours of creams like orange mascarpone, warm custard or a simple vanilla ice cream."

Sweet pastry tart case:

INGREDIENTS

200g plain flour

60g icing sugar

70g unsalted butter

1 egg

METHOD

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the butter. Beat until light and fluffy, then add the egg and combine. Sift in the flour and gently bring together into a ball.

Then press the dough into a round, flat shape and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out using a good amount of flour on top of some on cling film. That makes it easier to lift and lay the pastry into the tart case.

Butter a 10" loose-based round tart tin and dust with flour to make it non-stick. Then line with the rolled sweet pastry followed by 3 sheets of cling film. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes, then add baking beans and bake at 180°C for 30 to 40 minutes until golden. Remove the baking beans, brush with an egg wash and the tart shell is ready for your filling.

Ecclefechan tart mix:

INGREDIENTS

120g melted butter

120g soft dark brown sugar

2 eggs

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon cinnamon

470g Californian raisins

120g broken walnuts

Icing sugar to dredge

METHOD

Whip the melted butter and soft dark brown sugar together. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and add slowly to the butter and sugar. Mix in the raisins and walnuts, then add the lemon juice, zest and cinnamon and give another good mix.

Add the mix to the tart shell whilst it’s still warm, and smooth over using a wet palette knife. Bake in a moderate oven (around145-165°C) for 30 to 45 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Be careful of burning the raisins in the oven. Placing another tray on the shelf above the tart will help to stop the harsh heat burning them.

Remove from oven and leave to stand for half an hour. Then remove from the tin, dredge with icing sugar and serve.

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL IN 5 EASY STEPS

Get in the mood for Christmas with this simple, seasonal cocktail. Fresh and elegant, it's a perfect way to toast the festive season.

STEP ONE

PREPARE THE GARNISH

STEP TWO

SHAKE THE SLOE SYRUP AND GIN OVER ICE IN A COCKTAIL SHAKER

STEP THREE

SINGLE STRAIN INTO A CHILLED CHAMPAGNE FLUTE

STEP FOUR

TOP WITH CHAMPAGNE

STEP FIVE

TOP GLASS WITH GARNISH AND ENJOY!

For the Sloe Syrup:

500g sloe berries, 250g sugar, 250ml water

Bring to the boil together in a pan and simmer until glossy and reduce by a third. Cool. Strain the contents through a sieve.

For the Cocktail:

20ml sloe syrup, 20ml gin, champagne to top up, orange peel to garnish

NEIL'S RECIPES: OYSTERS WITH WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE AND TABASCO

“This takes me back to working in Australia many years ago—it really works and is utterly delicious. That said, nothing beats a glass of champagne and freshly-shucked oysters au naturel.”

Serves 4
Prep time 20 minutes, cooking time 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Allow 3 to 6 oysters per person as a starter, 12 for a main course
150g piece of good air-dried bacon, cut into very small lardons
2 tablespoons of cold-pressed rapeseed oil
3 to 4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce
A twist of pepper
Course salt to rest the shells on

METHOD

Have a go at shucking the oysters yourself. Go online and watch a tutorial, or ask your fishmonger to do it for you. Retain each oyster in half the shell.

Next, add the oil to a solid frying pan and bring to a moderate heat. Add the bacon and fry until just starting to crisp up, keeping it moving all the time. It’ll take 5 minutes or so.

Whilst the bacon cooks, turn the grill on full heat. Top each oyster with bacon and place in an oven-proof dish. To make the sauce, combine the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco and drizzle over each oyster and place under the hot grill for 3 to 5 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the oysters are just cooked.

Serve at once on plates of course salt alongside a big salad and bread.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CHOCOLATE TART

“Lovers of rich chocolate will adore this, although I can only manage a small slice. Of course, it all depends on the ingredients you use. I’m using Montezuma’s organic dark chocolate just now, and adore it. The trick to this dish is to trust your oven and serve the tart on the day you make it. It’s just not the same the day after!”

Makes on 9-inch tart – but small, individual tarts work very well too

INGREDIENTS

9-inch pastry case, lined

275ml double cream

200ml whole milk

400g dark chocolate, I use Montezuma’s

3 whole eggs

Cocoa powder for dredging (optional)

For the pastry (this will give you some for your freezer for next time):

600g plain flour, sifted

185g icing sugar, sifted

215g unsalted butter, diced

3 eggs, cracked and gently whisked

METHOD

Cream the icing sugar and butter together for a few minutes until light in colour. Add the flour and scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the eggs - a little at a time - to make a soft, wet paste. Chill for 20 minutes then roll out and line your pastry case and allow it to rest for a further 20 minutes in the fridge.

Remove from the fridge and cover the pastry with greaseproof paper or a triple-layer of cling film, add baking beans and bake at 180°C for 35 to 40 minutes, until just golden and crisp. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof paper.

Meanwhile, warm the cream and the milk together in a pan until it nearly comes to a boil. Then remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Mix well with a whisk, and then allow it to cool gently for 5 minutes or so.

Add the eggs to this mixture one at a time, stirring gently as you do. Then pour this mixture into the blind-baked tart shell and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until there is no wobble when you gently shake the tray.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing carefully from the tin. Dust with cocoa powder (optional). Cut into slices and serve with crème fraîche.

A top tip is to use a sharp, hot, wet knife to cut the tart into perfect slices.

NEIL'S RECIPES: VENISON STEW AND DUMPLINGS

“This is a regular dish at home, and those dumplings are just exquisite. You can substitute beef if you prefer, but it’s the kick of cinnamon that lifts the stew and gives it a festive touch.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

500g diced shoulder of venison, beef or lamb would be as good

2 local carrots, washed, peeled and diced

2 medium-sized onions, peeled and roughly chopped

1 wedge of turnip, peeled and diced

500ml really well reduced. good beef stock

200ml leftover gravy or sauce

½ a cinnamon stick, optional but a hint of spice in winter adds something special

1 glass of red wine

1 sprig of thyme

1 bay leaf

Good salt and pepper

100g self-raising flour

50g proper beef suet, minced, packet suet would do

Herbs e.g. chives; horseradish, mustard, optional flavourings for the dough balls

Extra flour for dusting

1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil for frying

METHOD

Add the oil to a hot casserole dish and fry the diced venison until golden brown. It will take a few minutes on high heat. Season with salt and pepper and add the diced carrot, turnip, onions and the cinnamon if you’re using some and fry for a further 5 minutes until you achieve a good colour.

Still on a high heat, add the wine and reduce slightly. Then add the thyme, bay leaf, gravy and stock. Season again and bring to a simmer.

Place in a hot oven (180°C) without a lid for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Then turn down the heat to 150°C and cook for a further 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so to ensure the stew doesn't dry out.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings by adding the flour to a bowl and stirring in the minced suet and salt, then combining with cold water until you have a rough dough. Don't overwork the dough. You can add any flavourings you like such as chopped chives, horseradish or mustard.

Divide the dough into 4 balls - you may need extra flour for rolling as it can get quite sticky - and plop them into the stew pot after the first 3 hours is up and place the lid on. Turn the heat up to 180°C again and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve at the table in the dish it’s cooked in.

NEILS RECIPES: CARAMEL TART WITH CRÉME FRAÎCHE

“This tart looks very simple, but it’s a little bit tricky to make. I’m using blind-baked sweet pastry with whisky, rum or madeira added to the caramel. Gentle cooking is required, not too hot an oven, and remember to let it cool before cutting. Lovely with that kick of salt through the mix.”

Serves 10

INGREDIENTS

1 pre-cooked blind-baked 12-inch pastry shell

280g caster sugar

50ml Madeira, or whatever alcohol you prefer

1 litre double cream

Pinch of good sea salt, optional

70g light brown sugar

9 egg yolks

A few dollops of good crème fraîche

METHOD

Heat oven to 145°C.

In a good pot on a medium heat on the stove, heat the caster sugar to a golden-brown caramel. Do not leave it.

Carefully add the alcohol, then the cream. It will look a bit strange but bring it back to a temperature that will melt the caramelised sugar. Allow to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and egg yolks. Add the slightly cooled cream and caramel mix, whisking immediately. Add the salt, stir, sieve into a clean pot or jug, then pour into the tart case.

Bake for 35 to 55 minutes, checking all the time. When there is a nice wobble on the tart, it’s ready. Remove from oven, chill and serve with a dollop of good crème fraîche.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CULLEN SKINK WITH CHEDDAR TOPPING

“This dish goes back generations. I have cooked it for 30 years and I only hope I do it justice. Some chefs have taken this humble bowl of smoked fish, potato and leeks and deconstructed it to make it into a distant cousin of the actual dish, which incidentally has nothing wrong with it so there’s no need for any form of deconstruction! Anyway, enjoy it with this cheese and herb crumb as a main course on a blustery north-east Scotland sort-of-day.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

550g smoked haddock pieces

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 large leek, washed, sliced and chopped

500ml double cream

Knob of butter

2 handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs, don’t be tempted to use shop-bought breadcrumbs for this, it’s not the same

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

Zest of half a lemon

1 handful grated cheddar, I love Keens just now

Good salt and pepper

Extra parsley for garnish

METHOD

Sweat the onions in the butter in a thick-bottomed pan until translucent. Then add the potatoes and cream. Cook until the potatoes are just soft, then add the leek and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the smoked haddock. Stir gently until the fish is cooked, and spoon into bowls.

Make the topping by mixing the breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley. Add to each bowl and place under the grill until bubbling and golden. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley.