NEIL'S RECIPES: SALAD OF LANARK BLUE CHEESE, ENDIVE, CANDIED CALIFORNIAN WALNUT AND POACHED PEAR

“These ingredients on their own are lovely, but combined they transform into something wonderful. Poach the pears the day before as they need time in the stock syrup. A great dinner party starter or served from a big bowl in the middle of the table.”

Serves 4
Cooking time: 20 minutes; prep time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 pear

2 tablespoons of blue cheese, I like Lanark Blue, diced into cubes

2 tablespoons Californian walnuts

Juice of half a lemon

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

2 heads of endive or chicory, leaves separated and washed

A few watercress leaves

A few radish slices

A dressing made by mixing walnut oil with grain mustard and honey

Salt and pepper

METHOD

Peel the pear and poach in water, a tablespoon the sugar and the lemon juice for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool. Once cool, cut into a dice.

To make candied walnuts, place the walnuts in a small pot and just cover with water and a tablespoon of sugar. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes on a low heat. Let it sit for half an hour then drain the liquid away. Place on a tray to dry for a few hours, then fry in rapeseed oil until golden. This will take 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

To assemble the salad, add the pear, cheese, endive, watercress, candied walnuts, radish and a little dressing to a bowl. Season and mix. Serve on a plate with a drizzle of dressing around the edges. Enjoy at once. 

NEIL'S RECIPES: WARM STRAWBERRIES, VANILLA, ORANGE AND CRÈME FRAÎCHE

“This is a great way to use up old berries; almost a compote but not quite. Take the chill off the fruit, add a shaving of orange peel, vanilla seeds, a kick of sugar and a splash of Grand Mariner. The dollop of crème fraîche melts into the warm fruit and creates a delicious, rich and sweet berry sauce. Simple and elegant.”

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 minutes; cooking time: 3 minutes

INGREDIENTS

12 strawberries

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon Grand Mariner

2 thumb-sized pieces of orange peel

1/3 vanilla pod, seeds scraped and pod retained

2 big dollops of crème fraîche

2 sprigs of mint, optional

METHOD

Give the strawberries a gentle wash under a tap, then remove their husks. Cut the bigger ones in half and leave any smaller ones whole.

Place them in a pot with the Grand Marnier and put on a moderate heat. Add the sugar as the liquid comes to the boil, then add the vanilla seeds, vanilla pod and the orange peel.

Stir gently in the pot, and be careful it doesn’t get too hot. Make sure the vanilla seeds are distributed by pressing them with the back of a spoon. After a minute or two, once everything is warm, spoon the berries and juice into a bowl.

Serve with the orange peel, vanilla pod and garnish with a sprig of mint, and a big dollop of crème fraîche.

NEIL'S RECIPES: LANGOUSTINE, MACKEREL, HERITAGE POTATOES AND SPINACH

“I love the taste of bang-fresh mackerel, and a fresh-off-the-boat prawns. Don’t worry if you can’t get either fish, supplement them with hake, cod, scallops or squid.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 fillets of mackerel, bones removed
4 to 6 heritage potatoes, skins left on, boiled until just cooked and sliced
3 to 4 handfuls of baby spinach
4 langoustines, or large prawns, blanched and cut in half
A few sprigs of thyme
Juice from half a lemon
A splash of rapeseed oil for frying
Good salt and pepper 
125g butter
METHOD
Place a non-stick frying pan on the hob. Heat the oil. Ensure the fish is dry by patting with kitchen paper, then cook skin-side down for 2 to 4 minutes before turning over and cooking for further one minute. Remove the mackerel from the pan, season and set to one side.

With the pan still hot, add the langoustines, a knob of butter and the thyme. Season and cook for 3 minutes.

In a clean pan, heat the remaining butter until frothing then add the sliced potatoes. Season then add the spinach - it will wilt down quite a bit. Once cooked through, season again. Squeeze the lemon over everything.

To serve, divide the potatoes and spinach between four warmed plates, and arrange the mackerel and langoustine on top. Garnish with thyme sprigs and any butter left in the pans.

NEIL'S RECIPES: DARK CHOCOLATE NEMESIS & CARAMEL SAUCE

“This recipe is inspired by River Cafe, one of my favourite places to eat. Read the recipe a few times before making it and take your time. Never rush cooking, it should be fun!” 

Makes 10 portions

INGREDIENTS

325g 70% dark chocolate, I use Montezuma organic, broken into pieces

125g unsalted butted, diced and softened

125g unrefined caster sugar

5 whole eggs

100ml water

A little oil for greasing

For the caramel sauce:

200g unrefined caster sugar

100ml double cream

A tiny pinch of salt

METHOD

Line a bottomless 10-inch springform cake tin with 4 layers of cling film so it reaches the corners of the tin and is watertight. Rub with a little oil.

Heat the oven to 170°C and whisk the eggs with half the sugar until very voluminous.

Mix the remaining sugar and water in a pot and heat on the hob until it reaches a syrup consistency. This should take a couple of minutes. Remove and add the chocolate and soft butter and combine with a whisk or spatula.

Add the chocolate mix to the whisked egg, and using a whisk, mix to create the cake mix.

Add this mix to the prepared tin and cook in a water bath with a tight tin foil lid on for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature.

To make the caramel sauce, melt the sugar in a thick-bottomed pot until it’s quite dark and brown. This will take a few minutes and don't be tempted to stir it too much or it may crystalize. And never leave boiling sugar unattended. Then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before whisking in the cream. Add a pinch of salt and pass through a sieve and into a serving jug.

When ready to serve the nemesis, remove it from the tin by placing a plate, or board, on top of the tin (foil removed) and turning it upside down so the cake falls out. Cut into portions using a very clean, hot knife. Clean the knife in hot water after every cut and serve with the caramel sauce and either some ice cream or crème fraîche.

NEIL'S RECIPES: PICCALILLI

“This quintessentially British condiment is simple to make, bursting with flavour, and stores perfectly in sterilised jars. Avoid storing it in plastic containers to prevent staining from mustard powder and turmeric, which can turn it bright orange!”

Makes 4-6 Kilner jars
Cooking time 20 minutes; Prep time 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

500g small pickling onions, peeled

1 large or 2 small cauliflowers

2 red peppers, I like the Ramiro variety

2 carrots, peeled

2 courgettes, scrubbed

15g English mustard powder

1 large red chilli, finely sliced

500ml cider vinegar

15g turmeric

170g caster sugar

2 tablespoons cornflour

A few sprigs of thyme

Good salt and pepper

METHOD

Fill a large pan with water and a small handful of salt and bring it to the boil on the hob. Meanwhile, cut the veg into bite-size pieces and place in the pot to blanch for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and refresh in cold running or iced water. Drain the veg when cold and place into a large bowl with the thyme and chilli and season with salt and pepper.

Place the vinegar in a large pan with the sugar. When just about to boil add the turmeric, mustard powder and cornflour. To thicken, the flour must come to the boil, then carefully simmer for a minute or so. Keep an eye on this. Season and add this thick yellow paste to the veg and mix thoroughly. Place into sterilised jars and serve with your next ham, pie or terrine. It also tastes great with toasted sourdough and a good salad.

NEIL'S RECIPES: SUMMER PUDDING

"This is a great recipe for using the frozen berries we harvested throughout the summer. It’s important to use blackcurrants for this dish as they give the bread a deep colour and a wonderful summery taste. I like to serve this with extra-thick double cream, but ice-cream will do. Ensure you use enough sugar, otherwise it can end up being a tad tart."

Serves 4

20 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 slices of white bread, the best you can find, not too thickly cut, crusts removed

4 handfuls of blackcurrants

4 handfuls of redcurrants

8 large strawberries, tops removed

A handful of brambles

A handful of raspberries

Extra berries for garnish

2 to 3 tablespoons of caster sugar

1/2 a vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

4 dollops of extra-thick double cream

METHOD

Firstly line 4 dariole moulds or tea cups with oiled cling film. I would suggest using 2 to 3 layers.  Line the moulds with the bread to create an outer layer, leaving a piece of bread for the top of each pudding. Set to one side.

Now, give the berries a good wash and place them in a pot with the sugar and vanilla. Place on a gentle heat and bring to a simmer. Turn up the heat a little and boil for a few minutes until all the berries have softened. 

Remove the pan from the heat and tip the berries into a sieve, returning the liquid to the boil to reduce by half. Place the berries in the centre of the lined moulds and seal with a piece of bread.

Once the berry juice has reduced, pour it over the puddings, ensuring the liquid stains the bread. Reserve 2 tablespoons for serving. Wrap the cling film over to seal and place a weight on top. Pop into the fridge overnight. 

To serve, turn out the puddings onto plates and garnish with a few berries and the reduced berry juice. Serve with extra-thick double cream.

NEIL'S RECIPES: HAM HOCK TERRINE WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER

"There are two elements in this recipe. The salted hock, or knuckle, from the pig, and the pickled cucumber. Together they are astonishingly good. The sharp, sweet vegetable does its job so well to cut through the rich, salty meat. I like to add other seasonings to the flaked meat like Arran mustard and lots of curly parsley. This is where you can have fun and do your own thing. Try different herbs that you may be growing, or play with different veg to go with it. Remember to keep the stock from cooking the hocks as it makes the best soup in the world. Just add a handful of peasemeal or red lentils."

Serves 6 to 8
Cooking time: 4 hours plus overnight; Prep time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 unsmoked ham hocks

1 stick celery

2 carrots, peeled 

1 onion, peeled and halved

6 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

2 spring onions, finely chopped

125g unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon Arran mustard, or any grain mustard will do
 

1 cucumber

500ml good cider vinegar

500g caster sugar

500ml cold water

2 star anise 

Good salt and pepper

A few mustard seeds

A few handfuls of salad leaves

A few radishes, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Arran mustard 

A splash of vinegar

METHOD

Place the hocks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the celery, carrots, onion, peppercorns, bay and thyme and bring to just below a rolling boil and simmer for 4 hours, skimming off any residue and adding more water if required. Don’t over boil. 

Once cooked and the meat is falling off the bone, remove the hocks from the pot and allow them to cool slightly, before flaking all the meat off the bone. Retain the celery, carrots and onion. Keep the fat for another dish and retain the stock for soup. 

Roughly chop the carrots, onion and celery from the stock pot and add them to a bowl with the flaked meat, melted butter, mustard, spring onions and parsley.  Mix thoroughly and check the seasoning. 

Line a terrine mould or plastic tub with oiled cling film - oiled side down. Pack the terrine mix into the mould and fold over the cling film so it covers the terrine entirely. Place something heavy on top to press it down and refrigerate overnight. 

To make the pickled cucumber, bring the water, sugar and vinegar to the boil then add the mustard seeds, star anise and a teaspoon of salt. Add the cucumber to the pot - you may have to halve the cucumber if it’s too long - that’s fine as it won’t affect the final taste. Cover with a lid and simmer for about an hour until the cucumber is just soft. Then turn off the heat and leave it to cool in the pickling liquid. Once cooled, cut into slices and set to one side.

Make a dressing by mixing 4 tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of Arran mustard and a splash of vinegar.

To serve, place a slice of the terrine in the centre of a plate and arrange the pickled cucumber around or on top. Garnish with a few salad leaves and slices of radish trickled with the dressing. Serve at once.

NEIL'S RECIPES: STRAWBERRY TART

“This dish is pretty and easy to make if you buy in puff pastry. I’ve used rough puff in the recipe. The custard is heavenly on top of the cold, buttery pastry with the thinly-sliced strawberries. Woodruff flowers make a very pretty garnish.”

Serves 1
Prep time: 1 hour; cooking time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 puff pastry disc, 6-inch diameter

300ml double cream

35g caster sugar

5 egg yolks

1/4 vanilla pod, seeds scraped, pod retained

4 to 6 strawberries, thinly sliced, at room temperature

A dusting of icing sugar

A few wild woodruff flowers, optional

1 egg yolk, seasoned with a pinch of salt and sugar

METHOD 

Heat the oven to 190°C

Begin by laying the pastry on a sheet of non-stick ovenproof silicon or grease-proof paper. Be careful to buy the right stuff.

Then mix up the seasoned egg yolk with a pastry brush, and brush over the pastry disc and bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Ensure the pastry is cooked all the way through and isn’t raw in the middle – there’s nothing worse! Remove from the oven and glaze again with the egg yolk and allow to cool.

Next, make the custard. Begin by whisking together the 5 egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Then place the cream, vanilla seeds and pod in a pot and bring to the boil on the hob. Turn off the heat and leave for a moment or two to allow the cream to take on the vanilla flavour, then pour this mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar and whisk well.  

Place the mixture in a clean pot on the hob and heat whilst whisking constantly until it reaches 86°C. This is important or it won’t set. If the custard curdles, place it in a liquidiser and blitz it for a few seconds, and it will come back to life.

Allow the custard to cool then spoon 2  tablespoons of it over the pastry. Arrange the strawberry slices in overlapping swirls on top and dredge with icing sugar. Garnish with a few woodruff flowers and serve. Summer on a plate!

NEIL'S RECIPES: CROQUE MONSIEUR

“Most people love this classic French bistro dish, found in little cafes dotted all over France. It is delicious, rich, creamy and fills you up. If you can make a sandwich and a simple béchamel, then you can create this.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

8 slices of good white bread, thinly sliced

4 thick slices of good, proper ham

200g Keens cheddar (or Emmental or Gouda), grated

50g plain flour

50g unsalted butter

500ml whole milk, heated

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Good salt and pepper

4 handfuls of salad leaves

METHOD 

Firstly make a white sauce by melting the butter in a pot with the flour and cooking on a low heat until it’s cooked through, just couple of minutes or so. Then gradually add the hot milk to the flour mix a little at a time. Stir continuously.

You should end up with a smooth white sauce (use a whisk if there are lumps!). Then add the Dijon mustard and half the cheese. Season to taste and set to one side.

Next make 4 cheese and ham sandwiches using the remaining cheese and the ham. Submerge the sandwiches in the white sauce for a few minutes until it is all absorbed. Grate a little extra cheese on top of the sandwich if required and bake in a moderate oven until the sandwich is golden and warm.

Serve with a simple salad tossed in a nice, sharp French dressing to cut through the richness of the sandwich.

NEIL'S RECIPES: CRÈME BRÛLÉE

“There is something wonderful about the simplicity of a brûlée. You can add fruit to the bottom of the ramequin, or an alcohol like eau de vie de framboise and a few raspberries, or diced apple and vanilla and calvados. Or just keep it simple. I like a piece of shortbread with mine.”

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

400ml double cream

1 vanilla pod, split length ways and seeds scraped

5 large egg yolks

50g unrefined caster sugar, plus extra for glazing

METHOD

Firstly, heat the cream with the vanilla until it just boils, then leave for a few minutes to infuse on a low heat. Meanwhile, combine the sugar with the egg yolk and whisk vigorously until it’s pale and creamy.

Next, pour the hot cream onto the egg yolk mix and whisk quickly to combine. Pour this mixture into a clean pan and heat to 86°C, stirring all the time.

Blitz with a hand-held blender to bring the fats together and to ensure it doesn’t split. Then pour into ramekins and chill for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.

Once chilled, sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar onto each brûlée and glaze with a moderate blowtorch (or under the grill) until the tops are golden brown but not too dark or bitter.

Serve at once with some shortbread. Enjoy!

Get my shortbread recipe here.