Issue One | June 2011

Foraging
Make the best of nature

Cooking with Kids

How to engage your children in the kitchen

6 Cake Catastrophes
(And how to fix them)

Gnocchi
Become a master

Go West! Maltby Street Menu

A market day lunch for friends Thames Valleys best

Welcome
Welcome to the first issue of Pantry, heres what we have on offer this month... Fancy taking a step back to simpler times, discovering new ingredients and saving yourself a few quid? Jenny Walters lets you in on the foodie trend of the moment, foraging, and shares a few simple Pantry Dinners recipes. The best addresses in the Thames Valley are given the once over by Peter McConnell, who also reviews The Olde Bell Inn and talks with chef Ryan Simpson of Orwells. Angela Moodie dispenses advice on cooking with your kids, with two great recipes to try out. If gnocchi have so far proved to be an unsuccessful DIY adventure, then try out Lyndsay Glovers masterclass. Jenny and Lyndsay also come to the rescue when it comes to baking catastrophes, and Morgan Larrivain reviews the up and coming Maltby St market, which isnt a market and doesnt want to be popular!

The supermarket isnt the only place to stock up your pantry: for unusual, delicious and free ingredients you need look no further than your local hedgerow. By Jenny Walters.
From the busiest city park to the loneliest forests, your garden to the seashore, youll find tasty food ripe for the picking. Think samphire, elderflowers, blackberries, sloes, chanterelles, rosehips, bilberries, dandelions; a parade of wild ingredients to keep you cooking all year round. The art of foraging goes back millennia but recent times have seen its popularity flourish. It offers a sustainable alternative to shrink-wrapped fruit from overseas, its a free source of food in tough economic times, and its great fun to tap into your inner Ray Mears and pick and cook your own food. Admittedly, some plants will make you work for your supper nettles sting, blackberries scratch, wild strawberries are nigh on impossible to spot but for something unusual and tasty, for flavours youll rarely find in a shop, its worth it. Here are three favourite foods from the wild pantry and how to cook them.

the Wild Pantry

Bilberries
In season: July-September
The bilberry is a close relative of the blueberry similar in taste, looks and health-giving properties. Also known as blaeberry or whortleberry, the low-growing shrub can be found across Britain but you might have to go exploring as theyre fond of life on the lonely moors. The berries can be eaten straight from the plant and are incredibly moreish, which means take-home crops tend to be small. Those with the heroic self-control to gather a large number can make the aptly-named Mucky Mouth Pie; those who find themselves with just a few to cook with can enjoy them in breakfast pancakes.

Bilberry Pancakes
20 minutes | Serves 4 | EASY 125g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp sugar 150ml milk 1 egg 1 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly A large handful of bilberries Vegetable oil for greasing Put a flat griddle or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Sieve the flour and baking powder together and whisk in the sugar. In a jug, whisk together the milk, egg and melted butter. Tip this into the dry ingredients and beat briefly until just smooth. Lightly oil the pan. For each pancake put a large spoonful of batter into the pan you should be able to fit in three at a time and scatter a few bilberries onto each one. Cook for a couple of minutes until bubbles appear on the top side, and they are golden brown underneath. Flip over and cook for a minute more. Serve immediately with maple syrup or runny honey.

Contents
The Wild Pantry Pantry Explores Pantrys Family Kitchen 6 Cake Catastrophes (and how to fix them) Pantry Dinners Market day Pantry Skills Pantry Reviews Pantry Probes 3-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18 19

Elderflowers
In Season: May-June

the Wild Pantry

Elderflower cordials and champagnes are a favourite way to capture the fragrant taste; a splash in a gin and tonic makes a drink that sings of summer. Alternatively, you can dip each head of blooms in a light batter, deep fry, and serve with honey, or use the flowers to flavour a crumble.

Dandelions

the Wild Pantry

In season: All year, best in spring

Another common-or-garden plant, dandelion leaves make a free alternative to wallet-thinning greens like rocket and watercress. The flavour can get bitter if the leaves are old so pick the youngest, freshest you can find and if you have them in your garden then keep cutting them back to encourage new growth. If picking wild then do check youre not on a dog-walking route, for obvious reasons. As well as a salad leaf, dandelions can be cooked into soups or in any dish that ordinarily uses spinach. The flowers are also edible and make a colourful addition to salads, and the roots can be made into a coffee-like drink, although that might be stretching the word like.

Theres nothing proud about this shrub; you can spot its delicate umbrellas of white flowers everywhere from country parks to the side of the M25. For maximum flavour, go foraging on a warm, dry day and choose a spot well away from traffic as its best not to wash the blooms before use. Cut just a few sprays from each tree and shake each one to dislodge any bugs.

Pissenlit au Lard
10 mins | Serves 1 | EASY

This is a traditional French recipe that looks like it should translate as wet the bed with lard. Its actually a savoury salad of crisp bacon and fresh dandelion leaves, and an excellent side dish to serve with roast lamb or chicken.
For each person 2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, cut into small strips A large handful of young dandelion leaves, thoroughly washed and dried 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Fresh Elderflower and Gooseberry Crumble

65 mins | Serves 6 | EASY Heat the oven to 190 degrees/gas mark 5 and grease a 20cm round baking dish. For the fruit layer, combine the gooseberries and sugar in a bowl. Gently pinch the elderflowers away from the stalk and mix into the fruit. Tip it into the baking dish and spread out to cover the base. For the crumble, use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and almonds, then sprinkle the mix over the fruit, making sure all the gooseberries are covered. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the fruit is soft and the top golden. Do keep an eye on the crumble as almonds scorch easily: cover with foil if its browning too fast. Cool slightly and serve with thick cream or custard.

This recipe bakes an almond crumble top over a tumble of gooseberries and elderflowers; like Bogart and Bacall the two are just meant to be together. Go easy on the flowers, though, as like lavender and rose, they need a delicate hand to prevent their sweet scent turning to soapiness.
For the fruit layer 400g gooseberries, topped and tailed 75g sugar 2 small heads of elderflowers For the crumble 75g plain flour 75g butter, cut into pieces 50g sugar 75g ground almonds

Put the bacon in a frying pan and cook over a low heat until crisp. Place the dandelions in a dish and using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and sprinkle it over the leaves. Return the pan to the heat, add the vinegar and some pepper (it shouldnt need salt), swirl together and pour over the salad. Serve immediately.

Become an Expert Food for Free by Richard Mabey is the classic handbook for foragers, stuffed with information on how to identify and cook everything from wild strawberries to giant puffball mushrooms. 12.99 www.collins.co.uk

T h e B e s t i n t h e We s t

Pantry explores

Pantry explores
If youve made it this far, stay the night and have dinner at Hotel du Vin in Henley. Consistent quality French classics delivered in the former Brakspears brewery with elegant rooms overlooking the river. Henley itself does suffer from a bit of chain restaurant malaise, though three recent arrivals Le Parisien, La Barca on the river and the Three Tuns offer some respite. Only 2 miles from Henley, thats about 35 now from the centre of London if youre still counting is Orwells in Shiplake Cross. Chef patron Ryan Simpson won a Michelin star at The Goose a couple of years ago. In the last twelve months his contemporary and novel food with a hint of nostalgia, such as Rabbit & Quails Egg Scotch Egg has become a local sensation. So much that Orwells was recently voted the South East Restaurant of the Year by the Good Food Guide. It puts all those trendy London gastro pubs to shame with its understated, friendly delivery of exceptional flavours. As you survey this gastronomic oasis just to the west of London there are two more outstanding dining rooms to consider on your way back home. The Black Boys Inn and The Olde Bell Inn, both in Hurley. The Black Boys is fresh and seasonal while The Olde Bell punches with flavour and a spirit of adventure under head chef James Ferguson, in a room redesigned in 2009 by Ilse Crawford, famous for Soho House, New York. So go west, spread your wings, get off the tube, take a chance, fill your lungs with fresh air and fill your stomach with breathtaking food.

Capture the essence of great British cooking with our inspirational gastro tour of the Thames Valley. By Peter McConnell.
From the frenetic dining scene of London, where restaurants open and close faster than Government ministers making a U turn, it seems as though the world outside the capital is uninspired and parochial still populated by Berni Inns and Harvesters. How wrong the metropolitan masses can be, as The Village People once sang Go West and discover both inspiration and , innovation just a short hop from the urban sprawl. A brief train ride from Paddington or Marylebone, taking less time and with less grief than any ride on the Northern or Jubilee lines, there is a myriad of gastronomic expertise, where ingredients are seasonal and local, service is excellent and surroundings are pastoral. Even the most metro sexual diner has heard of the Fat Duck and the Waterside Inn, each with their 3 Michelin stars, yet there is much more to the pretty village of Bray, a mere 29.5 miles from central London, than these superstars. Heston now runs both of the pubs in the village; The Hinds Head, Michelin Pub of the Year 2011, which has been providing exceptional interpretations of British classics including the original triple cooked chip, was last year joined by The Crown where the most fantastic Steak & Ale pie makes the excursion from London worth it on its own. Not to be outdone by the Blumenthall empire Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi proffer a fine interpretation of Tuscan food and well balanced pasta dishes at Caldesi in Campagna. While literally just down the road at The Royal Oak, Michael Parkinsons country pub now boasts a Michelin star and offers the diner yet another interpretation of proper British food including a good value weekday lunch menu. Its so good even Michael Winner likes it.

Henley-on-Thames

Now youve made the effort and travelled a whole 30 miles with 7 Michelin stars in your reach perhaps you could stretch a little further, provided the clean air and beautiful countryside havent despoiled your blackened London lungs. Try Marlow, its where Tom Kerridge now famous from Great British Menu has made a huge impact earning his Michelin star at The Hand & Flowers. Meanwhile Michael Macdonald has offered unique interpretations of French Classics at the Vanilla Pod since 2002. Try the Squab with Pearl Barley Risotto and Madeira Jus. If neither of these are good enough move a few miles upstream towards Henley where country house hotel Danesfield House overlooks a beautiful stretch of the Thames and where Adam Simmonds was awarded a Michelin star this year for his expertly crafted modern European dishes.

Pantrys Little Black Book

Fat Duck www.thefatduck.co.uk Waterside Inn www.waterside-inn.co.uk The Hinds Head www.hindsheadbray.com The Crown www.thecrownatbray.com Caldesi in Campagna www.caldesi.com The Royal Oak www.theroyaloakpaleystreet.com Hand & Flowers www.thehandandflowers.co.uk Vanilla Pod www.thevanillapod.co.uk Danesfield House www.danesfieldhouse.co.uk Hotel du Vin, Henley www.hotelduvin.com/Henley-on-Thames Le Parisien www.brillant.co.uk Orwells www.orwellsatshiplake.co.uk The Black Boys Inn www.blackboysinn.co.uk The Olde Bell Inn www.theoldebell.co.uk La Barca 01491 577937 Three Tuns www.threetunshenley.co.uk

Pantrys Family Kitchen

4 - 5 year olds can Help measure ingredients Open packets Mash soft fruits and vegetables Press biscuit cutters into dough or soft food 6 - 7year olds can: Help weigh and measure ingredients Beat ingredients together with a whisk or spoon Help locate ingredients and equipment in a spice rack or pantry Help cut and slice soft fruit and vegetables Make some summer magic with these child friendly recipes.

Summer is a great time to get kids into the kitchen to make some snacks and desserts. Whether you need something to take to a picnic or just something to do on a rainy day, making easy, no cook treats can show kids just how fun cooking can be. Even young children can be kitchen helpers, so the whole family can get involved. By Angela Moodie.

What can young children do to help you prepare a dish?

2 - 3 year olds can: Wash and scrub fruits and vegetables Name and count foods 3 - 4 year olds can: Shape foods Mix dry ingredients together Pour pre-measured cold liquids into mixtures and sauces

No cook orange cheesecake

Filling ingredients: 1 can mandarin oranges in natural juice 250g pot mascarpone cheese 150g pot half-fat crme fraiche 75g caster sugar 1 small orange 1 lime 150ml double cream Biscuit base ingredients: 15 digestive biscuits 6 tbsp butter 2 tbsp golden syrup

25 minutes + 2-4 hours chilling time | Makes 1 large cake | EASY

A zingy creamy dessert that is very quick and easy to make. Kids will have fun bashing the biscuits up.
Equipment: Large mixing bowl Rolling pin Measuring spoons Small saucepan Mixing spoon 18cm round springform cake tin Can opener Sieve Weighing scales 2 small bowls Grater Sharp knife Lemon squeezer Rotary whisk or electric hand mixer Tablespoon Chopping board Palette knife Serving plate

* Suggested children tasks are highlighted in purple

Melon ice lollies

Ingredients 2 tbsp orange juice 1 tsp honey 1 sprig fresh mint 1 cantaloupe melon 1 honeydew melon Equipment Measuring spoons Small saucepan Large bowl Sharp knife Chopping board Melon baller Scissors Bamboo sticks Plastic beaker Tray to go in the freezer

25 minutes | Makes 6-8 | EASY

A real thirst quencher for the summer and also gets them to enjoy eating fruit.

Gently heat the orange juice with the honey and mint sprig in the saucepan. Allow to bubble gently for 3 minutes then leave the mixture to cool in the bowl. Cut the melons in half and children could scoop out balls of melon flesh. Put them in the bowl to marinade. Snip the ends of bamboo kebab sticks and thread them with the marinated melon balls in alternate colours. Children can do this with supervision. Place in a plastic beaker and leave them in the freezer until they start to freeze but are still hard (i.e. not until they are rock hard).

Place the biscuits in the large mixing bowl and crush them with the end of a rolling pin until they look like fine breadcrumbs. Heat the butter and syrup in the saucepan until the butter has melted. Pour the melted butter mixture over the biscuits and stir well. Put the biscuit mixture into the base of the cake tin and press flat with the end of the rolling pin. Open the can of mandarin oranges and drain off the juice using a sieve. Arrange most of the mandarins over the biscuit base but keep some back for decoration. Put the mascarpone cheese, crme fraiche and sugar in the small bowl and stir well until blended and creamy. Grate the rind off the orange and lime using the fine part of the grater. Squeeze the orange and lime and stir the juice and rind into the creamy cheese mixture. Whisk up the double cream in a small bowl using a rotary whisk or electric hand mixer until it thickens and forms soft peaks. Gently fold the cream into the cheese mixture using a tablespoon. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and make swirly shapes over the top with the back of the spoon. Decorate the top the cheesecake with the rest of the mandarin oranges, then leave to chill in the fridge for 2 4 hours. To serve the cheesecake, run a palette knife around the edge of the tin. Unclip the tin and transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.

10

(and how to fix them)

By Lyndsay Glover and Jenny Walters

6 Cake Catastrophes
Catastrophe #4 Fix it

11
Lumpy-bumpy sunk-in-the-middle chocolate cake
Embrace whats happened and serve it as an oh-so-trendy fallen chocolate cake with a crater full of whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Or sink it even further into fudgy oblivion by pressing the thing: take it out of the oven, put a plate on top, and weigh it down with a bag of sugar. When cool cut it into small squares, shower with cocoa or icing sugar, and serve in a big pile. If all else fails use chunks in ice-cream sundaes, or crumb it and mix with double cream and melted chocolate to make truffles.

All cooks have kitchen meltdowns and dessert disasters: the secret is knowing what to do next.

Fatten your cake up with filling. Cut each layer into two even thinner cakes and layer with extra frosting, or whipped cream and berries, and stack up into a show-stopping tower of a gateau. If your cakes are on the crisp side, then do this a couple of hours ahead to let everything soften and meld together.

Fix it

Sponge-cake thats flat as a plank

Catastrophe #1 Catastrophe #2 Catastrophe #3

Better luck next time

Better luck next time

Chances are this ones undercooked or you couldnt resist a peek as it baked. Leave the oven door alone until the cake has set (generally after 15-20 minutes it will be fine). When you think its ready check that a skewer comes out clean of any soft mixture. If it doesnt, put the cake straight back in and cook for a few minutes longer.

There are a number of potential culprits in a flat sponge: not enough raising agent such as selfraising flour or baking powder, too much enthusiasm when folding in the flour, taking too long to get it into the oven, or an oven that isnt hot enough. Check the recipe quantities, be gentle, and always line the tin and heat the oven before you start.

Cake breakage between tin and plate.

Fix it
The cake still tastes great; it just needs a little cosmetic surgery. Depending on how many bits your cake is now in, you might be able to patch it up on the plate with a surreptitious blob of icing or jam. If its more of a cake crash than that, then think trifle. Soak the pieces with Vin Santo (or booze of choice), add some crushed berries, top with custard and whipped cream. Its so good you might smash the next cake on purpose.

Catastrophe #5:

Icing mayhem: the cake looks like its lost a fight with an angry kitten
Fix it
Throw everything you have at it. Slap chopped nuts on the sides, cover it with chocolate buttons, or Smarties, or chocolate fingers, or some dark chocolate youve rumbled through the food processor. They all help cover a catalogue of sins and even the most grown-up of folk will relish your Willy Wonka creation.

You havent necessarily done anything wrong some cakes like Victoria Sponge and Swiss Rolls just need tender loving care. Extra hands can always be useful!

Better luck next time

Better luck next time

Slick icing takes practice (which gives you the perfect excuse to bake, ice and eat hundreds of cakes). Make sure the cake is completely cool before you start work, as this stops the tender crumbs being dragged into the icing.

Burnt. To. Crisp.

Fix it
Theres no rescuing the cremated bits you just need to carve them off with a sharp bread knife. If whats left is cake-like then ice copiously and serve as normal. If whats left is a bit ragged, then its time for trifle or truffles. Or, and this may sound like insanity, you can cook it some more. Turn the good bit of cake into crumbs and sprinkle over a dish of nearly-cooked fruit like apples or plums, pop in the oven, bake until golden and serve like crumble. No prizes for guessing the oven was too hot this time, or you forgot about it! Double-check temperature and timings in the recipe, and its generally worth a quick look at a cake after about 20 minutes to see how its going. Get to know your oven too, as each one is different use an oven thermometer to see if yours runs a bit hot or cold.

Catastrophe #6

Tough blueberry muffins (sometimes known as tuffins)

Fix it
Slice the muffins and toast one side under the grill. Turn them over and spread the other side with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and toast until the sugar bubbles. The grilling helps with the texture; the butter and sweet spice offer delicious distraction.

Better luck next time

Better luck next time

For light muffins follow the holy mantra: thou shall not over-mix. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together quickly a large wire whisk works well and only enough to moisten the flour. Use a spring-release ice-cream scoop to dollop it fast into the muffin tins.

12
Cant face a trip to the supermarket? Try these simple, delicious recipes using just a few store-cupboard ingredients. By Jenny Walters.

13

Pantry Dinners

Pantry Dinners
Dark chocolate sorbet
10 minutes + cooling, chilling and freezing | Serves 4 (or 8 if youre unusually restrained | EASY 75 g cocoa powder 200 g sugar 170 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces tsp vanilla extract Combine cocoa, sugar and 550ml water in a saucepan and put on a medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently, and simmer for one minute. Put chocolate and vanilla in a large bowl, then pour in the hot cocoa syrup from the pan. Leave for a moment and then whisk until smooth. Cool, then chill in the fridge. Pour into ice-cream maker and churn until thick, or if you dont have a machine, put the sorbet into your freezer and whisk once or twice as it sets. It freezes quite hard so get it out 10 minutes before serving (or if in a hurry, 20 seconds in the microwave should let you get your spoon in it).

5 minute pea & mint soup

5 minutes | Serves 2 | EASY

Many recipes for pea soup include a lot of ingredients besides peas. This one is ridiculously straightforward but really captures the sweet flavour of the pea. It uses the frozen variety easier and often fresher than the kind you pod yourself from the greengrocer.
500 ml vegetable stock 500 ml frozen peas 1 teaspoon mint jelly Put everything in a pan, bring to the boil and cook for four minutes. Blend until smooth. Season to taste and serve.

A decadent dessert doesnt have to involve fresh cream and eggs: this recipe conjures a few store-cupboard staples into an addictive treat. Chocolate sorbet may sound odd and you do need to think ahead, but the intense, smooth result is worth the wait. And as its lower fat than regular ice-cream you can indulge with a clear conscience

Chorizo and pepper pasta

15 minutes | Serves 2 | EASY

Proof that you only need a handful of things and fifteen minutes to make a delicious supper. And dont fret if you havent got the right kind of pasta, or peppers, or tinned tomatoes its an easy-going recipe so just sub in what you do have.
150 g penne ready-to-eat chorizo loop (about 100g), cut into small chunks jar of Peppadew peppers (mild or hot as you prefer), drained and cut into pieces 1 400g tin cherry tomatoes Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. While it cooks, put a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat, add the chorizo and cook for 2-3 minutes,

stirring frequently, until it starts to release its oil. Add the peppers and cook for another couple of minutes until the chorizo begins to brown at the edges. Tip in the tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have a thick sauce. Season to taste. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Stir together and serve.

14

Market Day
camera out and dread the day passing trade become endless flow of double buggies, posers and window lickers. One would argue the advent of the posers has come already, but mostly Maltby St and surroundings remain peaceful and pleasant, and a real treasure for ambling foodies. Byodynamic garlic was purchased from Fern Verrows arch, but at 2.50 a bulb, Booths was a far more purse friendly destination for the other ingredients required for the Summer supper for friends. Asparagus from Norfolk, Kentish Strawberries, heady basil and beautiful early tomatoes of every hue duly made it into the shopping basket. The best of now, for later.

15
5 minutes | Serves 6 | EASY

Maltby St is transforming from a secretive location for traders and foodies in the know to a symbol of the rebelion currently taking place in the more famous Borough Market. By Morgan Larrivain.
The railway arches of Maltby Street are awash with sunlight this early June Saturday morning. The sulking corner for traders tired of the tourists of Borough Market and in need of a quieter existence is not too crowded, but busy enough to reassure you that you arent lost in Bermondsey. Self-satisfied expressions of punters in the know beam through the steam of fresh Monmouth coffee, or over a charcuterie and cheese platter from The Ham and Cheese Company. Maltby St is not strictly a market, simply a collection of producers opening their doors to the passing trade on a Saturday morning. They get cross if you get your

Technicolour tomato salad

6-7 tomatoes of different colours, chopped into large chunks 8 baby tomatoes, halved 4 spring onions, sliced roughly 5 radishes sliced finely For the dressing 4 tbsps olive oil 1.5 tbsps balsamic vinegar 1 clove of fresh garlic finely chopped or crushed Mix all the chopped vegetables in a bowl. For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together, seasoning to taste ( a lot of black pepper is nice for this particular salad). Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes and serve with warm ciabatta to mop up any extra dressing.

Smoked asparagus quiche

50 minutes | Serves 6 | EASY For the base - shortcrust pastry 250 g plain flour Pinch of salt 125 g chilled butter, cut into cubes Enough iced water to bring together For the filling Smoked pancetta cubes, 250grs 1 clove of fresh garlic, finely chopped 1 bunch of Asparagus 4 eggs, beaten 3 tbsps crme frache 1 tsp grated Parmesan For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in bowl, then add the butter and gently rub together with fingertips until the mixture reassembles coarse bread crumbs. Add a splash of iced water, or enough to bring the mixture together into a firm ball. Do not kneed or over mix the dough. Wrap it in waxed paper and chill until needed. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 In a hot griddle pan, fry the pancetta cubes until well coloured, then add the garlic. After 2 minutes, remove the pancetta and garlic and add the asparagus. Griddle for 6-8 minutes until slightly charred and soft on the outside but still firm at heart. Beat together the eggs and crme frache, seasoning well. Grease a 28cm quiche or tart dish and line with greaseproof paper. Roll the pastry out into a circle on a clean floured surface. Fit into the dish, lightly pricking the base. Cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper and baking beans. Blind bake for 15 mins at 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Spread the pancetta and garlic evenly on the base, then the asparagus, in a pattern or not (as you please!) and pour in the egg mixture. Top with Parmesan shavings and black pepper. Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and set. Serve warm with a salad.

Strawberry Queen of Puddings

45 minutes | Serves 6 | A little effort 100 g of brioche (after crusts are cut off) 400 ml of milk a knob of butter 25 g golden caster sugar 2 eggs, separated 110 g caster sugar 400 g of strawberries Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 Gently heat the milk, butter and sugar in a pan. In a food processor, whizz the brioche into coarse crumbs. When the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, pour over the brioche an leave to cool for ten minutes.

Gently crush the strawberries into a chunky pulp and set aside. Once the milk mixture has cooled, whisk in the 2 egg yolks. Divide the mixture evenly between 6 heat proof glasses or ramequins, place on an oven tray and bake for 20 minutes. For the meringue, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. Add a tablespoon of sugar and beat again until firm. Repeat the process until all the sugar is used up. Once the base of the pudding is baked, spoon on a 2cm layer of strawberry pulp. Fit a piping bag with star shaped nozzle and fill with the meringue mixture. Pipe extravagant swirls of meringue onto the strawberry layer and bake for a further 5-10 mins, until the meringue is golden on top but still soft in the middle.

16

17
Recipe 1: Gnocchi with Pesto & Rocket
15 minutes | Serves 4 | Easy Put the basil, parmesan, garlic and half the pine nuts into a food processor and season well. Whiz together and with the motor still running, pour the oil in until the pesto thickens. Season to taste with lemon, salt and pepper. Once the gnocchi has been drained, return to the pan along with the fresh pesto and the other half of the pine nuts. Heat through and then serve with rocket to garnish. Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container and use within 2 weeks.

Pantry Skills - Gnocchi

Gnocchi is a fantastic way to use up leftover jacket potatoes and is utterly delicious; however, more often than not people have great difficulty in achieving the right consistency. The following tips will hopefully help you get the best results possible. By Lyndsay Glover

It is vital that you choose the right type of potato- it

needs to be floury with minimal water content.

Always peel the potatoes while still hot and combine

with the other ingredients as soon as possible as this will give a softer, lighter dough. The ratio of potato and flour is vital to success so you must accurately weigh the potatoes after it has been passed through the ricer (or sieve). Finally, dont overwork the dough as this will create tough gnocchi.

The potatoes should be baked in the oven, not boiled,

as boiling can result in the potatoes absorbing too much water. Too much water can subsequently result in the absorption of too much flour later on in the preparation process which produces heavy gnocchi.

A classic dish but always a winner.

1 quantity of gnocchi [see above] 50g basil 50g pine nuts, lightly toasted 30g parmesan cheese, freshly grated 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 85ml olive oil I lemon, zest and juice salt and freshly ground black pepper Handful of rocket

Gnocchi

80 minutes | Makes enough for 4 | A little effort 900g potatoes (1.5g raw weight) 200g 00 Flour 3 egg yolks 55g Parmesan, freshly grated S&p Heat oven to 200oC and bake potatoes for 1 hour or until soft through. Remove and cut in half. Use a spoon to get out the fluffy insides and place in a large mixing bowl. Pass the cooked potato through a ricer (or sieve if you dont have one) and whilst still warm add the flour, yolks, parmesan, salt and pepper [TIP: It is important to remember that gnocchi is largely made up of potato and potatoes LOVE salt so when seasoning your final dough you need to be really quite generous]. Bring together into a soft dough, trying not to overwork the mix. Put a large pan of salted water onto boil. Divide the dough into 4 equal sized pieces and roll into a long, thin sausage shape, then cut into gnocchi about 2cm/1in long. Cook the gnocchi in the water for 2-3minutes or until cooked [TIP: they are ready when they pop up to the surface] and drain. At this stage you can either serve the gnocchi as in recipe 1 below, or alternatively for recipe 2 place onto a well oiled tray and place in fridge to firm up.

Recipe 2: Gnocchi with Girolles, Peas, Broad Beans & Asparagus

20 minutes | Serves 4 | Easy An elegant Spring dish which really has a wow factor. If you cant get hold of any girolles the dish does work fine without although they do add fantastic depth to the dish so worth hunting out. I quantity of gnocchi [see above] 30g butter 55g girolles, picked over 85g peas 85g broad beans 85g asparagus 55g butter 3-4 sage leaves Blanch and refresh peas, broad beans and asparagus. Heat butter in saut pan and add the drained gnocchi. Saut until lightly coloured on all sides. Remove and keep warm. Add the girolles and saut, remove and keep warm. Melt 55g butter in frying pan, add the sage leaves and cook until the sage is crisp and the butter foaming and lightly colouring. Add the gnocchi, girolles and vegetables and heat through. Serve.

18

reviews
The Olde Bell Inn
By Peter McConnell.

Pantry

A main of saffron braised squid, fennel and grilled truffle potatoes delivered a rich sauce to accompany the delicately spiced and perfectly soft squid. The big surprise was the potatoes, not something you often get to say. Blue, black roughly textured tubers halved and topped with a garlic cream, I hadnt seen the like since visiting Peru and thoroughly enjoyed the novelty, one Id like to see more of on menus. Tamworth pork cutlet with braised chicory, white beans and smoked bacon packed a much bigger punch, a right hook compared to the squids gentle jab. Its wonderfully hearty bean stew oozing with saltiness from the bacon would have made a complete meal on its own without the huge pork chop on top. But what a piece of pig, thickly cut, golden on the outside but still moist and full of flavour, it was a piece of meat that genuinely put a smile on my face. A short list of puddings spoke of seasonality and English comfort classics, treacle tart, orange marmalade sponge or rhubarb pavlova all sounded good but the garden sorrel pannacotta with strawberries from the Olde Bells garden was all we chose; that pork really didnt leave room for much else. Perhaps the sorrel was way too refined for me. While it was a very well executed and creamy pannacotta I just couldnt detect the flavour. The strawberries were a mixture of tiny intensely flavoured home grown fruits mixed with some larger berries that pretty obviously didnt come from the garden. They would all have been quite happy on their own with the pannacotta so didnt need the strawberry syrup which somehow managed to dominate the other flavours. A minor gripe in an otherwise excellent evening.

Pantry Probes
Chef Ryan Simpson was awarded a Michelin Star for his fresh, seasonal and innovative cooking at The Goose in Oxfordshire. The Good Food Guide named him as the Up and Coming Chef of the Year in 2010 and has just presented his new venture, Orwells in Shiplake with the South East Restaurant of the Year award. Ryan faces the Pantry Probe with Peter McConnell.
What is your favourite dish to prepare? Lobster Ravioli What is your least favourite dish to prepare? Chips Where did you train? Several 3 star establishments in France, Maison Troisgros in Roanne then Pierre Gagnaire and Guy Savoy in Paris followed by stints with Gordon Ramsey and The Elephant in Torquay. What is your proudest achievement? Achieving the Michelin Star at The Goose and then opening my own restaurant. Where is your favourite restaurant? Sushi Say in Willesden Green Who are the chefs you admire the most? David Everett Mathias at Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for the way he has championed home grown, seasonal produce. What makes a successful restaurateur? Determination, dedication, passion and a strong will to succeed in this industry. Are you aiming for another Michelin Star? Its not something I obsess over, however it is always at the back of my mind. Do you have any ambitions to open in London? No, there is so much to do here. If you werent a chef what would you be? A butcher or fishmonger

19

Sophisticated dining in the heart of the country side.

The interior of an old country inn, that from the outside looks unchanged and unchanging, is the last place I would expect quirky decoration in a dining room. Huge wooden benches with very high backs wrapped in rough blankets held on with leather straps. Glass carriage lamps on the walls, heavy pewter plates, a mixture of antique chairs and heavy oak tables all make for an unexpected charming atmosphere. Redecorated by interior designer Ilse Crawford in 2009, who includes Soho House, New York in her portfolio, the dining room is a lot of fun and not the only surprise. The menu is resolutely seasonal, including spring flavours and textures at every turn. Head Chef, James Ferguson, trained by Ramsey and Hartnett with time spent in the kitchens of Fergus Henderson and Marco Pierre White at L Escargot has crafted a menu quirky enough to match the decor, but not too outr to put off the casual diner. What this isnt is old fashioned country hotel dining, it is very modern even if the flavours are rooted in the fields, seas and gardens of England. Smoked ham hock terrine with spiced courgette chutney or whole quail , English peas, gem lettuce and mint couldnt shout louder about their terroir if they tried. My starter of fresh channel island crab, rock samphire and cucumber delivered a sweet seaside subtlety in the meat offset by the earthy note in the samphire and held together by the long strips of cucumber. English asparagus, Ragstone goats cheese and elderflower cream, left the asparagus to do the talking. The cream a delicate mix of the Herefordshire unpasteurised cheese and local elderflower was a little too subtle and too creamy for my philistine palate and while delightful on its own didnt actually enhance the fresh, zingy asparagus.

Total cost for 2 starters, 2 mains, 1 pudding, 1 bottle Albarino 100.69 inc. 12.5% service
www.theoldebell.co.uk

Peters Last Supper

Roast Chicken, Roast Potatoes, Carrots, Runner Beans, Gravy Apple Crumble & Custard Glass of Seresin Leah 2009 Pinot Noir from Marlborough, NZ

Lyndsays last supper:

A plate of oozing Buffalo Mozzarella, Parma Ham, Tomatoes & Freshly Baked Bread

Top 3 Foodie Loves

1. Rabbit Scotch Egg at Orwells Restaurant in Shiplake near Henley on Thames, a Michelin star awaits. 2. Sour dough starter, who would have thought that a little bit of flour and water could become an obsession. 3. London Eater Blog, a man whos passion, profligacy and skill not say wallet I admire enormously http://londoneater.com

Top 3 things shes loving at the moment

1. Making my own pasta 2. Podding peas 3. English Strawberries punnets and punnets of them.so sweet they taste like they have been doused in sugar.

Angies Last supper: Food Heaven

Pork and shrimp dim sum Spicy pad thai Sticky toffee pudding finishing with a pia cola cocktail

Hummus and spicy pumpkin dip and stuffed olives

Jennys Last Supper

Rare fillet steak, crisp chips with an unholy amount of salt, avocado and tomato salad. For pud, it would have to be my Grannys chocolate brownies with vanilla icecream.

Her Cravings

1. The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit. Its witty, informative, surprising, and anyone who writes about the joy of pickled eggs gets my vote. 2. Parsnip cake seriously delicious competition for the ubiquitous carrot. 3. Willing my tomato plants to grow. I cant wait for a glut of those sweet home-grown fruit.

Morgans Last Supper

Herb crusted barbecued lamb cutlets, roast potatoes and peas Pont levque cheese on baguette Chocolate fudge cake

3 loves for now

Avocado dressed with lemon juice, chili flakes and salt Coffee from Grind in Putney Rediscovering the Winnie the Pooh cookbook