Author Archives: Admin
Sea bass baked in a Maldon sea salt crust
8 April 2013 by Admin in Lifestyle
1 x 1–1.5kg sea bass, gutted and
scaled
For the salt crust mix:
1.5kg Maldon sea salt
1 heaped tbsp coriander seeds
1 level tbsp black peppercorns
½ tbsp Szechuan peppercorns,
slightly crushed
½ tbsp fennel seeds
12 cardamom seeds, slightly crushed
10 star anise
I egg white, beaten (optional)
For the filling:
1 stick lemongrass
3 sprigs fresh coriander
2 lime leaves, cut in half
5 thin slices fresh ginger
1 mild red or green chilli,
split in two and deseeded
For the beurre blanc:
50g Thai shallots, finely chopped
1 glass of Sancerre
½ glass white wine vinegar
250g unsalted butter, cut into small
cubes and refrigerated
2 sprigs coriander
1 tsp chopped lemongrass
half a lime leaf
1 heaped tsp chopped sushi ginger
juice of 1 lime
½ tsp wasabi paste
Serves 4
Mix all the salt crust ingredients, except the optional egg white, together well. It’s best to prepare this dry mix two to three days in advance so it can infuse; just store it in an airtight container. It will keep for the next time, too.
Dry the sea bass well and stuff it with all the ingredients for the filling, making sure they are evenly spread out inside it.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. You will need a sheet of silicone or parchment paper 70cm x 50cm in size; fold it so that you have a sheet of about 35cm x 50cm. Fold or crimp up the edges so they form a little lip and place the sheet on a flat baking tray.
Mix the egg white into the salt mix (it will help to hold the crust together, giving you a harder crust and enabling you to mould it to shape, but alternatively you could simply spray the fish with water once you have finished covering it with the mix). Put a layer of the salt mix in the middle of the paper the size and shape of the bass. Very carefully place the fish on top. Cover it completely with plenty of the salt. Bake it in the oven for about 35–45 minutes. Test it with a probe to make sure the inside is hot. Make the beurre blanc while the fish is cooking. Place the shallots, wine and vinegar in a stainless steel pan over a high heat and reduce until only a few tablespoons of liquid are left. Lower the heat slightly and whisk in the cold butter piece by piece, whisking constantly until you have a velvety beurre blanc – remove the pan from the heat just before adding the last piece of butter. Add all the other ingredients except the lime juice and wasabi and let them infuse while the bass is baking. Keep the sauce warm, preferably by putting the pan in a bain-marie, a container of warm water – but not too warm, or the sauce may split. Adjust the seasoning just before serving and add the lime juice and wasabi. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve just before serving.
To serve the bass, crack open the crust and divide the fish between the plates; serve with the perfumed beurre blanc.
This recipe is from Desert Island Dishes and Copyright of Maldon Salt Company Limited 2012
Lemon, ricotta and basil gnocchi
8 April 2013 by Admin in Uncategorized
For the gnocchi:
350g floury (baking) potatoes
1 large egg, beaten
a pinch of nutmeg
350g ricotta
zest of 1 lemon
a few basil leaves
200g flour
Maldon sea salt, to season
black pepper, to season
30g butter
For the beetroot:
8 baby beetroots (or 2 regular size, if you can’t find smaller ones)
150g Maldon sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
several sprigs of thyme
2–3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled and crushed
To serve:
a splash of balsamic vinegar
a splash of olive oil
a squeeze of lemon juice
30g ricotta
60g goat’s curd
200g peas, cooked lightly
200g broad beans, shelled and cooked lightly
Serves 4
Begin by baking the potatoes for the gnocchi. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Scrub the potatoes and bake them in the oven until cooked through, which will probably take about an hour. You can test them by sticking a knife in; if it comes out easily, with no resistance, they are ready.
Lower the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2 for the salt-baked beetroot. Wash the beetroot and trim off the leaves if still attached, but do not peel. Take two large sheets of foil and lay them out like a cross. Put the Maldon salt in the middle, and add the peppercorns, thyme and garlic. Place the beetroot on the salt. Lift the foil up a little, add one tablespoon of water and pull the foil together, closing it around the beetroot but not too tightly – they need room to steam. Put them on a baking tray and then cook them in the oven for about 30–40 minutes, or until soft (if you’re using two larger beetroots instead of the baby ones this will take longer – allow twice the time). Unwrap the beetroots as soon as they are cool enough to handle and gently rub off the skins; when they are cooked and still warm the skins should rub off easily. Discard the skins and the salt mixture, then set the beets aside.
This part is key. While the potatoes are still warm, just cool enough to handle without actually burning yourself, peel off the skins or use a spoon to scoop out the cooked flesh. While it is still warm it needs to be mashed in a ricer, with a potato masher or even passed through a coarse sieve into a large bowl – it should look like grated potato. After this it will have cooled down more, but it shouldn’t be completely cold. Fold the beaten egg into the potato, then add the nutmeg, ricotta, lemon zest, a couple of torn basil leaves, and enough flour to bind the mixture. Season with Maldon salt and pepper and knead the dough a little, adding more flour if the mixture is too loose. Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough out onto it. Finish kneading the dough by hand – it should be light and dry to the touch. Then divide it into long sausage shapes. Cut them into pieces the size of large walnuts. For an authentic finish, roll these down the back of a floured fork.
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil, and then reduce the heat to a steady rolling simmer. Blanch the gnocchi in the water in batches (don’t overfill the pan as they need room to float up) for 3–4 minutes until firm; they will rise to the surface when ready. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, drain them briefly on kitchen paper and then set them to one side to cool and dry.
When you are ready to serve, halve the beetroots and warm them up in a pan with a little balsamic vinegar. Put the butter in a large non-stick pan and fry the gnocchi briefly, browning them quickly on all sides. Put a dash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon in another pan and toss together the warm peas, broad beans, a little of the ricotta and goat’s curd, and season with Maldon salt and pepper. Place half of this in the bottom of each serving bowl and build up with the pieces of baby beetroot, then a few small spoons of the goat’s curd, the pan-fried gnocchi, a little more pea mixture and a few torn basil leaves. Serve immediately.
This recipe is from Desert Island Dishes and Copyright of Maldon Salt Company Limited 2012
Rump of Casterbridge lamb
8 April 2013 by Admin in Uncategorized
For the lamb:
4 x 200g rumps of lamb
1 tbsp good olive oil
1 clove of garlic, unpeeled but lightly crushed
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
200ml good quality stock (brown, lamb or chicken)
15g unsalted butter
For the Tatin:
24 medium shallots, unpeeled
200g Maldon sea salt, with a little reserved for seasoning
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 tbsp salted butter, softened
Freshly milled black pepper
4 x 10cm rounds of rolled-out puff pastry, approximately 2.5mm thick
1 tbsp good olive oil
To serve:
Steamed broccoli or green beans
Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Start by preparing the tartes Tatin; you will need 4 x 10cm Tatin moulds. Mix together the Maldon salt, thyme and rosemary, and sprinkle onto a baking tray big enough to hold all the shallots in one layer. Place the shallots on the salt and bake for approximately 20 minutes until slightly softened. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until you are able to handle them. Carefully peel off the skins.
Brush the Tatin moulds with the softened butter and season them well with salt and pepper. Arrange 6 shallots in each mould, and press down slightly so that they are at an even depth. Then top with the puff pastry circles, tucking the pastry in at the sides so the shallots are completely covered. Brush the pastry with the olive oil, prick it over with a fork and bake in the oven for about 20–25 minutes, until golden and slightly risen. Remove them from the oven and rest for 2–3 minutes before carefully turning them out. Keep them warm until you are ready to serve.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof sauté pan. Season the lamb well with Maldon salt and freshly milled black pepper. Put the rumps into the pan and colour them well on all sides. Then place the pan in the oven for 2–3 minutes. Remove the pan, turn the meat over and add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Return the pan to the oven for another 6–8 minutes. Remove from the oven, lift the lamb out of the pan and leave it to rest in a warm place for 3–4 minutes. Pour off any excess oil or fat from the pan, and return it to the hob over a high heat. Add the stock and reduce it by half until the juice has the consistency of a sauce. Take the pan off the heat, whisk in the butter and pass the sauce through a fine strainer into a jug.
To serve, place a Tatin on each serving plate, slice each rump of lamb into five even pieces and lie them on the plate next to the Tatin. Spoon the pan juices over, and serve with some steamed broccoli or green beans.
This recipe is from Desert Island Dishes and Copyright of Maldon Salt Company Limited 2012
Bramley apple and lemon thyme crumble
8 April 2013 by Admin in Uncategorized
Bramley apple and lemon thyme crumble
You will need 4 x 6 cm stainless
steel rings
For the crumble:
50g caster sugar
60g soft unsalted butter
55g ground almonds
½ tsp Maldon sea salt
60g soft white flour
3 Bramley apples
5 tsp clear thyme honey
25g unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh lemon thyme
10g sultanas
For the salted caramel sauce:
4 tbsp water
60g granulated sugar
6 tbsp double cream
a pinch Maldon sea salt
For the mascarpone ice cream:
250ml full-fat milk
150g mascarpone
3 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
Serves 4
Make the ice cream beforehand. Put the milk and half the mascarpone into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Beat together the egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl, then add the milk mixture to the bowl and mix them together well. Return the ice-cream mixture to the saucepan and cook it until it reaches 85°C, stirring continuously. Put an empty bowl into a baking tray and fill the tray with iced water. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into the bowl and allow it to chill. Stir in the remaining mascarpone and then freeze the mix in an ice-cream machine, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Set aside in the freezer for later use.
Make the crumble. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4, and mix the sugar with the butter, rubbing them together. Add the ground almonds, Maldon salt and flour and continue to rub everything together to create a crumbly texture. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown in colour. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Wash, peel and cut the Bramley apples into 1cm dice. In a shallow pan cook the honey, butter and lemon thyme until they reach a light caramel. Add the sultanas and then add the apples. Reduce the heat, place a piece of baking paper over the top and continue to cook slowly until the apples are soft to the touch but still maintain their shape. Remove from the heat.
Place four 6cm stainless steel rings on a silicone baking mat or baking sheet. Spoon a little of the crumble mix into the base of each ring and place on top enough of the cooked apple mixture to come two-thirds up the ring. Then put more crumble on top of the apples and place them in the oven for 12 minutes to warm through and further colour the crumble.
While the crumbles are cooking, make the sauce. Put the water and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and cook them to a caramel. Mix the double cream and Maldon salt together and, off the heat, add them to the caramel carefully – it will rise up and spit. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve. Set aside and keep warm.
Carefully lift each crumble onto its serving plate and remove the ring. Spoon the salted caramel sauce around it and set a quenelle of the ice cream to the side.
This recipe is from Desert Island Dishes and Copyright of Maldon Salt Company Limited 2012
Maldon salted dark chocolate fondant
8 April 2013 by Admin in Uncategorized
For the ice cream:
200ml pasteurised egg yolk
300g caster sugar
500ml double cream
500ml milk
1 vanilla pod, seeded
200g macadamia nuts
2 tsp Maldon sea salt
For the fondants:
250g dark chocolate couverture (minimum 60% cocoa solids)
250g unsalted butter
5 whole eggs
5 egg yolks
300g caster sugar
250g plain flour
2 tsp Maldon sea salt
Serves 8
Begin by making the ice cream. In a large bowl, mix the yolks and 200g of the sugar together thoroughly, so that there are no lumps. Do this in advance, and you will find the custard cooks quicker as the sugar draws moisture from the eggs. If you cannot get pasteurised egg yolk then just use the equivalent weight in separated egg yolks.
Boil the cream and milk with the vanilla pod – this will release the oils and aromatic flavours. Pour half the liquid over the yolk mix, and stir it with a whisk to incorporate it quickly. Return the pan to the hob, and then pour all the egg mix back into the milk remaining in the pan. Lower the heat and continue to stir with a spatula; raise the temperature gradually until it reaches 82°C or until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Be careful, as if you heat the mix too far the custard will curdle or split. As soon as the custard is cooked, remove it from the heat and pass it through a fine sieve into a bowl or container. Immediately chill it over ice to stop the cooking process.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Spread the macadamia nuts out on it and roast them in the oven while the custard is cooling. Take them out as soon as they are a rich golden brown.
Put the rest of the sugar into a clean, dry, heavy-based pan and, over a medium heat, begin to melt it down. Using a wooden spoon, move the sugar around as it melts and starts to colour. You will need to take this sugar to the caramel stage which is at least 180°C, so be very careful.
When the colour is golden, and all the sugar crystals are melted and the syrup is clear, pour the caramel over the nuts and leave it to set. Once cool, break up the caramel, smashing it lightly with the end of a rolling pin to create smaller bite-sized chunks. Sprinkle the Maldon salt into the mix.
Place the custard in an ice-cream machine and churn until thick and almost frozen, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Then fold in the caramel chunks and Maldon salt and place the ice cream in the freezer to set up and crystallise a little more. Make sure the ice cream is not too runny when you mix in the caramel as otherwise the salt may dissolve – it is a much tastier effect to have the flakes melt in the mouth.
Now for the fondants. Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
Melt the chocolate and butter until smooth and lump free. The chocolate should not get too hot – it will be fully liquid at 30°C and burn above 60°C – and your mix should be warm, not hot. You can use a microwave if you can set a low enough power and melt it slowly; otherwise put it in a dry bowl over a pan of simmering water, with the bottom of the bowl clear of the surface of the water. Be careful not to get any water in the mix or it can
seize.
Lightly whisk the eggs and sugar together. If you have melted the chocolate in a bowl over water, take the bowl off the pan. Stir the egg mixture into the melted chocolate, then fold in the flour and the Maldon salt.
Grease and sugar 8 large ramekins or grease and line 8 dessert rings. Pipe or spoon the mixture into these moulds until they are about three-quarters full. Just before serving, cook for about 8–12 minutes – depending on the size of the mould and thickness of the edges – until the mix has risen, but the cake should not be cooked all the way through.
Remove from the oven, and serve with the ice cream on the side.
This recipe is from Desert Island Dishes and Copyright of Maldon Salt Company Limited 2012