"The British preservation society"
Thinking about what to have for dinner tonight? How about some corned beef, pickled herring or brawn with lacto-fermented vegetables? I’m sure these aren’t top of most people’s wish list but although it might bring back nightmares of bad school dinners it could be worth giving some of those old recipes another chance…
Our culinary history has a long tradition of preserving foods in time of plenty – whether by making jams and chutneys out of the abundant fruits of late summer or pickling and curing meat and fish to guarantee a good source of protein throughout the whole year. Not only did this make a lot of economic sense, it also produced some of our most delicious British dishes – strokes of genius inspired by necessity!
I believe this has a strong resonance with us today. When thinking more about cutting down waste and making more out of what we’ve got contributes to sustainable food consumption and at the same time broaden the variety of what’s on offer to customers.
The concept of using every part of the animal has been championed by some of this country’s top chefs, but it’s becoming more widely accessible across the board. If we’re going to eat meat and fish of course there will always be a special place in our hearts (or stomachs) for a good fillet steak or roast rack of lamb but can we also save some room for corned beef and pickled cabbage? By this I don’t mean out of a can but the way they originally made it for long sea voyages, by preserving the meat by packing it in large salt crystals called corns. Made properly it can be absolutely incredible.
Recently, restaurants have put a lot of emphasis on eating seasonally and locally, and I agree that this is important - but it doesn’t mean that we can’t still have variety on our menus or be innovative in what we serve. Maybe it’s time to revisit some of our old traditions.
Baked cod, preserved fruit salad - serves 4
4 decent sized pieces cod fillet, skinned and boneless weighing about 160g each.
4 roughly cut 6” squares of banana leaf (or baking parchment)
The Marinade
2 medium sized red chillies
a good thumb sized piece if fresh ginger pealed
2 sticks of lemon grass chopped up
2 limes zest grated and juice retained
a good handful of fresh coriander
a few good sprigs mint picked leaves
½ bunch Thai basil or fresh basil if you can’t get hold of it
2 in number spring onions chopped
3-4 fresh kaffir lime
a good pinch Cornish sea salt
50ml good olive oil
Method
Put all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth then push through a sieve into a bowl, then place the cut pieces of fish into the bowl and leave for 20 minutes before use.
Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees c (gas mark 6). Place the 4 pieces of banana leaf onto the baking tray and then pick out the fish from the bowl and place each on a piece of banana leaf.
Bake for 6-7 minutes depending on the size, once cooked remove from oven and leave to rest for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Serve with the Preserved fruit salad
Preserved fruit salad
1 Papaya peeled de seeded 1cm rough dice
¼ cantaloupe melon de seeded 1cm dice]
½ cucumber de seeded 1 cm dice
2 plum tomato’s pealed and de seeded and diced
2 spring onions very thinly sliced
1 red chili de seeded and very small dice
¼ Chopped coriander
2Lime zest and juice
Salt to taste
50ml olive oil to bind
Method
Mix all together and season with lime juice and salt leave for 20-30 minutes before serving.
How to relish the new season’s produce
At last: the sun’s come out and spring is here! As a chef, it’s not just the fact that the weather is getting warmer that brings a smile to my face – it’s the thought of all the new season produce which is now ready for us to enjoy.
Thoughts often turn to eating lamb at this time of year, but British new season lamb reared outdoors and suckling on their mother’s milk – who herself has enjoyed a diet of fresh grass – these animals have a uniquely sweet flavour and a tender texture, which needs careful cooking and subtle accompaniments to bring out its best.
Which is why the new season vegetables make such wonderful partners. Whereas strong herbs like rosemary and hardy winter veg like kale and red cabbage go so well with more mature animals, seasonality dictates that they would overpower the delicate flavour of new season lamb which is only up to [8 months old]. But spring vegetables such as asparagus, broad beans, fennel, trompette mushrooms, courgettes and tomatoes are just right, creating a dish which is light but still full of flavour. Ditto soft herbs like chervil, parsley, chives, tarragon or even dill.
Don’t be too afraid of it, however – for all its delicacy, new season lamb is still quite versatile. While it’s not the right meat for slow-cooked stews or minced up for burgers, it’s fantastic barbequed, where the caramelisation gives a nice balance to the sweetness of the meat. Simply marinade it in soft herbs, garlic and olive oil and serve with a raw or lightly steamed salad of spring veg with a lemon, black pepper and pecorino vinaigrette. Or try it [steamed] in a light broth with sheep’s milk dumplings and crunchy new season veg. If you’re really adventurous, “hay baking” is a classic way to cook it – packed in a roasting tin surrounded by hay – served simply with buttered Jersey Royals.
So let’s relish all our beautiful new spring produce as we enjoy the sunshine!
New season Lamb, Charred asparagus and black pepper dressing – Serves 4
2 best end racks of new season lamb (trimmed outer skin removed)
2x bunches of Asparagus, cleaned and stalks cut off
8/10 in number breakfast radishes
8 in number yellow cherry tomatoes
8 in number red cherry tomatoes
1 head of radicchio or trevisano
2 heads of white chicory
1/2 bunch of chervil
For the dressing
1 lemon zest and juice
50ml white balsamic vinegar (or good white wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
200ml cold pressed rape seed oil
70g grated pecorino cheese
Salt to taste
Method
For the dressing place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until it has come together as a dressing.
Thinly slice the radishes and place them in a bowl, cut the tomatoes in half and add to the bowl, squeeze a little lemon and oil over them and season well with salt and milled pepper. Then leave for a few minutes.
Oil and season the asparagus and then grill on a hot griddle pan for a few seconds each side to colour but not totally cook. Then place them on a tray and pour over a little of the dressing.
Season the Lamb well and put into a hot pan fat side down and cook on a medium to high heat for 3-4 minutes. When they have a lovely golden colour turn them over and start to baste them with the rendered fat. Do this all over for 3-4 minutes moving the lamb all the time until there is now raw areas. Then place on a rack with a tray underneath and cook in a pre-heated 180-degree Celsius oven for 4-5 minutes until the flesh is a little firmer. Remove from the oven place on the side for about 8 minutes to rest. You are now ready to complete the dish
Just before plating add the salad leaves to the tomato and radish bowl and then arrange over the plate, then add the asparagus. Slice the Lamb into cutlets and arrange on the plate and finish with a good spoon of the dressing over each and finish with sprigs of chervil.
© 2025. All Rights Reserved.
© 2025. All Rights Reserved.