I hope you enjoy cooking the recipes as much as I enjoyed writing them. As I’ve gone through the process of writing cookbooks, I’ve been fascinated by the journey; moving forward, rethinking, recreating and reinventing new ideas, which is what I do in my professional kitchen. I want this book to be used by everyone, every single day. Spending your time in the kitchen creatively is an integral part of the process of preparing good food – it’s not just about the delicious end result. And these recipes are perfect for that.
This chapter is all about my new life at Melfort House. I feel like a young boy when I’m there. I’m finding a new sense of understanding and energy from ingredients I’ve never used much before – until now my life has always been about professional kitchens. The photographs in this chapter are also special to me – they were taken at the start of the photoshoot, capturing not just the end of summer but the beginning of this book. We were so blessed on that day, with the sunshine and everything jumping out of the ground; we were pulling up beetroots and cabbages, herbs and celery; it was magical. Just don’t ask me to choose a favourite dish in this chapter, because I can’t!
Beetroot, Tahini Verde and Sourdough Salad
Beetroot is so versatile, and it grows very easily. I plant a few different varieties, which gives a great variation of sweetness and colour. Tahini verde is a sesame sauce full of garden herbs. It adds a burst of freshness, flavour and richness to the dish. It will keep for a couple of days in the fridge and is wonderful for salads and with fish. If you can’t find beetroot with leaves intact, use 50g salad leaves instead.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: ABOUT 25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR, PLUS COOLING
8 large red beetroots, leaves removed, washed and set aside
50ml red wine vinegar, plus 1 tbsp
2 bay leaves
5 cloves
1 tbsp table salt
6 tbsp olive oil
2 candy beetroots, peeled
4 slices of sourdough (about 200g)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TAHINI VERDE
100g tahini
2 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped basil leaves
½ tsp table salt
Put the red beetroots in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the 50ml of red wine vinegar, bay leaves, cloves and the salt. Bring to the boil and cook for about 1 hour, or until just tender. Remove from the heat, drain, leave to cool, then peel and cut each one into 4–6 wedges. Put them in a bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cut the peeled candy beetroots into 1–2mm-thick rounds, using a mandoline if you have one. Set aside.
To make the tahini verde, place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a small food processor, or a beaker for a stick blender, add 50ml cold water and blitz together to form a slightly chunky dressing.
Mix 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the tablespoon of red wine vinegar in a bowl to form a vinaigrette, then set aside.
Brush the sourdough with the remaining olive oil and break it into chunky croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan over high heat, add the croutons and toast for 3–5 minutes.
Dress the beetroot leaves and candy beetroot slices with the vinaigrette.
Place the cooked beetroot wedges, dressed leaves and raw candy beetroot slices on a serving dish with the sourdough croutons. Dollop the tahini verde on top and serve.
MARCUS’ TIP:
I use a lot of bay leaves in my cooking, though they have a pungent flavour so one goes a long way. Plant a bay tree (in the garden or in a pot) – they are very hardy and do not take up much space. This will give you everyday access to the leaves.
Roasted and Pickled Cauliflower Salad with Almonds and Chives
One of the most versatile vegetables around, the humble cauliflower is also a hardy plant (as well as being very attractive to caterpillars, we’ve found). I like the combination of the nutty, roasted cauliflower in this dish with the sour zing of the pickled cauliflower, which you can prepare up to 12 hours ahead. The toasted almonds also add a richness to the dish and the chives bring a refreshing oniony hit.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES
2 heads of cauliflower, leaves removed
60g butter, cubed
½ bunch of chives, cut in half
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE PICKLING LIQUOR
2 tbsp demerara sugar
125ml white wine vinegar
2 cloves
FOR THE ALMOND BUTTER
120g flaked almonds
3–5 tbsp olive oil
Cut each cauliflower head in half, top to bottom and through the core. Cut 12 thin slices from both the halved (flat) edges, about 3mm in thickness. Cutting through the stem, cut the rest of the cauliflower into florets. Place the thin slices in a large, shallow heatproof dish.
To make the pickled cauliflower, put the sugar, vinegar and cloves in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the pickling liquor over the thin cauliflower slices. Cover with clingfilm and set aside while you roast the remaining cauliflower and make the almond butter.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
Place the cauliflower florets in a large roasting tray and scatter the cubed butter on top. Season generously with salt and pepper and cover the entire tray with foil. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for a further 20 minutes, basting the cauliflower with the butter twice during the cooking time, until the cauliflower florets are golden and tender.
To make the almond butter, put the flaked almonds in a roasting tray and bake in the oven for 7–8 minutes, until dark golden, shaking the tray halfway through. Remove from the oven, set 20g of the roasted, flaked almonds aside, then put the remaining 100g in a blender with the olive oil and blitz until they reach the consistency of loose nut butter. Season well.
When the cauliflower florets are cooked, place them on a large serving platter. Add the chives to the roasting tray and place back in the oven for 1 minute, to gently wilt them, then spoon them over the cauliflower. Drizzle the almond butter over the top and top with the pickled cauliflower slices and reserved toasted almonds.
Crispy Courgettes with Goats’ Cheese and Lavender Honey
Courgettes seem to grow in abundance in my garden, especially in prolonged heat, like we had in summer 2018, when I ended up with quite a few marrows as I didn’t pick them soon enough. I enjoy using the plants’ flowers too, which I stuff with this goats’ cheese mix, coat in batter and fry.
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SERVES: 4 AS A STARTER OR SNACK | PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES, PLUS OVERNIGHT INFUSING | COOKING TIME: 25 MINUTES
200g soft goats’ cheese
1 tbsp finely chopped marjoram or oregano
grated zest of ½ lemon
4 courgettes, cut into 5mm-thick rounds
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE LAVENDER HONEY
6 tbsp runny honey
2 heads of lavender flowers
FOR THE TEMPURA BATTER
100g cornflour
100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
generous pinch of salt
130–140ml soda water
The day before you want to make and serve the dish, place the honey in a small clean jar. Break up the lavender flowers and add them to the honey. Cover and leave in a warm place to infuse.
Put the goats’ cheese, marjoram or oregano, lemon zest and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small food processor and blitz (or put them in a bowl and use a stick blender) until semi smooth.
To make the tempura batter, mix the cornflour and flour together in a bowl
with the salt. Gradually whisk in enough of the soda water to make a thick batter.
Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer to come up to about 5cm and place over medium heat. If using a deep-fat fryer or if you have a thermometer, heat the oil to 170°C. If not, to check the oil is at the right temperature, drop a 2–3cm cube of bread into the hot oil – it should turn golden and crisp in 1 minute.
Season the courgette slices with salt then dust them with flour. One by one, dip them in the tempura batter and, straight away, carefully place them in the hot oil. Fry in batches for 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, shake off any excess oil and transfer to kitchen paper. Season again with salt while they are hot.
Place the fried courgettes on a large serving plate and dollop the goats’ cheese on top, then drizzle with the lavender honey. Serve immediately, while they are hot and crispy!
MARCUS’ TIP:
If goats’ cheese is not to your liking, soft cream cheese works well, or mild Cheddar grated and mixed with a little mascarpone.
Tomato, Wild Garlic and Burrata Salad
Wild garlic grows like a weed in the right environment – it likes a little dampness – and the smell of it always signifies that spring is on the way. It does have a relatively short season, however, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. When it isn’t available, use chives instead. They are a great substitute. Any leftover dressing will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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SERVES: 4 AS A SUMMER LUNCH OR STARTER | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
8–12 tomatoes
4 × 100g or 2 × 200g balls of burrata
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE WILD GARLIC DRESSING
2 tbsp pine nuts
16 wild garlic leaves, or 1 bunch of chives
125ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Put the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 6 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Put all of the ingredients for the wild garlic dressing in a small blender or food processor and pulse until a chunky dressing is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut the tomatoes into slices and wedges, and season well with salt and pepper. Arrange them on serving plates and spoon half of the wild garlic dressing on top.
Just before serving, cut the burrata balls in half, if using 100g balls, or into quarters if using 200g balls and place the cut burrata on the plates with the tomatoes. Season the inside of the balls with a little more salt and pepper then spoon over the remaining dressing.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Keep tomatoes out of the fridge, until they are becoming overripe, and never serve a cold tomato, as the flavour is dulled.
Chilled Summer Garden Soup with Lemon and Mackerel
I created this refreshing soup when I had an abundance of beautiful vegetables in my garden, and the weather was very warm, so turning on the oven was not really on the agenda! This recipe features the vegetables I used, but please regard it just as a guide and feel free to use what you have in abundance, or available in your fridge. I use the whole pea pods in this recipe as they contain lots of juice and flavour. The mackerel – a little bit of luxury on the top – is simply cured, so ensure it is as fresh as possible, or use smoked mackerel instead.
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SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 40 MINUTES
FOR THE SUMMER GARDEN SOUP
16 tender peas in their pods (tops and strings removed) (about 130g)
1 cucumber, skin on, roughly chopped (about 250g)
2 pickled gherkins (40g)
50ml gherkin pickling liquor
100g day-old sliced bread (preferably sourdough), torn
2 courgettes, grated (about 475g)
½ bunch of chives
½ bunch of dill
1 iceberg lettuce, cored and roughly chopped (about 250g)
100g Greek yoghurt
25ml olive oil
8 ice cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE MACKEREL
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
50ml gherkin pickling liquor
4 mackerel fillets, pin-boned and skin on, cut into 5mm-thick slices
Put the peas (including pods), cucumber, gherkins and gherkin pickle liquor in a blender or food processor and blitz until as smooth as possible. Pass through a fine sieve, retaining the liquid. Add the torn bread and leave for 10 minutes.
Place the liquid with the bread in the blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients for the soup and blitz until smooth. Season well.
For the mackerel, mix the lemon zest and juice into the pickling liquor. Season the mackerel with salt and place in a shallow dish. Pour over the liquid and leave for 10 minutes, then strain off the liquid.
Serve the soup in bowls with the mackerel on top.
Asparagus with Bagna Cáuda and Parmesan
The arrival of British asparagus is one of the first signs of spring that I most look forward to, and I like to take advantage of its fleeting season as often as possible. Bagna cáuda originates from Piedmont in Italy and is traditionally a pungent sauce made with anchovies, olive oil and garlic. It pairs so well with the delicate flavour and texture of asparagus. Heaped with freshly shaved Parmesan, it is a dish I can eat over and over again.
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SERVES: 4–6 AS A STARTER | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR
2–3 bunches of asparagus (500–750g), tough ends trimmed
Parmesan, shaved, to serve
FOR THE BAGNA CÁUDA
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 shallots, peeled and halved
8 good-quality anchovy fillets in oil
150ml olive oil
50g butter
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp Dijon mustard
To make the bagna cáuda, place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Place over low heat, bring to a very low simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, until the garlic is soft. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth with a stick blender.
Remove the woody ends from the asparagus and blanch in a pan of salted water for 3 minutes, then drain.
Place the asparagus in a large serving dish, drizzle liberally with the bagna cáuda and top with Parmesan shavings. Serve immediately.
MARCUS’ TIP:
If you are not a fan of anchovies, replace them with 8 large pitted Gordal olives, finely chopped.
Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Prunes, Lentils and Sour Cream
Jerusalem artichokes are one of the vegetables that people seem most averse to cooking with at home. This recipe should turn you into an instant fan of this root vegetable – when roasted until dark and crispy, it has a wonderful sweet nuttiness that is rather addictive. We grow them on the farm and I didn’t know what they looked like in the ground – they’re massive! The prunes add sweetness, the lentils add earthiness and the sour cream brings welcome acidity to this rich dish.
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SERVES: 4–6 | PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR
150g puy or green lentils, rinsed
2.5kg Jerusalem artichokes, well scrubbed
4 tbsp vegetable oil
100g pitted prunes
½ tsp ground cinnamon
200ml milk
150g sour cream
½ bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
½ tsp sumac
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 and cook the lentils according to the packet instructions.
Place the scrubbed artichokes and vegetable oil in a large roasting tray, toss to coat the artichokes in the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40–50 minutes, depen
ding on the size of the artichokes, stirring them every 10 minutes, until they are dark golden and crispy on the outside and the centres are soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then cut the artichokes in half and place them back in the roasting tray to keep warm, adding a little more salt and pepper.
While the artichokes are roasting, put the prunes and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cover with enough water to just submerge the prunes, add a little salt, bring to a simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes until the prunes have absorbed the water. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Set aside.
Take a quarter of the roasted artichokes and place them in a large saucepan with the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes until the artichokes have absorbed the milk. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth, adding a little more salt if needed.
To serve, spoon the warm artichoke purée onto a large serving plate. Top with the warm lentils (reheated if necessary), then the remaining roasted artichokes. Dot the prune purée around and spoon over the sour cream. Finish with the chopped coriander, sprinkle over the sumac and serve immediately.
Carrots with Pine Nuts and Tarragon
Carrots are a vegetable we sometimes take for granted, but they are so full of flavour, colour and texture. Forming the base of any good classic gravy, they add a sweetness unlike most other vegetables. To show them off at their best here, I serve them three ways: roasted, pickled and just lightly seasoned, and make a vinaigrette from the carrot juice. It all adds up to create a very delicious dish. The flavour combination with the tarragon is a simple marriage made in heaven.
Marcus Everyday Page 2
