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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: UNDER 10 MINUTES
10g butter
3 eggs, beaten
50g smoked salmon
1 small shallot, diced
½ tsp capers in brine, finely chopped
2 tbsp crème fraîche
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
2 tbsp finely chopped garden herbs (such as dill, parsley, tarragon and marjoram)
25g Cheddar cheese, grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the butter in a medium non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, season the beaten eggs with salt and pepper and pour them into the pan. Using a spatula, quickly move the egg around the pan until it begins to firm up. When the egg is almost cooked, lay the salmon over the top on one side then top with the remaining ingredients, as well as a good grind of black pepper. Leave to sit over the heat for 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and carefully fold the empty omelette half over the topped half. Allow to sit for 2 minutes then transfer to a warm plate and eat immediately.
Chop Chop Salad
We’re not really a salad nation, we just open bags and tip them out. American chefs, however, really make great chopped salads. I first had a version of this salad at Daniel Boulud’s restaurant in London and thought it was the perfect meal in a bowl. It had everything; freshness, crunch, sweetness, creaminess and such a great flavour. There is not really any cooking involved, apart from frying the croutons. It’s a super-simple and fun meal for one.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: ABOUT 5 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 5 MINUTES
20g cashew nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small slice of sourdough (about 30g), diced
½ small (or ¼ large) iceberg lettuce, diced
1 slice of watermelon, diced (150g diced weight)
80g cooked chicken breast, diced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE DRESSING
2 tbsp salad cream
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
Heat a small frying pan and once hot, toast the cashews for a minute or two until golden brown. Tip out onto a plate to cool then roughly chop.
Heat the oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the diced bread and season well with salt and pepper. Toast the croutons for about 5 minutes, until golden brown, then transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.
In a bowl, make a dressing by mixing together the salad cream, crème fraîche and herbs, and season it with salt and pepper.
Place the lettuce, watermelon, cashew nuts and chicken in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter the croutons on top.
Prawn, Tomato and Chilli Linguine
This recipe takes me back to Italian summer holidays where the tomatoes are like sweets and the pasta so fresh it melts in your mouth. It can be hard to recreate this without such great ingredients but I find baby plum tomatoes are the best substitute. Good-quality dried pasta is fine, but if you can get fresh it is a little quicker to cook.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: UNDER 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 25 MINUTES
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
pinch of dried chilli flakes
200g baby plum tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp vodka
110g fresh tagliatelle (or 80g dried)
120g raw king prawns, peeled and veins removed
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly diced
8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots, garlic and chilli flakes and season with salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, until soft, then add the tomatoes and a little more salt, and black pepper, and cook for 8–10 minutes. Add the vodka and cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to sit.
Bring a medium-large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente.
When the pasta is nearly done, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When it’s starting to smoke, season the prawns with salt and pepper, add them to the hot pan and colour them briefly on each side. Add the tomato sauce to the pan with the prawns and mix well, then add the fresh chilli and basil leaves and stir through. Check the prawns to make sure they’re cooked.
Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and mix well. Serve immediately.
MARCUS’ TIP:
I sometimes think of chilli as a seasoning, such as salt and pepper. A small amount of it can really enhance a dish and add an extra layer of flavour.
Chicken Schnitzel with Celeriac Remoulade and a Fried Egg
Crispy chicken, an oozy yolk and a crunchy, tangy celeriac remoulade. My kind of dinner! You can prep the chicken ahead of time – buy four or five breasts, flatten them, coat them and put them in the freezer to pull out when you’re ready to pan fry.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: UNDER 10 MINUTES
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs, 1 beaten
30g dried breadcrumbs (panko or homemade from old bread)
4 tbsp vegetable oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CELERIAC REMOULADE
¼ small celeriac, peeled and finely sliced into matchsticks
finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
3 tbsp good-quality shop-bought mayonnaise
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cover your chopping board with clingfilm and place the chicken breast on top. Cover with a layer of clingfilm then, using a rolling pin, flatten the chicken breast until it’s about 1cm thick.
Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour, then coat it in the beaten egg and finish with a generous coating of breadcrumbs. Put it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Place the celeriac in a bowl and season it with a little salt. Add the lemon zest and juice and leave to sit for 5 minutes, then add the mustard, mayonnaise, parsley and a pinch of black pepper and mix well.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a frying pan large enough to fit the schnitzel over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the schnitzel in the pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes on one side until golden, then carefully turn it over and cook on the other side for a further 3–4 minutes, until cooked through.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, crack the second egg into the centre and cook it to your liking.
Serve the schnitzel with the fried egg on top and the celeriac remoulade on the side.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Keep one non-stick frying pan purely for cooking things such as eggs, pancakes and delicate fish. Clean it gently and store without any other pans on top, or with a protective layer in between. This will preserve the non-stick effect.
Butter-roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Parsley
I hated cauliflower as a child, but as I got older I realised that it has a beautiful flavour. And when it’s roasted properly, it goes from being something quite plain to something very delicious. The trick is to get as much colour on it as possible as it then takes on a nutty, caramelised flavour. This is a great recipe for an easy supper on your own, as the oven does most of the work!
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 45 MINUTES
1 small caulifl
ower, or ½ a large cauliflower (with leaves on)
30g butter, melted
25g whole almonds
1 tsp capers in brine
1 gherkin, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp gherkin pickle liquor
2 tbsp crème fraîche
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
Slice the leaves off the cauliflower and finely shred them.
Cut the cauliflower in half, from top to bottom and through the core, and place cut-side down in a baking dish just large enough to fit the two pieces. Drizzle the melted butter over the cauliflower halves then season them well with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 40–45 minutes, turning them halfway through and basting them with the butter, until they take on a deep golden colour, and are soft when a knife is inserted.
While the cauliflower is cooking, place the almonds in a small ovenproof dish and toast in the oven for 6–8 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and roughly chop.
Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add the cauliflower leaves.
To serve, place the roasted cauliflower on a plate and spoon over any remaining butter in the baking dish. Scatter the toasted almonds on top and place the caper, parsley and cauliflower leaf salad on the side.
Barnsley Chop, Roasted Fennel and Black Olive Tapenade
Fennel seems to be a rather divisive vegetable. When we have it on the menu at the restaurants we often get requests for a dish to be made without it, but I love the freshness it imparts. Roasting it brings out its natural sweetness, so if you don’t like it raw, do try it cooked.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES
10g butter
½ fennel bulb, cut into quarters
¼ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 Barnsley chop (brined if you wish – use ½ quantity of the brine from Crackling’d Slow-cooked Pork Shoulder with Baked Apple Sauce)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TAPENADE
6 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2 tinned or cured anchovies in oil, finely chopped, or ½ tsp anchovy sauce
1 small shallot, finely diced
4 mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 7.
Put the butter, quartered fennel and fennel seeds in a small roasting dish. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for 12 minutes.
While the fennel is cooking, bring the Barnsley chop to room temperature (rinsing off the brine and patting dry with kitchen paper, if the chop was brined). Heat the vegetable oil in a small heavy-based frying pan over high heat. When hot, season the chop on both sides with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Fry for around 5 minutes each side, until well browned.
After the fennel has been in the oven for 12 minutes, remove the dish, turn the fennel pieces over, then place the chop on top. Bake in the oven for a further 6–8 minutes then remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
To make the tapenade, mix together the olives, anchovies, shallot, mint, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl with a good grind of black pepper.
Serve the fennel, the chop, and the cooking juices with the tapenade.
MARCUS’ TIP:
A Barnsley chop, or saddle chop, has a centre bone with two pieces of loin on either side. On top is a good layer of fat, and I recommend cooking the chops with this on, as it will render in the oven and enhance the lamb flavour. You can remove it on eating if you wish.
Sirloin Steak with Brandy Sauce and Crispy Potatoes
Cooking for one can sometimes seem a little too much effort, but this recipe is very much worth it. Sirloin is one of my favourite cuts of steak as it has such depth of flavour. I generally only buy dry-aged steak that has been matured for at least 21 days (this ageing further enhances the flavour) and I don’t tend to brine quick-cook steaks like this.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 25–35 MINUTES
5 new potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ bunch of thyme
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 × 200–250g sirloin steak
20g butter, cubed
1 garlic clove, bashed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE BRANDY SAUCE
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
2 tbsp brandy
50ml good-quality beef stock
1 tbsp crème fraîche
Steam the potatoes for 15–20 minutes, until soft when pierced with a knife. Leave to cool.
Now, open all your windows!
Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Cut the steamed potatoes in half and when the oil is hot, place them in the pan, cut-side down. Season well with salt and pepper and add a few sprigs of thyme. Fry for 10–15 minutes, turning them occasionally, until crispy on all sides.
While the potatoes are frying, or after, place the vegetable oil in a small, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. When smoking, season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper and carefully place it in the pan. Give the pan a gentle shake to ensure there is oil under the steak. Fry for about 2 minutes, until nicely browned on one side, then carefully turn it over and brown for another 2 minutes. Flip the steak back to the original side and add the butter, cube by cube, the garlic and half of the remaining thyme to the pan. When the butter starts to foam, tilt the pan towards you and spoon it over the steak. After 1 minute of basting, turn the steak over and baste the other side for a further minute. Remove it from the pan at this point if you like it more on the rare to medium-rare side, or if you prefer it cooked further, turn the heat down a little and continue to baste for a further 3–4 minutes (the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak, and the doneness you prefer). When you remove the steak from the pan, keep it somewhere warm and cover with another plate or foil to keep it warm.
Strain the contents of the steak pan through a fine sieve, discarding the garlic and thyme. Clean the pan and place back over medium heat with the strained pan juices. When the pan juices are hot, add the shallots, grated garlic, remaining thyme and a generous grind of black pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the shallots are soft, then add the brandy and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the beef stock and simmer for 3 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and pick out the thyme stalks. Lastly, stir through the crème fraîche. Taste the sauce, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
Your steak will be well rested at this point, and the potatoes crispy. Place the steak on a hot plate with the potatoes and pour the sauce over your steak.
Masterclass COOKING STEAK
People get nervous about cooking a steak, but it is a very simple thing to do if you follow this method.
First, buy a good piece of meat. Then, make sure it’s at room temperature before you cook it – if you want it served medium or medium-rare you’re not going to get it hot in the middle if it’s fridge cold: take it out of the fridge a good couple of hours before cooking (meat doesn’t go off unless it’s been out for days). Now, place a heavy-bottomed pan over a high heat. Season the meat just before it goes into the pan, only seasoning the side that hits the pan first – if you season it in advance the salt will draw the water out of the meat, which will then spit at you from the pan and make the meat taste a little acrid rather than caramelised, as well as cooling the pan down. Place the steak in the pan and leave it for a couple of minutes. Don’t be afraid of the smoke – it’s inevitable. Shake the pan a little bit, then season the other side just before you turn the steak over. Turn it and cook it for a
nother couple of minutes – you don’t necessarily need to add butter – I put in a little bit of butter at this stage as a personal preference. The cooking almost crystallises the salt, giving it a little bit of crunch – you’re looking for that umami-type flavour, the beautiful, hot caramelisation of the sugar of the meat and salt coming together to create that dark crispiness. Then add a little more butter if you wish, to cool the pan down a little, or just turn the heat down instead and cook for a further 2–4 minutes for a 2cm thick steak or 4–6 minutes for a thicker steak.
Never eat a steak hot – remove from the pan and let it rest for a good 5–10 minutes, then when you slice it the blood and juices will stay in the steak and it will be perfect.
Roast Chicken Leg with Tarragon, Cucumber and Cashew Salad
I am a big fan of roast chicken legs, especially the crispy skin, which for me is the best part. You can substitute with a chicken breast if you prefer something leaner, but I like the flavour of the leg or thigh. The tarragon works well with the chicken, too.
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SERVES: 1 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 40 MINUTES
1 large or (2 small) chicken leg(s) (brined if you wish – use ½ quantity of the brine from Crackling’d Slow-cooked Pork Shoulder with Baked Apple Sauce)
10g butter, softened
Marcus Everyday Page 9
