Chef ANDREW PERN, of The Star Inn, Harome, comes up with some recipes to spice up your January

A very Happy New Year to you all! I hope that you enjoyed the ‘Eat, Drink and Be Merry’ season and that 2015 proves to be a year packed with interesting ingredients.

In my line of business, the festive season can be a bit of a test of endurance, so the old batteries are well in need of recharging in January. Whilst it is a little quieter in the restaurant, we still have the last of our visiting shooting parties. Their departure at the end of the month is another marker in the Harome calendar, as the days gradually begin to lengthen.

If you feel your January needs a little ‘spicing up’, my first recipe should fit the bill nicely and also use up some of the end of season pheasant glut. It’s a great winter warmer, perfect for the time of year. Another ingredient that has head-clearing qualities is horseradish, which works well in mashed potato and also in the risotto we serve with the beef dish, my second recipe.

It’s not exactly a cold cure, but think of it as complementary food therapy; feed a cold they always say!

 

Local Shot Pheasant ‘Mulligatawny’
Serves four to six

Ingredients

1ltr game stock

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

1 tbsp turmeric

1½ tbsp cumin

½ tbsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp curry powder

300g Puy lentils

6 pheasant breasts, de-skinned and chopped

500ml whipping cream

A little rapeseed oil

Seasoning

Method

Sweat the onions and minced garlic in a little oil without colouring. Add the spices and lentils and combine for 2-3 minutes, then add the game stock and cook until the lentils are tender (25-30 minutes approximately).

Add the cream and bring to the boil, then add the pheasant breast meat and poach in the mixture for approximately 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blend in a food processor.

Reheat the broth and serve in deep bowls. Serve with cucumber, curry oil and, if wished, an onion Bhaji!

 

Pan Roast Tail Fillet of Beef with Braised Shin, Risotto of Fresh Horseradish, Root Vegetables and Cropton Ale Juices
(Serves 4)

Pan Roast Tail Fillet

Ingredients

4 x 100g tail fillet ‘mignon’

1 onion, chopped

Thyme sprigs

Seasoning

Butter

Braised Shin

Ingredients

4 x 100g shin of beef off the bone

100g swede, diced

100g carrot, diced

100g celery, diced

100g onion, diced

500ml Cropton Brewery Ale

2 litres of beef stock

Risotto of Horseradish

Ingredients

120g Arborio risotto rice, pre-cooked

50ml chicken stock

30ml double cream

40g mature Lancashire (or similar) cheese, grated

1tsp fresh horseradish, grated

1tbsp parsley, chopped

Method

Marinate the tail fillet overnight with the onion, seasoning and fresh thyme.

Sear the shin on all sides in hot fat until well browned and braise with the ale, stock, and diced vegetables in a casserole dish at 150°C, Gas Mark 2 for two and a half hours. When cool, flake the meat off and set aside until ready to serve. Hollow out the shin bone.

Push the braising stock through a sieve, and reduce to half.

Combine the risotto ingredients together over heat, stirring until well combined and the cheese is melted. Add the parsley at the last moment. Check the seasoning.

Pan-fry the tail fillet in very hot clarified butter, until lightly coloured all over. Roast in a hot oven for 3 minutes. Take out and rest.

To serve

On a warm plate, place a piece of hollowed out shin bone at the top of the plate. Place the cooked shin meat next to it. Spoon the warmed risotto into and spilling out of the bone. Place the sliced tail fillet around. Spoon the reduced braising juices around the dish, garnish with a little deep fried parsley.

Happy eating!