Chef’s Corner

Chef’sCorner

Spring into action with curried lamb shank and a custard panna cotta following these recipes from Duke’s Head Hotel’s Head Chef, Stuart.

Curried Spring Lamb Shank

Custard Panna Cotta

Ingredients

4 lamb shanks 4 sticks cinnamon 4 cardamom pods 6 cloves 3 onions, fi nely chopped 1 ½ tsp ginger paste 1 ½ tsp garlic paste 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp chilli powder 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tbsp ground coriander 4 tbsp plain yogurt 4 ripe beef tomatoes, roughly chopped 4 tbsp oil

Method

Brown the lamb shanks in a hot frying pan. In a separate saucepan, fry off the onions, garlic, ginger and all the spices in the oil. Add the lamb, tomatoes and yogurt, and cover with water and cook for 3-4 hours until the lamb is tender. Remove the lamb and push the sauce fi rmly through a sieve, and then reduce until very thick. Use the sauce to reheat the lamb shanks in. Serve with Jersey Royal potatoes, yogurt, and fresh coriander leaves

Ingredients

250ml cream 25g sugar 1 tsp custard powder Vanilla essence 1 tsp gelatine powder Rhubarb jelly

2 sticks of rhubarb, cut into small pieces 100ml water 25 g sugar ½ tsp gelatine

Method

Bring the cream, sugar and custard powder to the boil, add vanilla essence and gelatine. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Method

Simmer the rhubarb, sugar and water until the rhubarb is soft and the water is pink. Pass through a sieve, keeping the rhubarb syrup. Put the syrup back on the heat and add the gelatine until dissolved. Pour into moulds and set in the fridge. When set, pour the panna cotta mix and leave to set for 3-4 hours. When ready to serve, dip the moulds into hot water briefl y and ease the panna cotta onto the plate. Serve with a brandy snap.

IT STARTED WITH MUD PIES

Stuart refl ects on his culinary journey

What are your earliest memories of cooking? My earliest memory of cooking is when I used to make mud pies in the garden – I was around seven years old.

When did you fi rst realise you wanted to become a chef? I spent three years working in random hotels and pubs, and then back in 1987 decided that this was going to be the career I wanted to do.

How would you describe your cooking style? Traditional mixed with modern.

What inspires you in the kitchen? Local, seasonal and fresh produce, when ingredients are at their best and tastiest.

Who is your culinary hero? Keith Floyd, who was an English celebrity cook, restaurateur and TV personality. He hosted cooking shows for the BBC and liked to combine cookery and travel. Which one ingredient would you take to a desert island? Not really an ingredient, but I would need to take coffee.

Which starter, main course and dessert is your favourite? A traditional starter of chicken liver parfait, kumquat chutney and melba toast; a family roasted lamb dinner; and dessert would be my mum’s spiced steamed sponge with Highland toffee sauce.

What would be your ultimate menu showstopper? Something which could be done in front of guests for that bit extra such as a crepe suzette, which would be fl ambéed at the table in front of them.

Which is your greatest cooking hack? I don’t really have any cooking hacks; I like to do things the traditional way which I generally fi nd best.

What’s your recipe for being a successful chef? Plenty of dedication and passion for food.