Basic – but brilliant

The plain-speaking Yorkshire chef/proprietor of The Butchers Arms in Hepworth takes budding cooks back to basics in his new book, sharing more than 50 of his favourite recipes.

“The title is a pun on ‘built on basics’ and that’s exactly what it’s all about – recipes and essential cooking skills with a touch of plain speaking,” says Tim, who trained in the kitchens of Raymond Blanc. “It’s all about getting the textbook stuff right before moving on to more complex techniques.

“In this industry, young chefs can’t be great chefs without a foundation in the basics no matter what style of cooking they want to do. I see so many new kids making spheres out of seaweed veloute before they can make a stock!”

Wild garlic veloute

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g washed wild garlic leaves

2 medium potatoes, washed peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

The green leaves of two leeks, washed and finely sliced

2 banana shallots, finely chopped

125ml white wine

1 litre chicken stock

100ml double cream

25g butter

Drizzle olive oil

Bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaves and parsley stalks

Chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Method

Add half of the diced potatoes to a pan with a splash of olive oil, one clove of garlic and one sprig of thyme.

Cook on a low heat until soft.

Heat a large pan. Add the olive oil, butter and melt.

Add the shallots, leeks, diced potato, garlic and bouquet garni to the oil and butter, and cook without colour for approximately 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and bring slowly to the boil.

Turn the heat down and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the bouquet garni. Add the wild garlic and stir into the liquid. Cook until wilted – about 2 minutes.

Blend in a food processor and pass through a fine sieve.

To serve, place a few confit potatoes into the bottom of a bowl and pour over the wild garlic veloute.

A few wild garlic flowers can be placed on top of the soup.

Spinach, goat’s cheese and asparagus tart

Serves 4

Ingredients

3⁄4 pint milk

100g spinach

4 eggs

4 spring onions

200g ricotta

12 spears asparagus

1 tbsp parmesan

200g goat’s cheese

pinch of nutmeg

50g parmesan cheese

pinch of salt

pinch of baby thyme


For the pastry

500g plain flour

125g butter, cold & diced

125g lard, diced

cold water to bind

1 egg, beaten

Method

In a bowl crack the eggs, add the ricotta, nutmeg, parmesan, salt and carefully mix. Gradually add the milk and whisk until combined, add a pinch of baby thyme and mix through. (This egg mixture can keep in the fridge for up to 4 days). Add the washed spinach to the tart ring. Add the sliced spring onion and crumble in the goat’s cheese. Carefully pour in the egg and ricotta mix.

Gently blanch the asparagus spears for 2-3 minutes then place the tips on top of the tart. Sprinkle on the thyme.

Carefully place in to the oven at 160ºC for 20 minutes, or until the egg and ricotta mix has set. You can take the tart out just before the egg mix has set, as the heat will carry on cooking it when removed from the oven. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin. Serve with a crisp asparagus salad, a poached egg, or both.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cold diced butter and lard to the flour.

With your hands, gently rub together the combined mixture to a sandy texture.

Bring together by adding a tablespoon of cold water at a time while mixing.

Don’t over work the pastry.

Line your tart cases and blind bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and brush with a beaten egg, this will seal in the tart filling.

Roast rack of spring lamb with Provencale crumb and roast spring vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients

Racks of 4-bone lamb chined and French trimmed

10g Dijon mustard

100g Provençale bread crumbs (See basic recipes)

4 large shallots peeled cut in half and roasted

8 spears English asparagus trimmed

100g Heritage carrots yellow, washed trimmed and blanched

100g Heritage carrots white, washed trimmed and blanched

100g Heritage carrots purple, washed trimmed and blanched

6 medium Jersey potatoes, cooked

100g baby leaf spinach, washed

Salt and pepper

200ml lamb stock

Sprig rosemary

Drizzle of pesto (See basic recipes)

Method

Preheat the oven to 240oC.

Prepare the herb crust.

Heat the oil in a large pan with the butter until foaming but not coloured.

Season the racks and add to the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side (for medium rare). Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Place the racks of lamb, fat side up, on a chopping board and brush the mustard over the racks to apply a good coating.

Press a generous handful of the herb crust over the racks and transfer to a medium-sized roasting tin and roast for 5-15 minutes, depending on how your lamb is preferred. Cover the bones with foil if browning too quickly.

To make the jus, heat the stock and rosemary in a pan over a medium to high heat and reduce by half, stirring occasionally. Check seasoning, strain and keep warm.

In a clean saute pan over a medium heat add the cooked potatoes and colour slightly.

Add the carrots and asparagus and toss with the potatoes and place in the oven.

When soft remove from the oven and toss in the spinach to wilt. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the racks in half and serve immediately with the roasted spring vegetables – and a drizzle of basil pesto.

Bilton Basics is available in bookshops or direct from the Butchers Arms email [email protected]