Local boy’s top three

Lee Bennett is executive chef of D&D’s two new restaurants, Crafthouse and Angelica.

Lee, who was has most recently been working internationally in Singapore as chef de cuisine for Equinox Restaurants and Bars has experience in some of London’s top kitchens.

Having worked alongside the likes of Jason Atherton, Mark Askew and Marcus Wareing, Lee’s career has seen him gain Michelin-star experience at the Savoy Grill, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and more recently at D&D London’s iconic Le Pont de la Tour where he was executive chef for more than three years until September 2011.

In Paris he spent time at the three Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse restaurant. TV appearances for Lee have included Celebrity Master Chef (2010 and 2011), and the BBC’s The Great British Menu (2010) where he represented Yorkshire.

“I left Yorkshire some 15 years ago and have had the fortune to live in Dubai, Paris, London and Singapore working under some truly great chefs. The time now feels right to return home with this wonderful site that D&D are investing heavily in.

“I am most excited about returning to Yorkshire as it will enable me to use the amazing produce that the region is famous for. For me this is a rare opportunity to be able to run the kind of operation I have come accustomed to running yet being in my home region of the country.”

Crafthouse showcases the very best British produce and takes inspiration from the history of Leeds and Yorkshire. Located on the fifth floor, the restaurant is accessed directly via a scenic lift from Boar Lane or from within the shopping centre.

The 144-cover space offers spectacular views across the city, and pays homage to Leeds’s rich culture and heritage with a focus on quality food and wine.

The menu, designed by Lee is a salutation to local suppliers, with meat from the world-renowned Ginger Pig butchers in North Yorkshire – making Crafthouse and Angelica the only restaurants in Yorkshire to offer this fine fare. Smoked fish and duck come from the Stallhouse Smokehouse in Long Riston, fresh fish and crustacean from Venture Seafoods in Bridlington (Lee’s home town), plus milk and cream from a Dales dairy in Grassington. Crafthouse also boasts a Josper Grill (the only one in the county); char-grilling all the meat, fish and crustaceans over charcoal at more than 480C for a superb flavour and succulence.

Here Lee gives a flavour of some of his favourites recipes.

Braised Lamb Shoulder

Serves four

Ingredients

1kg lamb shoulder diced

2 tomatoes

1 onion, rough cut

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 carrot, rough cut

2 sprigs rosemary

350ml white wine

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1L meat stock

2L chicken stock

Method

Season the lamb with salt and pepper and seal in the colour in a hot pan with a little oil. Remove the lamb and place in a pan with the onions, carrots and stir until they take on a little colour then add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato puree and herbs and cook out for one minute.

Add the wine and deglaze to a syrup, then add the stocks.

Bring to the boil then place in a cooking pot with a lid and place inside a pre-heated oven at 150C.

Cook out for four hours then remove from the oven.

The lamb should be soft 
and the sauce rich and 
glossy. Remove the rosemary and serve.

Sherry Trifle

Serves four

Ingredients

7 finger sponges

50ml sherry

2 punnets blackberries

50ml sherry

100ml water

25g sugar

½ lemon juiced

2 leaves gelatine ( pre-soaked in ice water )

3 egg yolks

25g sugar

125ml cream

125ml whole milk

½ vanilla pod

200ml whipping cream

20g sugar

25ml sherry

Method

Start by making the jelly. Place the blackberries in a pan with the water, lemon juice, sugar and bring to the boil. Cook out for slowly for 20 minutes.

Add the sherry and cook out for another two minutes then add the gelatine and remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Next break up the sponge fingers and place in the bottom of the glasses. Warm through the sherry and place over the sponge allowing it to soak in.

For the custard bring the cream and sugar to the boil with the vanilla. Whisk the eggs and sugar together (in a separate bowl) and pour a little of the hot liquid over and stir together then pour in the remainder.

Stir gently back over the heat for about 10 minutes but do not allow to boil. Add the gelatine then remove from heat and allow to cool.

Whip the cream sherry and sugar together until stiff.

Now that you have all components you can assemble the glasses. Sponge, jelly, custard, cream in that order.

Smoked Salmon with Potato Pancake

Serves four

Ingredients

200g long sliced quality smoked salmon

200g mashed potato

1 egg

Salt

2 tblsp milk (warm)

2 tblsp double cream (warm)

1tbs plain flour

4 egg whites

Crème fraîche

Method

With the mash potato still hot, fold in the flour then the milk, cream, and then the egg and season.

Whisk up the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks and then fold into the potato mixture using a spatula.

Take small frying pans, heat up with a little oil, then pour in the mix and cook in the oven at 180C for eight minutes. While still hot, take a quarter of the smoked salmon and place onto each pancake and finish with a teaspoon of crème fraîche.

Crafthouse: @CrafthouseLeeds / facebook.com/CrafthouseLeeds

Crafthouse can be found at Level 5, Trinity Leeds, Albion Street, Leeds LS1 5AT