It’s time for a bite of spring

Simon Miller has created three dishes with spring and local produce in mind. Simon is head chef at The Fleece in Otley, where his fine pub dining menu is served alongside WharfeBank Brewery’s local ales.

Previously of Anthony’s and The Box Tree restaurant, Simon’s roast sea scallops, smoked haddock, apple and creamed celeriac dish secured his quarter finalist place on MasterChef: The Professionals back in November 2012.

The starter which so impressed the TV judges combines flavours to create a rich and textured dish.

The root vegetable celeriac adds a nutty and warming flavour to complement the delicately flavoured sea scallops.

It wouldn’t be spring without a traditional lamb dish; the shoulder cut provides a mouth-watering and succulent taste when roasted, best served with crunchy green vegetables.

To finish, a twist on the famous gooey brownie made with chocolate and almonds, served with coffee anglaise and vanilla ice cream.

Roast scallops, smoked haddock, sliced apple and creamed celeriac

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 extra large fresh live sea scallops (in shell)

1 large celeriac

1 head of celery

1 Granny Smith apple

1ltr whole milk

500ml double cream

250g unsalted butter

100ml white truffle oil

100g whole piece of natural smoked haddock

15g Maldon sea salt

10g micro celery

10g lecithin

1 lemon

20ml vegetable oil

50g ice

10g table salt

Method

Cream of celeriac purée:

Peel and dice the celeriac to 1cm cubes, add to a heavy based sauce pan, cover with the milk, 100g butter and 200ml water to stop the milk from burning.

Boil for 10-15 minutes until celeriac starts to soften.

Then strain, discarding the liquid. Return to the same pan and half cover with cream and cook till completely soft (about 8- 10 minutes).

Strain again, this time keeping the cream liquid, blend in a jug blender adding the cream when necessary to create a smooth glossy texture.

Season with salt and the white truffle oil.

Meanwhile:

Prepare the scallops using a small paring knife to open the shell, being careful not to slice into the flesh itself.

Remove from shell using a spoon, remove the coral and wash quickly under water to remove any grit or membrane from the coral.

Place onto kitchen towel then into the fridge to firm up. Prepare the smoked haddock by making sure there is no skin or little bones, poach in milk for 4-5 mins and flake into pieces when required.

For the beurre noisette:

Add 100g of butter to the small pan and heat until the butter starts to colour and go a nutty brown colour.

When you get the desired colour, add a squeeze of lemon juice to stop the colour going darker (be careful as this may spit).

Toast and crush the mustard seeds and add to the beurre noisette.

For the celery foam:

Blitz the celery with a little water and ice and lemon 
juice for 1 minute. Then 
add the lecithin and blend again, season to taste and 
pass through a sieve.

Slice the apple batons.

Roast the scallops in a 
hot pan for 1 ½ minutes 
both sides until 
caramelised.

Finish with a knob of butter and squeeze of lemon juice.

Confit of lamb shoulder, poached fillet, spring greens, potato purée

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 whole lamb shoulder

1 lamb pencil fillet

1 large leafed savoy cabbage

1 kg red deserie potatoes

10g Maldon sea salt

15ml veg oil

500ml lamb stock

1 plum vine tomato

10 basil leaves

Cracked black pepper

100g broad beans

5g picked thyme

2l beef stock

125g unsalted butter

A squeeze of lemon juice

500ml whole milk

Method

Braise the lamb shoulder in the beef stock for five to six hours. Cool the shoulder in iced water for 2-3 hours. Remove from the bag and very carefully remove the bone trying to keep the shoulder in one piece.

Cut the shoulder into four equal portions and then set aside.

Peel the large leaves from the savoy cabbage and blanch in boiling salted water, then refresh in iced water.

Put them between a dry cloth and use a rolling pin to squeeze out any excess water.

Roll the lamb fillet in the cabbage and wrap in cling film and tie at either end. Poach at 60 degrees for 15 mins.

Peel and cut the potatoes and bring to the boil, then when soft put the potatoes through a potato ricer and season with melted butter, milk and salt.

Reduce the lamb stock slowly by half and whisk in 50g butter, de-seed and dice the tomato and add to the sauce.

Add the chopped basil and a squeeze of lemon juice, season to taste.

Finally, blanch the broad beans in boiling salted water and refresh in iced water, pop the beans out of the shell and reheat in an emulsion.

Chocolate and almond brownie with coffee anglaise and vanilla ice cream

Serves 4

Ingredients

55g unsalted butter (diced)

40g cocoa powder

1 egg

125g caster sugar

40g plain flour

1 tbsp ground almonds

1 shots espresso

Method

Melt the butter with the cocoa powder.

Cream the eggs and the sugar in an electric mixer, slowly fold in the flour and almonds, followed by the coffee and the butter and cocoa powder.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and transfer the mix, then 
bake at 180C for about 
16-20 mins.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.