Photograph by Mary-Jane Curtis
Dedication
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
CHAPTER 1 Crop Idle
CHAPTER 2 By Royal Appointment
CHAPTER 3 The Ealing Project
CHAPTER 4 Read What You Sow
CHAPTER 5 iPods and Asparagus
CHAPTER 6 Chuck Berry
CHAPTER 7 Freezing in August
CHAPTER 8 Gentlemen of the Committee
CHAPTER 9 My Children and Other Pests
CHAPTER 10 Happy Bloody Christmas
CHAPTER 11 Johnny Depp at the Allotment
CHAPTER 12 Do the Mashed Potato
CHAPTER 13 Frozen Vegetables
CHAPTER 14 A Load of Shit
CHAPTER 15 Sodden, Sodding, Sod
CHAPTER 16 Here Comes the Sun
CHAPTER 17 The End is Nigh
RECIPES
Soups, Starters and Salads
Creamy Potato and Parsley Soup
Hot and Chilled Tomato Soup
French Onion Soup
Asparagus Soup
White Onion Soup with Chorizo and Herb Oil
Sweetcorn Soup
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Oyster Mushrooms and Truffle Oil
Toasted Goats Cheese Salad
Warm Tomato Tart with Rocket Salad
Asparagus Wrapped in Parma Ham with Toasted Brie
Pan-fried Goats Cheese with Serrano Ham, Fig and New Zealand Spinach
Chorizo and Goats Cheese Puff Pastry Slice with Broccoli, Mushroom and Tomato
Pan-fried Sardines with a Parsley, Lemon, Chilli and Red Onion Vinaigrette
Crispy Squid with Fennel, Tomato and Lemon Coleslaw
Couscous with Red Onion, Parsley, Courgette and Mint
Salmon Skewers with Marjoram and Red Peppercorns
MJs Warm Salad of Spinach, Chicken and Blue Cheese
Panzanella-style Salad with Tomato and Little Gem Lettuce
Warm Chorizo Salad with Rocket, Little Gem, Oven-dried Tomato and Parmesan
Thai-style Beef Salad
Vegetable Dishes
Broad Beans with Fried Potatoes, Garlic and Pancetta
Courgettes à la Francaise
Stir-fried Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Garlic, Ginger and Chilli
Fried Green Tomaytos (not tomaaahtoes)
Pea Purée with Chervil and Tarragon
Stir-fried Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Carrot, Parsnip and Chestnuts
Creamy Leeks Baked with Rosemary and Goats Cheese
Beetroot Baked in Foil
Beetroot Sorbet
Root Vegetable Mash
Onion Purée
Root Vegetables Roasted with Garlic, Duck Fat and Thyme
Caramelised Shallots
Roast Potatoes
Vegetable Samosas
Crushed New Potatoes
Garlic Flat Bread
Oven-dried Tomatoes
Main Courses
Pumpkin and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Butter
Roasted Pepper Stew with Red Onion, Sausage, Tomato and Courgette
Mushroom Risotto with Parsnip Purée and Parsnip Crisps
Smoked Haddock Risotto with Sweetcorn and Spring Onions
Smoked Haddock Fishcakes with Parsley Sauce and Fried Egg
Scallops Baked in the Shell with Carrot, Leek and Shallot
Grilled Cider-cured Salmon with Potato Salad
Whole Roasted Trout with Chard, Bacon and Mushrooms
Fish Pie
Grilled Sea Bass on Stir-fried Lettuce with a Coconut and Basil Broth
Tangy Grilled Chicken with Spicy Coleslaw
Sheilas Marinated Chicken Drumsticks
Tea-smoked Chicken Breast on Vegetable and Noodle Stir Fry
One-pot Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Mums Pork Belly Curry
Lamb Stew with Allotment Vegetables and Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings
Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings
Dillys Sri Lankan Curry
Sri Lankan Curry Powder
Slow-roasted Shoulder of Lamb Studded with Garlic and Rosemary
Dougs Prize-winning Moussaka
Braised Ox Cheek with Dauphinoise Potatoes
Preserves and Sauces
Pickled Red Cabbage
Courgette Pickle
Green Tomato Chutney
Green Tomato Salsa with Spring Onion and Green Chilli
Tomato and Chilli Jam
Aubergine, Tomato and Coriander Salsa
Red Onion Jam
Strawberry Jam
Mint Sauce
Cucumber, Green Tomato and Mint Raita
Pesto
Herb Oil
Flavoured Butter
Grannys Vinaigrette
Beurre Blanc
Neils Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce
Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce
Desserts and Sweet Things
Steamed Spiced Plum and Walnut Sponge
Roasted Plums
Mums Apple Snow
Emergency White Chocolate Cheesecake with Summer Berries
Berries Dipped in White Chocolate
Mums Meringue Cake
Crème Anglaise
Warm Baked Victoria Sponge with Red Berries and Whipped Cream
Custard Tart with Rhubarb Compote
Hot Doughnuts with a Jam Injection
Dillys Bakewell Tart
MJs Fruit Crumbles
Antons Pear and Almond Croustillant with Pear Crisps
Pear Crisps
Tarte Tatin
Acknowledgements
Copyright
About the Publisher
Photograph by Jonathan Gregson
Photograph by Jenny Heller
Chapter 1 | Crop Idle
The frustrating thing is that my children Ellie (10) and Richie (8) would probably have loved watching this show. Unfortunately for them, though, it wont become a TV programme, which they are just required to watch. It is a family challenge and they are required to live it!
As you might expect, because Im a professional chef, food is very high up our list of priorities at home. We spend far more money in restaurants than we do on any other form of entertainment and, at home, both my wife Mary Jane (MJ) and I devote a significant amount of time to cooking. Our weekly menus are always home-made with fresh ingredients. Despite all our good intentions, however, there is lots of room for improvement. We, like most people, buy most of our produce from the supermarket. Our childrens culinary quirks have forced seasonality off the agenda; and we have certainly made no contribution to the world of home-grown vegetables. In fact, my kids think soil is just dirt and, therefore, something to avoid. I have begun to realise that it is my job as a father (and a chef) to give my children a sound culinary education.