Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food (6 page)

To segment the grapefruit, slice off the top and bottom to expose the flesh. Stand on a board and cut along the curve of the fruit to remove the peel and white pith. Now, holding the fruit over a sieve set on top of a bowl, cut along the membranes to release each segment. Finally, squeeze the core to extract the juices, before discarding it.

Divide the grapefruit segments between the plates. To make the dressing, add the lemon thyme leaves to the reserved grapefruit juice and whisk in the olive and hazelnut oils. Season well with salt and pepper, adding a pinch of sugar if the dressing is too tart.

Scatter goat’s cheese and hazelnuts over each serving and drizzle with the dressing. Serve immediately.

500g large raw prawns

1.5 litres court bouillon (see page 244)

1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, finely shredded

few pinches of paprika

100ml mayonnaise (see page 246)

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp brandy or cognac

1 tsp lemon juice

dash of Worcestershire sauce, to taste

dash of Tabasco, to taste

sea salt and white pepper

This was a very popular starter in the seventies and it has become fashionable again. You must, of course, use very fresh prawns. They can be poached simply in boiling salted water, but if you cook them in a court bouillon they will take on more flavour. Don’t discard the stock after cooking; it can be kept in the fridge for up to a week and used to poach other seafood.

Peel the prawns, leaving the tail shells on. Make a slit along the back of each prawn and prise out the dark vein with the tip of a knife.

Pour the court bouillon into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the prawns and poach gently for 2-3 minutes until they are opaque and firm; do not overcook or they will turn rubbery. Drain and refresh in a bowl of iced water, then drain in a colander and set aside.

For the cocktail sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning with salt and white pepper to taste.

Spoon some cocktail sauce into each of four individual serving glasses. Scatter a little shredded lettuce over the sauce and arrange a few prawns on top. Repeat these layers, finishing with a small dollop of sauce. Sprinkle with a pinch of paprika and serve.

800g fresh sprats

about 200ml milk

75g plain flour

sea salt and black pepper

2 tsp smoked paprika, plus a little extra to sprinkle if required

groundnut, rapeseed or vegetable oil, for deep-frying

few handfuls of mixed salad leaves

squeeze of lemon juice

drizzle of olive oil

lemon wedges

tartare sauce (see page 119)

Sprats, which resemble tiny herrings, do not need to be gutted or scaled. Like whitebait, you can eat them whole—they’re absolutely delicious fried. Traditionally eaten with buttered brown bread and a squeeze of lemon, we prefer to serve sprats as a starter, with tartare sauce and a few salad leaves on the side.

Wash the sprats and drain, then place in a bowl. Pour on the milk and leave to soak for a few minutes. Season the flour with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or other suitable deep, heavy pan to 180°C, or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in less than a minute.

Deep-fry the sprats in several batches. Lift a good handful out of the milk and toss in the seasoned flour to coat, shaking off excess. Deep-fry in the hot oil for about 2 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little more sea salt and paprika, if you wish. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.

Lightly dress the salad leaves with a little lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning, and place a neat pile on each serving plate. Divide the sprats between the plates and serve immediately, with lemon wedges and individual bowls of tartare sauce for dipping.

4 heads of chicory

75g stilton

60g walnuts, toasted and lightly crushed

11/2 tbsp runny honey

11/2 tbsp English mustard

3 tbsp walnut oil

3 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

This delectable starter can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. Serve it on a large platter, making sure each chicory leaf is cradling some crumbled stilton, crushed walnuts and dressing-then you can dispense with the cutlery.

Trim the bases of the chicory and separate the large outer leaves. (Save the tiny leaves around the core for another salad). Arrange the leaves around one large or two smaller platters. Crumble over the stilton and scatter over the crushed walnuts, distributing them evenly among the leaves.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing lightly over the salad. Serve immediately as a casual starter or a canapé, with a glass of white wine.

500g chicken livers

150-200ml milk

sea salt and black pepper

75g unsalted butter, diced

2 large shallots, peeled and finely diced

generous splash of brandy

few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

175g unsalted butter

thyme leaves

freshly toasted bread

red onion marmalade (see page 247)

We call this ‘poor man’s pâté’. It may be inexpensive, but it makes an elegant starter and tastes divine, especially if you serve it with a red onion marmalade. Well sealed under a layer of clarified butter, this pâté keeps well for up to a week in the fridge.

De-vein the chicken livers and place in a bowl. Pour on enough milk to cover and leave to soak in the fridge for 6-8 hours. Bring to room temperature 20 minutes before preparing the pâté.

Drain and rinse the chicken livers, pat dry with kitchen paper and season well. Heat a few knobs of the butter in a pan and sauté the shallots with some seasoning over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Increase the heat slightly. Add the livers and fry for 3-4 minutes until evenly browned but still pink inside. Add the brandy and flambé. When the flame dies down, add the rest of the butter to melt, then remove from the heat. Add the thyme leaves.

Immediately tip the contents of the pan into a food processor or blender and process to a smooth paste. For a very smooth texture, if required, pass through a fine sieve. Divide the pâté between four small ramekins and smooth the tops with a small spatula.

Gently melt the 175g butter in a small pan over a very low heat. Now carefully pour the golden oily layer on the surface (essentially clarified butter) into a measuring jug and discard the milky whey below. Pour or spoon some clarified butter over the top of each pâté to cover it with a thin layer. (Sealing the pâté in this way will prevent it from oxidizing and discolouring.) Sprinkle with a few thyme leaves, cover with cling film and chill for at least an hour until set.

Take the pâtés out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving. Serve them with warm toast triangles and red onion marmalade.

8-12 medium eggs

11/2 tbsp cider vinegar, plus a dash

1 head of oak leaf lettuce

5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying

sea salt and black pepper

450g black pudding

small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves

This lovely salad can be enjoyed at any time of the year—just make sure you use good-quality black pudding. Individually made small black puddings have a much better flavour than those mass-produced ones sold in vacuum packs.

First, poach the eggs; it is preferable to do this in batches, poaching no more than 3 eggs at a time. Bring a pan of water to a simmer. Add a dash of vinegar and swirl the water with a spoon to create a whirlpool effect in the middle. One at a time, crack the eggs into a small bowl or ramekin and gently slide them into the whirlpool. Poach for 3 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny in the centre. Lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon into a bowl of iced water to stop further cooking. Set aside while you poach the rest.

Wash and separate the lettuce leaves. Tear the larger ones into smaller pieces and divide them between serving plates. For the dressing, whisk together the cider vinegar, olive oil and some seasoning.

Cut the black pudding into 4 portions, then cut each piece lengthways in half. Heat a wide frying pan until hot. Pour in a thin layer of olive oil, then add the black pudding. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until nicely browned and crisp around the edges. Reheat the eggs in a pan of simmering water for about a minute.

Carefully crumble the black pudding over the lettuce leaves and scatter over the parsley. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the eggs, drain them well and pat the bases dry with kitchen paper. Arrange two or three on top of each salad. Drizzle over the dressing and grind over some black pepper. Serve at once.

1 unsalted ox tongue, about 1.2kg, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water

1 large onion, peeled and halved

1 celery stick, peeled and cut into 3 pieces

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 3 pieces

1 large leek, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, few each thyme and parsley sprigs, tied together)

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp juniper berries

sea salt

100g mixed lamb’s lettuce and frisée leaves

2 tsp cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

3 tbsp olive oil

few handfuls of caper berries

Ox tongue makes a delicious cold starter. You may need to order one in advance from your butcher—remember that you’ll need to soak it overnight before cooking. Refrigerate any leftover tongue and use as a sandwich filler.

Drain and rinse the tongue, then put it into a large cooking pot with the vegetables. Pour in enough cold water to cover, bring to a simmer and skim off the scum from the surface until the water is clear. Add the bouquet garni, peppercorns, juniper berries and a pinch of salt. Simmer over a gentle heat for 31/2-4 hours, topping up with boiling water as necessary to keep the tongue covered. When cooked, the skin should peel away easily from the flesh. To test, pierce with a small knife; the meat should feel tender. Lift the tongue out of the poaching stock and leave to cool slightly. Reserve the liquor.

Line a small loaf tin or cylindrical mould, about 450g capacity, with cling film, leaving enough overhanging the sides to fold over the top. While still warm, peel off the coarse skin from the tongue with a small knife, or scrape it off with a spoon if you find this easier. Pack the tongue into the prepared tin, trimming to fit as necessary. Spoon over a little poaching liquid to fill any gaps as you pack the mould. Finally, pour enough liquor over the tongue to cover it in a thin layer. Fold over the excess cling film to seal and put a couple of heavy tins on top to weigh the tongue down. Chill for a few hours or overnight until set.

Take the tongue out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving. Place the salad leaves in a bowl. For the dressing, whisk the vinegar and olive oil together in a bowl with some salt and pepper. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad leaves and toss lightly.

Unmould the pressed tongue and cut into slices. Arrange 3 or 4 slices on each plate with the salad leaves and a few caper berries alongside.

Hake in beer batter with mushy peas

Dover sole with brown butter and grapes

Crab cakes with mayonnaise

Seafood salad

Salmon steaks with brown shrimps, capers and parsley

Cod with clams and smoked bacon

Grilled kippers

Baked stuffed herrings

Baked bream fillets with fennel and orange

Rainbow trout with sorrel and capers

Stewed eel

Grilled lemon sole with tartare sauce

Somerset fish casserole

4 hake fillets, or other chunky firm-textured white fish fillets, about 140g each

50g plain flour, plus extra to coat

50g rice flour

2 tsp baking powder

sea salt and black pepper

150ml light ale

40ml vodka

½ tsp runny

honey groundnut or vegetable oil, for deep-frying

few mint sprigs, leaves only

350g frozen peas

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

chips (see page 184)

tartare sauce (see page 119)

Along with savoury pies, fish ‘n’ chips with mushy peas represents true British pub food. Fry the chips first and keep warm in a low oven – uncovered to keep them crisp.

Check the hake fillets for pin-bones, removing any that you come across with kitchen tweezers. Chill until ready to cook.

To make the batter, sift the flour, rice flour, baking powder and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. In a smaller bowl, stir together the ale, vodka and honey, then pour into the well and whisk until the mixture is well combined. Cover and let the batter stand for an hour before using.

For the mushy peas, drop the mint leaves into a pan one-third filled with salted water and bring to the boil. Add the peas and blanch for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving the water. Tip the peas into a food processor and add the wine vinegar and some seasoning. Pulse to a rough purée, adding a little of the reserved liquid as necessary to get the desired texture. Check the seasoning and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or other suitable heavy pan to 200°C, or until a little of the batter dropped in bubbles vigorously and browns in 30 seconds. Deep-fry the fish fillets two at a time. Coat with a little flour, then dip into the batter, letting any excess drip off, and gently lower into the hot oil. Deep-fry for 4-6 minutes until golden all over, turning the fillets over halfway. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Make sure that the oil returns to 200°C before you deep-fry the other fillets. Keep the fried fish warm in a low oven while you fry the other batch and reheat the mushy peas if necessary.