by

Ingredients

  • 540g strong white flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 28g fresh yeast
  • 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
  • 150ml lukewarm milk
  • 200ml lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil for brushing during cooking

Method

  1. Have the flour warming at the back of the ESSE before starting bread make as it speeds us the rising process.
  2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and milk mixed together with the honey.
  3. Add this yeast mixture to the flour and mix with a table knife.
  4. Turn it out on to your work surface and knead to a smooth dough
  5. Put the dough back in the mixing bowl, cover with a clean cloth and place at the back of the ESSE, left hand side.
  6. When it has just about doubled in bulk, knead until smooth and elastic, won’t take long, just a minute or two.
  7. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them in circles on a floured worktop. When smooth place the balls on a tray and cover with clingfilm. Leave for 20 minutes until puffed and risen.
  8. Gently stretch into a thin oval, use a rolling pin if you prefer.
  9. Cook each flatbread directly on the right-hand hotplate set to 200C / Dial reading 12 o clock with the lid closed. Cook each side until air bubbles appear and it browns underneath. Turn it and cook the other side and browns lightly on the underneath. Turn and cook the other side. Brush the surface with olive oil and cook a little more. Allow to cool wrapped in a cloth.

Suggested serving with butternut squash curry.

Recipe designed by Philippa Vine of Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.
Presented by Dan Blewitt on an ESSE Bakeheart at Humble by Nature.

by

Seared monkfish loin fillet with peas, broad beans, lemongrass butter sauce and watercress

For the fish

Ingredients

  • Two 300-400g monkfish loin fillets

Method

Remove any remaining sinew from the fillets and pat dry. Set your hotplate dial at 200°C / 12 o clock then, with the hob cover open, sear the fillets quickly on all sides on the hotplate to seal. After searing, bring the hob cover down and leave the fillets to ‘steam and sizzle’ on the hob for a further 4 – 5 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking.

Remove from griddle and wrap in foil to keep warm until ready to plate up.

For the sauce and vegetables

Ingredients

  • 200g Fresh Peas
  • 200g young broad beans (frozen otherwise)
  • 1 bag of spinach or rainbow chard
  • 50 ml fish or chicken stock
  • 15g butter
  • 1 bag of watercress
  • 1 stalk of lemongrass, diced small
  • 2 diced shallots
  • 100ml white wine
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons double cream
  • 100g diced butter

Method

  1. To make the sauce, cook the shallots & lemongrass in the wine to soften for 5 minutes add the vinegar and reduce to almost nothing.
  2. Stir in the cream, bring to the boil and swirl in the butter. Season and strain. Keep warm.
  3. Remove the monkfish from the foil, cut into chunky slices and arrange these on the plate.
  4. Spoon over some peas and beans heated in butter and a little stock
  5. Finally spoon over the lemongrass butter sauce. Garnish with small watercress leaves.

Recipe presented by Matt Tebbutt cooked on the 990 EL at Humble by Nature

by

Crackling for choux

Baking tip:
The secret to these sumptuous choux buns is the crunchy ‘crackling’ topping made with flour, demerara sugar and butter. Make this beforehand and freeze to harden then cut out 4cm discs to pop on top of the buns just before baking.

  • 160g demerara sugar
  • 160g plain flour
  • 135g butter

Mix the sugar, flour and butter together to make a dough. Roll into thin sheets, 3m thick between grease proof paper and freeze to harden. Then cut out discs 4cm diameter and keep in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

Choux bun

  • 225g medium egg (5 eggs)
  • 125g water
  • 125g milk
  • 100g butter
  • 150g flour
  • 5g salt
  • 5g sugar

Put milk, water butter sugar and salt into a sauce pan and bring to the boil so that the butter has melted. Mix in the flour and cook out for a few minutes.

Transfer this to the mixer and using the paddle attachment start adding the eggs. You might not need all the egg!

Pipe out onto flat trays lined with non-stick paper or a mat and then place a disc of crackling on top of each. Bake at 180c, ESSE dial guide top end of MODERATE for 20 mins, vent closed. Open the door to let the steam out. Then a further 10 minutes with vent open.

White chocolate ganache

  • 250g white chocolate
  • 200g double cream

Heat the double cream to a simmer and pour onto the white chocolate to melt. Stir until melted and fully emulsified then cling film directly against the mix and cool.

Salted pistachios for choux bun

  • 50g pistachio nuts
  • 0.5g sea salt
  • 3 egg white10g sugar

Roughly chop the pistachios and mix with the other ingredients. Spread out onto a non-stick mat and bake at 160c, ESSE dial guide middle of MODERATE, until golden and crisp when cool. Re chop if necessary.

Chantilly cream

  • 250g double cream
  • 25g caster sugar
  • 0.5tsp vanilla essence

Whisk together until cream is stiff enough to hold its shape.

Cut cooked and cooled choux bun in ½. Pipe some of your white chocolate ganache into the bottom, followed by your crème Chantilly. Decorate cream with berries of your choice and finally add the salted pistachios and then your choux pastry lid. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford, Pastry Chef.

by

TECHNICAL but still within the realms of the domestic cook. You will need a 22cm plain or fluted tart ring.

Start by making the sweet pastry.

Sweet pastry

Ingredients

  • 235g soft flour
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 160g butter
  • 1 whole medium egg
  • 90g icing sugar

Method

  1. Chop butter and place with all dry ingredients in mixer.
  2. Using the paddle, mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Add egg and mix until thoroughly combined.
  4. Cover and chill before use.
  5. When the pastry has had at least 1 hour in the fridge, roll it out and line your tart ring. Rest again in the fridge, then blind bake.
  6. Once the tart is cooked and has a nice golden colour, egg wash the inside of the tart whilst it is still hot and place back in the oven to dry for a couple of minutes. Then allow to cool.

Jellied red fruits for Tart Chiboust

Ingredients

  • 300g frozen fruits of the forest
  • 50g strawberries
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 leaves of gelatine

Method

  1. Mix the fruits of the forest with the sugar and defrost.
  2. Strain the liquid from the fruits and measure. You will need 200 ml. Discard any excess or add a little water if not enough.
  3. Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft, then dissolve in a little of the fruit liquid that has been heated up. Add this back to the rest on the liquid.
  4. Mix this into the forest fruits and add your strawberries that have been topped and cut into pieces similar in size to the rest of the fruits. Chill in the fridge until the jelly is just setting

Then make your pastry cream

Ingredients

  • 500ml milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 125g sugar
  • 50g flour
  • ½ split vanilla pod

Standard method of preparation

  1. Boil the milk with the split vanilla pods.
  2. Whisk the eggs with the sugar thoroughly until it is a shade paler in colour. Then whisk in the flour. If the eggs, sugar and flour are not mixed well your cream will be lumpy.
  3. Pour the boiling milk on to the egg mix, stir then return to the pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Let the mixture bubble for at least 2 minutes.
  4. When pastry cream is ready place in a suitable container, cling film directly onto the cream to stop it getting a skin and cool quickly.

Once your tart case is cool you can fill ½ way with your jellied fruits, taking care not to have any gaps.

Then make your Chiboust cream.

Chiboust cream

  • 250g pastry cream (room temp)
  • 125ml double cream
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 75g egg whites
  • 2.5 leaves gelatin
  • ½ vanilla pod (split and seeds scraped)

Standard method of preparation

  1. Semi whip the cream with the vanilla seeds.
  2. Soak the gelatine and then dissolve in a little water. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks adding the sugar gradually until a soft meringue consistency is formed.
  3. Whisk the hot gelatine into the pastry cream. Fold in the semi whipped cream and then the meringue.
  4. Fill your tart to slightly over the top with the Chiboust cream and using a palette knife, smooth it over so the top is slightly domed in the middle. If you can’t do this just smooth it flat. Chill in fridge until set, then dust with icing sugar and glaze with a blow torch so the top is slightly caramelized.

When you are ready to serve cut portions using a hot knife.

Chef’s tips

With the berries holding a lot of moisture, I brush the tart bottom with egg yolk whilst still hot and place it back in the oven for a few extra minutes. This helps to seal the pastry and preserve the crispness of the tart. This is also a useful technique when making different tarts where you are pouring in a liquid such a lemon tart, as it acts as a waterproof membrane.

Before making the Chiboust cream, ensure you have all of your ingredient preparations ready before you add the gelatine otherwise things will start to set.

Only heat a small portion of the liquid fruit as heating fruit affects the flavour. The heated fruit liquid will thicken the berries and make a nice jelly

Make sure to give the pastry bottom a good working before rolling otherwise it will crack. Use as little flour as possible.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford, pastry chef.

by

Serves

Makes 4 individual

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons, grated zest and juice
  • 110ml milk
  • 15g cornflour
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs

For the ramekins:

  • A little softened butter
  • Extra caster sugar

Method

  1. Preheat ESSE to 200C/ESSE dial guide HOT, aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT (ESSE oven steam vent closed).
  2. Melt a little butter in a saucepan, (use the induction hob, ESSE setting 1) and brush thoroughly the ramekin dishes. Then coat with the extra caster sugar.
  3. Mix the cornflour with the milk in a saucepan. Heat and whisk until thickened.
  4. Remove from the heat and cool.
  5. Separate the eggs.
  6. Whisk the egg whites with the caster sugar until medium-stiff peaks.
  7. Beat the egg yolks into the cornflour mix, together with the zest and juice of the lemons. (If it has become very stiff put in a food processor until blended and smooth).
  8. Fold one third of the egg whites into the mixture to lighten it, then the other two thirds.
  9. Fill the prepared ramekins with the soufflé’s mixture to the top and use a palette knife to level the tops.
  10. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the ESSE for about 10 minutes or until cooked and risen.
  11. Remove from the oven and sift a little icing sugar over the tops and serve immediately.

Happy cooking on your ESSE

Baking Tips

Put the soufflé ramekins in the fridge to get cold as it’s easier to brush melted butter around the inside of the ramekins. Keeping the vent closed when cooking the soufflés is a must.
Using large fresh eggs and making sure you only whisk the egg whites until stiff but as stiff as a meringue.
Gently fold in the beaten egg whites as you don’t want to get rid of all that air from the beaten egg whites, (that is what makes the soufflé rise as well as cooking them in an ESSE)

Advantage to cooking them in an electric ESSE!
Practice makes perfect!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

by

Little chocolate ‘fondants’ – oozy-middled chocolate puddings – are divine, if somewhat ubiquitous these days. I love the combination of chocolate, prunes and brandy so I doctored the original idea a little. Timing is important here – a minute too long in the oven, or even waiting around to be served, and these little puds lose their lovely gooey centres. But you can prepare them in advance, ready to bake when you want to serve them.

Serves

6 People

Ingredients

  • 100g prunes, roughly chopped
  • 40ml brandy
  • A little cocoa powder for dusting
  • 150g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 150g unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
  • 3 large eggs
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 35g plain flour

Method

Soak the prunes in the brandy in a small bowl for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine), to absorb most of the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ESSE dial guide HOT (aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of HOT) and put a baking tray inside to heat up. Butter 6 dariole moulds well and dust with cocoa.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir gently to blend and leave to cool a little.

Beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric whisk for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and moussey and ‘holds a trail’ (when a little is dropped from the whisk it should sit on the surface of the mixture and only slowly sink back in).

Fold the melted chocolate and butter lightly into the egg mousse. Sift the flour over the mixture, then fold it in carefully. It needs to be thoroughly incorporated, but don’t overwork the mix. Fold in the prunes and brandy – again, carefully.

Divide the mixture between the dariole moulds. You can prepare the puds ahead to this point, if you like, and refrigerate them for up to 2 hours.

Bake the puds on the hot tray in the oven for 10–12 minutes. Go for the shorter time if your oven is very efficient or if your puds will be sitting around for a few minutes before serving. Go for the longer time if your oven is on the cool side or if they have been in the fridge. Turn out immediately into shallow bowls and serve at once, with chilled cream.

Swaps – Soak raisins in whisky, dried cherries in Calvados, or even dried cranberries in vodka to replace the prunes in brandy.

Recipe demonstrated on an ESSE 990 ELX at River Cottage HQ.

by

Serves about 10

Ingredients

  • 225g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
  • 2 teaspoons coffee
  • 30g butter
  • 6 eggs separated
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 5 sheets of leaf gelatine
  • 110ml double cream

Method

  1. Line a loaf tin (1 litre) with 2 pieces of baking parchment, measuring 19cm x 30cm and 8 x 30cm. Insert them into the tin, one lengthways, one across.
  2. Break up the chocolate and put into a saucepan with the coffee and butter.
  3. On the induction hob (1 setting) melt the chocolate.
  4. Remove from the heat, then beat in the egg yolks while it is still warm.
  5. Stir in 60g of the caster sugar and the honey and set to one side.
  6. Put the gelatine sheets in a bowl and cover with cold water.
  7. Soak for a few minutes.
  8. Put the cream in a pan and heat to almost boiling, but not.
  9. Add the gelatine sheets and stir until they are completely dissolved.
  10. Stir the cream into the chocolate mixture.
  11. Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until you have soft white peaks.
  12. Add the rest of the caster sugar and whisk until glossy and firm.
  13. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the egg white bowl, then fold both together well.
  14. Pour the mixture into the tin, right to the top.
  15. Place in the freezer. It will be frozen within 2 hours. To unmould, remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving.
  16. Serve in slices.

Recipe created by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

by

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe of vanilla ice cream/ chosen flavour
  • 1 recipe of chocolate or plain sponge

For the meringue

  • 2 free-range egg whites
  • 115g caster sugar

Method

  1. For the meringue, heat the egg whites and sugar together in a bowl over a pan of water until it reaches 75°C. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk with a hand whisk until thick, glossy and cool.
  2. To assemble the Alaska, cut circles of the sponge cake, place a scoop of ice cream on top, leaving a small border. Spoon the meringue all over the ice cream, ensuring there are no gaps, and use the back of a spoon to make a swirl pattern.
  3. To cook the baked Alaska, preheat the oven to ESSE dial reading middle of HOT / 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 or use the grill place the tray in the oven and keeping an eye on it cook golden-brown all over. Make sure not to melt the ice cream!

by

If you’re cooking this dish in the summer when fresh broad beans are available, blanch some and toss them into the pan at the last moment. Sweet little fresh peas are another delicious addition. You could also substitute black pudding for the chorizo. Add 6 torn sage leaves to the pan with the scallops to bring out the flavour of the sausage.

Serves

Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main course

Ingredients

  • 12 large, hand-dived scallops
  • Olive oil
  • 250g fairly hot cooking chorizo, cut into 1–2cm thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
  • Few bay leaves (optional)
  • A squeeze of lemon juice
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional Extras

  • Baby broad beans and/or garden peas, podded and blanched for 2 minutes

Open the scallops if they are still in the shell. If the corals are plump and bright orange, leave them attached to the main muscle.

Pat the scallops dry with kitchen paper and set aside.

Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over the hotter plate, add a little olive oil, then throw in the chorizo and, if you like, a sprinkling of fennel seeds and a few bay leaves. Fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring all the while, as the chorizo releases its salty, spicy fat.

Move the chorizo to one side of the pan. Check that the pan is still really hot, then add the scallops. Leave for about 45 seconds to 1 minute, then carefully turn them over. After another scant minute, using a sharp shake of the pan – or a light stir with a spatula – toss the chorizo and scallops together with all that lovely, flavoursome fat. (This is the moment to add the optional broad beans and/or peas.) Cook for just another minute, tossing and shaking regularly.

Add a twist of pepper, a little bit of salt (the chorizo is already pretty salty) and a few drops of lemon juice, then divide the mixture between warmed plates and serve straight away, with bread and a green salad – for which the oil from the pan, with a few more drops of lemon juice, will make a sublime dressing.

by

Crab and asparagus is, in my mind, a fantastic combo. I make a puff pastry tart with crab, asparagus, double cream and egg yolks – it’s too good. But as simplicity is the order of the day, here’s the crab/asparagus combination in its most basic form.

Serves

Four people

Ingredients

  • 12 asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 1 live 2 – 3 lb brown cock crab (make sure your crab is fresh, has all its claws and is heavy for its size)
  • 1 lemon
  • Maldon sea salt
  • black pepper
  • olive oil

Method

Wash the crab and place in a large pan of fresh water. Bring to the boil and boil for approximately 20 – 25 mins. Allow the cooked crab to cool slightly before picking the white meat from the claws and the brown meat from the shell.

Toss the asparagus in a little olive oil and place on a sizzling griddle pan set over a high heat. Cook for 3 or 4 mins turning once or twice. Allow the spears to take on a bit of colour.

Spoon a pile of the crab-meat onto a warm plate and add the char-grilled spears.

Season the whole lot with lemon juice, Maldon sea salt and black pepper.

by

This is how Scotch Eggs should be.

Serves

Four people

Ingredients

  • 5 large eggs
  • 500g organic pork sausage meat
  • A few sage leaves, very finely chopped
  • A good pinch of ground mace
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 100g day-old white breadcrumbs groundnut oil, for frying

Method

Make sure the eggs are at room temperature. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, lower in four eggs, then simmer for seven minutes. Transfer the pan to the sink and run the cold tap into the pan to stop the cooking. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them.

Meanwhile, add the sage, mace and cayenne to the sausage meat, along with plenty of salt and pepper, and mix well with your hands. Divide the meat into eight equal pieces and shape each piece into a flat patty.

Take two patties of sausage meat and use to encase one egg, moulding the meat smoothly around the egg and making sure it’s completely sealed. Repeat with all the others.

Pour groundnut oil into a deep fat fryer or deep, heavy-based pan to a depth of at least 7cm and bring up to 170C, or until a cube of white bread dropped in turns light golden brown in about one minute.

Meanwhile, spread the flour on a plate, beat the final egg and put in a shallow dish, and spread the breadcrumbs on another plate.

When the oil is up to temperature, dust each sausage meat encased egg in a little flour, then dip it in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Lower into the hot oil and fry for 8-10 minutes, turning them over in the oil from time to time, until deep golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot, for once. Or cold, later. My favourite accompaniment is creamed spinach.

by

Ingredients

  • 100g organic oats, soaked in just enough water to cover for 10 – 15 minutes.
  • 100g organic spelt flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • Enough whole milk to make into a thick batter

Method

Beat the ingredients together, rest the batter for 10 minutes.

Heat a frying pan you can trust to a moderate heat, add a little butter and then add spoonful’s of batter to the pan. Cook until they are risen and well set on the bottom. Flip them over and cook for another minute.

Pop the drop scones onto a warmed plate and keep warm on the stove top until you have cooked all the batter.

Drizzle the drop scones with honey, and serve – they are lovely on their own or with lemon, alternatively they work very well with fruit and yoghurt.

Recipe demonstrated by Tim Maddams on the ESSE electric range cooker at ESSE Factory Cafe.

by

This is a traditional Scottish dessert that we make frequently at River cottage. It’s usually made with fresh raspberries, however in February; I like to use Rhubarb with its bright pink colour and sharp edge.

Serves

4 People

Ingredients

  • 1kg forced rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
  • Juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 50g rolled oats or medium oatmeal
  • 284ml carton double cream
  • 2 tbsp whisky or cider brandy
  • 3-4 tbsp honey

Method

Put the rhubarb, orange juice and caster sugar in a pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, and then cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Don’t stir it too much and it will retain some of its shape.

When it’s cooked use a sieve to strain off a little of the juice, (which is delicious mixed with sparkling white wine).

Let the compote cool completely.

Spread the oats or oatmeal out on a baking tray, toast in the hot oven until golden. 3- 4 mins. Combine the cream, orange zest and whisky or brandy and whip until the cream holds soft peaks.

Loosely fold in the honey, the toasted oats and the rhubarb compote.

Serve straight away trickled with a little more honey.

by

Ingredients

  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 300ml milk
  • 25g butter, melted

Method

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre & beat in the eggs using a whisk.

As the egg mixture becomes thicker, add a little milk to loosen it, then keep whisking & add the remaining milk. Whisk well until mixture is smooth. Then add the melted butter.

Check the consistency of the batter, it should be thin like single cream.

Ensure your ESSE hot plate is hot (200). Wipe the hot plate with kitchen paper dipped in a little melted butter or oil. Using a ladle, pour the batter into a circle, using your ladle to swirl it around. Cook for a minute or two until small air bubbles start appearing.

Using a palette knife to release and lift the edge of the pancake and flip over & cook the second side until golden, then carefully remove it from the hot plate to serve. (The pancakes won’t stick together when stacked up with the added melted butter to the batter.)

Note: Often the first pancake will either be too thick or will break. Check the consistency of the batter and add a little milk if too thick. As you become more familiar with pouring the batter and swirling it, the pancakes will improve. (The first pancake is for the cook!) Happy cooking!

Recipe provided by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

by

Miso marinated pigeon, watercress, coriander and soy dressing

You need good fresh pigeon for this dish – because the meat is hardly cooked – the marinade of miso makes things very tasty and changes the texture of the meat – but we do not want to take any chances with the meat here – fresh is the order of the day.

Serves

2 people

Ingredients

  • 4 pigeon breasts
  • 1 teaspoon good quality organic miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon mirin
  • 1 dessert spoon full water
  • 2 fistfuls of good watercress
  • a small bunch of coriander leaf
  • 2 dessert spoons full of tamari soy sauce
  • 1 pinch of fresh ginger – grated
  • 1/2 clove garlic – grated
  • A squeeze of lime juice
  • A little fresh chilli if you like
  • 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seed oil

Method

This recipe is simplicity it’s self. Mix the mirin, miso and water to make a light paste, pour this over the pigeon breasts and make sure they are all well coated. Leave them in the marinade for at least 20 minutes but ideally and hour then pan cook or direct to hotplate cook them with a little sunflower oil until they are just lightly seared on the outsides – about 20 seconds per side – and then set them to one side to rest.

Make a simple dressing by mixing the soy, lime, garlic and ginger with the pumpkin seed oil.

Wash and pick the watercress and the coriander leaf. Slice a little fresh hot chilli of you like it.

Now, slice the pigeon breasts lengthways and place them on a serving dish or individual plates and put some watercress and coriander over the top. Sprinkle with the dressing and a add a little of the sliced chilli.

Enjoy!

ESSE electric range cooker demonstration by Tim Maddams, private chef, writer, cookery teacher and presenter.

by

Getting a great roast potato is a very personal thing – some like them ultra-crunchy, some like them a bit soft and others seem to like a mixture of both but for me there are three things that make for the ultimate roast potato. First – I like the skins left on, secondly I like to add some garlic, bay, thyme and black pepper to the cooking water at the boiling stage and lastly I like to use lard or beef dripping along with a little rape seed oil to enhance flavour and crispness.

You need to have your oven hot and any vents open to allow stream to leave the oven chamber otherwise the spuds will go soggy and never get crispy.

Ingredients

  • 1kg good Maris Piper type potatoes – Estima are another good variety, anything will do at a push but a good floury variety that holds together as well is where you want to be. Scrub them well but do not peel them and then cut them into chunks.
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 1 bulb of garlic – cut horizontally through the middle
  • a good sprig of fresh thyme
  • Salt
  • 100g lard
  • 20 ml rape seed oil

Method

Place the potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring rapidly to the boil and add the herbs, garlic and peppercorns. Simmer until mostly tender then remove from the heat and drain well.

Whilst the potatoes are draining place the fat and oil in a large roasting dish and pop this in the oven to heat.

When the oil and fat are good and hot tip in the potatoes carefully and make sure they all get a good coating of the hot fat. Pop them back in the oven and roast for around 45 mins until crisp and golden – turning once or twice during that time.

Season well with a little salt and serve.

ESSE electric range cooker demonstration by Tim Maddams, private chef, writer, cookery teacher and presenter.

ESSE Master Stove Maker Logo

CONTACT US

+44 (0)1282 813235
enquiries@esse.com

FOLLOW US

  • Twitter Icon
  • Pinterest Icon
  • Facebook Icon
  • Instagram Icon
  • YouTube Icon