Cooking Mackerel using the ESSE Gas Cat cooker as seen on Channel 4’s River Cottage
by Dan
This is not a smooth blended soup, but a broth packed full of little pieces of root veg. Their flavours remain more distinct this way, which is very pleasing. Enriched with plenty of smoky bacon and finished with grated cheese, this is a fabulous, sustaining, salt-of-the-earth sort of dish. Make sure you cut the vegetables small, and keep the pieces all the same size.
Serves
Four people
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into small dice
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 150g carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
- 150g swede, peeled and cut into small dice
- 150g potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
- 150g parsnip, peeled and cut into small dice
- 150g celeriac, peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 litre light vegetable, ham or chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- About 100g grated mature cheddar, to garnish
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and sweat gently until the fat runs and the bacon starts to turn golden. Add the chopped onion and sweat gently for another 10-15 minutes, or until soft and golden.
Add all the diced root vegetables, cover the pan and let the whole mixture sweat and soften for 10 minutes or so. Then add the stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the veg are tender. Taste the soup and season accordingly.
Ladle into warmed bowls, top each with a little pile of grated cheese and serve straight away, with some thick pieces of toast.
This fantastic rather usual vegetable makes the delicious soup.
Serves
Four people
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1kg Jerusalem artichokes – peeled
- 350g washed leeks – sliced
- 100g potato – peeled
- 2 cloves of garlic – chopped
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 750ml of good chicken stock/vegetable stock.
- 100ml double cream
- Salt and pepper
Method
In a large heavy based pan sweat the vegetables in the butter until soft.
Now add the stock, bring the soup to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 20 – 30 mins.
Liquidise the soup until smooth and creamy.
Return the soup to the pan and place back over a medium heat. Season well and stir in the cream.
The soup is ready to eat.
Fish Stock
Demonstrated by River Cottage Chef, Andy Tyrell, using an ESSE CAT Gas Cooking Range
This is our basic fish stock, a light, well-flavoured broth that we use as a base for all manner of soups, plus sauces and risottos. It’s particularly good in ‘green’ soups – watercress, nettle or parsley, for example – even if no fish is being added to the soup.
Get into the habit of freezing all your white fish trimmings and you can soon build up a good stash for making stock. You can use the entire fish frame: bones, skin, head and tail – anything that’s not guts or gills. Not only is this good, thrifty cooking but making your own stock also gives you control over its flavour. Indeed, this recipe is only a guide. The more fish bits you pack into the pot, for instance, the more intense your stock will be. You can vary the vegetables too: trimmings of fennel bulbs, celeriac and shallots are all good candidates for inclusion.
The golden rule: all the fish trimmings must be scrupulously fresh (or fresh when they were frozen). A fish that only just passes the sniff test might have fillets that are just about worthy of the frying pan, but its bones will not be worthy of the stockpot.
Ingredients
Makes about 1.5 litres
- 2kg white fish trimmings, including at least 4 good heads
- 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, bruised but not peeled
- 2 onions, peeled and halved
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 thyme stalks
- A handful of parsley stalks
- 1/2 teaspoon black or white peppercorns
Method
Rinse the fish trimmings in cold water and put them in a large stockpot with all the other ingredients. Pack them in fairly well and add just enough cold water to cover everything. Bring up to a very gentle simmer. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then cover the pan and simmer for half an hour, taking care that the stock doesn’t boil fast at any point. A gentle, popping simmer is all that is necessary – overcooking or boiling can make the stock cloudy and chalky tasting.
Let the stock cool slightly before straining it into a container. You can use it straight away, or refrigerate it for up to 2 days, or freeze it.
River cottage recipe for ESSE slow roasted shoulder of lamb.
Lamb studded with rosemary, garlic and anchovies – learn with Gill Meller.
This recipe for my little hotplate pancakes is quick, easy and delicious. I use self raising flour which means they rise slightly on cooking, the result being lighter and more textured than traditional pancakes.
This recipe can be customised in many ways. Adding different flavours and spices is part of the fun. For instance, grating a little blue cheese into the batter and serving them with thick slices of roast ham would make a beautiful Sunday night supper. Alternatively adding some cinnamon and a little chopped apple to the batter would make a perfect desert, served hot with vanilla ice cream.
Cooking these pancakes directly on the plate is immensely satisfying and not at all messy. You can make big ones or small, it’s up to you.
I keep a tea towel by my ESSE for cleaning up the plate. Giving it a good firm rub will polish it up perfectly for cooking on.
Serves
Makes around 15 hot cakes depending on size
Ingredients
- Whole meal self raising flour – 250g
- Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
- Caster sugar – 25g
- Free-range eggs – 2
- Fresh milk – 275ml
- Butter (melted) – 25g
- A pinch of salt
- ESSE range cooker – simmering plate
Method
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and stir in the caster sugar. Make a well in the flour and break the eggs into the middle. Pour in about half the milk. Whisk, gently at first, and then as you start to get a thick paste, add the more milk and the melted butter. Beat until you get a good, thick creamy batter – you might not need all the milk.
Lift the lid on the right hand plate. Check the temperature, the dial should be reading in the middle of hot. Use a spoon to dollop the batter directly onto the clean plate. You should be able to fit 3 – 4 on at a time depending on the size. After about a minute, little bubbles will start to appear on the surface of the cakes. As soon as they cover the surface, flip them over with a spatula or thin palette knife.
Cook the other side for a further minute or so, then transfer them to a warm plate and cover them with a clean tea towel so they stay soft – or hand over to those waiting eagerly to get stuck in. Cook the remaining batter in the same way, adjusting the area on which you’re cooking over if they are getting too brown too quickly.
Note: For the savoury variation omit the sugar before adding your cheese or chopped bacon or sauté onion etc.
Serve with: Butter and caster sugar, strawberry jam, honey, lemon curd or anything you like.
Cooking bread in the Esse is an absolute joy. I love it. I don’t bother with loaf tins I just shape the bread, give it a final prove and get it straight on the floor of the hot oven. Cooking it this way gives the most fantastic crust with a deeper, well developed flavour.
You’ll need to crank the oven up high bread; the higher part of ‘very hot’ is good.
This is my standard loaf that I make at home.
Serves
N/A
Ingredients
- 750g white strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 250g whole meal flour
- 10g powdered dried yeast
- 20g fine salt
- 600ml warm water
- A little sunflower oil
Method
Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and, with one hand, mix to a rough dough. Adjust the consistency if you need to, with a little more flour or water, to make a soft, easily kneadable, sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and clean your hands.
Knead until the dough is smooth, stretchy and no longer sticky – about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a tight round. Oil the surface of the dough, put it in the wiped-out mixing bowl, cover the bowl with cling film and leave to ferment and rise until doubled in size, which should take about an hour.
Pre-heat the oven get the dial up to very hot. Deflate the dough by tipping it onto the work surface and pressing all over with your hands.
Divide the dough into 2 or 3 equal pieces. Shape into nice even rounds, coat with whole meal flour and Leave to prove for a further 30 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size.
Use a bread knife the gently score the loaves across their tops, this will help them to rise in the oven. Make sure your oven floor is clean and free of racks. Carefully lift each loaf and place on the floor of the oven, being careful not to burn yourself as you go.
Cook for 40 to 50 minutes, until well coloured. Remove the loaves and cool on a wire rack.
Serves
Six people
Ingredients
- 1x 8″ loose base tart case
For the short crust
- 150 g of butter
- 300 g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- About 150ml cold milk
For the filling
- About 750 g of picked nettle tips that have been washed
- 1 large organic onion finely sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic or 3 – 6 wild garlic leaves finely chopped
- 100g hard sheep’s or goat’s cheese grated
- 1 pinch of dried chilli flakes
- A good knob of butter
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks
- 200ml cream
- 100ml milk
Method
To make the short crust
Place the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse to a bread crumb consistency.
Add the egg yolk followed by the milk in a gradual stream.
Stop as soon as the doe comes together.
Turn out and knead a couple of times.
Wrap and chill in the fridge for half an hour.
Roll out the pastry and line your tart case. Leave the edges over hanging. (You can cut these off later. I find this eliminates the need for baking beans)
Prick the base with a fork and bake blind for about 15 mins on the floor of the top oven reading ‘HOT’. (This will help to dry out the pastry base) or until the base is dry but not coloured. Trim the edges.
The filling
Blanch the nettle tips in boiling water for 2 mins. Remove and refresh in a large bowl of iced water. Drain and squeeze excess water from the nettles.
Roughly chop the nettles. Melt the butter in a pan over heat and soften, lightly colour the onion, chilli and garlic. Add the chopped nettles and season with lemon juice salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Spoon the filling into the tart case, top with the cheese.
Combine your eggs and yolks with the cream and season to taste.
Fill the tart case with the custard.
Bake straight away at 180c for about half an hour.
The custard should be just set when you shake the tin.
Allow it to cool before you eat it. It’s much better then.
A firm River Cottage favourite. It ranks up there with fish pie for comfort food but, as it’s a bit more stylish and doesn’t have any potato in it, we serve it as a starter course. Be careful not to overcook the fish, it really only takes about 5 minutes.
Serves
Four to six people
Ingredients
Shortcrust pastry
- 250g plain flour
- 125g cold organic butter, cut into small cubes
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk, plus beaten egg for glazing
- About 100ml cold milk
Filling
- 1 smoked pollack fillet, about 200g
- Up to 1 litre whole milk
- Knob of butter
- 2 English onions, finely sliced
- A large handful of young spinach
- 100g mature cheddar, grated
- 250ml double cream
- 2 medium eggs, plus 2 medium yolks, lightly beaten
- Salt and pepper
Method
To make the pastry, put the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk, start the processor again and start adding the milk in a thin stream. Watch carefully and stop adding the milk as soon as the dough comes together. Tip out of the processor, knead a couple of times to create a smooth ball of dough, then wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170/gas 3/ESSE dial reading MODERATE. Roll out the pastry thinly and use to line a 25cm-diameter tart tin with a removable base. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge.
Prick the base in several places with a fork. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry looks dry and cooked. Remove from the oven, brush the pastry with beaten egg, then return to the oven and bake until golden (about 5 minutes). This helps to seal the pastry and prevent any of the tart filling leaking out. Trim off the excess pastry with a small, very sharp knife. Leave the oven at 170/gas 3/ESSE dial reading MODERATE.
Put the pollack in a pan and pour over enough milk to just cover it. Bring the milk to a simmer. Taking care not to let the milk boil, cook the fish just until it will come apart in flakes – about 5 minutes. Remove the fish from the milk and leave to cool. Don’t discard the milk – strain it and set aside.
While the pollack is cooling, heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the onions. Fry gently, without letting them brown, until soft. Drop the spinach into a pan of boiling water and cook until wilted. Drain and, once cool enough to handle, squeeze dry and chop.
Flake the pollack into a bowl and add the grated cheddar, onions and spinach. Mix well, then put the mixture into the tart case. Mix 250ml of the strained fish poaching milk with the cream and eggs. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the pollack mixture.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until set and browned. Serve warm or cold.
Serves
N/A
Ingredients
- 1 small knob of butter
- 2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small onions finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 300 g red lentils
- 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tin chopped tomato’s
- Salt and freshly grilled
- Fresh coriander
- 250 ml natural yoghurt
Method
Place a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the butter and the oil to the pan; throw in the onions, garlic, coriander and cumin. Fry gently without colouring for 5 mins.
Add the stock and lentils and cover with a lid, bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes then add the tomatoes, cook for a further 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a jug blender.
Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Roughly chop the coriander, and stir it through the yoghurt.
]Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Finish the soup by spooning over the coriander yoghurt, followed by drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of ground toasted cumin.
Serves
Four people
Ingredients
- 1 medium squash
- 12 sage leaves
- 4 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- 50 g butter
- 250g of fresh ceps or other boletus
- Small bunch of wild rocket washed
- 200g soft blue cheese such as Roquefort or Saint Agure
- French dressing to serve
Method
Peel a large squash, such as Butternut or Crown Prince. Cut into 1 inch chunks, and place in a roasting tin along with the bruised sage leaves, the garlic, peeled and thickly sliced, 150ml of olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
Roast the squash in a pre-heated oven, set at 200 degrees, for 45 mins or until soft and coloured round the edges. Add 1 Tbls of olive oil along with the butter to a frying pan set over a medium heat, throw in the mushrooms that have been trimmed and cleaned and sliced, season them lightly with salt and pepper, fry for 4-5 mins or until cooked through. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked squash, mushrooms, rocket and cheese. Lightly dress with the vinaigrette. Toss this all together and divide between the plates.
I’m finding wild garlic is around earlier with each coming year. We had some on the menu at River cottage in January. This wonderful plant, also known as ‘Ramsons’ can be found in the dappled shade of established woodlands, in damp meadows, along stream banks and in shady hedges. When its young it’s sweet and its emerald green leaves are unmistakable.
Wild garlic gives this soup great flavour and if you can get the tiny little bulbs at the base of the plant then so much the better.
Serves
4 – 6 people
Ingredients
- A little olive oil
- 1 large or 2 smaller onions finely sliced
- 4 or 5 wild garlic bulbs, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
- 200g chorizo sausage sliced into rounds
- 1 litre of good light chicken stock
- A handful of freshly picked wild garlic leaves shredded
- A handful of young kale leaves shredded
- 4 – 6 slices of 2-3 day old sourdough or similar
- Flat leaf parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper
Method
Warm a heavy based saucepan on the hot plate; fry the sliced chorizo with a little olive oil. After 2 or 3 minutes add the sliced onion and sliced wild garlic bulbs (if you have them) and season with salt and pepper. Continue to fry off without colouring for a further 7- 8 mins or until soft.
Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes, mean while toast the pieces of sour dough on each side. This can be done directly on the Esse hot plate.
At this point you can add the garlic leaves and kale to the simmering pan. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning.
To serve, place a piece of toasted sourdough in a large soup bowl and ladle over the hot soup. Finish with a trickle of good olive oil and some chopped flat leaf parsley.
Winter Soup with beans and winter veg – cooked on an ESSE flued Gas range cooker by River Cottage Head Chef, Gill Meller.
Tim Maddams’ quick-grilled spring onion and mutton chops finished in the slow oven of the electric ESSE EC4i and topped with chilli and rosemary oil.
Join Tim Maddams cooking on the versatile and energy-efficient ESSE EC4i. This cast iron electric range cooker has four ovens and an induction top.
This is a fantastically warming way to cook purple sprouting broccoli and delicious either on its own as a starter, or with roast lamb or mutton.
Serves
Four people
Ingredients
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 dried chillies
- Olive oil
- 6- anchovy fillets
- White wine or marsala
- 400ml double cream
- 500g purple sprouting broccoli
- 100g grated parmesan
Method
Peel and thinly slice the garlic. De-seed and chop the chillies. Set a medium-sized, heavy-based pan over a medium heat and heat a good slosh of olive oil.
Throw in the garlic, chilli and anchovies. Fry until the garlic takes on a golden tinge around its edges.
Add a splash of white wine or marsala, boil for a few seconds and then add the double cream. Bring to a simmer and turn the heat down. Cook until the sauce is reduced by a third.
Blanch the purple sprouting broccoli in boiling water for a minute.
Drain and allow to steam dry. Lay the broccoli in an ovenproof dish, pour over the cream sauce and scatter with grated parmesan. Bake at 190°C/Gas Mark 5 for 10-12 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Try the same recipe with curly kale in the winter months.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- Next Page »
