COVER James Martin’s great British dishes
CRAB CAKES WITH HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE
SERVES: 4 PREP: 20 MINS COOK: 10 MINS
400g (14oz) white crab meat
400g (14oz) cooked potato, pushed through a ricer
6 spring onions, sliced
Small bunch of chives, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
1 egg yolk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g (1oz) plain flour, for dusting
Olive oil, for frying
For the mayonnaise:
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
200ml (7fl oz) vegetable oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Small bunch of watercress
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
1. Make the mayonnaise by whisking the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar together in a bowl until smooth. Slowly add the vegetable oil, starting with a little drizzle and whisking well. This is easiest to do with an electric hand whisk. Continue to drizzle in the remaining oil, whisking all the time, until the mixture has thickened. Season to taste.
2. Put the crab into a large bowl with the potatoes, spring onions, chives, lemon juice and egg yolk. Season and mix everything together well. Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Dust your hands with flour and form each into a round fish-cake about 8-10cm (3½-4in) in diameter and 2cm (¾in) thick.
3. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Drizzle with a little oil and pop the fish cakes in. Cook for 2-3 mins on each side until golden and heated through. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
4. To serve, pop 2 crab cakes onto each plate, garnish with watercress and a lemon wedge and serve with a dollop or a little pot of mayonnaise.
Per serving: 637 cals, 48g fat (5g sat fat), 2g sugar, 1.3g salt
CARAMELISED ONION, COURGETTE & WENSLEYDALE QUICHE
SERVES: 8 PREP: 40 MINS COOK: 1 HOUR 15 MINS
1 tbsp olive oil
15g (¾oz) butter
2 red onions, sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
300ml (½pt) double cream
100ml (4fl oz) full-fat milk
2 small courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
3 courgette flowers, sliced lengthways
175g (6oz) crumbled Wensleydale cheese
For the pastry:
300g (10½oz) plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
150g (5oz) butter, chilled and diced Pinch of sea salt
Few thyme sprigs, leaves picked (optional)
1 egg, beaten
1. start by caramelising the onions for the filling. heat the oil and butter in a medium pan over a medium heat. once the butter has melted, stir in the onions and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20-25 mins, stirring every now and then until the onions have softened and caramelised. if they look as though they’re burning, add a tablespoon of water and stir in. spread onto a plate and set aside to cool.
2. To make the pastry, put the flour into a bowl, add the butter, salt and thyme (if using) and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix with a knife until the mixture forms clumps, then bring together lightly with your hands. Add a couple of teaspoons of water if the dough feels dry. Dust a clean work surface with flour and knead lightly and quickly until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and chill it for 30 mins.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas mark 4. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pastry to a rough circle measuring about 32cm (13in) in diameter. Carefully lift the pastry into a 27cm (11in) fluted tart tin and gently press into the corners.
4. To make the filling, put the eggs and egg yolks, cream and milk into a jug and whisk together. season well and whisk again. spread the onions over the base of the pastry, arrange the courgettes and courgette flowers on top and scatter over the cheese.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the tart tin and give it a little shake so that it spreads evenly. Carefully slide the tart tin onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 mins, until the filling is set.
6. once cooked, take the quiche out of the oven, let it sit for about 5 mins, then trim the pastry edges. serve hot, warm or cold with a green salad.
Per serving: 648 cals, 50g fat (29g sat fat), 4g sugar, 0.9g salt
INDIVIDUAL BEEF PIES
SERVES: 6 PREP: 10 MINS COOK: 2 HOURS 40 MINS
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2kg (4½ lb) shin of beef, diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 shallots, peeled and diced
500ml (1pt) beef stock
250ml (½ pt) British bitter
Plain flour, for rolling out
500g (1lb 2oz) ready-made puff pastry
2 egg yolks, for egg wash
6 x 12.5cm pie dishes
1. Heat the oil in a very large, non-stick casserole pan then fry the meat, in batches, until well browned all over. Transfer each batch to a plate as you do it and season well.
2. Once all the meat has been browned, return it to the pan with the shallots and pour over the stock and beer. Cover, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours. Spoon into a large shallow dish and cool. You can make the stew up to a day in advance and chill in the fridge until you want to assemble the pies.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Lightly dust a clean work surface with a little flour then roll out the pastry until it is 2mm (1/8in) thick. Using the top of one of the pie dishes as a guide, cut out 6 circles slightly larger than the dishes, then fill the pie dishes with stew. (We used mini ovenproof saucepans.)
4. Brush the edges of the pastry lids with the egg wash then turn over and lay on top of the dishes and seal around the edges. Brush the tops with egg wash, sit the pies on a large baking tray and bake for 40 mins, until the pastry is crisp and golden.
Per serving: 864 cals, 46g fat (19g sat fat), 2g sugar, 1.8g salt
CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE
SERVES: 10 PREP: 15 MINS COOK: 1 HOUR
200g (7oz) butter
150g (5oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
300ml (½ pt) stout
4 eggs
500g (1lb 2oz) soft light brown sugar
350g self-raising flour
For the icing:
400g (14oz) full-fat cream cheese
25ml (1fl oz) stout
200g (7oz) icing sugar
A couple of squares of dark or milk chocolate, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/Gas Mark 3. Line a 27cm (11in), deep-sided cake tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Put the butter, chocolate and stout into a large heatproof bowl and rest over a pan of just-simmering water, making sure the base doesn’t touch the water, until the butter and chocolate have melted.
3. Lift the bowl off the pan and leave to cool slightly. Add the eggs and sugar to the mixture and whisk well, then fold in the flour until the mixture is smooth.
4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour. Leave to cool in the tin before turning out.
5. To make the icing, whisk the cream cheese, stout and icing sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Spread on top of the cake. Grate the chocolate over the top and serve.
Per serving: 648 cals, 32g fat (20g sat fat), 81g sugar, 0.8g salt