Local Beer

We have some great local Beers here at Due South, which I like to use on the menu now and again. 

Hepworth brewery is what we use at Due South. They have a great selection Blonde, Iron horse, Sussex and Prospect are but a few that we have here.

There is a pork belly dish that I wanted to do some work on, so this was a good  place to start. First I thought about things that go with pork, apples and cider too easy, sage too strong I think, langoustine too much bad things could happen with that one.. So raisins- soaked i liked that one, elderflower is in season at the moment. Maybe an infusion to lighten the dish make it a bit summery, carrots are great right now so there in, starch wise my new favourite potato is a purple potato called "Vitelotte".
 
So I am going with carrot as my main focus beer braised in Sussex, some pureed and some candied, Blonde soaked raisins that we smoke, that give a real nice caramel taste. Apples cooked in elderflower, Blonde and vanilla. The Vitelotte are cooked and cooled in a liquid of garlic and thyme, the pork itself was slow roast with a bottle of Prospect.

LIQUID NITROGEN (LN2)

Everyone has heard of liquid nitrogen ice cream but does it taste any different? I think it's more about the texture. Ice cream with this stuff is like... well if Mr Whippy had a wife this would be her- the sexy Mrs Whippy. 

Liquid nitrogen is so much fun in the kitchen, sure you have to be careful because it is a very dangerous thing to work with, but I could also say that about a few chefs I have had in my kitchen. It might be safer getting a paco jet but where's the fun in that?!

Strawberries have just arrived in season so I wanted to do something simple, clean and in people's comfort zone. No vodka and green tea pallet cleanser with that smoke affect coming out of your nose yet, baby steps at the moment I think.

So I did marinated strawberries, liquid nitrogen vanilla ice cream, pepper, juice, foam and shortbread.

Tried to do some research the other night about what can be done with this stuff- frozen powders, nitro shucking, and so on I will be experimenting over the next while and see what I come up with.

Photographs by Carla Grassy

LIQUID RAVIOLI

Bubbles, liquid ravioli, spherification are all words to describe this amazing technique that I have just got comfortable with but it still blows my mind.

It simply is a reaction that happens between two liquids, algin and calcium chloride creating a jelly with a soft center.

Modern cooking, forward thinking styles that are going on right now. It could be one of the most interesting things I have studied, it is like learning to cook all over again, you can also make it very simple.

One I did here is of pea, now it looks like a pea and tastes like a pea but it's a liquid, whats the point? You have that chance to make people say how did they do that and you could add flavours like mint or bacon.

I also read in a magazine the other day that you can inject the spherification with oil while it is still in the calcium chloride bath so it reseals it, creating a dressing of sorts.

Here are some recipes I am working with right now.

Broad bean liquid ravioli    

500ml broad bean water

2.4g algin 

                                                                                                

 Tomato bubble 

400ml tomato consomme

1.5g citras

1.8g algin

            Calcium chloride bath        

                                                     1lt bottled water                                                    

                                              6.2g calcium chloride                                         

The supplier I use is 'Infusions for chefs' - they are very helpful and have a starter pack enjoy!

Below inspired by the oyster with pearl we had at 'Tickets' in Barcelona. A little tip of the cap.

You can also make what they call caviar. Bet you can't wait for the reverse spherification section.

Photographs by Carla Grassy

Rhubarb pannacotta, queens shortbread & sorbet

Summer is almost here. April's gone but what a stunning month to remember- now in May we have rhubarb to play with.

Everyone loves rhubarb, it can go with so many things starters, mains, desserts, on its own or dipped in sugar.

When I was just a wee commis, pastry was my life, bread to petit fours and during that time I learnt how to make rhubarb creme brulee and that is a distant cousin of the dish I have done here enjoy.

Photographs by Carla Grassy