STARTER – Morston Crab Salad

MORSTON CRAB SALAD
(serves four)

 INGREDIENTS

4 dressed crabs (white and dark meat separated and kept in separate bowls)
2 avocados 1 red chilli (finely chopped)
1 tbsp chopped coriander
juices of 2 limes
a good slug of olive oil
half a celeriac bulb (peeled and grated)
1 tsp Pommery mustard
2 tbsps mayonnaise
salt and pepper
a splash of Tabasco, Worcester sauce and lemon juice

METHOD

Chop the avocado
Firstly peel and chop the avocado into a bowl; then add the juice of the limes, followed by the coriander, and finally the chopped chilli. Season to taste and mix well. Add a good slug of olive oil and set aside.

Add to celeriac
Then in another bowl add to the grated celeriac, the mayonnaise and mustard again, season to taste, mix well and add a little olive oil if you feel necessary. Finally, with the crab, take the dark meat and season; then add a splash of tabasco, lemon juice and Worcester sauce and mix well. For the white meat, all I do is add a little lemon juice, salt and pepper and a touch of olive oil, and taste.

Layer the salad
Now place a plain round cutter about three inches (7.5cm) in diameter in the middle of the plate, and into the bottom of the cutter. Put on a good dollop of the dark meat, using the back of a spoon to flatten the crab to make it level; then, on top of this, place a dollop of the avocado mix and again flatten. Then the celeriac, and finally, on the top, the white crab meat. Now carefully lift off the cutter to reveal the wonderful layered salad.

Wrap into balls
Now, using perforated clingfilm about 10 inches (25cms) square, place a good dollop of chicken mousse in the middle, bring the four corners together and wrap up tightly tying a knot in the end, and making a tight ball.

Garnish and serve
Finally garnish the dressed lettuce and serve, maybe with a large glass of Chardonnay.

Glaton Blackiston – Pride of Norfolk

GLATON BLACKISTON

 

Galton began working in the Lake District at the renowned Miller Howe hotel under the eye of flamboyant TV chef John Tovey and gradually worked his way up to the position of head chef. Work experience in New York, Canada, South Africa and London followed.  He went on to restore and open Morston Hall.

Morston Hall is a Michelin-starred hotel and restaurant and one of Britain’s leading country hotels. Galton has also gone on to become 2001 UK Craft Guild of Chefs Chef of the Year and was East Anglian Chef of the Year 2002 and 2003.

Galton has been sharing his passion for Norfolk produce and the skills of Morston Hall’s kitchen, in twice-monthly series of cookery demonstrations since 1992. He has also completed 12 three-minute segments on Anglia Television, promoting seasonal Norfolk produce.

Galton will always tell people that there’s “no finer area” than Norfolk. “I believe that real cooking involves using the highest quality locally sourced seasonal ingredients and cooking it as simply as possible. It’s simple things done well rather than complicated things done badly that really interests me.”

SPICY – Aldo Zilli’s Thai prawn curry

Aldo Zilli’s Thai Prawn Curry  

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

20 raw tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
50ml good fish stock
5 shallots, finely sliced
Good Handful of fresh spinach, torn
2 tablespoons thai green curry paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1 tin coconut milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

METHOD

1. Pan fry the garlic and shallots over a medium heat for two minutes then add the thai paste. Cook for a further two minutes stirring continuously.

2. Add the fish stock and cook for 15 minutes over a medium heat, then add the coconut milk and cook for a further 15 minutes.

3. Add the prawns and spinach and cook for 10 minutes until the prawns are pink in colour. Add the coriander and serve immediately with coconut rice.

Aldo Zilli – Italian Foodie Favourite

 ALDO ZILLI

Aldo Zilli is chef owner of Zilli restaurants in Soho, he is the chef and menu planner for his kitchens.

After catering college in Italy he came to England and at the age of 19 decided to concentrate on his passion for Italian food. He started working in Italian restaurants introducing new cooking methods and eclectic menus, transforming them from little-know venues to celebrity haunts. However he soon outgrew the kitchen, becoming executive manager and training other chefs in his own impressive style.

Eventually certain of his own success, Aldo decided to go it along and acquired his first restaurant IL Siciliano in Dean Street. Word quickly spread about the quality of food and the atmosphere created by Aldo and soon the restaurant was packed.

In 1988he bought the premises at 41 Dean Street and opened Signor Zillifollowing this in 1993 next door with London’s first authentic Italian bar – Signor Zilli BarAldo opened ZilliFish in Brewer Street in June 1997 and it has been bursting at the seams since its opening, now complemented by an authentic Italian café right next door – Zilli CaféGreat Italian food and Aldo’s legendary sense of humour make these establishments a magnet for people from the media and entertainment world. In 1996 he was awarded Best Italian Restaurant Award in the London Restaurant Awards, in 1998 he collected the award for Best Media Restaurant for Zilli Fish, in 2006 he has awarded Best Café in the Theme Awards. He has also won Favourite Showbiz Restaurant for Signor Zilli in the Capital Radio Awards and the London Times recently commented “Aldo Zilli’s kitchen remains on top form, with a menu that favours upmarket ingredients put to simple use.

STARTER – Pea & Mint Soup

PEA AND MINT SOUP

INGREDIENTS

¼ onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
30g/1oz butter
¼ potato, peeled and diced
290ml/½ pint vegetable stock
140g/5oz peas
2 tbsp mint, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp yoghurt to garnish

METHOD 

 1. Fry the onion and garlic in the butter for 3-4 minutes until soft.
2. Add the potato and stock and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is just tender.
3. Add the peas and mint and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
4. Blend until smooth in a food processor.
5. Taste and season if needed.
6. Pour into a bowl, add the yoghurt, and serve.