Champions of British produce are cropping up everywhere, from Knightsbridge to Brixton Market, and seasonality is the new keyword. Small plates, it was agreed, would be most appropriate for a street party playful, portable and elegant.
Champions of British produce are cropping up everywhere, from Knightsbridge to Brixton Market, and seasonality is the new keyword. Small plates, it was agreed, would be most appropriate for a street party — playful, portable and elegant.
Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens has created no fewer than seven dishes especially for Spear’s. These demonstrate a ‘simple use of great British produce like peas, beetroot, asparagus, mackerel, duck and salmon’, he explains. The ingredients can be found in allotments, farms and rivers around the UK.
Any guest couldn’t help but be impressed by our tailor-made offering of Asparagus Mousseline with Chervil Velouté; Parma Ham and Pea Shoot Salad quivering atop a Quenelle of Pea Mousse; and Goat’s Cheese Mousse served with Candied Beetroot.
Asparagus Mousseline with Chervil Veloute (This is a Cold Dish)
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Asparagus Puree
250g chopped asparagus
30g butter
2g salt and pepper
50g chopped chervil
A squeeze of lemon juice
100ml Noilly Pratt
Place a pan onto a medium heat then add the butter. When it has just melted, add the asparagus and salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes till semi-soft on a low to medium heat, take off the lid after and add the noilly pratt. Reduce this by half, then add the chervil and lemon juice and place into the blender straight away and puree till fine. Pass this onto a cooled tray and chill straight away. To keep this as green as possible cook quickly and chill quickly.
Asparagus Mousse
Blanched long strips of jumbo asparagus cut on a mandoline: these are cut on the length of the asparagus with the white base cut away as it is tough. They are then blanched in boiling salted water for 1 minute till they are just cooked, then refreshed in iced water, left to cool for a minute then dried on kitchen paper.
300g Asparagus puree
2 leaves gelatin
150g semi whipped cream
8g chopped chervil
Add the gelatine to a little warm puree then place over iced water till almost set. Then add the chervil, salt and pepper, a little lemon juice and then when nearly set, add the whipped cream. Check the seasoning and don’t add too much cream so you keep the asparagus flavour.
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Just lightly oil the round ring mould which is 0.5cm tall and 5cm diameter, then line with a single strip of jumbo asparagus, place the mould onto a single sheet of oiled grease proof paper. Then pipe the mousse into the ring and leave to set in the fridge for approx 2 hours.
Chervil Veloute (Allow 50ml a portion)
400ml chicken stock
150ml double cream
12g lemon juice
1 .5 bunches of chopped chervil / 270g
20g butter
When you chop the chervil chop from the leafy part down to the beginning of the stalk.
Place the stock and cream onto boil then add the 3/4’s of the chopped chervil, bring to a simmer and cook for approx 1 minute till just tender then place into the blender with the remaining chervil. Add the lemon juice and puree. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl set over ice to chill.
Truffle Emulsion (Makes 500 ml, allow 30 ml a portion.)
2 Egg yolks
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
6g Caster sugar
300ml olive oil
100ml water
50 ml White Truffle oil
10g Chopped Black truffle
1.5g salt
Place the egg yolks in a bowl with the lemon juice, salt, sugar, lemon zest and chopped truffle and whisk all together well. Then slowly add the olive oil and when it thickens add a little water so it does not get too thick. Then add the remaining oil and truffle oil, add seasoning salt and pepper.
Assembly
1 1g piece of sliced truffle
30ml truffle emulsion
50ml chervil veloute
1 50g asparagus mousse
1 tip jumbo asparagus cooked in boiling water for 2 mins then chilled in iced water
2 spears of Asparagus sliced thinly lengthways on the mandoline, then blanched in boiling salted water for 30 seconds and refreshed in iced water, drained and dried.
Place the mousse into the a shallow bowl and then the chervil veloute, mix the strips and tip of aspargus with the emulsion and place on top of the mousse in a little ball. Put the spear on top then a slice of seasoned truffle on top.
Marinated Loch Duart Salmon Pickled Endive
Loch Duart Salmon
Allow 3 slices per potion approx 40g in weight 14g per slice
Zest of 8 orange and 12 lemons
600g coarse sea salt
300g caster sugar
100g cracked pepper
Approx 200g dill chopped roughly stalk and all
Mix the orange and lemon zest together then add the chopped dill and mix all together. Mix the sugar, salt and pepper, place 1/2 on a tray in an oblong shape the size of the salmon. Then add the zest and dill and lay the salmon skin-side down on the marinade. Place the rest on top and then cover with another flat tray, place a weight onto the tray and leave the salmon for 9 hours in the marinade. Remove the salmon from the marinade and lightly wash and then pat dry with clean cloths. This is then ready to use, place it on a board ready to be sliced.
Pickled Orange Endive
4 red baby endive trimmed to correct size.
Peel of 1 orange
300ml orange juice reduced to 100ml
3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs lemon thyme
50ml champagne vinegar
1g course salt
1 vanilla bean split and scraped
2g caster sugar
50ml olive oil
12 black pepper corns crushed
400ml orange juice reduced down to 100ml
Put all into a bowl, mix well then put into a sous vide bag and cook for approx 15-20 minutes at 85c, then refresh in iced water for 15 minutes. Then once cool open the bag and keep the juice for a dressing by adding equal amount of olive oil and the reduced orange juice. Cut the endive in half allowing 2 pieces per portion.
Orange Dressing (Makes 450 ml, allow 300 ml a portion)
500ml orange juice
30ml lemon juice
0.3g black milled pepper
300ml olive oil
100ml endive juice
Reduce the orange juice to 100ml then leave to cool, add the lemon juice, then the olive oil and seasoning.
Assembly
30ml orange dressing
3 slices salmon per potion approx 40g in weight 14g per slice
2 pieces of pickled endive cut in half
2 pieces of endive leaf dressed in orange dressing
5 pieces of orange segments
3 dill sprigs and 4 tarragon leaves
Place the endive leaves and pickled endive intermingled with the salmon and orange segments onto the plate with the picked fresh herbs, then drizzle a little dressing around.
Pickled Cauliflower With Smoked Mackerel
Pickled Cauliflower (Allow 20g a portion)
500g cauliflower florets
100ml olive oil
100g sliced shallots
50g sugar
14 fresh black peppercorns
20 coriander Seeds
4g sprigs tarragon
6g sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
2g sea salt
Place a pan onto a low-med heat and add the 100ml of olive oil, add all of the above ingredients into the pan and cook with no cauliflower for 2-3 minutes so the shallots are just cooked. Add the liquids below and bring to a simmer, cook for 5 minutes then place in the cauliflower, bring back to a simmer then leave to cool in the liquor.
Cauliflower Puree (Makes 900g)
600g cauliflower chopped
150ml semi-skimmed milk
200ml double cream
8g salt
6g sugar
20ml lemon juice
14 turns of milled pepper
Place the milk and cream into a pan along with the salt, sugar and cauliflower, bring to a simmer and cook slowly for approx 15-20 minutes till the cauliflower is just soft, do not cook this any longer as the cauliflower will discolour and lose its fresh flavour. Puree in a kitchen blender with the liquid and pepper. Puree till very smooth then add the lemon juice and check the seasoning, Pass through a fine sieve and chill.
Cauliflower Mousse (Makes 750g allow 25g a Portion = 28 portions)
4 leaves gelatine soaked in cold water
600g cauliflower puree
150g crème fraiche
30ml lemon juice
6 turns of milled pepper
2g salt
Warm a little of the puree and melt the gelatine in the puree, add this to the rest of the puree passing through a fine sieve, add the lemon juice, crème fracihe and salt and pepper to taste. Place this over iced water till it sets, stirring now and again so it is smooth, then place this into a piping bag.
Mint Oil
300g fresh mint
350ml olive oil
Bring a pan of 2 ltr water to a boil, add 28g salt then the mint leaves straight away and cook till just soft, approx 45-60 seconds, but still with a little bite. Straight away remove the leaves from the boiling water and drain them in a colander or remove with a spider, place into iced water leaving for a minute till completely cold. Then drain and squeeze all the water out of the mint and keep 12 leaves aside, place them into the blender with the olive oil and puree. Do not process for to long other wise the oil will warm up and it will emulsify then the colour will not be as green. As soon as the mint has been puréed with the oil then place this onto a muslin cloth over a container so the oil drips through into a bowl, then at the end once it has all drained through then add the mint leaves to it this will give more flavor.
Assembly
30g flaked smoked mackerel
25g cauliflower mousse
7-8 pickled cauliflower florets
10ml mint oil
Place the cauliflower mousse into a piping bag and pipe into the bottom of the bowl place the mackerel on top then the remaining cauliflower and then drizzle with a little mint oil.
Smoked Duck Breast, Pickled Mushrooms, Baby Spinach, Cepe Dressing, Bread Crisps
Cepe Dressing (makes 1/3 recipe)
500g frozen cepes defrosted and sliced thinly and dried
400g banana shallots thinly sliced
12 cloves garlic thinly sliced
30g thyme
375ml maderia
375ml balsamic vinegar
20g course sea salt
20 turns of milled pepper
1.5 litres of olive oil
Place a large saucement onto full and add 400ml of olive oil. Once hot add the cepes with ½ the salt and pepper, cook till golden and caramelised. After approx 15 minutes, add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook this again till golden and caramelised, with the remaining salt and pepper. Add the maderia next and reduce to approx 200ml then add the balsamic vinegar. Reduce again to 200ml then add the remaining olive oil and bring to a simmer, cook at a simmer for ten minutes stirring now and again. Place into a container to cool then into the fridge for a week so the flavour improves. Stir this every other day then puree it all in a kitchen blender till smooth and pass through a fine sieve.
Campaillou (Country Bread with Levain Taste)
1 kilo campaillou flour from Moulbie
30g salt
20g yeast
750g water
Mix the yeast with the water for ten minutes then whisk, place the flour into the machine and then add the water, turn the machine on and mix 5 mins on med speed then 2-3 mins on med high. Turn out the bowl and knead for 2-3 mins and place into a floured bowl, cover in clingfilm and leave to rest for 1 hour. Then take a large chopping board and place on a sheet of baking parchment, flour it well,then place on the bread, push it out with your hands into a rectangle then use a rolling pin and roll it out to a rectangle shape 1 inch thick. Brush all the flour off then spray with water, fold the top 1/3 in then the bottom third on top like puff pastry. Dust heavily in flour and then cover with a dry cloth. Place into a warm place and prove for 45-60 minutes, cut into an oblong shape across the width with a serrated knife and then place onto a floured tray. Bake instantly at 230c for 5 mins then turn and another 6 mins then chill. Then wrap in clingfilm and freeze, then slice the bread across the length at 1mm thickness on the gravity sliced and then dry in a low oven at 80c for 20 minutes.
Pickling Liquor for Mushrooms
The mushrooms to use are Eryungie, Nameko Shimeji, enocci,
700ml qater
300ml Sauterne
300ml olive oil
300ml white wine vinegar
30g salt
100g caster sugar
6g sprigs of thyme
6 bay leaf
30 black peppercorns
Bring all to a simmer in a large pot and simmer for 10 minutes, add the mushrooms type by type. Depending on the size too, some will take 30 seconds to cook like the enocci, and the bigger ones Eryungie can be sliced into 2mm slices, the Nameko and Shimeji are left whole but just trimmed at the base, these will take a minute or two. Once they are cooked place them all on separate trays according to the specific varieties, you will need to re-season the mushroom stock before they are re-immersed in the stock, chill this straight away then bag them up with the juice.
Sauterne Jelly
375ml sweet Sauterne
4 leaves gelatine
2g caster sugar
Place the Sauterne into a bowl then add approx 200ml water to dilute the taste then add approx 2g of sugar to taste, warm a little of this then add the soaked gelatine, pass through a fine sieve, place in a bowl set over iced water to set then place into a plastic container to set, this will then be turned out and roughly chopped to a 2mm sized rough dice
Assembly
5 baby spinach leaves a portion
30ml cepe dressing
3 slices of Eryungie mushrooms
3 pieces of Nameko Shimeji, enocci,
50ml of sauterne jelly
0.5g Maldon salt
2 slices portabello mushroom
20g Smoked sliced duck breast
Slice the duck breast length ways so they are long and thin.
Place the mushrooms altogether, salt and spinach bind in the dressing and then place onto the bottom of the plate then layer up the duck, spinach and jelly then finish with the bread crisps and dressing.
Crab, Lime and Ginger Dressing, Red Pepper Puree, Shaved Fennel
Lime and Ginger Vinaigrette (Makes 550ml)
50g banana shallots finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
40g of ginger syrup from confied ginger
30g finely chopped ginger which has to be blanched in 100ml cold water, brought to a simmer with 10g caster sugar then refreshed in cold water, then repeat two more times.
80ml lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
15g small red chilli finely chopped
8g chopped coriander
350ml olive oil
8 turns milled black pepper
2g salt
100g red pepper dice from below
Whisk above all the ingredients together and taste for seasoning and chill.
Roast Red Peppers
Place the red pepper onto a open flame and then roast until the skin is black all over, then place this into cold water, peel off all the black skin and then wash till the skin is clean, cut into ¼’s and wash out all the seeds then cut them into a very fine dice.
Red Pepper Puree (Makes 400g, allow 25g per portion = 16 portions)
5 Prepared red peppers cut into quarters and seeds. stalk removed
5g coarse sea salt
100ml olive oil
5 garlic cloves sliced
25g caster sugar
2 bay leaves
50ml lime juice
4 large red chilli finely chopped
10g thyme leaves
5g rosemary leaves
2g crushed black pepper
10g very fine cut spearmint, cut with a very sharp knife
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, then once med hot add all the ingredients, cover with a lid and lightly cook with no colour till soft, stirring now and again, cook this for approx 12-15 minutes, then remove the lid, add the lime juice, then reduce all the liquid so it goes very thick. Remove all the stalks and place into a kitchen blender Vit prep and puree till very smooth, then chill. Once cool add the mint.
Salad Leaves
Allow a few leaves of each
2x Russian kale
Coriander cress
Mint sprigs
Assembly
Large fennel bulb cut very thinly on a electric slicer 0.5mm allow 3 slices per portion, place this into iced water to go crisp
15g red pepper puree
3 cut mint leaves
30g fresh white crab meat
50ml of dressing
Place the crab meat into a bowl and add ½ the dressing, then check for seasoning.
Dress the fennel in some of the dressing then start to layer this up with the fennel red pepper puree and salad leaves, then finish with the dressing on top and over everything.
Pea Mousse, Parma Ham, Pea Salad, Pea Shoots
Pea Mousse (cold makes 1.4kg, allow 50g quenelle)
500g frozen peas
180g semi whipped cream
2.5 leaves gelatine soaked in cold water
30ml lemon juice
3g caster sugar
4g salt
20g mint leaf
4g parsley leaf
Cook the peas in 2 litres of water with 20g salt and 20g sugar, bring back to a simmer then drain keeping 200ml of the cooking liquor, puree the peas adding the cooking water with the fresh herbs till finely puree’d then add the gelatin, salt and sugar. Pass into a bowl set over iced water then stir every so often so that when it’s almost set then fold in the semi whipped cream and chill. Lemon Emulsion (Makes 500 ml, allow 30ml per portion = 16 portions)
2 egg yolks
Juice of 2 lemons
50ml lemon juice
6g caster sugar
400ml olive oil
50ml water
2g salt
8 turns of milled pepper
Place the egg yolks into a blender along with the salt, vinegar, pepper, juice and zest of lemons, turn the machine on and when it has thickened up, add the oil in a slow stream till it has all been used. Then you should have a thick emulsion, add a little water to let it down if needed and recheck the seasoning, if too sweet add a little more lemon juice.
Cooked Peas
Fresh cooked peas
Take 500g of fresh shelled peas and bring to a simmer in 2 litre’s of water with 30g caster sugar 20g salt, these are cooked for 30 -60 seconds so they are just tender, then refresh in iced water. Leave for two minutes then drain and dry well.
Assembly
Picked and washed pea shoots allow 10g portion
Sliced parma ham
30ml lemon emulsion
50g cooked peas
50g pea mousse
2 leaves of mint cut into thin strips
Place the peas into a bowl and mix in the lemon emulsion with the mint and season, lightly crush and place ½ onto the bottom of the bowl, then place a quenelle of mousse onto the peas then add the rest of the peas and finish with the pea shoots on top.
Goats Cheese Mouse, Candied Beetroot, Beetrood Dressing, Toasted Seeds
Goats Chese Mousse (makes 600g, 30g a portion = 20 portions.)
200g Goats curd that’s been drip draining in muslin cloth, leave at room temp for an hour
200g phillidelphia cream cheese at room temp for an hour
50ml single cream
2.5 sheets gelatine
150ml Semi whipped cream
8 turns of milled black pepper
2g sea salt
Mix the two cheese together then melt the gelatin in 50ml cream then add this to the two cheese add the seasoning and then set in the fridge till semi firm then fold in the cream, then place into a disposable piping bag, cutting the top so its 1cm in diameter. Then you will pipe the mousse into the mixed seeds and nuts by dropping them in and then cutting them allow 2 per portion with 10g per barrel
Mixed Toasted Seeds and Nuts (allow 15g a portion = 20 portions.)
100g chopped toasted walnuts
100g toasted poppy seeds
100g toasted sunflower seeds
Pickled Beets
Use the baby beetroot and allow 1.5 a portion, cut the tops of 2cm from the top neatly straight across the top, then place into a pan of cold water and bring to a boil then refresh in cold water then peel off the skin, then pickled in the below.
Pickled Beetroot Liquor
400ml water
200ml Fresh beetroot juice
200ml white wine vinegar
200ml olive oil
40g sugar
3g salt
50ml lemon juice
6g thyme sprigs
20 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
For pickling any beetroot bring all to a simmer check seasoning and cook the baby beetroot for 20 minutes at a simmer then leave to cool in the liquor.
Beetroot Dressing (makes 900ml, allow 30ml per portion = 30 portions.)
600ml beetroot juice
400ml port
100ml lemon juice
350ml olive oil
1.5g salt
0.5g milled black pepper
300g diced beetroot
Place the beet juice and port into a pan and reduce to 250ml then leave to cool, add the lemon juice, seasoning and olive oil.
Baked Beets for Dicing For Dressing
8-10 large beets
150ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
12g chopped thyme sprigs
Toss the washed beets in olive oil and season with coarse sea salt and pepper, place in a shallow gastro with the thyme, wrap in tin foil and bake at 170c on a cooling wire with a tray underneath and cook for about 1.5 to 2 hrs till cooked but not soft, to test place a knife into the centre and if it comes out clean with out dragging then its cooked. Leave them to cool for 15 minutes in the foil, then peel off the skin and cut into a small dice 2mm big and add 300g to the dressing above.
Assembly
15g Mixed toasted nuts and seeds as above to sprinkle over the dish at the end
1.5 pickled beetroot
10g picked pomegranate seeds
30ml dressing
Bulls Blood, Oak-leaf, Orach, what ever you can get in terms of red salad leaves
20g Goats cheese mousse as above
Place the leaves into a little dressing then place the mousse onto the plate followed by the pickled beets and leaves then the dressing and pomegranate seeds, toasted seeds, nuts.
Read more of Spear’s ideas for the ultimate Diamond Jubilee Street Party here
