The Joys of Spring
W
e are on the cusp of spring. It’s been wet; wet and windy; wet and cold, but always wet. However, the
daffs are out and every chef’s favourite season is arriving. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the finest root vegetables and hearty dishes that have been ever-present on my menus, but there is something about seeing everything coming to life from the hedgerows to the fields as I drive along the road from Salcombe to Dartmouth that gets the creative juices flowing. Phil Bond, my local lamb supplier, will be going full tilt with his lambing right now, and I will definitely be adding roasted leg of Blackawton lamb with garlic, rosemary and Madeira sauce to the Sunday lunch menu.
The pale pink forced rhubarb is giving way to its outdoor cousin, giving a real earthy tangy flavour, and we are getting some beautiful purple sprouting and spring greens coming through. Probably my favourite offering is our native brown crab, available all year but at its best in April and on into the summer, and the South Hams have some of the best in the world landed in Dartmouth and Salcombe.
It ticks all the boxes – sustainable, there’s no by-catch (anything caught will be live and can be thrown back). Rich in vitamins and minerals, crab meat is also low in fat and contains omega-3 polyunsaturated acids which help prevent heart disease and aid brain development. Some research suggests that omega-3 also inhibits aggressive behaviour! Lesson over. It’s so versatile and if you have time to prepare a crab nothing gets wasted.
Simply picked, sweet white crab meat mixed with the earthy and richer flavoured brown meat, lemon juice, black pepper and a hint of mayonnaise in a fresh baguette is a thing of beauty and our choice of pre-match fodder if we go to watch the rugby (Exeter Chiefs, our local team).
22 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
RESIDENT CHEF TOM WOODS, HEAD CHEF AT DART MARINA HOTEL, DARTMOUTH, REVEALS THE INSPIRATION THAT BUBBLES AT THIS TIME OF YEAR
Alternatively mix with a little mashed potato, chilli and coriander and you have the perfect crab cake, just pan fry and serve with a robust tomato and red pepper salsa. As I said, nothing is wasted. If you crush up the shells a bit, roast them with some veg, lemon and parsley, add water and boil, you have a great stock to make your crab bisque. It’s a fantastic lunch eaten with some crusty bread and a bottle of wine – perfect. Here comes spring! The monkfish recipe looks a little complicated but break down the components and lots can be done beforehand. It is fairly simple – get your fishmonger to trim up the monk-tail, everything else will fall into place. This is a cracking fish for people who maybe don’t think they like fish – it’s really meaty and there will be no bones, so enjoy!
MONKFISH ROLLED IN CHINESE FIVE-SPICE, BRAISED GEM LETTUCE, PEAS AND PANCETTA, BASIL OIL AND PANCETTA FOAM Serves 4
For the fish: 1 large monkfish tail, trimmed of all membrane (approx. 1-2.5kg)
4 tbsp Chinese five-spice For the basil oil: A good handful of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil For the sauce: 2 Shallots – peeled and sliced
2 sprigs of thyme 250ml Dry white wine 250ml Chicken stock 250ml Double cream 200g Pancetta For the braised Gem lettuce leaves: 2 whole Gem lettuce 2 garlic cloves
A sprig of thyme Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
For the peas and pancetta: A small handful of diced butter Enough fresh peas for 4 (depending on portion size!)
Chicken Stock
To Prepare the fish 1 Dry fry the fivespice in a hot pan for 2-3 mins.
2 Allow to cool then put in a sieve and sprinkle over the fillets.
3 Roll the fish in cling film and place in fridge
Basil Oil – make in advance up to five days before 1 Blanch a good handful of fresh basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place the leaves straight into iced water.
2 Pat dry and blitz with olive oil and pass through a fine sieve. Job done.
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