W
L
BREAST AND LEG OF ORGANIC
RHUG ESTATE CHICKEN
CHICKEN STOCK
Chicken seasoning (200g Maldon sea salt, 2 tsp thyme, 2 tsp tarragon,
2tsp parsley, 10 fennel seeds, 5 white peppercorns, 1 glove, Peel of ½
lemon, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove of garlic, peeled) Method: blitz 150g of salt with
all the ingredients until powdery, pour in bowl and mix rest of the salt.
SPRING IS HERE!
BY PAUL ASKEW, CHEF PATRON OF
THE ART SCHOOL RESTAURANT
St George’s day is always eagerly anticipated as it signals
the start of Asparagus season. We have, in my opinion,
some of the finest in the world at Claremont Farm and
Formby, so I thought it may be nice to share one of the
recipes from my recent book, “Onwards and Upwards” for
you to try at home!
Continuing the cooking theme, our young chefs have excelled
again in the North West Young Chef of the Year competition.
I’m delighted that 2 of our team will be representing the
restaurant at the North West final. Beth Disley-Jones, 17
and our apprentice pastry Chef won her semi-final to take
her place in the regional final and she’ll be joined by Chef
de Partie, Edwin Kuk, who booked his place as a wildcard
having impressed judges in his semi-final heat. The final will
be held on May 15th, where the winner will go on to the
National semi-final.
Before our team head to the regional finals they’ll be busy
with events at the restaurant and across the region. There’s
still the opportunity to join us for an evening with the wines
of the Yangarra Vineyard & Byron Winery, on Thursday 25th
April 2019. We will be joined by Dimitri Mesnard, Master
Sommelier and International Brand Ambassador for Jackson
Family Wines. A gastronomic feast awaits, five courses with
five wines priced at £130 per head.
Our plans to support the Wirral Borough of Culture and
the Bordeaux Wine Festival, part of the River Festival,
continue to gather a pace. We’ll be bringing the pop up Art
School, serving beautiful bowl dishes and the Cellars, with
a selection of artisan cheeses and charcuterie to the festival
this year as well as playing a lead role in the Sommelier of the
Year competition.
And finally, I’ll be back on your small screens again on
Sunday May 12th. I’ll be linking up with my old friend,
Simon Rimmer, again on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch.
Until next month!
Chef Askew
42 wirrallife.com
At the restaurant we buy whole chickens as it fits with the philosophy
of our cuisine to use everything that we possibly can from such a
precious ingredient as organic chicken. The drumstick and thighs are
used for confit before being pulled and shredded for the parcel garnish.
The skin is used for making the chicken crackling, and the breast is
pan-roasted as the prime cut. Dust the chicken using the seasoning,
both on the skin and within the butterfly. If you are cooking this at
home, it is more beneficial to cook the whole crown of chicken in
the oven with the meat still attached. This is because the cage of the
bird will retain lots of natural juices into the meat. Place the cut into
a lightly-oiled pan meat-side down to seal, before turning the breast
over to reveal the skin and place into the oven for 4-5 minutes on 165
degrees until it is just cooked. This will keep the breast juicy and moist.
Rest for 5 minutes until ready to carve.
SAUCE
Claremont Farm asparagus, 3 spears per portion peeled and trimmed
then cooked in boiling salted water at the last minute. Morelles, 3 per
portion. Brushed and trimmed ready to sauté in a splash of vegetable
oil and butter. 3 or 4 shavings of summer truffles per plate, shaved on
top of the chicken during the plating. Chopped tarragon and truffle
trimmings for the natural jus. (We use the double strength chicken
stock, which is infused with truffles and tarragon.)
CYPRUS POTATO
2 large Spunta potatoes, washed and peeled, cut into dice. Extra virgin
olive oil. Maldon sea salt.
Method:
• Cook the potatoes until soft in salted boiling water, Drain them,
before drying off any excess water by returning them to the pan
and placing them back on the heat for a minute or two. Pass
through drum sieve to ensure a smooth puree. Add a drizzle of
olive oil and season well for taste
CONFIT LEG PARCEL
Fuille de Bric pastry- 2 sheets cut in half to make four parcels,chopped
parsley, 1 tbsp natural Jus, Shredded leg meat,1 egg yolk, 10g unsalted
butter, a splash of vegetable oil, Poppy seeds.
STOCK FOR CONFIT LEG PARCEL
500ml chicken stock, Mirepoix of vegetables, 1 carrot, 1 leek, 1 onion,
1 celery stick, 2 cloves of peeled garlic, 175ml good quality white wine,
Bouquet garni, 5 black peppercorns, Tsp fennel seeds, Maldon sea salt
Ground white pepper.
Method:
• Seal the leg and thigh in a hot pan ensuring the browning and
colouration of the meat.
• Place into a deep roasting tin, along with the chicken stock,
the mirepoix of vegetables, the wine, garlic, bouquet garni,
peppercorns, fennel seeds and seasoning.
• Slow cook this for two hours on 150 degrees until the meat is so
tender it looks like that it is just about to fall apart.
• Pass off the liquor, which will now be of double strength, through
a muslin cloth into a pan and reduce it down with a knob of butter
to give it a nice sheen. Finish the jus using the trimmings of truffle
and chopped tarragon leaves.