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F O O D & D R I N K For the love of lamb SWINFEN HALL’S GOURMET DINNER SEASON IS BACK WITH A BANG, WITH A MENU DEDICATED TO LUSCIOUS LAMB. AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS MORE With a walled garden packed with a glorious array of fresh, seasonal fruit and veg, plus freely roaming sheep and a deer park to boot, Swinfen Hall’s onsite larder must be a dream come true for any chef worth his salt. After all, having some of the finest produce in the Midlands right there on your doorstep is the ultimate in local, seasonal inspiration, ready to be plundered and transformed into stunning dishes to grace the hotel’s Four Seasons restaurant’s fine dining menus. And it was Swinfen’s home-reared Manx Loaghtan lamb which was the headline act for the season’s first gourmet dinner. Swinfen’s flock of rare-breed sheep graze in peaceful hay meadows and are fed no additives or chemicals. The meat from Manx Loaghtan sheep is highly prized for its well-rounded flavoured, and is darker in colour than meat from commercial breeds. While the Manx Loaghtan has made it onto the menu previously, this is the first time that Swinfen’s kitchen team have dedicated an entire menu to all things lamb. And while the lamb was undisputedly the star of the show, head chef Bruce Cheyne - who joined the Swinfen team earlier this year - also made the menu a real celebration of Swinfen’s 100-acre COD COOKED IN MANX LOAGHTAN FAT PRESSE OF MANX LOAGHTAN BELLY larder, harvesting an abundance of fruit, vegetables and herbs from the walled garden ensuring the restaurant’s ‘gate to plate’ ethos really does apply. South African-born Bruce has extensive experience in kitchens across South Africa, America and the UK. An ambitious and creative chef, he has trained with the likes of Tom Aikens, Lee Westcott and The Wilderness’ Alex Claridge and has headed up the pastry department in Michelin and multi-rosette restaurants as well as working in developmental kitchens. Swinfen Hall is his first head chef role, and the talented chef has already made his mark with exciting seasonal menus inspired by his bountiful surroundings. The evening began with a champagne reception on the terrace, enabling us to catch the last vestiges of the early autumn sunshine. As the Tattinger flowed, trays of delectable canapes were brought round to get the taste buds tingling in preparation for what promised to be a delectable dinner ahead. Puffed chicken crisps melted in the mouth, while tiny beetroot and goats’ cheese macarons were delicate little flavour bombs which exploded on the palate. While celebrating all things lamb was top of the agenda, the dinner also 28

gave Swinfen’s front-of-house head Stuart Kennedy the chance to showcase some of the hotel’s finest wines, with a perfectly paired accompaniment to each of the six courses on offer. Stuart had matched the menu to an excellent flight of wines, including a wonderful local Bacchus from the Sixteen Ridges vineyard in Worcestershire to complement the starter and the 2014 Mitchell Peppertree Vineyard Shiraz from Clare Valley paired with the main course. The hotel’s stately wood-panelled ballroom had been beautifully set to give a real sense of occasion to the dinner, with crisp white tablecloths, gleaming silver cutlery and a vast array of glassware ready for each of the wines to follow, while talented saxophonist Sam Craig provided a mellow musical backdrop for the evening. After a brief introduction to the first three courses and wines from Stuart, it was time for proceedings to get underway. Up first was a delicate amuse bouche packed with big flavours; tangy goats’ curd and lovage emulsion were complemented by a gloriously sweet heritage tomato, while a sprinkling of puffed pearl barley added a nice textural crunch. The first outing for the Manx Loaghtan was in a delicious belly presse; the slow-cooked lamb belly with its rich fattiness was beautifully balanced by a hint of sweetness from leeks three ways - Lyonnaisestyle, crispy and as a leek ash - while a smoked potato espuma was silky and lush. Stuart’s choice of the Bacchus was spot on as a wine match, offering plenty of elegant freshness to cut through the richness of the dish. Bruce had cleverly worked the lamb into the fish course by using rendered lamb fat to confit a beautiful piece of cod. Meaty maitake mushrooms - also cooked in the fat, caviar cream sauce and a black garlic puree - artfully used to decorate the plate with Jackson Pollack-style splashes - made for a standout dish which was as tantalising to look at as it was to devour. If the cod was the highlight of the dinner, the Manx Loaghtan carpaccio which followed was a very close second. Carpaccio really gives the meat nowhere to hide, and this dish really highlighted its wonderful flavour. Delicately adorned with a sweet onion emulsion, pickled shimeji mushrooms, shallot dressing and micro herbs, it was the real celebration of lamb you’d hope for from such a dinner. A lamb roast dinner is a thing of beauty when done properly, and the main course of Manx hogget leg MEADOWSWEET CHEESCAKE with traditional trimmings was just that. The leg had been boned, rolled and slow-roasted; a humble carrot cooked in lamb fat had been elevated to a taste sensation; roast potatoes were fluffy yet crisp and a deeply flavoured lamb sauce tied the elements together perfectly. Although less delicate and refined than the preceding courses, it was an immensely satisfying dish, packed with richness and big, bold flavour. Thankfully, Bruce didn’t attempt to shoehorn lamb into the dessert in any way, and the deconstructed meadowsweet cheesecake encased in delicate feuille de brick pastry and served with raspberry gel, fresh raspberries and a shortbread ice cream was a joyous end to the meal. A delectably syrupy and rather unusual pear ice wine from Herefordshire craft cider makers Once Upon A Tree was a lovely alternative to a traditional dessert wine, offering concentrated fresh pear flavours balanced with hints of elderflower and spice. Swinfen Hall’s gourmet dinner season continues with former protege and now head chef of Michelinstarred Adam’s Restaurant, Tom Shepherd, who will be delighting diners with a six-course tasting menu on October 20, while the annual game supper on November 22 will feature a menu brimming with a bounty of local game, rich red wines and live music. If it’s fine food and great wines you’re after, then make these dates for your diary. 29