Citylife in Lichfield November 2021

Tastes of the Season
By Simon Smith
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Well, that came round quickly?! Here we are again thinking about
Christmas recipes and having heard people declaring there’s ‘only 200
shopping days until Christmas!’
The markets are turbulent at the moment with scares about
shortages of pigs in blanket, all forms of pork and even turkeys. Whilst
one supermarket I went in today is asking for turkey orders by 15th
December local butchers may stretch it a little longer but, personally, I
think the sooner the better as far as orders are concerned. I hear the
local turkey farms don’t envisage any problems so, as ever, not as bad
as the press makes out!
We are also in game season now which is not as badly affected by
price rises as beef and chicken as the majority of it is shot locally and
available from your local butcher. One of the butchers at Russell’s of
Shenstone goes stalking on a regular basis so they always have a
plentiful supply of superb venison cuts. The joy of game is that it’s very
healthy as it carries minimal fat because it’s forever foraging and not
standing still.
This month, I have done a couple of different turkey recipes to the
normal Christmas tradition. The reason being that turkey is available
all year and an extremely healthy option, again because it has minimal
fat and is ideal for those watching their weight or food intake for
whatever reason. The turkey burger recipe can be done with any form
of mince as I always view mince as a vehicle for any number of
ingredients, and you can play about with recipes, adding any number of
spices and ingredients, replicating dishes from around the world.
Posh Turkey Burger
1 lb turkey mince
4 x rashers streaky bacon or back
if you prefer
4oz gorgonzola cheese
2 x tomatoes
1 x avocado
1 x little gem lettuce
1 x loaf mixed olive ciabbatta
1 x jar Stokes Bloody Mary
Ketchup
4 x spring onions
20 x cooked, vacuum packed
chestnuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Finely dice the spring onion and roughly chop the chestnuts. Mix the
turkey mince with the chopped ingredients, season with salt and
pepper and form into ‘patties’ or burger shapes and place onto a
baking dish. If you like them nice and even use a mould.
Slice the ciabbatta in half lengthways and put onto a baking sheet.
Finely slice the tomatoes into eight slices. Grate the gorgonzola. Grill
the bacon rashers.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and
put the burgers in to cook.
Depending on how thick you have
made them the cooking time will
vary but they should be nice and
firm to the touch. Cut into one
to make sure there is no sign of
pink. Put the ciabatta into the
oven for five minutes then take
out and cut into four equal
pieces. Build your burger using
the other ingredients and serve
with the ketchup on the side.
Breast of Pheasant with
Seasonal Rösti
4 x breasts pheasant
4 x baking potatoes
1 x packet cooked chestnuts
8 x rashers smoked bacon
2 x tbsp chopped parsley
1 x pkt blackberries or 1 jar
blackberry jam
2oz sugar
1 x bunch thyme
1 x red onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Par boil the jacket potatoes in
their skins the day before you
need them so they are half
cooked. Leave them to cool overnight.
Day two, remove the skin from the potatoes and grate into a bowl,
add the red onion finely diced along with half the chestnuts which
should be chopped, and the chopped parsley.
Grill the bacon rashers until crispy and then chop four of them and
add to the potato mix. Season the potato mix and stir altogether.
Form into small cake and place on an oiled baking tray.
To make a blackberry syrup either add the sugar to the packet of
blackberries with half a cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes, then
pass through a sieve or put the jar of jam in a small pan and add some
water, simmer and strain (the jam is the easier method).
Preheat the oven to 195°C and put the potato cakes in to start
cooking. After 10 minutes put the pheasant breast and cook for 10-15
minutes until firm. Serve on the potato cakes with the other four
rashers of bacon and drizzle with the blackberry syrup. Top with
watercress or alfalfa shoots and garnish with the rest of the chestnuts
and some fresh blackberries.
Simon Smith runs a catering business from his production kitchen in
Lichfield, providing bespoke private dinners plus wedding, corporate and
event catering. Simon also undertakes cookery demonstrations around the
country and with local businesses such as Arthur Price and Tippers. During
the summer months Simon works for private clients both on superyachts
and in villas in St Tropez and Europe. If you are looking for catering or a
day of cookery skills go to www.simonsmith-chef.com
*Please take extra care when preparing and handling hot foodstuffs. Go to
www.food.gov.uk for further details.
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