North Hampshire Lifestyle Jan - Feb 2023

I LIKE TO DESCRIBE WHAT
WE DO AS TERROIR FOOD;
FOOD FROM THE EARTH
AND THE HEART...
it comes to presentation of TV programmes, and the fact that
he gets on and does he own mise en place prep for his show
I think is a testament where other people will get others to do
it for them. I’m happy that I got invited and I would gladly do it
with James again.
AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WITH US HEADING INTO
SPRING, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK?
It does always depend how bad the winter has been. Shoots
are starting to come through if it’s been a little milder, and
things like wild garlic I have noticed has been coming through
earlier and earlier in the year. Around this time of year, you are
looking at chestnuts and boletus mushrooms. They are around
from November and when we go and pick there are usually
acorns around and we’ll pick those up too. And then as we
go into spring, we get the wild garlic and the lovely shoots
starting to appear such as pennywort. Of course, there is also
game which finishes around the end of January. I love venison
and partridge and because they are so lean. They give you a
chance to put them with something a little bit fatty, like maybe
belly of pork or some sort of little kofta to go with it to help
with the pure leanness of the meat.
YOU’VE MENTIONED PICKING, DO YOU GO OUT
AND PICK YOUR OWN?
Yes. Not all our own though because we just don’t have the
time. My wife brings stuff back when she walks our dogs. But
the wild garlic berries we will salt and then pickle, and we’ll
keep those for the winter. So, they’ll be done in the spring and
kept for the winter so that they will add a little bit of acidity to
the dish and help cut through the slightly heartier dishes that
are available in the winter/early spring.
Raspberry cannelloni with anise hyssop cream
ARE YOU ABLE TO DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF
COOKING?
I would say it is masculine; bold flavours that we’ve sort of
lightened up now, but they still have that real punch of flavour
that we are known for.
YOU’VE ERRED OVER THE YEARS TO BEING
SLIGHTLY FRENCH IN CUISINE, HAVEN’T YOU?
Yes. I was taught to cook French food, so I suppose we’re sort
of French Modern British. Other little influences come in like
Japanese stuff and Indian and Moroccan spices that we use
for different effects. And things like the acorns I mentioned,
we’ll do an acorn panacotta and make an espresso granita to
go on top of that and a mascarpone foam. Basically, an acorn
tiramisu.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PIECE OF KIT IN
YOUR KITCHEN THAT YOU COULDN’T LIVE
WITHOUT? I KNOW YOU WOULD PROBABLY SAY A
KNIFE.
Well, yes that would probably be it. I have some Japanese
knives that are great. A Thermomix I suppose. It’s a blender
that cooks that is good for several jobs.
IS THERE ANYWHERE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU
HAVE EATEN THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK
TO?
Some of my favourites are Chez Bruce, with Bruce Paul in
London, Phil Howard at Elystan Street in London. Tom Aikens.
Ledbury is another good restaurant. There are so many!
www.lechampignonsauvage.co.uk
Saute of langoustines, roasted heritage carrots
18 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk