Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food (15 page)

½ tsp tomato purée

splash of dry white wine

500ml chicken stock (see page 243)

1 onion, peeled and halved lengthways

5-6 cloves

600ml whole milk, or more to taste

1 bay leaf

few thyme sprigs

1 tsp black peppercorns

120g fresh white breadcrumbs

50g butter

freshly grated nutmeg

Roast chicken remains one of our nation’s favourite Sunday lunches. For a change, instead of roasting a large chicken to feed four, try cooking two small chickens. This way, you can simply cut each chicken in half lengthways and serve each person their fair portion of white and dark meat.

First, make the bread sauce. Stud the onion halves with the cloves and put into a saucepan, along with the milk, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and a generous pinch of salt. Slowly bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. If the chickens are trussed, remove the strings and give the legs a gentle wiggle to loosen the joint slightly. Rub all over with salt and pepper and don’t forget to season the cavities as well. Stuff the cavities with the onions, garlic, lemon halves and herbs. Put the chickens into a large roasting tin and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the surface.

Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the skins are golden brown and crisp, and the chicken is just cooked through. To test, insert a thin skewer into the thickest part of the thigh–the juices should run clear. If they are at all pink, return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes and test again.

While the chickens are roasting, finish the bread sauce. Strain the milk into a clean saucepan, discarding the flavourings. Reheat gently, then stir in the breadcrumbs and butter. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. We serve our bread sauce quite thick; if you prefer it thinner, thin with hot milk to the desired consistency. Season well to taste with salt and pepper and a generous grating of nutmeg. Transfer to a warm jug or bowl and keep warm.

When the chickens are ready, lift them up and tip out the juices from the cavities into the roasting tin, then place on a warm platter. Put the lemon halves to one side, but discard the vegetables and herbs from the cavities. Cover the chickens loosely with foil and leave to rest in a warm spot.

Skim off most of the fat from the roasting tin, leaving behind about 1½-2 tbsp. Put the tin on the hob and stir in the flour and tomato purée. Cook, stirring, over a medium-high heat for a couple of minutes until the flour starts to colour. Add the wine and stir until smooth. Pour in the stock, stir well and bring to the boil. Let bubble until thickened to a gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a squeeze of juice from the roasted lemons, if you wish. Strain the gravy through a fine sieve into a warm jug.

Carve the chickens or simply halve them and serve with the gravy, bread sauce and seasonal vegetables of your choice.

4 young grouse, about 350g each (giblets reserved if available)

sea salt and black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

30-40g butter, softened

8 thin, unsmoked streaky bacon rashers

20g butter

2 unsmoked streaky bacon rashers, derinded and chopped

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

few rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped

few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

300ml Madeira

750ml chicken stock (see page 243)

4 slices of white bread, toasted

1 bunch of watercress, stalks trimmed

bread sauce (optional), see page 201

When grouse is in season, from mid-August through to early December, it is a delicious option for the Sunday roast. The Madeira sauce also works well with chicken.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Rub all over each bird with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and brown the birds all over for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled, large roasting tin, breast upwards. Brush with 30g butter and season again. Drape the bacon over the breasts and roast for 15-20 minutes until the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.

While the grouse is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and brown the bacon, with the grouse giblets (except the heart and liver) if using, and a little seasoning. Stir in the onion and sweat over a medium heat for 4-6 minutes to soften. Increase the heat, add the herbs and pour in the Madeira. Let bubble until reduced by two-thirds. Add the stock and boil again until reduced by two-thirds and slightly thickened. Season to taste. Strain the sauce into a clean pan.

When cooked, loosely cover the grouse with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 5-10 minutes. If you have them, season the hearts and livers and fry them in the hot frying pan with a knob of butter for 1-2 minutes each side. Transfer to a food processor and blend to a smooth paste, seasoning well to taste.

Toast the bread slices, remove the crusts and cut into triangles. Spread with the paste if you’ve made it, otherwise leave plain, and place the toasts on warm plates. Reheat the Madeira sauce. Place a grouse on each plate and garnish with watercress. Serve with the Madeira sauce, bread sauce if wished, and buttery Savoy cabbage.

1 oven-ready turkey, about 5kg, with giblets, at room temperature

250g unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp truffle paste (or 1-2 grated fresh black truffles)

sea salt and black pepper

1 lemon, halved

1 orange, halved

1 large onion, peeled and halved

1 head of garlic, halved horizontally

2 bay leaves

small handful of thyme sprigs

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

500g chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

4 smoked bacon rashers, derinded and chopped

200g breadcrumbs

50ml chicken stock (see page 243)

small handful of sage leaves, chopped

handful of parsley leaves, chopped

2 medium eggs

1½ tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 celery sticks, trimmed and chopped

1 bay leaf

few thyme sprigs

1 litre chicken stock (see page 243)

2 tbsp plain flour

Few things are more festive than a traditional roast turkey. To ensure a moist, succulent bird, we stuff lots of butter between the skin and breast meat, flavouring the butter with fresh black truffles or truffle paste for a treat.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Pat the the turkey dry inside and out with kitchen paper. Mash the butter in a bowl and beat in the truffle paste (or truffles) with some seasoning. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Working from the neck end, use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin covering the breasts and thighs, then pipe the truffle butter underneath. Massage the skin to spread the butter evenly.

Season the cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with the lemon, orange, onion, garlic and herbs. Spread any remaining butter over the breast and season well. Put the turkey into a lightly oiled roasting tin and roast for 15 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 180°C/Gas 4. Roast for a further 1¾-2¼ hours, basting every half-hour with the pan juices. (Timing will vary according to the size and shape of the bird, so check for doneness after 1¾ hours.)

While the turkey is roasting, make the stuffing. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat until golden brown and most of the moisture released has cooked off, then tip into a bowl. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and fry the onions, celery and bacon for 6-8 minutes to soften and colour. Add to the mushrooms with the breadcrumbs, stock and herbs. Finally, stir in the beaten eggs.

Either shape the stuffing into golf-ball-sized balls with floured hands and place on an oiled roasting tray, or loosely pack into a 900g loaf tin. Drizzle lightly with oil before baking, allowing 20-30 minutes for stuffing balls, or 35-45 minutes for a loaf tin.

Start off the gravy while the turkey is in the oven. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and fry the giblets with seasoning until browned all over. Add the vegetables with the herbs and sauté for 6-8 minutes to soften. Pour in the stock and simmer over a low heat for about an hour. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside.

To check if the turkey is ready, pierce the thickest part of each thigh with a metal skewer and press lightly. The juices should run clear or a pale golden colour; if they have a pinkish tinge, return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes and check again. When ready, transfer the turkey to a warm platter, cover with foil and rest in a warm place for 30 minutes before carving.

Pour the juices from the roasting tin into a heatproof jug and leave for a few minutes until the fat separates on the surface. Add 1-2 tbsp of it back to the roasting pan, then pour off the rest of the fat. Mix the turkey juices with the stock and set aside.

Put the turkey roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes, then pour in the stock and stir well. Let bubble until thickened to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour into a warmed gravy boat to serve with the turkey.

2.7kg saddle of venison with bone

sea salt and black pepper

olive oil, to drizzle

125g caster sugar

200ml water

few thyme sprigs

2 star anise

5-6 black peppercorns, lightly crushed

300g kumquats

2 tbsp apricot jam

Lightly spiced, poached kumquats add an exotic twist to roast venison. We like to roast the saddle on the bone for extra flavour. Ask your butcher to remove the rib bones but leave on the central backbone to keep the two loins together. As venison is a lean meat, it helps to tie a thin layer of fat on top of the saddle to protect and baste the meat as it roasts.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Rub all over the venison with salt and pepper, then place in a lightly oiled roasting tin. Drizzle over a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Roast for about 50-60 minutes until golden brown all over, and the meat is medium rare and pink in the middle. To check if the venison is ready, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the roast and press lightly–the juices should have a pinkish tinge.

Prepare the kumquats when you’ve put the venison into the oven. Put the sugar, water, thyme, star anise and peppercorns into a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce the syrup and thicken it slightly. In the meantime, halve the kumquats and remove the pips with the tip of a knife. Add the kumquats to the syrup, bring back to a simmer and poach for 20-30 minutes until soft and the syrup has thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.

When the venison is ready, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Carve the saddle into thick slices, following along the curve of the central bone. Sprinkle the slices with a little salt and pepper and serve them on a warm platter with the poached kumquats. Braised chicory and roasted or mashed parsnips are lovely accompaniments.

1.2kg joint of beef sirloin or rib-eye

2½ tbsp plain flour

½ tsp celery salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

olive oil, to drizzle

1 tbsp English mustard

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

2 celery sticks, peeled and cut into chunks

few thyme sprigs

few rosemary sprigs

2 bay leaves

300ml red wine

600ml beef or veal stock (see page 244)

Yorkshire puddings (see page 248)

A beautifully browned joint of beef from the oven is always a welcome sight. It is important to start off with a good-quality joint, and to finish off by resting the beef. This lets the juices redistribute and ensures succulent meat.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas 8. Trim off any excess fat from the beef, leaving on a thin, even layer. Mix 1 tbsp flour with the celery salt and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil all over the beef, then rub with a little salt and pepper. Brush the fat with the mustard, then coat with the seasoned flour.

Put the onion, carrot, celery and herbs into a lightly oiled roasting tin. Season and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place the beef on top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 190°C/Gas 5 and roast for another 35-45 minutes for medium rare meat. To check, insert a skewer into the meat and press lightly–the redder the juice, the rarer the meat. Transfer to a warm platter, cover loosely with foil and rest in a warm spot for 20 minutes.

While the beef is resting, make the gravy. Transfer the vegetables and herbs in the roasting tin to a saucepan. Pour off all but 1-1½ tbsp oil from the roasting tin and place the tin over a medium heat. Stir in the remaining 1½ tbsp flour and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, then pour in the wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any sediment from the bottom of the tin. Tip into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Let bubble until the wine has reduced by half. Pour in the stock and again boil until reduced by half, or to a light gravy consistency. Season well to taste. Strain through a fine sieve into a warm jug, pressing down on the vegetables to extract the juices.

Carve the beef into thin slices and serve with the gravy, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and other accompaniments of your choice.