Poached rhubarb has just the right amount of tanginess for this creamy panna cotta.
Winter seems reluctant to turn to spring. One day the kitchen doors are open onto my courtyard and the next they are firmly shut against the elements, allowing for some of my favourite cooking moments: the condensation running down the windows as something slowly simmers on the stove; the satisfaction of knowing something good is about to come out of my oven; the quiet contemplation that slow-cooking allows. There is still time left to indulge in such cooking, to make the most of recipes that use cheap ingredients. Lamb neck fillets are a bit of a find, but neck chops will suffice in this warming stew. It’s the sort of late-winter-afternoon cooking that leaves you free to do whatever you choose while it gently bubbles away.
This very basic dish takes care of itself. At this time of the year, serve with steamed asparagus or sprouting broccoli.
Slow-cooked Lamb Necks, Barley and Vegetables
100g barley
2 onions
1 stick celery
1 leek
2 carrots
4 new potatoes
500g lamb neck fillets or neck chops
a few sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
500ml chicken stock
Put the barley into a small pot, cover with cold water and simmer for 25 minutes. Drain and set to one side. Heat the oven to 160°C. Peel the onions and slice into thin wedges, from top to bottom. Cut the celery and leek into thick chunks and rinse well under cold water. Peel the carrots and potatoes and cut them into 2cm pieces. Put the vegetables into a deep roasting dish, place the lamb necks on top and tuck in the thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add the barley and the chicken stock. (Add water if the stock doesn’t cover the meat and vegetables.) Bring to the boil on top of the stove over a medium heat and skim and froth off the surface. Cover with a piece of greaseproof paper then with either a lid or a large piece of tin foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and skim any fat from the top. Check the seasoning then serve immediately.
Serves 4.
THIS DISH IS A revelation. The texture of the chicken is meltingly soft and the flavour faintly salty yet herbal. You can keep the skin on the chicken if you wish. Heat the pieces in a pan over a low heat, allowing the skin to become irresistibly crispy. Although potatoes cooked in the same oil as the chicken would be a fine accompaniment, I find the gratin is effective, too.
Confit of Chicken Breast with Potato and Celeriac Gratin
4 free-range organic chicken breasts
200g salt
1 head of garlic, crushed
4 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 litres olive oil
GRATIN
3 tbsp olive oil
500g celeriac
500g potatoes
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 anchovy fillets
salt and pepper
500ml cream
Preheat the oven to 120°C. Place the chicken breasts in a large bowl. Combine the salt, garlic, thyme and bay leaves in a separate bowl. Rub this mixture over the chicken and leave in the fridge for 1 hour. Rinse off the marinade and pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper then place in a shallow roasting dish. Pour in the oil and cook for 1½ hours. Remove from the oven to a warm plate and carefully remove the skin, if desired. Slice each breast into three pieces and serve with the gratin, spooning a little of the olive oil over the top.
For the gratin, preheat the oven to 180°C. Use the oil to grease a shallow baking dish. Peel the celeriac and the potatoes and slice to the thickness of a 20c piece. Mix the garlic and anchovy fillets in a small bowl. Place a layer of celeriac in the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with the garlic and anchovy mixture. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover with a layer of potato and repeat the layers until you have used all the celeriac and potato slices. Pour the cream over the top and allow it to soak in for a few minutes before transferring the dish to the oven. Bake for about 1½ hours until golden brown and crisp.
Serves 4.
I ADORE THE fragility of a well-made panna cotta; this “cooked cream” dessert should have barely enough strength to stand up. I use yoghurt to add a sour freshness and just enough white chocolate to introduce a certain complexity. You need something to take the richness away; passionfruit works well, but poached rhubarb is even better, and its limpid pink juices are so pretty against the white of the panna cotta. You could also serve this dessert with raspberries and strawberries.
Yoghurt and White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Poached Rhubarb
200ml milk
100g sugar
zest of 1 lemon
70g white chocolate
3 gelatine sheets, softened in cold water
300g plain yoghurt
POACHED RHUBARB
400g rhubarb
1 lemon
125g sugar
Pour the milk and sugar into a small saucepan. Grate the zest of half the lemon, add to the milk and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Place the white chocolate in a large bowl. Remove the milk from the heat and pour over the chocolate, whisking until it is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine leaves and stir until they have dissolved. Whisk in the yoghurt. Pour the mixture through a sieve over a jug then divide among 4 small cups. Cover each with cling film, place in the fridge and set overnight.
Dip the bases of the panna cotta cups in warm water and turn out onto individual serving plates. Serve with the poached rhubarb and spoon some of the juice onto the plates.
For the poached rhubarb, discard the leaves and pull off the stringy outside skin using a small knife. Cut the stalks into 3cm lengths and place in a deep saucepan. Grate the zest of the lemon and add to the pan. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and add to the rhubarb, with the sugar. Place the pan over a medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved; about 15 minutes. (The rhubarb should have released a lot of juice.) Lift the stalks from the syrup and place in a container. Bring the syrup to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes until thick then remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Cover the rhubarb with the syrup. It will keep in the fridge for two weeks.
Makes 4 individual servings.