This week’s recipes are inspired by a recent trip to southwest London of all places. A work trip of sorts, with plenty of networking and only a small amount of sporting activities. My colleagues on the trip were all of working stock, with families and busy schedules to juggle. We gathered on the first night at a beautiful old pub in the nearby village, Tudor in style with low ceilings and the light scent of varnished wood throughout. Even better were the clinking glasses signalling a decent wine list alongside the usual pub staples of ale and bitter. The menu blended absolute French classics with local produce and casual service. We are talking bouillabaisse soup with rouille, croutons and gruyère cheese; the classic garnishes for a rich soup made with fish bones, saffron and fennel. Next came chicken chasseur, a dish I hadn’t seen on a menu since culinary college, the sauce rich with button mushrooms, parsley and tomato. And to finish, crème brûlée, profiteroles and almond frangipane tart. The type of food you dream of eating every weekend but often seems a stretch to re-create at home.
The next day, while perched on a rather heavenly balcony sipping refreshments, the conversation turned from sporting failure to the functionality of cooking at home (and how commonly both failings can arise). “I need dishes that I can throw everything into a pot and it comes out like a restaurant dish”, “I’d like to see dishes that feed a crowd but don’t use every pot and pan in the house”, “I don’t want to try, but I want to win”. The final sentiment is a familiar one and the very thought that inspired this column. Valuable insights indeed. The menu for this week was drawn up in the taxi en route to the airport on foot of this conversation, with the not unjustified concern my editor might knock the wind from its sails. Too simple, too old fashioned, too brown? “These are perfect” came the email back within minutes (not always a common response with this column). Smiles all round in the taxi, and some very smug looking colleagues indeed.
First up, a classic chicken chasseur, a traditional French “hunters’ stew” made using the whole chicken, wine, shallots, tomato and mushrooms. It’s a proper one pan wonder using low cost, easy to find ingredients. Crusty bread is essential for mopping up sauce and saving the dishwasher energy on cleaning plates. Another box ticked. The second recipe involves pot roasting a lamb shoulder and is perfect as a comforting Sunday roast for two. With the potatoes and veg cooking in the lamb juices and stock, time is saved on wash up without compromising on flavour. Take a little time at the end to reduce the stock into a sauce consistency so it glazes the meat, which should be soft enough to pull apart with a spoon.
I love when casual conversations lead to delicious results.
