THREE GREAT RECIPES the Jack in the Green Telephone: 01404 822240 www.jackinthegreen.uk.com. Rockbeare, Nr Exeter, Devon EX5 2EE Just 5 minutes East on the old A30 from J29 off the main M5. Only 15 minutes from Exeter. You can cook it on or off the bone but if cooking on the bone you may like to score it first and spike with some fresh herbs. We prefer to serve our mackerel fillets boneless and there is no simpler way to enjoy fresh mackerel than pan fried with a squeeze of lemon. INGREDIENTS: 2 x 250g plus large whole mackerel (gutted, filleted and de boned) Salt and pepper Butter and oil 3 beetroot (preferably different types - we like red, yellow and candy striped) 100 ml port 50 ml water 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 50 ml olive oil Squeeze of lemon juice 100g crème fraiche 40g horseradish sauce Juice of ½ a lemon Salt to taste A handful of fresh watercress leaves 2 tbsp vinaigrette METHOD: Line Caught Mackerel with Beetroot, Horseradish Cream and Watercress. (Serves 2) The fish we buy at the Jack in the Green takes pride of place on our menus and an awful lot of time is spent on its preparation. Mackerel is a fish that is often over looked yet we believe it to be truly stunning. It is a muscular, hard working fish of kamikaze tendencies and an obliging nature that even the most inexperienced angler will remember as the first fish they ever caught. It is good as a sign as anything that winter has finally been kicked into touch when the first of the local mackerel are landed although interestingly they are rarely the intended target species. Mackerel is almost too good to be true – cheap, plentiful, fabulous to eat and good for you. The flesh of the freshest mackerel is firm and full with its shimmering silver belly. Its rich oiliness is well matched to the horseradish and watercress we have paired it with today. 1). 2). 3). 4). 5). 6). 7). 8). 9). 10). 11). Peel the beetroot and cut into 3mm slices, then cut these into 3mm cubes. Put into a small saucepan, add the port and water bring to a simmer and cook until tender (approx 10-15 minutes). Remove the beetroot and set aside. Reduce the cooking liquor until thickened and a light syrupy consistency. Allow to cool. Add the cooked beetroot to the cooled liquor with the balsamic and the olive oil. Add a squeeze of lemon and check the seasoning. Put the crème fraiche into a small bowl. Stir in the horseradish and lemon juice. Season with salt and keep refrigerated until required. Check over the mackerel fillets and remove any small bones with tweezers. Season lightly and brush with oil. Heat a large non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a little more oil to the pan and when hot place the seasoned mackerel fillets in the pan skin side down. Fry for 3 minutes then turn the fillets over and fry for 1 minute or until the mackerel is just cooked. TO SERVE: Dress the watercress with a little vinaigrette. Arrange a mackerel fillet skin side up in the centre of your plate. Spoon the beetroot cubes around and drizzle with the liquor. Oven Roast Duck Breast with Rhubarb (Serves 6) For practical reasons we are using only the breasts for this recipe. These are readily available but if you were to buy a whole bird then keeps the legs for a casserole or confit at a later date. So for those of you who fancy a change be sure to take the time to purchase wisely. What you are looking for is a nice and plump free range bird which will reward you with a good layer of fat keeping the meat moist and enhancing the delicious crispy skin which we all desire when eating duck. My advice would be to check out your local farmers market or farm shop for a speciality product or indeed your local butcher. Be sure to ask what breed of duck they are supplying - ones to look out for are Goosnargh, Aylesbury and Gressingham. FOR THE DUCK: 6 Duck breasts (each weighing approximately 6oz or 180g) Small quantity of butter Few sprigs of thyme 2 large ladles full of good quality chicken stock or even better homemade duck stock made using the carcasses and wing bones from your duck (any good butcher will be able to supply you with bones for stocks and will almost certainly cut them up for you to a more manageable size) 30 ml/1 fl oz sherry vinegar 60g /2 oz honey METHOD: 1). Pre heat the oven to 180F/200 ˚C 2). Trim any excess fat and sinews from the underside of the duck breast and carefully remove the fillet. I find this only gets is in your way or falls off during cooking. A good home for this is your stock pot, although not the fat. 3). Using a sharp knife score the skin in a criss cross fashion being careful not to cut into the meat. This not only looks attractive but helps to render the fat more thoroughly and ultimately give you that crispy skin we all desire. 4). Heat a large (or 2 small) heavy based frying pan over a moderate to high heat. An overcrowded pan will lead to un-even heat distribution. 5). Season the duck well with plenty of salt and freshly milled pepper. 6). Place in your pan skin side down and leave to colour nicely, about 1-2 minutes. 7). When golden, turn briefly and seal the other side. 8). Place skin side down and roast for 8-10 minutes for nice pink flesh (longer if your prefer). 9). Transfer to a warm plate and leave to rest while you make the sauce. 10). Put your pan over a high heat, add the wine and stir well to de-glaze. When the wine has become thick and syrupy add the stock, honey and sherry vinegar. Bring to the boil and skim. 11). Reduce rapidly to concentrate the flavours by approximately ½ or until the desired consistency has been reached. 12). Carve the duck breasts into thin slices, skin side up permost and place alongside some of the cooked rhubarb. Spoon around your sauce and I recommend serving this with some fine green beans cooked in a little garlic and cream or some wonderful buttery spinach and fondant potatoes. FOR THE RHUBARB SAUCE: 8 sticks of rhubarb (cut neatly into ½ inch chunks) 2 oz caster sugar ½ good quality Vanilla pod 2 star anise ½ cinnamon stick ½ pint water METHOD: 1). 2). 3). 4). Bring the water, sugar, vanilla, star anise and cinnamon to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for a minute or two so as to infuse the flavours. Add the rhubarb and poach until tender but still chunky. (Remember this will continue to cook in its own liquor long after it has been removed from the heat). Leave to cool. (As this does not need to be served hot it can be made in advance and brought out and served at room temperature when needed). METHOD: 1).Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until beginning to turn to crumbs, then add the butter and mix again to make the mixture clump. 2).Spoon the mixture into the bottom of your serving dishes. icing sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a bowl until 3).Beat together the cream cheese, mascarpone, smooth. 4).Lightly whip the double cream then fold it into the cream cheese mixture. 5).Add the mix to a plain nozzled piping bag. 6).Add the now chilled pumpkin puree to a piping bag. 7). Pipe a small layer of cheesecake mix on top of the biscuit base, then sprinkle liberally with rum soaked Repeat this process to nearly fill the glass or sultanas. Cover with a thin layer of pumpkin puree. serving dish. 8). Refrigerate for 3 hours (or overnight). 9). Prior to serving sprinkle liberally with the remaining biscuit crumbs. FOR THE PUMPKIN PUREE: 700g butternut squash (whole) 50g butter 100g caster sugar 1 shot of rum 1 tablespoon Five Spice METHOD: Five Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake I (SERVES 4) INGREDIENTS: 1 x 300g Teoni’s stem ginger oat crunch cookies (save ½ for topping). Available from Darts Farm. 1 x 75g soft butter 1 x 240g cream cheese 1 x 400g mascarpone 200g icing sugar ½ vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Juice of 1 lemon 300ml double cream Optional (but definitely recommended): 4 oz mixed semi dried sultanas Healthy splash of Captain Morgans spiced rum 1). Peel and dice the squash discarding the seeds and stringy centre. cook until soft. 2). Pan fry the squash in the butter and the sugar and 3). Add the rum and Five Spice. 4). Transfer to blender and whiz until smooth. 5). Push through a sieve. 6). Leave to chill.