Award-winning chef Olivier Certain, formerly of Clavelshay Barn, shares his favourite Easter recipes with us
Rump of lamb with Anna potatoes
Rump of Lamb
Ingredients
• 1 lean lamb rump (375g/ 8-12oz)
• Salt and pepper
• Thyme/rosemary
• Olive oil
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. Season rump, put in pan skin side down with olive oil and herbs.
3. Cook in oven for 15 minutes until meat temperature has reached 56C.
4. Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes at least
Anna potatoes
Ingredients
• 5x baker potatoes
• 30g butter
• Sprig thyme
• Sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 garlic cloves
Method
1. Melt butter with herbs etc.
2. Peel and slice potatoes.
3. Layer with butter and salt and pepper and cook in oven for 45 minutes at 170C. Check if cooked through with a knife.
Artichokes
• 1 globe artichoke
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 onion
• Sprig thyme
• Sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• White wine
• 1 lemon
Method
1. Sweat all veg, add wine, add water.
2. Add artichokes and cartouche
3. Cook until al dente
4. Keep in liquid
Confit garlic
Ingredients
• 1 bulb garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
Method
1. Break garlic.
2. Put in oil with salt and pepper.
3. Cook on hob for 20 mins.
Fillet of cod Risotto Nero with red pepper compote & bouillabaisse juices
Ingredients
4 fillets cod (pinboned)
Fennel purée
• 2 bulbs fennel
• 1 star anise
• Sprig thyme
• Sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch fennel seeds
• Pinch fennel pollen
• 200ml milk
• 50ml double cream
• 50ml fish stock
Method
1. Trim the fennel bulbs from their shells and remove roots. Chop smallish. Put in a large pan with all the herbs etc and fish stock and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce by half, add milk and cook further 20 mins on low heat.
3. Remove all herbs etc, add cream and add seasoning. Fennel should be soft.
4. Liquidise in blender, then pass through a sieve and keep aside
Fish Stock (for risotto cake)
Ingredients
• 250g fish trimmings, bones; bass, sole (avoid salmon, red mullet and oily fish)
• 2 leeks
• 1 bulb fennel
• Parsley
• White wine
• Star anis
• Thyme
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• White peppercorns
Method
1. Remove fish bones from any blood which could make the stock cloudy and taste bitter. Wash.
2. Chop the vegetables roughly and put at the bottom of a heavy pan.
3. Add fish trimmings on top, pour in white wine and enough cold water to cover fish trims and vegetables (1 litre).
4. Bring to boil over high heat and then simmer after 5 minutes
5. Remove the scum from the surface and discard. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 mins, skimming if needed.
6. Remove stock from heat and strain. Keep the liquid. Fish stock can be frozen and used at a later date
Red Pepper Compote
Ingredients
• Olive oil
• 1 banana shallot
• 100ml passata
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 red peppers (peeled and diced)
Method
1. Finely chop shallot and chop garlic.
2. Sweat shallots in oil until soft and without colour. Add garlic and soften it.
3. Add diced peppers and cook for 5 mins.
4. Add passata and cook until tender and soft. Season.
5. Keep aside.
Risotto Nero
Ingredients
• 200g Arborio rice
• 1 shallot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 litre fish stock
• 125ml white wine
• Tsp squid ink
• 10g parmesan grated
• Olive oil
• 10g butter
Method
1. Soften onion gently in oil, add butter and garlic, add squid ink.
2. Cool for a few mins and then add risotto rice
3. Stir in rice cooked in ink, add white wine and cook gently until wine is reduced.
4. Add fish stock, small amount at a time until nicely cooked – 20 mins.
5. Season, but not much salt as parmesan is salted. Add parmesan last. Cool down on tray.
6. Portion after 2 hours.
Plate up
1. Warm everything up, put risotto cake in pan.
2. Roast the cod in pan with olive oil and finish in the oven for 10 mins skin side down.
3. Add a knob of butter and finish. Add a splash of lemon juice.
4. Put fennel purée on plate, add risotto cake on top, red pepper compote, blanched pak choi or use spinach.
5. Place cod on top. Pour on sauce and add anchovy stick.
Chocolate Tart
Sweet pastry
Ingredients
• 250g plain flour
• 100g butter
• 100g sugar
• 1 egg
Method
1. Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
2. Pass the flour and sugar through a sieve.
3. Crumb butter into the flour
4. Add egg and bind together.
5. Rest for 1 hour in the fridge (or put in the freezer and bake from frozen).
6. Blind bake, then brush with eggwash, then bake for further 10 mins.
Chocolate filling
Ingredients
• 400g dark chocolate
• 150ml milk
• 250ml double cream
• 2 eggs
Method
1. Boil milk and cream together, then pour over the chocolate, stir until chocolate is melted.
2. Add the beaten eggs then strain through a chinois or fine sieve and pour into cooked pastry case.
3. Bake at 130C for 30 mins, then turn the oven off and leave for a further 20 mins.
