I’ll never forget, as a 22-year-old commis chef, working for the Roux brothers, all I wanted to do was bake, make the most amazing puff pastry, choux pastry, sourdough bread, and tomato and olive bread, using a natural yeast and fermentation. As a baker, you would start at midnight and work until midday. At half past midnight, it fell silent. All you could hear was the timers and the steamers for the second proof. On one occasion, I had to put together this marquise chocolate. Pascal, the young French pastry chef I was taking the section over from, could hardly speak English. He left me a box of After Eight mints, and said that I was to put a layer of chocolate mousse in the bottom of the mould and then add the After Eights. He wanted me to cut them in half and arrange them in threes in order to get this line of mints going through the mousse. I was thinking: this guy’s winding me up. He’s trying to get me into trouble. So I ate the mints instead.
The next day, Albert Roux came in. You have to give him one of everything, down to every bread roll, so that he can taste it all. I gave him the marquise, and he went bananas because it didn’t have the mints running through the centre. I couldn’t believe he would make an amazing chocolate mousse and stick After Eight mints in the middle. I got a bollocking. It got thrown in the bin, and I had to start again. I grew up on a council estate, but trained with the best. I’ve trained my palate with some of the greatest chefs, but sometimes you have to question the best. Cookery is quite a journey. Take nothing for granted.
Soups are truly versatile: they can be as light or substantial as you want. In small amounts, a good soup can excite the palate in the form of a starter. Enrich the broth or bulk it up with chunky ingredients and it converts into a satisfying main course.
I fell in love with chowders when I spent a few months filming in America. We tasted amazing New England clam chowders on the East Coast. In San Francisco, one of the main treats was sourdough bread bowls filled with thick bisques and creamy soups. Once you’ve devoured the soup, you’re left with a flavourful bread bowl to break apart and savour. Whether you’re making an elegant blended soup or a more homely chowder, always start with a good base. Good-quality stock provides a depth of flavour that brings together all the elements in a soup. It is also important to season well.
Chilled cucumber soup
Curried cauliflower and cheddar soup
Roast chestnut, parsnip and apple soup
Asparagus velouté
Alnwick soup
Broccoli, stilton and pear soup Conger eel bisque Italian-style turnip soup Cornish crab soup Oxtail soup
Shropshire summer soup Crayfish chowder
Jacket potato soup with sour cream Creamy sorrel soup
Nothing beats a chilled cucumber soup on a hot, balmy day: it cools the body and whets the appetite. I find a little horseradish cream brings the soup alive, but you can leave it out to keep the flavours subtle and light.
SERVES 4
3 long cucumbers, about 650g each, straight from the refrigerator
lemon juice, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
handful of dill, leaves roughly chopped, plus few fronds to garnish
500ml natural yoghurt
1-2 tbsp horseradish cream, or to taste
Peel the cucumbers and cut 2 lengthways into quarters. Slice off the seedy core from each quarter, then chop into dice. Put into a large bowl and set aside.
Peel the remaining cucumber into long thin ribbons using a swivel vegetable peeler. (Cut the ribbons in half if you find them too long.) Place in another bowl and toss with a little lemon juice, the olive oil, chopped dill, and salt and pepper. Cover with cling film and chill until ready to serve.
Put half the yoghurt, a pinch of salt and pepper and half the chopped cucumber into a blender. Whiz to a smooth purée. Press the purée through a fine sieve, pushing down hard with the back of a ladle. Discard the cucumber pulp in the sieve. Repeat the process with the remaining chopped cucumber and yoghurt. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the cucumber purée, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of horseradish cream or a squeeze of lemon juice, as desired. Cover with cling film and chill if not serving immediately.
To serve, pour the cold soup into chilled bowls and garnish with the dressed cucumber ribbons and dill fronds.
Curried cauliflower and cheddar soup
A little curry powder and saffron elevate the classic combination of cauliflower and cheese to another dimension in this soup. It is ideal as a winter warmer, as well as a comforting and welcoming treat for Bonfire Night. Delicious served with warm Indian bread or cheddar on toast.
SERVES 6 AS A STARTER OR 4 AS A LIGHT LUNCH
4 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tsp mild curry powder
pinch of saffron strands
300ml hot chicken or vegetable stock (see pages 258-9) 300ml milk
100g medium or strong cheddar, grated
Heat half the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions and celery. Stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Add the remaining oil, cauliflower florets, curry powder and saffron, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes. Cover the pan and cook for another 4-5 minutes, lifting the lid to give the mixture a stir every now and then.
Remove the lid and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then pour in the milk, adding a splash of water if the liquid does not cover the vegetables. Return to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft.
Use a hand-held stick blender to liquidize the soup, or blend the soup in 2 batches if using a regular blender. Return