Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course (5 page)

SLOW-COOKED
FIERY LAMB

SERVES 4

I love cooking with lamb shanks because the longer you leave them, the better they taste. Three hours may seem a long time, but trust me, once you see the way the meat falls off the bone, you’ll understand. Marinate the lamb in the spice mix overnight if you can as it will really improve the flavour. Serve with couscous or mashed potato.

1
. First prepare the marinade. Mix the chillies (use only one of each if you don’t like hot dishes), smoked paprika, oregano, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and seasoning together. Rub the mixture into the lamb so that it is well flavoured. You can cook the lamb straight away, but if you have time, cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, or even overnight.

2
. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas 3.

3
. Heat a large casserole dish on the hob and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the lamb in it for about 6 minutes until coloured on all sides, then add the chillies and cinnamon from the marinade.

4
. Add the carrots, onion and bay leaves to the casserole and brown for a minute or two. Lift the lamb so that it is resting on top of the onions and carrots. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits from the bottom, then bring to the boil and cook for 7–8 minutes to reduce the liquid by half. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then transfer, uncovered, to the preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours until the meat is really tender and the sauce reduced. (If the tops of the shanks look like they might be drying out, just baste and occasionally turn them.)

5
. Remove the cooked meat from the oven and serve garnished with torn mint leaves and the cooking juices spooned on top.

BEEF WELLINGTONS

SERVES 4

You can dress up a beef Wellington with foie gras, cep mushrooms, or even truffles, but in my opinion, that beautiful fillet of beef should always be the star. The trick here is in wrapping the mushrooms and beef with Parma ham. That seals in the juices and stops the pastry going soggy.

1
. Wrap each piece of beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape, then chill overnight.

2
. Remove the cling film, then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30–60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.

3
. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the thyme leaves and some seasoning. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over a high heat for about 10 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (known as a duxelle). Remove the duxelle from the pan and leave to cool.

4
. Cut the pastry in half, place on a lightly floured surface and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets. Chill in the refrigerator.

5
. Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 4 slices of Parma ham in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread half the duxelle evenly over the ham.

6
. Season the beef fillets, then place them on top of the mushroom-covered ham. Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a nice, evenly thick log. Repeat this step with the other beef fillet, then chill for at least 30 minutes.

7
. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Remove the cling film from the beef, then wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

8
. Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the beef trimmings for a few minutes until browned on all sides. Stir in the shallots with the peppercorns, bay and thyme and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.

9
. Pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry. Now add the wine and boil until almost completely reduced. Add the stock and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, removing any scum from the surface of the sauce, until you have the desired consistency. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin. Check for seasoning and set aside.

10
. When you are ready to cook the beef wellingtons, score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash again, then bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for 15–20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.

11
. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the beef wellingtons sliced, with the sauce as an accompaniment.

HOW TO COOK BEEF TO PERFECTION

The only sure-fire way to ensure that your beef is perfectly pink is to check the internal temperature with a probe thermometer. It should read 29°C.

CHICKEN AND AUTUMN
VEGETABLE PIES

SERVES 2–3

I’ve always loved serving individual pies. It instantly elevates a casual family dish into something a bit smarter, but without really increasing the work. The twist here is that the lids are cooked separately from the pie filling. If serving more than two or three people, simply double the quantities for the filling, but the amount of pastry required depends on the size of your dish(es). Use the meat from the chicken thigh and leg as it is less likely to dry out than the breast.

1
. Fry the pancetta in a hot, dry pan for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden. Tip onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Wipe out the pan.

2
. Heat the oil in the pan and sauté the vegetables with the thyme and some seasoning for about 7 minutes until softened. Pour in the sherry and bubble for 5 minutes until well reduced. Return the pancetta to the pan and pour in the stock.

3
. Return the liquid to the boil and cook for 10–15 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in the crème fraîche and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about a third. Check for seasoning, then remove from the heat and set aside.

4
. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out 2 or 3 rounds, using a small saucer as a template. Carefully place the pastry rounds on a large, non-stick baking sheet and score the surface in a diamond pattern, using the tip of a small sharp knife.

5
. Brush the pastry with the egg yolk glaze and bake for about 10 minutes until risen and golden. Bake for a further 2 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar, to help crisp the pastry. Remove from the oven and slide onto a wire rack.

6
. Meanwhile, add the chicken to the sauce and reheat until the meat is warmed through. Check the seasoning and divide the chicken mixture between your warmed serving plates. Top each pile with a pastry round and serve.

TREACLE-GLAZED
GAMMON

SERVES 8

I’ve always loved gammon, not just hot with mashed potato and a cider gravy, but cold with salads and pickles. The sweet sticky glaze steals the glory here, but the poaching liquor has just as big a part to play. It’s the chance to really inject extra flavour, especially when you replace most of the water with a couple of bottles of stout.

1
. Drain the gammon and place in a stockpot or large saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover and slowly bring to the boil, skimming off any froth and scum that rises to the surface with a large metal spoon. Lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes, then carefully pour off the water along with any more froth and scum.

2
. Add the onion, carrot, leek, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and peppercorns to the gammon in the pot and pour in the stout. Top with enough cold water to ensure the gammon is completely covered. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 2½ hours over a gentle heat. Skim off any scum during cooking and top up with boiling water as necessary.

3
. Remove the gammon from the pot and rest on a board until cool enough to handle. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Peel the skin off the ham, leaving behind an even layer of fat about 5mm thick. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a crisscross diamond pattern at 1.5cm intervals, then stud each diamond with a clove. Transfer the gammon to a roasting tray.

4
. Mix together all the ingredients for the glaze and brush half of it over the gammon. Roast for 15 minutes, then pour over the rest of the glaze and continue to roast for a further 10–15 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and give the meat a final basting with the pan juices. Leave to rest before carving into thin slices.

HOW TO STORE THE GAMMON

The boiled gammon can be chilled for up to 2 days, and once roasted will keep in the fridge for a couple more days. If you aren’t going to roast it straight away, leave it to cool in the cooking liquor so that it absorbs even more flavour.

LEMON CURD
TREACLE TART

SERVES 8–10

I love the tangy sharpness that lemon curd adds to a classic treacle tart. Do make sure the pastry base is well cooked before you add the curd or it will go soggy, and take the tart out of the oven while it still has a slight wobble. It will firm up more as it cools.