Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food (4 page)

When you are ready to serve, heat a frying pan and add the butter. Season the kidneys with salt and pepper and add to the butter as it starts to sizzle. Fry for 2 minutes until browned, then turn the kidneys over and cook the other side for a minute. Add the sauce and spoon it over the kidneys to baste them as they cook for another minute. Meanwhile, toast the bread.

Place a slice of warm toast on each warm plate and top with the devilled kidneys. Spoon over any remaining sauce from the pan and serve at once, sprinkled with some chopped parsley if you like.

6 small, very fresh sardines, filleted

500g cherry tomatoes on the vine

olive oil, to drizzle

few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

sea salt and black pepper

8 thick slices of Granary or sourdough bread, to serve

Using vine-ripened cherry tomatoes and the freshest of sardines, this is an elegant, grown-up version of tinned sardines in tomato sauce on toast – a family favourite when we were kids.

Check the sardine fillets for any pin-bones and remove with tweezers. (Tiny bones are fine to eat and can be left in.) Pat dry with kitchen paper and chill until ready to cook. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Lay the tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Scatter over the thyme, garlic and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast for 8–10 minutes until the skins have burst and the flesh is soft.

Shortly before the tomatoes will be ready, season the sardines and lay them, skin side up, on a lightly oiled baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 3–4 minutes until they feel just firm when lightly pressed.

Meanwhile, toast the bread. Put a slice of toast on each warm plate and lay the roasted tomatoes on top. Arrange the sardine fillets over the tomatoes, sprinkle with a little salt and serve immediately.

12 short pieces of veal marrowbones (or 8 longer lengths)

sea salt and black pepper

large handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

few oregano sprigs, leaves only

2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained

2 tsp Dijon or English mustard

1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

few dashes of Tabasco sauce (optional)

about 8 slices of sourdough bread

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Bone marrow has recently regained popularity, largely due to the efforts of chefs like Fergus Henderson, who often serves it at his restaurant, St. John’s, in London. Our version pairs rich marrow with a punchy caper and herb dressing. If you’re feeling indulgent, serve the buttery marrow on brioche toasts instead of sourdough.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Lightly season both ends of the marrowbones with salt and pepper and place in a roasting tin. Roast for about 20 minutes until the marrow is soft and will come away from the bone when you prod it lightly. Take care not to over-roast or the marrow will melt into an oily mass.

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a rough paste. Check the seasoning, then spoon into small individual serving bowls.

When the marrowbones are almost ready, toast the bread. Stand the marrowbones upright on warm serving plates with the toasted sourdough, lemon wedges and bowls of caper and herb dressing on the side.

30g butter

30g plain flour

150ml hot milk

55g mature cheddar, grated

50ml Guinness

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Dijon or English mustard

sea salt and black pepper

2 large egg yolks

4–6 thick slices of white bread

For this classic savoury, we use farmhouse cheese, stout and the ultimate British condiment, Worcestershire sauce.

Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk, keeping the mixture smooth, then add the cheese and stir until melted. Take off the heat. Stir in the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and seasoning to taste. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then mix in the egg yolks.

Heat the grill to its highest setting. Toast the bread on both sides, then spread a layer of cheese mixture on top and grill for a few minutes until the topping is bubbling and golden brown. Serve at once.

Cock-a-leekie soup

Chilled minted pea soup

White onion and cheddar soup

Roasted tomato and marrow soup

London particular

Fennel and roasted red pepper soup

Mulligatawny

Cullen skink

Potato, bacon and oyster soup

Welsh mutton broth

Hodge podge soup

1 chicken, about 1.5kg, jointed

sea salt and black pepper

1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, few thyme and parsley sprigs, tied together)

1.5–2 litres chicken stock (see page 243), or water

5 large leeks, about 500g in total, trimmed

200g cooked rice

200g soft pitted prunes

This winter warmer is traditionally served as a starter at Scottish holiday feasts, including Hogmanay and Burn’s Night. As the name suggests, chicken and leeks are the key ingredients, along with prunes. We like the mild sweetness these add to the light and savoury broth, but you can leave them out if you prefer.

Rub the chicken joints with salt and pepper and place in a large cooking pot with the bouquet garni and stock. If the stock doesn’t quite cover the chicken, top up with cold water. Add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and bring the liquid to a simmer. Skim off any froth or scum that rises to the surface. Turn the heat to the lowest setting, partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes; the surface of the liquid should barely move.

In the meantime, slice the leeks on the diagonal into 1–2cm wide pieces. Add them to the pan and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender throughout.

Lift the chicken out of the stock and leave until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, add the rice and prunes to the stock and simmer for another 15–20 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni.

Shred the chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones, then return to the stock to warm through. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the soup into warm soup plates to serve.

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped

sea salt and black pepper

500g frozen peas, thawed

about 600ml hot chicken stock (see page 243)

small bunch of mint, leaves only

Effortless to prepare, this vibrant soup makes a refreshing summer starter. If preferred, it can be served hot.

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the shallots, season and sweat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until they begin to soften but not colour. Add the peas and pour in the stock; it should just cover the peas. Simmer for a few minutes until the peas are tender. Drop in the mint and immediately take off the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, take out a spoonful of peas for the garnish. In batches if necessary, blend the soup using a hand-held stick blender (or a regular blender) until smooth. Adjust the seasoning generously, as the flavours will be muted when cold. Pour into a bowl set over another bowl half-filled with ice to cool quickly, stirring occasionally. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving, topped with the reserved peas and a grinding of pepper.

20g butter

900g white onions, peeled and sliced

sea salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed

2 bay leaves

few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

300ml chicken stock (see page 243)

200ml whole milk

75ml double cream

100g strong cheddar, such as Montgomery, grated

In the spring, we use new season’s onions to lend a wonderful sweetness to this lovely, creamy onion soup. A strong piquant cheese, such as Montgomery cheddar with its slight edge, contrasts the sweetness perfectly.

Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onions and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, over a medium heat for about 7–10 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, bay and thyme leaves, and cook for another 3–4 minutes.

Pour in the stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until the onions are very soft. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Purée the soup, using a hand-held stick blender (or a regular blender) until smooth. For a very smooth texture if preferred, pass the puréed soup through a fine sieve.

Return the soup to the pan. Add the milk and cream and slowly return to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated cheese and season well to taste. Serve in warm bowls, with some warm buttery scones or crusty bread on the side.

1kg vine-ripened tomatoes, about 12

1 marrow, about 1kg olive oil, to drizzle

few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tsp caster sugar

sea salt and black pepper

small bunch of basil, leaves only, roughly chopped

300ml hot chicken or vegetable stock (see page 243)

1–2 tsp good-quality balsamic vinegar

Marrow is popular with gardeners but much less so with cooks, probably because its watery texture is something of a challenge. Roasting the vegetable concentrates the flavour and makes it a natural partner for roasted tomatoes in this summery soup. Serve it simply with a drizzle of good olive oil, or crumble some goat’s cheese on top and scatter over a handful of crunchy garlicky croûtons.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Halve the tomatoes and arrange, cut side up, on a baking tray. Peel, halve and deseed the marrow, then cut into 1.5cm cubes and spread out on another baking tray. Drizzle both generously with olive oil, then scatter over the thyme leaves, garlic, sugar and some salt and pepper. Toss the marrow cubes to ensure that they are well coated. Roast the tomatoes and marrows for 30–40 minutes, until they are soft and slightly caramelized, giving the marrows a stir halfway through.

As soon as they are cooked, purée the vegetables in a blender with the basil leaves and hot stock; do this in two batches if necessary and make sure you tip in all the flavourful juices. For a very smooth texture if preferred, pass the puréed soup through a fine sieve.

Transfer the soup to a pan and reheat gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve in warm bowls drizzled with a little olive oil.

1 smoked ham hock, about 1kg, soaked in plenty of cold water overnight

1 large onion, peeled and halved

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 3 pieces

1 celery stick, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces

1 tsp white peppercorns

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, few thyme or parsley sprigs, tied together)

11/2-2 litres water

300g dried split green peas, soaked overnight sea salt and black pepper

1 day-old thin French stick

4 tbsp olive oil

30g butter

flat-leaf parsley leaves

During the industrial revolution, London was often blanketed in a thick heavy fog—referred to as a ‘pea souper’ and this is how this soup acquired its name. It is typically made with boiled unsmoked gammon, but we prefer to use a smoked ham hock to give the soup an intense and smoky base flavour. The croûtons add a contrasting crunch, but you can omit them if you prefer.

Drain the ham hock, rinse under cold running water and place in a large pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns and bouquet garni, then pour in the water to cover. Bring to a simmer and skim off the scum and froth that rises to the surface. Simmer gently, topping up with boiling water as necessary, for 21/2-3 hours until the ham is tender and comes away from the bone easily.

Lift out the ham and let cool slightly. Strain the stock and return to the pan. Drain the split peas, add to the pan and simmer for 11/2-2 hours until soft. In the meantime, shred the ham and discard the bone.

Purée the soup using a hand-held stick blender (or a regular blender) until smooth. Return to the pan to reheat. If the soup is too thick, add a little boiling water to dilute; or, if it is not thick enough, simmer until reduced to the required consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the ham pieces to the soup and reheat just before serving.

To make the croûtons, cut the French stick into small bite-sized pieces. Heat the olive oil and butter in a small frying pan. When hot, add the bread pieces and toss in the foaming butter and oil for 3 minutes or so, until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper.

Divide the hot soup among warm bowls and scatter a few croûtons and parsley leaves on top. Hand the rest of the croûtons round separately.

4 red peppers

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed (fronds reserved if intact)

1 large potato, peeled

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1 tsp fennel seeds

11/2 tsp caster sugar

sea salt and black pepper

splash of Pernod (optional)

500ml chicken or vegetable stock (see page 243)

75ml soured cream (or double cream)

few dill sprigs (optional), to garnish

This is another fantastic soup for the summer, which you can serve either hot or chilled as you prefer. Roasting the peppers intensifies their flavour but if you are short of time, use a jar or two of ready roasted peppers—available from most supermarkets.