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Comfort foodLocalchefs sharetheirheartyautumnfare

October 2011

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SIMONRADLEYTHEGREENDRAGONHALLOWE’ENCOCKTAILS

ALL HOLIDAYS ARE OPERATED BY RIVIERA TRAVEL, ABTA V4744, ATOL 3430 PROTECTED,PER PERSON PRICES BASED ON TWO SHARING A TWIN ROOM. SINGLE ROOMS AND OPTIONAL INSURANCE ARE AVAILABLE AT A SUPPLEMENT.

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Paris by EurostarSelected departures up to November 2012

Or visit

www.livriviera.co.ukCall: 01283 742356

from£269for 4 days

Bruges by EurostarSelected departures up to November 2012There can be few places left where you can totally switch off for a few days from the pressures of modernday living so completely as you can in Bruges. Its beauty and tranquillity are outstanding as befits themost perfectly preserved medieval town in Europe. This superb holiday includes an excellent range ofescorted visits and tours. You will stay in an extremely comfortable hotel in the heart of this delightful city.

from£279for 4 days

Fully escorted price includes:• Return rail connections on selected dates from over thirty regional stations* including Liverpool,

Preston and Chester• Return standard class reserved seat on Eurostar from Ebbsfleet or London St. Pancras

International (Short walk from Euston)• Return coach transfer from Lille to your hotel (approx 1 hour)• Three nights bed & breakfast at a choice of quality three or four-star hotels in a superb

location right in the heart of the old preserved town• Guided walking tour of historic Bruges• Visit to a traditional chocolatier• Visit to Ypres and tour of the First World War battlefields• The services of an experienced tour manager

Fully escorted price includes:• Return rail connections on selected dates from over thirty regional stations* including Liverpool,

Preston and Chester• Return standard class reserved seat on Eurostar from Ebbsfleet or London St. Pancras

International (Short walk from Euston)• Three nights bed and breakfast in an excellent quality hotel located approximately two miles from

Notre Dame - the geographical centre of Paris. Four-star upgrades available at a supplement• Coach transfer from Paris, Gare du Nord rail station to your hotel, and return• Comprehensive sightseeing tours of Paris ‘By Day’ & ‘By Night’• Visit to Versailles, with its beautiful Château• Visit to the artists quarter - picturesque Montmartre• The services of an experienced tour manager

readertravelholidays.com

Lake Como, St Moritz & the Bernina ExpressSelected departures up to October 2012

Fully escorted price includes:• Return flights from Liverpool, Manchester or Leeds/Bradford, other regional airports also available• Seven nights half-board four-star accommodation• Visit to St Moritz in the heart of the Swiss Alps• Travel on the stunning Bernina Express, one of the world’s most spectacular railway journeys• Visit to Lake Maggiore• Guided tour of Bergamo, the loveliest medieval town in northern Italy• Visit to Lugano• Lake cruise to stunning Bellagio, acknowledged as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy• Private visit to the enchanting Villa Balbianello and its memorable gardens• The services of an experienced tour manager

from£729for 8 dayshalf-board

On this wonderfully varied tour we explore Lake Como, one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, plussome stunning icons of northern Italy and Switzerland: the amazing Lakes of Maggiore and Lugano,the majestic Alps surrounding St Moritz and a fantastic rail journey on the Bernina Express; furthermore,Bellagio – Italy’s most beautiful village and Bergamo one of its finest medieval towns. Described byWordsworth as ‘a treasure the earth keeps to itself’, and an inspiration for Verdi and Rossini, thisenchanting region will captivate you.Fully escorted price includes:

• Return flights to Naples from Manchester, other regional airports also available• Seven nights half-board accommodation in a choice of excellent quality three or four-star hotels

in Sorrento• Guided tour of stunning Pompeii - a city preserved in time• Visit to the magnificent volcano of Vesuvius• Tour of the Amalfi Coast - one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world• Cruise to the stunning island of Capri• Visit to Naples with its archaeological museum• Visit to hill top Ravello• Tours and visits worth over £160• The services of an experienced tour manager

Pompeii, Capri & the Bay of NaplesSelected departures up to October 2012

from£759for 8 dayshalf-board

The Sorrento peninsula and the Bay of Naples is simply one of the most beautiful corners of Europe,attracting visitors for centuries in search of its outstanding scenery, tranquillity and some of the mostwondrous ‘sights’ from throughout history. Add the excellent food and wine, plus the Italians themselveswith their legendary love of life and you have all the ingredients for a wonderful tour.

Paris was, is and always will be somewhere rather special. Why not try it with this superb four-day holiday.This inexhaustible city has something for everyone – whatever your taste. It is everything you imagine it tobe, romantic, inspiring, vibrant even outrageous, but best of all Paris is unique. You will stay in a centrallylocated hotel, well situated for all the sights and have a wealth of visits and excursions included in the price.

DAILY POST Tuesday, October 18, 20112

3Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Simon’sstellarcareerJadeWrightmeetsSimonRadley,thechefbehindoneofthecountry’slongeststandingMichelinstarredrestaurants

WarmstollendoughnutwithmarzipansemifreddoandSuzettemandarins

If ever there was a time when expectations were sky-high, it’s now – Simon Radley, executivechef at the Chester Grosvenor hotel

SIMON RADLEY’S firstintroduction to TheChester Grosvenor was in1986, as a 21-year-oldjunior chef.

Now he’s executive chef at thehotel he describes as “easily the bestin the North West”.

“I’m proud to work with the teamhere,” he says. “I’m very lucky – thehotel is very food and beveragedriven. I’m given carte blanche to dowhat I like.”

During his long affiliation withthe Grosvenor, Simon, 46, has takentime out on several occasions tobroaden his experience, including 12months working under chef PaulGayler, at Inigo Jones, in CoventGarden, London.

Simon returned to The ChesterGrosvenor in 1988 at the request ofthe managing director, to head up theopening of the new gourmetrestaurant, Arkle.

Two years later, the Arkle wasawarded its own Michelin star forthe first time.

Since then the restaurant hasamassed 21 Michelin stars in 21years – making it one of the mostconsistently awarded restaurants inBritain. Only four others have heldon to their stars for 20 years or more.

“For us, it is all aboutconsistency,” he explains. “Peoplecome back time and again becausethey enjoy the food and the service.

While we move with the times, wehave to do it a tiny bit at a time.There are no sudden movements, noknee-jerk decisions.

“We work to keep standards up,and to make sure that we exceedpeople’s expectations.

“ I spend every day thinking ‘Whatcan we give them to make thisbetter?’

“We’re living in an age ofausterity. People are still eating out,

but they understandably want goodvalue when they do.

“If ever there was a time whenexpectations were sky-high, it’s now.So we have to make sure we exceedeven that.”

Simon has truly left his mark onthe hotel, attaining an enviablereputation for excellence.

In 2008, his name becamesynonymous with the hotel’sreputation for outstanding cuisine

and service, with the newlyrefurbished restaurant beingrenamed Simon Radley at TheChester Grosvenor, in recognition ofhis culinary expertise.

Simon also oversees theaward-winning La Brasserie, theroom service menu and the meetingsand events side of the hotel’sbusiness.

“It’s busy,” he laughs. “I prettymuch live on site, although I do go

home for a few hours a night toWrexham.

“Most of the time I’m here,overseeing everything that goes on. Ienjoy my work so it can be hard tolet go sometimes. I’m always comingup with new ideas, littleimprovements we can make here andthere.

“Thankfully, I have fantastic staffworking for me. Most of them haveworked with me a long time, so theyaren’t afraid to tell me if my ideaswon’t work. We all have our input,and that’s what makes it work.

“Bit by bit, it evolves. New ideascome in gradually, they get tried andtested, and if they work we stick withthem.”

One of the restaurant’s biggestsuccesses of late has been theWednesday night offer, which seesthe price of the tasting menu cutfrom £90 to £50.

“It’s been popular,” says Simon. “Ithas introduced the tasting menu to anew audience. Some had never beeninto the restaurant at all before, andothers hadn’t tried the tasting menubefore. It’s been a really good way tointroduce new dishes .”

In the run-up to Christmas, thehotel is celebrating with 12 Weeks ofChampagne, showcasing some of theworld’s most famous Champagnehouses, including Taittinger, VeuveClicquot and Dom Perignon.

Each week, a different Champagnewill be featured at exclusive gourmetevents, festive fizz lunches and in theMichelin-starred restaurant.

“This is the best time of year forchefs,” smiles Simon. “In thesummer, everyone is more interestedin looking good in a T-shirt thaneating a nice meal. But, as it getscolder, we all want a bit of comfortfood, and a bit of an excuse toindulge.

“I love all the autumn stews, usingdifferent cuts of meat and gettingmore creative with the menu. Allchefs love the chance to show off.”

For the doughnut

Ingredients

400g strong white flour70g caster sugar2g salt90g unsalted butter1 large egg175ml milk15g fresh yeast50g mixed peel50g currants60g good quality marzipanYou will also need about150g caster sugar and half ateaspoon of cinnamon to rollthe doughnuts in later.

Method1. Place the flour, sugar, saltand butter in a bowl andwork to a breadcrumb stage,then make a well in thecentre.2. Whisk the egg, yeast andmilk together and add to theflour.3. Work the dough foraround five minutes, it willremain quite sticky.

4. Mix in the mixed peel andcurrants, cling film thedough and chill for at leastone hour.5. Divide the dough into 25gballs. Press a piece ofmarzipan into the centre ofeach and leave in a warmplace for about an hourwhen they should havedoubled in size.6. Fry the doughnuts at160oC, rotating regularly foreven colour.

They should take 5-6minutes to reach a deepgolden brown. Dry onkitchen towel.

For the semifreddo (makethe day before)

Ingredients

6 egg yolks (100g)100g caster sugar30ml qater250g mascarpone250g whipping cream100g Amaretto1 leaf gelatine

Method

1. Freeze 16 mousse rings ona flat tray.2. Beat the Mascarpone untilsmooth. Whip the cream andfold through, set aside.3. Soak the gelatine leaf incold water.4. In a mixer with a whisk

menuchef’s table

attachment, whisk the yolksuntil pale.5. Meanwhile, cook thesugar and water in a smallpan with a sugarthermometer to 118°C.6. Carefully pour the sugarinto the egg yolks with themachine on low speed, thenreturn to full speed and

whisk to create a sabayon.7. Warm the amarettowithout boiling and use todissolve the gelatine, pourinto a bowl and leave to cool.8. Add a little of the sabayonmix to the amaretto andwhisk in, then fold in theremaining sabayon.9. Fold in the cream andmascarpone, then pipe intoyour pre-frozen moulds andfreeze.

For the Suzette mandarins

8 mandarins600ml mandarin orClementine Juice NB somesupermarkets do this as afresh juice, which will saveyou time and moneysqueezing fresh150g caster sugar50g brandy (optional)

Method

1. Zest one of the mandarins,then peel and segment all 8and place in a bowl, splash

over the brandy if using.2. Bring the juice to the boiland set aside.3. Place the caster sugar in awarm pan and stir until youget a golden caramel.4. Quickly stir in the zestand then carefully pour inthe warm juice.5. Bring to the boil todissolve any remainingsugar, then sieve onto thesegments and leave tomarinade.

Plating the dessert

If you have cooked yourdoughnuts earlier, warmthem back through in theoven, then roll them in thecinnamon sugar. De-mouldyour semi-fredo and stand inthe centre of a shallow bowl.Spoon five or six of theSuzette segments around,with some of the syrup.Place the warm doughnut ontop of the semi-fredo andserve to your guestsimmediately.

Simon Radley ‘s fabulous dessert

4 Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Astemperaturesstarttocool,JadeWrightsamplessometastyrecipestogettheslowcookergoing

Tom Gill, Head Chef at The Brink – Navarin of lamb is one of his signatureslow-cooked dishes

seasonal cooking

SlowlydoesitforautumncasserolesF

ORGET fast food. As the seasonschange and the nights draw in,it’s time to embrace slow cooking.There’s something satisfyingabout food that takes its time,

filling the house with wonderful aromasas it simmers its way to tenderness.

Slow cooking favours cheaper, tougher,cuts of meat that only show their truecolours after hours of gentle cooking. It’salso a perfect way to cook autumn rootvegetables, bringing out the sweet, mellow

flavours and buttery texture.The domestic slow cooker isenjoying a renaissance as

families rediscover the joys ofhearty stews, soups andcasseroles. And in restaurantsacross Merseyside, chefs are

rolling out autumn menuspacked with slow cooked

favourites.Tom Gill was head chef at the

Everyman Bistro for 11 years – a venue wellknown for its delicious comfort foods.

Now he runs the kitchen at The Brink, anewly opened adult dry bar in Parr Street.

“Slow cooking is great, it uses the cheapercuts of meat but provides such tendernessand juiciness,” he says.

“In the autumn, it’s particularly popularas it is hearty and warming to come hometo.”

One of Tom’s signature slow dishes isNavarin of lamb.

“I made it at the Brink this week and thedelicious aromaslingered warmlythroughout thevenue,” he smiles.

“Slow cooking as aneasy labour of loveduring the recession.In these days when weare all cash-strappedand very busy, we wantmore for less and slowcooking is a great wayof achieving this.”

Gavin King, headchef at PorticoCantina, agrees.

“Slow cooking is agreat way of cookingtough cuts of meat andwill help make it moretender and succulent,”he says.

“It’s also tastier ifyou lock the flavoursin by coating it insome flour and maybesome spices and brownthe meat off beforeadding it to your stew. Any juice from themeat that may escape will be retained in theliquid, giving it a more complex flavour.

“Always start by browning your meatbefore braising or stewing. Cooking bybraising causes the breakdown of the fibretissue, making it tender.

“Stewing is a slower process again. Ingentle heat, it still makes the fibres fall aparteasily and the protein coagulate withoutbeing toughened.”

Delifonseca has launched its autumnmenu, and one of the most popular dishes istheir beef and beetroot stew.

Martin Cooper, head chef at DelifonsecaDockside, says: “Winter is a great time toenjoy good hearty food, and that meansusing the best local produce available andcombining it with different cuts of meat.

“During the next few months, there aresome great vegetables around that can allcontinue to grow through the cold weather.

“We’ve sold beef and beetroot stew sincewe opened five years ago, but it’s one thathas grown in popularity with the customersas beetroot has become more ‘in fashion’.

“In terms of meat, I always find that a shinof beef is ideal for slow cooking, whether Iam in the kitchen in Delifonseca or at home.The texture and flavour that it developsthrough the cooking process is beautiful andthe meat always seems to hold its shape.

“Stews like this are best made in largequantities as they freeze and re-heat verywell and the cost of making them doesn’thave to be pricey. All you need to do is servethe dish with fresh crusty bread and it issure to warm you up during the wintermonths.”

Martin is also a great believer in browningany meat before it is cooked.

“While slow cookers claim that you don’tneed to brown the meat and onions, I wouldrecommend that you take the time to do it, asit adds an extra depth of flavour,” he says.

“Don’t get hung up on the volumes,basically you need meat (cheaper cuts arebetter as they have some natural fat andmore flavour – you just need time to unlockthem), onions and any type of rootvegetables, herbs and stock and alcohol(beer, cider, wine) and seasoning.

“Add a slow heat and time and alchemywill happen. Just be patient.

“Sauces can be thickened or reduced at theend if you want to get fancy.

“Find a basic recipe and then mess aroundwith your type of ingredients but in similar

proportions. You willdiscover that some rootvegetables are sweeterthan others, etc, but that’sall part of the fun.

“We like to serve it withmashed potatoes withmustard or horseradish,but, if you want to addpotatoes, do so towards theend of the cooking time.”

As far as the cuts ofmeat to choose, Martinsays the cheaper thebetter.

“Shin and stewing beefare perfect, chicken thighsif you like chicken,” hesays. “Brough’s Butchers(situated at DelifonsecaDockside) are great atgiving advice tocustomers, and these cutsmake feeding familiesquality meat veryaffordable. They find thatcustomers are keen tolearn about meat, not just

the provenance but about how best to use it.It’s great to have that kind of expertise onsite.”

It isn’t just beef and lamb that benefit fromslow cooking. Pork is a favourite, too.

“The Spanish pork and chickpea stew wasa really popular dish at the recent HopeStreet Feast,” explains Gary Manning, fromThe Quarter.

“The stew is made by using pork cheekswhich are a cheaper cut of meat. By slowcooking the cheeks, the meat becomesextremely tender and all the flavour isintensified.

“It is a perfect meal for the colder autumnalnights as it is hearty, warming and theultimate in comfort food. The slow cookedstew is a great family dish as it is botheconomical and filling. It would be a surewinner for bonfire night where everyone cangather round and enjoy it with rice, patatasbravas or simply a chunk of crusty bread.”

Portico Cantina head chef GavinKing ‘s slow braised lamb withcreamed leek mash, honey roastcarrots and gravy

One of Wirral’s Finest

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Fri & Sat - 2 Course £19.95, 3 Course £24.90Fri & Sat - 2 Course £19.95, 3 Course £24.90

5Tuesday, October 18, 2011

POTS and pans can getdeceptively hot when slowcooking. Kitchen Grips havecreated a safer chef’s mitt withincreased insulation and grip.Comfy on the hands, with anon-slip grip and greater

flexibility, they’re waterand stain resistant.

Chef’s Mitt £17.99www.whiskcooking.co.uk

SLOW cook in style withLakeland’s NorthAfrican-inspired taginerange, which will takeyou back to the souks inno time. Made fromglazed stoneware,there’s the traditionaltagine (£14.99), as wellas co-ordinatingserveware for couscous(£19.99) and mezze(£14.99), from www.lakeland.co.uk

AMERICA’S favouriteway to slow cook isgaining a growingfollowing on this sideof the water. The CrockPot’s family-sized innerstoneware pot can beused on the hob, tosauté ingredients priorto slow cooking, andtaken to the table forserving. £49.99 fromwww.lakeland.co.uk.

BEEF and beetroot stew, byMartin Cooper, head chef atDelifonseca Dockside

Ingredients:

1kg shin of beef500g raw beetroot3-4 carrots (200-300g)1 large or 2 medium onions(300-400g)3-4 tablespoons plain flourSalt and pepper2-3 bay leaves1 piece orange zest (2cm2) –optional (Don’t be temptedto add a larger piece oforange zest – it will takeover)1 star anise3-4 sprigs of thyme – tied upwith string500ml liquid (beef stock &red wine, or you can use juststock)You could also add celeryand swede

Method

1. Pre-heat a 3.5 litre slowcooker to high.2. Trim obvious fat andlarger lumps of gristle frombeef – don’t worry about thewiggly sinews runningthrough the shin, they cookdown to a lovely jelliedtexture.3. Cut the beef into thick(1.5-2cm) slices across thegrain of the muscle.4. Toss the beef in seasonedflour until lightly coated5. Peel and roughly chop thevegetables – you may wantto put gloves on for thebeetroot, to avoid lookinglike Lady Macbeth!

6. Sear the beef in a veryhot large frying pan with asplash vegetable oil andthen transfer to the slowcooker7. Brown the chopped onionin the same frying pan, thenadd to the beef along withthe remaining vegetables8. Bring the stock and wineto the boil and add to theslow cooker, along with alittle salt and pepper, theherbs and orange zest9. Reduce the heat to lowand cook for seven hours10. Adjust the seasoningwhen cooked and serve withlovely mashed potato(perhaps with spring onionor finely chopped leekadded to it).

SLOW braised lamb withcreamed leek mash honeyroast carrots and gravy,from Gavin King, head chefat Portico Cantina

Ingredients

One 10oz lamb henny2 carrots1 leek (half for sauce, halffor mash)1 onion1 veg stock cube2 pint waterTablespoon of honey

Method1. Flour the lamb joint allover and season with saltand pepper. Heat a fryingpan on a high heat add asplash of oil and seal on allsides, giving good

colouration on the lamb.Drain off any excess fat.2. Dice one carrot, ½ leekand an onion and repeat theprocess as the lamb andvegetables caramelise.Dissolve veg cube in waterand deglaze pan, scrapingresidues, and bring to boil.Once boiling, place lamb inan oven dish and pour overthe veg and sauce mix.3. Cover with foil and placein the oven at 150ºC for 2 ½hours.4. While the lamb is cookingyou can make a start onyour garnish for the dish,creamed leek, mash potatoand honey glazed carrots. Tomake the mash, peel potatoes,cut into even size pieces andboil for approx 10 mins.Once soft, drain and mash,slice the remaining leek intothin slices and fry lightlyuntil tender, add leeks tomash potato.

Peel and cut carrots intobatons and boil for 4-5minsuntil cooked. Drain and fryin a hot pan until you getsome colour. Finish with atablespoon of honey to glaze.5. When the lamb is ready,remove from braising sauceand reduce the sauce in apan to a nice gravyconsistency and passthrough sieve to remove veg.6. Reheat the mash, adding aknob of butter and a splashof milk. Place mash on platewith the lamb on top. Pilecarrot high at the side andspoon sauce over the top ofthe lamb.

Recipes to take your time over

menu

Slowlydoesitforautumncasseroles cupboard love

Head chef ofDelifonseca,Martin Cooper,with his slowcooked winterstew – also oncover

David’s Diary

Contact: The Lawns Restaurant at Thornton Hall Hotel,Neston Road, Thornton Hough, Wirral. CH63 1JFTel: 0151 336 3938 www.lawnsrestaurant.co.uk

“Firstly I would like to congratulate the restaurantand kitchen team for the achievement of ourcoveted third AA Rosette – making us the onlyhotel restaurant in Merseyside with 3 AA Rosettes.It is a testament to the hard work of everyonehere, and on a personal level it is pleasing to knowthat the dishes I create are recognised at such ahigh level.

“This week I would like to share one of myfavourite main courses: Grilled Monkfish, DuckGarbure, Mushroom Cream and Ginger Croutons.Just follow the simple steps below and enjoy!”

David Gillmore is Executive Chef at the multi AA Rosette winning The LawnsRestaurant at Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa. Having trained and worked at avariety of award winning Michelin starred venues, David brings a wealth ofculinary and fine dining expertise to the Wirral restaurant.culinary and fine dining expertise to the Wirral restaurant.

Grilled Monkfish, Duck Garbure,Mushroom Cream & Ginger Croutons:Serves 44 x 125g Monkfish Portions

1kg Button Mushrooms100ml white wine100ml dry martini1litre whipping cream

1 loaf of Pain d’ Epice(gingerbread if unavailable)1 x Romanescu Broccoli40g Samphire

1 small savoy cabbage1 duck legs (Braised)Half onion2 slices salami

For the Garbure, cut up the Pain d’epice and leave in awarm place overnight to dry out.

Wash and finely slice the mushrooms. Sweat off themushrooms until all liquid has gone. Add white wineand martini, reduce until all liquid has gone then top upwith enough water to cover the mushrooms. Leaveto infuse in the refrigerator overnight.

Braise the duck leg until the meat flakes away fromthe bone. Shred the cabbage, onion. Slice the salamifinely and dice the potato into small cubes. Place all ingredients into a pan and cook on low heat for 1 hour approxor until soft.

Prepare the Romanescu into small florets and blanch in boiling salted water until tender. Blanch the samphire for 30seconds in boiling water. For the mushroom cream, reduce the sieved mushroom stock until syrupy, add cream andbring to boil. Fry the monkfish pieces in a hot pan until coloured, then place in a 180 degree oven until the centrereaches 45 degrees when tested with a meat probe. Reheat the Garbure in a pan; reheat the Romanescu andsamphire in boiling water. Plate and dress with the sauce and sprinkle over the ginger croutons

100ml chicken stock2 tablespoons diced leek1 small potato diced1 tablespoon butter

6 Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Diningdetails

OasisoftraditionalfareTinaMilesgoesinsearchofcomfortfood,andfindsitwithatastytraditionalpublunchattheGreenDragon,inLymm

Cosy and traditional – The Green Dragon, at Lymm, nearWarrington; and, inset, the pub buildings, which have beenaround since the 19th century

THE Green Dragon, 2, MillLane, Lymm, WA13 9SBTel: 01925 758634/ www.vintageinn.co.uk/thegreendragonlymm/

Details of meal: Hearty, sea-sonal pub food. A good selec-tion of wines and ales

Service: Attentive andfriendly

Value: Good value for goodquality

menu eatingout

BACK when the summermonths were drawing toan end, our beachholiday and the deliciousfood at our resort was

fading into a distant memory.Not wanting to succumb to the

post-holiday blues, we decided it wasthe ideal time to make the most ofour final day off work and grab somelunch.

Sadly, eating lobster on the beachor dining on fresh fish while lookingout to sea were out of the question.

So we decided, now that we wereback home, to take advantage of whatBritain does best – pub-food.

Our friend had recommended a“nice little country pub”, The GreenDragon, on the outskirts ofWarrington.

Being late on Friday lunchtime,there was no need to book a table, sowe jumped in the car and headed forleafy Lymm.

The Green Dragon may sound likea Chinese restaurant, but it is in facta pub and restaurant oozing ruralcharm and rustic character.

It began life not as the largebuilding it is today, but as threesmaller cottages that wereconverted into an alehouse inthe 19th century.

By the early 20th century,the Green Dragon wasproviding a well-earned pintof ale and a hearty meal tominers after a hard day at thenearby salt mines.

Today, it is popular withresidents and visitors whowant to refuel after exploringthe village or walking alongthe canal.

Stepping through itsentrance and into theopen-plan areas, somethingseemed familiar. I instantlywarmed to its mismatchedchairs, exposed brick wallsand huge fires. And I imaginedhow cosy the restaurant wouldbe in the winter.

But it was only when Iglanced over the menu that Irealised why I’d been right inthinking I recognised thisplace.

The Green Dragon is part ofthe Vintage Inns group, whichalso includes a favourite ofmine, the Stretton Fox.

The food, inevitably, was simple,homely and traditional, like that atWarrington’s Stretton Fox.

So we knew what we were in for –fresh fish dishes and hearty,comforting meals. There was thesame extensive menu of traditionalEnglish dishes with a hint of the Medthrown in.

Starters include classics like soupwith bread and butter (£3), prawncocktail (£4.75) and beer batteredmushrooms (£3.95).

But there was also sesametempura chicken fillets with a plum,chilli and coriander dipping sauce

(£4.75), Piedmont peppers topped withFrench goat’s cheese (£3.95) and a trioof seared king scallops served on abeetroot, baby spinach and chorizorisotto (£6.45).

Mains are split into seafood, grills,meat and poultry dishes and, ofcourse, Sunday lunch. There was alsoa good selection of popular pubclassics, which I found it difficult tochoose between.

We ordered our drinks at the bar,Peroni for my other half andstepfather (£3.95), and a large glass ofRubini Pinot Grigio (£5.65) for my

mother. My husband ordered theslow cooked lamb shank, which wasserved with rosemary roastedsummer vegetables and dauphinoisepotatoes (£11.95).

My mother played it safe with thebeer battered fish and chips – whichwas described on the menu as a “awhale of a fish”, with seasoned chips,mushy peas and fresh tartare sauce(£7.75). It did not disappoint.

For my stepfather, it was themighty mixed grill.

It was a feast of lamb cutlet, blackpudding, white pudding, sweetcure

bacon, rump steak, sausage, egg,roasted flat mushroom, plum tomato,garden peas and steak cut chips(£13.95).

Without any worries offitting into a bikini for awhile, I decided to treatmyself to the braised porkbelly with chorizo. The dishwas delicious and camewith honey roasted appleand rosemary, served withdauphinoise potatoes and butteredgreens (£11.55).

We also couldn’t resist adding two

portions of onion rings to the order(£2 per side) and an additionalmixed side salad (£2.50) for mymother.

All four steaming plates wereplentiful and as good as we’d hoped.

After another round of drinks, wedecided we had room for dessert,even though we were full andprobably shouldn’t have continuedeating.

I couldn’t resist my favourite,chocolate brownie with chocolatefudge sauce and vanilla ice cream(£4.25). It arrived warm andplentiful. My only niggle was thatthe ice cream was melted on theplate when it was served. But thewaitress quickly swapped it foranother scoop of ice cream andadded an extra blob so I could sharethe dish with my mother.

My husband went for the treacletart made with golden syrup and ahint of ginger, served warm withclotted cream (£4.45).

And my stepfather was happywith his Kentish Bramley apple piein a rich butter pastry served with

custard (£4.75).The puddings were

stodgy and sweet – afantastic end to the meal –and were good qualityand good value.

It was exactly what wehad gone there for and a

great way to make up for comingback to colder weather and darkernights.

Afantasticendtothemeal

7Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Look,Hugh’sgonevegetarianonus

River Cottage chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall wants us to eat more veg

menuvegetarian cooking

WITH Hallowe’en approaching, The Living Room, onVictoria Street, is getting into the spooky spirit witha quartet of creepy cocktails.

These ghoulish libations are the perfect additionto anyone’s haunted Hallowe’en, and guaranteed toget you in the mood for trick-or-treating.

Pick your poison from Deadly Nightshade,Zombie, the Corpse Reviver Number Two and Bloodand Sand, and if you feel you are up to it why notget the cocktail shaker out at home and make themfor your own Hallowe’en party.

■ Blood & SandThis mystical drink

converts the mundane tothe magical with its uniquecombination of Scotch,sweet vermouth andCherry Marnier.

Ingredients: 25mlMonkey Shoulder or anyblended Scotch, 25ml PuntY Mes (peppery vermouth)or Martini or CinzanoRosso, 25ml CherryMarnier or any cherrybrandy, 3 x orange wedgesto be squeezed

Method: Put ingredientsinto a cocktail shaker glass. Shake well with ice, andstrain the liquid into glass of cubed ice and garnishwith an orange squeeze.

■ Corpse Reviver NumberTwo

This Hallowe’en cocktailrecipe is fresh anddelicious – an orangeliqueur, gin and biancovermouth classic. If youwant to go the whole hog,replace the Maraschinocherry with a plasticeyeball for full effect.

Ingredients: 25mlTanqueray Gin or any gin,20ml Cointreau or TripleSec, 25ml Lillet Blanc(French vermouth) or

Martini Bianco or Cinzano Bianco, 25ml lemon juice,3-4 drops Absinthe

Method: Put ingredients into a cocktail shakerglass and shake with ice. Strain through a fine teastrainer into a chilled cocktail glass. To garnish, dropin a Maraschino cherry (ora plastic eyeball!).

■ Deadly NightshadeThis pink drink will send

a shiver down your spinewith a mix of vodka andorange liqueur and agrapefruit twist.

Ingredients: 25ml vodka,25ml orange liqueur suchas Cointreau or GrandMarnier, 25ml cranberryjuice, 25ml grapefruitjuice, 15ml grenadine(widely available), asqueeze of lime

Method: Put ingredients into a cocktail shakerglass and shake well with ice. Strain and serve in a

chilled martini glass.

■ ZombieElegantly creepy, this

powerful rum infusion isgently balanced withapricot, pineapple andhints of citrus.

Ingredients: 15mlPlantation Overproof orWray and Nephews(strong rum), 15mlHavana Seven or any goldrum, 15ml Goslings Blackor any dark rum, 15mlBriottet Apricot or any

apricot liqueur such as De Kuyper or Bols, 90 mlpineapple juice, 15ml lemon juice, 15ml lime juice,15ml Monin Passion Fruit syrup, Dash of AngosturaBitters

Method: Put ingredients into a cocktail shakerglass. Shake well, then strain the liquid into a pintglass filled with crushed ice. Then add another littlescoop of ice on the top and garnish with lime andlemon slices and a mint sprig. Finally, add the straw.

DrinkstogetyouintheHallowe’enspirit

RADIATING a healthy vitamin-induced glow, Mr River Cottageslurps happily on a fruitysmoothie. Looking tanned,slim and smartly groomed, his

three-month-old vegetarian diet isclearly working wonders.

“I think this is the result of longer thanthat actually,” he says, referring to hisovertly rude health.

“The cookbook’s been more than a yearin the making, although I officially wentveggie when I started filming the TV seriesat the start of the summer.”

He’s certainly on form to beat off anycriticisms his latest venture, River CottageVeg, might elicit.

Since June, the TV chef ’s been cookingup meat-free meals, to prove to himself, andviewers, that veggie cooking is no dullalternative.

“I’ve always promoted eating morevegetables. In fact, the first line of my meatcookbook says we’re all eating far too muchmeat,” says the cook defensively, inresponse to any critics who may point outthat, conversely, he’s just spent the last yearencouraging the public to eat sustainablefish, such as sardines, herring andmackerel, as part of his Fish Fightcampaign.

“This book is the natural companion toall those campaigns,” he explains, alsoreferring to Chicken Out, the free-rangefarming initiative he began three years ago.

While Fearnley-Whittingstall’s notclaiming to have converted tovegetarianism forever, he is hoping hislatest endeavour will encourage people tocook more veg.

“But it’s not a new soap box. I just hope ifI put the book and TV series out there, theywill percolate into people’s cookinglong-term.”

Without being “too po-faced about it”,Fearnley-Whittingstall says he’s keen forour culinary culture to evolve.

“We’ve got the balance fundamentallywrong, and I think, in our heart of hearts,we all know that.

“We need to raise a generation of cooksfor whom vegetables are their first stop andeverything else comes after that.

“When we have meat and fish, it shouldbe a wonderful treat once or twice a week.”

While his River Cottage may have afreezer full of home-reared meat,Fearnley-Whittingstall’s been serving upbeetroot salads instead.

“One of the hits of the summer were the

deep fried courgette flowers. The kids lovedthem,” he says.

But “easy wins” such as deep-fryingveggies and adding cheese are not the onlyway to make veg delicious, he adds. Thebest way is to treat them like meat.

“Burning vegetables is a really goodidea.

“Not to a cinder, but by grilling, roasting,barbecuing, and getting those crispychargrilled edges. It creates a whole newflavour because it burns the sugars.

“If you fry courgettes in olive oil,perhaps with a touch of garlic and chilli,you’ll get a lovely savoury exterior and theinside remains very tender and yielding, asif it’s been steamed.”

Try this tasty recipe from Hugh’s veggiekitchen.

Spiced spinach and potatoes (serves 4)

Ingredients400g waxy or new potatoes400g spinach, stripped of any coarse stems2tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil1 onion, thinly sliced1 garlic clove, finely chopped1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped1tsp freshly grated ginger2tsp garam masala

2-3tbsp double cream or coconut cream(optional)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

MethodHalve or quarter larger potatoes so that

all the pieces are roughly the same size. Putinto a saucepan, cover with water, add saltand bring to the boil. Simmer for eight to 12minutes, until tender. Drain (you can useleftover cooked potatoes for this dish, too.)

Wash the spinach thoroughly, then packit, with just the water that clings to it, intoa saucepan. Cover and put over a mediumheat until the spinach has wilted in its ownliquid – just a few minutes. Drain and leavein a colander until cool enough to handle,then squeeze out as much liquid as you canwith your hands. Chop the spinach roughly.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and gentlysweat the onion for 10 minutes or so, untilsoft.

Add the garlic, chilli, ginger and garammasala. Cook for a couple of minutes more,then thickly slice the potatoes into the pan.Cook for a couple of minutes before addingthe chopped spinach and cook briefly towarm through.

The dish is lovely like this, or you canmake it a little richer and more luxuriousby stirring in the double cream or coconutcream with the spinach. Either way, seasonwith salt and pepper, and serve.Hugh’s spiced spinach and potatoes

8 Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A True Italian Experience

Serving the best in Italian food

48a Castle Street, LiverpoolTel: 0151 236 3375 • Fax: 0151 236 7260 • www.francosliverpool.com

Franco’s Restaurant issituated at 48a Castle Streetin the heart of Liverpool

Also available for Business Lunches • Birthdays • Parties • Celebrations • Office FunctionsMonday to Friday 11.30am-3.00pm • Tuesday to Saturday 5.30-11.00pm

Franco’s RistoranteWhere Italians love to eat

ChristmasFayreLunch

Egg Mayonnaise• • •

Roast Turkey orLasagne or

Salmon SambucaSeasonal Vegetables

• • •

Choice of sweet• • •

Coffee & Mints£2.25 extra

Lunch £19.95

bookings now being taken atbookings@francosliverpool.comA non refundable deposit of £5 per personis required to secure bookings

Mr. Franco Colangeli...and

his team warmly invites you

book in his superb Italian

Restaurant, enjoy the finest

of Italian cuisine. Attentive

service, beautiful setting and

a glowing atmosphere.

Ciao a Presto FRANCO

FRANCOS

DinnerSeafood Cocktail orEgg Mayonnaise or

Home MadeVegetable Soup or

• • •Roast Turkey

Salmon SambucaEntrocote Steak

Chasseuror any Pasta ofyour choice

Seasonal Vegetables• • •

Choice of sweet

Dinner £22.95