Everyday Seafood - Nathan Outlaw (2016)

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Rhubarb sponge, almond cream and lemon crème fraîche

More like a French financier or madeleine than a traditional sponge, this is a versatile recipe that can take all manner of spices and pretty much any fruit. Rhubarb is one of my favourite fruits to bake and is delicious with the almond cream and sponge. All that richness and nuttiness is brought back to earth with the zingy crème fraîche. I like to serve these puddings warm from the oven, but you can let them cool down before eating if you prefer.

Serves 8

For the sponge

2 vanilla pods, split lengthways

225g unsalted butter

225g egg whites (5-6 large)

225g caster sugar

90g ground almonds

90g plain flour

8 pieces of rhubarb, about 10cm long

For the almond cream

90g ground almonds

65g caster sugar

300ml whole milk

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

For the baked rhubarb

1kg rhubarb, cut into 8-10cm pieces

250g caster sugar

Zest and juice of 1 orange (zest microplaned)

100ml water

For the lemon crème fraîche

600ml full-fat crème fraîche

100g icing sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 185°C/Gas 6. Line 8 individual moulds, about 8 x 4cm, with baking parchment.

To make the sponge, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pods and set aside. Put the pods into a saucepan with the butter and place over a medium heat. When the butter has melted and starts to brown, remove from the heat and allow to cool, then discard the vanilla pods.

Meanwhile, make the almond cream. Put the ground almonds, sugar and milk into a heavy-based pan with the vanilla. Place over a medium heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened; this will take about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, bake the rhubarb. Put the rhubarb, sugar, orange zest and juice, and the water into a deep roasting tray. Cook in the oven until the rhubarb is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the liquid.

When the almond cream is ready, remove from the heat, discard the vanilla pod and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming.

To make the sponge, whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a large bowl for 1 minute. Add the ground almonds, flour and vanilla seeds and mix well. Finally, whisk in the brown butter, ensuring it is all incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared moulds. Lay the 8 rhubarb pieces on top of the mixture and bake for 12-14 minutes.

For the lemon crème fraîche, whisk the crème fraîche, icing sugar, lemon zest and juice together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

To check if the sponges are cooked, insert a small knife into the centre of one; if it comes out clean, it is ready. Turn out the sponges and place in shallow bowls. Serve warm with the baked rhubarb, almond cream and lemon crème fraîche.

Pear crumble with Earl Grey chocolate sauce

Crumble has got to be one of the all-time favourite puddings. All that crunchy, slightly chewy topping with wonderful seasonal fruit underneath, served with lashings of custard, cream or ice cream - you can’t go wrong… as long as you can make a good one. I like to cook this in individual dishes, but you can make a big crumble if you prefer. Any leftovers will reheat well too - I’ve even been known to have it for breakfast!

Serves 4

For roasting

4 pears

For the pear compote

8 pears

50g unsalted butter

100ml pear cider

2 vanilla pods, split lengthways and seeds scraped

For the crumble mix

100g plain four

150g ground almonds

100g golden caster sugar

100g demerara sugar

100g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Earl Grey chocolate sauce

225ml double cream

100ml water

100g caster sugar

4 Earl Grey teabags

190g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces

To make the chocolate sauce, put the cream, water and sugar into a pan and heat to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil. Add the teabags, take off the heat, cover and leave to infuse and cool.

Once cooled, strain the mixture into a clean pan. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Immediately add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and shiny. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 165°C/Gas 4.

For the pear compote, peel, halve and core the pears, then cut into roughly equal sized chunks. Heat the butter and cider in a pan until the butter has melted. Add the vanilla seeds and stir well. Now add the pears and cook gently for 4 minutes. Divide the pear compote between individual baking dishes and set aside.

To make the crumble, mix the flour, ground almonds and sugars together in a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips or pulse in a food processor until the mixture looks like crumble.

Peel the pears for roasting and trim a thin slice from the base of each one, so they will stand upright.

Stand a pear in the centre of each baking dish. Scatter the crumble over the pear compote and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and well cooked. When almost ready, gently warm the chocolate sauce.

Pour the warm chocolate sauce over the pears to serve.

Warm chocolate tart ‘Black Pig’

In 2003, on the first menu of my first restaurant, Black Pig, I set about including a chocolate dessert that would be a lifelong friend. Over the years, in times of need, this recipe has saved the day and got me new friends! Of late, it has grown up and taken on a pastry jacket, making for a more interesting texture. I didn’t want to share this recipe at first, because it’s like a best friend, but having thought long and hard about it, I’d like you to reap the benefits too! I usually make individual tarts but you could bake one big one if you prefer.

Serves 6

For the pastry

430g plain flour, plus extra to dust

20g caster sugar

4g fine salt

4g baking powder

170g unsalted butter, softened

180ml milk (approximately)

For the chocolate filling

115g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces

110g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar

100g egg whites (about 3 medium-large)

30g plain flour

To finish

Cocoa powder to dust

To make the pastry, mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Using your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles a crumble mix. Add most of the milk and mix with a table knife to a smooth dough, adding as much of the remaining milk as you need, but don’t overwork it. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 165°C/Gas 4.

Unwrap the dough and roll out on a surface lightly dusted with flour to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out 6 circles and use to line 6 individual 8cm tart rings placed on a baking sheet, or use the sheet of pastry to line a 20cm tart tin. Place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

Line the pastry case(s) with a double layer of cling film and fill with baking beans. Pull the edges of the cling film up and twist together to make little parcels in the tins. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the baking bean parcel(s) and return the pastry case(s) to the oven for a further 5 minutes. When the pastry is cooked and golden, transfer the tart case(s) to a wire rack.

To make the chocolate filling, put the chocolate and butter into a large heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Leave until melted, then lift the bowl from the pan. Whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the egg whites. Finally, whisk in the flour until evenly combined.

Stand the tart case(s) on a baking tray and pour in the chocolate mixture, filling the case(s) to the top. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Serve straight from the oven dusted with cocoa powder, with a good dollop of clotted cream or ice cream of your choice on the side.

Pete’s rice pudding with apple and prune compote

My good friend and chef, Pete Biggs, has been making this rice pudding for the restaurants for ages. I have to admit (through gritted teeth!) that his recipe is better than mine. Here, I’m serving it with my apple and prune compote, which is also lovely eaten simply with yoghurt. Do try it with this rice pudding though… the combination is seriously good.

Serves 6

For the compote

250g pitted prunes

100ml brandy

100ml water

100g caster sugar

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

½ cinnamon stick

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

2 Bramley apples, peeled and diced

For the rice pudding

500ml whole milk

500ml double cream

½ tsp salt

2 vanilla pods, split lengthways and seeds scraped

150g pudding rice

90g caster sugar

To make the compote, soak the prunes in the brandy overnight. The following day, heat the water and sugar in a saucepan to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil. Add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the prunes and any remaining brandy. Bring back to a simmer and take off the heat.

Leave until cold and then transfer the prunes, flavourings and liquor to a sterilised Kilner jar. Seal and store in a cool, dark place; the longer the prunes have to mature (up to a month), the better they will be. Leave them for at least 4 or 5 days if you can.

For the rice pudding, preheat your oven to 160°C/Fan 145°C/Gas 3. Put all the ingredients into a large ovenproof pan, including the vanilla pods as well as the seeds, and stir well. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and then take off the heat. Lay a circle of greaseproof paper on the surface and transfer to the oven to cook for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, put the prune compote into a pan and add the diced apples. Stir and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes until the apples are just tender.

To serve, I like to put the pan of rice pudding in the centre of the table with the bowl of apple and prune compote on the side and let everyone help themselves.

Elderflower cream with strawberry sorbet

Make this dessert at the beginning of the summer, when British strawberries are amazing and the hedgerows are full of elderflower. There is a bit of time involved here but believe me, it’s worth it. The sweeter the strawberries, the better it will be. The set cream and sorbet recipes are versatile, so feel free to play around with the flavours.

Serves 6

For the elderflower cream

2 sheets of bronze leaf gelatine

560ml whole milk

180ml double cream

90g caster sugar

100ml elderflower cordial

For the strawberry sorbet

1kg strawberries

175g caster sugar

125ml sparkling wine

100ml liquid glucose

To finish

15 strawberries, hulled and quartered

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

For the sorbet, halve the strawberries, place in a heatproof bowl with 100g of the sugar and toss to mix. Cover the bowl with cling film, then place it over a pan of boiling water for 2 hours to draw all the juice out of the strawberries.

Meanwhile, make the elderflower cream. Soak the gelatine in a shallow dish of ice-cold water. Pour the milk and cream into a pan, add the sugar and dissolve over a medium heat, then bring to a simmer and take off the heat. Immediately drain the gelatine and add to the hot milk mixture, whisking until melted, then whisk in the elderflower cordial.

Pour the elderflower cream into 6 individual dishes or glasses, dividing the mixture evenly, and place in the fridge to set for 3 hours.

When the strawberries are ready, tip them into a muslin-lined sieve over a bowl and squeeze to extract as much juice as possible. Weigh 125g of the strawberry pulp and 250ml of the strawberry juice (see note).

To make the sorbet, put the measured strawberry pulp and juice into a pan and add the sparkling wine, glucose and remaining sugar. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and simmer gently for 4 minutes. Allow to cool, then churn in an ice-cream machine until firm. Transfer the sorbet to a freezerproof container and place in the freezer until ready to serve.

To assemble, gently toss the quartered strawberries with the lime zest and spoon on top of the elderflower creams. Using a warmed ice-cream scoop or large spoon, scoop balls of the sorbet and place on top of the strawberries and cream. Serve immediately.

Note If you have some strawberry juice left over, you can make a jelly to top the creams. Measure the juice and use 1 sheet of leaf gelatine per 100ml juice. Soak the gelatine in cold water. Bring the strawberry juice to a simmer, squeeze the gelatine to remove excess water and add to the juice off the heat, whisking to dissolve. Leave to cool. When on the point of setting, pour on top of the creams and refrigerate until set before topping with the strawberries and sorbet.

Messie Jessie cookies

My daughter, Jessica, loves to bake. Ever since I can remember, she’s joined me in the kitchen at home. Of all her baking successes (and there have been many), this is the recipe that to date is the family’s favourite. Why ‘Messie’? Well, in all my years of cooking, I’ve never seen anyone more accomplished in getting every surface in the kitchen and herself covered in whatever she’s making. We ‘borrowed’ this recipe from Claire Clark, my friend and the world’s best pastry chef.

Makes 10

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

80g soft light brown sugar

80g granulated sugar

A pinch of sea salt

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 medium egg

250g plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

100g milk chocolate, chopped

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugars, salt and vanilla extract together until thoroughly combined. Add the egg and beat in well.

Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda over the mixture and mix until evenly combined. Finally, fold in the dark and milk chocolate buttons.

Form the dough into a log, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 3 hours to firm up.

Preheat your oven to 170°C/Fan 155°C/Gas 3½. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape into balls. Place on the baking trays, leaving enough room in between for spreading. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Leave the cookies on the trays for a minute or two to firm up slightly, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool - that is if you can resist eating them straight away.

Lemon curd pavlova with yoghurt sorbet

I find meringues fascinating - the fact that simple egg whites and sugar can be whisked together to create something so special is magic, and I always have some sort of meringue dessert on my restaurant menus. I like to balance the sweetness with something sharp, hence the lemon and tangy yoghurt sorbet topping for this pavlova. It’s a favourite dessert at home.

Serves 6

For the meringue

3 medium egg whites

150g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped

2 tsp cornflour

2 tsp white wine vinegar

For the lemon curd

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

130ml lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

100g caster sugar

80g egg yolks (about 4 medium)

1 egg white

200g unsalted butter, chilled and diced

For the yoghurt sorbet

200ml whole milk

100g caster sugar

120ml liquid glucose

300g full-fat Greek yoghurt

For the lemon syrup

200ml liquid glucose

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

100ml lemon juice

100g caster sugar

To finish

50g flaked almonds, toasted

Preheat your oven to 110°C/Gas ¼ and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or baking parchment. Wipe your stand mixer (or other large) bowl with kitchen paper dipped in vinegar to remove any trace of grease.

Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, whisk the egg whites in the bowl to soft peaks. Whisk in the sugar a third at a time until fully incorporated; add the vanilla seeds with the last of the sugar. Gently fold in the cornflour and wine vinegar, using a spatula or large metal spoon.

Using a large spoon, shape the meringue into 6 equal sized mounds on the prepared tray and then use the back of the spoon to make an indent in each one. Bake the meringues for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the lemon curd. Whisk the lemon zest and juice, sugar, egg yolks and egg white in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until the mixture thickens. Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the cold butter, a piece at a time, until it is all incorporated. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until set.

To make the yoghurt sorbet, put the milk, sugar and liquid glucose into a pan and place over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer, take off the heat and leave to cool. Once cold, whisk in the yoghurt, then transfer to an ice-cream machine and churn until thick.

For the lemon syrup, heat the glucose, lemon zest and juice, and the sugar in a pan over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Let simmer for 3 minutes, then pour the syrup into a bowl and leave to cool.

When the sorbet is ready, spoon into a suitable container and place in the freezer. When the meringues are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To assemble, put a spoonful of lemon curd in the centre of each bowl and place a meringue on top. Drizzle the lemon syrup over the meringues and around each plate. Top each meringue with a scoop of the sorbet. Scatter over the toasted almonds and serve, with an extra spoonful of lemon curd on the side, if you like.

Treacle and raspberry tart

I know a lot of people find treacle tart overly sweet. My filling includes black treacle, salt and citrus flavours to take the edge off the sweetness, and the raspberries balance the flavours beautifully. You can have ice cream with it if you like but, for me, it has to be clotted or pouring cream. It’s easier to make a larger quantity of pastry and it freezes well - so I’ve given enough here to make two tarts.

Serves 6

For the sweet pastry

200g unsalted butter, diced

180g icing sugar

1 medium egg

140g egg yolks (about 6 large)

500g plain flour, plus extra to dust

For the filling

225g golden syrup

50g black treacle

220ml double cream

½ tsp coarse sea salt

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

75g fresh white breadcrumbs

2 medium eggs, beaten

100g raspberries, plus extra to serve

To make the pastry, using a stand mixer or electric hand whisk, cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Lightly beat the egg and egg yolks in a separate bowl. Gradually beat the egg into the creamed mixture. Once it is all incorporated, add the flour. Stop mixing as soon as it forms a dough.

Tip the dough out onto a surface dusted lightly with flour and knead briefly until smooth. Divide in half, shape each piece into a ball and flatten to a disc. Wrap in cling film. Chill one portion in the fridge for 1 hour; freeze the other for another tart.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 165°C/Gas 4.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin and use to line a loose-based rectangular flan tin, about 25 x 10cm and 3cm deep, or an 18cm round flan tin, 3cm deep, leaving any excess overhanging the rim. Place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

Line the pastry case with a double layer of cling film and fill with baking beans. Bring the edges of the cling film up and twist together to make a parcel. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the baking bean parcel and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 5 minutes until golden and cooked. Place on a wire rack to cool.

To make the filling, put the golden syrup, treacle, cream, salt, citrus zests and lemon juice into a heavy-based pan and stir over a medium heat until the mixture is smooth and very hot. Take the pan off the heat and add the breadcrumbs and beaten eggs. Mix until evenly combined.

Spoon the filling into the pastry case and add the raspberries, distributing them evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is just set in the centre. Place on a wire rack to cool, trimming away the excess pastry from the rim while the tart is still just warm.

Cut the tart into slices and serve just warm or at room temperature, with extra raspberries on the side and clotted cream or pouring cream.

Passion fruit and toasted coconut ice-cream sandwich

This recipe is inspired by nostalgic memories of ice-cream sandwiches my Mum would make with Neapolitan ice cream bought from the ice-cream man. I’d like to think my take is an improvement!

Serves 6

For the ice cream

300ml fresh passion fruit juice (from about 20 passion fruit)

3 sheets of bronze leaf gelatine

400ml double cream

5 medium egg yolks

120g caster sugar

260g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

For the coconut biscuit

55g desiccated coconut

100g egg whites (about 3 medium)

100g caster sugar

100g plain flour

For the coconut yoghurt

50g desiccated coconut

300g full-fat Greek yoghurt

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

30g icing sugar

For the passion fruit syrup

80ml passion fruit pulp (from about 4 scooped-out passion fruit)

50g caster sugar

For the ice cream, pour the passion fruit juice into a large pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Let bubble to reduce by three-quarters, then take off the heat. Soak the gelatine in a dish of ice-cold water.

Add the cream to the reduced passion fruit juice and return to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Pour on the hot passion fruit cream, whisking as you do so. While it is still very hot, squeeze the excess water from the gelatine, then add to the mixture, whisking to melt completely. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until set.

Once the mixture is cold, whisk in the cream cheese. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe into 6 individual rectangular moulds. Freeze until firm.

To make the biscuit, preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 165°C/Gas 4 and the grill to medium-high. Scatter the desiccated coconut on a grill tray and grill until golden, stirring every 2 minutes to colour evenly. Let cool.

Line a baking tray with a silicone mat. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a bowl until evenly mixed. Add the toasted coconut and flour and stir to combine. Using a palette knife, spread the mixture thinly and evenly on the baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden all over.

When you take the tray from the oven, mark your desired biscuit shapes with a sharp knife. Once cooled, they should snap where marked, with a little help. Keep in an airtight container until ready to assemble.

For the coconut yoghurt, toast the coconut as above and let cool. Once cooled, add to the yoghurt with the lime zest and icing sugar and stir until evenly combined. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

For the syrup, heat the passion fruit pulp and sugar in a pan over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat slightly and cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Leave to cool.

To assemble, unmould the ice creams and sandwich each one between two coconut biscuits. Serve immediately, with the passion fruit syrup spooned over and a dollop of coconut yoghurt on the side.