A new book by the publishers of CityLiving Magazine, featuring more than 50 recipes from Oxford's best restaurants is soon to be released, priced £15.
Crab rosti cakes
50g picked white crab meat 25g brown crab meat 1/2 finely diced red chilli 1 small piece grated stem ginger 1 egg 1/4 tsp curry powder 1/2 juice of a lime 2dsp chopped fresh coriander 1 good size Maris Piper potato 1/2 clove crushed garlic Salt and pepper
METHOD Combine all ingredients together and adjust seasoning. Form into ping pong ball shape, then pat out into a round cake shape about 4cm by 1/2cm. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil, gently fry for two minutes each side. Remove onto a greased tray and finish in the oven 200ºC for three-five minutes. Allow to cool. When ready to serve, reheat at 140ºC and plate up with a little dressing and oven-dried pancetta to garnish.
Chef's note: The dressing I use is a Granny Smith and basil oil one which will add a great sharpness to the dish.
Steak Guinness and mushroom pie
500g braising steak, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm chunks 4tbsp flour 45g onion, chopped 45g carrot, chopped 45g celery, chopped 225g button mushrooms 6tbsp olive oil 1tbsp sugar 1tbsp Worcester sauce 100ml Guinness 50ml red wine 1 bay leaf 1tbsp tomato purée Salt and pepper 60g puff pastry shaped into lid Milk or beaten egg to glaze
METHOD Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan and cook the onion until softened. Add the carrot, celery and mushrooms and cook for five minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Remove vegetables from pan and place in casserole. Place flour on a plate and roll steak cubes until covered. Fry in batches in the pan until browned on all sides, adding more oil if necessary. Remove cooked steak to casserole with vegetables. Add Guinness, red wine, bay leaf, tomato purée and seasoning to casserole and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook on hob, simmering for two hours until tender, or cook at 170ºC in oven for two hours. Check liquid level, topping up with a little water if necessary. When cooked, place contents in wide baking dish and cool. Roll out pastry and cover baking dish, trimming off excess and sealing edges. Brush with milk or beaten egg and place in oven at 200ºC for 30 minutes until pastry is golden and risen and pie heated through.
Poached figs in red wine with mascarpone
12 fresh figs 75cl red wine 300g sugar 3 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 250g mascarpone Mint and redcurrants to garnish
METHOD Pour the red wine into a heavy-bottomed pan, add star anise, cinnamon stick and the sugar, then add the figs Bring to the boil and turn off immediately, let it rest for about 15 minutes until the figs are cooked through. Remove the figs and allow to cool. Reduce the remaining liquid until it becomes syrupy. Cut the figs in half and fill with the mascarpone. Arrange on a plate and pour over red wine syrup add a sprig of mint and a small bunch of redcurrants and dust with some icing sugar.
