Elite Chef Recruitment

Platinum Recruitment – Feature of the Month

Each month the team at Platinum Elite Chefs bring you an industry specific feature from one of the UK’s finest establishments.

This Month’s feature:

Mark Poynton – Chef Patron – Restaurant Alimentum – Cambridge
Good Food Guide ‘Top Restaurants’
3 AA Rosette

It’s an honour to announce that Mark Poynton, Chef Patron of Restaurant Alimentum in Cambridge has provided Platinum Recruitments Elite Chef Division with the recipe, methodology and pictures for one of his signature dishes.

Find out more about Mark in our 60 seconds on the clock feature.........

Mark Where in the world are you from?

I am from the best part of England Chester (the North West.)

Where have you previously worked?

Prior to Alimentum I spent 7 ½ years at Midsummer House, and before that 1 ½ years at what was Juniper in Altrincham with Paul Kitching, and before that a few country house hotels in the north west area.

Which chef influenced you the most?

There have been 2 big influences in my career Daniel Clifford being the main and my very 1st head chef Ian Mcdowall.

What/where was your best ever meal?

I have been lucky enough to eat in some of the best Restaurants in the world so this is a difficult one with different answers, Most amazing experience was the kitchen table at El Bulli in 2005, and best food experience was Pierre Gagnaire in 2003.

What’s your favourite cookbook?

Modernist Cuisine Vol 4 at the moment.

Who would be in your fantasy brigade?

Daniel Clifford (Midsummer House) on meat, Russell Bateman (Colette's at the Grove) on fish, Matt Gillan (The Pass at South Lodge) on starters, Andy Sinclair (Platinum Recruitment) on garnish, Michelle Gillott (Sosa) on Pastry, Martyn Compton (Tanners) on the pass and me sitting in the restaurant eating what they cook.

What’s your favourite produce to cook with?

Always fish because 2 pieces are never the same.

If you could go anywhere on a stage, where would you go?

Alinea in Chicago.

If you weren’t a chef what would you be?

A really bad football player who dreams of playing for Celtic.

What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into the industry?

Knuckle Down and don’t be scared to ask questions, the day you stop questioning is they day you stop learning and improving.

Mark it’s a real pleasure to have you feature for us so a massive thank you!

For more information on Mark Poynton and Restaurant Alimentum check out the restaurants website www.restaurantalimentum.co.uk

Mark is also cooking at The Loft Project in October 2011, for reservations take a look www.theloftproject.co.uk

Why not recreate Marks Sirloin of beef & braised oxtail dish

Enjoy!!

See you next month

Andy

Sirloin of beef & braised oxtail, with mushroom puree and wilted spinach

This recipe revives a traditional and much underappreciated ingredient – oxtail, utilising its fulsome flavours whilst transforming its texture & appearance to nicely compliment the juicy succulence of the sirloin.

Serves 4

Ingredients
• 1 x 480g piece of sirloin of beef (trimmed of all fat and sinew)
• 750g x raw oxtail cut in to pieces
• 2 litres x brown chicken or beef stock
• 4 x eggs
• 100g x plain flour
• 100g x dried bread crumbs
• 1 x carrot (roughly chopped)
• 1 x stick of celery (roughly chopped)
• ½ x onion (roughly chopped)
• 2 x cloves garlic (peeled and sliced)
• 500g x baby spinach (washed and drained)
• 500g x button mushrooms
• 200g x double cream

Method

Braised oxtail (Can be prepared the day before)

Fry the oxtail in a little vegetable oil until golden then add the chopped vegetables & fry till golden.
Place these ingredients in a roasting tray and cook in a preheated oven at 120C for 4 – 5 hours.
When cooked (the meat should fall away from the bone when a little pressure is applied) remove the oxtails from the cooking juices and pick the meat from the bone while still warm.
Pass the cooking juices through a strainer and add a little back to the cooked meat to maintain moisture. Season the meat & juices with a little salt to taste, then roll the meat, using cling- film, into sausage shapes and place in the fridge for 2 hours (or overnight if preferred).
Reserve the cooking juice to serve as sauce.
When the oxtail has set in the sausage shape cut into serving size pieces then roll through the seasoned flour, dip into beaten eggs and coat with breadcrumbs, ready for finishing.

Mushroom Puree

Wash the mushrooms in cold water and drain. Quickly break the mushrooms into small pieces using the pulse function on a blender.
Place the mushroom pieces into a deep, heavy bottomed pan and dry fry for about 20 minutes until all the liquid disappears, then add the double cream and blend until smooth. Season with salt and lemon juice to taste.

Sirloin

Cut the beef into 4 x 120g pieces and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Heat a heavy based oven proof frying pan. Add a little vegetable oil and seal the outside of the steaks until golden all over, then put into a preheated oven (180C) for about 6-8 minutes for medium rare, (medium 8 – 12). Remove from the heat and leave to rest for about 5 minutes.

To serve

Colour the coated oxtail in a little hot oil until golden, then place with the beef in the oven at 160C for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the mushroom puree and wilt the spinach in a little butter. Season both to taste and arrange on warmed plates to serve, alongside the oxtail and sliced beef, which is drizzled with the oxtail cooking juices to finish. Creamed potato & roasted shallot makes the perfect accompaniment.

If you’re interested in working alongside top quality chefs such as Mark Poynton send your CV to andy.sinclair@p-r-c.co.uk