Platinum Recruitment – Feature of the Month Each month the team at Platinum will be bringing you an industry specific feature from many of the UK’s finest establishments. This Month’s festive feature: Matt Weedon – Lords of the Manor – 1 Michelin Star, 3 AA Rosettes, 4 Red Star. With sleigh bells ringing, the smell of Christmas in the air and the mulled wine ready to be poured, Platinum are proud to bring you our festive feature of the month. Especially for Platinum, Michelin starred chef Matt Weedon of the stunning Lords of the Manor has kindly put together a mouth watering Christmas dinner. Lords of the Manor is a converted 17th Century rectory, hidden away in a timeless corner of the Cotswolds. The 26 bedroom hotel stands within 8 acres of secluded gardens and parkland; at the helm of the kitchen you will find Matt Weedon who achieved a coveted Michelin star in only 11 months!! Why not take time this Christmas to sample this Stunning dish!! Happy Cooking!! For more information on Matt and Lords of the Manor check out the website www.lordsofthemanor.com POACHED AND ROASTED BREAST AND LEG OF TURKEY, SPROUTS, CRANBERRIES, CHESTNUT STUFFING, ROAST POTATOES, BREAD SAUCE AND TURKEY GRAVY To prepare the turkey Ask your butcher to remove the breasts and legs from a 2-3kg turkey, bone and roll the legs remove any sinew and chop up the bones and carcass. Cut the breasts down the middle lengthways and do the same with the legs. Lay two sheets of cling film down on top of each other and flatten well, lay one of the four breast pieces in the middle of the cling film and tightly roll the breast piece up, tie the ends tightly with string and repeat the process for the rest of the bird. You should have 4 breast pieces and 4 leg pieces. To make the sauce Roast the carcass and bones until golden brown with good colour and drain well. Set aside. Roughly chop and wash 1 large onion, 1 large carrot, ½ leek, 1 clove garlic, 2 sticks of celery and drain then caramelise well in a large saucepan using a little oil (100ml olive oil) until golden brown. Add a handful of thyme and deglaze with a splash of sherry vinegar. Add the roasted bones and carcass and half a bottle of dry white wine to the pan and bring to the boil then pour in 4 litres of good chicken stock add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil again then simmer for an hour or so tasting the sauce regularly to ensure you have the correct flavour. Pass the sauce into another large saucepan and reduce to a sauce consistency quickly. Pass through muslin and keep warm. For the cranberries Gently poach the cranberries in a splash of red wine, grenadine, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside somewhere warm.

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For the roasted potatoes Take 2 kg of maris piper potatoes, peel, wash and cut into 3 inch pieces. Put the potatoes into a saucepan and cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 mins and strain off and drain well. In a deep roasting tray heat 400g of duck fat and add the potatoes, season well and roast in the oven at 200c until crispy and golden brown. For the bread sauce Take 500ml of milk and bring to the boil with half an onion studded with 5 cloves all in the same pan and leave to infuse for a couple of hours. Take the onion and cloves out of the milk and return the pan of milk to the heat. Bring to the boil and stir in fresh breadcrumbs until thick but still at pouring consistency. Season and adjust the thickness with more milk if required. Set aside somewhere warm. For the chestnut stuffing Take 500g of sausage meat and mix in a bowl with 2 eggs, 100ml double cream, 1 handful of chopped thyme leaves, 200g of finely chopped cooked chestnuts, seasoning to taste and a handful of breadcrumbs. Roll into portion sized pieces (2inch ) wrap in smoked bacon and place on a baking tray and bake for 10 - 12 mins at 180c. keep warm. To cook the turkey Put a large pan of water on the stove ( big enough to fit all the turkey in ) and bring to the boil. Put the breast and leg pieces in, still tightly wrapped in cling film and turn the heat down to low- medium keeping the temperature at around 68-75c. Cook the turkey at this temp for 30 mins. To finish the turkey unwrap the cooked meat and in a pan of foaming butter, caramelise the skin of the breasts and leg pieces, add thyme and garlic to the pans and leave the meats to rest while you reheat all the other ingredients. To serve Heat all the other ingredients through while the turkey is resting in the foaming butter and arrange on hot plates. On a board, slice the turkey in 1cm slices allowing for a good few slices of breast and leg per person, lightly season the sliced meats and and arrange neatly along with the rest of the items. Serve the gravy and bread sauce in sauce jugs and enjoy!

Daniel Clifford brings 5 top chefs to Cambridge

Daniel Clifford brings 5 top chefs to Cambridge for 5 nights of Michelin starred dining in aid of Children in Need

Afternoon all!! As Paul said last week I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity go back to my old Kitchen to take part in a week long Charity event for Children in Need. Two Michelin starred Chef Daniel Clifford, chef patron of Midsummer House in Cambridge, arranged for five other top chefs to join him in creating what has been heralded as a ‘once in a lifetime gastronomic extravaganza’ at Midsummer House For this remarkable five days each chef will hosted one evening in which they brought their unique culinary style to Midsummer House, having designed their own five course tasting menu. Each chef worked the stove on their evening, cooking the menu, supported by the resident Midsummer House Kitchen staff (including myself). The menu including a flight of wines came to £130, £40 of which went to Children in Need. It was an amazing week with some fantastic food all for a good cause, a big thumbs up to Daniel and all the chefs who took part. Check out the menus below!!
Tuesday Claude Bosi – Hibiscus - 2 Michelin Star – London Starter Norwegian King Crab, Warm Medlar & King Crab Consommé, Kent Wild Sea Leaves ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Fish Course Roast Hand Dived Scottish Scallops, Granny Smith & Kentish Cobnut Crust, Pork Pie Sauce ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Main Course Roast Mortimer Forset Venison, Smoked Chocolate, Savoy Cabbage, Confit or Pear in Red Wine ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Dessert Parsnip Tart, Pear & Honey
Wednesday Paul Cunningham – The Paul – 1 Michelin Star – Copenhagen Starter Langoustine, Salted – ‘Salad Waldorf’ Walnut Oil Powder ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Fish Course ‘Octoi Within Octopus – Garni Nero ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Meat Course Confit of Veal sweetbread, Pear & Coffee Bean ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Main Course Pigeon, Roasted Beetroot & Cherry, Indonesian Pepper ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Dessert Macadamia Oil’ed Sorbet, lemon Verbena Essence
Thursday Glynn Purnell – Purnells – 1 Michelin Star – Birmingham Starter Poached Egg Yolk, Smoked Haddock, Milk Foam, Cornflakes, Curry oil ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Fish Course Monkfish Masala, Indian Lentils, Coconut, Coriander, Pickled Carrots ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Main Course Slow Cooked Ox Cheek Dusted in Liquorice Charcoal, Savoy Cabbage, Confit Potatoes, Tamarind Jam, Foie Gras ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Dessert Burnt English Custard, Egg Surprise, Blackberries, Crystallised Tarragon, Blackberry Sorbet
Friday Mark Poynton – Restaurant Alimentum – 3 Rosette – Cambridge Starter Roasted and Braised Hare, Pickled Red Cabbage, White Chocolate and Vanilla ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Fish Course Pan Fried Stone Bass, Turnip, Pistachio and Crab ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Main Course Slow Roast Sirloin Bordelaise, fricassee of English Snails and Girolles, Celeriac Puree ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Dessert Passion Fruit and White Chocolate Delice, Passion Fruit Sorbet
Saturday Tom Kerridge – The Hand and Flowers – 1 Michelin Star - Marlow Starter Chicken Liver & Foie gras Parfait with Bouchon Brioche and orange Chutney ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Fish Course Smoked Ell with Beetroot Royal, Potato and Caper Salad ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Main Course Slow Cooked Shin of Beef with Hand and Flowers Carrot and Beef Dripping Toast ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ Dessert Valrohona 70% Hot Chocolate Tart with Malted Milk Ice Cream

Andy Sinclair goes Michelin ....

Watch this Space for an update from Andy's week in the 2 Michelin Star kitchen at Midsummer house.

After a brief phone call today it sounds as though it's been a tough, long week but for a very worth while cause. I'll let Andy explain on his return.

Creative Chef of the Year 2010

Platinum Recruitment and Chef, Michael Wignal at the 1 Michelin Star, 4 Rosette Penny Hill Park Hotel have intitiated the Creative Chef of the Year 2010 and is happy to announce it's now in full swing ...

To read more please see the following link

http://news.caterer.com/article/view/restaurant/19453992/trainee-chefs-given-chance-to-win-placement-in-michelin-starred-kitchen/

For more information please call Andrew Sinclair on 01202 203 150 or email andrew.sinclair@p-r-c.co.uk

Feature of the Month

Platinum Recruitment – Feature of the Month

Each month the team at Platinum will be bringing you an industry specific feature from many of the UK’s finest establishments. This Month’s feature: Ryan Simpson - The Goose at Britwell Salome - 2 AA Rosettes. Platinum are extremely excited to introduce our first of many ‘monthly features’. This month Ryan Simpson, Head Chef at The Goose Restaurant has kindly provided us the ingredients and methodology of one of his best selling dishes. Ryan is definitely a chef to watch, he has recently been awarded the up & Coming Chef of The Year in the 2010 Good Food Guide and has worked with some of the world’s finest chefs including Guy Savoy, Pierre Gagnaire, Gordon Ramsey, Simon Hulstone and at the world renowned 3 Michelin starred restaurant Le Maison Troisgros. Ryan is now heading up The Goose at Britwell Salome where he concentrates on seasonal, local produce; The Goose is already receiving rave reviews and at present holds 2 AA Rosettes. The dish Ryan has chosen is Paignton Crab which is on the current A La Carte menu and is going down a treat with the diners at The Goose. Enjoy!! For more information on Ryan and The Goose Restaurant check out the website http://www.gooserestaurant.com/ PAIGNTON CRAB Pink Grapefruit, Mixed Pepper, Crab Fritter Ingredients - Serves 4 Crab Mix 1 Large Paignton Cock Crab 1 tbsp Mustard Mayonnaise 1 tsp Chopped Chives 1 tsp Lemon Juice Salt & Pepper Court Bouillon ½ leek, chopped ½ carrot, peeled and chopped ½ onion, chopped ½ celery stick, chopped ½ fennel bulb, chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 sprig thyme Few parsley stalks 1 sprig tarragon ½ lemon, sliced 1 star anise 100ml white wine Jelly 100ml Pink Grapefruit Juice (Freshly Squeezed) 2.5gr Vegetal Gelatine (Sosa) Garnish 1 tsp Oscietra Caviar 300ml Crab Broth (Basic Crab Mix with Milk and Lecithin) 3 tbsp Red Pepper Puree (Peppers confit and pureed with paprika) Pepper Brunoise Apple Julienne Coriander Micro crest Red Amaranth Crest Crab Beignets 65gr Baked Potato 30gr White Crab (Claw Meat) 2 tsp Brown Crab Meat 1 tsp Chopped Chives 1 tsp lemon Juice Salt & Pepper

Method Cook the crab whole in a court bouillon from boiling point for 11 minutes. Refresh in ice water, crack open the claws and the body, keep the brown and white meat apart and set aside in the fridge. In a kitchen aid mix all the ingredients of the beignet together, shape into small evenly shaped balls and pane in bread crumbs. (Set aside) For the crab mix;- mix all the ingredients together, season to taste and place evenly into 4 individual ring moulds. Set aside in the fridge. For the jelly;- heat the juice up to around 85°C then add the vegetal Gelatine, stir vigorously, then pour evenly onto each of the crab mix in the ring moulds. Leave 1-2 minutes to set. Finally to dress the dish;- In a sauce bottle dress a thick line of Red pepper puree across the plate, in the centre of the plate place the crab mix in the rings, then lift the ring. Place a small amount of the caviar in the centre of the crab mix on the jelly and scatter the plate with the pepper brunoise, julienne of apple and the micro crests. Place the beignet in the fryer at 180°C for 2 minutes, and then place on the plate. Finally foam the crab broth with a bamix and place only the foam very delicately on the crab mix and jelly, then Serve.

Welcome aboard Rob and Andy - Good to have you join us.

Platinum Recruitment Consultancy - Elite Chef Division

Platinum has started blogging ! To take advantage of finding out our most up to date jobs, industry news and what we've been up to we'd love to have you join us. To take a sneak preview of what we have featured this month come and visit us at www.p-r-c.co.uk

Look forward to seeing you soon,

The Team at Platinum