Marcus Everyday. Marcus Wareing

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СКАЧАТЬ up in the fridge, then we overbuy – throwing things into our shopping baskets because we think we need it, without necessarily looking in the fridge before we go shopping and planning what we’re buying for. It’s so easy to buy more than we need, be seduced by 2-for-1 deals and so on. We need to start buying only what we’re actually going to eat. Things go off, of course, but having been taught as a young man by my father to appreciate fresh produce, I know how not to take an ingredient for granted as well as how to use it up resourcefully.

      The chapter ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ came about originally because of the sheer volume of some of the Melfort produce (tomatoes, for example) that I could not keep up with, and the recipes that I used to avoid throwing anything away. This chapter provides a framework for how to use what you may have a glut of, but also how to breathe new life into that old potato lying at the bottom of your pantry, or that slightly shrivelled orange in your fruit bowl.

      I also felt there was a need for a chapter on cooking solo – ‘Home Alone’. Instead of having a cheese sandwich, or ordering a takeout, try these recipes to give yourself a bit of a treat (my favourite is the Sirloin Steak with Brandy Sauce and Crispy Potatoes), and enjoy the silence.

      I’ve included handy methods and tips throughout the book for how to cook ingredients the way that I, as a chef, cook them. It’s intuitive for me, but I have realised when cooking at home with my family and friends that there are certain techniques and procedures that transform a dish from being just okay to being great, such as how to cook a steak, how to make perfect mashed potato, and my foolproof method for cooking omelettes. As well as what to do when things don’t quite go to plan …

      Everyone thinks chefs make everything from scratch when they cook at home, but I don’t. Like so many, my life doesn’t allow me to do that. Instead, I take basic things, like an average shop-bought mayonnaise, which can be a little bland, and make it better. I’ll enhance it with garlic, or curry seasoning, or a little bit of saffron or herbs – anything, really. Even gherkins or chillies – it’s easy to improve it. I also use stock cubes like salt, as a seasoning, crumbling one over a dish as a flavour enhancer. I still wouldn’t ever mess with baked beans, though (apart from maybe adding a bit of HP Sauce).

      I’ve been a cook since I was 14 years old, and ran restaurants as a head chef from the age of 25, so much of my life has been spent in a professional kitchen. This book is about a different style of cooking, and is about me in my everyday life. Some of the recipes will look familiar, but there are little twists, anecdotes, secrets and tips. These are the things that make chefs seem different to everybody else – it might appear that we have a Midas touch, but it’s really just layer upon layer of training.

      I hope you enjoy cooking the recipes as much as I enjoyed writing them. As I’ve gone through the process of writing cookbooks, I’ve been fascinated by the journey; moving forward, rethinking, recreating and reinventing new ideas, which is what I do in my professional kitchen. I want this book to be used by everyone, every single day. Spending your time in the kitchen creatively is an integral part of the process of preparing good food – it’s not just about the delicious end result. And these recipes are perfect for that.

      This chapter is all about my new life at Melfort House. I feel like a young boy when I’m there. I’m finding a new sense of understanding and energy from ingredients I’ve never used much before – until now my life has always been about professional kitchens. The photographs in this chapter are also special to me – they were taken at the start of the photoshoot, capturing not just the end of summer but the beginning of this book. We were so blessed on that day, with the sunshine and everything jumping out of the ground; we were pulling up beetroots and cabbages, herbs and celery; it was magical. Just don’t ask me to choose a favourite dish in this chapter, because I can’t!

       Beetroot, Tahini Verde and Sourdough Salad

      Beetroot is so versatile, and it grows very easily. I plant a few different varieties, which gives a great variation of sweetness and colour. Tahini verde is a sesame sauce full of garden herbs. It adds a burst of freshness, flavour and richness to the dish. It will keep for a couple of days in the fridge and is wonderful for salads and with fish. If you can’t find beetroot with leaves intact, use 50g salad leaves instead.

       SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: ABOUT 25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR, PLUS COOLING

      8 large red beetroots, leaves removed, washed and set aside

      50ml red wine vinegar, plus 1 tbsp

      2 bay leaves

      5 cloves

      1 tbsp table salt

      6 tbsp olive oil

      2 candy beetroots, peeled

      4 slices of sourdough (about 200g)

      sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

       FOR THE TAHINI VERDE

      100g tahini

      2 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves

      2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

      2 tbsp chopped mint leaves

      2 tbsp chopped basil leaves

      ½ tsp table salt

      1 Put the red beetroots in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the 50ml of red wine vinegar, bay leaves, cloves and the salt. Bring to the boil and cook for about 1 hour, or until just tender. Remove from the heat, drain, leave to cool, then peel and cut each one into 4–6 wedges. Put them in a bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

      2 Cut the peeled candy beetroots into 1–2mm-thick rounds, using a mandoline if you have one. Set aside.

      3 To make the tahini verde, place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a small food processor, or a beaker for a stick blender, add 50ml cold water and blitz together to form a slightly chunky dressing.

      4 Mix 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the tablespoon of red wine vinegar in a bowl to form a vinaigrette, then set aside.

      5 Brush the sourdough with the remaining olive oil and break it into chunky croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large frying pan over high heat, add the croutons and toast for 3–5 minutes.

      6 Dress the beetroot leaves and candy beetroot slices with the vinaigrette.

      7 Place the cooked beetroot wedges, dressed leaves and raw candy beetroot slices on a serving dish with the sourdough croutons. Dollop the tahini verde on top and serve.

       MARCUS’ TIP:

      I use a lot of bay leaves in my cooking, though they have a pungent flavour so one goes a long way. Plant a bay tree (in the garden or in a pot) – they are very hardy and СКАЧАТЬ