Fortnum & Mason: Christmas & Other Winter Feasts. Tom Bowles Parker

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СКАЧАТЬ that great and most western of counties, rises up in abject horror, this is NOT a Cornish pasty. There’s sweet potato in there, for Pete’s sake. Game, garlic, bacon and veal too. No, this is the Fortnum’s game pasty, a fine way to use game of any kind, all wrapped in a golden shortcrust pastry. Hand-held delight at its best.

      & try these with Fortnum’s Damson, Blackberry and Apple Chutney and a glass of Barossa Shiraz

      MAKES 6

      · 300g mixed game (such as venison, duck breasts, pheasant breasts)

      · 150g lardo (or streaky bacon), cut into small strips

      · 250g minced veal

      · 3 garlic cloves, chopped

      · ½ teaspoon four-spice powder

      · 6 sprigs of thyme

      · 1 egg, lightly beaten, to glaze

      FOR THE PASTRY

      · 500g plain flour

      · 1 teaspoon salt

      · 250g butter, cubed and chilled

      · 150ml milk

      FOR THE STOCK

      · 500ml good beef or game stock

      · 100g sweet potatoes, diced

      · 100g swede, diced

      · 100g carrots, diced

      · 100g onions, diced

      First make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually stir in enough milk to form a soft but not sticky dough; you might not need all the milk. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for an hour or so.

      Bring the stock to a simmer in a pan, then add the diced vegetables and cook for 6–8 minutes, until they start to feel tender. Remove the vegetables from the stock and set aside. Boil the stock until it has reduced to a thick, syrupy coating consistency. Set aside to cool a little.

      Cut the game into thin strips, then cut across to make small pieces. Place in a bowl with the lardo, minced veal, garlic, four-spice powder and the leaves from the thyme sprigs. Mix well and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the reduced beef stock to give a moist mixture, but don’t make it too wet.

      Divide the pastry into 6 pieces and roll each one out into a circle about 3mm thick; you could use a plate or an upturned bowl to trim it to shape. Spoon the filling generously along the centre of each one. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg, then bring the sides up over the filling and press together firmly to seal, crimping them by pinching between your thumb and forefinger. Place the pasties on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and brush with beaten egg. Chill for about 20 minutes, then brush again with egg to give a good golden finish.

      Place in an oven heated to 200ºC/Gas Mark 6. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for another 20–25 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

BAKED JACKET POTATOES WITH LEMON CRèME FRAîCHE AND CAVIAR

      I know, proper caviar is expensive. Ruinously so. Although not, as it once was, ruinous to the environment, because all caviar sold in the UK is now subject to CITES rules, and farmed. Wild is illegal. The quality gets better and better every year, and at Fortnum’s they are obsessed with the best. I prefer Oscietra to Beluga, thanks to its delicate nutty tang, though Sevruga is recommended here, as it’s marginally more affordable. You could also use trout or salmon caviar, which is rather cheaper but still has its crisp, clean, ovoid charm.

      & perfect with a glass of Brut Reserve Champagne

      SERVES 4

      · 4 medium baking potatoes (about 150g each), such as Maris Piper

      · 120ml crème fraîche

      · 2 tablespoons chopped chives

      · grated zest of 1 lemon

      · 60g Sevruga caviar

      Wash the potatoes and rub a little sea salt over the skin while they are still damp. Prick each one with a fork a few times and place in an oven heated to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Bake for about an hour, until tender when pierced with a knife.

      While the potatoes are baking, mix the crème fraîche, chives and lemon zest together. Slice the top off each potato and, holding it in an oven-gloved hand, carefully scoop out the flesh into a bowl, placing the skins on a roasting tray. Mash the potato with a fork, then mix in the crème fraîche and season to taste. Fill the potato skins with this mixture and put them back into the oven for 5 minutes at the same temperature.

      Remove the potatoes from the oven and spread the caviar over the top.

BAKED JACKET POTATOES WITH SMOKED SALMON AND DILL CREAM CHEESE

      The key to this delectably simple dish is that mixture of hot, fluffy potato, strips of gently smoked salmon, and cool, lactic cream cheese. Horseradish adds a hint of heat, while dill brings a touch of strident Scandinavian allure.

      & delicious with a glass of Blanc de Blancs Champagne

      SERVES 4

      · 4 Maris Piper potatoes (about 150g each)

      · 70g full-fat cream cheese

      · ½ a bunch of dill, plus more for garnishing

      · 2 teaspoons creamed horseradish

      · 140g smoked salmon, cut into strips

      Wash the potatoes and rub a little sea salt over the skin while they are still damp. Prick each one with a fork a few times and place in an oven heated to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Bake for about an hour, until tender when pierced with a knife.

      While the potatoes are baking, mix the cream cheese with the dill and horseradish. Taste and add salt and pepper. Slice the top off each potato and, holding it in an oven-gloved hand, carefully scoop out the flesh into a bowl, placing the skins on a roasting tray. Mash the potato with a fork, then mix in the cream cheese and season to taste. Fill the potato skins with this mixture and put them back into the oven for 5 minutes at the same temperature.

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