cumbria on a plate...

LEGENDARY celebrity chef Keith Floyd has created a tantalising dish celebrating all that is best about Cumbrian food for an exclusive 'vodcast' (videocast if you prefer). Cumbria Tourism set the cooking icon the challenge of creating the perfect Cumbrian signature dish by blending his years of expertise with the vast wealth of fresh and tasty local produce that can be found in the county. The television star and author rose to the challenge and created a dish called 'Cumbria on a Plate'. And you too can celebrate the best in Cumbrian food by following Keith's special recipe.

Poached Herdwick lamb with braised neck kataifi cep and kidney risotto

Lamb cannon trimmed and individually wrapped in clingfilm (airtight) cooked in a bain marie at 60 degrees for 28 minutes. Refresh in iced water. To serve season and sear in hot oil.

Kidney to be skinned halved then cored. Dice into 1cm squares and lightly fry in vegetable oil finished with butter.

Neck to trimmed of excess fat, seasoned and seared with a mire poix, thyme and bay leaf.
Deglaze the pan with white wine, cover with council pop, foil lid then braise for 3 hours at 140 degrees, remove from stock, the meat will fall off the bone.
Pick the meat carefully avoiding any gristle, sinew, and fat, whilst still warm incorporate the peeled and finely sliced carrots and shallots, cooked out in reduced stock.

Roll the neck mix in cling film whilst still warm into 3 cm cylinders, chill (setting the mix).

Kataifi pastry, lay thawed pastry on a flat work surface creating a thin but solid layer, brush with clarified butter, place a 6cm piece of set neck mix on the pastry and roll, place on parchment paper and bake to order.

Ceps to be cleaned with a towel then cut into dice, 100 g of ceps = 50g white wine vinegar, ratio 2:1.
In a hot dry pan colour ceps, deglaze with vinegar reduce by half then season with salt and brandy.

Risotto, approx 500g of Arborio rice, 2 finely diced shallots, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, bay leaf, sprig of thyme. Sweat shallots and aromats, add rice, cook without colour for 2 minutes add a splash of white wine then gradually add water until cooked but with a nutty texture. Spread on a tray then chill.

To assemble dish, add a little stock to the risotto base and stir slowly add more liquor letting the rice cook out until al'dente. Finish with the kidneys, ceps and chopped parsley. Sear the lamb in hot oil, warm the Kataify at 180 degrees 3-4 mins and serve with the reduced braising stock.