Recipes Keywords: fennel

Belly of Old Spot Pork with Seared King Scallops, Dressed Baby Fennel and French Onion Puree

StarterServes 4

The day before, place the belly pork in a large oven-proof tray with a sprig of thyme, half a bulb of garlic (peeled), one onion and roughly chopped carrots and celery. Add chicken stock, bring to the boil on stove top, cover with foil and place in a medium oven for 4 hours. Once cooked, place on a flat tray topped with another flat tray and place a heavy weight on top before leaving in a fridge overnight. # When chilled, remove skin. Cut into 4 portions and return to the fridge. # Slice the onions, crush garlic and chop the thyme. Cook together slowly in a heavy-based pan until golden brown and the liquid has evaporated. Blend until smooth and pass through a fine sieve. # Blanch the fennel in boiling water for 2 minutes then refresh in ice-cold water. Cut into small pieces and dress in rapeseed oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. # Pick the garnishing herbs from their stalks and leave them in iced water. # Heat a non-stick frying pan with olive oil until smoking hot and place the belly pork in skin side down. Put in the oven for 8-10 minutes. # Gently warm the onion puree in one saucepan and the fennel and dressing in another. # Sear scallops in hot frying pan with foaming butter for 11/2 minutes on each side. # Spoon the onion puree onto the plate, place the belly pork skin side up and garnish with warm fennel, scallops, chopped tomato and herbs serve immediately.

Fennel Chicken and Grapefruit Summer Salad

Main courseServes 2

To cook the chicken:

# Heat up a griddle pan. # Take the chicken breasts and lie them flat on a board. # Open them out and then cut a slit down the side to open them more into a butterfly shape (this is called butterfly cut chicken). # Serve with the Salad and enjoy.

Bacon, Tomato and Fennel Tarte Tatin

SnackServes 4 - 6

# Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C, 350°F. # Place the sugar and butter onto a shallow baking tray, roughly mix together and spread over the tray. # Add the bacon rashers, tomatoes and fennel. (Remembering that when the tarte is turned upside down the bottom will become the top!) Finish off with chopped rosemary and sprigs and drizzle with oil. # Place in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, remove and turn the oven temperature up to Gas Mark 6, 200°C, 400°F. # Roll out the pastry to fit the baking tray and loosely place on top of the bacon mixture. # Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the pastry is well risen and golden. # Remove and allow to stand for 1-2 minutes and then carefully turn out onto a serving plate. # Serve hot or cold in wedges

Trio of Lobster

Main courseServes 4

Preheat fryer to 180 C Preheat oven to 200 C *To prepare the Lobster* Stab lobsters through the back of the head and then add to boiling water for eight minutes Remove and run under cold water until cold Cut each lobster in half, directly through the back of the lobster, discarding the brain and the tract pipe. Crack the claws and arms and remove the meat – keep the claws whole Remove the tails with the meat inside the shell Once completed on all the lobster halves, flip the tails over so the red tail meat is showing *For the fish cream sauce* Peel and slice the onion, fennel bulb, garlic and celery. Cook for 5 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally so as not to colour too much. Add the wine, fish stock, brandy and star anise, reduce by half and then add the double cream. Bring to the boil, season well and drain. Divide the sauce into two pans, one third in one (Fish cream sauce) and two thirds in the other (for the Thermidor sauce) *For the Thermidor Sauce* Add the mustard to the pan with the two thirds fish cream sauce and bring to a boil. Set aside