Wandering around @somersetciderbrandy was one of the loveliest/ most inspiring Wednesday afternoons I’ve had in a long time.
This place is pure magic.
Thank you to the team for organising such a gorgeous day.
Also, I think I found myself as a dog.
The Saturday Night line up this week @briar_restaurant
1. Bread and butter
2. Pink pickled turnips
3. Cheddar gougeres
4. Coppa/ straciatella/ pickled squash on toast
5. Cured brill, blood orange and coriander
6. Smoked beetroots with horseradish cream
7. Fresh curds, radishes, mint and almonds
8. Venison carpaccio, crispy shallots and herbs
9. White beans, psb, lemon and crème fraiche
10. Grilled gurnard, carrot sauce and fennel
11. Lamb, black pepper yoghurt, asparagus and wild garlic
12. Chocolate marquise, ricotta ice cream, oats and olive oil
13. Rhubarb and pistachio Mille feuille
14. Bath blue, pickled prunes and buckwheat cracker
15. Somerset cider brandy truffle
Brought to you by myself, Alexi, Joe, Adrianna, Milo, Georgia, Lydia, Sacha and Maisie l
Next Tuesday, I’ll be cooking a dinner @thehero_w9 . It’s the first time I’ll have ever done a dinner in the big smoked so that’s v exciting! There are still some tickets available from the website of @thehero . Would be lovely to see some of you there.
As a lifelong Radio 4 kinda lad, it was a real honour to be featured this week on the @bbcfoodprog with legendary broadcaster @dillonthought as part of an episode on creativity in the context of restaurants and hospitality under pressure.
Showing Sheila around @briar_restaurant and @numberonebruton was a lovely throwback to when the view from my kitchen was the Menai Straits on Ynys Môn.
This was on the radio this morning, but it’s available now on BBC Sounds x
An extremely pleasing week off, ft. Edinburgh and Lisbon
Highlights including woodcock cooked by @bartholomewstrat
And a beautiful oddly shaped orange gallery in Cascais
My recipe newsletter I sent out today is about omelettes… I think 2026 is going to be a big year for omelettes (no further questions..)
This one is a smoked haddock/ celeriac/ Parmesan number, put together something like this;
(If you’d like to get the full version, you can sign up in my bio)
250ml whole milk 1 large fillet of high quality smoked haddock ½ a celeriac, peeled and diced 50g parmesan, finely grated 20g butter (+ extra for cooking) 20g plain flour 5 large free range eggs 1 large free range egg yolk 1 tsp dried seaweed flakes (optional)
Place the milk, diced celeriac, smoked haddock fillet and dried seaweed (if using) in a small saucepan and cover with the milk. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat, cover with a lid or a cartouche. Allow the fish to gently poach.
Remove the fish and celeriac from the pan, pick the fish into large flakes, discarding any skin and bones. Strain the milk through a sieve, retaining the diced celeriac.
In another saucepan, melt the butter and then add the plain flour. Mix with a whisk to form a smooth paste. Gradually add the poaching milk, in 2-3 batches, whisking as you go to form a smooth white sauce, add the parmesan and season to taste.
Whisk the whole eggs in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan or skillet, melt a generous knob of butter. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook slowly, until the mixture is about 3/4rds set. Add the flaked haddock, seaweed and celeriac on top.
Preheat your grill to its highest setting.
In a small bowl mix together the egg yolk with the white sauce and spoon this mixture over the top of the omlette, and place under the grill until golden and glazed.
A smoked venison sausage, split and grilled on the bbq, glazed with a quince cooking liquor. Alongside a little onion ketchup and a tasty sauce.
@briar_restaurant
