mitchell
Crash Test Dummy
Electronic Telegraph ISSUE 2169 Thursday 3 May 2001
Little Italy
Lucy Bannell meets Stephen Terry, the new
chef-proprietor at the legendary Walnut Tree near
Abergavenny. In the first of a four-part series he
proposes delicious antipasti
STEPHEN TERRY made his name as one of the most exciting modern chefs
in London, a Michelin star-winning protégé of Marco Pierre White who
favoured strikingly unusual combinations of tastes and flavours. A typical
menu of his at Coast, the restaurant off Piccadilly where he made his name,
might include smoked eel with caramelised pineapple, or seared loin of
yellowfin tuna with spiced peanut butter. [OG Note: Ugh! Did she write that with a straight face? Never mind, there are edible recipes further down.]
For this reason Terry is perhaps one of the last chefs one would expect to
find cooking classic Italian dishes deep in the Welsh countryside. But,
despite its unlikely location, the Walnut Tree Inn, in Llandewi Skirrid, near
Abergavenny, is a gastronomic institution. Under the stewardship of Franco
Taruschio, its legendary chef-patron who arrived at the restaurant in 1963, it
brought panettone and risotto to Wales at a time when few in Britain could
pronounce the words, let alone recognise the dishes.
Last year, at 62, Taruschio decided to retire, and the Walnut Tree was
bought by Terry, Francesco Mattioli and Chris Corbin, one of the
restaurateurs who restored the Ivy to its position as the most fashionable
restaurant in London. Terry is thrilled to find himself in Wales after 15 years
in the capital. 'I live in a little cottage 50 yards from the Walnut Tree. I leave
it in the morning, look over the Skirrid mountains behind, and think, "Thank
God, I'm so lucky."
'My food here will be a lot more honest than it could be London. A lot of
restaurant food today is what I call selfish cooking. A chef creates a dish and
pats himself on the back about how beautiful it is. Five years ago I would
have done much more with a plate of food than I do now. As I've matured I
have started trusting my knowledge more. Now I want to serve simple,
un-ponced-about-with food.'
Terry will keep many of the dishes that made the Walnut Tree famous, such
as the home-cured bresaola, but says, 'I'm always developing and adapting -
a cook can't stand still.'
Baked crab tart with radish and cucumber salad (serves six) [Remember that spoon sizes are about one-third bigger in UK measures]
The crunchy and refreshing salad complements the richness of the tart very
pleasantly. You will need a 25cm (10in) tart case.
For the pastry
100g (4oz) plain [all-purpose] flour
125g (5oz) wholemeal [wholewheat] flour
125g (5oz) unsalted butter
1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten
For the filling
2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks
600ml (1pt) double [heaby whipping] cream
225g ( z) sieved brown crab meat [use what crabmeat you have]
100g (4oz) white crab meat
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
1 pinch dried fennel
1 pinch dried chilli flakes
For the salad
Maldon sea salt
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
50g (2oz) rocket [arugula] leaves [so use what greens you have]
10 radishes, finely sliced
olive oil
lemon juice
crème fraîche [bugger it, I'd use a bit of the heavy cream or even ranch]
Heat the oven to 190C/380F/gas mark 5. Combine the flours in a bowl and
rub together with the butter and a pinch of salt until it resembles fine
breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, pour in the beaten eggs and mix
until well combined. If it's a bit too dry add a splash of milk or water. Do not
overwork or the pastry will be a bit tough. Let the pastry rest for an hour in
the fridge, then roll it out to a 3mm (1/4in) thickness and line the tart case
with it. Prick the base all over with a fork, leave it to rest again for half an
hour in the fridge, then bake blind in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from
the oven and leave aside until completely cool. [They HAVE to be joking. I don't have this kind of time. Buy a frozen pie crust.]
Whisk the eggs and cream together, stir in all the other filling ingredients,
season to taste, and pour into the tart case. Bake in a 180C/350F/gas mark
4 oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the mixture is just set. Remove
the tart from the oven and put to one side.
Sprinkle some sea salt over the sliced cucumber. Leave for half an hour, then
pat it dry and toss with the rocket leaves and radish. Dress the salad with
olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice, and season with salt and
pepper. Put a small handful of salad and a slice of warm tart on each plate,
and serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche.
Crispy braised pork belly with capers and fennel (serves eight, or a
greedy six)
The acidity of the lemon and capers cuts through any residual fat in the pork.
For the pork belly
11/2kg (3lb 5oz) pork belly
3 litres (51/4pt) chicken or vegetable stock
2 large carrots, peeled
1 large onion, peeled and halved
4 sticks of celery
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
15 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
15g (1/2oz) plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
50g (2oz) dried breadcrumbs
good vegetable oil for deep frying, or olive oil for shallow frying
25g (1oz) extra fine capers
For the salad
1 small bulb fennel, very finely sliced
100g (4oz) rocket leaves
For the dressing
juice of 1 lemon
100ml (31/2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
Cover the pork belly with stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to
a simmer, skim off any impurities and add the vegetables and seasonings.
Cook for two and a half to three hours or until the rib bones can be pulled
out of the belly. Allow the meat to cool to room temperature in the stock.
Taking great care, remove the bones, the cartilage and the excess fat from
the top of the belly. Cut the meat into six to eight equal slices approximately
3x15cm (11/2x6in). Pass each slice through the flour, then the egg and finally
the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Place the fennel into ice-cold water for five minutes to crisp it up, then drain
and toss with the rocket. Dress with the lemon juice and olive oil, and place
on a cold serving plate. Deep- or shallow-fry the pork belly until golden
brown, ensuring each portion is hot in the centre. (If shallow frying, ensure
the belly is cooked evenly on all sides.) Remove the meat from the pan and
drain the excess oil. Cut each portion into three or four long slices and place
on the fennel salad.
Season, add a little more lemon juice, and sprinkle with the capers.
Carpaccio of monkfish with marinated grilled aubergines [eggplants] (serves six)
This dish is visually stunning with the pearly white fish and purple aubergine.
The fish is uncooked but 'pickled' in the lemon juice and marinade.
300g (101/2oz) monkfish tail, cleaned and trimmed
2 large Italian pale aubergines (or normal black ones will do)
crushed rock salt
a little olive oil
the juice of 1 lemon
10g (1/2oz) flat parsley, finely chopped
For the marinade
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
10 leaves of mint, finely sliced
50ml (2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
25g (1oz) sea salt
25g (1oz) freshly ground black pepper
Wrap the monkfish in clingfilm and place in a freezer until firm, but not
frozen. This will make it easier to slice very finely.
Cut the aubergine into slices about 3mm (1/4in) thick. Place the slices on a
tray, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for an hour, then pat dry with a cloth.
Heat a ridged grill pan or non-stick frying-pan over a medium heat. Brush
each aubergine slice with a little olive oil and grill for about a minute on each
side, making sure they are marked on both sides.
Mix all the marinade ingredients, then place the aubergine slices into the
marinade while they cool down, to absorb all the flavours. When cool, drain
the aubergine slices of any excess olive oil - retaining the marinade in a bowl
- and use them to completely cover the base of each plate, ensuring they do
not overlap.
Finely slice the monkfish - preferably with an electric slicer, or by hand with
a sharp knife - and lay the slices over the aubergine so as to completely
cover it. Again, do not overlap the slices. Season, add the lemon juice, a little
of the remaining marinade and the parsley.
Stephen Terry is chef-proprietor at the Walnut Tree Inn, Llandewi Skirrid,
near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8AW (01873 852797).
Little Italy
Lucy Bannell meets Stephen Terry, the new
chef-proprietor at the legendary Walnut Tree near
Abergavenny. In the first of a four-part series he
proposes delicious antipasti
STEPHEN TERRY made his name as one of the most exciting modern chefs
in London, a Michelin star-winning protégé of Marco Pierre White who
favoured strikingly unusual combinations of tastes and flavours. A typical
menu of his at Coast, the restaurant off Piccadilly where he made his name,
might include smoked eel with caramelised pineapple, or seared loin of
yellowfin tuna with spiced peanut butter. [OG Note: Ugh! Did she write that with a straight face? Never mind, there are edible recipes further down.]
For this reason Terry is perhaps one of the last chefs one would expect to
find cooking classic Italian dishes deep in the Welsh countryside. But,
despite its unlikely location, the Walnut Tree Inn, in Llandewi Skirrid, near
Abergavenny, is a gastronomic institution. Under the stewardship of Franco
Taruschio, its legendary chef-patron who arrived at the restaurant in 1963, it
brought panettone and risotto to Wales at a time when few in Britain could
pronounce the words, let alone recognise the dishes.
Last year, at 62, Taruschio decided to retire, and the Walnut Tree was
bought by Terry, Francesco Mattioli and Chris Corbin, one of the
restaurateurs who restored the Ivy to its position as the most fashionable
restaurant in London. Terry is thrilled to find himself in Wales after 15 years
in the capital. 'I live in a little cottage 50 yards from the Walnut Tree. I leave
it in the morning, look over the Skirrid mountains behind, and think, "Thank
God, I'm so lucky."
'My food here will be a lot more honest than it could be London. A lot of
restaurant food today is what I call selfish cooking. A chef creates a dish and
pats himself on the back about how beautiful it is. Five years ago I would
have done much more with a plate of food than I do now. As I've matured I
have started trusting my knowledge more. Now I want to serve simple,
un-ponced-about-with food.'
Terry will keep many of the dishes that made the Walnut Tree famous, such
as the home-cured bresaola, but says, 'I'm always developing and adapting -
a cook can't stand still.'
Baked crab tart with radish and cucumber salad (serves six) [Remember that spoon sizes are about one-third bigger in UK measures]
The crunchy and refreshing salad complements the richness of the tart very
pleasantly. You will need a 25cm (10in) tart case.
For the pastry
100g (4oz) plain [all-purpose] flour
125g (5oz) wholemeal [wholewheat] flour
125g (5oz) unsalted butter
1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten
For the filling
2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks
600ml (1pt) double [heaby whipping] cream
225g ( z) sieved brown crab meat [use what crabmeat you have]
100g (4oz) white crab meat
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
1 pinch dried fennel
1 pinch dried chilli flakes
For the salad
Maldon sea salt
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
50g (2oz) rocket [arugula] leaves [so use what greens you have]
10 radishes, finely sliced
olive oil
lemon juice
crème fraîche [bugger it, I'd use a bit of the heavy cream or even ranch]
Heat the oven to 190C/380F/gas mark 5. Combine the flours in a bowl and
rub together with the butter and a pinch of salt until it resembles fine
breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, pour in the beaten eggs and mix
until well combined. If it's a bit too dry add a splash of milk or water. Do not
overwork or the pastry will be a bit tough. Let the pastry rest for an hour in
the fridge, then roll it out to a 3mm (1/4in) thickness and line the tart case
with it. Prick the base all over with a fork, leave it to rest again for half an
hour in the fridge, then bake blind in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from
the oven and leave aside until completely cool. [They HAVE to be joking. I don't have this kind of time. Buy a frozen pie crust.]
Whisk the eggs and cream together, stir in all the other filling ingredients,
season to taste, and pour into the tart case. Bake in a 180C/350F/gas mark
4 oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the mixture is just set. Remove
the tart from the oven and put to one side.
Sprinkle some sea salt over the sliced cucumber. Leave for half an hour, then
pat it dry and toss with the rocket leaves and radish. Dress the salad with
olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon juice, and season with salt and
pepper. Put a small handful of salad and a slice of warm tart on each plate,
and serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche.
Crispy braised pork belly with capers and fennel (serves eight, or a
greedy six)
The acidity of the lemon and capers cuts through any residual fat in the pork.
For the pork belly
11/2kg (3lb 5oz) pork belly
3 litres (51/4pt) chicken or vegetable stock
2 large carrots, peeled
1 large onion, peeled and halved
4 sticks of celery
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
15 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
15g (1/2oz) plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
50g (2oz) dried breadcrumbs
good vegetable oil for deep frying, or olive oil for shallow frying
25g (1oz) extra fine capers
For the salad
1 small bulb fennel, very finely sliced
100g (4oz) rocket leaves
For the dressing
juice of 1 lemon
100ml (31/2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
Cover the pork belly with stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to
a simmer, skim off any impurities and add the vegetables and seasonings.
Cook for two and a half to three hours or until the rib bones can be pulled
out of the belly. Allow the meat to cool to room temperature in the stock.
Taking great care, remove the bones, the cartilage and the excess fat from
the top of the belly. Cut the meat into six to eight equal slices approximately
3x15cm (11/2x6in). Pass each slice through the flour, then the egg and finally
the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Place the fennel into ice-cold water for five minutes to crisp it up, then drain
and toss with the rocket. Dress with the lemon juice and olive oil, and place
on a cold serving plate. Deep- or shallow-fry the pork belly until golden
brown, ensuring each portion is hot in the centre. (If shallow frying, ensure
the belly is cooked evenly on all sides.) Remove the meat from the pan and
drain the excess oil. Cut each portion into three or four long slices and place
on the fennel salad.
Season, add a little more lemon juice, and sprinkle with the capers.
Carpaccio of monkfish with marinated grilled aubergines [eggplants] (serves six)
This dish is visually stunning with the pearly white fish and purple aubergine.
The fish is uncooked but 'pickled' in the lemon juice and marinade.
300g (101/2oz) monkfish tail, cleaned and trimmed
2 large Italian pale aubergines (or normal black ones will do)
crushed rock salt
a little olive oil
the juice of 1 lemon
10g (1/2oz) flat parsley, finely chopped
For the marinade
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
10 leaves of mint, finely sliced
50ml (2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
25g (1oz) sea salt
25g (1oz) freshly ground black pepper
Wrap the monkfish in clingfilm and place in a freezer until firm, but not
frozen. This will make it easier to slice very finely.
Cut the aubergine into slices about 3mm (1/4in) thick. Place the slices on a
tray, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for an hour, then pat dry with a cloth.
Heat a ridged grill pan or non-stick frying-pan over a medium heat. Brush
each aubergine slice with a little olive oil and grill for about a minute on each
side, making sure they are marked on both sides.
Mix all the marinade ingredients, then place the aubergine slices into the
marinade while they cool down, to absorb all the flavours. When cool, drain
the aubergine slices of any excess olive oil - retaining the marinade in a bowl
- and use them to completely cover the base of each plate, ensuring they do
not overlap.
Finely slice the monkfish - preferably with an electric slicer, or by hand with
a sharp knife - and lay the slices over the aubergine so as to completely
cover it. Again, do not overlap the slices. Season, add the lemon juice, a little
of the remaining marinade and the parsley.
Stephen Terry is chef-proprietor at the Walnut Tree Inn, Llandewi Skirrid,
near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8AW (01873 852797).