WE have an incredible selection of ingredients available on our doorstep here in Scotland. I think the best thing to do is showcase them in simple, delicious dishes instead of hiding or masking flavours. When you have produce this good, less is more. You don’t need foams or emulsions or serving gimmicks. We want the ingredients to be the star of the show. Our job is simply to help them shine. I have always lived locally to Carnoustie and throughout my career as a chef, simplicity and provenance has always been my key focus.
Carnoustie is now a destination for incredible food as well as world famous golf. With stunning views across the course to the sea, The Rookery showcases the best produce Scotland has to offer. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant offers a comfortable and relaxing eating space with great service and a sweeping outlook over the iconic Links.
I take great pride in sourcing our ingredients locally from trusted suppliers. They are chosen with great care to help us produce our seasonal menus based on the finest ingredients our country has to offer. From the fresh summer fruits of Fife and Angus, to local Aberdeen Angus beef, we are proud to offer a true taste of Scotland as it should be, creating dishes that are inventive, beautifully presented and, above all, delicious. We marry classic cooking techniques with the very best of local produce.
Fife may well be best known as the home of golf at St Andrews, but the picturesque fishing villages of East Neuk are a thing of beauty and home to some of the best seafood Scotland has to offer. It should come as no surprise that the key ingredient for our chowder is haddock, fresh from East Neuk.
The stars of the show this month for me are East Neuk haddock, Carnoustie Farm Shop Maris Piper potatoes and North Street Dairy butter. This dish is simple, but the delightful East Neuk Chowder is sure to become a firm family favourite once you’ve tried it! Make the most of the ingredients we have to offer in Scotland and utilise your local suppliers at markets or farm shops to find out what’s in season.
This is a recipe that doesn’t require intricate preparation and can easily feed the entire family. What’s also great about this dish is it can be served as a starter before a main meal, or served as a main meal itself, the choice is up to you. It’s simple, local, honest, full of flavour and worthy of any plate. If you fancy adding a side dish, I would recommend serving it with either fresh croutons or cheddar toast.
For more information on The Rookery, visit the website www.therookerycarnoustie.com. Keep up to date with everything going on our social media pages @The Rookery on Facebook, follow @TheRookery on Twitter or @therookerycarnoustie on Instagram.
East Neuk Chowder
Ingredients: Servs 4
100g East Neuk smoked haddock
15g North Street Dairy butter
100g Carnoustie Farm Shop Maris Piper potatoes
10g plain flour
100g leeks
100g white onion
100g celery
200ml full fat milk
2g parsley
Method
Firstly, the haddock needs prepared.
Begin by dicing the tail of the haddock into small cubes, while keeping the spine of the fish for the liquor.
The remaining top end of the haddock can be set aside. The potatoes, onions, leeks and celery must all be washed and diced too.
Using a saucepan, add the milk.
Do not bring it to the boil, only to a simmer.
Add the spine of the haddock and any remaining trimmings and leave to simmer.
Next to make the roux, melt the butter by placing it in a heavy saucepan over a low heat. Melt gently.
Add the flour to the saucepan and cook for 3-5 minutes without colouring.
Cooking this for too long or at too high a heat can spoil the dish so be careful to keep at a low heat and stick to the recommended time.
Slowly add the milk to the saucepan, whisking it well as you go until you are left with the consistency of a thick sauce.
At this stage, it’s time to add the vegetables.
Add the diced onions, potatoes and celery to the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender.
Fold in the diced leeks and haddock and allow to simmer for two minutes.
Add the parsley to round off the dish before serving.
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