Lockdown recipes by Jordan Clark of Pennygate Lodge, Isle of Mull

Pea & ham soup

Ingredients

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 stick of celery, roughly chopped

1 leek, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

300g of peas

30g mint, finely sliced

2 slices of smoked bacon

3 sprigs of mizuna

300ml of ham stock

25ml vegetable oil

Method

1 Start off by sweating all your vegetables in a large pot on a medium heat with no colour until the vegetables are starting to soften.

2 Add your stock and bring to the boil, after five minutes add your peas and allow to cook for 3 minutes.

3 Add your mint to the pot, pour your soup into a blender and blend for five minutes until completely smooth.

4 Pass through a sieve and place in the fridge as quick as possible to keep the vibrant colour.

5 Place your bacon on a tray and under a grill until it’s crispy, remove and finally chop.

6 To serve, either heat up your soup or leave it chilled. Place into a bowl and top with your bacon, fresh peas and mizuna leaves.

Isle of Mull crab – tomato consommé

Ingredients

100g crab meat

50g mayonnaise

20g chives finely chopped

1 lemon, zest of

8 ripe tomatoes

10g sugar

10g salt

3 heritage tomatoes

200g fresh basil

200ml vegetable oil

Method

1 Mix your crab, mayonnaise, chives and lemon together and taste for seasoning. Place in the fridge to firm up.

2 In a bowl, place your 8 ripe tomatoes with sugar and salt and allow to marinate for 20 minutes. After they have marinated place in a blender and blend on full power. Now place in a sieve lined with a j cloth and allow the liquid to drop through the sieve (it should be completely clear). Once all the liquid has been drained. Place immediately in the fridge.

3 Bring a small saucepan to the boil and blanch the basil leaves for one minute, immediately cool down in ice and drain. Place the basil leaves and oil in a blender and blend on full power. Sieve and place in a sauce bottle.

4 Slice and quarter your heritage tomatoes and dress with salt and basil oil.

5 To serve, place a spoonful of crab in the middle of the plate, then surround with your tomatoes and some herbs. Pour your consommé in a jug with some basil oil, then pour some on to your plate at the last minute.

Lobster Thermidor

Ingredients

1 large lobster

1 large onion, finely diced

1 fennel, finely diced

1 tsp thyme, chopped

1 tbsp of tomato purée

1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

150ml of white wine

150ml of brandy

500ml of lobster stock, can use good quality bisque

250ml of double cream

100g of Isle of Mull cheddar

1 tbsp of tarragon, finely chopped

1 knob of butter

5 dashes of Tabasco

10g of fennel tops

2 nasturtium leaves

Method

1 To cook the lobster, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add enough salt to taste like sea water and half the amount of sugar.

2 Drop the lobsters into the water for 3 minutes, remove and plunge directly into heavily iced water. Leave the lobsters to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the water

3 Break down the lobster by removing the claws and dissecting the body. Remove the tail meat, entrails and sinew. Rinse the head and tail and use scissors to trim the tail and head to smooth edges, repeat for all lobsters

4 Once you've prepared all the lobster and the shells, use the left body and claw meat to place in the right-side shells and vice versa. This is for presentation purposes.

5 Use the back of a large chef’s knife and kitchen scissors to crack and remove the meat from both the claws and the knuckles. Place the knuckle and claw into the head cavity. The preparation of the lobster can be done in advance and refrigerated until required

6 Start the thermidor by heating a small amount of butter in a large saucepan. Sweat the onion and fennel on a low to medium heat until soft with no colour. Add tomato puree and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

7 Next, add the mustard and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring to incorporate all the other ingredients in the pan. Add the brandy and reduce by half. Pour in the wine and bring to boil.

8 Lastly, add lobster stock and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid slightly thickens. Add the cream and allow to come to the boil while stirring in the grated cheese. Add 5 dashes of Tabasco or more to taste, remove from heat, stir in tarragon and leave to cool.

9 Place the lobster meat into the shell and pour over enough sauce to cover it, grate over some cheese and place under a grill for around 5 minutes until the lobster is piping hot and the cheese has caramelised.

10 Allow to cool slightly and serve with some fresh herbs.

• Pennygate Lodge, Craignure, Isle of Mull

For details go to pennygatelodge.scot or call 01680 812333.

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