Stray Foodie Archives - The Stray Ferret

Stray Foodie: Taste of India in central Harrogate

This article is sponsored by Deliveree

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, Frances visits Cardamom Black in central Harrogate.

Having spent four consecutive years in India cooking with some of the world’s greatest chefs at sophisticated dinners for charity, I came to marvel at the joy of their cuisine.

The combination of texture, colour and warmth is unique. Personally, I tend to err away from very hot and spicy foods, having considered them in the past to kill flavour. I have been wrong. It is all about technique and I would go so far as to say there isn’t another country that produces such flavour in their food made from very little.

So it was with great pleasure that I dined at Cardamom Black in Harrogate with friends. I was at first in awe of the size of the menu! Suitable for everyman’s palate but hard to execute, but they did it.

Whether you want a quick curry after a good night out, British style or you are wanting a more academic supper, it is there for the asking. Being into the creation of Vegan and Vegetarian food at the moment I decided to go with their sensational platter of vegetables. Stuffed, fried and unique – all my party had a great time sampling these delicacies.

My friends had two chicken dishes, one mild and one hot, they were very different and once again all down to the seasoning. The preparation of the rice to accompany them was sensational. One with Lime and Coriander and one with Tamarind. Beautiful flavour. The only slight difficulty I might have had was getting all these flavours together to compliment the chosen dish. It took some degree of concentration. Having said that, the true Indian style of service was friendly and informative and made you feel at ease.

I listened to another guest on the night we were there who boasted he had tried every dish on the menu! He must have been going there for a very long time and he was a very happy man!

Like all my Indian experiences, Cardamom Black reflects colour, warmth and happiness.

Well worth a visit. All taking place in a converted Methodist Church and theatre. It certainly takes central stage in Harrogate.

Star Rating: 4. This is a place to watch!

Stray Foodie reviews are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years. Frances now runs Paradise at Daleside Nurseries.

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Stray Foodie: Harrogate Café Culture with a difference

In the Montpellier area of Harrogate there are at least six eateries, all serving to a high standard and all managing to have their own individuality. They offer a variety of interesting experiences including loaded sourdough toasties, classic brownies, jam-packed sandwiches and nutritious, delicious smoothies, cajun chicken skewers, or perhaps eggs benedict, eggs royale or eggs florentine?

Years ago I used to frequent a café in Edinburgh that served fantastic vegetarian dishes reasonably priced and became very much part of my lifestyle. It was stimulating and tasty.

With that in the back of my mind I set off to investigate Nourish Plant Kitchen on Mayfield Grove, an inspirational vegan café. I set off with great enthusiasm looking forward to a different experience. Unfortunately so did many other people which says a lot for this atmospheric neighbourhood café.

By the very name Nourish one would expect it to be a comforting, fulfilling experience, which it was, but if in a hurry not a good idea. Juices, smoothies, seeds and all things that are good for you it revealed a very tempting menu. With yoga mats and wellbeing influences adding to the atmosphere.

Yoga and wellbeing seem to be the order of the day at the moment as they are on offer at Gron Café, one of the cafés in Montpellier, in the form of a Yoga Brunch, a gentle vinyasa flow sequence with guided meditation at GoYoga followed by Juice and Brunch at Gron. Or perhaps a vegan cocktail that are also on offer.

I worked out I could have breakfast at Hoxton, elevenses across the road at the Brownie Café, Lunch at Gron and Supper at The Old Bell Inn. Aren’t the residents of Harrogate lucky? This is all in the space of a concentrated area.

Stray Foodie: Manchega Tapas Y Vinos, Ripon

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, Frances was impressed with Ripon’s Manchega Tapas Y Vinos.

A chance meeting at a local dinner we were producing resulted in catching up with a colleague I hadn’t seen for years who used to have a delightful small restaurant on Duck Hill in Ripon, of which he achieved great acclaim.

Reminded of past good times my friends and I revisited this part of the city on a dark November evening. We were looking for a tapas bar we had heard great reports of.

A small warm and vibrant frontage presented Manchega Tapas y Vinos. It was such a pleasure to come across a real, authentic Spanish Tapas Bar.

Manchega offers a warm welcome – and the exposed bricks have been signed by previous guests.

Immediately my friends and I felt the warmth of the hospitality offered as we entered. A charming young man greeted us and showed us to our comfortable table upstairs.

Surrounded by different wines, black boards of exciting authentic tapas dishes, bright coloured walls with Spanish hats and spoons on, exposed wall bricks signed by previous happy guests we ordered some great Rioja by the glass.

A vivacious lady helped us with our choices and talked us through the specials.

One of my friends declared the environment ‘just like being on holiday’, and that indeed was the happy atmosphere.

Frances was impressed with the food on offer, including the paella (pictured right).

The vegetarian sharing platter we chose was a great dish to have in the centre of the table. It included artichoke hearts, grilled peppers, sun dried tomatoes, feta, rocket, olives and bread.

Pigs cheeks, spicy sausage, calamari and gambas were many of the other dishes that kept arriving for us that evening. All the dishes were well defined with the use of quality ingredients and balanced seasoning.

A magnificent paella that tasted just as paella should usually only found in Spain took centre stage!

Having fond memories of my first small restaurant, the effort and work that goes into producing good hospitality and great food is not for the faint hearted!

This small open plan kitchen in this rustic and charming restaurant-bar is an inspiration to what a dedicated family team can achieve, especially in these difficult times.

Star rating: 4.5. Ripon is lucky to have such a joyful place!

Stray Foodie review: Lunch at West Park

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, she sampled the aged beef at West Park, but was disappointed.

I have long since admired the position of West Park, overlooking the Stray but never eaten there, so this was a treat to cheer up a good friend.

On a sunny day this is a busy, vibrant area with pavement tables reminiscent of Parisienne café culture. With much investment, what was a downtrodden pub has now produced a sophisticated hotel, with a good vibe in-keeping with the local area.

The planning and operation of this establishment is exemplary considering the difficulties the industry has with the lack of staff. The Front of House service was faultless as we sat outside on a pavement table, albeit rather noisy.

This was lunchtime and one would assume that coffees and pastries had been enjoyed prior to lunch.

The menu

Light bites, sandwiches and salads start from £9.00 for a fish butty consisting of a Black Sheep beer battered haddock, tartare sauce in a white or brown bloomer… not for the faint hearted! Or you could have an Indian spiced pulled chicken wrap with baby gem, mango chutney, cucumber and mint yoghurt, also for £9.00.

All sandwiches come with a dressed salad and chunky or skinny fries, or as an alternative there is a feta salad with roasted peppers and croutons, also for £9.00.

The light bites include haddock and leek gratin for £10.00, benedict ham, smoked salmon or spinach also £10.00, and other similar dishes.

Grandly displayed in front of a very slick floral entrance is a more sophisticated menu with a choice of seven starters, including prawns, scallops, and confit of duck varying from £8.00 to £10.00 each.

As a main, there are variations of aged British beef ranging from £24 to £70. The £70 option is sirloin on the bone for two to share. Also available for a main course is a wagu burger, fish & chips, cod fillet, chicken & ham pie, sticky belly pork or a plum tomato & burrata tart, all priced between £15.00 and £20.00.

It was surprising to me that on this extensive menu, all the vegetarian dishes contained cheese.

Frances was disappointed with the aged beef

The verdict

We ordered a Mount St John courgette and Yorkshire fettle tart with ratatouille and parsley crisps. Sadly, the pastry on this dish was the best thing about it. All there seemed to be on the base was some tomato puree. The courgette was shrivelled and in desperate need of lubrication. Ratatouille contains courgette but it didn’t make another appearance, which was surprising as usually anything from Mount St John’s garden is of the highest quality.

If one boasts the quality of the ingredient on the menu, especially when it comes to rare breed aged beef, it needs to be amazing. However, the beef took 50 minutes to arrive after ordering, and we had declined a choice of sauces on the pretext that it would be well charred and full of its own natural juices. Sadly this was not to be.

Menus need to be written taking into consideration ingredient and staffing availability. In an establishment of this quality in these changing times, a humble plate of fresh, well executed food is much preferable to an overly ambitious menu that needs a lot of advanced preparation.

Stray Foodie review: DOMO Japanese Cuisine

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, she was impressed with Harrogate’s DOMO Japanese Cuisine.

A good friend of mine whose culinary expertise I have great respect for told me I should visit Domo Japanese Cuisine on Montpellier Walk here in Harrogate. He had a fabulous takeaway as a birthday treat at home, so intrigued, I made my way to Domo. Domo is on the site of what was Lord’s Restaurant, which then became Van Zellers Restaurant. Tom having a terrific reputation as a chef and was lorded by the eminent food critic Marina O’Loughlin. Much has changed since then, as one would expect, and the style is now dark, atmospheric and simple. It makes a nice change from so many overgilded establishments.

This is an authentic Japanese restaurant and before the pandemic Japanese style of food was very in vogue amongst the great chefs of our country. As all chefs tend to do to cement their own style and identity, they play with styles and tastes. With the very warm weather that we have had recently, there were two little tables and chairs outside, one of which my young man and I took watching the world go by. Interestingly enough we watched Fisk, the fish restaurant opposite, fill quickly and easily.

It was a warm summer lunchtime as we studied the menu and on offer was a Bento Box. The choices of chicken, salmon, spicy BBQ beef or sushi, all served with a miso soup came in the form of a Bento Box.

The spicy beef bento box

There was of course an extensive menu with the style of dishes you would expect.

My young man chose the spicy beef bento box at £9.50 and myself the spicy tuna with sesame and ponzu with a bowl of rice at £14.00. The charming lady taking my order explained to me that the tuna would be rare – and I would have been disappointed had it not been so! The arrival of this dish was beautifully presented and the flavours were sensational. It reminded me of a dish that I experienced in a Michelin Starred restaurant that was beautifully crafted – but it didn’t have the wow factor I was experienced Domo. This was a lovely dish and if this is an indication of all the other dishes on offer, Harrogate is a very lucky place!

Frances’ spicy tuna with sesame and ponzu, with a bowl of rice

While on the subject of how food should be cooked, often the opinion of the chef seems to differ from the opinion of the guest. As we always ask guests how they would like their red meat cooked, perhaps we should do the same with fish?

My young man’s Bento Box came with the miso in a lovely little bowl and was once again so refreshing and stimulating to the palate. The actual box contained tofu, rice, sushi, BBQ beef and a little salad. At £9.50 for the complete meal, it was excellent value.

We were left feeling that we had a healthy and satisfying lunch and look forward to revisiting.

Stray Foodie recipes: Pappardelle Pasta with herbs

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years. This week, Frances shares her pasta recipe.

“I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.”

A few days to go before hospitality can return to their INSIDE venues and their various creative enterprises. How exciting! Unfortunately due to the pandemic this will be the ‘survival of the fittest’ all jockeying for position. I for one am looking forward to visiting the plethora of local establishments opening up fully and supporting restaurants again.

This week’s recipe is my last for a while as I will be busy enjoying other people’s food as well as producing my own! It’s for a simple Pappardelle Pasta with handfuls of these wonderful herbs that I am surrounded by, chickpea, artichoke puree and pesto.

Once again it is the sort of recipe you can use your own interpretation of – such as, if you don’t like artichoke you can use tomato with spicy sausage and parmesan shavings.

With the flavour of these herbs, this dish is sensational. I have used meadowsweet, chives, pine buds, pea shoots, all the good things that are in the garden at the moment.

The pesto is made with lovage but you can decide which herb you would like to use for your pesto. This dish is all about seasonal inspiration and that is what is going to be so exciting in the weeks to come when we can try out all the new dishes from our local chefs, both simple and sophisticated.

For the Pasta, you will need:

200g Pasta Flour
150g Egg Yolk
25g Olive Oil

Mix together in your processor.

Knead well and rest for an hour.

Roll out thinly or put through your pasta machine.

Cut into half an inch strips.

Plunge into boiling, salted water for 4 minutes until transparent. It is important the pasta still has a bite to it and is not overcooked.

Drain off the water and let stand for a couple of seconds.

Mix in the pesto and scatter your selection of fresh herbs over the top. The heat from the pasta should stimulate the flavour of the herbs.

Add the cooked chickpeas, artichoke puree and any other flavours you might wish to use.

For the Artichoke Puree, you will need:

6 Root Artichokes
50g Butter
Nutmeg
1 teaspoon of Cream

Wash and peel the artichokes, this is sometimes a little tricky due to the knobbly surface but persevere.

Cover with boiling water and a little knob of butter until well cooked.

Drain well and put through your blender with a little grated nutmeg and a teaspoon of cream.

Season to taste.

This puree is a great natural flavour enhancer for other dishes, such as fish, chicken or vegetables.

This is Frances’ last recipe for the time being — she is to return to monthly restaurant reviewing for the Stray Ferret now that indoor dining has returned. Will she be visiting your favourite restaurant? Make sure to watch out for the next Stray Foodie in a month’s time.

Stray Foodie: Chicken & Oregano Patties with Mozzarella, Asparagus & Broad Beans

“I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.”

At this time of year when our weather seems to be cooler than expected, I am always delighted to see the resilience of oregano and experience the delight of this flavoursome herb.

Oregano is a flowering mountain herb related to marjoram, sometimes referred to as wild marjoram. It is a perennial and seems to be fairly resistant to our climate even though it has Mediterranean origins. Like most herbs, its flavour is in the leaf and can sometimes be more powerful dried than when used from fresh. It has warm, aromatic and sensual flavours and its leaves are just stunning when put through mixed salads. I love this herb and grow it in abundance.

This recipe is for Chicken and Oregano Patties. Once again this recipe can be built on and extended to suit your individual requirements.

For 4 Starter Size Portions, you will need:

4 Chicken Thighs
50g Smoked Ham or Parma Ham
1 Onion or 4 finely chopped Spring Onions
Zest of 1 Lemon
4 Tinned Anchovy Fillets
20g Brown Breadcrumbs
A Handful of Chopped Oregano, approx.. 10g
1 Egg
Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon of finest Olive Oil
½ Pint Chicken Stock
Tablespoon of Flour
To Garnish: Sliced Mozzarella, Asparagus and Broad Beans and plenty of fresh Oregano.

Frances’ chicken and oregano patties

Method:

Bone out the chicken thighs and mince (or very finely chop) the chicken, ham, anchovy fillet, breadcrumbs, onion.

Mix well and add the lemon zest, pepper and the herbs.

Separate the egg, whisk the egg white until stiff, mix the yolk into the chicken mixture and lastly add the whipped egg white. The whipped egg white ensures that the patties are light and soft when cooked.

With a little flour, shape into small, round patties.

Put the olive oil in a small roasting pan, heat through and place the patties in the roasting pan. Give them a good shake so they don’t stick!

Put them in the oven on 180c – 200c, dependant on oven variation, for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, take out the chicken patties and keep warm.

Place ½ pint of chicken stock in the still warm pan. Reduce by half with a squeeze of lemon juice and pour over the Chicken Patties.

Serve with sliced Mozzarella, Broad Beans, fresh Asparagus and Lemon Zest.

Stray Foodie recipe: Spring Vegetable & Herb Delice

“I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.”

Since outside hospitality has been allowed, Harrogate has got back it’s great vibe!

There are so many small hospitality businesses popping up, exciting delis with pavement seating springing up everywhere. On a grander scale, astro turf is making an appearance as never before.

Don’t forget with the amenities that are locally offered, takeaways are also still a safe option to be enjoyed within your bubble in this lovely weather. It has been a saving grace giving hospitality a kick start back in to life again and I think we are all looking forward to 17 May when we can safely enjoy what we do so well locally, with all our super hostelries and eat indoors.

For the moment outside dining can be enjoyed by us all, and in warmer climates lighter food is favourite. This week’s recipe is a Spring Vegetable and Herb Delice. I like to think all my recipes are versatile and this dish is great to go with a BBQ when entertaining. You essentially make the base cake and pile it high with vegetables with a little chilli aioli to finish off. It suffices as an accompaniment or a dish in its own right.

Spring Vegetable & Herb Delice

Frances’ spring vegetable and herb delice

You will need:

1 x Medium size Hispi, pointed cabbage
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
120g Sourdough Crumb
15g Parsley
10g Tarragon
500g Philadelphia Cheese or Goats Curd
1 x Egg
A Pinch of Chilli Powder (optional)
A Grating of Nutmeg

Method:

Cut the cabbage into 4 and season and oil it.

Place in the oven at 200c for 20 minutes. The cabbage should be crunchy.

Remove the outer burnt leaves and chop the centre of the cabbage finely.

Add the goats curd or cheese.

In your food blender whizz your green crumb with your parsley and tarragon (or any other fresh herb you have to hand).

Add the egg to the cabbage mixture, and season with the chilli powder and nutmeg.

Place in a silicone lined cake mould, approx. 120cm.

Place in the oven for 25 minutes at 160c.

Remove from oven and top the cake with fresh vegetables, herbs.

Pipe on chilli aioli, mayonnaise or spiced yoghurt.

Stray Foodie recipe: Mushroom Tart with Lovage

There used to be a time where, when dining in expensive and elegant restaurants, the waiter would provide you with a stool to sit your grand handbag on! In certain circles it was, of course, most important that the handbag was an exclusive design. With times changing and with outside dining only at present, restaurants are using every inch of fresh air space that they have. When all the excitement has died down will your designer rug replace the handbag stool?

These are exciting times in the hospitality industry, apart from restaurateurs fighting for survival and needing all the support they can get, and Café culture is developing in all shapes and sizes. I am so looking forward to sampling some of these imaginative venues and I am sure great seasonal offerings will blossom out of this.

Seasonal Lovage

Fresh asparagus is now beginning to appear alongside the first shoots of lovage. Lovage is such a valuable addition to the garden: it is a fiercely strong perennial whether wild or cultivated, and when in flower, its seeds make a great garnish. Its leaves are a terrific flavour and its roots braised in a cream sauce make a fabulous accompaniment. It is a very English plant with great historic culinary interest. Beware a little goes a long way!

For a warming and delicious dish to eat late at night after the pub, try an asparagus and lovage soup, followed by a delicious mushroom tart. Make the soup using just the stalks, and keep the tips to garnish the tart along with bacon or salad.

Morel Mushrooms

For the Mushroom Tart you will need:

33g Unsalted Butter
68g Shallots, finely chopped
150g Flat Mushrooms – gills removed and peeled
50g Dried Morel Mushrooms (Reconstituted in a little Brandy!)
100ml Whipping Cream
5 Egg Yolks

Method:

In a small saucepan melt the butter and soften the shallots until translucent over a medium heat.

Slice the flat mushrooms and add them with the morel mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 – 7 minutes until the pan is almost dry.

Add the cream to the pan and reduce the volume by ¼ over a medium heat.

Allow to cool slightly.

Add 18ml of the juice from the dried mushrooms and the 5 egg yolks and blend until smooth.

Place the mixture into your pastry case and bake in the oven for 5 -7 minutes until set at 150c.

Frances’ mushroom tart

These can be made in advance and heated through, making them very versatile with whatever you serve with it at that time of night!

Stray Foodie recipe: watercress is a hard act to follow

This common Brassica I always feel is somewhat overlooked, yet it has amazing health benefits and is packed with nutrients. It is high is antioxidants and its taste outshines lettuce when used as a salad base.

We love to use watercress as a great base or accompaniment for many of our dishes, especially this time of year when spring is in the air but the temperature is still a little contrary!

We have a great fondness for wild watercress which is super healthy and can be found by streams and water edges with slow flowing water. Always check that it is wild watercress and wash thoroughly!

This week’s recipe is for a watercress mousse. Not only is this a delicious way of serving this great leaf, it also lends itself to many green additives: as you will see in the photograph, we have put it with artichoke, spring onions, asparagus and added a little pickled dragon fruit for interest! It sits in a chilled watercress soup/ sauce. This list of things you can build on with this dish makes it both very versatile and very healthy.

Watercress Mousse

To serve 4 small starter portions you will need:

100g Watercress
50g White Wine Vinegar or White Wine
50g Water
60g Philadelphia Cream Cheese Light
3g Salt
½ Teaspoon Mustard Powder
40g Mayonnaise
2 Softened Leaves of Gelatine or Agar

Method:

Wizz the watercress with the white wine and water liquid in your food processor.

Fold in the light cream cheese.

Add the salt and mustard powder and then the mayonnaise.

Soften 2 leaves of gelatine, add them to your mixture.

Leave to set in your round moulds.

Watercress Soup / Sauce

You will need:

1 Shallot
60g Celeriac
100g Watercress
½ Pint Water / White Wine
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Pinch Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Natural Yoghurt

Method:

Sweat off the shallot and celeriac in the olive oil and cool.

When soft, blitz with the watercress.

Add a pinch of nutmeg.

Add the liquid and yoghurt.

Correct the seasoning and chill.

This is served cold and is simply delicious with the mousse that sits in the centre of the bowl.

Read more

Star Rating: 4. This is a place to watch!

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Star rating: 4.5. Ripon is lucky to have such a joyful place!

The menu

Read More:

The verdict

Read More:

For the Pasta, you will need:

For the Artichoke Puree, you will need:

Read More:

For 4 Starter Size Portions, you will need:

Method:

Read More:

Spring Vegetable & Herb Delice

For the Mushroom Tart you will need:

Method:

Read More:

Watercress Mousse

To serve 4 small starter portions you will need:

Method:

Watercress Soup / Sauce

You will need:

Method:

Read More: