Rowley Leigh: A Life Through Food
Rowley Leigh, 'godfather' of modern British cooking tells his food story to Dan Saladino. Along the way he cooks the perfect omelette and shares the secrets of cooking great pasta.
Rowley Leigh, to many the "godfather" of modern British cooking tells his story to Dan Saladino. Along the way he cooks the perfect omelette and shares the secrets of great pasta.
After dropping out of university at the end of the 1960s, Rowley Leigh says he was a young and lost soul. Desperate for cash he applied for a job cooking burgers and immediately fell in love with restaurants and kitchens.
It took him to Le Gavroche and an apprenticeship under the Roux brothers. Armed with that classical training and a curiosity for British ingredients and flavours he helped launch the British food renaissance of the 1980s. In Kensington Place he created one of the most talked about dining rooms in British restaurant history.
He is also a writer and so he takes Dan Saladino through some of the recipe highlights of his two decades worth of columns at The Financial Times.
Expect the perfect omelette, some great spaghetti and one of the simplest vegetable dishes you could probably add to your own repertoire.
Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
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OMLETTE FINES HERBES
At听 Le听 Cafe听 Anglais听 we听 used听 heavy听 iron听 frying听 pans,听 which听 were听 never听 washed听 but听 polished听 with听 salt听 and听 stored听 with听 a听 thin听 filmof听 oil.听 At听 home听 I听 resort听 to听 a听 small听 non-stick听 frying听 pan.听 One听 tip:听 although听 an听 omelette听 does听 indeed听 cook听 incredibly听 quickly,听 many听 people听 panic听 and听 try听 to听 shake听 it听 and听 turn听 it听 too听 soon.听 All听 this听 activity听 can听 stop听 the听 omelette听 from听 cooking.听 Itis听 also听 worth听 knowing听 that听 it听 will听 not听 colour听 in听 the听 early听 stages听 and听 it听 is听 only听 towards听 the听 end听 that听 it听 is听 important听 to听 turn听 and听 agitate听 the听 omelette.
Serves听 four听 for听 a听 main听 and听 six听 for听 a听 starter.
Ingredients:
- a听 few听 sprigs听 of听 parsley,听 chervil,听 tarragon听 and听 chives
- 3听 fresh听 eggs
- oil,听 for听 cooking听 10g听 (1/4oz)听
- butter
- salt听 and听 black听 pepper
听
Method:
Pick听 and听 wash听 the听 parsley听 leaves听 and听 then听 chop听 all听 the听 herbs:听 the听 parsley听 and听 the听 chives听 should听 be听 chopped听 quite听 finely,听 while听 the听 chervil听 and听 tarragon听 should听 be听 roughly听 chopped听 so as not to听 bruise听 them听 or听 damage听 their听 flavour.
Thoroughly听 whisk听 the听 eggs听 in听 a听 bowl听 with听 a听 fork听 or听 whisk听 so听 that听 yolk听 and听 white听 are听 completely听 integrated.听 Season听 with听 a听 small听 pinch听 of听 salt听 and听 a听 little听 freshly听 ground听 black听 pepper听 and听 add听 the听 herbs.
Heat听 the听 pan听 with听 the听 merest听 film听 of听 cooking听 oil听 with听 the听 suspicion听 of听 a听 heat听 haze.听 Add听 the听 butter听 and听 quickly,听 before听 it听 has听 a听 chance听 to听 burn,听 pour听 in听 the听 eggs.听 Do听 nothing听 for听 30听 seconds听 apart听 from听 keeping听 the听 pan听 over听 a听 high听 heat,听 and听 wait听 until听 the听 eggs听 start听 to听 bubble听 up.听 At听 this听 point听 scrape听 around听 the听 sides听 of听 the 听pan听 with听 a听 wooden听 spoon听 or听 fork听 and听 then,听 holding听 the听 pan听 slightly听 angled听 away听 from听 you听 and听 pushing听 it听 in听 that听 direction,听 give听 it听 a听 sharp听 jerk听 back听 towards听 you听 so听 that听 the听 raw听 mixture听 at听 the听 back听 is听 tossed听 back听 down听 to听 the听 bottom.听 Do听 this听 two听 or听 three听 times,听 making听 sure听 none听 of听 the听 mixture听 is听 sticking听 to听 the听 bottom听 of听 the听 pan.
When听 the听 mixture听 is听 still听 soft听 and听 runny,听 hold听 the听 pan听 at听 an听 angle听 away听 from听 you听 and听 give听 it听 a听 sharp听 knock听 on听 the听 stove听 so听 that听 the听 omelette听 slips听 down听 towards听 the听 edge听 of听 the听 pan.听 Roll听 the听 mixture听 from听 the听 side听 nearest听 to听 you听 down听 towards听 the听 opposite听 edge听 and听 then,听 inverting听 the听 pan,听 roll听 the听 omelette听 right听 out of听 the听 pan听 onto听 a听 plate.
SPAGHETTI CACIO E PEPE
You听 remove听 the听 spaghetti听 from听 its听 water听 after听 a听 mere听 four听 or听 five听 minutes,听 when听 itis听 the听 sort听 ofal听 dente听 that听 breaks听 teeth,听 although听 it听 must 听have听 softened听 enough听 to听 bend听 in听 the听 pan.听 You听 then听 proceed听 to听 ladle听 in听 some听 of听 its听 cooking听 water听 so听 that听 a听 dish听 that听 starts听 like听 a听 conventional听 plate听 of听 pasta听 is听 cooked听 like听 a听 risotto,听 albeit听 one听 that听 is听 finished听 with听 nothing听 but听 waterand听 handfuls听 of听 pepper听 and听 cheese.听 Itis听 a听 recipe听 that听 is听 well听 suited听 to听 the听 non-Italian,听 most听 of听 whom听 can听 never听 manage听 the听 act听 of听 faith听 of听 removing听 pasta听 from听 its听 cooking听 water听 just听 before听 it听 is听 ready听 and听 can听 never听 resist听 the听 temptation听 to听 wait听 an听 extra听 thirty听 seconds听 and听 thus听 usually听 serve听 it听 slightly听 overcooked.
Serves听 four.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon听 black听 peppercorns
- 100g听 (31/2oz)听 Pecorino听 Romano听 cheese
- 300g听 (101/2oz)听 spaghetti听
- Salt
- olive听 oil,听 to听 serve听 (optional)
Method:
Using听 a听 mortar听 and听 pestle,听 pound听 the听 peppercorns听 to听 what听 the听 French听 call听 a听 mignonette,听 in听 which听 every听 peppercorn听 is听 crushed听 but听 not听 pounded听 to听 a听 fine听 consistency.听
Finely听 grate听 all听 the听 cheese.
Bring听 a听 large听 pot听 of听 water听 to听 the听 boil听 with听 a听 small听 handful听 of听 salt.听 Add听 the听 spaghetti,听 stir听 with听 tongs听 or听 a听 long听 fork听 and听 bring听 back听 to听 the听 boil听 for听 just听 5听 minutes.听 Using听 tongs,听 lift听 the听 spaghetti听 out听 into听 a听 large听 saucepan听 or听 wok.听 Add听 a听 ladleful听 of听 the听 cooking听 water听 and听 continue听 to听 cook听 the听 spaghetti,听 stirring听 with听 the听 tongs.听
After听 a听 minute听 add a听 handful听 of听 the听 cheese听 and听 a听 spoonful听 of听 the听 pepper听 and听 more听 cooking听 water:听 the听 idea听 is to听 produce听 a听 creamy emulsion听 of听 cheese,听 pepper,听 water听 and听 the听 starch听 from听 the听 pasta听 that听 clings听 to听 each听 strand听 of听 spaghetti.听 Continue for听 2鈥�3听 minutes,听 alternately听 adding听 cheese,听 pepper听 and听 cooking听 water听 until听 the听 cheese听 and听 pepper听 are听 all听 used听 up听 and听 the听 spaghetti听 still听 has听 that听 authentic听 鈥榖ite鈥�.
Serve听 the听 pasta听 immediately.听 Some听 Romans听 allow听 a听 little听 good听 olive听 oil听 to听 be听 trickled听 over听 it听 before听 serving.
ACQUACOTTA
This is not so much a definitive recipe as an example of aquacotta.
Serves听 four.
Ingredients:
- 1听 celery听 heart,听 quartered听 lengthways
- 3听 tablespoons听 olive听 oil
- 6听 spring听 onions,听 trimmed听
- 1听 small听 head听 of听 spring听 cabbage,听 cut听 into听 thick听 ribbons
- 150g听 (51/2oz)听 canned听 chopped听 tomatoes
- 2听 handfuls听 of听 fresh听 peas
- a听 generous听 pinch听 of听 golden听 caster听 sugar
- 4听 eggs
- vinegar,听 for听 cooking听 the听 eggs听 (optional)
- 4听 thick听 slices听 of听 bread,听 toasted
- salt听 and听 black听 pepper听
- grated听 Parmesan听 cheese,听 to听 serve听 (optional)
听
Method:
Place听 the听 celery听 in听 a听 heavy,听 flameproof听 casserole听 dish听 with听 the听 olive听 oil听 and听 cook听 gently听 for听 5听 minutes听 before听 adding听 the听 spring听 onions.听 Cook听 these听 for听 5听 minutes听 in听 turn听 before听 adding听 the听 cabbage.听
After听 a听 further听 5听 minutes,听 add听 the听 tomatoes听 and听 peas.听 Season听 with听 the听 sugar,听 in听 addition听 to听 salt听 and听 freshly听 ground听 black听 pepper.听 Add听 enough听 water听 to听 just听 cover听 the听 vegetables听 and听 simmer听 gently听 for 10听 minutes.
When听 the听 vegetables听 are听 tender听 鈥撎� but听 still听 firm,听 rather听 than听 stewed听 鈥撎� poach听 the听 eggs听 by听 slipping听 them听 one听 by听 one听 into听 a听 saucepan听 of听 simmering听 water听 (laced听 with听 a听 little听 vinegar,听 unless听 the听 eggs听 are听 freshly听 laid).
Place听听the听 toasts听 into听 soup听 plates听 and听 lift听 the听 eggs听 out听 onto听 the听 toasts.听 Ladle听 the听 stew听 鈥撎� it听 should听 not听 be听 wet听 enough听 to听 call听 a听 soup听 鈥撎� around听 the听 egg听 and听 take听 to听 the听 table.听 Serve听 with听 grated听 Parmesan,听 if听 liked.
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Dan Saladino |
| Interviewed Guest | Rowley Leigh |
Broadcast
- Sun 16 Sep 2018 12:32麻豆约拍 Radio 4
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