Crispy Aromatic Duck

Bookshops, supper clubs and Cornish retreats

I’ve had quite the week. It’s been both eye-wateringly hectic and soul-soothingly relaxing. Balance is important but I don’t think being at two total opposite ends of the spectrum is exactly necessary.

Eye-wateringly Hectic

The start of last week saw me undertaking back-to-back events to promote my book Elevate. Two very different events but both so lovely in their own way. To kick things off I jumped on the train for a short journey to Bath and in particular to the most stunning bookshop, or even shop, I’ve ever visited. Toppings is a bookshop in the centre of Bath with floor to ceiling shelves stacked full of books of every genre. Of course, to justify my presence, one of these genres is food and I was invited to host an intimate cooking demonstration and chat with a lovely audience. I showcased a couple of recipes from the book that highlighted the ability to elevate ingredients like tomatoes and udon noodles in a short period of time and with minimal equipment. Delicious dishes need not create a crash in your kitchen nor do they require four hours of your time. I cooked a Kothu Panzanella and an Udon Gochu Carbonara. The former is my fusion brainchild of the best Sri Lankan street food, Kothu Roti, and an Italian classic, Panzanella. The latter is what I imagine will have burnt my bridges with the Italians once and for all. Thankfully, it’s so delicious that I reckon it’s worth it and all for a good cause. The cause of course being providing all of you with delicious, quick recipes to Elevate your evenings.

The next day was the big event. My Elevate supper club at the Lido, Bristol. Five courses, 70+ guests and all set amongst the beautiful backdrop and atmosphere of the Lido, nestled quietly in the heart of Clifton. I spent the morning of the event and the morning before Toppings in the kitchen with the team prepping for the night. It turns out 300 mutton rolls and 18kg of mussels are no mean feat but the brigade of chefs were like a well oiled machine and made my life a whole lot easier than it could’ve been.

The night was everything I could’ve hoped for. Plates upon plates of vibrant food being consumed over a buzz of laughter and contentment. Supper clubs, with communal tables, can be a difficult type of event to execute. Sitting with strangers often goes one of two ways but my hope was that the food we put in front of them brought a level of vibrancy and joy to the table that made strangers feel like long-lost friends. I think that’s exactly what we achieved which, to me, is a roaring success.

Having the chance to showcase seven of my favourite recipes from Elevate in one of my favourite spots in my home town was a complete honour. As a student, I’d walk past the Lido never daring to go in because, well, I was a student. But now I’m back hosting supper clubs there to showcase my first book. That’s a pretty cool full-circle moment if you ask me.

Photography by Benjamin Pryor

Soul-Soothingly Relaxing

After the fun and frankly energy-draining start to the week, a trip down to Cornwall couldn’t have come at a better time. Moreover, it was the most ideal time to make use of a very kind invitation from the team at Watergate Bay Hotel. Set amongst a two mile stretch of beach and nestled into the cliffs, the sheer beauty of this place is breathtaking from the start. The hotel and room were like nothing I could have expected. From the views to the intricately designed interiors, kindness of the staff and of course the waffle machines at breakfast I was as close to heaven as I’ve been. In fact our room, the Beach Loft Suite, was part of the renovated shell of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen which feels apt for a culinary getaway. I could go on about everything I loved about the hotel but this is a food-based newsletter after all so what I really want to tell you about is Zacry’s.

Seasonality is a word that feels overused these days but I think that’s a real positive. It shows that more and more restaurants throughout the country are feeding off the farming systems that created the backbone of it and are making the most of the beautiful produce on offer. There’s no better place for seasonal produce with variety than somewhere like Cornwall. Zacry’s sits on the Watergate Bay coastline and separates the luscious green Cornish pastures from the almost caribbean-blue waters of the Cornish coast. The restaurant nestles itself in this position and soaks in everything on offer around it. It processes the produce and makes the most of it, refining it perfectly before landing it on your plate with such care and intricacy. Anna and I sat on a table, almost floating over the sand, looking out as the sun set over surfers making the most of the final daylight waves. It was one of the most, if not the most beautiful settings for dinner I’ve ever experienced.

As each course graced our table we were constantly taken aback by the beauty of what was put in front of us. Even before we tasted any of the dishes it was clear to see the care that went into every little corner of this menu. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced a number of restaurants that boast views as beautiful as that of Watergate Bay but the food falls by the waist-side as the restaurants rely on the scenery to keep punters coming. Zacry’s, on the other hand, decides to create plates that make you question what’s more stunning, the view or the food? They’ve taken the view and created plates that rival it, compliment it and live in harmony with it. It all comes together to produce a dining experience that is truly special, and that’s before you’ve even tasted the food!

The food felt decadent but not in the slightest bit intimidating. I imagine that has a lot to do with the setting and the staff but more so the way the menu and each dish has been curated. Restaurants such as Zacry’s, that focus so heavily on seasonality, have such a fine line to tread – showcase the produce you’re so proud of using but also bring in your own creativity and flavours to compliment them instead of overpowering them. I think they’ve nailed that concept to be completely honest, every mouthful felt like such a pleasure.

Dining out is a treat, it’s an occasion that many of us only do once in a while. I think it’s therefore important that restaurants make that occasion as special as possible. There are so many factors that come together to produce the ultimate meal from the food, to the service, to the setting but rarely do they all get executed perfectly. Zacry’s did execute every step perfectly, it made the first night of our little getaway incredibly special and was a true showcase of what British produce can do.

Crispy Aromatic Duck

This week’s recipe started off as an experiment because I found a whole duck reduced to £4 in Tesco. I learnt a lot of my cooking skills by cooking reduced items as a university student so why not go back to what started it all off every now and then? This is an incredibly simple dinner. Yes, it requires time, but hands on time is low. I’d eat this every night if I could.

Ingredients:

• Whole duck

• Chinese 5 spice - 1 tsp

• Salt - ½ tsp

Accompaniments

• Chinese pancakes

• Spring onions - 1 bunch (thinly sliced)

• Cucumber - 1 (thinly sliced)

• Hoisin sauce

Method:

1. Ideally, pat the duck dry and sprinkle it with salt all over then place on a rack uncovered in the fridge for a day.

2. Season with salt and Chinese 5 spice all over

3. Place in the air fryer at 130°C for 3 hours, turning every 30 minutes for the first two hours then leaving it breast side up for 1 hour.

4. Turn the heat up to 200°C then air fry again for 10 minutes, turning half way through

5. Shred the duck then air fry once more for 10 minutes.

6. Assemble on pancakes with all accompaniments