chef's recipe

Our Head Chef, Garry Knowles has had a rather exciting career, in various highly acclaimed kitchens, where he has received recognition and praise from some of the country’s leading critics; so we are extremely pleased to have him taking the helm in The Depot kitchen.

Here are a couple of recipes of Garry’s that you can create at home, to impress your guests with.
Spatchcock coquelet with pilaf and chilli & rosemary butter

Ingredients

1 coquelet per person (substitute with poussin)

For the butter

  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 red chillies
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 1 lemon
  • 250g butter
  • s & p

For the pilaf

  • 4 cups Basmati rice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 100g butter

Method

  1. Soften the butter to room temperature
  2. Deseed 1 chilli and chop finely, with rosemary & parsley
  3. Add zest & juice from the lemon
  4. Blend together, roll in parchment paper, into a sausage shape and refrigerate
  5. Get your butcher to spatchcock the birds
  6. Make a marinade with 1 chilli, rosemary, a bay leaf, cracked black peppercorns and a bounty of garlic
  7. Marinade the bird for at least 24 hours
  8. In a heavy based pan (that can fit in your oven) gently sweat onion, garlic, thyme & bay leaves in butter
  9. When translucent, add the cleaned basmati rice, ensuring each grain is coated in the buttery mixture
  10. Add generous amounts of salt & pepper, 5 cups of water or stock
  11. Bring to the boil and cover with a piece of parchment paper cut into a disk
  12. Place in pre-heated oven (180 C) for 12 minutes
  13. Chargrill or roast the bird topped with a slice of butter, serve with pilaf, crisp green salad and lemon wedges
 
Tuna carpaccio with shallot, soy & ginger dressing

This is one of Garry’s favourite fish entrees. The cleanness of the flavours will have your guests salivating.

Serves 4 people as a starter

Ingredients

  • 500g Blue fin tuna loin (the best quality you can afford)
  • Ginger (enough for 2 tablespoons)
  • Soy sauce – preferably Kikkoman
  • 100 ml Sunflower oil
  • Shallots (enough for 3 tablespoons)
  • Garlic (enough for 1 tablespoon)
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Chopped chives
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Method

  1. Semi-freeze the tuna loin whole (about ? hour in freezer)
  2. Prepare the dressing by very finely dicing the shallots, ginger and garlic
  3. The ratio for the dressing is 3 tablespoons shallot: 2 tablespoons ginger: 1 tablespoon garlic
  4. Macerate with 1 tsp lemon juice and allow 10 minutes for the flavours to integrate
  5. Mix in 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 100ml sunflower oil
  6. Take the tuna from the freezer and slice thinly
  7. Arrange on chilled plates
  8. Spoon the dressing around the edges of the tuna
  9. Garnish with chopped chives and toasted sesame seeds

Variations

This dressing is fantastic with all fish, particularly oily fish like wild salmon and mackerel. It’s equally fantastic with raw fish, or fish seared over intense heat.