Northcote Autumn Gourmet Box - Part Three: Meal Two
That flash of intelligence and creativity in Chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen’s eyes starts off this final account of the food which she and her brigade were able to provide through their Northcote at Home Gourmet Box.
Here is a reminder of the menu I devised for our second night’s dining. The Lancashire kitchen’s dishes in blue along with my additions in black and grey (wines).
Wines suited very well but you should follow your own preferences. I enjoy wine - but I have finally stopped enjoying telling people what they should or shouldn’t be drinking.
The light and flavoursome cheese bread was once again ready to fill any empty corners.
Northcote Cheese Loaf, Butter
For the additional starter needed to extend the dishes over two nights I pulled together a few recent ideas and ‘home mades’ for a fish, vegetable and fruit mix.
Green elderberries had been pickled a few weeks before. Our Sorrel Ice Cream needed finishing and my spiced bread is nearly always in our store cupboard. I made a little elderberry gel and topped things off with a white balsamic tuile.
Mrs Cheoff was not too keen on the sea trout pâté but it all worked for me. Light enough overall to draw back from some of the richer elements.
Sea Trout, Almond, Sorrel Ice Cream, Spiced Bread, Pickled Green Elderberries
I’d seen the ‘Leg Bolognese’ referenced in the Northcote restaurant menu before its Covid closure. I’d still like the recipe to make at home but a first taste from the experts was a fine introduction.
This was everything you might want when seeing the description. Fully formed and deeply satisfying courtesy of professional masters. I reckon you could manage a homemade version after months of practice or just cheat with a shortcut involving an intensive course of steroidal flavour injections.
I added broccoli and our broad beans to the poultry and potatoes.
Roast Chicken, Truffle & Brioche Stuffed, Leg Bolognese, Wild Mushrooms, Lyonnaise Potato
Dessert had arrived a little cracked from the journey and would not have been let into the restaurant. No such considerations for us. We simply saw more opportunity for tasty indulgence. The juices of the apple mousse centre cut through the sweetness but they had also made the base a little soggy. Crunch came from the chocolate shell and saltiness in the sauce encouraged taste buds to explore further. A Goodwin-Allen dessert presented in the restaurant is a clever, pretty thing but it is always flavour driven.
Forget our ‘at home’ appearance - this was a lovely pudding.
Orchard Apple “Cheesecake”, Salted Caramel Sauce
Coffee beans at ‘Cheoff Towers’ have been from Hasbean for decades now.
I wouldn’t dream of pairing petits fours with anyone else’s roasted efforts.
Coffee
El Salvador Finca Argentina Natural Bourbon
Petits Fours - from home and away. Detailed in the menu above.
There. ‘Northcote At Home’ all done
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until our next order!
