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Ingredients

12 rock oysters

2 medium leeks, cleaned

Small knobs of butter

Splash olive oil

100ml champagne

100ml double cream

Freshly ground white pepper

Preheat the grill to its hottest temperature.

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Method

Open the oysters, reserve the juice. Carefully remove the oysters from their shell. Reserve the oyster meat in a glass, keep them in the fridge. Clean the deeper base shells, paying particular attention to the hinge, scrub out any muddy silt that is housed in the hinge.

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Cut the green from the white of the leek. With the remaining white bulb end of the leek, cut it into 3cm cylinder lengths, cut each piece in half, cut the pieces into fine strips – "julienne".

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In a large non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat melt the butter, add a drizzle of olive oil, when it foams add the leek. Sweat the leek for 2 minutes without colouring. Add the champagne and allow it to reduce by two thirds.

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Now add a tablespoon of the reserved oyster juice, when it simmers add the cream, allow the cream to simmer and reduce a little.

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Find a roasting tin or grill sheet sufficiently large to slip under your grill and accommodate the 12 reserved oyster shells.

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At the Crooked Billet, I fill this tray with uncooked lentils or split peas, which hold the oyster shells in place and stop them tipping over. We’re going to use them as little cups/dishes to hold the creamy leek mixture in – we don’t want them rocking over, spilling their contents.

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Remove the creamy leek mixture from the hob. Using a fork, fish out the leek julienne and divide it between the 12 empty shells. Place an oyster over each leek pillow. Divide the creamy champagne reduction between the shells.

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Put the tray under the grill and cook the oysters for 3-4 minutes, until the creamy sauce achieves a golden brown crust.

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Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before tucking in. Crusty bread makes a good accompaniment.

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This isn’t peppercorn sauce – you’re no doubt familiar with the creamy gravy concoction. This is the steak, the pepper. Butter and brandy and, if you wish, a little meat juice. It isn’t actually a sauce – just a buttery, brandy juice.

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My favourite steak to use for this dish being rump. Problem is that generally speaking British butchers either don’t know how to or can’t be bothered to properly prepare rump. Rump is actually made up of 4 separate muscles which butchers simply slice straight across – consequently you get different textures of muscle with sinew often in each steak.

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The trick is to break down the whole rump into its separate steaks, producing good individual thick fillets.

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More often than not I end up using fillet steak (nowhere near as much flavour as rump) – but it lends itself well to a Steak au Poivre.

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Ingredients〶Ä

2tbsp white peppercorns

2tbsp black peppercorns

Four 175g fillet steaks

Malden salt

3tbsp olive oil

75g unsalted butter

2 good slugs of Cognac

2tbsp meat juices/glaze (optional)

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Method

Crush the peppercorns coarsely in a pestle and mortar or in a coffee grinder. Tip the pepper into a sieve and shake well until all remnants of powder have been dispersed (this is important because the excess powder will cause the steaks to be far too hot). Press the peppercorns into both sides of each steak with your fingers, pressing well with the heel of your hand. Only now season with salt because salting first will not allow the pepper to stick to the meat.

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Heat the olive oil in a frying pan until hot. Put in the steaks and fry on one side thoroughly, but not on full heat, until a good thick crust has formed. Add 50g of the butter and allow to colour not brown. Turn the steaks over, and finish cooking to suit your taste. Try to resist turning too often – the aim is to produce a good crusty coating on each surface. Baste with the buttery juices as you go. Remove the steaks to hot plates, add the Cognac to the pan and whisk together with the butter. It matters not whether the brandy ignites, but the alcohol must be boiled off. Add the meat glaze, if using, scrape and stir together any gooey bits from the bottom of the pan and whisk in the final bit of butter. Give a final boil and pour over the steaks. Serve with chips and green salad.

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Chips

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Ingredients

1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward

Groundnut or vegetable oil, for deep frying

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Method

Peel the potatoes & cut into 1-1.5cm wedges. Add to a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil, then immediately take the pan off the heat. Leave the potatoes in the cooking water for 3-4 minutes, drain well in a colander & leave to dry out.

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Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep-fryer or a very large pan to 120°C. Put the potatoes in a chip basket & immerse in the hot oil. Deep fry for 5-7 minutes until they are cooked through & lightly golden on the outside.

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Drain on a tray lined with kitchen paper.

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Crisp Green Salad Ìý

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1 round lettuce, outer leaves removed

1 head chicory, outer leaves removed

50g rocket, stalks removed

50g watercress, stalks removed

half a cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly

3 spring onions, finely chopped

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Roughly tear the lettuce and chicory leaves and place them in a large serving bowl, along with the rocket and watercress. Scatter in the cucumber and spring onions and toss well.

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Ingredients

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For the base:

100g crushed digestive biscuit

70g crushed amaretto biscuits

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cinnamon

85g melted butter

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For the cake:

200g pulp and seeds from about 10 passion fruits

225g ricotta cheese

230ml double cream, whipped

1 lemon, grated zest and juiced

Honey to taste (about 40g)

15g powdered gelatine

3 tbsp water

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Method

Begin by mixing together the base ingredients and load it all into an oiled flan ring placed on a flat baking sheet, firmly press down and refrigerate for half an hour.

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Next, mix together the passion fruit pulp and seeds, ricotta, cream, lemon juice and zest and honey.

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Dissolve the gelatine in the water over a low heat and pour it into the cheesecake mixture, stirring well. Pour the mixture into a flan ring, spreading it flat with a palette knife. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 2 hours until set.

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To serve, loosed the cheesecake from the ring mould with a sharp knife and slide it onto a serving plate, slice up and enjoy.