The Week - UK (2021-07-17)

37

17 July 2021 THE WEEK

Food & Drink

LEISURE

What the experts recommend

TheRoyalOakInnLuxborough,

nearDunster,ExmoorNationalPark,

Somerset(01984-6 414 98)

Thetwo-sidedmenuatTheRoyalOak

InnnearDunsterhadsomanyspelling

mistakesIwonderediftheywere“going

forarecord”,saysWilliamSitwellinThe

DailyTelegraph.Notonlydidtheyget

“baguttes”and“mussles”wrong;they

alsoerredwith“ceasar”,“medditeranian”

and“spiach”.Butyoureallydon’thaveto

begoodatspellingtobeagreatcookor

restaurantmanager–andthefoodatthis

handsome14thcenturyinn,locateddeep

inagullyinExmoorNationalPark,really

couldn’tbeanymoresplendid.It’sthe

musselsthatlingermostinmymemory:

theycameintheirownhugemetalpot,

havingbeensimplycookedinasplashof

ciderandleeks.“Ilovedtheirfeastyjoie

devivreandfreshness.”Garlicandchilli

prawnswere“deftlydone”,andabowl

ofcannelloniwas“warmlyenveloping

anddeeplytasty”.Ourmeal,washed

downwithanaromaticbottleofviognier,

producedafeelingof“happyharmony,

justasyoumighthopeforinagood

countrypub”.Dinnerfortwoexcluding

drinksandservice:£55.

HumbleChicken 54 FrithStreet,London

W1(humblechickenuk.com)

Ihavetoconfessthatthemenuatnew

SohorestaurantHumbleChicken,withits

referencesto“innerthigh”,“softknee”

andotherbitsofchickenthatonemight

otherwisereject,broughtoutthe

“sniggeringschoolboy”inme,saysJay

RaynerinTheObserver.Yettheplace

itselfturnedouttobe“properlygrown

up”.ItspecialisesinJapaneseyakitori,or

“smallitemscookedonsticksovercoal”:

themenufeatured 19 oftheseskewers,all

buttwoinvolvingadifferentpartofthe

chicken.Eatingherewasbothfunand

verysatisfying.Piecesoffillethada“nose-

ticklingpunchofwasabi”;parson’snoses

were“grilledtoafattycrisp”,butwere

“stillrunningwithjuices”;innerthighhad

a“glazeofspicymiso”.Iwas“utterly

taken”,too,bythesoftknees,withtheir

“squeaky,savoury,saltybounce”.It’s

perhapsnotaplacethatnon-meateaters

willwanttovisit–thoughtherearea

numberofvegetarianoptions.Therest

ofus,however,shouldapplaudheadchef

AngeloSatoforhis“elevationofthe

humble”and“negationofwaste”.

Yakitori:£3-£4.80;othersides:£3-£16.

TheBarnatMoorHallPrescotRoad,

Aughton,Lancashire(0 1695 -572 511 )

TheBarnisthesisterrestaurantofthe

two-Michelin-starredMoorHall,Mark

Birchall’scelebratedgastronomictemple

inruralLancashire,saysGraceDentin

TheGuardian.AtTheBarn,youcanenjoy

similarlyaccomplishedcooking,butat

muchlowerpricesandin“morelaid-back

surroundings”.Nowonderthatonthe

WednesdaylunchtimeIvisit,everytable

isfilledwith“chipper,liberated,double-

jabbedsixtysomethings”.Inthe“lavishly

converted”diningroom,Isipa“foraged”

martiniwhileenjoyingtheviewofMoor

Hall’s“dreamymanorhouselawnsand

flowerbeds”.Thefood,whenitarrives,is

equallyenticing:“gloriouslyrich”aged

shorthornbeef;stuff ed,roastedJerusalem

artichokewithpickledpear(the

“v egetarianoptionofdreams”);turbot

wi th“unforgettablewarmroetartare”.

Thingsintherestaurantworldmaybe

precariousrightnow,withdis tancing

measurestoworryaboutandmany

establishmentscontendingwithcrippling

staffshortages.Butit’scomfortingto

knowthataplacesuchasthis–wherethe

standardsarehighandthestaff“world-

class”–isnotmerelysurviving,but

apparentlythriving.About£ 50 aheadàla

carte;£ 25 three-coursesetlunchmenu.

Humble Chicken: “properly grown up”

• The night before,
  mix the oats in a
  bowl with the apple
  juice and leave in
  the fridge.


• In the morning,
  add enough milk
  to the oats so that
  they are not too
  sticky. Grate the apple–peel
  and all, down to the core–and
  stir into the oats.
  
  
  • Spoon the oats
    into bowls, or use
    glasses foramore
    fancy touch.
  
  
  • Divide half of the
    fruit and nuts
    between bowls,
    then blob in the
    yogurt.
  
  
  
  


• Top with the rest of the fruit
  and nuts and drizzle over some
  maple syrup or honey.

Two recipes to make with children

4 servings 100g rolled oats 200ml natural apple juice 50-100ml

dairy or plant milk 2-3 dessert apples 200g seasonal fruit (peaches,

plums or berries), stoned and chopped 50g toasted hazelnuts, chopped

200ml natural dairy or coconut yogurt 4tbsp maple syrup or honey

You have to beabit organised with this recipe, as the oats need

to soak overnight, but you could make double the mixture and

keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days. Don’t add the grated apple

until just before you eat it, though, or it may turn brown.

Overnight oat and fruit muesli

Taken fromGreen Kids Cook: Simple, delicious recipes&top tipsby Jenny Chandler, published by Pavilion at £14.99. To buy from

The Week Bookshop for £11.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.

• Pour the
  chickpeas into a
  sieve set over a
  bowl, straining off
  the gloopy cooking
  juices.


• Put the chickpeas
  intoaprocessor or
  blender along with
  the lemon juice, garlic and
  olive oil. Give the tahiniagood
  stir and then add that, too,

with the water and

ice cubes.

• Whizz until the
  mixture is really
  smooth and the ice
  has completely
  melted. Taste and
  season with a
  good pinch of salt.


• The hummus will keep in the
  fridge for4daysinajaror
  covered bowl.

4servings 1x400g can of chickpeas or 300g home-cooked chickpeas

juice of1lemon 2garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 4tbsp extra-

virgin olive oil 2tbsp tahini (sesame paste) 2tbsp water and

2ice cubes apinch of salt

Hummus is delicious, quick and easy to make if you have

afoodprocessor or blender, says Jenny Chandler. The ice

cubes are the magic touch, making this the creamiest,

smoothest hummus ever.

Hummus

©K

IRSTIE YOUNG