At the weekend we’re holding our second event of the year and are using Ottolenghi’s simple as our guide. Think exciting, fresh, unique combinations all served up with the usual Manor twists!
Here’s the menu, let us know what you think…
Last month we hosted our first event of 2019 and what better way to celebrate than with a Burns Night supper to celebrate all things Scottish. We took traditional recipes and put our usual Manor spin on things. We didn’t do an Ode to the Haggis though, maybe next time!
We started off with a welcome drink of Bramble Mac, Dan’s take on a whisky mac using his home infused blackberry whisky. Paired with this were our snacks, which were a lovely parallel of “high end” and “low end”, the former being Dan’s treacle cured salmon. Scottish salmon fillet was cured for a week in a dark, treacly mix. Little slithers were then served with smoked mayonnaise and a burnt grapefruit gel. The latter snack was a mini cock-a-leekie pasty, my take on the soup, but pimped up with double cream and mustard then encased in puff pastry. Just like they’d come fresh from Greggs!
Moving onto the starters, first up was a beautiful smoked haddock soufflé. Again showcasing some of Scotland’s finest seafood – this simple twice based soufflé was lovely and light and came with a sharp, lemony fennel salad.
Next up was a gamey, rich venison and black pudding scotch egg. A soft boiled quail’s egg encased in venison and black pudding and coated in a crisp crumb. This was served with a tart, creamy celeriac remoulade to cut through the richness of the meat.
For our mains, we served up two dishes both closely linked to haggis, which just had to feature. First up was skirlie, often referred to as “poor man’s haggis”. This was potato cooked up with brown butter, pinhead oatmeal, lots of sage, rosemary and thyme and mace. These little cakes were served up in their own little pans with bacon and cabbage.
Next up was a dish based on the classic haggis, neeps and tatties, with the addition of pork belly. Twice cooked pork belly with crispy crackling was served alongside a haggis bon bon, creamy tatties and pickled neeps to cut through the richness of the meat.
Onto dessert, which was my take on cranchan. White chocolate parfait was paired with a rosewater infused raspberry sorbet, fresh raspberries and a raspberry and oat crumble. cool, creamy, tart and crunchy. Delicious.
To finish off the evening, our guests were treated to a wee dram and Dan’s moreish whisky chocolate fudge. This was a lovely event to kick off 2019, with a mix of returning and new guests this was a relaxed, enjoyable event. But it doesn’t stop there. Next weekend we’ll be hosting our Ottolenghi lunch and we’ll be sharing the menu for that tomorrow.
Dinner at the Manor 