Newsletter
JUNE Newsletter
.
As Summer draws nearer our vegetable patch promises a bounty of ‘just-picked’ ingredients. Our Chefs take this gift of nature and produce outstanding seasonal dishes involving cuts of meat from Padbury Meats, in our opinion one of the finest butchers in the area. We take pride in the provenance and quality of our ingredients and aim to deliver superb quality food.
The Set Menus continues to offer superb value for money, only £21.50 lunchtime for three courses and £23.50 at dinner.
As they were such a huge success last year, we are bringing back the much demanded Summer Salads. Each day we will be offering a different, vibrant salad not only fresh and light but excellent value too.
New on the Menu
As ever we change our menu each month to make the most of the seasonal produce available.
Below are a few dishes appearing on our menu in June;
TROUT
Warm Trout, Salad of Lemon, Crab & Caviar, Carrot & Fennel Dressing.
BOUDIN BLANC
Billet made chicken & truffle sausage, warm caramelised onion marmalade, mushroom fricassee, fried bread. This has always been a popular dish, our latest incarnation, we feel is the most attractive and tasty yet.
SUCKLING PIG
Overnight Roasted Suckling Pig, Ham Hock Rissoles, Chimney Smoked Streaky Bacon, White Beans, Tomatoes, Pickled Onion, Wilted Greens
STONEBASS & SCALLOPS
One of our best received specials will be appearing again this month. A delightful combination of Scallops and the reef & wreck fish; Stonebass. Add to that lobster mash and spâtzle and you have a fantastic summer seafood dish.
AUBERGINE
Moroccan spiced, roasted aubergine, chick peas, potato & almond pastilla, jewelled royale cous-cous, green bean fritter, pomegranate, courgette & cucumber raita. A real veggie treat, this dish has had wondrous feedback since arriving on our menu.
Fathers Day – 19th June 2011
A date for your diary…
We are starting to fill up for Father’s Day already, if you have not planned your day yet, we recommend booking soon.
Unlike some other restaurants, we do not hike our prices up on these special occasions. We offer the same great value two or three course lunch as every Sunday. If you wish to enjoy our Crab & Salmon dish or our most decadent chocolate, cherry & peanut we simply add a small supplement.
April Newsletter
:
THE CROOKED BILLET
April Newsletter
Our daily changing lunch and dinner menus remain one of Milton Keynes bargains at around £20 for three courses and for dinner around £23. The menu is available Monday -Thursday dinner and Tuesday-Saturday lunch. All we ask is that you pre book as we don’t carry this menu in volume.
The new food seasons continue to offer me a respite of the senses and inspiration aplenty. I know I say this often but I get so excited with the thought of the new offerings with the Spring coming. On a recent trip to Borough Market the place was alive with asparagus! It’s no surprise that these seasonal stems go so well with jersey royals, and at the bottom of the page is a recipe which is a great way to combine these 2 great ingredients.
Our new format Sunday lunches have been going down fantastically; 3 courses around £26.00. Please reserve a table to avoid disappointment. We have been cooking up a storm with amazing 31 day aged sirloin of beef from Padbury and overnight cooked pork shoulder from Mursley.
JOB VACANCIES
Anyone who has a family member who is a chef or is at college training to be a chef please let them know. As we are so busy I am looking to fill two positions in the kitchen:
Junior Sous chef/chef de partie and a trainee chef.
Call me 01908 373 936
New on the Menu
Things to note from our side are the monthly changing â la carte menu, a formula that seems to be working. I’ll spare you the detail but it’s pretty much as it says and allows us to make the most of the new crop and new season highlight ingredients. We are moving on to local Asparagus, young Broad Beans, Peas and Mint with our local Padbury Lamb. An amazing new Duck Dish with new season Morel Mushrooms, Cod with Devilled Prawn Fritters and of course the new season, gem of a potato, the Jersey Royal.
We have our own smokehouse in the village “Old Smokies” run by John Conners. The cure we use, “Melchy’s Cure”, is our own recipe and is salt, black treacle and demerara sugar with a couple of other bits and bobs. The salmon is smoked over oak for 36hrs for a drier salmon with lots of smoky flavor.
CRAB & SALMON Mounts Bay Crab, Treacle Cured Smoked Salmon, Newton Longville & Black Pepper Bread “Crostini”, Lemon Mayonnaise, Leaves
COD & PRAWN Cod Fillet, Warm New Potato Salad, Lemon Thyme & Sorrel Mayonnaise, New Season Buttered Norfolk Asparagus, Devilled Prawn Fritter
DUCK Roasted Gressingham Duck Breast, Crispy Confied Duck Leg, Pomegranate & Duck Sausage, Puy Lentils & New Season Morel Mushroom Cream, Lemon Braised Savoy Cabbage
Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year
Thanks to all of you that have already voted. For 11 consecutive years we have been in the Good Food Guide thanks to our customers support & appreciation. We have been named as Inspector’s Favourites and this year are looking to be named restaurant of the year. Please take the time to vote for us by clicking on the link below & following the instructions, it will be greatly appreciated…
http://thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/feedback
Recipes for April
You can’t beat new potatoes and crisp asparagus at this time of year. Adding walnuts and goat’s cheese to this salad makes a delicious spring dish. Topped with a fillet of roast salmon or grilled chicken with a squeeze of lemon. Lovely
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
700g baby new potatoes (cut in half if more than 4cms)
25g walnuts, roughly chopped
16-24 asparagus spears (at least 6 spears per person if thin or 4 spears if asparagus is thicker)
80g young spinach leaves
100g soft goat’s cheese log, thinly sliced
6 large radishes, sliced
Dressing:
50ml olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice
2tsp runny honey
2tsp wholegrain mustard
Method
Pre-heat oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6).
Par-boil the potatoes for 15 mins until slightly tender. Drain and cool for 5 mins before placing in a roasting pan.
Mix the dressing ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper if desired, and pour half over the potatoes, mixing well. Roast for approx 25 mins until soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.
Sprinkle the walnuts on a separate baking tray and dry roast for 3-4 mins to intensify their flavour. Do not let them burn!
Trim the woody ends off the asparagus spears and discard. Steam or boil the asparagus for 5-7 mins (depending on size) until tender. Place in a dish and pour over the remaining dressing.
To assemble the salad cover the base of a large, wide salad bowl with spinach leaves, place the potatoes on top followed by the sliced goat’s cheese (which will melt slightly), and then the asparagus.
Finally sprinkle with the roasted walnuts and garnish with the radish slices.
Season to taste.
Moroccan Fennel Seed Flat Bread
After the Moroccan nights we had everybody wanted the fennel seed flat bread recipe. Well it is the easiest thing
Ingredients
250g Flour
150ml water
Drizzle olive oil
Pinch ofSalt
50g fennel seed
Mix the flour, fennel seed and salt in a bowl.
Add the drizzle of olive oil,
Add the water a little at a time and mix by hand until you have a dryish dough.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes
Divide into pieces and roll it out as thin as possible.
Drizzle with olive oil & rock salt.
Place on a floured tray and bake to 7 – 10minute 175c or until golden
Told you it was easy
Happy Cooking
Emma
March Newsletter
Highlights include:
Lovely new season lamb back on the menu which means spring is nearly here. Lemon & tarragon roasted lamb rump, If you came to the Greek evening you will know how good it is, with slowly roasted leg covered in a chili & rosemary jam, Rustic lemon roasted potatoes, and a pot of mint roasted peas.
Cote de Porc
Using Emma’s favorite cut: char grilled pork “Rib Eye” bone on, sage & apple salad, walnuts & spring greens, truffled potato ravioli. It looks, smells and tastes amazing.
New Desserts
Chocolate, Peanut, Cherry
It’s spring and cherries are back, each year a new creation to match the intensity of this fruit. Layers of chocolate brownie, milk chocolate custard, cherry Marshmallow & Chocolate Glaze with Peanut Brittle, Bing Cherry Sorbet & Cherry Sauce.
Billet Style Lemon Meringue
No menu is complete without a divine citric dish, this month is no exception; crisp praline base, baked lemon custard, crisp meringue Shards, lemon & ginger Sorbet, lemon zest confit, orange Turkish delight.
Good Food Guide Restaurant of the year
For 11 consecutive years we have been in the Good Food Guide thanks to our customers support & appreciation we have been named as inspectors favorites and this year are looking to be named restaurant of the year.
Please take the time to vote for us by clicking on the link below & following the instructions it will be greatly appreciated…
http://thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/feedback
Mothers Day
REMEMBER THIS DATE for your diary Sunday April 3rd. Unlike other restaurants we do not inflate our prices for special days like this. We will be serving our fantastic roasts as usual for the regular price of £26.00 for 3 courses.
We intend, for a little extra, to offer our very popular scallops and if we can get it;
Cornish crab.
Moroccan
160 people enjoyed our Greek nights in February, next up is Moroccan! The menu is very authentic. A mix of cool salad, fragrant chicken, heady spices, jeweled Cous-Cous and sweet fruits. These are bring your own wine evenings (not aperitifs, mineral water or
tea-bags!) please feel free to bring along your own wine, we open it, you enjoy no charge. Amazing value food at only £20 for 3 Courses and superb money saving potential with your choice of wine, places are limited so book very soon.
Wine Club
This Monday & Tuesday (7th & 8th) sees the return of our Wine Club, this time around we are pairing pan-Asian cuisine with 3 underdog grapes that will stretch the imagination of our diners. The intention is to entertain with a bit of education thrown in! There are a few seats available for Tuesdays dinner, if you are interested please don’t hesitate to call for more information.
Recipes for March
Vanilla Madeleine’s
Ingredients;
1 whole Vanilla Pod
9 whole Eggs
450g Cane Sugar
33g Clear Honey
405g Unsalted Butter
405g Plain Flour
12g Baking Powder
Icing Sugar for dusting
I don’t know a person that if presented with a plate of warm Madeline’s would turn up their nose, they are a French patisserie classic but divine and simple to make, easy to make with the kids – Madeline’s give happy food memories
I find a rubber baking mould is best for baking the Madeline’s and you can add any number of flavours, just incorporate them at the stage of the flour and eggs. We use Lemon Zest, Five Spice, Cinnamon and fresh Thyme leaves
Makes: 25 Madeline’s
Preparation:
1. Melt the butter in a microwave or pan of hot water ensuring it does not get too hot
2. Split the vanilla pods in half and scrape out the seeds
3. Pre set the oven to 180c
4. Using a pastry brush, brush the Madeline moulds with soft butter, dust them with flour and leave to go cold in the fridge
Method:
1. Add the eggs, sugar and honey to a mixing bowl, add the vanilla seeds and beat well with a wooden spoon, if using an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment
2. Once the mix is fully incorporated, add to this the Flour and Baking Powder and mix with a wooden spoon until well incorporated
3. Add the melted butter into your mix and continue to incorporate, transfer this mix into a clean bowl and place in the fridge
4. Spoon the now rested Madeline mix into the buttered moulds (fill them ¾) and bake for 12 minutes in the pre heated oven until they become firm to the touch
5. Remove the Madeline’s from the oven and allow to stand for one minute. Turn them out and dust with Icing Sugar
________________________________________
Crisp Fried Duck Egg with Shaved Parmesan
Ingredients:
4 large Organic Duck Eggs
Parmesan
100ml Duck Fat
A few sprigs of picked Thyme
We use Duck Eggs a lot in the restaurant and they are a real treat to have at home. Great Duck Eggs are full of flavour, rich and just feel like a decadent way of serving the humble fried egg!
We serve Duck Eggs with in season Mushrooms, Truffles, and Offal, we serve them poached, baked and scrambled and they are always a popular choice.
Makes: Four portions
Method:
1. In a heavy based frying pan add a splash of Duck Fat and leave it to heat up, crack the egg separately and pour into the pan, allow the egg to crisp underneath but not too much, once crisp allow it to stand and it will continue to cook until the white is perfectly set, the yolk warm and the underside golden
2. Place the egg onto a serving plate on a slice of toast of you wish!
3. Thinly slice over the egg Parmesan, use apotato peeler until you feel you have indulged enough!
4. Serve and enjoy..!
February Newsletter
Highlights include:
Truffle & Thyme Marinated Pan Fried Pigeon Breast, Pinot Noir Reduced Puy Lentils, Bacon & Tarragon, Parsnip Puree.
Our Billet Cured Corned Beef Brisket & Chimney Smoked Bacon Terrine, Billet Pickled Baby Silver Skin Onions, Cornichons, Mustard Potato Salad
Line caught Stone Bass, a member of the Sea Bass family, that hangs around wrecks and is a very sustainable fish.
My favourite fish dish for this time of year Line Caught Cod, again sustainable, and the crispiest of Squid served with amazing homemade black pasta.
Meat lovers can enjoy 28 day old Fillet and Sirloin steaks the former served with a pan of Dauphinoise Potatoes & Chimney Smoked Bacon & Mushroom sauce.
There is also the end of the game season and Pheasant or Guinea Fowl Breast, Spinach & Roasted Garlic Stuffing, Creamed Pearl Barley & Chimney Smoked Bacon, Leek Gratin, Roasted Salsify, Port Reduction
“Soul Recession”
All I hear lately regarding food is cheap, affordable, frugal and eating on a budget. I’m inclined to think that whilst the chips are down the reins must be tightened, but surely not with a compromise on food quality or substance? I watched a cooking show recently (this is rare!) which pinned its whole show on budget cooking out of tins. Yes, the belts have to tighten and I appreciate that the yacht may go on hold, this month. But surely, a decent plate of food is essential in preventing a recession of the soul! I have therefore given you some menu ideas for simple fresh cooking at home at the bottom of this mail.
Set Menus & Bring Your own Wine
We remain committed to our offer of Set menus & Bring your own wine nights that brings you dishes made from ultra seasonal ingredients and therefore less expensive, and charged accordingly. We are pleased to report that this has hit the spot and thanks those who have been in to support us on these evenings. The Set menu has a serious early week following and booking Wednesday and Thursday is advisable. Bring your own wine nights 7th & 8th Feb were fully booked 5 days after the Greek themed menu was released. 2 more dates for the same theme are available, Monday 28th Feb & Tuesday 1st March. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Last night’s set menu included offerings such as:
Twice Baked Tomato & Red Pepper Soufflé, Roasted Butternut Squash, Tarragon Beignet
Smoked Duck Breast, Bacon, Baby Spinach, Frisee, PX Dressing
Winter Game Terrine, Billet Made Piccalilli, Toast
Pan Fried Bream Fillet, Lemon Risotto, Wilted Spinach, Chive & Tomato Butter
Thyme Marinated Guinea Fowl Breast, Potato Gratin, Caramalised Endive, Spring Greens
Char Grilled 28 day aged Sirloin Steak, Hand Cut Double Fried Chips,Crispy Onions,
Open Lasagne of Sprouting Purple Broccoli, Courgette Ribbons, Parmesan Cream, Poached Free Range Hen’s Egg, Parmesan Crisp, Toasted Pine Nuts
Winter Berry & Coconut Eton Mess
All for a little over £20 a head isn’t bad
Please see our web site for all our Menus
January Newsletter
We would like to extend a huge thank you, to all of you that made 2010 a truly great year for us. The Crooked Billet remained strong last year and it’s only with your continued support, feedback and loyal patronage that we are able to continue doing what we love.
The New Year can often bring with it a desire for change and is often a time for bringing in the new. We regard ourselves lucky to consistently have new and exciting ingredients passing over our threshold and providing a sense of inspiration. As you may know, we have been changing our menus on a monthly basis for a while now and thanks to some cracking new suppliers, our menus now offer even more local, seasonal, British produce. You can view all of our menus on our website;
www.thebillet.co.uk
We appreciate that at this time of year, restaurants offer deals and set menus that can leave you disappointed. Our set menu has now been a strong part of our offering for over a year and continues to offer excellent value for money. Guests have continued to use this offering to make The Crooked Billet even more accessible for midweek dining, still priced at a little over £20 for three courses Monday-Thursday. All we ask is that you pre book to minimise wastage and help us maintain the same price tag. Bring your own wine evenings have been introduced and fill up very quickly. Please see the next BYO under the Food icon.
With the new year, we are beginning to offer a wide range of great value, unique and exciting offers. We aim to deliver fantastic value without compromising on quality.
Your custom is something which we are continually grateful for and never complacent about. Wishing you a Happy and truly prosperous 2011.
From all the team at The Crooked Billet.
Happy cooking!
Emma & John