A love for food

“I don’t really understand people out there who just don’t understand food, they don’t get it, it’s not a big deal, they would rather be doing something else – which is fine,” he says.

“But it’s such a central part of my life and always has been – I don’t really understand how it cannot [be]. How you can’t get joy out of a great tomato in the middle of August, or eating great ricotta cheese that’s been made that morning.”

Why not try some of his new recipes?

Parmesan fritters with Roquefort spinach

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

100ml full-fat milk

50g unsalted butter

100ml water

125g plain flour

1tsp English mustard powder

2 medium free-range eggs

1tsp chopped thyme leaves

280g Parmesan, grated

200g baby spinach

3½tbsp crème fraîche

3½tbsp double cream

100g Roquefort cheese

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

1. Preheat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180°C, or half-fill a deep, heavy-based pan with oil set over medium-high heat. The oil is hot enough when a small cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden brown in 40–50 seconds (or you can test the temperature using a probe thermometer).

2. Put the milk, butter and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, add the flour and mustard and beat together with a wooden spoon or large whisk to make a thick paste.

3. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly (if you don’t cool it the mixture may split). Gradually beat in the eggs, thyme and 200 grams of the grated Parmesan.

4. Use a dessertspoon to gently drop each fritter into the hot oil and cook until crisped up and golden. They will take four to five minutes in the fryer, turning frequently. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm.

5. Next, heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted down, then add the crème fraîche, cream and Roquefort cheese and cook until the cheese is melted. Finish with the freshly grated nutmeg.

6. To serve, layer the spinach and cheese mixture onto a serving plate, top with the yummy fritters and sprinkle over the remaining grated Parmesan.

Coconut bread and raspberry cream

Ingredients:

(Makes 8-10 slices)

370g plain flour

3tbsp baking powder

1-2tsp salt

160g caster sugar

80g desiccated coconut

300ml coconut milk

2 large free-range eggs, beaten

1tsp vanilla extract

75g butter, melted and kept warm

For the raspberry cream:

100g crème fraîche

100g mascarpone

1–2tsp good-quality raspberry jam

150g raspberries, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Line a 900g loaf tin approximately 24cm x 14cm with baking paper.

2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and desiccated coconut in a mixing bowl. Combine the coconut milk, eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter in a jug, mix well, then slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well between additions to form a smooth batter.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Allow to cool a little on a wire rack before turning out and slicing.

4. To make the raspberry cream, beat the crème fraîche and the mascarpone in a bowl. Gently mix through a spoonful of the raspberry jam to give a ripple effect.

5. When you’re ready to eat, toast the bread in a dry pan, spread over a little jam and top with the raspberry cream and fresh raspberries.

Traditional fish soup

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1kg of mixed sea fish – on the bone if possible, but just fillets is fine. Any crab claws or shells or prawns in shell would be a great addition

1 white onion

1 head of garlic, broken into cloves

1 star anise

1 carrot

½ fennel bulb

3 sticks of celery

2 bay leaves

1 small bunch of thyme

125ml Noilly Prat

2tbsp tomato purée

400g tin of plum tomatoes

1 pinch of saffron

1 bunch of tarragon

For the toppings:

1kg of cleaned mussels in shell

50ml white wine or Noilly Prat

1 bay leaf & smashed garlic clove

1 small sea bass or grey mullet or other British sea fish

200g cod fillet

1 red mullet or gurnard (optional)

2 scallops

Method:

1. Start by sweating the veg and aromatics (except the tarragon) in some oil for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft and starting to colour.

2. Add the fish and shells if using, bones and all to the pan and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so before adding the tomato purée, saffron strands, vermouth or wine, and tomatoes.

3. Cook to a paste then barely cover with water and allow to simmer very gently for 30 minutes.

4. After this time, blitz briefly with a hand blender to get the most out of the fish, before draining in a colander and push as much liquid from the bones as possible.

5. Tip these bones away and now add the tarragon to the stock and boil to reduce. Skim off any fat as you go. Reduce to around half the volume. Taste and season accordingly.

6. Take a dry saucepan with a lid and put onto a high heat. Add the mussels, Noilly Prat, bay and garlic clove, immediately cover with a lid and shake the pan from time to time.

7. After two to three minutes, check all the mussels have opened. Remove from the heat. Tip into a sieve or colander. Allow to cool before picking the meat from the shells. Discard any that don’t open.

8. Now strain this liquor through a fine mesh sieve or chinois and tip into the reduced stock.

9. Fillet the rest of the fish and pan fry these and the scallops on one side, (depending on the thickness). Keep warm.

10. To serve, put some of the cooked fish into the bottom of a serving bowl, and ladle some of the fish soup over the top .

11. For the perfect finishing touch, add homemade croutons and rouille.

Weekend by Matt Tebbutt is published by Quadrille. Photography by Chris Terry. Available now.