Articles

Welcome to the Red Lion East Haddon

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Hi there and welcome to the Red Lion blog page, where I endeavour to fill you in with all the latest news, views and cooking course reviews. On top of is, I will also be trying out a great selection of recipes straight from the kitchen of your favourite country pub, so that you can try them out for yourself at home. Anyone who hasn't visited The Red Lion in East Haddon before is in for an absolute treat, as not only do we offer delicious food and drink, but also a selection of cosy hotel rooms, and even a cookery school!

Myself and co-owner Nick Bonner first became acquainted at Booth Lane College some 18 years ago where we both studied a BTEC in Hotel Management and Catering, and what a course it was! Learning how to fold hospital corners and de boning a bucket of chicken thighs in jelly were some of the highlights from my short time on the course, before I decided my career path was not going to be in catering. The final straw came when I was asked to perform a 25 minute formal presentation, with slide show, on chickens... CHICKENS!

Did I leave or was I removed? I can't remember the precise details (nor do I care to), but it's safe to say I was in deep water at home after my parents had just shelled out for brand new whites, waiters uniforms, cookbooks and a full knife set. Thankfully Nick completed the course (in my honour?) and here we are, nearly two decades later, the old team back together again. He, the master of all he surveys, and me, but a humble servant. The Little to his Large, the Nookie Bear to his Orville.

However, I do fully intend to rinse him for all that he's worth, in the name of investigative journalism of course! I shall be reviewing all the latest dishes on the menu, visiting a plethora of the awesome cooking courses at The Shires catering school, and trying out all the kitchen's recipes at home, to see if they really are as easy to make as advertised.

Who's milking who here? Who's the land baron and who's the cash cow now eh, Nicolas?! Thankfully after nearly 2 decades of bickering, the main beneficiaries of our 'odd couple' relationship should be you, the reader, as I'll be as honest as I can be whilst trying out everything the Red Lion has to offer in the way of food, wine and cooking courses. Not a bad deal eh?

I'm already signed up for the Vietnamese cookery course, which should be interesting to say the least as I have yet to step in to a professional kitchen since those fateful college days many moons ago. Taught by Miss Hao from Dangs award winning restaurant on Wellingborough Road in Northampton, I'll endeavour to put the whites back on and give you the full low down on how The Shires cooking courses are run. Should be fun!

So stay tuned for all the latest news and reviews, as I attempt to offer up an honest and open opinion on all The Red Lion East Haddon has to offer. If food's your thing, you've come to the right place…

Alister x

Adam Grays Mulled Wine

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:24:29 +0000

You can't beat a bit of Mulled wine over the festive period. Not only does it fill you with pure, 100% unadulterated Christmas cheer, it also warms the cockles in places other Yuletide drinks fail to reach

The great thing about Mulled wine is the simplicity in it's creation, it only takes 20 minutes in a saucepan. Plus the majority of its ingredients will be in most kitchens over the festive period, so it's simply a case of rustling through the cupboards, wrestling the Peach Schnapps from Auntie Maureen, and you're in business!

Ingredients

1 bay leaf
1 cardamom pod
1 cinnamon stick
3g of cloves
0.5 orange
1g of juniper berries
1 sprig of fresh thyme
750ml of red wine
100ml of water
250ml of orange juice
5g of star anise
50ml of peach schnapps

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan
Bring to the boil
Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes
Carefully pass the mulled wine through a fine sieve and into a jug
Serve!

What could be more delightful than a steaming mug of mulled wine this Yuletide, and with this recipe fresh from the Red Lion's kitchen, you're sure to be a big hit with the neighbours this Christmas.

Hot Turkey and Caramelised Onion Tart with Melting Stilton Cheese

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:24:29 +0000

Turkey sandwiches? Dry, unnecessary, and unimaginative! Absolutely no need to force feed the family with a measly doorstop this Boxing Day, as Adam Gray has conjured up a delightful recipe to put the wow factor into your leftovers this festive season. This delicious tart it simple to make and should put a bit of zing into the Boxing day lull, it may even wake Granny up from her Gin stupor!

Why waste all that delicious leftover Turkey on a sandwich, when you could be relishing a little slice of heaven with this superb recipe fresh from the kitchen of The Red Lion in East Haddon? A sure fire way to get the taste buds tingling...

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

4 x 9”/22 cm Pre-cooked puff pastry discs
400g Caramelised onions
200g Stilton cheese
100ml Farrington’s mellow yellow rapeseed oil
200g Cooked turkey meat (flaked)
1⁄2 Bunch rocket salad leaves (picked and washed)
Salt
Pepper

Method

Spread the caramelised onions evenly over the pre-cooked puff pastry discs, leaving a 5mm gap from the edge of the pastry
Place the flaked cooked turkey evenly on top of the caramelised onions
Crumble the stilton cheese, then sprinkle evenly on top of the turkey
Place in a pre-heated oven at 180° C for 10-12 minutes until the stilton cheese has melted
Remove from the oven and scatter the rocket leaves over the top of the tart
Drizzle the rapeseed oil liberally over the tart and serve

So there you go, a simple and delicious way to use your turkey left overs this Christmas without sending anyone to sleep. Let the Gin do that, hey Nana!