Serves 2–4
Last week, the National Cookery School Guide hosted the first in what we hope will be an ongoing series of events introducing keen cooks to the secrets of the restaurant kitchen. With a little help of the top-flight kitchen kit from Kenwood and the superlative teaching talents of the Waitrose Cookery School, 14 guests joined us for a one-off insider experience at what is possibly London’s most iconic restaurant: legendary Soho gourmet haunt: The Ivy.
As well as making the most of the opportunity to dine at one of the toughest-to-bag tables in town (care of a three-course dinner served in the The Club at The Ivy), our team of culinary adventurers spent the day with the team at Waitrose Cookery School Finchley Road getting a unique, hands-on insight into the making of The Ivy’s internationally renowned modern menu, led by the restaurant’s celebrated executive chef Gary Lee.
Ably assisted by the Waitrose crew, Gary took us on a step-by-step tour of how to make three courses’ worth of the Ivy’s most beloved dishes, including bittersweet tomatoes with crumbled aged feta, a baked vanilla cheesecake, a Pimm’s granita and this flavour-packed Levantine delight: Linseed dukkah roast poussin served with fattouche, pomegranate mayonnaise and charred lemon…
Ingredients
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For the poussin
1 poussin
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp rose water
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
100ml olive oil
For the linseed dukkah
30g linseeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
For the pomegranate mayonnaise
125ml good quality mayonnaise
½ pomegranate, deseeded
For the charred lemon
2 tbsp of icing sugar
1 lemon
For the pomegranate dressing
25ml pomegranate molasses
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
40ml rapeseed oil
1 tbsp olive oil
For the fattouche salad
125g cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions
50g breakfast radish
¼ cucumber
2 baby gem lettuce
1 pitta bread
1tbsp vegetable oil
½ bunch flat leaf parsley
½ bunch fresh mint
1 unwaxed lemon
40ml olive oil
1tsp sumac
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To prepare the linseed dukkah
Toast the different seeds separately in a pan, adding each to a pestle and mortar once their aroma is released. Crush with the salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar to create the dukkah.
To prepare the poussin
1. Take out the backbone and flatten the poussin. Mix together the sumac, rose water, garlic, rosemary and the olive oil. Rub this marinade over all sides of the poussin, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge overnight.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC and heat a griddle pan or heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Cook the poussin for two minutes on each side until sealed. Place the poussin on a roasting tray and put into the oven for 15–20 minutes. Remove the poussin from the oven, sprinkle with some of the linseed dukkah and cover loosely with foil, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.
To prepare the fattouche salad
1. Wash all the vegetables. Halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes, depending on size, finely slice the spring onions and radishes, roughly chop the cucumber and lettuce and combine in a bowl.
2. Cut the pitta bread into squares. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan until hot but not smoking, add the pitta pieces and fry for a few minutes until crisp. Dry with kitchen roll and put to one side.
3. Chop the mint and parsley, finely grate the rind of both lemons and add to the salad with the juice of one lemons and the sumac and olive oil. Mix well and season. Sprinkle the pitta bread over the top and serve immediately.
To prepare the the charred lemon
Cut the lemon in half and dip into icing sugar, then brown in a dry hot pan.
To prepare the pomegranate dressing
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To prepare the pomegranate mayonnaise
Use a pestle and mortar to gently smash the pomegranate seeds, releasing their juices. Then add to a bowl with mayonnaise and combine.
To serve
1.Chop the poussin into pieces and place onto a wooden board, then add a squeeze of the charred lemon on top. The rest of the charred lemon can be added to the fattouche salad.
2.Serve the fattouche salad, pomegranate mayonnaise, pomegranate dressing and remaining linseed dukkah in separate bowls alongside the poussin.