Tom Kerridge Plum Sauce Food

ROAST SPICED DUCK WITH PLUMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Toast the star anise and coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic. Tip the toasted spices into a spice grinder with 2 tsp sea salt and grind into a fine powder (or crush using a pestle and mortar). Put the spice salt in a bowl, add the sugar, mix well and set aside.
• Lightly score the skin of the duck in a criss-cross pattern and heat the oil in a large casserole. Using a pair of tongs to turn it, brown the duck well on all sides, pour off the excess fat, then sit the duck breast-side up and season all over with the sugar and spice mix. Pack the plums around the outside, then scatter over the bay and pour over the vinegar and stock.
• Roast in the oven for 2 hrs or until the duck is golden and the plums have broken down. Turn the oven right up for 10 more mins to crisp up the skin. Take the duck out of the pan to rest for 10 mins and spoon the excess fat off the plums. Carve the duck and serve with a good spoonful of plums.

ULTIMATE PLUM & APPLE COBBLER

Steps:

• For the fruit, put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over a low heat, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, then leave to simmer until you have a chunky fruit compote, then set aside.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 6. Whisk the egg into the milk and set aside. Rub the butter and the flour together until it has the texture of chunky breadcrumbs, then stir in the caster sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and a large pinch of salt. Pour in the milk mixture and bring together to form a thick, batter-like texture.
• Tip the compote into a baking dish and top with large spoonfuls of the cobbler mix, making sure there are a few gaps for the fruit to bubble through, then sprinkle everything with the demerara sugar. Bake for 35-40 mins or until the topping is golden and just cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 mins before serving straight from the dish with generous spoonfuls of clotted cream.

BAY-CRUMBED SALMON WITH CREAMED SPINACH & WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Crush the bay leaves as finely as possible using a pestle and mortar, then mix with the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and some seasoning, then set aside. Put the spinach in a colander and pour over boiled water from the kettle to wilt it. Rinse under cold water to cool, then squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Bring the cream, white wine and mushrooms to the boil in a pan, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Spread out the wilted spinach in the base of a baking dish or roasting tin that's large enough to snugly fit the salmon. Pour over the creamy mushrooms. Season to taste. Lay the salmon on top, down the middle of the dish, with the rounded-side up. Season the salmon and drizzle over the lemon juice, then scatter over the breadcrumbs so the fillet is completely covered. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Dot the butter over the salmon and bake for 30-35 mins until the fish is just cooked through, the crumb is golden and the cream has bubbled into the spinach. Leave to rest for a few minutes, then serve the salmon and spinach straight from the dish.