Peat practice

In our third extract from Scotland On A Plate, the new book celebrating Scottish cooking, David Wilson describes how he abandoned a career in marketing to become a chef, then set up the Peat Inn, one of the nation's favourite restaurants I HAVE always been interested in food, but in the early days it was eating rather than cooking that I liked best. I worked for 12 years in sales and marketing. I was working for an engineering company in Yorkshire, and my wife Patricia and I had just had our first child, when I decided to change direction and become a chef.

We knew we wanted to run a restaurant one day and it was a case of now or never. The difficult bit was finding a place that would take me on. After a long search, I got a job working at a country pub serving good food. I worked away from home and it was a very hard year - particularly the first three months. I was used to being a middle manager and here I was taking orders from talented 17-year- old chefs.

In 1972, we returned to Scotland to look for a restaurant of our own. In the end, we couldn't resist the Peat Inn, which was relatively cheap and had an unbeatable address: "The Peat Inn, Peat Inn, Fife".

At first, we served food in the bar as well as in the restaurant. It was in the days when no one did bar food and it was a great success, especially with the St Andrews students. In 1979 we stopped the bar food to concentrate on the restaurant. French cooking has always had a big influence on me, particularly a chef called Michel Guerard, from south-west France. When we went to France on holiday, I would spend time in kitchens, watching and learning, honing my skills. To me, cooking is all about capturing the natural flavour of the food, not smothering it - clean, tasty, fresh food that looks great.

Caramelised banana on banana bread with coconut ice cream, coconut biscuit and caramel sauce for the banana bread 2 ripe bananas 50g granulated sugar 100g melted butter 3 eggs 10g plain flour 1 level teaspoon baking powder for the coconut biscuit 11/2 egg whites 50g castor sugar 30g sifted plain flour 30g desiccated coconut 30g melted butter for the coconut ice cream 150ml milk 150ml double cream 1/2 teaspoon liquid glucose 2 egg yolks 100g castor sugar 100ml coconut cream for the caramel 100g castor sugar 100ml water 50ml boiling water for the coconut/caramel sauce 100g castor sugar 100ml water 150ml double cream 100ml coconut cream for the banana tuille1 egg white 1 medium banana - bananas For the banana bread: Peel the bananas, chop roughly, place in a food processor and work to a smooth puree. Pour the mixture into bowl, add the sugar and mix together. Add the melted butter. Crack the eggs into another bowl, beat lightly, then add to the banana mixture. Add half the flour and baking powder, mix together for about a minute then add the remainder of the flour, mixing until fully incorporated. Place the baking rings (80mm diameter) on a non-stick baking sheet. Spoon the mix into rings, approximately 10mm deep. Bake in pre-heated oven (350F/gas mark 4/175C) for about 20 minutes until risen slightly and golden brown. Turn on to a wire rack to cool.

For the coconut biscuit: Whisk the egg whites and sugar together as a meringue mix. Fold in the sifted flour and coconut. Add the melted butter. Spoon the mix on to a Silpat mat on the baking sheet, spread to a round shape approximately 80mm in diameter (to make four biscuits). Bake in a pre-heated oven (425F/gas mark 7/220C) until light golden, remove using a spatula and place on wire rack to cool. If not using immediately, store it in an airtight container.

For the coconut ice cream: Bring the milk and cream to the boil and add glucose. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Slowly add the milk/cream mix to the egg mix and whisk together. Place the pan in a double boiler (or use a bigger pan with water inside it) over heat, stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove pan from the boiler, place in a large bowl with cold water and ice. Once cooled, add the coconut cream.

For the caramel: Put the sugar and the water in heavy-bottomed pan. Bring to the boil to make the caramel, which should be a golden tan colour. Add the boiling water, stir together. Set aside until required.

For the coconut/caramel sauce: Put the sugar and the water in pan and bring to the boil to caramelise. It should be golden. Add cream and coconut cream, stirring together over heat for about two minutes. Set aside.

For the banana tuille: Puree the banana and egg white together until smooth. Spread on to a Silpat mat on an oven sheet in a very thin layer. Bake in a preheated oven at 425F/gas mark 7/220C for about 45 minutes or until set enough to cut. Cut into strips about 25mm x 100mm. Lift the strips from sheet to loosen, then return to oven. Bake for a further ten to 15 minutes until strong enough to shape. Twist to desired shape. Store in airtight container until required.

Peel the bananas and slice into nine pieces about half an inch thick. Pour some caramel into a large saute pan over heat. Place the banana pieces in the caramel and cook for two to three minutes until one side of bananas is caramelised. Turn over and caramelise other side. Keep warm.

To serve, warm the banana bread then place in the centre of a serving plate. Put six slices of the caramelised banana on to the bread, then the coconut biscuit on top of the banana. Place three banana pieces at the top and bottom of plate. Put a ball of coconut ice cream on top of the biscuit then decorate with banana tuille. Run the sauce around the plate. Dressed Anstruther crab with yoghurt and lime and herb vinaigrette 400g white crab meat 2 tablespoons natural Greek yoghurt juice of 1/2 lime 2 level tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped 50g mixed salad leaves, washed 2 large tomatoes for the herb vinaigrette 50g fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, coriander, chervil - picked leaves only 50ml virgin olive oil1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 level tablespoon lemon juice salt and pepper for the tomato vinaigrette 1 tomato 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar salt and pepper for the garnish 1 tomato, sliced thinly If the crab meat has to be removed from claws ensure no pieces of shell or "bone" find their way into the meat. Spoon the yoghurt on to the crab meat, mix thoroughly then add lime juice and mix again. If not using immediately, cover bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate. Just before serving, add freshly chopped coriander leaves and mix through crab.

For the herb vinaigrette: Put all the ingredients (except the salt and pepper) in the blender and blend until mix has a smooth "sauce" consistency. Check seasoning and adjust to taste.

For the tomato vinaigrette: Place all the ingredients in a liquidiser and process until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the garnish: Place the tomato slices on a Silpat mat on a baking sheet. Place on the middle shelf of a preheated oven (225F/ gas mark 1/4/110C) for about two hours, until dried. Remove, place on wire rack until cool. Store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

To serve, place the salad leaves on a plate. Place the ring mould (about 70mm x 45mm deep) on top and fill about a third with dressed crab. Place a slice of tomato on top, spoon in more crab, another slice of raw tomato, then more crab on top of the ring. Remove the mould. Place thin slices of dried tomato on top and drizzle over the herb vinaigrette. Decorate with dots of tomato vinaigrette.

Fillet of halibut on vegetable risotto with prawns and yellow pepper sauce 1 tbsp olive oil - x 125g halibut fillets, skin removed 12 prawns, shelled for the vegetable risotto 1 level tablespoon carrot, finely diced 1 level tablespoon courgette, finely diced1 level tablespoon fennel, finely diced 1 level tablespoon celery, finely diced 1 level tablespoon red onion, finely diced 700ml fish stock 300g risotto rice 25g freshly grated Parmesan 15g unsalted butter salt and pepper for the yellow pepper sauce 1 yellow pepper 200ml vegetable stock 2 level teaspoons double cream 15g unsalted butter, diced salt and pepper for the tuille 1 egg white 20g sifted plain flour 20g melted butter 1/3 level tablespoon fresh fennel, chopped squeeze of lemon juice rind of slice of lemon, grated Put the olive oil in a heavy pan over heat. When it begins to smoke, place the halibut portions in a pan, presentation side down. Cook for three to four minutes to get a nice colour, turn over and cook for a further minute on the other side. Repeat for each fillet. Place on warm tray in the oven until required.

For the risotto: Blanch the vegetables in boiling, salted water for two minutes. Put the fish stock in a pan and bring to the boil. Put the rice in a second pan over heat. Add a little of the fish stock. Stir until absorbed, then keep adding stock and stirring until all is absorbed. The rice should be cooked and glutinous. Stir in grated parmesan and butter - this will enrich the sauce and add "shine". Add the blanched vegetables and check seasoning. Keep warm.

For the yellow pepper sauce: Grill the pepper, remove the skin and chop finely. Place the pepper and vegetable stock in the liquidiser and process until liquidised. Put it in a pan, bring to a simmer, add the cream then whisk in the butter, until it is all incorporated into the sauce. Adjust the seasoning.

Put a film of oil in a saute pan over heat. When the oil is smoking, add the prawns. Cook for one minute then turn and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

For the tuille: Whisk the egg white until frothy. Fold in the flour. Stir in the butter, fennel, lemon juice and zest. Spoon the mixture on to a Silpat mat, spread with the back of a spoon to shape approximately 8cm x 2cm, to yield at least four tuilles. To serve, place the ring mould (approximately 85mm x 30mm deep) on the centre of a plate. Spoon in the risotto until level with top. Place the cooked halibut on top. Place three small spoonfuls of risotto on the plate around side, then put prawns on the top. Spoon the yellow pepper sauce around the fish. Decorate with the tuille.

Medallions of venison saddle on wild mushroom cake with truffle sauce for the truffle sauce 400ml game stock 5g dried ceps 2 level tablespoons double cream 20g unsalted butter 1 dash truffle essence salt and pepper 720g venison saddle, boned and trimmed for the wild mushroom cake 20g unsalted butter 250g wild mushrooms, thinly sliced 150ml milk 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 level dessertspoon cornflour 1 egg yolk salt and pepper nutmeg For the truffle sauce: Put the game stock with the ceps in a saucepan over heat, bring to the boil then simmer for about 30 minutes until reduced by half. Add the cream, then whisk in the cold butter pieces until it is all amalgamated. Add the truffle essence, then pass the sauce through a fine sieve into another saucepan. Check the seasoning and reserve until required. Cut the venison into portion slices (across the saddle), each approximately 60g, to yield three medallions per person.

Put a film of oil in a saute pan over heat. When hot, place the medallions in the pan and cook on one side for one minute. Then turn over and cook for a further 30 seconds. Place the medallions on a roasting tray and cook in preheated oven (425F/gas mark 7/220C) for three to four minutes. The meat should be pink in the centre.

For the wild mushroom cake: Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the mushrooms, stir gently until they begin to sweat, then add the milk, stirring again. Add the garlic and stir through the mushrooms. Sprinkle the cornflour over the mushrooms, stirring until all the ingredients are absorbed by the milk. Remove from heat, beat the egg yolk, then add to the mushrooms, stirring it into the mixture. Season to taste and add a little nutmeg. Reserve in warm oven. To serve, spoon three small amounts of mushroom cake on to warm plate. Place one medallion of venison on top of each cake, then spoon truffle sauce over each medallion. Serve with the seasonal vegetables and potato

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