Close House executive chef Simon Walsh treats us to some sizzling summer specials
Simon Walsh is prematurely grey. Still in his 30s, there is barely a hint of the once-ebony mop, but the salt and pepper grey suits him, and it is certainly not a reflection of culinary angst.
“No, I just went grey early,” he laughs, “and we like to keep things to an extremely high standard, but there is beauty in simplicity and we let the produce shine through in every dish.”
Simon and his talented team have revamped the menus at Argent D’Or restaurant at Close House, stripping away, as he puts it, the dishes to their purest form. “It’s stripped back, more relevant, and lighter, which suits modern taste and the light and airy surroundings,” says Simon. “The dining experience, though still sophisticated, is less formal, so people relax and linger.”
Argent D’Or is about simply modern food with a British influence; fresh, seasonal and exciting, served in a glamorous, light and airy dining room with beautiful views. “At the No.19 clubhouse, the atmosphere is relaxed, laid back and happy. We always insist that the produce is of highest quality, and the dishes at No.19 are fresh and wholesome. Our weekly steak and curry nights are hugely popular, and we’re introducing BBQ nights for summer. While the produce is the same high quality in both restaurants, we enjoy different interpretations for the two different dining experiences. At Argent D’Or we are a little more technical in our approach, while we are a little more robust at No.19. We are particularly excited about The Orangery, which is now the perfect setting for private dining with beautiful views. Every event starts with a blank sheet of paper, which means every experience is unique, just as it should be.”
For details of BBQ nights and special events at No.19, and to book at Argent D’Or, contact
Close House, tel 01661 852 255
BBQ spatchcock chicken & summer coleslaw
Turn your barbecue into a feast for the eyes and the stomach, with moist spatchcock chicken and a special summer coleslaw singing with colour and crunch
Ingredients:
1 spatchcock chicken
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
coleslaw:
200g shredded red cabbage
1 banana shallot, finely sliced
50g chopped flat leaf parsley
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
50ml olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
200g carrots, finely sliced
garnish:
pea and coriander shoots
Method
Chicken: Place the chicken in brine for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours (for a good brine mix 95% water + 5% salt solution). Soaking like this will help to keep your chicken lovely and moist during the cooking. After a minimum 3 hours, remove chicken from brine, dry with a piece of kitchen towel, rub with olive oil, and season with black pepper. Place chicken on the BBQ and cook until it’s nicely coloured, turning it regularly.
Then, move the chicken onto the higher shelf of the BBQ, close the lid and turn the heat down until meat cooks through.
Coleslaw: Toss all the ingredients in a bowl, add salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Leave to macerate for 5 minutes before serving.
To serve: Remove the chicken from the BBQ and serve it on a wooden board with the coleslaw garnished with pea and coriander shoots.
The Westwood burger
When Close House golf attached tour professinal Lee Westwood comes to play at Close House, he loves nothing more than a great homemade burger, which is why its creator, Simon Walsh, has named it after him. A fine partner to the two golf courses also bearing his name, we say…
Ingredients
500g steak mince
2tsp salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1tsp tomato puree
½ tsp mild curry powder
½ tsp English mustard
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
a good grind of black pepper
Burger sauce:
100ml tomato ketchup
100g French’s classic mustard
Method
Burger: Gently fry off the onion in a pan over a low heat until soft. Now, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and then shape into burger patties. When you’re ready to serve, simply cook through on the BBQ, turning regularly.
Sauce: Mix together the ketchup and mustard and serve in a pot on the side (perfect for dipping your burger!)
Serve: With crispy strips of bacon and melted cheese in a brioche bun.
Simon’s spiced lamb koftas with flatbreads and cucumber dip
Enjoy some Turkish barbecued delight with these amazing lamb koftas and homemade flatbreads.
Ingredients
500g minced lamb
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1tsp ground cumin seeds
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp ground turmeric
1 pinch cinnamon
1tsp cayenne pepper
2tbsp chopped coriander
salt & pepper
2tbsp olive oil
Flatbreads:
250g plain flour
1tsp fine sea salt
1tbsp olive oil
150ml warm water
Minty cucumber dip:
1 cucumber
1 small clove garlic, crushed
2 spring onions, chopped
large handful mint leaves, shredded
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
150g Greek-style yogurt
Method
Lamb: In a large bowl mix the minced lamb with the onion and all the spices and coriander and season with salt & pepper. With wet hands, make12 sausage shapes and place onto a tray to firm up in the fridge for 12 hours.
Flatbreads: Sift the flour into a large bowl, add salt, oil and water and form into a dough with your hands. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 5 mins until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Cover dough with a bowl and let it rest for 15 mins. When you are ready to cook the flatbreads, roll the dough into a sausage shape and divide into six balls. Roll out on a floured surface into 3mm thick rounds. Cover with a tea towel and rest for a few minutes before BBQing.
Minty cucumber dip: Cut cucumber in half lengthways, scoop out seeds with a teaspoon and slice. Combine cucumber and remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To BBQ: Lightly brush the koftas with olive oil and cook on a BBQ. Shake off any excess flour on the flatbreads and carefully lay on the BBQ or a griddle. Leave a minute or two, until the dough looks set, then flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds.
To serve: Place barbecued koftas on a platter and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, some chopped mint and a sprinkling of sea salt. Serve with flatbreads and the cucumber & mint salad.
Summer seared Shetland scallops
Ingredients:
16 extra-large scallops, cut in half horizontally
Celeriac puree:
400g peeled celeriac
50g unsalted butter
75g white onion, finely diced
300ml whipping cream
Dressing:
100ml curry oil
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
65g golden raisins, halved
50g super-fine capers
30 coriander leaves, chopped
Method
Scallops: Heat two pans until very hot. At the last minute, season scallops with salt, add a little rapeseed oil to the pans and place the scallops seasoned side down (don’t shake the pan). After 1½ mins, turn the scallops, which should be golden, and finish cooking for 30 seconds.
Celeriac puree: Shred celeriac on the course side of a grater. Melt butter in a pan, add onion and a pinch of salt and sweat off ’til soft. Add celeriac, season with salt, then add cream. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently, cover and simmer for 15 mins. Remove lid and cook for a further five mins. Transfer to a blender, blend to a puree, then pass through a fine sieve.
Dressing: Combine ingredients in a bowl, season and finish with a little grape juice.
To serve: Place a spoon of warm puree on each plate, arrange scallops around, spoon over dressing and finish with apple batons and coriander cress.
