Aiden Byrne’s Made in Great Britain
“He is passionate about fine British food and has ensured that his menus are a showcase for the best British ingredients. The perception of British food is changing, not only because there are so many fantastic restaurants and chefs producing world class food, but also because more and more of us are waking up to our gastronomic delights that Britain has to offer. Made in Great Britain is a celebration of our rich culinary heritage and wonderful produce from the best meat and game to the freshest fish and shellfish.”
Is this book supposed to be a celebration of British produce and modern culinary trends, a book showcasing the talents of another celebrity chef, or a collection of recipes for all to replicate at home?
Aiden Byrne is head chef at the Grill at the Dorchester in London and has made numerous TV appearances in the UK, including the BBC’s Materchef and Food Poker and UKTV’s Market Kitchen. The press pack doesn’t mention a Michelin star but the photographs certainly give that level of quality, complete with minimalist plating, smears of sauces, little mounds of this and that and so on.
But many of the recipes are way beyond me - both in terms of competence and in bothering with the list of ingredients. The Poached Turbot with Truffle Cream, Chervil and Mushrooms, to pick one at random, has 11 ingredients for the Scallop Tripe alone and two components (Truffled Potato and Truffle Cream Sauce) have separate recipes elsewhere in the book. A bit too much for me, I am afraid. But maybe not for those with a fancy dinner party to cater for or culinary aspirations of a high quality.
Of course not all the recipes are complicated or involve more pots that I possess. The Scallops with Garlic and Lime Puree is designed as a starter and described as “about as simple as I get,” and I am rather tempted by the Chicken Breast with Lemon, Rosemary and Figs. I’m guessing that many recipes are there for inspiration and would be simplified or altered by any competent cook and adjusted to suit ability. And there are some rather interesting-sounding recipes to play with - Orange and Olive Oil Cake with Candied Celery for example and Banana and Peanut Crumble with Roasted Pineapple to pick two at random from the dessert section.
The rear of the book has a Fundamentals chapter. Here recipes for sauces, purées, vinaigrettes, and confits are listed. Although some of these seem as complicated as a mainstream recipe (Pigeon Sauce/Mousse for example).
So Aiden Byrne’s Made in Great Britain is a book to explore and marvel at but perhaps not one in which to religiously follow each and every recipe provided.
Read more on The Foodie List.
Aiden Byrne’s Made in Great Britain is available from Amazon.co.uk
