Best recipe by Martin Wishart

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HAGGIS BONBON CANAPÉS

You need:

1 good-quality haggis approximately 400-500g

2 eggs, beaten with a little milk (egg wash)

50g plain flour

100g Panko Japanese breadcrumbs or plain breadcrumbs

Method:

Remove the haggis from its bag and divide into small pieces weighing approximately 20g each, then roll into balls.

Lay out three bowls: one with flour, one with the egg wash and one with the breadcrumbs.

Coat the haggis balls in flour, dip into the egg to coat, then finally roll in the breadcrumbs.

Store in the fridge before cooking.

Deep-fry in vegetable oil for 3 minutes, then drain on kitchen paper before serving.

WARM SALAD OF WILD MUSHROOMS, WATERCRESS AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR, serves 4

You need:

1kg mixed wild mushrooms eg Oyster, Girolles, Hedgehog, Pied de Mouton

2 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed

2 cloves garlic

2 shallots

5 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

250g fresh watercress

Salt

Method:

Prepare the mushrooms by removing any tough stalks and cutting down into evenly sized strips.

Wash the prepared mushrooms quickly in a large basin of water and remove excess water by spinning them in a salad spinner, then leave to air-dry on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Peel one of the garlic cloves and cut it in half. Add it to a pan with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and heat it to infuse.

Cut the bread into 1cm squares and fry these in the olive oil on a medium heat until golden brown.

Drain through a colander or sieve and dry on paper towel.

Lightly season the croutons with salt and remove the garlic.

Put the remaining oil into a wide-based pan. Peel and dice the shallots finely and fry in the oil for 30 seconds.

Add the remaining garlic, peeled and halved, to the pan and then add the mushrooms in one even layer.

Season with a little salt and sauté until golden brown. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add the balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms while still hot. Remove the garlic and allow them to cool a little.

To serve: Remove and discard the watercress stalks and rinse the leaves in cold water.

STEAMED SALMON WRAPPED IN BACON WITH ROSEMARY BUTTER, serves 4

You need:

4 portions of organic salmon, 130g each

8 thin slices of lightly smoked bacon

1 large carrot

½ a leek

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

100ml double cream

120g unsalted butter

150g fresh Girolle mushrooms or small white button mushrooms

16 new potatoes, peeled and boiled

Method:

Wrap each piece of salmon with two slices of bacon and brush it with a little olive oil. Place the fish in a dish, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 12 hours to allow the bacon’s flavour to penetrate the salmon.

Peel the carrot and wash the leek, then cut them into small even dice and cook separately in salted boiling water until tender.

Put the vinegar, rosemary and cream into a small saucepan, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Then slowly whisk in the cold diced butter a little at a time until fully incorporated, making sure that the sauce does not boil.

When done, remove the rosemary and keep in a warm place at around room temperature.

Place a steamer on the stove and bring to the boil.

Season each portion of salmon with a little salt, then place them in the steamer to cook (allow 10-15 mins, depending on the thickness of the salmon).

Clean the mushrooms, and if they are large cut into quarters. Then gently sauté them in a little butter until tender.

Warm the leek and carrots in the sauce, then add the cooked mushrooms.

Warm the cooked new potatoes, then add a little knob of butter and lightly crush them with a fork.

CHICKEN COOKED IN BEER, serves 6

You need:

2 x 1.5kg whole chickens

50g unsalted butter

2 shallots, peeled and diced

75ml gin

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

600g white button mushrooms, washed and evenly sliced

700ml Belgian beer

250ml double cream

100ml crème fraîche

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped

Method:

First prepare the chicken by removing the legs and separating the thigh and drumsticks. Cut off the bottom of the carcase, leaving the breasts on the bone. Cut this into four even pieces.

Heat some vegetable oil in a large pan and brown the chicken pieces evenly.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Pour off the oil from the pan.

Place the butter into the pan with the shallots and cook gently for 2-3 minutes without colouring.

Add the gin to the pan and flambé by igniting the liquid with a lighter when it enters the hot pan.

Place the chicken back in the pan along with the bay leaf, thyme, mushrooms and the beer. Return the liquid to the boil and then turn it down to a gentle simmer.

After 45 minutes of cooking, remove the chicken. Add the cream and crème fraîche to the pan, bring it back to the boil and reduce the sauce by one-third.

Adjust the seasoning of the sauce with salt and pepper and finish with the chopped parsley.

To serve:

Arrange the chicken pieces on the plates and pour over the sauce and mushrooms.

Sautéed potatoes would be a nice accompaniment to this dish.

COFFEE CRÈME BRULÉE, serves 4

You need:

375ml double cream

125ml milk

25g crushed coffee beans

5 egg yolks

100g caster sugar

Method:

Bring the milk, cream and crushed coffee beans to the boil in a pan.

In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar, until a pale yellow colour.

Add the milk and leave to cool for 30 minutes.

Pass mixture through a sieve and discard the coffee beans. Pour mixture into 12 small ramekins approx 7cm x 3cm deep.

Place in a deep tray filled with boiling water. Cook in a pre-heated oven 170C (gas mark 3) for 20-25 minutes or until the brulées are set.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Note: If the brulées start to bubble around the surface, open the oven door and turn the temperature down a little.

To serve:

Remember to remove the brulées from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Lightly sprinkle a layer of caster sugar on top and gently caramelise the sugar with a blowtorch or place under a hot grill. Serve immediately.

• All recipes taken from the newly released Cook Book by Martin Wishart.

• Cook Book by Martin Wishart is available from a number of book stores throughout Edinburgh and is available to buy online from www.cookschool.co.uk. Tel: [phone]