Week beginning January 14th - Forced rhubarb and Seville Oranges

Forced Rhubarb: Un-like regular rhubarb this particular variety grows best at night, starved of light. In order for the rhubarb to grow you must tease it with very little light like a full moon. The rhubarb will grow forcefully upwards in search for more light. This technique makes for greater delicacy and succulence. Every winter I use raw forced rhubarb in my salads, lending sharp and sour flavours and paired nicely with sweet and/or citrus ingredients.

Seville Oranges: Meaning bitter oranges in English. These amazing oranges are harvested during January and come from a very sunny and dry part Spain, the Cost Del Sol, slightly inland from the most southern point. These oranges have a thick pith and high in pectin which make them ideal for making marmalade or as a marinated on fatty meats and firm fish. 

This week I will be marinating and baking sword fish in seville oranges then serving it with hass avocados, sea beet and poached dried figs. Also keep an eye out for Seville Orange Marmalade which will be available during April, this particular marmalade is best eaten after 3 months of maturing in a dark, cool place. The bitterness of the marmalade mellows slightly and the oil in the skin breaks down which permeates the final product. Well worth the wait.

Please enjoy this weeks menu, because we will enjoy making it and we will enjoy serving it to you.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.70
(add 30 p for granola or yogurt)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 4.00
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Coffee, cherry and walnut toast 2.30
Banana bread 2.40

Porridge - Served with rhubarb and raspberry compote, chopped nuts, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.80
Pain au chocolat 2.40
Almond croissants 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffins: Pear and Oat  2.20
Savoury Muffins: Blue Cheese and Celery 2.20
Red Current friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Afgan cookies 1.80

Lunch
Soup: Venison and White Bean Soup 4.50

French retro baguettes 4.90
Slow Roasted Beef, Gherkin, Red Onion, Dijon, Gruyere, Spinach
Roasted Red Peppers, Courgette, Red Onion, with Pesto, Rocket

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 5.00
Ham, Red Currant Jelly, Basil, Brie, Rocket
Tomato, Chimichurri, Mozzarella, Spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Sword Fish marinated in Seville Oranges Served with Avocados, Sea Beet and Dried Figs Poached in Buckthorn Juice
Wilted Broad Bean Tops with Pomegranate, Julienne Forced Rhubarb, Blood Orange, Feta and Poppy Seeds
Roasted Turnips tossed in Lady Smock, Wild Horse Radish and Three Corner Garlic

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad

Honey Roasted Aubergine with Yoghurt Sauce