Stephen Jackson: 40 not out – A Harry Potter feast for my birthday

Feb 12 2010 By Stephen Jackson

The next day saw lunch with relatives at Racine, a classic French brasserie-restaurant just along from Harrods. The chef, Henry Harris, was a year ahead of me at Prue Leith’s School and his career has rocketed. Racine serves all the classics impeccably from fish soup and trimmings to rabbit and bacon with mustard and green beans. I had been set aside a cote de boeuf from O’Shea’s in Knightsbridge, currently one of the most feted butcher’s shops in the country. I shared it with my dad, a real steak fan. The beef was exceptional with classic pommes frites and tangy Béarnaise sauce, one of my ‘desert island’ dishes.

In the evening, I had a relatively quiet dinner with a couple of friends at The Ledbury in Notting Hill, where genius Aussie chef Brett Graham and his team produce exquisite, flawless modern dishes such as ash-baked celeriac, pigeon with liquorice and date and cardamom custard tart. It is a hidden gem, recently awarded its second Michelin star, with total justification. A great place for a special dinner.

And this week, back home, it’s lettuce and lukewarm tapwater if I’m to fit into my swimming trunks on holiday. I shall be away for a few weeks, but will return with my tales from the Caribbean in March.

Here’s today’s recipe – roast bone barrow with parsley salad.

The recipe: A classic and never off the menu at St John. Don’t be squeamish and do give this a go – it’s a delightful and tasty way of starting a meal, sparking conversation and engaging an appetite.

Ingredients:12 X 8cm pieces veal bone marrowA large bunch flatleaf parsley, washed and stems removed, then roughly chopped2 large ‘banana’ shallots, peeled and very finely sliced3-4 tbsps capersJuice of a lemonSplash of olive oilSalt and pepperA favourite loaf, sliced and ready to toast

Method:Dead easy, this. Roast the bones in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until the marrow is nicely juicy. Start toasting the bread. Toss the parsley with the shallots and capers and season gently with the lemon juice, a splash of olive oil and some S&P.To serve, scoop a little marrow onto your toasts, season with a little S&P, then top with a sprinkle of parsley salad. Munch away, keeping things lubricated with a decent red, or hearty white.