CHEFS | RESTAURANTS | RETAILERS | RECIPES
helgig.cymru gamemeat.wales
Venison, chestnut ragu 21
Where to buy game meat in Wales 13-14
Hywel Griffith - Roe deer 53
Hywel Griffith 54
Our top 50 eateries 24
Cindy Challoner - Roast pheasant 39
Pheasant yoghurt curry 75
Tommy Heaney 20 Matt Waldron 30
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Game on your menu 9-10
Figgy pheasant traybake 83
Venison steak with cranberry and port sauce 47
Interviews
Cooking game with Nerys Howell 15-16
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Matt Waldron - Venison 29
Game: healthy and sustainable 11-12
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Foreword 3
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Tommy Heaney - Venison tartare 19
Introduction 6
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Spiced pheasant and onion pilaf 33
Siddarth Rathore - Marinated pheasant 69
Partridge parcels with Welsh cider 93
CoverCredits:photo: Phil BoormanPot Roast Pheasant,see page 61 for recipe. Publisher Catherine Farinha Red Cherry (Bristol) www.redcherry.uk.comLtd EditorProduction Chandos Elletson Graphic Design Lee Yarlett Food Consultant Nerys Howell Copyright © 2022 Red Cherry (Bristol) Ltd. Published in July 2022. All rights reserved. Contents
What to drink with game 17-18
Cindy Challoner 40
Pot roast pheasant 61
Recipes
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A walk on the wild side 7-8
42
Siddarth Rathore 70
I think game is universal to many cultures and though we have been brought up with the tradition of classical British game cooking, it is also true that game can handle spice and some interesting flavour combinations. I think that’s one of the reasons that I love working with it so much. You can have so much fun with it.
Throughout my career I have worked with some wonderful chefs who have taught me so much: Paul Gayler, Simon Radley, Shane Hughes and Steven Smith, to name a few. All of them were game lovers and ever since I was a junior chef, I can remember the excitement of having game on the menu and what we were going to cook.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. I have been working hard here at Beach House over the last six years to try and buck (pardon the pun) that thought process. Now personally, I have a huge passion for game and the countryside and although the Glorious Twelfth is thought to be the start of the game season, it couldn’t be further from the truth. We have six species of deer here in the UK with at least two of them in season throughout the year, which allows me to showcase this passion throughout that period with a variety of styles and solid flavour combinations.
There is a misunderstanding with a lot of people where it’s thought that game is reserved for the deepest and darkest winter months, that the meat has this ‘Gamey’ flavour and that it’s served with over reduced sauces, game chips and bacon.
I still have that thrill today, here, at Beach House. We take our game as seriously as we do all the ingredients that are on the doorstep, which is what makes it such an exciting place to work. I love game meat because it gives you something more to work with. Its leanness means that you have to treat it with respect and its variety of flavour and texture can work with many different styles and ingredients.
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Serving a light summer dish with muntjac or roe deer can definitely arouse a few question marks with some guests. However, I’m delighted to find that customers have been pleasantly surprised and educated at the same time, with people now turning to game where they previously thought that they weren’t fans, for me, that’s what it’s all about; mission accomplished.
FOREWORD | Hywel Griffith, Beach House
I very much hope it inspires a new generation of game enthusiasts as we chefs love to cook with it, especially in Wales, as it gives us a new reason to be creative and to get excited about how we’re going to put it on the menu.
I am very proud to write this foreword. I think a book all about Welsh game is long overdue and this structure of listing great places to experience and enjoy game in Wales alongside places to buy it and even spot it is a great idea.
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53 Spiced Pheasant and onion pilaf See page 33 for the recipe
Game is a magical, wild and wonderful collection of animals and birds that flourish throughout Wales and their magnificent flavour and pedigree ensure that you’ll always be delighted and charmed by their goodness and taste.
INTRODUCTIONByChandosElletson
46
As this is the inaugural Welsh Game Guide, we are conscious that despite the best of our intentions we may have missed an obvious restaurant or that one has escaped our attention. If you know of a good restaurant, pub or hotel where you’ve had a cracking game dish then let us know and we’ll include it in the next edition.
We’ve also got you covered with great tips for cooking game at home and some chef recipes to get your taste buds going. You’ll also find a list of recommended suppliers and butchers - both online and retail.
So, sit back and have a read before you set off on your travels. It really has been illuminating researching the varied restaurants of Wales and highlighting those that have a love for everything game.
No matter what you’re looking for you’ll find we’ve got you covered in these pages. Whether you’re looking for a restaurant where they love game or a butcher or farm shop that sells it, we’ve done the hard work for you.
Welcome to this inaugural edition of The Welsh Game Guide. Not only has Wales got some of the most glorious scenery in the world, it also has a unique collection of restaurants and suppliers who champion game in all its forms.
What our list of 50 restaurants reveals is how different they all are. You’ll find pubs, restaurants, hotels and fine dining restaurants in the list and they are all different. Some are urban and others are on the coast. Some are nestled away, hidden, in the countryside and others are within easy reach of a main road. But what is remarkable is that all of them are dotted all over Wales meaning you’re never very far from a good restaurant where, in season and depending on supply, you’ll find great game cooking.
Chandos Elletson - Editor
Game is celebrated for this very reason. The meat is prized for its individuality and the fact that it is different. To give you a good example, an old rule of thumb is that pheasant meat gets better as the shooting season progresses. In early October at the start of the season the meat is younger and less flavoured - some people like this - it’s a matter of taste.
A walk on the wild side
However, there are others who enjoy the taste of a pheasant that’s had the chance to spend a couple of months on the wild berries in the hedgerows and the foraging in woodland. These additions to the diet have a significant impact on flavour. So, as the shooting season progresses so the flavour of the birds will Game,change.whether
it’s animal or bird, has a wild diet and an active life. This means two things; muscles are more developed meaning leaner meat and the flavours in the meat are influenced by nutritious foraging.
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Deer are no exception. Though the taste of the meat doesn’t differ that much from month to month, the habitat of the deer can influence its taste. If the deer has been living in woodland, it will taste differently to deer raised and fed on wild heather on the hilltops. Whether it’s deer, boar or game birds, the habitats provide a wealth of extra special nutrients and flavours.
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It’s the same with grouse. Young grouse shot in August, the start of the shooting season, tastes completely different to the last ones shot in January. By this time the birds are fitter and faster and that plays its part.
To access the best nutrients on offer, the birds and animals must roam freely and this amount of movement is what naturally lowers the fat content of the meat. Wild means movement and movement means leanness.
The French have always known this when it comes to chicken. The famous Poulet de Bresse is a lean bird - lean because it moves a lot. The understanding is that movement is also linked to flavour. So, the wild nature of game is good for two things: lower fat and more flavour.
also include duck.
Game is a broad name for, basically, certain wild birds that have been selected for the food chain within specific categories and a handful of animals that fit into the same bracket.
There is far less fat in it and therefore it will toughen if overcooked, as there is no fat to protect it and less marbling, as in beef and lamb, that aids longer cooking. Of course, braised game does work well but it needs care and Aboveattention.all,
If you are familiar with game and its charms, you will look forward to its appearance every year in your local butcher or farm shop and on restaurant menus. If you are not familiar with game, a whole new world of flavours and textures awaits you.
The most famous types of game are deer (there are four main types) and the game birds that feature most prominently - pheasants and partridge are the most well known, but others you might have heard of are grouse and to a lesser degree Thewoodcock.wildbirds
Photo: Pheasant Yoghurt Curry - see page 75 for recipe.
Game on your menu
9
When it comes to cooking, game can be as different as you want it to be but, like any meat, it requires to be understood before it can be cooked successfully. It is absolutely true that game is better cooked underdone than well done. There is a strong reason for this: game meat is lean.
Specifically, wild coastal ducks such as mallard and teal. These are highly prized and are shot by what is known as wildfowlers who have permission to shoot duck in wetland areas. Beyond these types of game are animals such as wild boar and rabbits and birds like pigeons.
game is a taste of the wild. Whether it comes from a managed shoot, or a cull of a deer herd to manage numbers, game is always available in season and something to look forward to.
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of the reason for this is the lifestyle of the animal. It must forage and feed where it can and this, in turn, is highlighted in the meat. The meat is also sustainable because the land can only subsist a carefully monitored number.
Game is sustainablehealthy, and great to cook with
A really top pheasant from a Welsh shoot is in prime condition. It has foraged on wild food and is leaner and more full of flavour than a farmed chicken. It is also competitively priced and is not available all the time. There is a season for pheasant which runs from the beginning of October to the end of January. It’s healthy because it is lower in saturated fat. Part
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I love game because it has a fantastic ability to go with whatever is put with it. Simple roast game is delicious but it’s when clever cooks and chefs start tinkering with flavour profiles and side dishes that game really comes alive. No matter what you seem to put with it - game thrives”.
“Game birds are meant to be eaten and a lot of effort and management goes into their diet, lifestyle and health. This means that, as game meat, what you are buying has been thoroughly and comprehensively managed to produce a best in class.
Annette Woolcock, Head of Wild Food at BASC, talks about the three key benefits of adding game meat to your kitchen repertoire.
“We’re excited for the future of game in Wales”
truly wild and needs to be culled to keep the herds from becoming too large. This is particularly the case with deer and wild boar.
“Did you know that game goes beautifully with spice? It’s obvious when you think of it. In India, for example, game and spice have a long history and many famous flavour combinations have been established over the years.
Finally, game birds, in particular, must be eaten. Wales has many of the best shoots in the UK and the birds that are shot need to end up on the plate. It is important for an awareness of game cookery to thrive because the Welsh game industry produces such excellent quality.
Game is abundant in season and should be enjoyed for what it is - a seasonal festival of the wild that can be enjoyed for years to come and exist in perfect harmony with a sport that creates and maintains hundreds of countryside jobs. And it keeps chefs happy with a product that they can look forward to and create winning dishes that makes their menus shine.”
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We’re excited for the future of game in Wales. The change from lead shot to a new type of steel pellet has already interested the supermarkets and we are seeing more and more interest in the variety of game available - some of it as a result of the shooting industry and other types of game that is
To find out more visit the Eat Game Website: eatgame.co.uk
1. Edwards of 2.shop.edwardsofconwy.co.ukConwyPennantValleyGame / Izzy’s Butchers 4.robrattray.co.uk3.wildwelshmeat.co.ukRobRattrayGwaunValley dewirobertsbutchers.co.uk7.eynons.co.uk6.prendergastbutchers.co.uk5.gwaunvalleymeats.co.ukMeatsPrendegastButchersEynonsDewiRoberts Where
Our list of game suppliers is a sure-fire way of finding what you are looking for.
Game meat in Wales Some of the best places to buy game in wales 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 12 1413 15 16 17 11
Fresh game is mostly available during game season with frozen game offered all year round. Many of these suppliers have online shops offering delivery of fresh or frozen game. Do get in touch with them if you do not see what you are looking for – they’ll be delighted to help you. to buy
14 8.
11. Douglas willogame.co.uknsjames.co.uk12.douglaswillis.co.ukWillisNSJames13.TrealyFarmtrealyfarmcharcuterie.co.uk14.GoldenValleygvmg.co.uk15.BeaconsFarmShopbeaconsfarmshop.co.uk16.RhugEstaterhug.co.uk17.WilloGame
The locations listed in our map are just some of the places you’ll find Welsh game meat in Wales and the border counties. There are also a number of other locations in Wales where game is plentifully stocked. 10.tuckersbutchers.com9.cwmcerrigfarmshop.co.ukCwmcerrigTuckersP&RHopkins cardiffbutchers.co.uk
The best way to cook game is either very quickly or very slowly over a low heat. As with other meats the leaner cuts such as fillet, tenderloin, breast, haunch are best cooked for a few minutes either side where as the tougher cuts such as shoulder are best cooked slowly in dishes such as curries and pot roasts with herbs, spices, root vegetables, wine, beer and cider. As the meat has a stronger flavour it pairs well with different spices in curries, stir fries and chilli.
There are some classic combinations such as venison with juniper berries, chocolate, blackberries and roast pheasant with game chips and bread sauce. Wild duck and guinea fowl work well with fruitier sauces (oranges, apple, berries) and partridge with apricots or prunes and rabbit with mustard, olives and cider.
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Pair game with other seasonal ingredients
Cooking game with Nerys Howell
Fast or slow - game can do both
We asked Welsh food specialist Nerys Howell how she uses game in her recipes and what it is that makes game so special.
as is partridge. You’ll also find wild boar a delicious pork or beef substitute and pigeon a great delicacy that takes just minutes to cook; a rich red meat that is perfect simply pan fried or griddled and works just as well in a pie.
Game meat is seasonal and very much complemented by the ingredients from its natural habitat such as wild mushrooms, woody herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, wild bay), fruit and berries such as blackberries, sloes, plums and apples.
Foraged flavours Game is rich in flavour with a unique taste and smell that can appear stronger than other meats you may be more familiar with. The unique taste and iron richness is a result of a diet of naturally foraged ingredients. Pheasant is becoming a popular choice with consumers as it’s a great, more flavorsome alternative to chicken,
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Choosing to eat wild game is a good choice for meat eaters. Thriving in the Welsh countryside, game animals are freely roaming and foraging on a natural diet. They live highly active lives in natural surroundings with minimal environmental impact. Ever easier to source and trace locally, when done so, game meat has a substantially lower carbon footprint, meaning you can enjoy your food, knowing that the food miles are low.
Don’t forget mince!
Game is an extremely versatile meat; quick and easy to cook when time is short, which is ideal if you are looking for a speedy mid-week meal. Game meat can be an easy substitute in your favourite recipes; from stir fries, bolognese, pasta bakes and casseroles to pies, pot roasts and curries. Pairing well with a host of strong flavours, herbs and spices, game meat can be cooked year round and adapted to suit the seasons with recipes from all over the world.
It’s just like your other favourite meaty ingredients
Protein hit Both lean and nutritious; considered a healthier alternative to other farmraised animals due to both low saturated fat and low cholesterol content. Game is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals, richly flavoured with the natural diet that these free ranging animals have foraged on in the wild.
The low carbon choice
“Game is an extremely versatile meat; quick and easy to cook when time is short which is ideal if you are looking for a speedy mid-week meal.”
Try using minced venison instead of minced beef in your go-to dishes from cottage pie to koftas, you’ll find it easy to transition. Alternatively, why not feature game on your next dinner party menu to impress your guests?
Yangarra Old Vine Grenache, McLaren Vale, 2018 Australia
Zareh Mesrobyan
Grouse
cepage.uk
Vignes 2013 Beaujolais, France
Pheasant
I’m going to go with a Burgundy. Roast pheasant partners really well BourgognewithPinot Noir
thegoodwineshop.co.ukRabbit
I think it has to be a Beaujolais. Rabbit is a mild-tasting, lean, meat which I think would pair perfectly with Hubert Lappiere Chenas Vielles Vignes 2013. The wine is mineral and fleshy and needs time to settle in the bottle. People seldom realise just how well Cru Beaujolais can age. A perfect example of Gamay this wine is definitely not in a Beaujolais noveau style but offers something that will suit rabbit perfectly.
Bouchard Pere et Fils. It’s a pleasantly balanced wine which reveals a harmonious blend of fruit and terroir. Founded in 1731 Bouchard Père & Fils is one of the oldest Burgundy wine estates with a history that spans nearly three centuries and nine generations. Their wines are made from rigorously selected grapes and deserve a special mention.
What to drink with game
Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Bouchard Pere et Fils, 2019 Burgundy, France
Experienced Head Sommelier & Wine Expert
mumblesfinewines.co.uk
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We asked a top wine expert, Zareh Mesrobyan, to give his thoughts on wine paring for game. His advice is to go slightly more upmarket and buy wines that really shine with game. His modern classics range from classic French to California and Australia. This selection showcases wines that enhance the unique flavours of game dishes.
Hubert Lapierre Chénas Vieilles
Australia for me. Grouse works really well with Yangarra Old Vine Grenache. Grenache grapes are grown on gnarly vines planted in 1946 in a deep sandy dune on a single vineyard estate in the cooler, elevated, northeast of McLaren Vale. Peter Fraser aims for complexity and elegance, therefore the vines are not irrigated, the bunches are sorted in the winery with only the perfect berries being selected. The palate is rich and mouth-coating with grainy tannins that will soften once you combine it with grouse dishes
Partridge
bearing the Cambria name, which honor Barbara Banke’s Welsh heritage, is grown, produced and bottled on the estate. The delicate and refined expression of the Pinot Noir with its opulent nose pairs perfectly with partridge.
Cambria, Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
(Don’t forget you can visit Llanerch vineyard and there’s a restaurant, you can read about on p38)
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For a little closer to home there is a wide variety of award-winning wines on our doorstep which can be found on www.vineyards.wales
You have to look at the Southern Rhone here. The perfect pairing for me would be a Grenache dominant Gigondas. In particular Terrase du Diable, Les Pallieres, Gigondas, 2015.
are proud to be stewards of this remarkable
Terrasse du Diable Les Pallières Gigondas 2015 Southern Rhône, France
Eachproperty.wine
Venison
This superb wine benefits from the altitude of the vineyard and the cooling Mistral that blowes along the La Crau plateau in Southern Rhône. The vineyard’s low yielding old vines, which are between 45 and 90 years old, provide intense minerality with beautifully weighted body and important freshness.
It’s bypassionatelyfarmed,andsustainably-family-owned,tendedateamwho
cepage.uk
The tannin structure softens when paired with the venison and the peppery aromas compliment the flavour profile.
2018 Santa Maria Valley, California Lunzerwineshop.com
wine vinegar
a good spoonful of the tartare dressing and season
Venison Tartare with pickled kohlrabi and tartare dressing
KOHLRABI
kohlrabi slices, ready to serve. TO SERVE 1. For the tartare dressing, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and slowly emulsify the oil. 2. Dice up the venison into 1cm pieces. 3. Place the
the sugar. Pour this mix over the
slices and leave for 10 -20 minutes. 2. Cook the kohlrabi slices on a barbecue to give it a smoked flavour. 3. Cut small circles out of the
1. In a
By Tommy Heaney - Chef Patron of Heaneys
PICKLED KOHLRABI pan, the white with white in kohlrabi barbecued venison in shallot, capers, with mix on
the
a plate. Serve with the kohlrabi, a raw egg yolk, seaweed, chive, fennel and dress with more coal oil. INGREDIENTSSALTBAKE • 400g strong flour • 220g sea salt • 220g water PICKLED KOHLRABI • 1 kohlrabi • 50g white wine vinegar • 50g white wine • 50g sugar TARTARE DRESSING • 50g soy sauce • 6/7 drops of Tabasco • 150g tomato ketchup • 8g English mustard • 45g smoked whiskey • 12g Worcestershire sauce • 50g coal oil TARTARE VENISON • 160g diced aged venison loin • ½ diced shallot • 10g capers • Dressing (as above) • Smoked salt GARNISH • Egg yolk • Seaweed • Chive • Fennel 19 Recipe
SALTMETHODBAKED
smoked salt. 4. Place the venison
1. Mix together the salt and flour, then add the water to make a dough. 2. Roll out and wrap the salt dough around the kohlrabi. 3. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. 4. Remove from the oven and once the kohlrabi has cooled, unwrap it from the dough. 5. Thinly slice the kohlrabi into round disks.
a bowl and add the
heat
wine, then dissolve
What I love about game, in all its forms, is that it can take anything that you can throw at it. This tartare dish is a classic example. The venison can handle the piquancy of the dressing and still retain its individuality. That’s remarkable and it’s so pure and lean”.
It’s a really popular method on my menu and I serve it in a variety of ways such as with slices of salt-baked kohlrabi and the traditional egg yolk. On top of that I like to use seaweed.
A tartare is something that is traditionally made with beef. It’s also popular with raw, fresh, tuna. But I like to make it with venison. Venison is a generic name for meat from wild animals. It specially refers to deer of which there are six main varieties.
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“This technique works well with all types of deer but I prefer a roe for its mellow flavour. Venison is a great meat to use for a tartare because it is truly wild and therefore is unadulterated. It’s completely natural and its flavours are pure.
I mince the meat, but not so much that it loses its character. To this I add capers and shallots and then I make a dressing that is mixed in. It’s the dressing that contains all the different flavourings I want to use. In the dressing I mix flavours like soy, tomato ketchup, mustard, Worcester sauce and smoked whiskey. What I’m after is a piquant, spicy sauce that lifts the mellow flavour of venison into something new and refreshing.
Game with HeaneyTommyChefPatronofHeaneys
Roughly chop the chestnuts and add to the venison around 30 minutes before the end and taste for seasoning.
21Venison
• 3 tbsp Blodyn Aur rapeseed oil
with chestnuts, red wine and pasta
Peel and chop the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, then heat the remaining oil in the casserole dish, add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes until it starts to brown and crisp and the fat is released. Then add the vegetables and cook over a low heat with the herbs, spice and tomato purée for around 15 minutes until softened. Then add the browned venison and mix well. Add the wine and
ToMethodStart
• 200g smoked pancetta
• 200g whole cooked chestnuts
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente then drain and mix in the cooked ragu before serving onto warm dishes. You can top with grated parmesan.
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 500ml red wine
• 1 carrot
Simply
• 1 tbsp mixed spice
• 1kg finely chopped (around 1cm pieces) and boneless venison shoulder
• 500g tagliatelle Ragu
milk and turn up the heat until the ragu is simmering then cook for 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce reduced and thickened.
• 1 bay leaf
Cook time 2 hours 30 minutes
Meanwhile
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 500ml milk
Ingredients Serves 6
Recipe
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 onion
Make the ragu by heating a heavy casserole over a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and season the venison with salt and pepper then brown on all sides. Remove and set aside while you cook the vegetables.
Prep time 30 minutes
• 4 garlic cloves
Now
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
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Photo: Roast Pheasant with Parsnip Purée and Cabbage Parcels by Cindy Challoner - see page 39 for recipe.
Our Top 50 Eateries for Welsh Game
Little Retreats
There are just four tables at Annwn. You’ll find the small, experimental, restaurant nestled in the National Trust Cleddau Woodlands not far from Pembroke. Chef Matt Powell has a deep respect for the simple ingredients found and sourced as close to his doorstep as possible. There’s a single menu that changes with the seasons. Game is very much part of the whole experience with wild duck and hare featuring. Foraging plays a big part of the experience too and the food reflects the Welsh ecosystem. As Powell says: “Our food is what people may say is unusual, but in most senses, it’s the way food should be.”
| Restaurant
Annwn
The Old Potting Shed Lawrenny,T:PembrokeshireKilgettySA680PW07308313107
Pembrokeshire
South Wales
annwnrestaurant.co.uk 24
But, it’s the marriage of service and kitchen craft that marks out the Beach House. The two sides of the business work seamlessly together to deliver a memorable meal and with that view it’s an easy choice.
OxwichSwanseaGowerBeachSA31LS
Oxwich
beachhouseoxwich.co.uk
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It’s all in the name. Beach House is on the beach and has a stunning view of Oxwich Bay. But that’s just the start. Native Welshman and chef Hywel Jones is a game lover who enjoys shooting and stalking and features game on the menu whenever possible alongside other ingredients from the stunning coastline.
South Wales
Beach House | Restaurant
E: beachhouseoxwich.co.ukreservations@
T: 01792 390965
Blas Restaurant is located within the Twr y Felin Hotel in beautiful St Davids in Pembrokeshire and the name Blas means ‘Taste’ in Welsh. The restaurant was born out of the vision for its hotel home with dishes that reflect the vibrant interior design. The food and menu is creative, flavour-filled and experimental.
Twr y Felin Hotel St T:PembrokeshireDavidsSA626QT01437725555 dine@blasrestaurant.com
|
E:
Blas Restaurant
Chef Sammy Owen presides over the kitchen and sources ingredients from Pembrokeshire suppliers first and foremost and then from the rest of Wales. The emphasis is to find ingredients from the surrounding countryside and coast.
blasrestaurant.com
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St DavidsSouth Wales
The Royal Welsh NorthLlandudnoWayWalesLL301RS
Secluded in over 200 acres of parkland 2 miles to the south of Llandudno with spectacular views of Snowdonia and Conwy Castle, Grade I listed Bodysgallen Hall provides all that is best in country house hospitality.
E: info@bodysgallen.com
27 bodysgallen.com
Bodysgallen Hall | Hotel
LlandudnoNorth Wales
Head chef Abdalla Ahmed el Sherasby has been at the grand country house hotel since 2009 and was made head chef in 2020. The food on the menu is classical and features Welsh ingredients including game in season. The beautiful dining room overlooks the exquisite gardens which feature rare 17th century parterre box hedges.
T: 01492 584466
E: info@crug-glas.co.uk
Nr. St. T:PembrokeshireDavidsSA626XX01348831302
Solva
South Wales
Crug Glâs sees itself as a country house and restaurant and is set in 600 acres of land in St Davids and offers “breathtaking” views of unspoilt countryside and easy access to the worldfamous Pembrokeshire coast. Run by husband and wife team Janet and Perkin Evans the restaurant offers seasonal delights with game in prominence.
crug-glas.co.uk
Crug Glâs | Restaurant with Rooms
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A recent menu featured both venison and pigeon. Both the house and the owners have a long history of farming both in the area and at Crug Glâs which dates back to the 12th century.
1. Reduce the shallot, sugar, red wine, port, crème de cassis by half (you can leave the cassis out).
2. Leave to rest for 8 minutes.
2. Place in a tray and sprinkle salt and drizzle a little rape seed oil on and cook in a hot oven for around 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
ROAST PARSNIP
By Matt Waldron - Head Chef at The Stackpole Inn
1. Dice the potato and swede quite small then half fill a blender with the diced vegetables and cover with water.
1. In a hot pan put a knob of butter and allow to start foaming, add the venison and some sprigs of thyme then turn the heat down and allow to heat through in the foaming butter.
Venison, Parsnip and Roscoff Onion
3. The crumb can be put onto the purée then dress with a few leaves of wild garlic and the sauce.
1. Cut the parsnip into quarters then remove the woody core.
PARSNIP CRUMB
1. Heat a pan on the stove with oil. Colour the cut side of the onion until golden brown then turn the heat down and add the sugar and butter and allow the onions to caramelise.
VENISON
2. Deglaze with the port then turn the onions over and carry on cooking for a further 5 minutes until soft.
INGREDIENTSPARSNIPPURÉE • 5 large parsnips • 200ml milk • 100ml water • 50g butter RED WINE JUS • 100g chopped shallot • 3 tsp sugar • 500ml red wine • 500ml port • 50ml crème de cassis • 1ltr jus VENISON • 1 loin of venison, trimmed ROAST PARSNIP • 3 parsnips, peeled ROSCOFF ONION • Roscoff onions, cut in half horizontally PARSNIP CRUMB • 200g swede • 100g potato • Oil for frying • A few sprigs of thyme • A few wild garlic leaves 29 Recipe
ROSCOFF ONION
PLATING
1. Peel and slice the parsnips and cook in vac bag with butter until tender.
1. Sear the room temperature venison all over in a hot pan and place in a hot oven and cook to your preference (3 minutes medium rare, 5 minutes medium).
PARSNIPMETHODPURÉE
4. I serve this dish with a braised venison haunch pie with a banging truffle mash on top. Enjoy!
RED WINE JUS
2. Add to the jus and check the consistency.
4. Drain on cloth to absorb any extra fat.
3. Remove from the pan and reserve for later (keep the juice from the pan to put back on the onion when you reheat).
2. Blend until it resembles sand.
3. Squeeze dry in a cloth and heat oil to 140°C then fry off until golden brown.
2. Drain then blend until smooth with the butter and, if needed, some of the cooking liquor.
2. Warm up all the garnishes. On warm plates, place the purée, followed by the onion. Then, the venison can be sliced and arranged on the plate. Next follow with the parsnip.
30
“If I’m honest, I can’t get enough game on the menu. I love the fact that game is so versatile but at the same time so lean and healthy. It really is a dream ingredient for a chef. I’m one of those believers that likes to have a couple of different dishes put together on one plate.”
“By that I mean that I’ll serve a piece of venison loin, simply cooked, alongside a more complex piece of cooking such as a braise of venison haunch which has been topped with a banging mash. This style gives me the opportunity to put two contrasting styles in one dish that gives the guest an opportunity to try both and that’s the joy of the tasting menu - it gives us chefs the chance to play around with ideas and allow guests to get far more out of an evening than being restricted to one old-school main course choice.
Game with HeadWaldronMattChefatTheStackpoleInn
With venison I like to dip into the “what grows together goes together” mindset. This has always served me well. In terms of venison this means using vegetables like parsnips - I love a good, simple parsnip purée rich with butter but I also love to do a parsnip crumb with swede and potato added. To go with that I use Roscoff onions which I cut in half and colour on the bottom and then slow braise them with port. These additional flavours are what makes game so fun to work with.”
Gem 42 is an Italian restaurant in Newport on a mission: “To elevate the dining experience to a simple memorable experience.” Those are the words of Chef Sergio Cinotti. “All of our dishes/ ingredients are researched and studied, sourced locally, tried and tested in our dedicated Lab Test Kitchen, which is our space to be creative,” he goes on.
Gem 42 is an Italian take on modern food that remains true to its heritage but takes a new twist on dishes and menu construction. Welsh produce, meat, game and fish are all taken seriously.
Gem 42 | Restaurant
42 Bridge
E: info@gem42.co.uk
Newport
gem42.co.uk
T: 01633.287591
31
SouthNewportStreetWalesNP204NY
South Wales
CF71Aberthin7LG
|
The Hare & Hounds in Aberthin is the sister pub to Cardiff’s The Heathcock. Welsh born chef Tom Watts-Jones, an alumni of The Anchor and Hope in London, sources the very best produce and ingredients that the Vale of Glamorgan offers. There’s a kitchen garden which dictates the menu from day to day and game plays a part in season.
T: 01446
The Hare & Hounds, like The Heathcock, is very much a dining pub with a strong list of beer and ale all combining into a rounded dining experience with the kitchen central to the business.
hareandhoundsaberthin.com
32
Hare & Hounds Pub
hareandhoundsaberthin.comE:774892info@
CowbridgeSouth Wales
• 15g fresh dill
Cook time
• 200g basmati rice
Meanwhile
Simply
• 4 pheasant breasts
ToMethodStart
33Spiced
While the rice is cooking heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 (180°C fan). Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and brown the pheasant breasts on both sides, cover with foil before transferring to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes.
• 15g thyme sprigs
• 3 tsp allspice
Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear then add to the onions along with the spices and stir well. Then season with salt and pour over 425ml of boiling water. Stir, cover and leave to cook on a low heat for 30 minutes until the rice is cooked then remove from the heat.
Now
Marinate the pheasant by crushing 2 garlic cloves and mixing with the lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper and lay the breasts in this mixture for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Serves 4
• 25g butter
Prep time
Recipe
30 minutes + 30 minutes marinate
• Juice of ½ lemon
Peel and thinly slice the onions and crush the remaining garlic. Melt the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over a medium to high heat and add the onions and garlic. Cook stirring frequently for 25 minutes until the onions have caramelised and turned brown. Remove the leaves from the thyme and chop the dill including the stalks then add to the onions half way through cooking.
Tip the pilaf rice onto a warm serving plate and top with the pheasant. Garnish with some dill sprigs and serve with natural yoghurt.
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 garlic cloves
To serve
• 3 onions
• 3 tbsp Blodyn Aur rapeseed oil
Ingredients
1 hour 5 minutes
Pheasant and onion pilaf
34
35 heaneyscardiff.co.uk
Heaneys
“Our food is very seasonal, fresh and simple,” he says. “Working closely with our suppliers and getting our hands on the freshest of ingredients keeps us on our toes daily with regular menu changes whether it be which fish is coming off the boat or what beautiful herbs are ready to be hand picked in our chef’s garden on the day.” You’ll find game on the menu in season.
Belfast born chef Tommy Heaney now calls Cardiff his home and set up shop in the Pontcanna suburb in 2018 after spells with such chef luminaries as Ollie Dabbous, David Everett Matthias and Richard Corrigan. Rave reviews followed as well as an appearance on Great British Menu. The menu is geared towards a tasting model.
6-10 RomillyPontcannaCrescent
“Personally, I can get a bit bored of cooking a steak - as much as I enjoy it! Sometimes nothing beats a beautiful wild duck, pigeon or venison. Don’t let it intimidate you, not only is it really accessible, it’s also purse friendly, a lot leaner than most meats and tastes amazing.”
T: 02920 341264
E: info@heaneyscardiff.co.uk CardiffSouth Wales
Cardiff CF11 9NR
| Restaurant
Tommy Heaney - Chef Patron
|
They say home is where the heart is and that is certainly true of James Sommerin’s small restaurant in Penarth that he runs alongside his daughter Georgia - she’s the sous chef and featured in Great British Menu. It’s all about the experience of being looked after with its open kitchen and 8 course dinner menu (4 at lunchtime).
Home Restaurant
“Game to me is a fantastic, diverse and sustainable British product from partridge, rabbits and grouse all the way up to the largest wild mammal we have in the UK: the red deer. To me as a chef it’s important to follow the seasons as that’s when produce is at its best.”
1 Royal
Sommerin received a Michelin star for Home in 2021 after a heroic period of cooking for the NHS during the pandemic. Home’s cooking is everything you would expect for a small fine dining restaurant - seasonal, local and committed to excellence. Game features in season.
T:StanwellBuildingsRoadPenarthCF643EB02920710686
E: info@homeatpenarth.co.uk
Penarth
homeatpenarth.co.uk
South Wales
36
James Sommerin Chef Patron
Lake Vyrnwy is a reservoir that was built in the 1880s to solve Liverpool’s lack of fresh water. It looks completely natural now but at the time of building the dam it was the second largest civil engineering project in the world after the Panama Canal.
LlanwddynPowysSY100LY
T: 01691 870692
E: info@lakevyrnwyhotel.co.uk
37
LlanwddynMid Wales
lakevyrnwy.com
The hotel and spa is now part of the scenery having opened just after the lake was created. Today, the restaurant is a perfect place to visit and enjoy the best that Wales can offer including game in season. The menu is made up of both a la carte and tapas.
Lake Vyrnwy | Hotel
Hensol
T: 01443 222716
Twenty minutes west from Cardiff is Llanerch - Wales’ only vineyard hotel. It’s nestled in the quiet Welsh countryside in the village of Hensol and is surrounded by woodland and vines. There’s a celebrated restaurant run by chef Andy Aston, vineyard tours and a hotel.
E: info@llanerch.co.uk
llanerch.co.uk
The vineyard is the oldest in Wales with all-year-round wine tasting of Caria wines which is the in-house label. On the food front Welsh ingredients are taken seriously and game is a feature during the season. Dishes are created around ingredients so as the season changes so does the menu.
38
Llanerch Vineyard | Hotel
South Wales
Hensol Road,PontyclunHensolCF728GG
Roast Pheasant with Parsnip Purée and Cabbage Parcels
2. Remove 3 of the parsnips from the stock and blend them in a food processor adding a little of
TO SERVE
By Cindy Challoner - Great British Menu Contestant
2. Then finely slice the rest of the cabbage to its core. Blanch the sliced cabbage until tender, around 4-5 minutes, strain and remove all the water by gently squeezing the cabbage.
6. Warm the cabbage balls in some boiling water for 4 -5 minutes, then remove and cut off the clingfilm.
• 1 Savoy cabbage
• 500ml stock
PHEASANT
• 30g chestnuts, finely diced
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
4. Reduce slightly and add the sliced cabbage, stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cool in the fridge.
1. Peel the parsnips and cook them gently in the stock until tender –roughly 15-20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS Serves
• Knob of butter
CABBAGE PARCELS
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
PARSNIP PURÉE
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
1. Take the 4 outer leaves from the cabbage and blanch them in boiling salted water until tender.
PHEASANTMETHOD
5. Once cool, shape the sliced cabbage into 4 equal balls and wrap each one in the cabbage leaves, then wrap tightly in cling film to hold the shape.
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
PARSNIP PURÉE
39
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 pheasants
3. Then pass through a fine chinois. Place in a small pot and cover until needed.
7. Cut and then pan-fry the remaining parsnips in a little butter until golden brown. Remove the pheasant from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes. 4
3. Cook the shallot in a pan on a medium heat with a little butter and add the remaining cream with the thyme, garlic and chestnuts.
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 100ml double cream
3. Repeat to cook the crown on the other side and place in the oven for a further 20 - 30 minutes depending on size.
2. Heat a sauté pan and add a little oil. Season the pheasant with salt, pepper and butter and place the crowns down in the sauté pan, colour the skin side until golden brown.
the cream and stock until silky and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• 50g salted butter
• 5 parsnips
• Splash of vegetable oil
• 40g salted butter
Recipe
Game with GreatChallonerCindyBritishMenuContestant
Game season really is tremendous fun and every year I can’t wait to try something new because there’s so much variety available - especially in Wales.”
40
I especially love pheasant. I like to roast the crowns which is basically the two breasts removed from the carcass but kept together. I roast these very simply in the oven and then rest them before serving. Because they are wild and do not have the fat content of chicken, for example, they cook quickly and this makes preparation much easier.
“I love all forms of game. I love the season and after a long summer of cooking with all the fruits and vegetables that grow in the warmer months it’s wonderful to look forward to the game season and all the autumnal vegetables that are around at the same time.
Pheasant is a remarkable meat because it has a mild flavour but it goes with so many things. One of the ways I like to serve it is with a parsnip purée and a cabbage parcel. Both of these are in season and pair up Parsnipsbeautifully.makeadelicious
purée that you can use with other meats and fish as well or enjoy on its own. I use double cream to enrich the flavour. Cabbage goes so well with game and I like to stuff the leaves with a chestnut filling. Chestnuts are another winter ingredient that suits pheasant and the flavour of the cabbage really brings out its sweetness. Paired with the parsnips it makes a lovely dish.
Llangoed Hall, in the splendid Wye Valley not far from Hayon-Wye, bills itself as the quintessential country house hotel and it’s not hard to see why. The house was remodelled and renovated by Sir Bernard Ashley, the father of interior designer Laura Ashley, in the early 20th century and the hotel is proud of its heritage. Set in 23 acres it’s certainly a place to escape from it all. The restaurant has won numerous awards and the kitchen garden provides the kitchen with fruit, vegetables and herbs throughout the season. You’ll also find seasonal game on the menu.
Mid Wales
41
llangoedhall.co.uk
Llangoed Hall | Hotel
Llyswen
Llyswen, Brecon Powys LD3 0YP
T: 01874 754525
HolyheadBetws-y-CoedRoadLL240AY
Betws-y-CoedNorth Wales
Llugwy River Restaurant
royaloakhotel.net 42
On the northern edges of Snowdonia National Park, not far from the confluence of the River Llugwy and the River Conwy, you can find the village of Betws-y-Coed. Right by the Llugwy is The Royal Oak Hotel, an old coaching inn, which has just celebrated 50 years under the same ownership. There are two restaurants - The Grill and the Llugwy River Restaurant and both take great pride in their Welsh ingredients and identity. Head chef Nathan Breese Roberts runs the kitchens and serves traditional game in season.
E: royaloakhotel.netreservations@
T: 01690 7102198
Llugwy River Restaurant at The Royal Oak Hotel
mansionhousellansteffan.co.uk
South Wales
Mansion House | Restaurant with Rooms
CarmarthenshireSA335AJT:01267241515E:info@
43
Chef Paul Owen oversees the restaurant kitchen and is inspired by the region: seafood from Milford Haven, Welsh lamb, beef and game, fresh eggs from nearby Llanybri, ales from Carmarthenshire breweries and, when available, coracle-caught Sewin fished from the Towy.
The Mansion House in Llansteffan is on the estuary of the Towy river downstream from Carmarthen and set in five acres of romantic hilltop gardens. Owners David and Wendy Beaney were married in the house in 1996 and came back to buy it in 2012. The Moryd Restaurant is named after the Welsh for ‘estuary’ which can be seen from the dining room.
mansionhousellansteffan.co.uk
Llansteffan
Pantyrathro, Llansteffan
The river Usk flows from the heart of the Brecon Beacons eventually reaching Newport. The Newbridge on Usk is situated on one of its most charming reaches.
SouthNewportValleyWalesNP181HQ
celtic-manor.com
Usk
The Newbridge on Usk is part of the Celtic Collection which is better known as Celtic Manor. This small, riverside inn is a restaurant with rooms and benefits from being small and cosy and yet part of the bigger group. There’s dining inside and out with vegetables from the kitchen garden and meat, fish and game from the wider Wales community.
Coldra Woods Usk
Newbridge on Usk | Restaurant with Rooms
South Wales
The
44
North Wales
The fine dining restaurant is overseen by chef Gareth Stevenson who has gone out of his way to build relationships with local farmers, growers, fishermen, food producers and suppliers which ultimately means that the great delicacies of Wales are represented on the menu. Game is no exception and the dining room is everything you’d expect of a house of this stature.
T: 01678 530285
E: enquiries@palehall.co.uk
45
Almost at the headwaters of the River Dee, which flows northwards eventually reaching Chester and the North Sea, is Palé Hall. This grand, historic, high Victorian mansion has an idyllic woodland garden rolling down to the banks of the river and spectacular Snowdonia National Park is on the doorstep.
Palé Hall | Hotel
Palé LlandderfelEstateBalaLL237PS
Bala
palehall.co.uk
20 Park Place Cardiff CF10 3DQ
T: 029 2022 4343
CardiffSouth Wales
E: parkhouserestaurant.co.ukenquiries@
The Park House marries the best of France with the best of Wales and has a celebrated cellar that can offer multiple different wines to pair with different courses. The menu is more fine dining than casual but top Welsh ingredients, including game, feature throughout.
parkhouserestaurant.co.uk 46
Park House | Restaurant
Park House Restaurant is housed in a stunning Gothic style mansion house located in the heart of Cardiff’s old district. The property was built in 1874 by the wealthy Marquess of Bute, who commissioned the first of the great docks, which transformed Cardiff.
• 2 tbsp Blodyn Aur rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
Serve the steak sliced if you wish, accompanied by the sauce and mustard mashed potato and steamed broccoli or cavolo nero. 2
Prep time 10 minutes
• 2 venison steaks
• 1 orange
• 1 dsp redcurrant jelly
Make the sauce by finely chopping the shallots then heating one tablespoon of oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add the shallots and cook for around 6 minutes until softened. Zest the rind of the orange and squeeze the juice and add both to the shallots along with the juniper berries, cranberries, ginger and port and cook for around 5 minutes until the cranberries begin to pop. Reduce the heat and add the redcurrant jelly then taste and season with salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes. Set aside while you cook the steaks.
Recipe
• 2 shallots
Ingredients Serves
• 100g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 100ml port or red wine
ToMethodStart
47Venison
with cranberry and port sauce
• 15g Welsh butter Steak
Season the steaks with salt and pepper and heat a frying pan over medium to hot heat. Then add the rest of the oil and butter and once melted cook the steaks for 3 minutes on both sides for medium. Pour off any excess fat and add the sauce to the pan and reheat for a few minutes.
To serve
• 8 juniper berries
Cook time 20 minutes
Simply
48
49
South Wales
Penally Abbey | Hotel
Penally Abbey is the home of Rhosyn restaurant where candlelit tables will await you in the evenings. The hotel has twelve bedrooms and there are acres of woodlands and gardens. Penally is located just outside Tenby and a 10 minute walk will see you on the Pembrokeshire coastal path.
T:PembrokeshireNrPenallyTenbySA707PY01834843033 E:
Rhosyn features dishes based around local ingredients and the menu is always changing to work alongside fantastic local Pembrokeshire produce. Highlights include fresh fish from Tenby Harbour, game in season and hand-picked strawberries from the farm down the road. info@penally-abbey.com
penally-abbey.com
Tenby
T:Brecon,LlanhamlachPowysLD37YB01874665387
Nestled in the glorious Brecon Beacons, Peterstone Court is a Grade II listed hotel with amazing views. The restaurant, which is open to non-residents, is the heart and soul of the lovely old house and features the best of Welsh produce, including game in Theseason.owners are adamant you’ll enjoy your visit: “Banish all thoughts of elaborate, uncomfortable dining from your mind – here, you can enjoy carefully created dishes (that don’t compromise on flavour) in a relaxed, informal and friendly atmosphere.”
BreconSouth Wales
Peterstone Court | Hotel
E: enquiries@peterstone-court.com
peterstone-court.com 50
BwlchtocynAbersochGwyneddLL537BU
porthtocynhotel.co.uk
51
Porth Tocyn is a traditional and timeless family run hotel. Situated overlooking the western edges of Cardigan Bay the hotel is in a stunning coastal location. The kitchen is run by Kelly & Louise Fletcher-Brewer who have a love of seasonal Welsh produce including game in season.
The restaurant has a favoured terrace much loved in the summer with guests able to enjoy the view back towards Snowdonia in the distance. This part of North West Wales is delightful and unappreciated but a visit to Porth Tocyn will rectify that.
Porth Tocyn | Hotel
AbersochNorth Wales
T: 01758 713303
E: bookings@porthtocynhotel.co.uk
purplepoppadom.com
“We love combining traditional heritage dishes from the cities and villages all over India, with quality ingredients and a modern twist all of our own. “It’s important to remember that India has a rich heritage of cooking game so you are in safe hands.”
The aim of the restaurant, which opened in 2007, is simple: To bring you real Indian dishes with a rainbow of colours, spices, and flavours and make this magic accessible to all.
185a Cowbridge Road East Cardiff
CF11 9AJ
Run by chef Anand George, The Purple Poppadom is a hugely popular Indian restaurant in Cardiff. The chef comes from the Kerala region of Southern India and is proud to recreate the classic dishes of his land with a Welsh twist. His scores of followers attest to his achievements.
Purple Poppadom | Restaurant
52
E: info@purplepoppadom.com
Anand George Chef Patron
T: 029 2022 0026
CardiffSouth Wales
By Hywel Griffith - Head Chef at Beach House Restaurant
For the puree, peel and dice the artichokes, place in a pan with the milk and season. Simmer until the
with Perl Las Cheese, Bacon, Pear & Jerusalem Artichoke
Roast Loin of Roe Deer
artichoke is just starting to fall apart, blend and pass through a fine sieve.
Dice the pancetta small and fry until crispy and golden, drain from the fat and set to one side for now.
Start with the sauce, take the deer trim and fry in a deep sided saucepan until evenly browned, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and leek, keep frying on a high heat until the mirepoix has browned, add the honey and allow that to caramelise, now deglaze with the red wine and reduce until almost all the wine has evaporated. Now add the chicken stock, crushed junipers and thyme, simmer for an hour skimming any scum off the top. Pass the sauce and discard all the solids, add the vinegar and reduce by ¾, pass once again to remove any sediment.
53
METHOD
INGREDIENTS Serves 4 • 350g piece of roe deer loin • 50g good quality pancetta • 1 ripe pear • 25g white balsamic vinegar • 150g Jerusalem artichokes • 250g milk • 80g Perl Las cheese • 1 ltr chicken stock • 200ml red wine • 500g roe deer trim • 1 onion • 1 small leek • 1 carrot • 1 celery • 1 garlic • 5 junipers • 1 sprig thyme • 50g sherry vinegar • 25g honey Recipe
For the pear simply peel and cut either side of the core, vacuum pack in the vinegar and allow it to sit for at least an hour. Roast the roe deer loin, aiming to keep it medium rare, allow it to rest before carving.
game is wild and anomalies can happen, be prepared for a change in the menu at short notice, if something isn’t available!”
54
“Game to me is a fantastic, diverse and sustainable British product from partridge, rabbits, grouse all the way up to the largest wild mammal we have in the UK, the red deer. To me as a chef it’s important to follow seasons as that’s when produce is at its best (I mean why would you cook an ingredient when it’s at its poorest
a hunter. I stalk deer and wild boar and take a few mallards and geese. Game meat is brilliant for cooking. It’s healthy and it has a low carbon footprint. It’s rich in iron, vitamins, high in protein and very low in fat - aside from wild boar. However, when it comes to hanging game, I believe this is where game meat gets a bad rep.
I have witnessed all sorts of methods, some have been good, some less so. For me, small game and birds should be hung a week give or take a few Muntjacdays. and roe need 7-10 days. Fallow, sika and reds 10-14 days all hung in fur/feather before they are Don’tprepared.forgetthat
Welsh born chef Hywel Griffith is the perfect expression of a game loving chef. He hunts and shoots and trained in kitchens that take game seriously - The Chester Grosvenor, Ynyshir & The Freemasons at Wiswell. Now he has a Michelin star at Beach House in Oxwich on the Welsh
Icondition?).ammyself
Wecoast.caught up with him to get his thoughts on game and game cookery.
Game with GriffithHywelBeachHouse
Chef Simon King started his kitchen journey at The Waterside Inn, the celebrated 3 Michelin star restaurant run by the late Michel Roux OBE. That classical background takes pride of place on the menus at 1861 which Simon runs with his wife Kate. Vegetables come from a nursery run by Kate’s father in Nantyderry - “ensuring that the time between actually digging up the vegetables or picking them and getting them to the plate is truly kept at a minimum.” Game is integral to the menu at Restaurant 1861 and is given the respect it deserves.
Cross
Abergavenny
55
E: restaurant1861.co.uksimonandkate@
Nr AbergavennyNP78PB
T: 0845 388 1861
South Wales
Restaurant 1861 | Restaurant Ash
18-61.co.uk
Signatures | Restaurant
56
Thedetour.open
Aberconwy Resort & Spa Aberconwy
ConwyNorth Wales
Owned and run by chef Jimmy Williams and his wife Louise, Signatures in Conwy has a wide reputation. Situated in the grounds of the Aberconwy Resort and Spa, the restaurant, not far from Llandudno, is open to non-residents and worth a
kitchen serves game, as well as plenty of other prime Welsh ingredients, and the dining room is bright and buzzy. Signatures was on the nominees list of Wales best Restaurant in 2020 at the World Culinary Awards.
LL32ConwyPark8GA
T: 01492 583513
darwinescapes.co.uk/aberconwy-resort-spa/facilities/signatures-restaurant
sosbanandtheoldbutchers.com
Over the Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey and set in an old butcher’s shop you’ll find this unique modern restaurant on the High Street. There are only two staff and they’re the ownersStephen and Bethan Steven.
Trinity House
1 High Street MenaiLL59Bridge5EE
57
T: 01248 208131
E: theoldbutchers.comeat@sosbanand
Stephen used to be a plumber but fell in love with cooking. It’s an incredible story that has resulted in a Michelin star in the 2022 guide. Both Stephen and Bethan describe the restaurant as: “a dining experience a little different to most. We create a series of dishes using the best locally sourced produce available to us on the day providing a unique culinary journey not found anywhere else.”
Stephen Steven Chef Patron
AngleseyNorth Wales
Sosban & The Old Butchers
SY23 celebrates the best of what Wales has to offer and that includes Welsh game and you can expect it to be full of character like the man himself.
Mid Wales
Chef owner Nathan Davies scored a perfect 10 on Great British Menu 2022 and a Michelin star for SY23 in Aberystwyth. Davies turned down more financial opportunities to take a position at Ynyshir under chef Gareth Ward and the experience is evident in this modern classic.
E:
As the chef himself says: “SY23 is about the best local produce, cooked simply over a fire. That means foraging the abundance of fantastic local ingredients, from the sea shore to the forests and the rolling mountains.”
T: 01970 615 935 sy23cwtsh@gmail.com
Aberystwyth
58
sy23restaurant.com
SY23 | Restaurant 2 Pier AberystwythStreetSY232LJ
Llandrillo, nr
Considered to be one of the best restaurants in Wales, Tyddyn Llan is in the north of the country not far from the foothills of Snowdonia. The restaurant is the feature but there are also rooms. Bryan and Susan Webb are both in the kitchen and the restaurant is committed to fine seasonal produce, arriving daily - like local meat and game from their vigilant butcher.
E: mail@tyddynllan.co.uk
Fish comes straight from the coast. Welsh produce tops the bill as much as possible, but the menu still demands more - be it diver-caught scallops from Scotland, Somerset smoked eel and Buffalo Mozzarella from Naples.
59 tyddynllan.co.uk
Tyddyn Llan | Restaurant with Rooms
DenbighshireCorwenNorthWalesLL210ST
T: 01490 440264
DenbighshireNorth Wales
60
Prep time 15 minutes
• 2 bay leaves
Cook time 1 hour 20 minutes
Prepare the vegetables by peeling and chopping into the same size pieces, around 3cm each, and roughly chop the bacon into similar size pieces.
• 6 sprigs thyme
Now
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 (160°C fan)
To serve Remove the pheasant from the dish and carve and serve with the vegetables and jus along with mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
• 20g salted butter
with smoked streaky bacon
Add the remaining butter then add the bacon, celery and carrots for 10 minutes until they begin to soften then add the leek and stir well and remove from the heat. Lay both pheasants on top of the vegetables and bacon and season with salt and pepper.
In an ovenproof dish (large enough to hold both birds) melt half the butter over medium to high heat and brown the pheasant on all sides for about 8-10 minutes then remove and set aside.
Roast Pheasant
Then
61Pot
• 1 large leek
• 150ml dry Welsh white wine
Pour over the stock, wine and herbs and put a lid on top of the dish and roast for 1 hour until the bird is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• 3 sticks celery
• 2 carrots
• 350ml chicken stock
Next
Serves 4-6
ToMethodStart
Recipe
Simply
• 2 ready to roast pheasants (800-900g)
• 4 slices smoked streaky bacon or pancetta
62
The Bear
63
bearhotel.co.uk
Crickhowell
E: info@bearhotel.co.uk
High CrickhowellStreetNP81BW
South Wales
Situated on the River Usk in the Brecon Beacons is the charming town of Crickhowell. The towering Crug Hywel with its Iron Age fort dominates the landscape. It’s there you’ll find The Bear Hotel which has been welcoming guests for 600 years. The food at The Bear takes advantage of its setting with a butcher on the doorstep, a smokery on the outskirts of town and organic gardens from across the Beacons. Game appears on the eclectic menu in the oak-beamed old restaurant throughout the season and you can stay, too and enjoy the unique High Street that was voted Britain’s Best in 2018.
T: 01873 810408
| Hotel
thebellatskenfrith.co.ukMonmouthshireSkenfrithNP78UHT:01600750235E:reception@
64
The Bell | Hotel & Restaurant
The Bell sits on the River Monnow in the shadow of Skenfrith Castle with the English border close by. It suffered flood damage in 2020 and has been remodelled downstairs as a result. There’s a kitchen garden and rooms upstairs if you want to stay over or even base yourself in Skenfrith.
SkenfrithSouth Wales
The food, under chef Joseph Colman, takes full advantage of the Welsh bounty and includes game in season. His big heroes are the late Michel Roux and Marco Pierre White so you can expect dishes to be cooked classically with attention to detail.
thebellatskenfrith.co.uk
South Wales
NP15NewyddUsk1JN
65
Bettws
Bettws Newydd
theblackbearinn.co.uk
The Black Bear Inn | Pub
T: 01873 880701
The Black Bear Inn is run by chef Joshua Byrne and his wife Hannah. Located in the tiny hamlet of Bettws Newydd, not far from Raglan Castle and the charming town of Usk, the pub has made it into lists of top gastropubs and as far as Michelin.
E: contact@theblackbearinn.co.uk
The Black Bear serves a tight, local and seasonal menu that changes every two weeks depending on the season. Game features when it’s available and at its best. There’s a wood burning stove in the winter and with Hannah out front you can be sure of a warm welcome.
theboataterbistock.co.uk 66
E:
T: 01978 280 205 info@theboataterbistock.co.uk
The menu, run by local chef Alyn Jones, has a bias towards game and fish but also features as much local and national Welsh ingredients and produce as possible. The pub has an oldfashioned warren of rooms and a terrace outside that overlooks the river.
The Boat | Pub
Erbistock
WrexhamErbistockLL130DL
The Boat is situated in the small village of Erbistock on the River Dee in North West Wales right on the English border. There’s been a pub on the site since the mid 17th century and the cosy interior with wood beams and a log fire means you can settle in.
North Wales
Llanwrtyd Wells lies to the north of the Brecon Beacons National Park and is on the main road from Builth Wells to Llandovery and is surrounded by some of the loveliest and most unspoilt parts of Wales. Off the beaten track The Drovers Rest is well worth a stop.
67 food-food-food.co.uk
The Drovers Rest | Restaurant with Rooms foodfoodfood@lycos.com
Llanwrtyd WellsMid Wales
Peter James Chef
The T:LlanwrtydDolecoedSquareRdWellsLD54RA01591610264 E:
Chef Peter James and pastry chef Paulette Reed run The Drovers Rest in Wales’ smallest town, Llanwrtyd Wells. Set by the river Irfon the restaurant also doubles as a tea room but you’ll find game on the menu throughout the season with venison in red wine playing a part. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and there are also 6 rooms.
Menus in either The Tack Room, The Library or The Aga Room change daily with the seasons and a kitchen garden provides fresh vegetables. All in all the description on the website sums up The Griffin: the simple things in life done properly
LD3BreconFach0UB
Mid Wales
The Felin Fach Griffin is a dining pub with rooms not far from Hay-on-Wye between the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons. Its position in the Welsh Borders means access to nearby farms and estates that produce some of the best beef, game, lamb and cheese in the country.
E: enquiries@felinfachgriffin. co.uk
The Felin Fach Griffin | Pub
Brecon
T: 01874 620111
The Felin Fach Griffin Felin
eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk 68
5. Blend the cooked cauliflower mixture into a smooth texture. Bring it back to boil, simmer until it reaches a purée consistency. Check the seasoning and serve hot.
Marinated Pheasant with cauliflower purée and pickled beetroot
CAULIFLOWER PURÉE Clean the cauliflower florets and chop into small pieces.
4. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is cooked and soft.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies, sauté for a minute, then add chopped onions. Cook the onions for 2-3 minutes, add the beetroot, salt and vinegar. Cook until
1. Boil the beetroot for 45 minutes and let it cool down. Peel it and cut into thick slices.
and sauté for another three minutes without browning. Add milk, chicken stock, salt and fennel seeds.
4.
1.
By Siddarth Rathore - Head Chef at Purple Poppadom
2.
MARINATEDMETHOD PHEASANT Clean and trim the pheasant breasts, and remove the skin. Chop green chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander leaves finely. Crush coriander seeds and black peppercorn separately. Marinate the pheasant breasts with green chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, black peppercorn, coriander leaves, salt, ginger garlic paste and oil. Leave the pheasant to marinate for an hour.
1.
7.
PICKLED BEETROOT
the beetroot absorbs all the moisture. 5. Serve warm. INGREDIENTS Serves 4 MARINATED PHEASANT • 4 pheasant breasts • 6g green chillies • 10g ginger • 6g garlic • 6g coriander seeds • 6g black peppercorns • 5g salt • 5g coriander leaves • 10g ginger garlic paste • 50ml oil CAULIFLOWER PURÉE • 450g cauliflower • 110g leeks • 100g onions • 70g celery • 5g ginger • 3g green chillies • 5g garlic • 2g fennel seeds • 75g butter • 500ml chicken stock • 500ml whole milk • 10g salt PICKLED BEETROOT • 500g beetroot • 25ml oil • 10g ginger • 10g garlic • 6g green chillies • 200g onion • 6g salt • 100ml red wine vinegar • 30g chestnuts finely diced 69 Recipe
6.
6. Heat a pan, place the marinated pheasant fillet, cook for 2 minutes on both sides, rest it on the pan for a minute and serve with the cauliflower purée.
3.
3.
5.
2. Chop the ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions.
2. Chop onions, celery, leeks, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Heat a sauce pan to melt the butter, add chop onions, celery, leeks, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for two minutes, now add the chopped cauliflower florets
4.
Spice up game the Indian way
Game with HeadRathoreSiddarthChefatPurplePoppadom
use chilli with game. It works surprisingly well and is a great testimony to the ability of game to take on stronger flavours. In my spice mix I use oil, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, black peppercorns as well as coriander leaves.
This method lends itself to milder flavours that don’t compete with the spice in the pheasant. I like to serve something like a cauliflower purée and pickled beetroots to accentuate the flavour of the game and introduce new flavours that are unexpected. It works really well.”
70
“It’s easy to think that game is a western or European tradition but it’s been going on for thousands of years in India. For that reason I have a great heritage to draw on when I consider how I’m going to serve game in the Onerestaurant.ofthe
things I like to do is marinate game birds before cooking. This technique works well with pheasants but you can apply the same idea with other birds. However, the whiter meats of pheasant and partridge work best in my Iopinion.also
I leave the pheasant breasts in this marinade for an hour but it will work beautifully if left overnight. All you do is allow the pheasant to come back to room temperature, heat a pan until it’s hot and put in the pheasants. Fry them for a few minutes on each side and then leave to rest.
South Wales
Llancarfan
|
E: enquiries@fandhllancarfan.co.uk
Vale of GlamorganCF623AD
71 fandhllancarfan.co.uk
The pub itself is old and traditional and the sort of place to stop for a lunch or dinner and you can stay too. Game features on the menu in season along with other Welsh specialities and favourites.
LlancarfanBarry
T: 01446 781287
The Fox & Hounds Pub
To the west of Cardiff, not far from the sea, you’ll find The Fox and Hounds in the charming village of Llancarfan. The pub serves what it describes as high-quality, homemade and seasonal food. The kitchen is led by head chef Dewi Ellis. The menu changes regularly according to produce available and there are daily specials on the chalk board.
thegrove-narberth.co.uk
The Grove has the same attention to detail and strong belief in sourcing with chef Dougie Balish creating an intricate menu to match everything that comes into the kitchen. As at the Beach House, game plays a big part on the menu in season and the Pembrokeshire location, in the rolling hills of Narberth, makes the restaurant a must visit.
The Grove is part of the same small group as the Beach House. You could say it’s the older brother being a hotel as well and the first of the group to open.
grovenarberth.co.ukT:PembrokeshireNarberthSA678BX01834860915E:reservations@
The Grove at Narberth | Hotel
NarberthSouth Wales
72
The Gunroom | Restaurant
Plas
BontnewyddDinasCaernarfonGwyneddLL547YF
Lovers of the TV drama ‘The Crown’, will love the history of Plas Dinas. It’s the former home of Lord Snowdon, and the Armstrong-Jones family, who was married to Princess Margaret and is now a hotel with a stunning restaurant . The Gunroom is the name of the restaurant and is headed up by chef Daniel ap Geraint. The monthly changing menu is designed around the seasons and uses local Welsh produce and you’ll find plenty of game on the menu in season. Plas Dinas is situated just outside the historic town of Caernarfon in North West Wales, not far from Anglesey. The Gunroom is picking up plaudits and has already been earmarked in the Michelin Guide.
Caernarfon
T: 01758 713303
73
North Wales
plasdinas.co.uk
E: info@plasdinas.co.uk
Llanarmon DC Ceiriog
T: 01691 600666
LlanarmonNorth Wales
thehandhotel.com
The Hand
| Hotel
A cosy spa, restaurant and luxurious rooms await you in the picturesque North Wales village of Llanarmon. The restaurant, run by head chef Grant Mulholland, serves classic pub dishes and more creative specials using a bounty of local produce. Owners Jackie and Jonathan Greatorex take great pride in their welcome and have created a hotel and spa that also doubles up as a local pub. The building was once a farmhouse and then a drovers inn and much of its history is still evident. The restaurant has been recognised by both Michelin and the AA.
74
LlangollenValleyLL207LD
E: reception@thehandhotel.co.uk
Now
Yoghurt Curry
Prep time 15 minutes + 1 hr marinate Cook time 25 minutes
• 200g Llaeth Y Llan or Rachel’s natural yoghurt
Add the marinated pheasant and any excess marinade, mix well then bring to the boil. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until the pheasant is cooked through. If the sauce is too thick, add a little boiling water. Taste for seasoning.
ToMethodStart
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ lemon-juice
• Fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 fresh tomatoes
To serve Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and serve with rice or naan bread.
• 4 pheasant breasts
• 1 tsp garam masala
Ingredients Serves 4
• ½ tsp turmeric
Recipe
Mix the yoghurt, spices, lemon juice and peeled and chopped garlic and season with salt.
Cut the tomatoes into thin slices then heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and once they start to sizzle, add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until they start to soften.
Simply
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
Cut the pheasant breast into 3cm pieces and add to the yoghurt mixture, turn until well coated and leave to marinate for an hour or overnight.
Then
75Pheasant
76
South Wales
thehardwick.co.uk
The Hardwick is a restaurant with rooms close to Abergavenny run by chef Stephen Terry and his wife Joanna who enjoyed a glittering career in London before relocating back to Wales. Terry is one of the original chefs who made it through the kitchens of Marco Pierre White at Harvey’s and the food at The Hardwick is suitably classic and skilfully put together.
Featured on Top50BoutiqueHotels.com
77
Abergavenny
E: info@thehardwick.co.uk
T: 01873 854220
The menu is large and filled with Welsh ingredients and favourites with game playing a part during the season. Terry’s food is bold and imaginative and The Hardwick remains a popular destination.
The Hardwick | Restaurant with Rooms
Old Raglan AbergavennyRoadNP79AA
Given the thumbs up by Jay Rayner in The Guardian, The Heathcock dining pub in the Cardiff suburb of Llandaff is going from strength to strength and demonstrates the rise of fine Welsh cooking. “The point is,” Rayner says “is that the Heathcock is very much a pub which also has a dining room.” That gives you an idea of what eating at The Heathcock is all
Andabout.the
food is playful as well as serious under the watchful eye of chef Dave Killick. A recent dish was Pheasant Kiev and you’ll find plenty of game on the menu done in different ways throughout the season.
E: info@heathcockcardiff.com
Cardiff
The Heathcock | Pub
58-60 Bridge Street Cardiff CF5 2EN T: 029 2115 2290
South Wales
heathcockcardiff.com HEA THCOCK PUB D ININ G&
78
thelionhotelblaenavon.co.ukGwent,BlaenavonStreetPontypoolNP49NHT:01495792516E:info@
The Lion | Hotel
Blaenavon is a World Heritage Site and located at the gateway of the South Wales Valleys. It’s partly within the Brecon Beacons National Park and the industrial landscape is a testament to the human endeavour of miners and ironworkers of the past.
South Wales
It’s here you’ll find the Big Pit National Coal Museum which is a part of the Welsh identity. The Lion, located in the centre, describes itself as a little piece of Welsh heaven, offers 12 rooms to stay in and a cosy restaurant to enjoy some good old Welsh hospitality. Welsh produce and game feature on the menu.
79
Blaenavon
thelionhotelblaenavon.co.uk
41 Broad
manorhotel.co.uk 80
The Manor | Hotel
Crickhowell
South Wales
E: info@manorhotel.co.uk
Crickhowell lies half way between Newport and Hay-on-Wye and the bistro at The Manor has a view of the River Usk below and the surrounding Brecon Beacons scenery. The family owned Manor hotel sits at the foot of the ancient fortress, Table Mountain and is the birthplace of Sir George Everest whose name is associated with the world’s highest peak. There are 22 individually styled bedrooms as well as a swimming pool and gym, giving guests an opportunity to enjoy the local area. The bistro serves up homely classics and uses the abundance of great Welsh ingredients, including game, on the menu.
BreconCrickhowellRoadPowysNP81SE
T: 01873 810212
81 angelabergavenny.com
Chef Wesley Hammond leads The Angel’s culinary team and scours Wales for the best ingredients he can find. The Angel is a beautiful hotel in the centre of Abergavenny and is an old 19th century coaching inn. Every so often you come across a hotel in a building that just seems right and The Angel is that rare place that ticks every box of hospitality.
AbergavennySouth Wales
The Oak Room at The Angel
E: mail@angelabergavenny.com
Abergavenny continues to be a gastronomic destination with several leading restaurants in the area and a popular food festival in September. The Oak Room menu is large and adventurous and reminiscent of classical brasseries with game available in season.
15 Cross Street,MonmouthshireAbergavennyNP75ENUKT:01873857121
Any restaurant that has a pot roast pigeon on its menu understands the unique flavours of game and The Plough and Harrow is one such place. Run by chef and owner Nick Jones and a small team, this village gastropub is really making a name for itself.
On the edge of the Gower area of natural beauty is the small village of Murton. There you will find one of the best gastropubs in Wales. And on the menu you’ll find the pride of Gower ingredients alongside other gems from Wales and beyond.
MurtonSouth Wales
| Pub 88 ploughandharrowmurton.co.ukE:T:Murton,OldwayGowerSwanseaSA33DJ01792234459reservations@
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ploughandharrowmurton.co.uk
The Plough & Harrow
• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
Marinate the pheasant by crushing 2 cloves of garlic and mixing with a tablespoon of vinegar and the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme. Season the breasts with salt and pepper and leave in the marinade for a few hours or overnight.
Heat a frying pan over a high heat and quickly brown the marinated pheasant breast on both sides then transfer to the oven tray after the onions have roasted for 20 minutes and scatter over the olives. Roast for a further 15-20 minutes until the breasts have cooked.
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 6 fresh figs
• 3 tbsp Blodyn Aur rapeseed oil
Traybake
Prep time 20 minutes + 2 hrs marinate
Cook time 40 minutes
Pour over the oil and toss the vegetables and figs with your hands then season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the remaining vinegar and any marinade then roast for 20 minutes.
• 4 pheasant breasts
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 2 red onions
Now
Meanwhile
• 12 black olives, halved and stoned
Recipe
To serve
Remove from the oven and serve straight from the tray with some crispy potatoes and a green salad.
with Red Onion, Thyme and Black Olives
Simply
83FiggyPheasant
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 (180°C fan) and put the remaining garlic cloves whole in their skin in a large deep oven tray. Peel and cut the onions into 8 wedges and add to the garlic. Then cut the figs in half and add to the tin along with the remaining thyme
Ingredients Serves 4
ToMethodStart
84
PembrokeshireSouth Wales
stackpoleinn.co.uk
85
| Restaurant
The Stackpole Inn has won many awards for its food, drink and hospitality and is famous beyond its Pembrokeshire location not far from Barafundle Beach and the Lilyponds of Bosherston - as well as the Stackpole Estate. In the kitchen, chef Matt Waldron mixes fine dining with a relaxed feel and a fierce pride for Welsh ingredients.
The Stackpole Inn with Rooms StackpoleCorner
Nr T:PembrokeshirePembrokeSA715DF01646672324 E: bookings@stackpoleinn.co.uk
There are four rooms to stay in and a warm welcome from owners Gary and Rebecca Evans. Welsh meat, fish and game in season are all prominent on a menu that has something delicious for everyone.
Jasons
The Whitebrook | Restaurant with Rooms
E: info@thewhitebrook.co.uk
Six miles from Monmouth, down narrow roads, you’ll find the Michelin-starred The Whitebrook. It’s billed as a restaurant with rooms and both come highly recommended. In the kitchen is Chris Harrod and a team of chefs who forage locally and use ultra-local suppliers from the Wye Valley, the Brecon Beacons and Pershore. You can expect excellent food in the restaurant with game making an appearance in season. But it’s the concise use of unusual herbs and vegetables that really makes The Whitebrook shine and which are incorporated throughout the menu.
Near T:MonmouthshireMonmouthNP254TX01600860254
MonmouthSouth Wales
thewhitebrook.co.uk 86
Heol
MachynllethMaengwynPowysSY208AE
The Wynnstay is a hotel and restaurant in Machynlleth that lies on the southern fringes of Snowdonia. Described as more of an old-fashioned inn, the Wynnstay has both rooms and a good restaurant to offer guests who love the spectacular local scenery - which is part of the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere.
The old market town is perfect for exploring and in the kitchen there’s chef who loves to cook game - Gareth Johns. You’ll find plenty of other Welsh ingredients on the menu which is not surprising as Johns was part of the Welsh Culinary Team and represented Wales on the international stage.
87 wynnstay.wales
E:
The Wynnstay | Hotel
MachynllethMid Wales
T: 01654 702 941 croeso@wynnstay.wales
Walnut Tree | Restaurant
thewalnuttreeinn.com
One of the greatest restaurants in Wales and in the UK as a whole. Chef Shaun Hill still runs the kitchen as he has since taking over The Walnut Tree in 2008.
LlanddewiAbergavennySkirridNP78AW
T: 01873 852797
Abergavenny
South Wales
Shaun Hill Chef Patron
Do whatever you can to get a table!
“We make use of first class ingredients, including wonderful local beef and game, British fish and seafood and some fine French cheeses. Our dishes are often described, approvingly but maybe misguidedly, as simple but are in fact only simple in presentation and involve much technical skill.”
E: info@thewalnuttreeinn.com
His food is famous for being deceptively simple but his words describe it best: “Our dishes are rooted in classical culinary tradition but feel simple and contemporary with a great understanding of flavours and balance.”
88
Wolf’s T:HaverfordwestCastleSA625LZ01437741225
WolfscastleSouth Wales
89 wolfscastle.com
E: enquiries@thewolfscastle.com
Wolfscastle Country Hotel
The hotel is set in a former vicarage and has been voted Welsh Romantic Hotel of the Year. There’s a spa and The Brasserie Restaurant is popular and takes advantage of the Pembrokeshire location to source many of the ingredients. Game features in season.
Wolfscastle Country Hotel lies midway between Fishguard and Haverfordwest in the middle of the glorious scenery of Pembrokeshire. The village lies at the confluence of the Western Cleddau and the Anghof rivers, in the parish of St Dogwell’s. Local history claims that the last wolf in Wales was slain nearby.
In Mid Wales, outside Machynlleth, you’ll find Ynyshir - the ultimate destination restaurant that offers a tasting menu like no other. Chef Gareth Ward takes his guests on a flavour driven journey that’s ingredient led, fat fuelled and protein obsessed.
Machynlleth
EglwysSY20PowysFach8TA
The two Michelin stars and host of rave reviews are a testament to Ynyshir’s success. It’s certainly not for the faint hearted at 30 courses. The joy of Ynyshir is you don’t know what you’re going to get. There might be game, there might not. Whatever there is will be memorable.
Ynyshir | Restaurant with Rooms
E:
2 MICHELIN STAR ynyshir.co.uk 90
Mid Wales
T: 01654 781 209 info@ynyshir.co.uk
Nantgaredig
South Wales
Capel CarmarthenDewiSA327LH
T: 01267 290000
91 ypolyn.co.uk Y Polyn | Restaurant
Y Polyn is a small family-owned restaurant in the Towy valley between the county town of Carmarthen and Llandeilo. It’s down to earth and devoid of pretension and wears its heart on its sleeve. Game features on a menu that’s not trying to be cutting edge or post-modern.
E: hello@ypolyn.co.uk
“You won’t find foams, gels or technical wizardry on the plate,” says the owner. “What you will find is beautiful produce cooked simply and with respect. Tables are mismatching bare wood, tablecloths are banished, staff wear jeans and you get to pour your own wine.” Enough said.
Talbot | Restaurant with Rooms
ytalbot.com 92
E: info@ytalbot.com
TheTregaronSquareSY256JL
T: 01974 298208
Y
Tregaron lies just south of the Cors Caron Nature Reserve in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains and not far from the celebrated Ceredigion coastline. The rivers Brenig and Teifi meet in Tregaron which is an ancient market town. Y Talbot serves local lamb, beef and cheeses from the Teifi Valley, fresh fish from Milford Haven and Cardigan Bay shellfish.
Head Chef Dafydd Watkin, who trained under Marco Pierre White, focusses on expertly prepared, top quality ingredients to create pub classics, fresh fish, beef and game, vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Tregaron
Mid Wales
Ingredients Serves 2
• tbsp Blodyn Aur rapeseed
1
Pour away any excess fat and put the tin over a medium heat. Add the remaining cider and scrape the bottom of the tin to release the caramelised juices. Boil until reduced by half then stir in the apple cinnamon curd and season to taste. Sieve into a warm jug.
2
Peel and chop the onion then heat the oil in a small roasting pan and cook the onion for 5-10 minutes until beginning to soften. Remove from the heat and spoon some of the onion into the cavity of the birds along with a sprig of thyme each and a knob of butter, then scoop the rest into the centre of the tin.
To serve
ToMethodStart
Place the whole partridge onto each warm dinner plate and serve with the cider jus, seasonal vegetables and roast potatoes.
• ready to roast partridges
with Welsh cider
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 (180°C fan)
• 10g salted butter
Parcels
Cinnamon
1
the birds with foil and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift the birds onto a warm plate to rest.
• 200ml Welsh cider
• slices Carmarthen Ham other cured ham
3
Now Wrap the birds in the Carmarthen Ham then season with pepper and lay on top of the onions. Pour over half the cider and roast for 15 minutes then reduce the oven to 180°C/375°F/Gas 5 (160°C fan), cover
or
Then
oil
93Partridge
Prep time 15 minutes Cook time 40 minutes Recipe
• onion
1
• 2 sprigs thyme
• tbsp Welsh Lady Apple Curd
Simply
94
For more game meat recipe inspiration and to learn about BGA visit eatwild.co and britishgameassurance.co.uk
