Book review: Roast – A Very British Cookbook

24 January 2014 by
Book review: Roast – A Very British Cookbook

Roast
Marcus Verberne
Absolute Press, £25

Ever since Roast launched in the heart of London's Borough Market in 2005, the restaurant has prided itself on celebrating the best of British produce available right outside its front door. Born out of this philosophy, Marcus Verberne's book is all about taking the best available indigenous produce and creating some fabulous dishes without interfering too much with the ingredients.

Originally from New Zealand, Verberne has been head chef at Roast since taking over from Lawrence Keogh in January 2012, since when he has made the menu at the restaurant his own, adopting some of the dishes he cooked as executive chef of Brown's hotel.

including a fore rib of beef, saddle of lamb and loin of pork. Step-by step photographs provide a useful addition to the clear and concise written instructions, while there is
also the opportunity to scan the QR code on the page to link you to a carving demonstration by Verberne.

The pride Verberne obviouslyhas for his suppliers is evidenced by mini-profiles of the likes of Laverstoke Park Farm (bio-dynamic meat and mozzarella), Wicks Manor
Farm (happy pigs), and Aubrey Allen (butcher), sprinkled throughout the tome.

When it comes to the recipes, the book features many well known and loved British dishes, such as ham and garden pea soup, Mum's fish pie, Lancashire
hotpot and honey glazed leg of ham - each one introduced with a chatty insight into how Verberne has created his own version and useful tips on where to source ingredients.

Methods are extremely thorough, ensuring there is little room for error.

Some dishes are incredibly simple, such as a plate of heritage tomatoes on toast with celery hearts and shaved Berkswell, while others are more creative and involved, such as wild rabbit and cider pie with snails and ramsons (wild garlic); and fillet of red deer on Wellington with haggis, girolles and bashed neeps. The common thread throughout is the fact these are generally hearty dishes that are obviously focused on flavour and enjoyment - there is nothing here that has been over-thought or over-wrought.

All in all, Roast is a fabulous book for chefs and cooks alike who really enjoy sourcing their ingredients and cooking food that is all about taste and having a good time.

Exactly my kind of food.

By Janet Harmer If you like this, you may enjoy these:

•The Gilbert Scott Book of British Food, Marcus Wareing

•Hawksmoor at Home, Huw Gott, Will Beckett, Richard Turner and Dan Lepard

•Canteen: Great British Food, Patrick Clayton-Malone, Cass Titcombe and Dominic Lake

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