Jason is a customer ex chef and now food writer and has shared with us his recipe for a whole duck. His take makes for the perfect celebratory centrepiece this New Year's Eve or for any occasion really. "I have a longstanding passion for food that is both original and deeply satisfying. For me, cooking is about more than following a recipe; it is about respecting ingredients, understanding their seasonality, and allowing their natural qualities to guide creativity. Good food should be rooted in integrity and craft, balancing imagination with a deep regard for flavour and enjoyment. Writing recipes is an opportunity to share that philosophy, creating dishes that are distinctive yet approachable and designed to bring out the very best in each ingredient."

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This recipe requires the duck to be prepared 12-24 hours in advance.

Ingredients:

Duck:

Whole duck - wishbone removed

For best results: use a dry-aged duck (around 2 weeks), or at a minimum a dry-aged plucked duck

Glaze for the skin:

50g Maltose

80ml hot water

20ml rice vinegar

To finish

Salt to taste

 

Method:

To prepare the duck, ensure the wishbone is removed (you can ask the team to do this for you).

Carefully pluck any remaining pinfeathers from the breast and wing area. 

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Hold the duck securely  with tongs and dip it quickly into the boiling water, turning to scald the entire surface.

Remove immediately and place on a wire rack to drain and cool - this tightens the skin.

In a small saucepan heat the maltose, hot water and rice vinegar until the maltose dissolves.

Brush this warm glaze evenly over the duck, coating the skin completely.

Place the duck on the wire rack in the fridge and leave to dry overnight (12-24 hours), or until the skin feels taught and slightly leathery.

Position the oven tray in the middle of the oven and pre-heat it to 230deg C.

Place the duck breast side up on a rack in a roasting tray (add water to the tray to prevent smoking).

Roast rotating at 8 minutes until the internal temperature is between 49deg C and 52degC at the thickest part of the breast, about 16 minutes.

For extra crispiness, finish with 3-5 minutes at 240deg C.

Transfer to a tray to rest until the internal temp reached 54deg C for medium-rare or 57deg C for medium at the thickest part of the breast, about 15 minutes.

If the duck has not yet reached the target temperature, return to the oven briefly, taking care not to overcook.

Carve, season and serve.

Once rested, transfer the crown to a cutting board. Carve the breasts and slice into pieces and season each slice lightly with salt.

Reserve the carcass for duck stock.

Serve with plum sauce, hoisin sauce or a simple dip of sugar and Chinese black vinegar.

For the3 duck legs to finish cooking set the oven to 150deg C and continue to roast the duck until it reaches 79deg C in the thickest part of the thigh (about 30 minutes) Rest for about 15 minutes. Carve duck leg and serve.

Ingredients:

600g skinless, bone-in chicken thighs, cut into medium pieces

200ml full-fat coconut milk (or double cream for richness)

250ml warm water

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2–3 star anise

5–6 whole cloves

1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and tied in a knot

1 tbsp tamarind juice (see note)

4–5 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 tsp lime zest if unavailable)

1 tbsp brown sugar (palm sugar if possible)

1 tsp salt, or to taste

4 tbsp cooking oil (add more if needed)

 

Rendang curry paste

4–5 shallots, roughly chopped

1 tbsp lemongrass, chopped

10–12 dried long red chilies, deseeded and soaked in hot water for 10 mins

4–5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tsp galangal, chopped or sliced

2 tsp ginger, chopped or sliced

1 tsp turmeric powder (or fresh turmeric, sliced)

 

Method:

Blend the soaked chillis, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, and turmeric into a smooth paste. Add a splash of water if needed to help it along.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook slowly, stirring, until fragrant and the oil begins to separate — about 8–10 minutes. This step is key as you’re drawing out depth.

Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. Stir until aromatic toss in the chicken pieces and sear gently until they’re just coloured, coated in spice, and starting to release their juices.

Pour in the coconut milk, water, tamarind juice, lime leaves, sugar, and salt. Stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Reduce the heat to low, cover loosely, and cook for 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce and darken, clinging thickly to the chicken. Add a splash more water if it gets too dry before the chicken is tender.

Once the sauce is rich and the chicken nearly falling apart, taste and adjust salt, sugar, and tamarind for balance. You’re looking for heat, sourness, sweetness, and depth in harmony.

·      scatter with a few torn kaffir lime leaves for brightness. serve with steamed rice, roti, or cucumber salad to cut through the richness.

Notes

• Tamarind juice: soak 1 tsp tamarind pulp in 2 tbsp warm water, strain out the fibres, and use the liquid. If using concentrate, start with 1 tsp and adjust.
• Randang is traditionally cooked until almost dry, the sauce becoming a rich caramelised paste clinging to the meat. this version leans more saucy for chicken, but you can reduce it further if you want that classic dry finish.
• Even better the next day: the spices bloom and settle deeper into the chicken.

 

Ingredients:

500g Korean marinated bavette steak

For the rice

300g cooked rice (day-old preferred)

2 tbsp Gochujang

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 tbsp korean chilli flakes

1 tbsp honey or brown sugar

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp chopped kimchi + a splash of kimchi juice

2 spring onions, finely sliced

For the pickled cabbage

½ white cabbage, finely shredded

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

pinch of salt

To serve

extra kimchi

fresh coriander

sesame seeds

Method:

Toss cabbage with vinegar, sugar, and salt. Leave 30 minutes until lightly softened.

Heat a heavy skillet until very hot. Sear the bavette 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Rest 10 minutes, slice thinly against the grain.

Heat sesame oil in a wok or pan, add garlic, then stir in Gochujang, soy, chilli flakes, honey, and vinegar. Cook briefly until thickened. Add kimchi, kimchi juice, and rice, tossing until coated and slightly crisp. Finish with spring onions.

Plate the rice, top with sliced bavette, scatter pickled cabbage on the side. Garnish with coriander, sesame seeds, and extra kimchi.

Notes

• Bavette is best cooked quickly and rested well to stay tender.
• The pickled cabbage should stay fresh and crunchy, cutting through the richness of the beef and rice.
• a fried egg on top takes this into comfort food territory.

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

500g diced lamb leg

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, thickly sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

5cm piece fresh ginger, grated

1 green chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

1 red chilli, deseeded, finely sliced

1 jar Gymkhana rogan josh paste

15g fresh coriander (stalks finely chopped, leaves picked for garnish)

200g tin chopped tomatoes

200ml light coconut milk

125g spinach

 

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches until well caramelized, then transfer to the slow cooker.

In the same pan, soften the onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, and chilies for 4–5 minutes until fragrant. stir through the coriander stalks and rogan josh paste, cooking for a further 2 minutes to release the spices.

Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, scraping up any browned bits, then tip everything into the slow cooker.

Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk. Stir to coat the lamb well, then cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Stir in the spinach just before serving, letting the heat wilt it. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

Serve hot, scattered with fresh coriander leaves and green chilli

notes

• Browning the lamb properly at the start builds a deeper flavour — don’t skip it.
• Coconut milk softens the heat, but you can leave out the green chilli if you want a gentler curry.
• This curry gets even better the next day as the flavours settle and deepen.
• If the sauce feels too thin at the end, remove the lid and cook on high for the last 20 minutes to reduce.

 

Ingredients

• 2 free-range chicken legs
• 4 tbsp marsala wine
• 4 tbsp chicken stock
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 seedless red grapes
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• sea salt & cracked black pepper

 

Method

Preheat oven to 200°c.

Rub chicken legs with olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Place in a roasting tray and roast for 35–40 minutes, or until golden with juices running clear.

In the last 10 minutes, scatter the grapes around the chicken to blister and soften.

Transfer chicken and grapes to a warm plate. Place roasting tray on the hob, deglaze with marsala and chicken stock, scraping any caramelised bits.

Whisk in mustard and cream, simmer gently until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning.

Return chicken and grapes to the pan briefly to glaze, then serve topped with sauce, grapes, and fresh thyme sprigs.

Notes

• Marsala can be swapped with Madeira or sherry if that’s what you have on hand.
• The grapes add a sweet, juicy counterpoint to the richness of the cream sauce.
• Pairs beautifully with buttered mash or simple greens.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

300g veal mince

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine

500g chicken stock

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed well

3 cups orecchiette pasta

 

To serve:

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

 

Method:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta.

Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic, cook gently until softened and fragrant. Increase the heat, add veal mince, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.

Deglaze with white wine, scraping the base of the pan, and let it reduce by half. Stir in tomato paste, oregano, capers, and chicken stock. Lower the heat and let it simmer until the sauce thickens and the flavours round out, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette until al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta directly into the sauce, loosening with splashes of pasta water until it clings to the shells.

Finish with parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and a heavy snowfall of pecorino romano. serve immediately — it should taste bright, savoury, and just a little briny from the capers.