Welcome to Field & Fork

February 6, 2015

The fire’s going at Field & Fork as are winter’s finest dishes

Make the most of winter’s dishes including game, these seasonal treats well-covered on the menu as it’s something we love to cook and serve. We have a thing about seasons, sticking rigorously to what nature offers, be it game, other meats, vegetables and fruits. Peppered loin of venison, chestnut polenta, braised red cabbage and cranberries and cipollines, those tiny sweet onions,

joins crispy shoulder of lamb, parsnip purée with winter roots, kale and pancetta, another warming dish. The lamb, roasted slowly whole for 6 to 8 hours then the bones removed and the shoulder pressed, the portions are then pan fried so they are crispy and the cooking juices reduced to give a sticky sweet and sour sauce.

Pumpkin, another favourite, is roasted and partnered with aromatic chicken and butterbean salad with mint and coriander, vegetarians finding favour with butternut squash tagine with dates, almonds and coriander. If lighter fish is your choice, crab, salmon, trout and wild sea bass join fillets of local plaice with shrimp and sautéed squid, new potatoes, fennel, saffron sauce, the refined dish reminiscent of my Gavroche days.

Kick off with seasonal beetroot tart with Roquefort and walnuts, smoked haddock gnocchi, a new invention combining classic combinations of potato haddock and Parmesan with a slightly spiced tomato sauce

or other choices including maple-glazed pork belly with carrot coleslaw and finish with chocolate and almond torte, roasted banana and butterscotch sauce, a favourite dessert, or seasonal fruit in a rhubarb and custard tart, toasted meringue, poached rhubarb or Cox apple tart tatin, honeycomb and ginger ice cream. There are always seasonal cheeses too with a glass of Port a final winter’s pleasure touch.

The fire’s going at Field & Fork

Book a table!

EATING SAM’S FORK

January 20, 2015: @Field and Fork

The team – have a look at some who work here – are enjoying the restaurant’s new challenges in 2015 and we all warmly welcome you. Nothing stands still, least of all in a restaurant setting, including challenges for Chef-in-Charge Scott Taylor, from Kent’s Garden of England and Justine Clarke-Goss, newly appointed Restaurant Manager, Falklands Island-born, both playing a key part in the business for six years.

As Chef-Director, I’m chuffed to have such loyalty from my staff, really part of the family. Chef Matt Blackwood (Selsey) and Restaurant Staff Naz Abidi (Tunisia) have been with us for years too, their allegiance shining through. This allows me to organise chefs and menus at our sister catering company at Southend Barn, our busy Donnington wedding and celebration venue, knowing I can leave them to do a grand job. Nothing is too much trouble for the team which is appreciated by all who work alongside them. As a reward, a past trip to Rungis, the Paris wholesale market, to talk to suppliers was arranged; a new suppliers’ visit planned this year.

My own challenge, apart from running a successful, enjoyable restaurant for staff and diners alike, is to finish writing Sam’s Fork, this year about my life in the trade, food influences starting with experiences in Botswana from an early age during my father’s anthropological tribe studies, dried caterpillars stuffed into my shorts pockets, one of the first – and fond – four year old’s food memory.

Do come to enjoy our food and our ethos, some dishes in pictures as well as staff photos forming part of this January blog. We look forward to cooking for you and giving you a pleasurable time, either for a light or larger lunchtime meal, a pre-theatre or cinema supper – or serving you choices from our a la carte menu. Some choices include that retro favourite Oxtail, braised for hours to give a real winter treat, rarely tackled at home. Or a fish dish: Fillet of hake, warm salad of merguez sausage, honey and pepper roast fennel, goat’s cheese and watercress (£16.50). Those very seasonal cipollini – baby onions – are partnered with peppered loin of venison, chestnut polenta, spring greens and cranberries (19.50). Come too for smoked haddock fishcakes; linguini with walnuts, broccoli, roasted onions; maple-glazed pork belly; caramelised beetroot tart; banana tart tatin; chocolate jelly on shortbread with Guinness ice cream (pictured) plus many other dishes.

Everything is made by us: breads, stocks, ice creams, all desserts, no shortcuts, no skimping on quality.

SCOTT TAYLOR AT THE PASS DISHING UP OXTAIL

FINISHED DISH: OXTAIL WITH PARSNIP AND POTATO PUREE, WINTER ROOTS, CAVOLO NERO £15.50.

JUSTINE CLARKE-GOSS, RESTAURANT MANAGER

SALMON STEAK WITH OCTOPUS TENDER TENTACLES AND GARLIC

DIG INTO CHOCOLATE JELLY ON HOUSE-MADE SHORTBREAD
WITH GUINNESS ICE CREAM

MOTHER’S DAY – SUNDAY, 15TH MARCH 2015

Due to popular demand, the restaurant will be open from 12 – 3pm on Sunday, 15th March especially to celebrate Mother’s Day. We will be offering a set 3 course menu, with 5 choices for each course, for £24.95/person. So, why not treat your mum on her special day; there is limited availability so we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment.

BOOK YOUR TABLE SOON ON 01243 789915