Steve Bush at The Mole & Chicken, Easington provides this week's recipe

I only enjoyed sport, art and home economics at school and was still undecided at 16 as to what career path to take.

I received top marks one day for tea and toast in HE and when I got home I told my dad I wanted to be a chef. He discussed this over a pint with his mate and he said he might be able to help. He then managed to secure me a four-year apprenticeship at Shell Oil in the Strand, London with a day release at Westminster College. It was supposed to be spread over eight different kitchens with six months in each.

I ended up doing three years in the fine dining director’s kitchen with chefs from Claridges, Roux Brothers & Le Manoir! I’ve worked at the Mole & Chicken for six years and my cooking style is clean and simple modern British.

My signature dish is Pork Belly, Scallops, Apple & Black Pudding.

Ingredients

* 200g Girolles or other wild mushrooms
* 2 shallots finely chopped
* 10g butter s 5 g chopped chives
* 10 g toasted pine nuts
* 100g blanched curly kale

Croquettes
* 50g fresh white breadcrumbs
* 250g goat’s cheese, rind removed
* 5g cracked black pepper
* 2 eggs
* 30g flour

Method

Mix the goat’s cheese with the black pepper and mould into 25g balls.

Whisk the eggs. Roll the cheese in flour then coat in egg making sure it’s completely coated then roll in the breadcrumbs and reserve.

Clean the Girolles with a pastry brush removing any excess soil or grit and trim stalks. NEVER wash wild mushrooms!

Heat a pan to moderate heat.

Add the butter and sauté the shallots without colour, add the Girolles and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the chives and season with salt and pepper.

If you have a fryer heat to 180C. If not add some veg oil to a deep pan about 1 inch deep and carefully heat.

Test the temperature by adding a small piece of kale which should go crisp in a few seconds. Have some kitchen paper ready.

Add the kale to the oil or fryer and cook for about 10 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and place onto the kitchen paper to drain. Sprinkle with salt.

Arrange the Girolles on warmed plates Deep fry the Croquettes in the same oil until golden brown.

Place on top of the Girolles and garnish with pine nuts and kale crisps.

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.