Posted by Luke Holder on 11/06/2013 at 10.10

Red Velvet Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

Cake base:
390g flour
1tsp salt
1tsp bicarbonate soda
10g baking powder
250g sugar
3 eggs
290g vegetable oil
250g natural yoghurt
1 vanilla pod
1tsp white wine vinegar
80g red food colouring (good quality)

Syrup:
100g water
30g sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
30g brandy

Filling/Icing:
600g Philadelphia
250g butter
230g icing sugar
2tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Cream the sugar and eggs together then add the flour, salt, bicarbinate soda and baking powder.
Then add the oil, yoghurt, vanilla, vinegar and red colouring. Mix quickly, this will prevent the cake from toughening. It is the reaction between the red food colouring and white wine vinegar that intensifys the colour. Bake at 170ºC for approximately 40mins and leave to cool.

Cut a thin layer off the top of the cake and blitz until it’s a fine crumb. This will be used to cover cake once iced.
Cut the cake into 3 equal layers and separate.

For the syrup, bring the sugar and water to the boil then add lemon juice and brandy. Brush the 3 cake layers with the syrup letting it soak.

Blitz the Philladelphia, butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence and place in fridge until firm. Spread the icing between the layers then cover.

Using one hand to rotate the cake, place the red crumbs around the edge of the cake with the other. Sprinkle the crumbs on the top of the cake.

Posted by Luke Holder 14/05/2013 at 12.50pm

Angela Hartnett & I star in our very own pop video!

People often ask what happens in a typical day as head chef at my restaurant Hartnett Holder & Co, at Lime Wood, deep in the heart of the New Forest? It's impossible to answer. Take last week for example. You'll never believe what we all had to do... a music video! I'm not talking Backstreet Boys here, it wasn't quite that painful, but it was beyond hysterical.

We had been warned that it was going to happen but so much happens here that I sort of forgot about it and so the boys were a bit surprised when this young girl came in with a video camera and kept asking what she was doing. I had to quickly shout across the kitchen to make sure everyone knew what the plan was and that she would just come up to everyone individually or in small groups and ask you to sing a line of a song back to her.

Most of the boys said that there was no way in hell that they were going to be singing to anyone, let alone in front of myself and Angela (Harnett) and the other lads too. I was lucky enough not to be first up, but Angela didn't escape that easily as she was first up to start the whole thing off. It was great that she was because it was the ideal ice breaker. She's always up for a laugh but I was very impressed as she willingly climbed onto the pass and lay across it like she was lying on a bed - it was magical! The boys couldn't stop laughing the whole way through, it was so funny to see her go from service straight into all singing all dancing.

I was up next to create the second entrance part of the video and I was directed to point my finger and walk backwards and twirl at the end. This was gold dust for the kitchen - everything stopped and they all watched me singing along out of tune to Kiss by Prince, they weren't used to seeing me twirling around the kitchen during service!

One of the highlights of the video was straight after this when one the lads had to sidle up to Angela and blow her a kiss, he loved it and so did the camera. I think the fact that both Angela and I were so forthcoming meant that the boys were keen to continue and give it their all, just like they do with everything else. I was a bit worried that it might get in the way of service but she was great at knowing when was a good time and when she needed to move aside for service. It really lifted the whole teams spirits and boy did we all laugh whilst watching everyone making an idiot out of themselves - I think it was good for them all!

The funniest moment has to be when one of the boys flashes his bare backside! Check out the video below and share it with everyone - it's amazing...

http://vimeo.com/66055150

 Posted by Anon. on 03/05/2013 at 17.23

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis

Part 7: FISH!

The new menu has launched today (ready for summer) and there are loads of new fish dishes on it, so I was a bit gutted when I actually got moved to the fish section last week. I did think I wanted to move from pasta and that fish was the next best thing but having seen the new menu I’m not so sure anymore.

Angela’s down today, her and Chef have been finalising all of the new menu changes together on the Kitchen Table - I have a feeling there might be a few more by the end of the day though as there’s a fair amount of tweaking going on.

This week I’ve boned more fish than I can even count, I can’t believe there are even that many in the sea! On the new menu fish is the most heavily featured thing on there - we’ve got lobster, black sea bream, red mullet, halibut, cod and monkfish all on!

The lobsters come in 80 at a time, all fresh from the Isle of Wight. I went to see Chef cos my fingers are aching and he told me to “grow up” and “that’s what you get when you’re prepping lobsters”, you get spikes off the shell whilst prepping them and they make your fingers swell and throb. To prep them I pull them all apart and they get grilled to order, boy are there a lot ordered as there’s three ways of having them: in a salad, with a fennel and lemon butter or with the linguini.

Judging from lunch service today red mullet’s going to be a seller, we’ve only got 3 left and 120 covers to do tonight.

Doing this blog is fun but when I’ve got 90 scallops downstairs that need finishing I have to sign off and run downstairs and push on!

A new waitress has started today I’ll give you an update next week....
 

Posted by Anon. on 19/04/2013 at 17.02

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis

Part 6 - Exiting times!

Angela’s down this weekend and rumour has it she’s coming with 20 new dishes, but I’ve only just got the hang of the last lot, this is a nightmare! Chef's been faffing around with a new rota as well, apparently we’re all moving sections - again just as I was getting into the pasta section, it does mean that there is an opportunity for me to get on the fish section though which I’ve been after for a while now. I’ve been chatting to a mate of mine who is one of the Sous Chefs, to see if he can get me in there, so this could be great timing but I've got to be careful what I wish for as fish in the summer could be chaos - as everyone knows fish on a hot day is way more popular than meat. I think I’ve got at least half a week until I’ll know but a cheeky word in the Sous Chefs ear might play to in favour....you’ll find out soon!

Posted by Anon. on 15/03/2013 at 17.39

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis

Part 5 - Garganelli

Garganelli....wow! Chef mentioned to me 7 pieces to a portion, after spending 15minutes doing one portion I realised it wasn’t as easy as chef had demonstrated to me earlier. 22 portions later Chef pre-dressed a dish of the garganelli pre-service so we all knew how it should look.

Checks started flying and the VIP table started to arrive, the pressure was on.

The garganelli dish was definitely worth doing, I’ve learnt a new technique also using wild garlic for the first time was a pleasure!
The dish consisted of garganelli, wild garlic, chicken oyster, our special guest enjoyed it so much that he ordered more, this meant that everything I’d learnt had to be put into practise and quickly!

Highlight of my week was Wednesday when the Loch Duart salmon came through the back door in loads of boxes, ready to be prepped. I’ve never seen salmon of this quality and quantity and was shocked to see how fast the Sous Chef could break one down.

Today I learnt that when the salmon comes in and it’s that fresh it still has rigamortis which makes it more difficult for me to fillet.
Next week I think I might get the chance to do some work on the Smoke House with salmon and salamis – looking forward to it!

Posted by Anon. on 08/03/2013 at 16:50 pm

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis - aged 19 1/2

Part 4 - Pasta

I was so excited about being given the section to work on, I was coping well but it’s relentless, drew a little tear to my eye yesterday as the work load got on top of me....100 lobsters a week, 20 guinea fowl, 40 wild rabbit and that’s just the prep before I’ve even started making the pasta which has to be fresh every service. So getting all that achieved whilst Angela was in the kitchen with a film crew and James Martin wondering around was intimidating and inspiring. It was also the first time I had to make pasta for Angela to use for a demo, putting together the double agnolotti of guinea fowl and burrata – she was happy which made it all feel worthwhile.

After having a chat with Chef the realisation that I’m cooking on one of the busiest pasta sections around for one of the best Italian chefs in the country put things in perspective. After a good nights sleep I came in feeling ready to go! After another good lunch service I looked up and felt proud of what I’ve achieved and with the team that I’ve achieved it with.

Think I’ve nearly mastered the four dishes that I’ve been doing, and chefs just served up a curve ball as he’s told me that he wants to put garganelli on tomorrow for someone special!

You’ll hear how that turned out soon....got my fingers crossed!

Posted by Anon. on 15/02/2013 at 17:37 pm

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis - aged 19 1/2

Part 3 - Opening!

We come in the day before and we had to put everything away, pots and pans, then clean all the dust and everything that the builders made and then we tried to organise the kitchen and how it was going to run on a day to day basis. The second day I had to come in to nothing in the fridges and no produce, relying that the suppliers would come in earlier but no! We then all put our heads together and jumped on it as a team and prepped the full menu for a 40 cover lunch followed by an 85 cover dinner service. The energy was tense and nerveracking and at the back of my mind I was slightly concerned that we weren’t going to be ready. Dinner service came very quickly and before you know it it was all over and a few tears were shed but we all went home as a team and I was very very pleased with myself.

The next day was a real push day – we had arrive in the morning 22 five bone ribs of beef from Lake District, 60 whole mackerel, 20 rump and loins of Jurassic coast veal, 32 whole turbot, 16 whole hake, 9 boxes of purple violet artichokes, 9 boxes of wild mushrooms and this was just the start to the week for the 80 for lunch and 80 for dinner for the next 7 days. Clocking out at midnight and there’s one chef and one waiter down already and we haven’t even opened!

First night of service in the new kitchen was very strange, the adrenalin and energy was buzzing - it was all slightly confusing though with what was coming from whose section, but after service we all had a clear mind (very clear!). The following day I was pretty tired, woke up knackered, but felt a good sense of achievement knowing I didn’t have to prep all that meat and fish again. Today was a calmer day knowing what my job entails. I’m looking forward to the rest of the opening week and seeing all the VIPs it brings with it! I’ve learnt so much already, it’s awesome working with Angela and Luke.

The highlight of my week so far is helping the sous chefs set up the charcuterie bar in the main restaurant knowing that all the meats we’re serving come from our own Smoke House. Especially after being involved in the making of the chorizo and watching the drying process for the last 6 weeks was exciting seeing people order it and enjoy it right there at the bar.

 Posted by Anon. on 23/01/2013 at 14:37 pm

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis - aged 19 1/2

Part 2 - Meat Tasting

Chef came back from holiday and we served up some beef which went down like a lead balloon, so after frantic action from Luke & Angela we got beef in by the truck load today.

After the chaos, it was down to me to follow Chefs instructions to the law of cooking it: frying it in beef fat and butter directly on the plancha.

I had a little case of the meat sweats and was so nervous I was clenching everything! Luckily Chef & Angela came back in with smiles on their faces as apparently everyone was convinced that we’d found a supplier worthy of HH&Co. I looked over to pastry and felt sorry for the Chef as their tasting wasn’t so great last time – I did really feel bad!

You know what? I think the momentums there now, Angela & Chef are just doing the final push of closing Lime Wood down and getting it ready for the re-launch two weeks from now.

I can’t believe it’s less than 2 weeks now!

Posted by Anon. on 15/01/2013 at 15:30 pm

Secret Diary of a Lime Wood Commis - aged 19 1/2

Part 1 - The Beginning

No one’s worked with Angela before. I thought she might be hard on us, you know cos she’s worked with Ramsay, but actually she’s generally a kind person anyway.

I suppose when I first heard about it, I didn’t know what to think but I think working the way it is now it’s panning out and the relationship is growing – the kitchens become a lot better. We don’t see what goes on in those meetings between Luke and Angela so I guess we don’t know everything that goes on!

At the start it was all exciting, then the first few tastings over the busy Christmas time was hard to keep on top of but it makes you stronger because you get in to a rhythm, so you get to know which dishes to do and you do service meanwhile making these dishes to serve ready for the tasting.

At the moment it’s a bit stop/start, she comes in and then she disappears again and we have to deal with all the changes on the day but it keeps things interesting!

Its nerve-racking cooking their dishes for them without knowing her style, the anticipation for the feedback is tough, when we haven’t cooked it with them just cooked it for them! When you work with Luke you know how he wants it to taste, whereas now you need to work Angela out too. I gave her a dish today and she said it needs this and it needs that – so it’s just getting that balance I guess!

I recon my favourite dish would be the rabbit pappardelle – yeah the rabbits nice. Actually the octopus is pretty good too. Oh yeah and the duck heart salad, oh and the lobster linguine that we tasted today was really good. I’m not really a fan of mackerel but I liked that too.

It’ll be really interesting to see how she brings in different elements, you know things like pasta. Like how we do pasta at the moment she had never made it like that before, but her pasta dishes are really great. The double anglotti is banging, wait that’s Luke dish though!

Anyway she’s clicked with everyone really well. She’s real nice, made an effort to get on and tried to know everyone’s names bless her, but she still doesn’t! She’s really polite she’ll come round and shake everyone’s hands when she arrives.

I guess we’ll be able to judge it better when we go into a busy service with her, no one’s worked a busy service with her yet. It’ll be the test of time!

Posted by Victoria on 08/11/2012 at 12:10 pm

An outing on the Kitchen Table

Just yesterday a few of us escaped the Forest mayhem and sat down to a gorging feast on the Kitchen Table - all immaculately prepared and cooked by our Head Chef, Luke Holder.

Having briefed Luke that we would eat whatever he suggested and were more than happy to just pick and share, he quickly whipped up what can only be described as a full blown banquet!

We were presented with a delicious Smoke House board that was full of bright colours and bold flavours from our home Smoked Salmon, Orange & Fennel cured loin of Pork and a variety of homemade Salamis (made with sweet wine, paprika, fennel seeds & a few secret ingredients). The Salmon was as good as ever, having been smoked for 36hours it had the most delicious oaky flavour, the recent introduction of the loin of pork recipe has been perfected and was sliced immaculately, and as for the salamis, well Laszlos homemade paprika recipe from Hungary is a true triumph!

Soon we realised that this was just the beginning of what was going to be a gourmet take on a tasting experience! Shortly after our smoke board was whisked away we were presented with a mouth watering Game Terrine which was packed with Foie Gras, Venison, Chicken Liver and lots of other game delights. It was presented with a basket of toasted brioche and delicious chutney to be spread all over!

Apparently all of the above was just our appetisers as our starters were plated up before our eyes (which were far too big for our stomachs). We feasted on Scallops with Langoustine on a bed of braised leeks and capers as well as Sweetbreads on celeriac purée and pickled ginger.

Our main course was the real show stopper and had been cooking and crisping up since we first arrived in the Kitchen. We were sampling the new sharing dish - Suckling Roast Piglet Leg on a White Risotto with beautiful penny bun mushrooms. Not only did the dish look incredible served up on a large sharing platter but the textures and tastes were superb!

We all felt that it wouldn't quite be complete if we didn't have a sample of some of the desserts that were on the menu, so without having to pull our arm, we order one of everything and sampled delights such as Dark Chocolate and Rosemary Tart with vanilla ice cream and honeycomb, Brioche Ice Cream on toasted Brioche with homemade Chocolate Nutella dip and a Blackberry Trifle. They were all polished off quickly and efficiently with every inch of the nutella scrapped out of the little glass pot!

A huge thank you to Luke and the whole Kitchen team for giving us an insight into all of the amazing local produce that you cook with and for feeding us all so well!

Smoked & Uncut at Lime Wood

Sunday 17th June saw our first ever Smoked & Uncut live music session here at Lime Wood. The sun was shining for most of the evening (there was a bit of rain late in the evening) and we'd set up an open sided tent on the lawn for the bands to perform in.

At 5.30pm the music started with sounds from Capitol K, he combined electronica and indie pop together to create a chilled out vibe for all of the guests who came to watch. The terrace was full of guests and soon the lawn was too, there was a great chilled out atmosphere on the evening - which went perfectly with the music, food and drinks!

Headliners Stereofixx came on stage at 6.30pm with keys player Hannah Vasanth (works with Rihanna, Taio Cruz and Jessie J) and Jazz Soul vocalist Jo Harrop bringing her inspiring tone and beautiful vocals to the mix. They created a blend of cool beats, summer house grooves and soulful velvet melodies.

The kitchen produced some delicious food boards such as their homemade terrine, pickles and olives and their infamous homemade sausages!

Overall it was a really great evening, thank you to everyone who came and for supporting our chosen charity The ARK Foundation!