About Time: You Got Creative with Rock Rose GinBy Angelica Malin

Thinking of jazzing up your dinner? Why not try experimenting with spirits – they can add amazing flavour to food, and really bring out the flavours of the dishes. Here’s some recipes from Rock Rose Gin, which we totally love:

Queen Scallops with Rock Rose Gin, Cucumber & Sea Purslane

Keeping the scallops raw and just curing with the lime juice keeps the flavour of the sea.  Sea purslane is a very common wild plant around the coast, it’s easily identifiable, but make sure you know what you’re picking.  You can substitute samphire if you can’t get it. You’ll probably need to order the scallops from your fishmonger in advance.

Ingredients:

Serves 4 as starter

• 32 queen scallops, in the half shell
• ¼ cucumber, seeds removed and diced
• 100mls Rock Rose gin
• Juice of 2 limes
• Sea salt
• Sea purslane

Method

• Remove the scallops from the shell, wash the shells well and keep for later.  Remove the roe from the scallop and any other pieces of frill, leaving only the clean white muscle.  Place the scallops in a bowl and add all the other ingredients.  Leave for 5-10 minutes to cure lightly.
• Place the scallop shells on a bed of crushed ice, then place a scallop in each shell with some of the cucumber, sea purslane and some of the juice.

By Ronnie Murray, Owner and Head Chef at Peckham Manor

Grilled Pork Chops with Rock Rose Gin Poached Rhubarb

The flavour of rhubarb goes really well with pork chops, just like a sharp apple sauce would.  Poaching in the gin gives it an even more grown up flavour, and the juniper flavours work well with the pork.

Ingredients: 

Serves 4

• 4 large pork chops (preferably free range, and from a rare breed)
• 3 sticks of rhubarb
• 100mls Rock Rose Gin
• 50mls cider vinegar
• 100mls water
• 60g sugar
• 4 juniper berries
• Salt

Method

• Cut the rhubarb into 10cm long pieces, then using a sharp knife or peeler cut into very thing strips.
• Put the gin, vinegar, water, sugar, juniper berries and a pinch of salt into a pan and heat until almost boiling.  Add the rhubarb and press down with  plate or similar.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  When cool taste the rhubarb – it may need a little more sugar, this will depend on how sour your rhubarb is.  If you feel it needs more cooking, then simply bring back to just short of boiling and then remove from the heat and allow to cool again.  The idea is for the rhubarb to retain a little bite, and to still be sour without being too overpowering.
• Pan fry the pork chops until golden brown, then season with salt and pepper and put on a tray in the oven at 190 degrees for 8-12 minutes depending on thickness.
• Serve with some roasted or boiled new potatoes and watercress.

By Ronnie Murray, Owner and Head Chef at Peckham Manor

Rock Rose Gin Marinated Loch Duart Salmon, Fennel, Lime & Wild Leaves

This is a raw salmon dish, which is ‘cooked’ using lime juice. It’s a take on ceviche – make sure that the salmon is very fresh. And if you’re not sure about which wild leaves you can use, ask an expert or stick to cultivated varieties.

Ingredients:

Serves 4 as starter 

• 600g fresh salmon fillet, bones and skin removed
• 150mls Rock Rose gin
• Juice of 3 limes
• Sea salt
• I bulb fennel, thinly sliced
• Assorted wild leaves and flowers

Method

• Slice the salmon fillet as thinly as you can with a sharp knife.  Place in a large bowl.  Add the lime, gin and a good pinch of salt, mix gently to coat the salmon but don’t break up the fish.  Leave for 5-10 minutes, the salmon will turn slightly pink, this is the acid from the limes curing the fish.
• Lay the salmon slices onto the serving plates, garnish the top with the fennel and the wild leaves and flowers.  Not too much as you want to be able to see the salmon too!

By Mike Denman, Executive Chef at Plum & Spilt Milk

Rock Rose Gin, Lemon and Elderflower Jelly with Lavender Shortbread

Currently on the menu at Plum & Spilt Milk

This is essentially a cocktail made into a jelly, but it’s really refreshing as a light dessert.  It could also be served in shot glasses as an alcoholic jelly for a party.

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

• 150 tonic water
• 100g caster sugar
• 100mls Rock rose gin
• 75mls elderflower cordial
• Juice of one lemon
• 5 gelatine leaves

Method

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile place the elderflower cordial and half the tonic water into a pan and place over a medium heat.  Warm until just short of boiling and remove from the heat.  Remove the gelatine leaves from the water and squeeze to remove any excess liquid.  Whisk the gelatine into the warm elderflower and tonic water.  Then add the remaining tonic water and gin into the pan.  Pour into the glasses you want to serve the jelly in, and chill for at least 3-4 hours, until set (overnight is safer!)  Garnish the jellies with edible flowers, or candied lemon zest.

For the lavender shortbread

• 175g softened unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp fresh, unsprayed, finely chopped lavender flowers
• 100g caster sugar
• 225g plain flour

Method

• Cream the butter, sugar and lavender together, then gently fold in the flour to form a dough.  Chill the dough until firm enough to roll, then roll it out to 1cm thick.  Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits, and place these on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.  Place into a preheated oven at 160 degrees (fan 140) for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.  Remove the biscuits from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool.

By Mike Denman, Executive Chef at Plum & Spilt Milk

Sponsored post in assocation with Rock Rose Gin, as part of #RockRoseGinWeek