From banana bread to lamb chops and Jaffa cake desserts to Scotch eggs, there has been a wide range of recipes shared recently.
Grilled lamb chops with a spiced shallot sauce and charred Hispi cabbage
A seasonal plate from the Parakeet in London’s Kentish Town, head chef Ben Allen shares how to create the venue’s grilled lamb chops with a spiced shallot sauce and charred Hispi cabbage.
When the dish is on the menu at the Top 50 Gastropub it sells for £16 per plate. To cut through the richness of the recipe, Allen advised operators to pair the dish with a wine boasting “good acidity”.
In addition, Allen said operators could add ancho chilli into the mix to give the plate their own twist and add a “smokier flavour”. Read the full recipe details here.
Fuller’s banana bread
Fuller’s banana bread recipe was originally created by former head chef at the Queen’s Head pub in Kingston, Kiah Enticknap, for last year’s International Women’s Day menu dish competition.
After winning the competition, the banana bread was added to the Fuller’s menu.
Costing around 90p per portion to make, Fuller’s sold the plate for £7.95 in January 2025, served with a salted caramel and rum sauce alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Read the full recipe details here.
Venison Scotch egg with quince aioli
Head chef and general manager of The George at Burpham pub in West Sussex, Martin Bull, told The Morning Advertiser (The MA) this venison Scotch egg with quince aioli was a “standout” item on the menu.
“Everyone loves a scotch egg in a pub whether it’s as a starter, a meal or a quick snack with a pint after walking the dog and this is a great game flavoured Scotch egg”, he said.
In addition, the head chef advised the dish pairs well with a “good red wine” and a side of hand cut chips as a light meal.
The dish costs around £35 to make 45 portions, equating to £1.27 a portion with the aioli, and the George sells some 90 Scotch eggs a week for £9 per plate. Read the full recipe details here.
Jaffa Cake dessert
Inspired by the “favourite childhood treat”, this Jaffa Cake dessert was created by the Dog at Wingham’s senior sous chef Charlie Kendall-Smtih.
The Top 50 Gastropub sells around 75 Jaffa Cakes per week, costing some £2.50 to make and selling for £12 per serving, making up 70% of the venue’s dessert sales.
Kendall-Smith told The MA: “Growing up, Jaffa Cakes were my ultimate treat. I couldn’t go long without having one. Always in my lunch box at school and in the cupboards at home.
“Now that I have found my way into a culinary career I thought it might be fun to recreate my favourite childhood treat.”
A Genoise sponge topped with set chocolate mousse and blood orange jelly, the senior sous chef garnishes the dish with candied orange peel.
While a Tuile made from cocoa nibs, dark chocolate soil and an orange gel finishes off the plate, which the Dog serves the dish with a blood orange sorbet.
Kendall-Smith added the dessert is best served alongside an Espresso Martini. Read the full recipe details here.
Cote de Boeuf for two
The Plough Inn, Wombleton, North Yorkshire offers the dish all year through and sells at least two Cote de Boeuf per service.
Chef-patron Richard Johns described the plate as a “menu pleaser” and advised operators to always buy beef from trusted suppliers to ensure the best cut.
The top gastropub serves its Cote de Boeuf with a red wine sauce and homemade triple-cooked chips alongside a parmesan & pickled red onion salad, paired with a full-bodied red wine.
Previously, the Plough has also served the dish with Barkham blue cheese stuffed field mushrooms, herb brioche crumb stuffed tomatoes and a green peppercorn sauce.
The dish, which requires a 1kg aged Cote de Boeuf for two sharing, costs approximately £26 per steak to make while the garnish costs around £3, taking the total price of the dish to £29.
On the menu at the Plough Inn for £95, the serve offers operators a gross profit of 64%. Read the full recipe here.
Clam arancini balls with Parmesan and Ricotta
Kareem Roberts, chef at the Burleigh Arms, told The MA the arancini dish has become a “staple on its menu”, adding the pub changes the ingredients and flavours according to the season.
Serves as part of a set menu at the pub alongside a mayonnaise made from curry oil and a dressing made from sultanas, Roberts added the dish pairs “perfectly” with a crisp lager.
Roberts said: “The dish has proven to be quite the crowd pleaser; we sell anywhere from 50 to 75 portions in a week with nothing but raving reviews.
“This batch of arancini costs roughly £15, making each portion come out at around £1.25 without anything to compliment it.
“I would recommend selling each plate at a minimum of £9 with the right accompaniments to justify the price and cover your labour.” Read the full recipe details here.
Other popular Dish Deconstructed recipes have included a Tarka Dal hummus, a crab cocktail with a yellow curry dressing from Adam Handling, a ‘classic burger’ from Tom Kerridge, venison tartare, and a cheese soufflé from Heartwood.
To take part in The MA’s Dish Deconstructed series please contact rebecca.weller@wrbm.com. Check out the most Dish Deconstructed from Rich’s Pizza here.
