CLARE SMYTH

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F O R E W O R D B Y G O R D O N R A M S AY I N F O R M A L L U X U RY

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INTRODUCTION BY KIER AN MORRIS OUR TEAM

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T H E T H R E E - S TA R K I T C H E N RECIPES

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BRITISH FINE DINING COMING FULL CIRCLE

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CO R E VA LU E S INDEX
‘ P O TAT O A N D R O E ’
TROUT AND HERRING ROE
AND DULSE BEURRE BLANC

This is one of Core’s most celebrated dishes, and one of my most personal.

Growing up by the coast in Northern Ireland, I would eat potatoes every day.
Potatoes are the taste of home – my aunt and uncle were, and still are, potato
farmers on the North Antrim coast, where the soil holds onto all that minerality
from the ocean. When I was younger, I would help them with seeding and
harvesting, working against the creeping frost to make sure the crops avoided
damage. Afterwards, we’d eat a few, boiled and served only with salt, pepper, and
butter. Seaweed was another taste of childhood for me; dulse grew plentifully
along the shoreline, and we’d buy little paper bags of it for five pence, to snack on
as we walked along. Those flavours are foundational for me.

My potato habit is a lifelong one. At the start of all my services, practically

without fail, I would always snatch a boiled potato from the station making
pomme purée, season it a touch, and eat it. Our head chef, Jonny, watched me
indulge this habit for years, and when it came to opening Core, he suggested we
put together a dish that illustrated the centrality of the potato to my life. So, we
got to work on developing just that.

I should say, the potato we use isn’t just any potato. We have a grower, who
would prefer to remain nameless, who grows potatoes and only potatoes, and
they’re the best you’ve ever had. I’ve worked with him now for fifteen years, and
he’s completely obsessed with what he does – he wants to produce the finest
potato possible, and we believe he does. This dish has become a calling card
of our restaurant: a case study in our culinary style, with the humble potato
unashamedly front-and-centre, punctuated with briny bursts of trout and herring
roe. More than this, however: the dulse, the roe, the potato, even the salt and
vinegar crisps on top (my favourite snack) – it’s an expression of my identity and
history on a plate. Where I came from, and where I am now.

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‘CHEESE AND ONION’

Cheese & onion crisps, cheese & onion pasties, cheese & onion sandwiches – if
you were to poll the British public on their favourite flavour combination, you’d
likely find cheese & onion right at the top. We wanted to take that flavour
combination to the furthest point it could go, and this is what we came up with.

Our onions are from Lancaster, and we use them in every imaginable way: an
onion purée, a consommé, a 24-hour reduced demi-glace, crispy shallot rings,
spring onions, leek top oil, onion and allium flowers, pickled onion. And that’s
before we factor in the onion as the centrepiece, which is layered with a cheese
Royale made from five-year-old Cheddar. We reinforce the cheesiness, and
counteract all that onion, with puffed cheese rind and dots of cheese purée. And
to mop up what’s left, we serve it with an onion brioche bun (p. xxx), to ensure
that no sauce is left behind.

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CORNISH TURBOT
SMOKED MUSSELS, RED APPLE,
CABBAGE AND CIDER

We get the majority of our fish and shellfish from the coast of Cornwall; a region
of Britain with a rich cultural and culinary heritage, and incredible produce from
land and sea. Much like their Breton counterparts in Normandy on the other side
of the English Channel, Cornish cooks have paired mussels with local cider for
years and years, typically served with stewed cabbage and red apple for a hearty,
warming maritime meal. We wanted to take this classic dish and intensify the
mussel flavour in every way we could.

To do this, we use one of our favourite kitchen techniques: steaming our shellfish
patiently in its own liquor until the very moment the shells pop open, then using
every last drop of the steaming liquid to lend depth and intensity to our sauce.
With this, we are able to retain far more flavour, before smoking the mussels for
additional complexity, giving this dish a homely warmth that transports you to the
rugged edge of the British South West.

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10 CORE RECIPES 11
CORE APPLE

We had to do this dish. Opening with a name like Core, we were always going
to have an expectation of an apple course, and we’re pretty happy with what
we came up with. When we first sketched out our ideas for the Core apple, we
wanted to make it quite autumnal, like the toffee apples you’d get on Bonfire
Night, but still tart enough to work as a dessert. We use two outstanding British
liqueurs in this dish, too: mead, and a 10-year-old Somerset cider brandy which
is one of the country’s oldest-produced forms of alcohol. Looking like the rosiest
apple has just fallen from a tree, at the perfect ripeness, directly onto your plate,
it’s another Core classic that we feel is hard to improve on.

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DUCK AND NECTARINE
THYME, HONEY AND TIMUT PEPPER

French poultry has a well-earned reputation as the best in the world, owing
to centuries of tradition and quality control that very often set it apart quite
comfortably from the rest. Here in Britain, however, we’ve been catching up;
farmers all over the country are starting to produce birds that are every bit as
taut and flavourful as their French counterparts, and we take no greater pride
than in celebrating British producers of that calibre.

We keep it simple with these ducks, cooking them with honey and thyme, and
a few cracks of Timut pepper – a wonderfully aromatic peppercorn that brings
a grapefruit note to the dish. For the tart alongside it, we confit and shred the
duck legs, and combine them with the liver and heart to enrich it all further. To
dial back the richness, we top the tart with slices of pert nectarine, which cuts
through the fattiness and brings a balance of sweetness and freshness.

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COLCH ESTER CR A B L O B S T E R A N D S P E LT
S A B AY O N , C O N S O M M É , C AV I A R F E N L A N D C E L E R Y , C AV I A R A N D S E L I M P E P P E R

Serves: 4 Serves: 4

C O LC H E S T E R C R A B B ROW N C R A B M E AT (page XX) 2 cm (¾ inch) lemongrass baton LO B S T E R P R E PA R AT I O N F E N L A N D C E L E RY AC I D U L AT E D B U T T E R 15 g caviar

P R E PA R AT I O N 300 g brown crab meat 0.5 g Gellan F 4 chives, blanched 2 live native lobsters (450–500 g each) 2 Fenland celery sticks, washed, peeled, 80 g onions, cut into 4-mm (1⁄ 8 -inch)- celery leaves
1 cock crab, live (2 kg) 2.5% Gellan F 0.4 g LT100 2 cm (¾ inch) lemon skin baton and cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) dice thick slices chive tips
salt, to taste LO B S T E R C O N S O M M É salt, to taste 150 g white wine spring onion rondelles, green and white
F O R T H E C R A B S A B AYO N C R A B S A L A D P R E PA R AT I O N TO A S S E M B L E INFUSION 150 g white wine vinegar chervil tips
CR AB BUTTER FINISHING THE CR AB picked white crab meat lava stone 400 g Lobster consommé (page 204) C E LT U C E D I S C 200 g unsalted butter, cut into 2 cm onion flowers
15 g grapeseed oil S A B AYO N 20 g apple, diced zest from 1 lemon 200 g puffed buckwheat, toasted 1 Celtuce stick, washed, peeled, and cut (¾ inch) dick baby lettuce leaves
150 g crab shells (above), crushed 75 g Crab butter (left) 10 g celery stick, diced kelp seaweed 5 g lapsang souchong tea into 5-mm (¼-inch)-thick slices salt, to taste
100 g butter, cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) 150 g Brown crab meat (above) lemon juice, to taste Crab consommé (page 202) salt, to taste TO F I N I S H A N D A S S E M B L E
dice 150 g Cooked egg yolk (left) 2 g chives, chopped sea fennel S P E LT SMOKED CRÈME FR AÎCHE Lobster butter (page 214), melted,
lemon juice, to taste salt, to taste baby nasturtium 200 g pearled spelt 100 g crème fraîche for brushing
E G G YO L K salt, to taste samphire 50 g grapeseed oil smoking gun (food smoker) a dash of Lobster stock (page 230)
150 g egg yolks HERB BOUQUET 100 g shallots, brunoised 20 g maple wood chips Parmesan, grated, to taste
C R A B J E L LY sprig parsley Crab butter, melted (above) 50 g white wine salt, to taste ground selim pepper, to taste
250 g Infused crab consommé sprig chervil caviar 500 g Lobster stock (page 216) 2 g chervil, chopped
salt, to taste grapeseed oil, for roasting
C O LC H E S T E R C R A B P R E PA R AT I O N Transfer the mix to an espuma gun with 1 gas charger. Keep the espuma gun in a
Preheat the oven on steam setting to 75°C/167°F (fan). Kill the crab by putting a water bath, maintaining the temperature at 55°C/130°F.  LO B S T E R P R E PA R AT I O N C E LT U C E D I S C
sharp spike through the main nerve centres on the underside of the body. Remove Preheat the oven steamer to 90°C/195°F (fan). With a large, heavy knife, cut Using a 2 cm (¾ inch) cutter, punch-cut each slice and lightly season. Blanch in a
the crab claws and legs from the body. Place the crab claws in the steamer oven and C R A B J E L LY along the natural crease on the lobsters’ head through the centre of the eyes and pan of seasoned boiling water until tender.
cook for 2 minutes, then add the legs to the steamer for 8 minutes. Increase the Add the consommé to a temperature-controlled blender and set to 90°C/200°F straight down to the board. Twist the claws and the tail from the head. Put the Cool in an ice bath then drain.
heat of the steam to 100°C/210°F fan and cook the bodies for 15 minutes. Remove on a medium speed. Once it reaches the temperature, add both the Gellan F and claws, tail and head on a steamer tray and allow to drain. Cut the lobster heads in
all the crab from the oven and transfer to a new tray to cool over ice.  LT100. Blend on the highest speed for 10 seconds, then for 2 minutes on a medium half lengthways and remove everything inside. Reserve the heads to make Lobster SMOKED CRÈME FR AÎCHE
speed, while maintaining the temperature at 90°C/200°F. Transfer the liquid to a stock and Lobster butter (pages 230 and 214). Remove the digestive tube from the Place the crème fraîche in an airtight container. Fill the smoking gun (food smoker)
Gently crack the shells and slide out the cartilage, keeping the claw meat intact, warm chinois piston and pour over a flat cling-filmed surface, creating a thin, even tail and discard. Tie the lobster tails together, top to tail, as straight as possible. with the wood chips. Start the machine and light the chips. Insert the pipe into the
then set aside in the fridge. Scrape out the brown meat from the head and body of layer. Cut out 4 x 6 cm (2½ inch) circles and place on a tray. Cook the lobster tails in the steamer for 4 minutes. Remove and chill in an ice bath, airtight container and fill with smoke. Seal the lid of the container and leave for 20
the crab, and reserve in the fridge. Pick out the remaining white crab meat from the then cook the lobster claws in the steamer for 7 minutes. Remove and chill in an minutes. Remove the lid, season to taste and transfer to a squeeze bottle.
body, and sift through to remove any small, remaining shell or cartilage pieces. C R A B S A L A D P R E PA R AT I O N ice bath. Remove the lobster meat from the shells, keeping the tail and claw meat
Lay the picked crab meat onto a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. separate. Dice the claw meat into 5 mm (¼ inch) cubes and keep the tails whole. AC I D U L AT E D B U T T E R
F O R T H E C R A B S A B AYO N Combine the picked crab meat, apple, celery and lemon juice in a bowl and mix Combine the onions, white wine and vinegar in a medium saucepan over a medium
CR AB BUTTER gently. Add the chives and season to taste. LO B S T E R C O N S O M M É I N F U S I O N heat and cook until it reduces by three-quarters. Remove from the heat and
Heat the grapeseed oil in a roasting tin over a medium heat, add the crab shells and Bring the consommé to the boil in a saucepan and remove from the heat. Add the gradually whisk in the butter until it is thoroughly emulsified, and leave to infuse for
roast until golden brown, then reduce the heat and add the diced butter. Once the HERB BOUQUET toasted buckwheat and infuse for 2 minutes, then strain. Add the tea and infuse for 20 minutes, then pass through a fine sieve.
butter has melted, gently heat to 85°C/185°F, then remove from the heat, cover Using the chive, tie the parsley, chervil, lemongrass and lemon skin baton together another 4 minutes, then strain and leave to cool.
the pan and set aside to infuse for 1 hour. Pass the crab butter through a fine sieve into a bouquet. TO F I N I S H A N D A S S E M B L E
and muslin cloth and discard the shells. Allow the butter to cool then transfer to S P E LT Cut each lobster tail into 6 slices (3 pieces per portion), season and brush with
a container. TO A S S E M B L E Place the spelt into a container and cover with water, allowing any spelt husks to lobster butter. Gently heat under the grill or in an oven just until warm. Reheat the
Heat the small lava stone in the oven. Heat a medium saucepan of water with float to the surface and be removed, then transfer to a sieve and rinse under cold spelt in a medium saucepan with a dash of lobster stock. Add a piece of acidulated
E G G YO L K lemon zest and kelp seaweed and cover with a steamer. Add a crab claw to a tray, running water for 5 minutes until the water runs clear. Heat the oil in a large pan butter, grated Parmesan and selim pepper, then add the chervil and remove from
Preheat a water bath to 70°C/160°F, place the egg yolk in a small vacuum bag, seal sprinkle with lemon zest and lay the crab jelly disc on top. Gently steam for over a medium heat, add the shallots and sweat until soft and translucent. Increase the heat.
and cook for 30 minutes, then cool down as quickly as possible in an ice bath. 2 minutes. the temperature, add the spelt, and toast for 2–3 minutes until a nutty odour is
produced. Add the wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated, then add Gently heat the diced celery and lobster claws in a pan and season to taste. Heat
B ROW N C R A B M E AT Gently reheat the crab consommé in a small saucepan. 200 g of the lobster stock, season lightly and reduce the heat, allowing the liquid a dash of grapeseed oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, and cook the
Combine the brown crab meat and some salt in a bowl and blend using a to reduce while stirring continuously. Add the remaining stock, allow it to reduce celtuce discs until lightly coloured on both sides. Warm the consommé infusion in
hand blender. Strain through a fine chinois. Weigh the liquid then place into To prepare the crab presentation, fill the steam chamber on the crab plate with the until the spelt is tender. The spelt should take 15 minutes to cook. Season to taste a saucepan.
a temperature-controlled blender and heat to 90°C/200°F on speed 2. lemon and seaweed-infused water. and place the cooked spelt on a large tray to cool.
Measure 2.5% of Gellan F for the amount of liquid you weighed. Once the liquid Add the spelt to a crescent-shaped mould. Add the celery and lobster on top.
reaches 90°C/200°F, add the Gellan F and mix on a medium speed for 2 more Remove the crab claw from the steamer and decorate it with herbs, then place F E N L A N D C E L E RY Position the lobster and celtuce discs alternately from the top of the crescent to
minutes, maintaining the temperature at 90°C/200°F. Pour the liquid into a tray onto the brass steamer plate. Lay the lava stone inside the water chamber, followed Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch the diced celery until the bottom. Remove the mould. Add dots of crème fraîche on top, then three
and chill over ice. Once set and completely cool, cut into small pieces, transfer to a by the crab claw, then cover with a glass cloche. Dress the crab salad with the tender. Cool in an ice bath then drain. domes of caviar.
blender and blend on full speed for 5 minutes or until smooth. melted crab butter and place into the marble bowl. Fully cover the salad with the
crab sabayon and finish with a quenelle of caviar. Place the herbs and flowers. Finally, add the consommé infusion to a sauce jug and
F I N I S H I N G T H E C R A B S A B AYO N pour it into the centre of the crescent.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend until smooth and emulsified using a Fill a small glass teapot with the herb bouquet and hot crab consommé. To serve,
hand blender, then season to taste. pour the crab consommé into a small glass cup alongside the sabayon and crab claw.

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ABOUT THE BOOK AU T H O R B I O S
An exclusive insight on celebrated chef Clare Smyth and her three- Clare Smyth MBE grew up in Northern Ireland. She has always
Michelin-starred restaurant Core, in the heart of Notting Hill, worked with an uncompromising devotion to her craft, training in
London. some of the most celebrated kitchens in the world, and she was Chef
Patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay from 2012 to 2016. Clare is the
Clare Smyth is one of Britain’s most highly-regarded chefs and her Chef Patron of Core by Clare Smyth which opened in 2017.
restaurant Core is among the finest in the world. Clare’s food is
of superlative elegance, redefining modern British food in its own Kieran Morris is a highly regarded feature writer who specialises in
terms: a collection of stories about ingenuity, nostalgia, humour long-form features, profiles, interviews and essays.
and craft, told through Core’s tasting menu. Core showcases
Britain’s most outstanding produce in a relaxed setting, providing
an exceptional fine dining experience. This book tells the fascinating Phaidon Press Limited
story of Clare’s journey and philosophy that led to her opening this 2 Cooperage Yard
incredible restaurant. London
E15 2QR

SALES POINTS Phaidon Press Inc.

This book captures Clare’s singular passion, experience and pursuit 65 Bleecker Street
of excellence, which is at the forefront of what makes her and drives New York, NY 10012
her belief in re-imagining our food experience.
- © 2022 Phaidon Press Limited
The book includes more than 60 recipes for key dishes created by phaidon.com
Clare and served at Core such as Lamb Carrot and Notting Hill
Forest, as well 70 recipes for basic recipes such as stocks, sauces,
and breads.
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Stunning photography by Nathan Snoddon follows the journey from
field to plate and celebrates the passion and commitment of Core’s
suppliers, and the beauty of the finished dish.
-
In 2018, Core was named Best Restaurant at the GQ Food and Drink
Awards; Clare was named the World’s Best Female Chef by the
World’s 50 Best Restaurants; and Clare also catered for the private
reception for the Royal Wedding of Meghan and Harry.