Seasonal Vegetable Antipasti & Robert Welch Signature Range
Six years ago I headed to the kitchen department at Selfridges in search of a decent set of kitchen knives. Up until this point I possessed one barely sharp knife which I used for everything. I was ready to invest our entire wedding gift account at the store to remedy the situation. At the time I had no idea what to buy and the choice was overwhelming. A kind sales assistant, possibly fearing that I was about to take up residence in her department, took pity on me and offered to help. “If you want the best knives” she confided “it has to be the Robert Welch, they are made here in Britain!”. I loved the design and the knives felt well balanced and comfortable in my hand, so I took her advice and went home with the Robert Welch Signature Collection.
Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to a masterclass to celebrate the one millionth sale of Robert Welch’s Signature knife range. We were treated to a demonstration by chef Georgina Davies who made a delicious Fennel, Radish & Fig Noodle Salad with Salsa Verde Dressing to showcase the range.
Before we were given the opportunity to re-create the salad ourselves, Rupert Welch, Managing Director and Paul de Bretton Gordon, Design Director, shared the history of the company and explained how the knives are produced. Established fifty years ago by Rupert’s late father Robert, the range is still made at the original factory in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire and the company is an award wining British success story.
When Robert Welch asked me to review their Signature Collection, I could not have been happier to do so. The collection consists of six knives, a 22cm bread knife, a 23cm carving knife, a 14cm cook’s knife, a 14cm kitchen knife, a 12cm serrated utility knife and an 8cm vegetable/paring knife. I have used my set of these knives several times a day for six years and they are still as sharp and perfect as the day I purchased them.
They have chopped, sliced and diced everything I have prepared, both personally and professionally, with precision and ease. They been dropped on the floor and occasionally cleaned in the dishwasher (they are dishwasher safe, but I prefer to wash them by hand). Some have even travelled extensively, wrapped in a tea towel, such is my fear of inferior self-catering kitchen equipment. The knives are so easy to take care of, there is no fancy method of sharpening, and the set comes with a sharpener which works beautifully. If I had to choose my most essential kitchen item, it would be this knife set.
To showcase the knives, I thought I would share a set of dishes that I make regularly at this time of year – British seasonal vegetable antipasti. With so much fresh, seasonal produce around, these recipes are great for Summer entertaining and with a set of sharp knives they could not be easier to prepare. Slow roasted sweet cherry tomatoes marinated in extra-virgin olive oil, fresh thyme and bay. Roasted fennel with fresh chilli oil and toasted fennel seeds. Local yellow and green courgettes (zucchini) with podded broad beans, basil and baby mozzarella bocconcini. Serve with plenty of toasted sourdough, infused with fresh garlic and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
In celebration of the sale of their millionth item from the Signature Knife, Robert Welch are offering everyone the chance to win the Signature Knife Block Set shown, worth £280. Click here to enter the competition.
*this post is sponsored by Robert Welch, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Seasonal Vegetable Antipasti
Prep time: 2 hours 20 mins
Cook time: 2 hours 35 mins
Total time: 4 hours 55 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Thyme & Bay
500g cherry tomatoes on the vine
3- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
2 fresh bay leaves
200ml extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Roasted Fennel with Chilli Oil
1/2 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sea salt
6 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Courgette, Broad Bean & Mozzarella Salad
1 green & 1 yellow large courgette (or two green courgettes)
500g fresh broad beans, in their pods
250g buffalo mozzarella bocconcini (or regular mozzarella)
3-4 sprigs of fresh basil, leaves finely sliced
Finely grated zest and juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
To serve
1 small sourdough loaf, sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half
extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle
A small bunch of radishes, washed
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 120C/100C fan/Gas 1/2.
Prepare the cherry tomatoes by taking them off the vine, slicing them all in half and placing them on a large tray lined with baking paper. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 2 hours until semi-dried. Remove from the oven, leave to cool and then place in a bowl or jar with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover with extra virgin olive oil, stir and leave to infuse at room temperature, ideally for a couple of hours or overnight.
Make the chilli oil for the fennel dish by combining the chopped chilli, salt and 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a pestle and mortar. Leave to infuse for an hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ Gas 6.
Place the fennel wedges on a baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in the hot oven for 20-30 minutes until tender. Leave to cool.
Place a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the fennel seeds and toast for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
Place the fennel in a bowl, drizzle with some of the chilli oil, sprinkle with the toasted fennel seeds and leave to one side.
Prepare the courgette salad by slicing the courgettes into ribbons lengthways with a very sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Place in a bowl.
Remove the broad beans from their pods. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add the beans. Cook for 5 minutes until the beans are soft. Drain and refresh with cold water. Gently squeeze each bean to remove it from its leathery skin. Place the green beans in to the bowl with the courgettes.
Tear the mozzarella balls in pieces and add to bowl with the courgettes and broad beans. Add the chopped basil, olive oil, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine and leave to one side.
When you are ready to serve, toast the sourdough slices under the grill or on a hot griddle pan. Rub the toasted slices with the cut garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve the bowls of antipasti with the sourdough toast and fresh radishes and let everyone help themselves.