Greig Young, head chef at the Bildeston Crown, talks ‘estate to plate’, with asparagus from the Nedging Hall kitchen garden
Everyone knows The Crown in Bildeston. It was already well known when I started cooking and I am so chuffed I’m able to put my stamp on it and revitalise it. The whole team is incredibly passionate about ‘estate to plate’, which is music to my ears.
We have the kitchen garden at Nedging Hall to pick seasonal produce from. It really inspires us chefs and keeps menus fresh, which is exactly what people want.
We’ve just put new cages in the kitchen garden and have a team of four full-time gardeners. We even have our own nectarine trees, so if you visit us in the summer you'll see our Nedging nectarines on the menu.
We’re continually looking to expand the Nedging Hall Kitchen Garden and will be able to pick asparagus from our second crop this summer, while 2024 was the first summer we grew very special Roscoff onions!
Right now, you’ll see asparagus on the menu across a few dishes, but a favourite way to serve it is with a simple goat’s curd mousse.
In my opinion, asparagus are best rolled over a barbecue or dry roasted in a hot pan and finished with some flaky salt and olive oil, with a good spoon of goat’s curd mousse on top.
RECIPE: Goat’s Curd Mousse
100g cream
1 leaf gelatin bloomed in cold water
500g goat’s curd
100g cream cheese
Pinch of salt
200g soft whipped cream
1. In a standing mixer using the paddle attachment, beat together the goat’s curd and the cream cheese until smooth.
2. Warm the 100g of cream to body temperature and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir to dissolve.
3. Mix the gelatin mix into the goats curd using the paddle.
4. Gently fold in the lightly whipped cream and salt and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.
This recipe is super versatile and will see you through many salads from marinaded tomato with elderflower vinaigrette with goat’s curd mousse to roast pumpkin with crispy sage, brown butter and goat’s curd mousse. Definitely one for the recipe book.
Greig Young is head chef at The Bildeston Crown, 104 High Street Bildeston
Tel: 01449 740510
