Simon Rogan - Rogan

To make the buttercream icing, cream the butter and the cream cheese together in a stand mixer until stiff, light and fluffy. Add three-quarters of the ground star anise and mix well to combine. Turn the speed down to low and gradually add the icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. Remove from the machine and fold the lemon juice into the mixture. Transfer to the fridge for a couple of hours to set.

Put slices of the cake on plates with star anise buttercream, sprinkled with some of the remaining ground star anise.

STRAWBERRIES WITH SWEET CICELY SYRUP AND SHEEP’S YOGHURT

Sweet cicely adds an aromatic natural sweetness to the syrup here, which is the perfect complement to the tart yoghurt and ripe strawberries, finished off with the tangy citrusy leaves of sheep’s sorrel. If you think you are not familiar with sheep’s sorrel, think again: it is probably best known to most people as an irritating perennial weed that appears in summer on acidic grasslands, along roadsides and even in domestic gardens. It is widespread, so the leaves can be easily foraged or even cultivated.

SERVES 4

Macerated strawberries

20 strawberries, hulled

juice and zest of ½ lemon

50g caster sugar

½ vanilla pod, split lengthways

Sweet cicely syrup

75g caster sugar

juice of ½ lemon

35g sweet cicely leaves

a pinch of xanthan gum

Sheep’s yoghurt

750g natural sheep’s yoghurt, hung in muslin over a bowl overnight to strain the whey from the curd

sheep’s sorrel, to serve

Slice the strawberries in half lengthways and put them in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and zest, sugar and split vanilla pod and stir gently to coat the strawberries in the mixture. Leave to macerate for 1 hour at room temperature, stirring at 10-minute intervals.

To make the sweet cicely syrup, boil the sugar, lemon juice and 150ml water in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and chill (you can do this in a freezer for quick results). Once chilled, add to a blender with the sweet cicely leaves and blitz on high speed until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve. Pour back into a clean blender, add the xanthan gum, blitz to thicken then chill again.

Put a large spoon of sheep’s yoghurt in each bowl, create a well in the top with the back of a spoon and fill with the sweet cicely syrup. Drain the macerated strawberries and arrange them around the outside. Finish with sheep’s sorrel.

SWEET CICELY ICE CREAM

This is a gently fragrant ice cream, infused simply with sweet cicely. The best way to retain the flavour of this herb is to keep cooking to a minimum, so here it is briefly blanched to preserve its colour, then added to the ice cream mixture at the last minute.

SERVES 4

60g sweet cicely leaves

150ml whole milk

225ml double cream

50g caster sugar

4 egg yolks

juice of ½ lemon

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the sweet cicely leaves for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water.

In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, bring the milk, 175ml of the cream and 25g of the sugar to the boil. Once the mixture is boiling, remove it from the heat and gradually pour it on to the egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Return to a clean saucepan and cook over a low–medium heat, stirring constantly, until the temperature of the mixture reaches 80°C (check with a thermometer). Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, cover and leave to one side.

Put the remaining 25g of sugar in a small, heavy-based saucepan with the remaining 50ml of cream and warm over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the mixture to a blender with the blanched sweet cicely and blitz to a purée, then cool it down as quickly as possible by transferring it to a bowl set over ice to maintain the green colour.

Once cool, combine the two mixtures, then add the lemon juice and churn in an ice-cream maker until frozen. Serve at once or transfer to a freezerproof container and store in the freezer until required.

SWEET CICELY POT WITH LEMON VERBENA AND BLUEBERRIES

Lemon verbena is an intense herb that has a floral, citrusy scent that is released when you crush the plant’s leaves. Its flavour is slightly softer than its aroma, but you still get a good lemony tang, without the bitterness of a real lemon. It works beautifully with cream and juicy blueberries. The anise flavour of sweet cicely is the perfect partner to the citrus notes, making this a real celebration of fresh, summery ingredients.

SERVES 4

Sweet cicely pot

50g sweet cicely leaves

450ml whole milk

2 star anise

1 tsp salt

150ml double cream

1 heaped tsp pectin

5 egg yolks

Lemon verbena crème fraîche

500ml double cream

25g fresh lemon verbena

250g crème fraîche

Lemon verbena poached blueberries

100g caster sugar

juice of ½ lemon

10g dried lemon verbena

200g blueberries

young sweet cicely leaves, to serve

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the sweet cicely leaves for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Put to one side.

Put 300ml of the milk in a medium, heavy-based saucepan with the star anise and salt. Warm over a medium heat to 80°C (check with a thermometer), remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Discard the star anise. Put the milk and blanched sweet cicely in a blender and blitz until very smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, cover and leave to one side.

Put the remaining 150ml of milk in another medium, heavy-based saucepan with the double cream and pectin. Warm over a medium heat until it reaches 90°C (check with a thermometer). Remove from the heat and pour this liquid on to the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. When fully incorporated, mix the two liquids together and skim any excess foam produced by the whisking from the top using a dessertspoon. Divide into four serving bowls and chill for about 6 hours until set.

Next, prepare the crème fraîche. Put the cream and the lemon verbena in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over a low–medium heat and simmer until reduced by half. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl and discard the lemon verbena. Slowly fold the crème fraîche into the cream, cover and chill until needed.

To poach the blueberries, combine the sugar, lemon juice and dried lemon verbena with 100ml water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Strain the liquid and discard the lemon verbena. Return the liquid to a clean saucepan and bring to the boil again. Add the blueberries, then remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain the blueberries from the liquid before serving.

Spoon dots of the crème fraîche on to the set sweet cicely. Scatter the poached blueberries in and around the dots so you can see all the colours. Top with the young sweet cicely leaves.

RADISH STEW

There are a few elements to this dish, but the radishes take centre stage. We use many different varieties; each offer something unique, but all are nutritional powerhouses. Use a few varieties if you can – we use Cherry Belle, bright red with crisp, mild, sweet white flesh; Albena, a white-skinned and white-fleshed mild variety; and Viola, with its bright violet skin and crisp white flesh. The truffle granola is one of my favourite recipes; it’s really moreish and if it’s around I can’t help but pick at it. You can make a big batch and store it in an airtight container – but I promise you it won’t hang around for long!