Marcus Wareing - New Classics

Books start as a collection of ideas on paper, working their way to recipe concepts, then through to actual recipes. Seeing it all come to life, from inception to the photo shoots, then from the proofs to the finished book is rather remarkable. And, its only possible through a solid bunch of people contributing in many different ways.

First of all I would like to thank Chantelle Nicholson as my co-author. Her commitment to the restaurants and the company is the reason we are here today. This is her fifth book with me over 14 years, and it has been an amazing journey. Thank you.

I would also like to thank Grace Cheetham, for believing in me and both Marcus at Home and New Classics. Your vision, guidance and commitment have been inspirational. Thank you to my agent Rosemary Scoular from United Agents for her support and direction.

A very big thank you to the teams in my restaurants: Marcus, The Gilbert Scott and Tredwells. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by such talented, creative and thoughtful individuals who deliver so much 365 days a year, and who also make projects such as this possible.

Jonathan Gregson, you are a true professional, and a gentleman! You make the food sing on camera. Marina Filippelli, your vision in your food styling and your kitchen humour (!) are beyond wonderful. Becks Wilkinson, your styling and support really shone through in this book. Sarah Hammond, your military precision and organisation are a wonder to behold thank you for making the whole process seamless and enjoyable.

James Empringham, aka Jim, you always manage to make me laugh at the right time. Your vision and eye for detail are exceptional. Jo Harris, your prop styling is impeccably on point and makes everything come together so well.

A big thank you to our suppliers, who also ensured we had the very best produce for the shoot. Natoora: wonderful fresh produce and Italian goods www.natoora.co.uk; Daily Fish Supplies: fresh seafood and fish www.dailyfishsupplies.com; HG Walter: butcher www.hgwalter.com; and, to one of my favourite clothing and footwear makers, Oliver Sweeney, for the great stuff provided for the shoot www.oliversweeney.com.

And to finish on a slight clich, teamwork really does make the dream work. Thank you to everyone else involved at various stages I hope you love the book as much as I do.

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Apple and cheese is a classic combination, and my twist on a refreshing summer salad is to pair watermelon and savoury salted ricotta. Instead of discarding watermelon rind, try pickling it. It has a great texture and keeps for quite some time in the fridge. It works well as an accompaniment to most meat and fish, and in salads, like this one.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus minimum 24 hours pickling

watermelon (approximately 1.2kg)

4 tbsp olive oil

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

50g salted ricotta cheese

bunch of coriander, leaves picked

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE PICKLE

100ml white wine vinegar

4 tbsp runny honey

6 whole white peppercorns

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

1cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

tsp yellow mustard seeds

tsp table salt

Peel the green layer off the watermelon, then remove the pink flesh from the white rind (put the pink flesh in a bowl, cover and chill) and carefully slice the white rind into roughly 1cm chunks. Put all the pickle ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the chunks of watermelon rind and bring back up to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Cover and chill for at least 24 hours.

Cut the pink watermelon flesh into roughly 1.5cm cubes, removing as many black and white seeds as you can (with a skewer). Mix the olive oil and lime zest and juice together in a bowl. Season the watermelon with sea salt and pepper and dress it with the oil and lime.

Divide the watermelon flesh between four plates. Drain off the pickled watermelon rind and add it to the plates. Finely grate the salted ricotta over the top of the watermelon (use a Microplane grater for this if you have one) then finish with the coriander leaves.

Courgette flowers are another of those wondrous ingredients that signal the arrival of warmer weather. Not much needs doing to them as they are perfect simply fried in a little oil and served with this sauce. Choose the flowers that are large and firm, as they can accommodate more stuffing and will retain their shape better when cooked.

Serves: 4 as a starter

100g ricotta cheese

grated zest of lemon

4 courgette flowers

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TEMPURA BATTER

6 tbsp cornflour

3 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting

36 tbsp soda water

FOR THE SWEET BASIL SAUCE

1 bunch of basil, leaves only

juice of 1 lemon

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp drained, chopped capers in brine

1 tbsp runny honey

Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Fill each courgette flower with the mix and chill while you make the batter (you can stuff them up to 2 hours ahead of time, if you wish).

To make the tempura batter, mix the cornflour and flour together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in enough of the soda water to make a thick batter. Season with a pinch of sea salt.

To make the sweet basil sauce, place all the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth.

To fry the flowers, pour enough vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer or large, deep saucepan to come up to 46cm and heat it to 180C.

Dust two of the courgette flowers in flour, dip them in the batter, then carefully place them in the hot oil. Fry for 46 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Remove each flower with a large slotted spoon and transfer to kitchen paper to remove any excess oil, then season with sea salt if needed. Repeat with the remaining two flowers.

Serve immediately with the basil sauce.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish of fermented cabbage and spice which I find works really well as an accompaniment, particularly to fish. The longer you leave it the more tangy it becomes (make it at least 2 days before serving). It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 48 hours fermenting

Cooking time: 5 minutes

vegetable oil, for frying and deep-frying

1 red chilli, finely sliced (optional)

4 skinless plaice fillets (approx. 400g in total), sliced into finger-width strips

approx. 4 tbsp rock salt

4 tbsp sour cream or crme frache (optional)