Mark Tomeo, new executive head chef at Squires, shows how to make this pork belly dish with pommes Anna, pak choi and cider cream sauce
Newmarket’s Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa has welcomed chef Tomeo, originally from east London and of Italian descent, as the new head chef of its Squires restaurant. Bringing more than 30 years’ industry experience, he’s worked with some of the best in the game, learning from legends including Albert Roux, Adam Gray and Bruno Loubet.
At Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa, he’ll be introducing a slightly larger menu concept that changes every two months, embracing the best of each season. “I believe in supporting local producers wherever possible, from bakeries to dairies,” he explains. “I’m excited to discover and work with the amazing and unique offerings of Suffolk.”
Cider cream sauce
1 pint cider
2 shallots, chopped
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 litre double cream
Salt
1. Add the cider, shallots, thyme and garlic to a pan and reduce to two-thirds.
2. Add double cream, bring to the boil and simmer for three minutes only. Then, pass through a sieve.
Pork belly
1kg pork belly
1 litre vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
1. Place the pork in a deep roasting tin and cover with the oil, garlic and thyme.
2. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 90°C for 12 hours – overnight is best.
3. Take out and leave to cool. Remove from the oil and press with another tray and small weight until cold, then refrigerate. Finally, portion as required.
Pak choi
1 head of pak choi
Salt
Butter
1. Place the pak choi in boiling water for two minutes, drain and add to a pan with the butter. Season and fry for two minutes.
Mark Tomeo, head chef at Squires
Pommes Anna
150g unsalted butter
1.6kg Maris Piper, Désirée or King
Edward potatoes
1. Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, skimming off any white liquid that rises to the top. Then, brush a generous layer of the melted butter over the base and side of
a 20-22cm ovenproof frying pan.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2mm-thick slices (use a mandoline if you have one). Put the slices in a large bowl of cold water as you go. When all the potatoes have been sliced, drain, cover with fresh water and repeat once more to wash off the starch. Drain again and
pat dry well using a clean tea towel.
3. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Arrange a layer of potato slices in a neat, concentric circle in the base of the frying pan.
Brush over some butter and season with sea salt. Repeat this until all the potatoes have been used, overlapping the slices as you layer them. Cook over a low heat for ten minutes to brown the potatoes on the base. Remove from the heat.
4. Meanwhile, cut out a 28cm circle of baking parchment. Fill an ovenproof pie dish or baking tin (it should be just wide enough to sit inside the top of the frying pan) with baking beans. Brush one side of the parchment disc with butter and lay it butter-side down over the potatoes in the pan.
Put the dish or tin on top to weigh down the potato layers, press together and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the dish or tin and parchment and bake for another 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and a skewer can easily be pushed through. Turn out onto a plate and slice into wedges to serve.
