6 Nations MasterChef

"International Rugby doesn't get tougher than this!"

Cawl is a simple dish. It is a lamb broth with leeks and other seasonal vegetables. It is (was perhaps) a staple part of the diet in Welsh rugby's heartland. 

Fundamentally it's cheap. Scrag end of neck is the favoured cut. It is simmered to make a stock, which the veg is then boiled in and there you have it. Serve with bread and cheese. 

A limited amount of ingredients, a very simple method, but if you want to assess a chef ask him to fry an egg.

In North Wales they have Lobscows, a thicker variety. In France, Tuesday Soup. England has it's Hotpots, Scotland has its broth and Ireland its stew. Italy don't do culinary things by half of course. Their version has a plethora of boiled meats and is served as a family banquet. 

Warren Gatland is a gruff antipodean chef, no frills, basic. He has raided the kitchen gardens of the regions and has chosen the root veg and greens. His method is simple. He suits Wales because he's cooking Cawl, but bringing an outsider's perspective to it. The forward stock is well balanced but the use of big chunky backs and experimentation with different seasoning following the retirement of Shane Williams has seen 6 tries in two games in the 6 Nations, all scored by backs. Mamgu never made Cawl to such a strict pattern ("scales! What do you need scales for?") but it works. MasterChef is about what you do with the ingredients available.

But what of Wales' six nations rivals?

Well Declan Kidney is a solid enough cook. His gastro-pub often hits the spot. Sometimes he has issues with his conservative choice of ingredients. The menu has been the same for years and was the same at the last place he worked. If you want something from off the menu, well, you'd better forget it. Cuisine moves on. Some of his regulars are becoming restless. Will he modify his menu in time to keep them on board?

The Italians of course have drafted in French chef Jaques Brunel to their ristorante. He'd run a successful cafe in Perpignan and been a sous chef at the Lieveremont. It seems that his menu suits their taste. He understands that the big flavours in the Italian pack. The Italian backs produce the odd flambé, or flash in the pan. In a desire to provide a spectacular finish, he took his Burton Soufflé out too early in the Olympic stadium and handed victory to England on a plate. 

Andy Robinson has no problems with the starters or the mains in his Highland hotel. The desserts though are a different question as he just can't seem to put the icing on the cake. Evans, Jones and the Lamonts are sweet finishers at club level but he can't balance their flavours on the international stage. He has a sous chef but Gregor can't get the most out of the, albeit limited, ingredients at his disposal. He could sack him, but who would come in his place?

It was considered heresy in some quarters that the French appoint a chef trained in England to their top restaurant. Mr St Andre however has French je ne sais quoi tempered by Anglo Saxon pragmatism. The peasant farmers of France are well subsidised and produce artisan ingredients of the finest quality of course. They have avoided the quotas seen in England. The previous Chef was utterly French and veered from the sublime to the rediculous. Towards the end he lost control of the kitchen but still produced the goods. Time will tell if St Andre's fusion food will be just too much for the French.

Meanwhile a short order cook has just been given a probationary period in a Little Chef on the A6. The soft southern types can keep their haute cuisine, Stuart Lancaster knows the Olympic Breakfast backwards. They can feed the toffs, he will feed the masses. But, like the French, many English fans want the most expensive ingredients. The problem for Lancaster is that the toffs will bring an expensive champagne hamper and ultimately will decide whether he proceeds to the next round.

Excellent stuff, hell I wouldn`t mind having some of that for a midnight snack right about now.

better than that tree dried goat meat?

No mate, never, and it isn`t goat, it is silverside beef, only the best will do

I love the way people assume that if you're from the South you're a Toff! Huh, i'll have you know my school was only a grand a month and we had to make do with a Bentley rather than a Rolls. You lot don't know suffering!

You're right, west Yorkshire's the posh bit.

I've only just read this. Brilliant!

A delectable post Glas a du. Hopefully we see some mouth-watering rugby fare served up by these eclectic chefs in the weeks to come. As a restaurant critic, there has not been enough to write home about so far. The odd memorable dish here and there but a lot of overpriced, overhyped muck dressed up as good, honest, hearty food.

Nice post Glas a du, a delightful read and now i'm pretty hungry. Perhaps i'll pop down the Little Chef. Oh no wait, it's gone bust...

God I havent had a decent bowl of cawl in what seems like forever, I'm deffo up my mums on the weekend! Thanks for the reminder Glas

Always Happy Eaters to rival the Little Chefs.....

Opps no they went bust too!! So all good food shops now closed....

You'll have to step up to Frankie and Benny's

andy powells minder wrote:I'm deffo up my mums on the weekend!

Each to their own.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:A delectable post Glas a du. Hopefully we see some mouth-watering rugby fare served up by these eclectic chefs in the weeks to come. As a restaurant critic, there has not been enough to write home about so far. The odd memorable dish here and there but a lot of overpriced, overhyped muck dressed up as good, honest, hearty food.

That's why you test a chef by asking him to fry an egg. If he knows food he'll do it well. If you know food you'll know that to cook the top of an egg without overlooking the bottom is a skill and a microcosm for the whole job. Any feicer can learn a signature dish backwards but be crap at everything else. Oh rugby and food my two favourites!

Now I think that before the world cup Mr Gatland was stuck in a rut with his signature dish of steak and chips. It wowed people when he first came on the scene but then they got tired of it quite quickly. I was a critic of the formula and the fact he was so wedded to it. He has been prepared to experiment with his menu and vary it for the occasion since. For that he gets this hungry man's respect.

Bon appéHolly Wilaboobie!

Glas a du wrote:
Now I think that before the world cup Mr Gatland was stuck in a rut with his signature dish of steak and chips. It wowed people when he first came on the scene but then they got tired of it quite quickly. I was a critic of the formula and the fact he was so wedded to it. He has been prepared to experiment with his menu and vary it for the occasion since. For that he gets this hungry man's respect.

Good Rugby, just like good food needs variety and a few spices to add excitement.

Well done Glas

Cheers Bill.

A top read Glas. There is nothing like a good analogy.

great post well constructed and entertaining to read.

I have you down as a sausage casserole man Stag and damage as a Beef Wellington.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Bon appéHolly Wilaboobie!

I write bon appetit and it comes up with that gobbledygook. I was talking about food and up appears Holly´s boobie. Now I want bitty.

Can't beat steak and chips with onion rigns mushrooms and garlic bread. Cracking.

Hey Tommy, have you met Cari?

Who? The one with the pig's blood?

Er, no. Stick around, you'll find out.

Anyway

Half way in (almost) and what do we think?

Wales

Doing what it says on the...recipe. Solid home cooking. Cawl aildwym is always nicer, that is when the pot is reheated the following day. Hopefully the weeks rest will allow Gatland to bring them back to the boil for the next two games.

Ireland

After the cold weather saw the enforced closure on what could have been a lucrative weekend, the staff were a bit rusty for the Italian's visit. By the second sitting though they produced the goods in a somewhat chaotic manner. Room for improvement, but that improvement is necessary or Kidney will lose too many customers.

Italy

The experiment of opening branch restaurants is foundering. Italian food (like Felinfoel beer) it seems does not travel well. They will need to concentrate on the home restaurant to get anything out of this spring.

Scotland
Isn't it typical? The chef works hard on his puddings, and the starters go downhill. The sacked potato peeler Parks could have produced the goods, 3 at a time to see off the French in the final quarter.

France
Lacking consistency. The Raspberry Fofana is excuisite and is papering over the cracks, for now. Still an 'unknown quantity'. We'll have a better idea by the final.

England.
Lancaster is showing touches of excellence and signs that he has work to do yet. He may not get the full time post, but his recent exploits will look good on his CV.

Great post Glas - very enjoyable read to start the day off.

Who is she then? Nice girl?

Glas a du. I know your name translates as blue and black (I think). But when I read your posts i always hear "Glass or Two" in my head.

That's fine by me! Ruby was on about pints difference earlier