Catch of the day

Capturing the true flavour of the sea is no easy task but Major International enlisted the help of Michelin starred chef Nathan Outlaw to produce its new seafood glace and jus. Sheila Eggleston reports

Chef endorsement carries a heavy responsibility so when chefs put their signature to a product they have to be pretty sure of its credentials. In the case of Michelin starred chef Nathan Outlaw, who has transformed the restaurant scene in Rock, Cornwall, he was sure about the products Major International is set to launch into the foodservice sector.

The company is launching shellfish jus and shellfish glace in January 2010 that have been endorsed by Outlaw, who currently heads the restaurant at The Marina in Fowey and the Nathan Outlaw Seafood & Grill at the St Enodoc Hotel. He worked with Major to develop them.

But Major's managing director David Bryant says he first came across Outlaw when he dined at the latter's restaurant, the Black Pig in Rock, and that was the start of a professional relationship all about seafood. Bryant loved the food Outlaw produced and when the latter heard about plans for creating a seafood product he wanted to get involved.

Outlaw says: "Major's approach is based on using the finest ingredients and this guarantees a great flavour every time. I challenged David and the team to come up with a product that matched the stock I make and I can honestly say their shellfish stock base is as good as mine."

Outlaw's input into the recipe development "has been invaluable", says Bryant. "Nathan has an exceptional sixth sense for creating a perfect balance of flavours. He has worked alongside our development team to create two excellent bases which capture all the seafood flavours of stock made in the traditional way – something professional chefs so often do not have time to do in today's busy kitchens."

The flavours of crab, shrimps, lobster and mussels are as close as possible to a kitchen made product, says the company, and is easy to use by sprinkling into any white sauce to add body and flavour. It recommends the bases for enhancing chowders, fish pies and soups, risottos and sauces. Being water based, the jus and the glace will not separate when alcohol or cream is added. Supplied in 500g bottles it yields up to 20 litres per bottle.

In October Outlaw and his head chef Peter Biggs produced a menu that included two dishes using the bases especially for Major's customers in the south west. Crab soup with tarragon oil had an intense fish flavour with sweetness thanks to the glace and only cream added to it, while a shellfish pie was filled with a mix of fish – lobster, salmon, white and brown crab meat, cod and prawns – peas, boiled egg and broccoli, topped with mashed potato.

Food in the Seafood & Grill restaurant is served in an informal way to attract local people and weekenders. Outlaw says he would use the shellfish bases there but would still make stock from scratch for fine dining. Currently further menu development at St Enodoc is in the pipeline.

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