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The Money Blog: Buyers pull house offers ‘within minutes’ after stamp duty change | News about money

The Money Blog: Buyers pull house offers ‘within minutes’ after stamp duty change | News about money

Every week, we ask top chefs to participate in our program Cheap meals characteristic. Today we’re talking to Chris Cleghorn, from one Michelin star, The Olive Tree in Bath, who picks his favorite budget meals in Somerset and Wiltshire.

Hi Chris, what is the cheapest food to cook at home when you have a night out?

Depending on the time of year, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a great salad.

My favorite quick whip tends to be the chicken rolled in cornflakes with goat cheese, pears, hazelnuts, roasted broccoli, lettuce and honey mustard dressing.

Method

1. Cut the chicken breast into long thin strips, about 2 cm thick.

2. Lightly coat with flour and dust off the excess.

3. Dip into egg mixture and then directly into broken corn flakes.

4. Place on greased paper on a flat tray and cook in the oven preheated to 220C until it boils.

For the honey mustard dressing, this can be made in batches and refrigerated for up to a week. Here’s how I do it…

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 spoon of honey
  • 200 ml olive oil
  • A pinch of sea salt

What are your favorite places around Bath to grab a meal for two for under £40?

Choux Box Patisserie in Bath – we enjoy going to Entry Hill Cafe on a Sunday morning for a coffee and a choux bun. My favorite is hard to choose, but if I had to choose one, it would be the classic lemon meringue pie.

But don’t miss their weekly choux special, which is generally spectacular.

At Entry Hill you can also enjoy savory buns, my favorites being the potato, bacon and maple.

Alternatively, we go and enjoy their wares at Alexandra Park on a Sunday morning. Here you will have amazing views over Bath.

Hartley Farm ShopBradford-on-Avon – only 15 minutes drive from Bath and having two young boys this place is a big hit and it’s all in one place.

They lovingly created the barn, where you can enjoy the food.

For breakfast, my favorite is the toast, applesauce, bacon and maple syrup muffin. I recommend paying the extra £2 and adding the fried egg and jalapeño.

For lunch, they use their own beef to make their “Hard to Beat Burger” – Hartley beef patty, tomato, lettuce, burger sauce, brioche bun, fries and house-made raddish.

Next door is their farm shop selling local produce, with a children’s play area and an old family tractor.

Landrace BakeryBath – Landrace Bakery represents what artisanal products mean to me.

Their amazing skill shines through – freshly made bread and pastries using the finest ingredients. Worth going as a quick stop for takeaway pastries. My personal favorite is their cinnamon roll. But get there early to make sure they still have them – they’re that good.

You can also enjoy a light brunch by eating a selection of small plates that will keep you on budget. Additionally, adding a large plate to your selection works best for dinner, but this will set you back over £40.

But it’s definitely worth browsing as you can watch the food being prepared by the small team of chefs. Their cheddar chips are worth the stop!

How did you get into the mood?

Ever since I was young, I always wanted to be a chef. I loved food and was always interested in watching cooking shows and learning more about food.

I was never great at school, but I loved art and cooking. After doing work experience in a kitchen, it became clear to me that this is what I want to do.

I did my daily release in college while going to a local restaurant with two rosettes.

At 18, I did a stagiaire (internship) at a restaurant with three Michelin stars. This was an eye-opening experience, but I loved every minute of it.

I have never seen so much attention to detail, the thought process of the dish and the quality of the produce. I didn’t have the confidence then to work there, but he set me on a path.

I went on to learn under some amazing chefs over the next 10 years, learning the ropes and learning about business, before becoming a head chef myself.

We’ve spoken to loads of top chefs – see cheap eats from around the country here…