Head Chef Paul Reed has cooked all over the world and worked with some of the finest chefs. Born into the food industry, Paul has spent time in the kitchens of Thailand, Hong Kong, Cornwall and London. Working alongside culinary luminaries as Anthony Worrall Thompson.

With spells at local restaurants Branksome Beach, Chewton Glen and La Roche at the Haven Hotel, Paul ran his own restaurant Pier Point in Boscombe, before joining The Larder House eight months ago.

He says: "This post-Christmas time of year is not the favourite of most people and so I like to prepare food that is a treat, is deliciously flavoured, not too complicated to prepare using ingredients that are easily sourced.

"For our first recipe I have chosen Kipper and Whisky paté with soused cucumber, served with toasted sour dough bread. The recipe and method for the bread will feature in a column later in the year.

"Kippers are good to use because, being smoked herring they are sustainable and also high in Omega 3 oil, which is so good for our health. I’m noticing a real revival in these old heritage foods which is great.

"The soused cucumber served alongside balances the paté very well adding a zingy lift with the acid of the spiced vinegar balancing the richness of the paté.

"The recipe can be simply adapted for any number of people and is a good dish to share with friends and a bottle or two of good red wine."

Recipe for kipper and whisky pate – taken from the current Menu del Dia at The Larder House

Serves 6-8

  • 4 large whole kippers
  • 4 tablespoons double cream
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted) plus additional melted for topping
  • 3 tablespoons of good whisky (not peaty)
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Dash tabasco
  • Splash worcestershire sauce
  • Pinch cracked black pepper

1. Grill kippers for 5min on each side

2. Carefully remove larger bones, don’t worry about tiny bones, they will blend

3. Put kippers into food processor and blend with all other ingredients apart from cream

4. Whip cream until soft peaks form and fold into paté

5. Using a piping bag or spoon ¾ fill ramekins, then chill for 15 minutes

6. Poor melted butter over top to form a thin crust.

Recipe for soused cucumber ribbons

  • 200ml good white wine vinegar
  • Pinch coriander and fennel seeds crushed
  • 100g white sugar
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 3 sprigs of dill (chopped)

1. Bring vinegar, seeds and sugar to boil and leave to cool

2. Peel cucumber discarding green outer skin as is often bitter this time of year

3. Keep peeling all around the cucumber in long strips until you reach seeds

4. Immerse for 3 - 5 minutes to ensure it keeps green and crunchy

5. Sprinkle chopped dill over soused cucumber