I'm Carl Isham and I have been head chef at the Turl Street Kitchen for three years. My cooking style is British, taking inspiration from the delicious ingredients found in Oxfordshire and across the country.

My signature dish is house-smoked Tamworth pork sausages, crispy brawn, parsnip mash and red wine reduction.

My favourite places to eat and drink around Oxfordshire include Oxfork, the little cafe with the best brunch tucked away on Magdalen Road.

The strangest food I’ve ever eaten was dried squid in Thailand – it was definitely an experience!

My favourite kind of cuisine is classic British, making the most of the amazing ingredients we can find on our doorstep.

I’m inspired by Raymond Blanc.

Feeds 4

Ingredients

* 4 chicken legs, thigh and drumstick or ask at Lyndsey’s Butchers in the Covered Market for oyster cut
* 4 cooking apples peeled and cut into 8
* 200g good quality smoked bacon
* 1 large onion
* 1 bunch thyme
* 2 sticks celery
* 1 bunch parsley
* 1 pint good quality dry cider
* 1 pint chicken stock
* 2 gloves grated garlic
* 1 dollop creme fraiche

Method

Brown chicken in a heavy based pan and remove.

Add the bacon and fry until crispy, add the onions and celery and cook until soft with a pinch of black pepper.

Add a pint of good quality dry cider and reduce by half, then the chicken stock.

Bring to the boil and add the thyme and two cloves of grated garlic, check for seasoning.

Add the apples and pour over the chicken.

Cook at 175C for two-and-a-half hours. The chicken should be tender and starting to fall off the bone.

Arrange the chicken onto a warm plate and whisk in the creme fraiche to the sauce. Finish with chopped parsley, pour over the chicken and serve with mashed potato.

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