Q&A with the trio behind foodie favourite, Fallow...

After an award-winning pop-up on nearby Heddon Street, Fallow has put down roots in lively St James's Market. We sat down with Jack Croft, Will Murray and James Robson, the innovative team behind Fallow, to discover more about their restaurant and steal the recipe for one of their most celebrated dishes…

We're delighted to welcome you to the neighbourhood. How would you explain what's on offer and what people can expect at Fallow?

We offer sharing plates showcasing the best seasonal British produce. Expect well-balanced bold flavours, a fun and lively atmosphere, and a cracking cocktail selection. We also have a £30 set menu that works very well for business lunches.

You’ve found a new home in St James’s Market. What attracted you to the area?

The rich history of St James’s and the buzz of the area - set between Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square – it’s unmatched. It’s great that the businesses and customers who supported us in Heddon Street can still enjoy Fallow so close to where we began.

Tell us more about your menu. What’s your favourite dish?

Our favourite dish is our cod’s head with siracha butter sauce as it encapsulates what we’re all about - showcasing British ingredients that otherwise would have been discarded.

Also, our new whipped salmon belly mousse for the same reason – another delicacy which we underestimate in the UK, that we serve with a bone marrow brioche. Lastly, our corn ribs – arguably one of the most popular dishes on our menu. Customers genuinely come back for them over and over again.

We can’t wait to try the corn ribs. Can you share the secret of how these are made?

The secret is in the seasoning. We use the leftover pulp from making our own sriracha in-house. We take this by-product and dehydrate it before blitzing and mixing in other spices. We want to give you a taste of the menu though, so here’s a version of the recipe to follow at home.

Ingredients:

- Four cobs of corn

- 1 litre sunflower, vegetable, or rapeseed oil for shallow frying

- Small bunch of coriander

- 1 lime

- 15ml good quality olive oil, to drizzle

Seasoning mix:

- 52g (1 packet) salted kombu - you can find this online easily, or use 25g Old Bay seasoning

- 8g smoked paprika

- 6g smoked chilli flakes

- 25g Maldon salt

Method - create your seasoning mix

1. Put your oven onto its lowest possible setting. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and place the salted kombu on top in an even layer. Place into an oven and leave it to dehydrate until completely dry.

2. Once dry, let it cool and then place into a blender with the other ingredients and blitz until fine, set aside to use later. This seasoning can be used for a huge array of different things and will make a welcome addition to your cupboard.

For your corn ribs

1. Remove all skin and husk from your corn cobs

2. Cut the cobs in half lengthways

3. Cut the halves into quarters lengthways so you’re left with eight pieces, approximately 10cm in length

4. Heat a deep pan of your chosen oil to around 175°

5. Fry your corn sections for six or seven minutes – until they curl back and look like ribs and the outer kernels start to colour

6. Remove your corn ribs from the oil and place them onto some kitchen towel to absorb excess oil

7. Season them generously with your seasoning mix

8. Finish with some chopped coriander, a drizzle of good quality olive oil and a squeeze of lime. Delicious

You’ve inspired us to give these a try at home, but who or what inspires you?

We take our inspiration from nature. For example, when fallow deer are in abundance and affecting the ecosystem, we look to utilise every part of the animal on our menu and help restore the balance. In terms of produce, it’s always interesting and inspiring to work with what’s available and in season.

Where do you source your ingredients from?

We consciously aim to source our ingredients as locally as possible – with lots coming from our allotment in Esher which is great. Our beef and lamb are always grass-fed and we love using ex-dairy meat. Our mutton also comes from Barrowbrook regenerative farm in Kent.

What are you most excited about for the future of Fallow in St James’s Market?

Our extended family on Heddon Street gave us the most incredible start to our career, but the new site and new customers bring some fantastic opportunities. We have more space so projects like launching a bakery and butchery school could be on the cards. We even grow our own mushrooms and cure our own charcuterie.

Visit Fallow at 2 St James’s Market for seasonal, sustainable British fare. Don’t forget to let us know if you try making the corn ribs and share your results with us at @stjameslondon.