Steve Reynolds is head chef and owner of The Stagg Inn, which can be found in the picturesque village of Titley North Herefordshire about 2 miles from the Welsh border. Steve has run The Stagg with his wife Nicola for 12 years and they have always been passionate about the fantastic range of local produce available in the region. In addition to using the best local produce in his food Steve has begun to rear his own pigs, chickens and ducks and his black pudding and chorizo have been very well received. In 2001 Steve was awarded a Michelin star, a first for a pub and he has maintained it ever since.

The Stagg is a rustic pub with a small bar that is home to 200 pub jugs and some very friendly gossiping locals and three dining rooms. Housed within a beautiful old building that is part medieval, part Victorian and a bit 1970s, The Stagg has an informal atmosphere with wooden tables and no background music. They have been serving Hobsons since they opened 12 year ago and are also enthusiastic promoters of local cider and perry.

To find out more about The Stagg Inn please visit www.thestagg.co.uk

Steve Reynolds

“Steve Reynolds is a splendid cook. Fine ingredients are just the beginning. He knows what to do with them…” Jonathan Meades, The Times.

Steve studied photography and was working as a freelance architectural photographer until he decided to change careers. He wrote to The Gavroche in Mayfair where he went on to do his basic training. Steve moved back to Herefordshire and began working at the Riverside in Aymestry where he built up a local following. In 1997 he and Nicola brought the run down Stagg Inn in Titley and reopened in March 1998 following refurbishments. The food critics and guides were quick to follow him and in 2001 he was awarded a Michelin Star which he still holds in the 2010 guide. Steve still enjoys photography but his passion is cooking. To view Steve’s latest recipe click on ‘read the rest of this entry’

Slow cooked Belly Pork, Smoked bacon and beans with baked apples and pears

Ingredients:

• 10 rashers of smoked bacon
• 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, a diced carrot and diced onion
• 500g haricot beans (tinned are fine)
• 1 whole pork belly, scored (free-range and rare bread, we use Middle White)
• Bunch of sage
• 2 heads of garlic, halved
• 1 pt of cider
• 2 pts chicken stock
• 4 cox apples
• 4 conference pears
• 100g butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 500ml apple brandy

Method:

1. Scatter sage leaves and half heads of garlic in a baking tray, place pork on top and pour cider and stock around. Cover and bake at a low temperature for 4 hours or until tender. Remove pork and press under a tray with weights (bricks in tin foil are handy) for 24 hours. Put the cooking liquid in a pan and skim off all fat, reduce by half then cool.
2. Fry onion, garlic, carrot and bacon, add beans and the stock reduction. Set aside.
3. Cut the apples and pears into quarters, remove the core and cut in to 1 cm pieces. Melt the butter in a small roasting tray, add the apples and pears and lightly colour. Add the sugar and place in a medium oven for 4-5 minutes until they just start to soften, remove and pour on the calvados and flame it off burning out the alcohol.
4. Slice the pressed pork into 10 pieces and season, place skin side down in a very hot pan for 3 minutes then put into the oven for 20 minutes.
5. Place the beans on the plate and scatter the apples and pears over, slice the belly and place on top. Serve with a bottle of Hobsons Town Crier.