London lunch box: a recipe inspired by Roux at Parliament Square

Chef Laoise Casey creates cheap, easy-to-cook lunch boxes inspired by things she has eaten in some of London's best restaurants #Rouxlunchbox
Laoise Casey20 July 2015

Roux at Parliament Square lunch box: Pea salad with grilled artichokes, blue cheese, ricotta and mint

We need to talk about lunch.

Not the lunch-box type that you scoff quickly at your desk or on the go. But a long lazy self-indulgent lunch. For me going out for lunch has always seemed that little bit more decadent than dinner. For this week’s lunch box I wanted to treat myself. So I chose a very different restaurant than I normally go to - Roux Parliament Square. If you’re going to treat yourself you may as well do it properly, eh?

Roux Parliament Square is Michel Roux Jnr.’s second restaurant in the city and is very much fine dining. Steve Groves, former MasterChef Professionals winner, has headed up the kitchen since 2013.

I arrive for lunch on a sunny Friday afternoon, fresh from the tube where temperatures in excess of 30 degrees leave me feeling hot and sweaty and not so much in the mood for a fine dining, carpeted room with stiff white tablecloths. The tolling of Big Ben reminds me that I’m not in east London anymore. I’m feeling a little out of place as the room is packed with business types and also a sprinkling of tourists and I’m worried I’m underdressed. It makes me a little wistful for my former life where I would have been more comfortable in business surroundings, high-heeled and looking more sophisticated. Now if I wear heels once a week there must be a special occasion to merit it. My phone has decided to stop working just as I arrive so I don’t have the comfort of scrolling through social media to keep me company. Instead I am forced to concentrate fully on the meal and my surroundings. And dear reader, this is surprisingly refreshing. I’m guilty of always wanting to Instagram my food and it’s rather nice just being able to focus on it. Who’d have thought?

My fears of feeling out of place quickly dissipate as I’m given a warm welcome and the friendly service contrasts to the formal surroundings. I’m seated facing out into the restaurant and have a perfect view of the comings and goings from the kitchen. I watch the other diners and find myself inventing all sorts of stories about what they are doing here. Then the food starts to arrive and I quickly loose myself in my meal. Roux Parliament Square offers a set lunch menu for £35. I’m tempted to go a la carte and I decide oh damn it to hell I will. It’s not every day I eat in Westminster. I start with a slow cooked duck egg, girolles and artichokes. Followed by lamb, Isle of Wight tomatoes and courgettes. For dessert, it has to the rice pudding. Classical fine dining cooking, the type of cooking that first invoked my love of cooking.

Afterwards chatting with Steve upstairs in the bar area his warmth also contrasts to the formal surroundings. Chatting with him I’m again surprised how forthcoming and open chefs have been that I’ve interviewed for this column. They lead incredibly busy lives but are always open to discuss their food, menus and lives. I don’t want to leave but after chatting with Steve for a while it’s back to reality. I graciously exit the restaurant (read tripping over the front steps) and clamber back onto the tube. It’s roasting hot again but I’m still thinking of my lunch feast.

So throw caution to the wind and treat yourself to a decadent lunch out. It won’t solve all your problems or make you a better person (alas). But for just a couple of hours it’s fun to lose yourself and be looked after.

Our lunch box is inspired by Steve’s warm salad of fresh peas, artichokes and fresh curd. For our lunch box version we’re having a pea salad with grilled artichokes, blue cheese, ricotta and mint. With some crispy Parma ham, because why not. We deserve it.

Roux Parliament Square, RCIS, Parliament Square, SW1P 3AD; rouxparliamentsquare.co.uk

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Ingredients

What you will need

2 slices Parma ham

50g fresh peas

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. lemon juice

50g marinated artichokes

25 blue cheese, gorgonzola works well

25g ricotta cheese

Small handful fresh mint

Sea salt, black pepper to season

Equipment

Baking tray, greaseproof paper

Saucepan, knife

Cost to make per portion: £3.95

Preparation time: 15 minutes

How to make it

Lay the Parma ham between two sheets of greaseproof paper on a baking tray. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 150C for 10 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and break into bite sized pieces. Cook the peas in plenty of salted boiling water until just cooked but still slightly crunchy. Place in iced water to stop cooking immediately. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the marinated artichokes and drain the peas. Assemble the salad and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Finally finish with the crispy Parma ham and mint.

Follow Laoise Casey on Twitter @cuisine_genie

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