Roast Bone Marrow with Caper-Parsley Salad and Charred Sourdough

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

The great St John classic, done properly at home: canoe-cut beef marrow bones roasted until the marrow trembles and turns glossy, scooped onto griddled sourdough and cut through with a sharp, punchy parsley, shallot and caper salad. Ten minutes of work, a plate that feels like a restaurant.

Per serving: 520 kcal · 14.0g protein · 31.0g carbs · 38.0g fat

Ingredients

• 8 pieces beef marrow bones, canoe-cut lengthways (about 1.2kg), ask your butcher
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra to serve
• 4 thick slices good sourdough
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for the toast
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 60g), leaves picked
• 1 banana shallot, very finely sliced
• 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, for the salad
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. If you have time, soak the cut bones in cold salted water for 2–3 hours in the fridge, changing the water once, to draw out any blood. Drain and pat very dry.
2. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Sit the bones cut-side up on a baking tray lined with foil and season the marrow lightly with flaky salt.
3. Roast for 15–20 minutes, until the marrow is soft, glossy and just beginning to bubble at the edges but has not melted away. Poke the centre with a skewer: it should give like warm butter.
4. Meanwhile, make the salad. Put the sliced shallot in a small bowl with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and leave to soften for 10 minutes.
5. Griddle or toast the sourdough until well marked and charred at the edges. Rub each slice once with the cut garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Toss the parsley leaves, capers and the shallots with their lemon juice, add the 2 tsp olive oil and plenty of black pepper. Dress only at the last second so it stays lively.
7. Serve the bones straight from the tray with a teaspoon each, the toast, the salad, extra flaky salt and lemon wedges. Scoop marrow onto toast, sprinkle with salt, pile on salad, eat immediately.