Roasted 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 centres turn molten and nutty, scooped onto blistered sourdough and cut through with a sharp, punchy parsley, shallot and caper salad. Ten minutes of work, a plate that silences the table.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 15.0g protein · 32.0g carbs · 47.0g fat

Ingredients

• 8 pieces beef marrow bones, centre-cut and split lengthways (canoe-cut) — ask your butcher, about 1.5kg
• Flaky sea salt and coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 60g), leaves picked
• 2 banana shallots, very finely sliced
• 2 tbsp capers in brine, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 thick slices good sourdough
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• Extra olive oil, for the bread

Method

1. If your bones haven't been soaked, sit them in cold salted water in the fridge for 2–4 hours (or overnight) to draw out blood, then pat completely dry. Skip if the butcher has done this.
2. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Sit the bones marrow-side up in a roasting tin, packing them close so they support each other. Season the exposed marrow generously with flaky salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 15–20 minutes, until the marrow is loose, glossy and bubbling at the edges but has not slumped out of the bone. Poke the centre with a skewer — it should feel like soft butter. Thin bones need less time, so check at 12 minutes.
4. While the bones roast, put the sliced shallots in a small bowl with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and leave to soften for 10 minutes.
5. Whisk the Dijon and extra virgin olive oil into the shallots and lemon. Keep the parsley leaves and capers separate for now.
6. Brush the sourdough with olive oil and toast in a dry hot griddle pan (or under the grill) for 1–2 minutes a side until charred in stripes. Rub each slice once with the cut garlic clove.
7. Toss the parsley leaves and capers through the shallot dressing at the very last second, so the leaves stay lively.
8. Bring the bones straight to the table on a warm platter with the toast, the salad, a teaspoon per person and a small pile of flaky salt. Scoop the marrow onto the toast, add a pinch of salt and a tangle of parsley salad, and eat immediately while hot.