Nuts & seeds muesli

Ingredients:

Whole oats
Oat and bran mix
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Desiccated coconut
Flame raisins
Whole hazelnuts
Roughly chopped Walnuts
Ground cinnamon (optional)


Method:

Toast the seeds and nuts with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Toast the coconut until very slightly browned.

Once cooled mix with the oats and raisins.

Store in an airtight container.

Serve with milk or yoghurt.

Braised Pork Ragu

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil 


Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt 


1kg/2lb boneless pork loin, fat trimmed off 


1 onion, chopped 


3 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked off and chopped 


1-2tsp fennel seeds

½ nutmeg grated

4 garlic cloves, crushed 


2 strips lemon peel 


1 bay leaf 


400g/13oz tin chopped plum tomatoes 


250ml/8fl oz chicken stock
1 glass red wine

For the pangrattato:

100g/3 oz sourdough crumbs 


Zest of 1 lemon 


2 garlic cloves, crushed 


60ml/2 fl oz olive oil 


3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 


1 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped

To serve:

Pappardelle pasta and rocket salad

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish (in which the pork will be a tight fit) over a medium heat. Season the pork well and sear on all sides until golden-brown. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion, rosemary and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add Red wine and reduce by half. Add the lemon peel, bay leaf, tomatoes and stock. 

Put the pork back in the pan, bring back to the boil and place in the oven for 2 to 3 hours or until the pork is meltingly tender.

Remove the pork and, when cool enough to handle, shred into small pieces, discarding any fat. Return the meat to the pan, season and reheat.

In a pan over a medium-high heat, toss the crumbs with the lemon zest, garlic and fry in the oil until golden. Cool slightly and add the chopped herbs and season.

Serve the ragu with pappardelle and sprinkle with the pangrattato.

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

Ingredients:

250g beetroot

200g fine dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)

4 tbsp hot espresso (optional)

200g butter

135g SR flour

a heaped tsp baking powder

3 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder

5 eggs

190g golden caster sugar

crème fraîche and poppy seeds, to serve

1. Cook the beetroot, whole and unpeeled, in boiling unsalted water. Depending on their size, they will be knifepoint tender within 30 to 40 minutes. Young ones may take slightly less. Drain them, let them cool under running water, then peel them, slice out their stem and root, and blitz to a rough purée.

2. Lightly butter a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Set the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

3. Melt the chocolate, snapped into small pieces, in a small bowl resting over a pot of simmering water. Don’t stir. When the chocolate looks almost melted, pour the hot coffee over it and stir once. Cut the butter into small pieces – the smaller the better –and add to the melted chocolate. Dip the butter down under the surface of the chocolate with a spoon (as best you can) and leave to soften.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Separate the eggs; put the whites in a mixing bowl. Stir the yolks together.

5. Now, working quickly but gently, remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir until the butter has melted into the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes, then stir in the egg yolks. Do this quickly, mixing firmly so the eggs blend into the mixture. Fold in the beetroot. 

6. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the sugar. Firmly but tenderly fold the beaten egg whites and sugar into the chocolate mixture. A large metal spoon is what you want; work in a deep, figure-of-eight movement but take care not to over-mix. Fold in the flour and cocoa.

7. Transfer quickly to the prepared cake tin and put in the oven, turning the heat down immediately to 160C/gas mark 3. Bake for 40 minutes. The rim of the cake will feel spongy, the inner part should still wobble a little when gently shaken.

8. Leave to cool (it will sink a tad in the centre), loosening it around the edges with a palette knife after half an hour or so. It is not a good idea to remove the cake from its tin until it is completely cold. Serve in thick slices, with crème fraîche and poppy seeds.

(Courtesy of Nigel Slater)

Roast Chicken with Saffron, Hazelnuts and Honey

Ingredients:

1 large organic or free-range chicken, divided into quarters: breast and wing, leg and thigh

2 onions, roughly chopped

4 tbs olive oil

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

a generous pinch of saffron strands

juice of 1 lemon

4 tbs cold water

2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

100g unskinned hazlenuts

70g honey

2 tbs rosewater (can be substituted with almond extract)

Method:

1 In a large bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the onions, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice,water, salt and pepper.

Leave to marinade for at least an hour, or overnight in the ridge.

2 Preheat the oven to 190C. Spread the hazlenuts out on an oven tray and roast for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Chop roughly and set aside..

3 Transfer the chicken and marinade to a roasting tray large enough to accommodate everything

 comfortably. arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up and put the tray in the oven for about 35 minutes.

4 While the chicken is roasting, mix the honey, rosewater and nuts together to make a rough paste.

Remove the chicken from the oven, spoon a generous amount of nut paste on to each piece and spread it to cover. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the nuts are golden brown.

5 Transfer the chicken to a seving dish.

Tip: reserve cooking juices and use to make cous cous to have with left over chicken

(Shown served with spicy squash with roasted pumpkin seeds and pangrattato)

(Courtesy of Ottolenghi, The Cookbook)

Spicy Squash With Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Pangrattato

Ingredients:

3tbsp olive oil
2tsp ground cumin
1tsp roasemary
1kg pumpkin/squash peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
65g pumpkin seeds


For the Pangrattato:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 golden shallots, finely chopped
1/2 sourdough breadcrumbs
small handful sage leaves, finely chopped
small handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roast the Pumpkin:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Combine the olive oil, cumin and rosemary in a bowl, then add the pumpkin and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a baking tray. Roast for 30-35 minutes until the pumpkin is soft when pierced with a skewer. Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 180 degrees C. Cover the pumpkin to keep it warm.

Scatter the pumpkin seeds on a baking tray, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Make the Pangrattato:
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Tip in the breadcrumbs and herbs and fry, stirring frequently to coat with the oil. Season with salt and pepper. When the crumbs are starting to turn light brown (about 5-10 minutes), remove from the heat.

To Serve:
Place the roasted pumpkin in a large serving bowl and scatter with the roasted pumpkin seeds and pangrattato.

(Courtesy of The Times Magazine)

Smoked Salmon Pancake Rolls

You can make these up the day before, keep them in the fridge wrapped in cling film, then slice them up at the last minute. They look great if you serve them up-ended, like sushi-rolls. Serve with horseradish mixed with creme fraiche

Ingredients:

2 large free-range eggs

120 g plain flour

180 ml milk

8 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

butter, for frying

150 ml crème fraîche

1 small bunch fresh chives

200 g smoked salmon, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:

Crack the eggs in a mixing bowl, then add the flour to the bowl so it sits in a pile to one side of the eggs. Gently start mixing the eggs with a whisk, then gradually whisk the flour in, little by little, until it's all incorporated. If it gets a bit thick, add some of the milk to loosen it up. Once all the flour is mixed in, add the rest of the milk, 2 tablespoons of oil and a good pinch of salt. Leave for at least an hour before using.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan and melt a knob of butter in it. Pour in a ladleful of batter, swirl the pan around, then pour any loose batter back into the bowl it came from. You should be left with a thin pancake stuck to the pan. Let it cook for a minute or so, flip it over for 30 seconds and then slide it out on to a plate. Repeat until all your batter is used. (It should make about five). Let the pancakes cool.

Make a rectangle of double thickness cling film about 40cm x 15cm and lay two pancakes on it side by side, slightly overlapping. Spread them with a thin layer of crème fraîche, lay most of the chives on top, season well with pepper and place a layer of smoked salmon over the top. Use the cling film on one of the long sides of the rectangle to roll the pancakes up tightly like a Swiss roll. Re-wrap in cling film and leave for at least half an hour in the fridge to firm up before slicing into inch lengths and serving. Sprinkle with the remaining chives before serving.

(Courtesy of Jamie Oliver)

Ottolenghi's Flourless Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients:

240g unsalted butter cut into small cubes

265g dark chocolate (52% cocoa solids) cut into small pieces

95g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) cut into small pieces

290g light muscovado sugar

4 tablespoons water

5 large eggs (separated)

pinch of salt

cocoa powder for dusting

Method:

Preheat your oven to 170°C.  Grease a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.

Place the butter and  both types of chocolate in a vary large heatproof bowl - it should be big enough to accommodate the entire mix. 

Put the brown sugar and water in a small saucepan, stir to mix, then bring to the boil over a medium heat.  Pour the boiling syrup over the butter and chocolate and stir well until they are melted and you are left with a runny chocolate sauce. 

Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time.  Set aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.

Put the egg whites and salt in a large bowl and whisk to a firm, but not o dry meringue.  Using a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, gently fold the meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture a third at a time.  The whites should be fully incorporated but there is no harm if you can see small bits of meringue in the mix.

Pour 800g (two thirds) of the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level gently with a palate knife.  Leave the rest of the batter for later.  Place the cake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer comes out almost clean.  Remove from the oven and lave to cool completely.

Flatten the top of the cake with a palette knife.  Don’t worry about breaking the crust.  Pour the rest of the batter on top and level the surface again.  Return to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

The cake should still have moist crumbs when checked with a skewer.  Lave to cool completely before removing from the tin.  Dust with coco powder and serve 

Smoked Haddock With Leeks

Ingredients:

2 smoked haddock fillets
1 litre milk
Bay Leaf
2 large leeks
50g plain flour
50g butter
Wholegrain mustard
100g grated strong cheese
(preferably gruyere, or a combination of cheddar and parmesan)
White breadcrumbs

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Poach the fish in the milk for 5 minutes.

Fry the leeks in butter until soft.

Make a roux with the flour and butter and gradually add the poaching milk. Once thickened add the grated cheese (reserving a handful), a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and pepper.

Put the leeks in an ovenproof dish and place the haddock on top.

Cover with the cheese sauce, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and a scattering of cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the crust has browned slightly.

Venison Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 litres (3½ pints) beef stock

2kg (4lb 8oz) large roe or fallow deer leg, diced

seasoned flour

25g (1oz) butter

100ml (3½fl oz) olive oil

400g (14oz) button onions or shallots, peeled

200g (7oz) celery, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

750ml (1½ pints) red wine

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs thyme

600g (1lb 4oz) puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

Method:

This can be prepared ahead and baked at the last minute. 

Boil the beef stock until it is reduced by half. Set aside.

Toss the venison pieces in a bag with some seasoned flour then sear it in batches in your casserole dish using the butter and half of the olive oil until brown on all sides. Fry in small quantities so as not to overcrowd the pan. Transfer to a colander, placing a bowl underneath to collect the juices for later.

In the same pan sauté the button onions, celery and garlic in the rest of the olive oil until soft and lightly caramelised. Add the wine and boil to reduce by half. Add the reduced beef stock and any venison juices, bring to the boil and skim off any scum. Add the herbs and venison and gently simmer for two to four hours until tender. The time varies greatly depending upon the age of the beast. The meat should be very tender, but not quite falling apart, and is best made a day or two in advance. Cool, then refrigerate until needed.

Place the venison in an ovenproof dish. Roll out the pastry until it is 0.5cm (¼in) thick, and cut out a piece the same size and shape as your ovenproof dish. Paint a thin line of beaten egg around the edge of the pastry and invert the lid on to the dish, lightly pressing to glue into place and making decorative indentations around the edge. Brush with more egg, but try not to let it run down the sides of the pastry, as this stops it rising evenly.

Refrigerate the pies until needed, allowing them to come up to room temperature before cooking. They can be assembled up to a day in advance.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. If the pastry is browning too quickly, cover with foil.

(Courtesy of The Telegraph)

Lemon, Almond & Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients

120 g butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing

120 g caster sugar

1 tablespoon caster sugar

4 large free-range eggs, separated

zest and juice of 2 lemons

60 g self-raising flour, sifted

120 g ground almonds

2 tablespoons milk

75 g poppy seeds

50 g icing sugar

1 teaspoon mixed spice

crème fraîche, to serve

Method

Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Rub a 20cm cake tin with butter. Whiz the butter and sugar in a food processor until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, while the motor is running, then the lemon zest and juice.

When the mixture is nice and smooth, pulse in the flour and almonds and finally the milk. Don't mix it too much – just enough to combine. Spoon the mixture into a bowl, stir in the poppy seeds and put to one side.

In a very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until smooth. Stir a spoonful of egg white into the almond mixture. Add the rest of the egg white and fold together carefully – you don't want to beat the bubbles out of the egg white.

Spoon into the prepared cake tin and smooth the mix out evenly with the back of a spoon. Place on the middle shelf of your preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes until cooked through, risen and golden brown.

When cool, sift the icing sugar and mixed spice over the top of the cake and serve with dollops of crème fraîche.

(Courtesy of Jamie Oliver)

Pear & Almond Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

150g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

75g wholemeal self raising flour

75g ground almonds

A good pinch of cinnamon

For the caramelised pears:

3 pears (reasonably firm, but not rock hard)

25g unsalted butter

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.

2. Peel, core and quarter the pears.

3. Melt the 25g butter in a frying pan big enough to take all the pear pieces, over a medium high heat. When it's bubbling, add the sugar and stir gently until it has dissolved into the butter. Add the pears and cook gently, turning once or twice, until they have softened and are starting to colour - 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each to stop the mix curdling.

5. Combine the remaining flour, the ground almonds and the cinnamon, and fold into the mixture. Scrape into the prepared tin. Arrange the pears on top and pour on any buttery juices left in the pan.

6. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

7. Stand the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then release the tin. Serve the cake warm with clotted cream - or cold.

(Courtesy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)

Walnut & Maple Syrup Cake

Ingredients:

 50g walnuts (after shelling)

 110g butter

 110g golden caster sugar

 2 large eggs

 110g self-raising flour

 1 level tsp baking powder

 1 level tbsp maple syrup (Waitrose number two amber is best)

For the filling and topping:

 50g walnuts

 1 x 250g tub of mascarpone

 4 tablespoons maple syrup

 Preheat the oven to 170C (325F), gas mark 3

Method:

Begin by chop the first 50g of walnuts in a processor until they are very fine.

Place the butter, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Sift the flour and baking powder in to join them, holding the sieve high above the bowl to give the flour an airing.

Whisk the whole lot together for about a minute and after that add the finely chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Give it another brief whisk then divide the mixture between the two prepared tins: spread it out evenly. 

Bake the cakes on the centre shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the centres spring back when lightly pressed with a little finger. Then remove them from the oven, leaving them in the tins for a few moments before turning out on to a wire cooling tray. Carefully peel off the base paper and leave till they get quite cold.

Meanwhile roughly chop the other 50g walnuts by hand. In a small bowl whip the mascarpone with a fork to soften it, then add the maple syrup, mixing till it’s all thoroughly combined. When the cakes are cold, carefully remove them from the cooling tray.

Spread half the filling over one cake and sprinkle over half the chopped nuts. Place the other cake on top, spread the surface with the rest of the filling, sprinkle on the rest of the chopped nuts and finally drizzle over another tablespoon of maple syrup. 

(Courtesy of Delia Smith)

Lamb & Apricot Tagine

Ingredients:

1kg diced lamb shoulder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tsp hot paprika

2 tbsp olive oil

3 onions

4 cloves of garlic

60g sultanas 

2 tbsp honey

750ml stock

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

350g apricots

a handful of coriander leaves

a small handful of mint leaves

Method:

Toss the cubed lamb in half the ground spices and leave for at least four hours. Overnight ideally.

Set the oven at 160C/gas mark 3. Warm the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based casserole and add the seasoned meat in small batches. Remove when it is browned nicely on all sides. Peel and roughly chop the onions, then peel and finely slice the garlic. Add to the pan with the remaining spices and allow to soften and colour lightly. Stir regularly over a moderate heat so that the spices flavour the onions but do not burn.

Add the sultanas, honey, stock, tomatoes and apricots, then return the meat to the pan. Bring to the boil, season with salt and black pepper, then cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 2.5 hours.

If necessary lift out the meat with a draining spoon and boil the sauce over a high heat until it is reduced and thick.

Stir in the roughly torn coriander and mint leaves

(Courtesy of Nigel Slater)

Butternut Squash & Sage Soup

Ingredients:


1 medium butternut squash cubed
1 large onion chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely grated
500ml-1 litre chicken stock
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
Creme fraiche to serve


Method:

Soften the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes.

Add sage and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add squash and pour over enough stock to cover.

Bring to the boil and simmer until squash is cooked through.

Blend with a hand blender until smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a generous dollop of creme fraiche.

Rhubarb Crumble Cake

This makes a very big cake (rose an inch above the cake liner in a 24cm tin!). You might want to consider halving it and using a loaf tin or reducing by a third and having a slightly shallower cake.

400gm butter
400gm caster sugar
4 eggs
300gm self raising flour & 100g ground almonds
6-8 stalks rhubarb, & chopped into 2cm pieces

Crumble toppping
120gm butter
120gm plain flour
30gm caster sugar

Whisk together the butter and sugar in a processor until it thickens and turns pale (about 3 minutes).

Add two eggs, mix. Add 4tbsps of the flour. Mix. Ad the last two eggs. Mix. Add the rest of the flour.

Pour it into your well-greased and lined cake tin. 

Scatter over the chopped rhubarb and push no more than half way into the cake mix. 

Rub together the butter and flour to make a rough crumble. Pour the resulting crumbs over the rhubarb, and sprinkle over the sugar. 

Put in the oven for at least 35 mins. I it took about an hour in the end.  I turned the oven down from 180C to about 160C after 30 mins so that the outside wouldn’t get too crispy, whilst the middle cooked. It’s cooked when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

(Courtesy of http://www.libertylondongirl.com)

Banana Cake

Ingredients:

350g ripe bananas (peeled weight)

180g plain flour, plus extra for the tin

2½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

160g soft, light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

4 tbsp melted butter, plus extra to grease, slightly cooled

50g walnuts, roughly chopped

1/2tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Put two-thirds of the peeled banana chunks into a bowl and mash until smooth. Roughly mash the remainder and stir in gently.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, and grease and lightly flour a baking tin about 21x9x7cm.

3. Put the sugar, eggs and melted butter in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to whisk them until pale and slightly increased in volume. Fold in the bananas and the dry ingredients until you can see no more flour, then fold in the walnuts.

4. Spoon into the tin and bake for about an hour until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a rack to cool completely.

Trout with Samphire and Beurre Blanc

Ingredients:

For the beurre blanc

140g/5oz chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 medium shallots, peeled, thinly sliced

½ garlic clove, peeled, thinly sliced

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 small bay leaf

3 black peppercorns, crushed

150ml/5fl oz dry white wine

1 tsp white wine vinegar

sea salt flakes

1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the trout

2-3 tbsp plain flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-3 tbsp sunflower oil

2 x 200g/7oz thick-cut brown or rainbow trout fillets

For the samphire

2 handfuls marsh samphire, rinsed thoroughly, tough stems removed, broken up into small pieces

1 tbsp butter

1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. For the beurre blanc, heat one tablespoon of the butter in a non-reactive pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the shallots have softened but not coloured.

2. Add the white wine and wine vinegar and bring the mixture to the boil. Continue to boil until most of the liquid has evaporated, then gradually whisk in the chilled butter cubes, one at a time, until all of the butter has been incorporated into the mixture and the sauce has thickened and is glossy.

3. Strain the beurre blanc through a fine sieve into a warmed bowl, then season, to taste, with salt and pour over the lemon juice. Keep warm. (NB: Do not leave the beurre blanc in too warm a place or the sauce may split.)

4. For the trout, heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pat the fish fillets fry with kitchen paper.

5. Dredge the trout fillets, skin-sides down, in the seasoned flour, then shake off any excess flour. Dip the floured sides of the trout fillets in the sunflower oil.

6. When the pan is hot, add the trout fillets, floured-sides down, and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until more than half of the trout flesh has turned opaque and the skin is crisp and golden-brown. (NB: The skin needs to be flat against the pan to crisp up all over, so press the trout fillets down with a fish slice if the heat makes them arch up.)

7. Turn the trout fillets over carefully and continue to fry for a further minute, or until the trout fillets are almost cooked through but are still slightly rare in the centre.

8. Meanwhile, for the samphire, add the samphire to a pan of boiling water (do not add salt) and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain well, then return the samphire to the pan, add the butter and lemon juice and season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper.

9. To serve, divide the samphire between two warmed plates. Place the trout on top and spoon over the beurre blanc.

Smoked Haddock & Leek Risotto

Ingredients:

400g smoked haddock

olive oil

butter

4 young leeks , halved lengthways and thinly sliced

300g arborio rice or carnaroli rice

1 glass dry white wine

chicken stock fresh, cube or concentrate, made up to 1.5litres, kept simmering

a small bunch of chive , snipped

Method:

Put the haddock in a heatproof dish and just cover with boiling water. Cover with clingfilm and leave for 10 minutes. Flake into decent-sized chunks.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil and a knob of butter in a wide shallow pan then add the leeks. Cook slowly for 10 minutes until completely softened. Turn up the heat, add the rice and stir to coat the grains. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring each lot in, until the rice is just tender and creamy (you might not need to use all the stock). Stir in the haddock and chives and serve.

Braised Meatballs in Goulash Sauce

Ingredients

 1 x 12 Waitrose Aberdeen Angus Beef Meatballs (430g)

 1 tablespoon seasoned flour

 1 dessertspoon olive oil

For the sauce

 1 dessertspoon olive oil

 400g can Essential Waitrose chopped tomatoes

 1 large green pepper, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm pieces

 1 medium onion, chopped

 1 clove garlic, crushed

 1 teaspoon Seasoned Pioneers Hot Paprika, plus a little extra

 3 tablespoons half fat creme fraiche

 250g De Cecco Fettuccine all'Uovo

 1 teaspoon olive oil

 1 heaped teaspoon poppy seeds

 Preheat the oven to 140°C, gas mark 1.

Coat the meatballs in lightly seasoned flour and brown in a casserole in batches and remove to a plate.

In the same pan heat the oil, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic, cook for another minute, add in the paprika and any remaining seasoned flour, and give it a stir to soak up the juices. Then add the tomatoes, a little salt and bring it up to simmering point, stirring all the time.

Add the meatballs and bring it back to a gentle simmer, then put a lid on and transfer to the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour. 

Stir in the green pepper, put the lid back on and cook for a further half hour.

Just before serving, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain and return it to the pan and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil and the poppy seeds. 

Now divide the pasta into warm bowls. Lightly stir the crème fraîche into the meatballs and sauce to give a marbled effect.

Spoon it onto the fettuccine and sprinkle a dusting of paprika on as a garnish as they go to the table.

(Courtesy of Delia Smith)

Carrot & Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

250ml/8¾fl oz olive oil

500g/1lb 1oz caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten

250g/8¾oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)

1 tsp sea salt

125g/4½oz pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

500g/1lb 1oz carrots, peeled and grated

knob of butter, for greasing

For the mascarpone icing:

125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

250g/8¾oz mascarpone cheese or cream cheese

250g/8¾oz icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

Put the olive oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl and stir until well mixed. Sift the flour and other dry ingredients into a second bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and oil mixture and mix thoroughly until blended. Add the pecan or walnuts and carrots and mix well.

Line a 24cm/10in springform cake tin with baking parchment, grease it and lightly dust with flour. Pour in the cake mixture and bake in the oven for one hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin, then run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and turn out.

To make the icing, mix the butter, vanilla and mascarpone or cream cheese in a food processor or bowl. Gradually add the icing sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Do not overmix or the icing may curdle. Spread onto the cake and make patterns in the top.

Seared Halibut Fillet With Bengali-Style Mustard Sauce

A deconstruction of a dopiaza made at the Cinnamon Club.

SERVES 4

For the mustard sauce:

mustard oil 2 tbsp
bay leaf 1
black onion seeds ½ tsp
fennel seeds ½ tsp
onion 1, finely sliced
ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp using 2.5cm piece of ginger and 1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane, or use chopped ginger and chopped garlic
red chilli powder ½ tsp
ground turmeric ½ tsp
tomato 1, finely chopped
wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp
fish stock or water 500ml
green chillies 3 slit lengthwise in ½
salt 1 tsp
sugar ½ tsp
garam masala ¼ tsp
fresh coriander 1 tbsp, chopped
coconut milk 240ml

For the marinade:

black onion seeds ½ tsp
fennel seeds ½ tsp
dried red chilli 1, coarsely crushed
vegetable or corn oil 1 tbsp
salt 1 tsp
thick halibut fillet (or pollock or other firm white fish) 4 x 180g pieces
vegetable or corn oil 1 tbsp
pressed rice flakes (pawa) 2 tbsp

To garnish:

ghee or butter 2 tsp
red onion 1, cut into rings
black onion seeds a pinch
salt a pinch
lemon juice of ½

First make the mustard sauce. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the bay leaf, onion seeds and fennel seeds, then quickly add the onion. Sauté until the onion is golden brown, then add the ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder and turmeric. Stir-fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the tomato and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the mustard and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Now pour in the stock or water and bring to a simmer.

Add the green chillies, salt, sugar, garam masala and coriander, then add coconut milk, cover the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Check the seasoning, remove from heat and set aside.

Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, rub them over the fish and set aside for 10-15 minutes. To cook the fish, heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan, add the halibut, skin-side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes. Turn and sear the other side for 2 minutes, then transfer the pan to an oven preheated to 200C/gas mark 6 for 6-8 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Sprinkle with pressed rice flakes (pawa) and serve immediately.

Meanwhile, for the garnish, heat the ghee or butter in a frying pan, add the onion rings and cook, stirring constantly, until tender and well browned. Sprinkle with the black onion seeds and salt and drizzle with the lemon juice.

To serve, pour the sauce on to 4 deep plates, place the fish on top and garnish with the onion rings. 

(Courtesy of The Cinnamon Club)