Anna’s Apple Crumble
Set oven to 160 degrees fan. Zest the lemon and put it and a tablespoon of juice plus a couple of tablespoons of water in the bottom of an ovenproof dish (our square white ones are good). Toss the apple slices in the liquid –…
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Salsa Verde
Green sauce to go with steak! Also works with other meats and fish. The ingredients can be played around with a bit. Ingredients: Chop herbs and garlic as finely as possible then combine with other ingredients. Other recipes generally include anchovies, which is really nice.…
Martin’s roast mixed vegetables
Need to get some details here, but essentially roasted for about 25 mins at about 180 degrees. The thing that worked really well was sitting the onion and red pepper like little bowls and putting some shoyu on the onions and balsamic vinegar on the…
Martin’s perfect Halibut
Marinade halibut with lemon juice, olive oil fresh herbs and some salt for about an hour. It doesn’t need to swim in the marinade, just a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice and olive oil is fine. Then cook in the oven for about 20…
Spaghetti with courgette
Serves 4 Ingredients 6 medium courgette, sliced into quarter-inch rounds Sunflower oil, for frying 14 oz. spaghetti 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) 2 to 4 oz. grated parmesan or similar 1 bunch fresh basil leaves A pat of butter Ground black pepper, to taste Directions…
Roast halved aubergine
Slice aubergine in half, score the flesh, put things on top and roast for at least 45 mins at 180 fan Options:
Salad of baby courgettes with preserved lemon
Baby courgette, sliced into long thin pieces Preserved lemon cut into small bits, remove pips Salt Olive oil Fresh herbs (I used thyme and mint which was a good combination) A good bunch of chives, or some spring onion, or red onion cut fine, or…
Braised Leeks
Riverford recipe. You need to cut off more than usual of the green bits (save for soup). And try leaving the root end to help keep the leaves together while cooking. Halve the leeks carefully.
Ricciarelli
Ricciarelli: Chewy Italian Almond Cookies Ricciarelli are dense, chewy Italian almond cookies originating in Siena. They are a distant, and much less fussy, Italian cousin to the French macaron — perfect with tea or coffee!CourseDessertCuisineItalianPrep Time30 minutesCook Time20 minutesDrying time1 hourTotal Ingredients 2 egg whites 1 dash lemon juice 2 1/4 cups almond…
Lamb shank braised in vegetable sauce
I’m trying to remember what I did a few days ago, so this is a bit sketchy, but also, it can be varied. The main thing is to cook long and slow and to make sure there are enough rich flavours in the things that…
Boozy stewed fruit with bay leaves
Bex made this for me, and I didn’t get the recipe in detail (too much wine) but it was really good. In essence it was fruit gently cooked in the oven with some honey and alcohol (I think brandy) and bay leaves. Fruit was plums,…
Sicilian Romanesco
This works as a hot side (see original recipe below) but is also great as the basis for a salad. If making salad you can steam and then blanch the romanesco instead of roasting if you like. Orange slices and avocado are great additions to…
Lemon cheescake
Ingredients: 100g abernathy biscuits (if you can find them! I found them in Waitrose. If not digestives are fine, just don’t add sugar) 40g butter 2 tbsp brown sugar 250g cream cheese – I used marscapone 280ml double cream 100g caster sugar Zest and juice…
Sauteed rainbow chard
Recipe here. Ingredients: Chard Olive Oil Garlic Onion Salt and pepper Thyme Nutmeg Balsamic vinegar Method: Clean and chop the chard, separating the stems from the leaves. Chop onion and garlic. Heat up oil, and add the onion, garlic, and chard stems to the pan.…
Pecan Pie
First, make this pastry and chill it in a ball for 20 mins or so. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C. Line a 23cm pie tin – preferably the kind with the removable base. For the filling you need: 2 eggs 150g butter, melted and…
Sweet pastry for pies
This should make enough for one pie in a 23cm round tin 150g plain flour 75g unsalted butter cold from the fridge 50g (4 tablespoons) icing sugar 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon of cold water Method Put 150g plain flour and 75g unsalted butter in a bowl,…
Celery & Garlic Soup
6-8 sticks celery 4 large cloves garlic or 6 medium cloves chicken stock (or water and half a veggie stock cube) cream – not too much, you can always add more later (or some milk and a lump of butter) white pepper (or black if…
Shortbread biscuits
125g soft butter 55g caster sugar (better than granulated) 180-190g plain flour – need to test. 200g was too much. A good recipe for when you don’t have any eggs. Could be varied with lumps of crystallised ginger or lemon rind/oil. Cream the butter and…
Nettle Soup
Nettles Chicken stock or veggie stock cube (or milk if you like) Garlic Olive oil and/or butter Plain flour Shoyu Nutmeg First pick your nettles. Use leather gloves (thin plastic not always good enough) and pick only the top 15cm, so that you get young…
Boozy Jamaican Ginger Cake
Photo thanks to Chris Lee 75g butter 125g dark muscavado sugar 100g treacle 100g golden syrup 75ml rum (dark if possible) 2 eggs, beaten 225g self-raising flour 1tsp alspice 1tsp ginger pinch of salt 75g crystallised ginger, chopped up Use a tin like a bread…
Anna’s Kedgeree
You can also look at Nick’s recipe, but this is how I do it. This is the smallest practical recipe but if it’s just for two people you may have some left over for the next day – that’s OK – just serve at room…
Broccoli Pasta
Really simple yummy pasta dish that Guilia made. Reminded me of DP’s Broccoli Noodles! Ingredients: 1 head of broccoli 2 cloves of garlic Cream Pasta Salt and pepper Squeeze of lemon Parmesan Method: Cut up the broccoli, separating the stem and the florets. Roughly chop…
Bouillabaisse
Need to look at online recipes again before doing this. Trying to work out a manageable version of the recipe! Fish – meaty fish is the best for this, monkfish would be good, or mullet. Edible skin is good as it helps keep chunks together…
Slow cooked chicken thighs
Cooked at 150 degrees for 2.5 hours. If you have boned thighs, unroll them so they are flat pieces and dry the skin with some kitchen paper. Brown the skin side of the chicken pieces in oil. This is to bring out the fat, which…
Seriously lemony cake
200g butter 180g white sugar, preferably caster but granulated will do 4 eggs (or 3 plus 2 whites, if you have some spare) Rind and juice of 2 lemons 50g polenta (try with ground almonds) 150g self-raising flour 1/4 tsp baking powder Another 3 tablespoons…
Loin of lamb
Recipe in progress… Heat oven to 180 degrees fan. This is for a small rolled loin of lamb (2 portion size). Pat the meat dry and salt it lightly. Put some sunflower oil in a pan and when it is hot, put the meat in.…
Simple potatoes gratin
Potatoes Double cream salt nutmeg Gruyere cheese or something similar (parmesan isn’t great for this) Set oven to 180 degrees fan Peel the potatoes and slice with a mandolin. Rinse the slices in cold water to separate them and get the starch off. OR: Bring…
Jess’ creamy mushroom gnocchi
Jess makes this for me all the time and it’s one of my favourites! Ingredients: Method:
Chickpea ‘tuna’ mayo
Made this the other day – nice as a quick sandwich filling and super tasty!! Ingredients: Method:
Portugese fish Stew
For 2-3 servings Fish bones or shellfish shells for stock A mixture of fish and some shellfish Celery and/or onions, chopped fine – about half the quantity compared to the tomatoes 4 tomatoes, skinned and chopped Fresh herbs, including bay leaf Olive oil White wine…
Ricotta & butternut squash tarts
1 pack pre-rolled puff pastry (320g) Remove from fridge at least 10 mins before unrolling it. 1 tub ricotta (250g) About 300g butternut squash, skinned and chopped into 1cm cubes 2 tabs olive oil 1 tab honey 2 large handfuls fresh spinach leaves (or very…
Upside down orange cake
Photo thanks to Chris Lee Preheat oven to 170 degrees C Slice one orange thinly. Take the zest off the other and set aside, then juice it. Put the orange juice in a pan with 50ml water and 50g of the sugar. Add the orange…
Poppy seed cake
70g blue poppy seeds 150ml milk 150g butter 150g sugar (generally use caster, but light brown would also work) 2 eggs (also works well with one egg plus two whites) 150g self raising flour (or plain flour plus 3/4 tsp baking powder) This recipe is…
Broccoli with lemon, almonds and sultanas
See also this recipe for broccoli with fresh turmeric Broccoli Almonds Sultanas Lemon rind and juice Sesame oil Aniseed Honey Salt Steam broccoli and blanch in iced water then drain. Skin almonds, chop roughly and dry roast, add the aniseed to roast for the last…
Chard Gratin
Chard (or try other veg) Cream Breadcrumbs Olive oil Parmesan Can also try with anchovies – recipe here Chop the chard and boil the stem pieces for a couple of minutes, then add the leafy bits and boil for another 3 mins. Then drain and…
Growing salad sprouts
How to grow your own salad sprouts What you need: a big jar or pot with a wide neck a piece of muslin cloth a rubber band a water jug some sprout seeds (alfalfa, mung beans, lentils, chickpeas or a ‘sprout mix’) Instructions: Put a…
Scotch Bonnet tomato sauce
Celery – one stick One red pepper Garlic Olive oil Tomatoes – mixture of large and cherry if possible – say 4 large and a handful of cherry Scotch bonnet or other chillis – careful with the heat level though Dried herbs Tomato puree Chicken…
Rum Punch!
Fruity and boozy rum punch – reminiscent of St. Lucia! I didn’t really measure the ingredients (maybe I should have, but this is what was in the pitcher that I made which served about 9 cocktail glasses) Ingredients: Juice of one whole pineapple Juice of…
Glazed Roast Duck Breast
Set oven to 180 degrees with top heat and pre-heat a shallow oven dish. Score the fatty side of the duck breast. Then use a frying pan with a little sesame oil to sear the breast. Do the flesh side briefly then the skin side,…
Mulled Wine
Enough for 3-4 mugs Half a stick of cinnamon 6 cloves 3-4 large bits star anise some crumbs of nutmeg (the bits left over from when you’ve been grating it) A few slices of fresh ginger Two mugs of red wine One mug of apple…
Broccoli with fresh turmeric
See also this recipe for broccoli with lemon, almonds and sultanas. Broccoli Fresh turmeric Almonds Raisins Chilli (fresh if possible) Garlic Sesame oil Lemon juice Honey Salt Try adding other things like maybe pomegranate seeds or segments of orange at the last minute instead of…
Nigella’s Clementine Cake
This is a bizarre recipe but I like it! After breaking open the clementines I discarded a bit more of the water (worth measuring the volume of clementine mash used next time and recording it). I think what you are really using is the pith…
Salad with Roasted Vegetables
This was an on-the-spot invention, but worked so well that it is worth repeating. Roasted squash (last night’s leftovers, or roasted specially, then cooled, an nice rich type of squash is best) Roasted beetroot (not too much of this) Lettuce Feta Avocado Orange – in…
Pickled Beetroot
Beetroot Cider vinegar Toasted sesame oil (this is the secret ingredient) Salt Juniper berries Coriander seed Boil the beetroot with the skin on for about 20-25 mins (insert skewer to test). Mix in a jar or tupperware box roughly 2 parts cider vinegar to 1…