Easy jam tarts

Ingredients
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
125g butter, chilled and diced, plus extra for the tin
1 medium egg
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt
125g  jam, fruit curd or marmalade of your choice

Method
 1.Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a bowl and rub them together with your fingertips (or you can pulse these ingredients together in a food processor if you have one). 
2.When the mixture looks and feels like fresh breadcrumbs, Stir in the sugar.
3.Beat the egg with the vanilla extract and 2 tbsp of cold water. Pour the mixture into the bowl. 
4.Stir it through with a cutlery knife, then bring the dough together with your hands – be careful not to overwork the dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 mins.
5.Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter a 12-hole tart tin, then dust your work surface with flour. 
6.Unwrap and roll out the chilled pastry so it’s about the thickness of a £1 coin, then use a straight or fluted round cutter to cut out 12 circles, big enough to line the holes in the tin. 
Dollop 1-2 tsp of your chosen filling into each one.
7.Bake for 15-18 mins until the pastry is golden and the jam bubbling. Allow to cool for a few mins before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Onion bhaji

Ingredients
2 onions, finely sliced
100g gram flour
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp curry powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cold water
vegetable oil for frying

Method
1. Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, curry powder and a good sprinkling of salt, ground black pepper.
2. Mix in about 100 - 120 ml of cold water to make a thick batter.
3. Add the onion into the batter. Heat the oil in a wok . (Do not fill the pan more than a third full).
4. The oil is hot enough for frying. Lower heaped tbsps of the bhaji mixture into the wok,  and cook for a few mins, until crisp and golden-brown all over. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Leek and potato soup

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
200g  potatoes, cubed
2 medium leeks, sliced
2 pints vegetable stock
120ml double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan
2. Add the onions, potatoes and leeks. Cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
3. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season well and simmer until the vegetables are tender and cooked.
4.Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat, Stir in the cream , heat through and serve.

Roast Mediterranean Vegetables

Ingredients

8-10 Cherry tomatoes

1 large red onion, cut into wedges

1 large red pepper

1 large green pepper
2 medium Courgettes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt,  Ground black pepper
Mixed herbs

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Cut all the vegetables into chunky pieces and put in a large roasting tin.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt,  ground black pepper and mix herbs.  and roast for 20-25 minutes.The veggies should be soft and cooked.
3.Cool on a rack, then divide them into servings to keep in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for about 3 months.
4.Serve hot or cool  at room temperature or toss with pasta, top a pizza, stir into soup, stuff a sandwich or wrap, or toss with vinaigrette for a salad.

Pork Lasagne

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
500g  pork mince
300g passata
1 Pork stock cube dissolved in 100 ml of hot water
12  lasagne sheets
450 ml  ready-made white sauce
125g  Cheddar cheese, grated

Method
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the pork for about 15 mins until browned.

2. Add passata and stock, Bring up to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins to thicken the sauce.

3. Heat oven to 180C. Lightly oil an ovenproof dish . Spoon one third of the meat sauce into the dish, then cover with lasagne sheets. Drizzle over about one quarter of  ready made white sauce.

4. Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta. Cover with the remaining white sauce, making sure you can’t see any pasta poking through.

5. Sprinkle over the cheddar cheese. Cook in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes- or until golden brown on top and the pasta is soft.

6. Remove the lasagne from the oven and leave to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Delicious served with a fresh salad or sweet potato chips.

Pork fillets stuffed with apricots, apples and ginger

Ingredients
For the stuffing
1 tbsp. sunflower oil
50 g butter
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 eating apple, finely chopped
100g fresh seeded bread  breadcrumbs
100g ready-to-eat dried apricots, roughly chopped
80g sultanas
3 balls stem ginger in syrup, drained, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh coriander
salt, ground black pepper  to season

For the pork
2 x 0.5kg pork fillets
18-20 rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers


Method
1.To make the stuffing, melt the butter with the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and gently fry the shallot and garlic until softened.
2. Add  the apple, apricots, sultanas, stem ginger, breadcrumbs, ground ginger, lemon zest and juice and the herbs. Season with salt and ground black pepper and mix well together.
3. Add the measured stem ginger syrup and mix again until the stuffing comes together. Leave to cool.
4. Put the pork fillets on a board and, using a sharp knife, carefully trim off as much excess fat and sinew as possible.
5. Place one of the fillet between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until around 1cm or 1/2 in thick. Put to one side and repeat the same process with the other tenderloin.
6. Place a large clean sheet of cling film on the board and arrange the bacon in slightly overlapping lengths on top. (A little longer and just over three times as wide as the flattened pork.)
7. Place one of the pork fillets in the centre of the bacon and spread the stuffing on top. Cover with the other pork fillet to sandwich the stuffing. Bring the bacon up over the top of the pork to enclose it completely.
8. Wrap tightly in more cling film to help hold the shape. Place the pork parcel on its side on a small tray and chill in the fridge for two hours or  overnight in the fridge if preparing ahead.
9. Preheat the oven to 150C.  Unwrap the pork and place on a lightly greased baking tray, with the ends of the bacon underneath. Roast in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the bacon is crisp and the pork is piping hot throughout.
10. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the pork to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest. (If serving the meat cold, simply allow to cool and then wrap in foil and keep in the fridge.)
11. Carve the pork into slices and serve with gravy roast potatoes and some cooked seasonal vegetables.

Spiced Pork Chops

Ingredients
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon  dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 pork chops
1 tablespoons olive oil
 lemon,chopped chilli and chopped coriander for garnish

Method
1.Mix paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, onion powder and garlic powder on a plate.
2. Rub the mixture evenly over the pork chops.  Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Heat the oven to 180-200 C. Rub pork chops with olive oil and bake the pork chops, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes  or until pork juices run clear. served with chips and coleslaw or rice.

Strawberry Panna Cotta

Ingredients
For the panna cotta
3 gelatine leaves
450ml double cream
200ml semi skimmed milk
100g white caster sugar
1 vanilla pod

For the strawberries
400g Strawberries, hulled and halved, or quartered if very large
100g white caster sugar

Method
1. For the panna cotta, put the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water to soften.
2. Meanwhile, pour the cream, milk and sugar into a pan, split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add, along with the pod, to the cream mixture.
3. Heat gently until hot, but not bubbling.
4. Remove the gelatine leaves from the water, squeeze out any  liquid then add, one at a time, to the hot cream.
5. Stir until dissolved. Leave to stand for 20-30 mins until cooled.  (Remove the vanilla pods from the liquid by this point.)
6. Strain the mixture through a sieve into serving glasses, then chill for at least 3 hrs.
7. put sugar and strawberries into a small saucepan. and heat over a low heat until sugar melts and strawberries have softened.
8. Set aside to cool. Once completely cooled, top the set panna cottas with the strawberry mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

Whitecurrant Jelly

Ingredients

1 kg whitecurrants

1 kg granulated sugar

small knob butter

Method

1. wash the fruit and strip the berries from the stem.

2. Place in a saucepan with 500ml water. Heat gently and cook until the berries are very tender about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Strain through a nylon sieve pressing out as much fruit pulp as you can.

4. Place the fruit pulp in preserving large saucepan and add the sugar. Heat gently, stirring frequently until all the sugar has dissolved.

5. Once all the sugar has been dissolved bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil rapidly until setting point is reached.
6. Add the butter to the saucepan and stir to disperse any froth.
7. Pour into sterilised jars, cover and seal immediately.

Lamb Casserole

Ingredients
500g lamb boneless shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, meat cubed 
2tbsp plain flour 
2 tbsp olive oil 
small knob butter 
2 medium carrots, diced 
7 new potatoes, diced
1 large onion, chopped 
1tbsp tomato purée
salt
ground black pepper
lamb stock 
sprig rosemary 

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Put the cubes of lamb in a plastic bag with the with salt, freshly ground black pepper, flour and give the bag a good shake. that the meat becomes well coated with the flour.
3. Heat  a large frying pan until very hot. Add the oil and the butter and then the lamb and fry over a high heat, stirring now and then, until all the pieces of lamb are well browned. Transfer to a casserole dish and set aside.
4. Add the onion to the pan with another tablespoon of oil if needed, and fry over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until just starting to brown, then the tomato purée and keep stirring for about 30 seconds. Pour in a little of the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Slowly add the rest of the stock, stirring all the time.
5. Pour this into the casserole dish  along with the carrots, potato and herb sprigs. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 1/2  hours or until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Remove from the oven and check the seasoning. Serve with some vegetables, or mashed potatoes, if you like.

Roast leg of lamb with garlic and rosemary

Ingredients
2.3 kg leg of lamb, on the bone
2 large garlic cloves
5 stalks fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish
salt
ground black pepper

Method
1.Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow it to get to room temperature.Preheat the oven to 150C .
2.Make the garlic and rosemary butter. Peel the garlic cloves and grate them finely with a grater. Place into a bowl with the butter.
3.Strip the leaves off the rosemary stalks and chop finely. Add to the bowl with the peeled garlic  into a bowl . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub all over the meat.

4.Place the lamb in a roasting tin, cover loosely with foil and place in the preheated oven. Cook the lamb for 1 hour 15 minutes if you want it pink, or 1 hour 30 minutes if you like it more well done. If you have a meat thermometer (see right) 85C mean joint is cooked. 
5.At the end of cooking time, remove the lamb from the oven and leave it to rest in the roasting tin for 10-15 minutes, with some foil on top to keep it warm.
6.To serve, slice the lamb and pour over the gravy. and serve with the roast potatoes, mint sauce and some seasonal vegetables,for a Sunday lunch.


***Roast a leg of lamb for 20 minutes per 500g , plus 10 minutes more. Allow it to rest for a good 15 minutes before serving to ensure the juices redistribute, making a perfect roast.***

Apple and sultana strudel

Ingredients
350g Bramley apples
Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
150g soft brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
100g sultanas
5 sheets filo pastry
25g butter, melted
1 tbsp plain flour

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. For the filling, peel the apples and cut into quarters, core, then cut into thin slices. Drizzle with lemon juice.
3. Mix the soft brown sugar, cinnamon, flour in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the apples. Stir everything well. Add the sultanas.
4. Place the pastry sheets on a baking tray, brushing between each sheet with butter.
5. Place the filling lengthways across one edge. Roll up the strudel, starting with the side with the filling and working across to the other side. Brush the entire strudel with the egg-milk mixture, then seal the ends.
6. Brush with butter, bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Leave to cool for at least 25 minutes before cutting. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Poached eggs

Ingredients
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 free-range eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Fill a small pan just over one third full with cold water and bring it to the boil.
2. Add the vinegar and turn down to simmer.
3. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and gently tip into the simmering water.
4. Lightly poach for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels.
5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately

Spaghetti carbonara

Ingredients

200g spaghetti

1 tbsp olive oil

8 rashers bacon chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 eggs

150ml double cream
100g grated Parmesan cheese to serve
handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the Bacon and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and browned. Reduce the heat to low.
3. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the cream and most of the grated cheese, salt, pepper,  reserving a little cheese for the garnish.
4.Tip the spaghetti into the pan with the bacon and pour in the cream and egg mixture. Mix well over a very low heat.(Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy if needed) Serve with extra cheese and  sprinkle with  parsley .

Spaghetti with Bacon and Cabbage

Ingredients

6  rashers bacon chopped

180g spaghetti

1/4 small head Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons olive oil

handful chopped fresh parsley

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Method

1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions

2. Cook bacon until crispy. Add the savoy cabbage and fry for 3-4 mins

3. Process garlic cloves through a garlic press, and combine with olive oil. Toss garlic oil, bacon and cabbage with spaghetti, Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with  parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and mushroom pie

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
150g button mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
50g butter
50g plain flour
200ml milk
200ml chicken stock
3 tbsp white wine
150ml double cream
pinch salt, ground white pepper
500g ready-made short-crust pastry
1 free-range egg, beaten

Method
1.Preheat the oven to 180C.
2.Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white.
3.Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown.
4.Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms.
5.Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste.
6.Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
7.Mix the milk and stock together in a jug, white pepper and salt, to taste. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking all the time until smooth. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
8.Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well, then spoon into a pie dish and leave until completely cool.
9.Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is the thickness of a pound coin. Brush the edges of the pie dish with beaten egg, lay the pastry on top, press down the edges and trim. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and cut some leaf shapes out of the left-over pastry to decorate the top of the pie.
10.Make a small hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape and then bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden-brown on top.

Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 chicken fillet

2 small onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

180 g dried tagliatelle

150 ml chicken stock

200 ml cream

salt, pepper

grated parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese to taste

Method

1. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

2. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chicken and stir fry for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked. . Add the chicken stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced.

3. Cook the tagliatelle according to instructions on the pack. When the chicken stock is reduced, lower the heat and add the cream. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring until thickened. Add the tagliatelle to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Fish Pie

I
ngredients

1 x pack fish pie mix
1 small onion, quartered
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
400ml milk
25g butter
25g flour
salt, pepper
A handful of grated cheddar
800 g Mashed potato

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Poach the fish. Put the fish in the frying pan and pour over 400ml of the milk. Stud each onion quarter with a clove, then add to the milk, with the bay leaves. Bring the milk just to the boil – you will see a few small bubbles. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins. Lift the fish onto a plate and strain the milk into a jug to cool. Flake the fish into large pieces in the baking dish.
3. Put the butter, flour in the pan and heat gently until the butter has melted, stirring regularly. Cook for 2 mins. Gradually whisk in the milk using a balloon whisk if you have one. Bring to the boil, stirring to avoid any lumps and sticking at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes until thickened.
4. Take off the heat and stir in the cheese , fish, salt, pepper . Spoon into an baking dish.
5. Spoon the Mash potato on top. Pop in the oven for 20 - 25 mins or until golden and bubbling at the edges.

Pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 chicken breasts, butterflied

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

100g white mushrooms, sliced

150ml chicken stock
salt and pepper

80 ml half-fat crème fraiche
New potatoes

Method

1.Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chicken breasts and fry for about 10 minutes, or until well browned on both sides. Set aside.

2.In the same pan, add a little more oil and fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry until golden-brown. If they start to stick, add a little stock to the pan.

3.Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the stock. Bring to the boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid, lower the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir the crème fraîche and parsley into the sauce and serve immediately with the new potatoes

.

Plaice with a creamy prawn and lemon sauce

Ingredients

2 whole Plaice

A handful of cooked prawns

50g unsalted butter

1/2 lemon, juice only

1/2 cup of  double cream

1 tbsp of dry white wine

1 shallot, finely chopped

ground white pepper

Method

1. Over a gentle heat melt the butter in an oven proof frying pan. Place the fish in the pan skin side down for 2-3 minutes. Using a fish slice, turn the fish over carefully and fry gently for another couple of minutes. Bake at 180 c for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Check to see that they are cooked through. Reserve the fish in a warm place.

2.Heat the butter in a separate frying pan, add the shallots and fry for a few minutes. Add the cream to the pan it will initially become thinner but will gradually thicken over a low heat (keep stirring )
3.Add the prawns, add the lemon juice, a pinch ground white pepper and the wine. It is ready when the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon.

4.Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with new potatoes.