Cheddar & apple soup

Ingredients 1 potato, 4 apples, 1 pint vegetable stock, 100g cheddar, 1/4 leek, butter

Serves: 2 preparation: 30 minutes


Whilst The Boy was away recently, I spent a week eating cheddar and apple sandwiches. I could not get enough of this flavour combination which evolved into this thick, comforting, DELICIOUS soup. I promise you won't be disappointed. It's almost as good as Rick Stein's delicious looking dick...


1) Finely chop about a quarter of a leek and sautee with just a little knob of butter.


2) Peel and dice the potato and apples, discarding the cores and add to the pan along with a pint of vegetable stock.


3) Simmer for 20 minutes, until the potato is soft enough to mash in the pan, then pass the mash and liquid through a sieve (discarding the leek) and back into the pan.


4) Grate the cheddar into it and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot, with crusty bread.

Pancakes - Rose & pistachio

Ingredients 100g plain flour, 20g pistachios, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml rose essence, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, lime, rose jam (not currently for sale- please contact me for details).

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


When I tasted this pancake I wanted to cry. Cry big, fat dramatic tears of pure joy because this is definitely going to be my favourite breakfast from now on! Rose and pistachio are a wonderfully delicate flavour combination which always makes me think of macarons. Give this a try - the batter is beautifully enhanced by the texture of the nuts and the taste is out of this world!


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Grind the pistachios in a mortar and pestle and add to the mix.


2) Measure 90ml rose essence in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk. Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and rose mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve! I added a squeeze of lime and the remainder of last season's rose jam but truly, these would be delicious without the additional adornment!

Pancakes - Pecan rum & raisin with ice-cream

Ingredients 100g plain flour, 20g crushed pecans, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, sailor jerry's rum, raisins, caster sugar, vanilla ice-cream.

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


My pecan pancakes are the perfect combination for rum and raisin so if you have any leftover rum & raisin caramel sauce this is a great way to serve it! This rich and seductive pancake is perfect with vanilla ice-cream.


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Grind the pecan nuts in a mortar and pestle and add to the flour.


2) Measure 90ml water in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk.
Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve with the ice-cream and sauce.

Pancakes - Balsamic spinach, strawberry & goats cheese

Ingredients 120g plain flour, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, strawberries, 400g spinach, 150g goats cheese.

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


Words cannot express just how incredible a pancake filling this is. The combination of strawberries and balsamic vinegar is no stranger to this blog, but in combination with the sharp tang of goats cheese and the melting soft spinach this really is exquisite. 


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs.


2) Measure 90ml water in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk.
Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


5) Melt a good knob of butter in a pan and stir in the spinach. As the leaves begin to wilt, add a good glug of olive oil and stir in the strawberries, sliced. Turn off the heat.


4) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve filled with the strawberry, spinach and goats cheese.

Pancakes - Asparagus, pancetta & gruyere

Ingredients 120g plain flour, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, asparagus, pancetta, gruyere, basil oil.

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


Pancetta and asparagus are lovely together; salty and rich, which in combination with the gooey gruyere is heavenly!


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs.


2) Measure 90ml water in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk.
Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Drizzle the asparagus with a little basil oil, sprinkle with salt, stir in the pancetta and grill for 5 minutes.


5) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve with the gruyere, asparagus and pancetta.

Pancakes - Asparagus almond & gruyere

Ingredients 120g plain flour, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, 200g asparagus, handful toasted almond flakes, grated gruyere to taste, basil oil.

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


I have combined almonds and asparagus several times in this blog and there's a blimmin good reason for that! They're made for each other and with a gooey helping of gruyere this pancake is oh so good.


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs.


2) Measure 90ml water in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk.
Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Drizzle the asparagus with a little basil oil, sprinkle with salt and grill for 5 minutes.


5) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


6) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


7) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve filled with grated gruyere, the almonds and the asparagus.

Pancakes - Maple & pecan with banana

Ingredients 100g plain flour, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, maple syrup, banana, 20g crushed pecans.

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


Maple & pecan are a perfect flavour combination and the sweetness of banana really compliments the smoky, nuttiness but this recipe is just as much about pancake texture as it is about flavour. Simply put, grinding nuts into your pancakes makes for pancake heaven!


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Grind the pecan nuts in a mortar and pestle and add to the flour.


2) Measure 90ml water in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk.
Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve with sliced banana in the middle and a drizzle of maple syrup on the top!

Rum & raisin caramel sauce

Ingredients 100g caster sugar, 2 tbsp butter, double cream, 100g raisins, Sailor Jerry's rum Served with: Starfruit and vanilla ice-cream.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 20 minutes

This is what I like to refer to as "grown up" caramel. Whilst most of the alcohol is cooked off, I have always adored the naughty combination of rum and raisin, I think every precocious child must! This rich, sticky sauce is absolutely gorgeous with fresh fruit and ice-cream.

1) In a milk pan, add the raisins and cover with Sailor Jerry's rum, then bring to the boil until the alcohol has reduced by 1/2 and the raisins are plump and fragrant.

2) Put a frying pan to heat on the hob. When a drop of water "rolls" upon being dropped on the pan it is hot enough. Pour the sugar into the pan and stir continually with a wooden spoon until it liquifies and turns amber. Add the raisins and alcohol.

3) Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir thoroughly. At this stage take off the heat and pour in a splash of double cream. Serve with sliced starfruit and ice-cream.  (Tip - don't panic if sugar is beginning to set in your pan! Run under a continual stream of hot water in the sink and it will melt straight off)

Chocolate chip brioche

Ingredients 250g butter, 50g caster sugar, 7 eggs, 50ml milk, 400g white bread flour, 7g yeast, dark chocolate chips.

Serves: 12 Preparation: 4 1/2 hours (plus overnight)

Brioche contains a metrick fuckton of butter (technical term) so to me, a vegetarian who is just on the healthy side of a pretty sizeable cheese addiction, adding chocolate to the mix is madness, madness I tell you. Not only because brioche is simply perfect without additional adornment, but because it's really far too "cakey" a thing to do to brioche, which is bread. Not cake. Still - I had a request for chocolate chip brioche and as always, I deliver! Prepare yourself people, this is one hell of a high-maintenance bread but like anything that takes some effort, the results are worth it!

1) Bring the milk to the boil, and set aside in a jug until it has cooled almost to room temperature, then add the yeast. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to enable the yeast to activate.

2) Beat 4 eggs and 3 egg yolks, then add the sugar and salt. Pour in the yeast/milk mixture and beat until it has been incorporated. Finally add the flour and stir until it forms a rough dough. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and set aside for 30 minutes.

3) I'm not going to lie to you - this stage is a bitch, but it will all be worth it!
Scoop out the dough onto a clean work surface and cut the butter into small cubes.
Mix the butter into the dough with your hands, using a scraper to stop it from sticking onto the work surface. Kneed and rub the dough, stretching it and working it as fast as you can go until the butter has become completely incorporated and you are left with a soft, elastic dough. Stud with the chocolate chips, pushing them through the dough until they are evenly distributed.

4) Scrape the dough back into the bowl and re-cover with the cling film and leave to chill in the fridge overnight.

5) Divide the dough into either buttered loaf tins or separate into rolls (as I did here, slicing a pattern into the top with a knife). Set aside, covered for at least 2 hours to allow the dough to prove.

6) Brush the tops with a little beaten egg and bake at 220 degrees for 15 minutes. Drop the heat down to 180 and bake for a further 20 minutes, then leave to cool. Best served with a little butter.

Linguine with pesto & poached egg yolk

Ingredients Linguine, 1 egg, basil, basil oil, pine nuts, parmigiano, lemon juice, garlic

Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 minutes

In Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals, I once heard him say that it was perfectly acceptable not to make your own pesto, that the stuff in a jar was no different. Now I expect that kind of laziness from the gorgeous Nigella, but from Jamie? Not so much. And excuse me, a humble cook for daring to contradict a celebrated chef but he's wrong. Dead wrong. Wrong in the head if he believes that. There will never be anything like fresh pesto. Grinding the basil into the pine nuts releases a sweet perfume, further enhanced with notes of citrus which is then brought down to earth with the earthiness of the garlic and tang of parmeggian. As the kitchen fills with the scent I become giddy with the anticipation of it, and it's short lived because it's so quick and simple to make. Don't buy it, celebrate it.

1) Add the linguine to hot, salted water and bring to the boil for about 8 minutes.

2) To make the pesto - add a good handful of fresh basil leaves to a mortar bowl and grind to a fine pulp. Sautee 1 crushed clove of garlic in basil oil and add to the mortar bowl along with a pinch of salt and a handful of pine nuts. Grind thoroughly, adding lemon juice, basil oil and parmeggian to taste.

2) Strain the linguine from the water (don't discard) and add the pasta to the pesto. Toss, adding extra pine nuts until it is coated in pesto.

3) Using the remaining boiling water, drop in an egg yolk for about 30 seconds and then remove with a teaspoon, transferring it to sit on the pasta.

Break the egg yolk immediately and stir the creaminess through your pasta. Heaven... and far less than 30 minutes Jamie *winks*

Cucumber, fennel & feta salad

Ingredients 1/4 Cucumber, pumpkin oil, 1/2 fennel bulb, 75g feta

Serves: 1 preparation: 5 minutes

OK, I confess, I constantly pair fennel with cucumber. Oh I might add melon into the mix, or a variety of salad leaves but every time I buy a bulb of fennel I feel myself drawn to the cucumbers like a moth to a flame. There's just something about the delicate freshness of cucumber and the heady fragrant fennel that WORKS. Paired with the tang of feta and the rich nuttiness of the pumpkin oil this salad is absolutely glorious.

1) Wash the cucumber to ensure there are no traces of wax on the skin. Slice into thick discs and then quarter each disk.

2) Slice and dice the fennel, removing the outer layer if it feels tough or scarred.

3) Toss together along with the cubed feta and drizzle with pumpkin oil.

Wenceslas crostini

Ingredients White radish, kohlrabi, white cabbage, olive cheese.

Serves: 4 Preparation: 5 minutes

The name for this heavenly snack was rooted in a joke. I recently posted recipes for ruby salad and emerald salad, so called because of the colour of the ingredients. I started collating ingredients for an all-white salad which I initially was going to toss in mayonnaise like a sort of albino coleslaw, but having recently procured some olive cheese from Cornucopia (our amazing regular festival of food in Leeds Corn Exchange) I had visions of crunchy, fresh vegetables smothered in a rich, gooey warm cheese spread onto a springy, soft ciabatta base. And there you have it - deep and crisp if not exactly even, this crostini is utterly moreish - thje peppery tang of radish, sweet nutty kohlrabi and fresh cabbage are the perfect combinations for this gently flavoured cheese.

1) Slice the wax from the cheese and either grate or crumble into a pan. Warm gently on a low heat until it has begun to melt.

2) Slice the tough skin from the kohlrabi with a sharp knife, then dice it along with the radish and cabbage.

3) Add the vegetables to the pan and stir through until they are coated then remove from the heat.

4) Spread onto fresh ciabatta and serve.

Stuffed Costoluto Florentino tomatoes

Ingredients Tomato, giant (aka Israeli) cous-cous (I bought mine from Millie's Organic in Leeds), parsley, feta

Preparation: 15 minutes

If January was about showcasing unusual flavour combinations, then February has been a month of exploring unusual ingredients. This week I have been tasting different types of tomatoes, getting to grips with heirloom/heritage breeds and the different sizes, shapes, colours and flavours. Some tomatoes I ate like grapes, some were longing to be sprinkled with salt or splashed with balsamic vinegar, some were breathtakingly perfect in a caprese salad... I know that I am forever saying that tomatoes should be kept at room temperature, still on the vine and not in a chilled fridge encased in plastic but trust me on this, it makes a world of difference to cooking if you respect your ingredients.
The simplicity of this dish, the salty tang of feta combined with the fresh sweetness of the tomato and bubbled texture of the cous-cous was a triumph.

1) Pour the cous-cous into a pan of boiling salted water and stir through for 6-8 minutes before straining in a sieve and setting aside to cool.

2) Slice the top from the tomato and using a sharp knife, slice around the star-shaped core. Plunge a fork into the core, twist and remove it, then scoop out the seeds.

3) Slice the feta into matchsticks about the width of the ridges in your tomato and press the feta into the edges of the tomato, leaving the core empty.

4) Spoon the cous-cous into the gap and top with parsley before replacing the lid of the tomato. Bake for 5 minutes at 200 degrees and serve hot.

Emerald salad

Ingredients2 tsp grainy mustard, 4 eggs, lemon juice, salt, pepper, 1 pint rapeseed oil, 1 tablespoon pumpkin oil, green beans, exquisa potatoes, 2 avocados, goats cheese.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 30 minutes

I can scarely believe that it's been less than a week since I discovered Pumpkin Oil but in these last few days it has been a major source of foodspiration for me! I knew the stunning nutty flavour would make the most unbelievably rich mayonnaise but I was worried it would be too light to "take". A combination of Yorkshire rapeseed oil and pumpkin oil later, I had a dish of vibrant green mayonnaise and couldn't wait to smother it on waxy, exquisa potates, silky avocado, tangy goats cheese and the fresh green crunch of fine beans. With a little mustard for added piquancy this really is a stunning salad.

1) To make your own mayonnaise - separate 4 egg yolks from the whites (discard the whites) and put in a large clean bowl to whisk (or use the whisk attachment on your blender if you have one). Add the lemon juice/vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk thoroughly, adding the rapeseed oil ONE DROP at a time until the mayonnaise is thick and glossy. When the mayonnaise has started to thicken, begin adding the pumpkin oil. You can always alternate if you wish but do remember you don't have to use all the oil - I like it quite thick but if it's too thick you can always add a little warm water to thin it back down again. Don't be afraid to stop whisking and keep checking. Once it coats the spoon without dripping it's mayonnaise, you won't get it wrong!

2) Prick the potatoes and put them on to boil for 20 minutes. Put the fine beans in with the potatoes for the last 2 minutes, then strain and run under cold water to bring them down to just above room temperature.

3) Stir the mustard in with the mayonnaise and spoon over the potatoes and green beans, stirring until they are evenly coated.

4) Slice the avocados in half, scoop the fruit from the shell (discarding the stone) and cut into chunks. Add to the salad with crumbled goats cheese and serve!

Samphire fettuccine with champagne custard

Ingredients Samphire, 20cl champagne, 4 egg yolks, double cream, butter, 8oz pasta flour, 1 tsp olive oil, 5 eggs

Serves: 4 preparation: 15 minutes (+5 hour pasta preparation)

I adore pasta and thankfully love making it almost as much as I love to eat it - there's nothing quite like freshly made pasta, fresh from the pot. The crisp tang of champagne, the fresh, juicy and salty samphire and the creamy texture of the sauce is a luxurious combination here and for such a simple dish to make, it really does make a fantastic impression.

1) Pour 8 ounces of grade 00 flour (pasta flour), 1 teaspoon of olive oil, a good pinch of salt, 3 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk into a bowl and kneed with your hands until you have a firm dough. Wrap this in cling film and chill in the fridge for 2-5 hours.

2) Dust a worktop with pasta flour and roll out the dough into a sheet 1/3 of a centimetre thick. Cut out squares of pasta with a knife and roll these through a pasta machine (or using a rolling pin if you don't have one) until you have a thin rectangle of pasta. Slice into 1cm wide strips.

3) Pour the champagne into a pan and reduce it down on a high heat for about 5-7 minutes. Turn down the heat and quickly whisk in the egg yolks. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and then add a splash of cream. Add the samphire along with a little butter to make the sauce glossy and leave on a low heat until the pasta is ready.

4) Drop the pasta into salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Once it rises to the top of the pan it's done! Strain and toss with the samphire and champagne custard.

Kohlrabi tabbouleh

IngredientsGiant (aka Israeli) cous-cous (I bought mine from Millie's Organic in Leeds), tomatoes, parsley, 1 lime, salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, kohlrabi, cucumber.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Traditionally when I make tabbouleh, it's all about the parsley. Lemon juice, mint, tomato, bulgar wheat and a little all-spice are present but the parsley takes centre stage. This weekend I got hold of some kohlrabi which I ADORE and couldn't think of a nicer way of serving it than creating a kohlrabi tabbouleh. Kohlrabi has a delecate balance of cabbage notes and sweet, nutty freshness. Texture-wise I wanted the crunch to really stand out so substituted the bulgar wheat for giant cous-cous. Cous-cous is made using semolina which has been sprinkled with water, hand rolled and then passed through a sieve, dusted with more semolina and rolled and passed through again to form the granules that you can buy in the shops. Cous-cous in Israel has a much larger granule and personally I prefer it, the texture is more like the bubbles in a tapioca pudding and it's absolutely delicious, absorbing flavour more intensely than the smaller grains do.

1) Pour the cous-cous into a pan of boiling salted water and stir through for 6-8 minutes before straining in a sieve and setting aside to cool.

2) Peel the kohlrabi with a sharp knife to remove the green skin, then slice the white flesh into chunks.

3) Wherever possible, buy your tomatoes on the day you need them, still attached to the vine and don't keep them in the fridge; it chills away all the sunshine from the flavour. Pick from the vine, rinse in lukewarm water and slice into quarters.

4) Wash the cucumber to remove any wax from the skin and slice into chunks.

5) Squeeze the lime into the cous-cous and stir through, loosening any sticky grains with your hands - add a generous handful of freshly picked chopped parsley and season well with salt and cracked black pepper.

6) Add a tiny sprinkle of ground cumin and paprika, then stir through the kohlrabi, tomatoes and cucumber.

I served this with some iceberg and raddiocho lettuce leaves to scoop up the tabbouleh which is traditionally eaten with the hands.

Celeriac mash

Ingredients     1/2 Celeriac, 2 potatoes, 2 tablespoons butter, salt.

Serves: 4 preparation: 20 minutes


I loathe celery. I feel the way about celery that Stewie does about broccoli. It tastes horrible, it has a horrible texture and I find it rather offensive that it takes more calories to eat it than it actually contains. Celeriac on the other hand, despite being somewhat celery flavoured is actually delicious raw in salads but my absolute favourite way to serve it is this wonderful, creamy, earthy mash.


1) Peel the celeriac root with a sharp knife and slice into chunks. Peel and slice the potato and boil in hot salted water for 20 minutes.


2) Strain and puree in a blender along with the butter and salt and serve.

Truffled white asparagus with almonds & poached egg yolk

Ingredients White asparagus, truffle oil, flaked almonds, egg yolk

Preparation: 8 minutes


Though not as pretty as the more developed, green asparagus - white asparagus is sweeter, juicier and more tender. It is merely asparagus that has been deprived of light (a process called etoliation) and therefore can't produce chlorophyll to become green. This recipe is gorgeous, simply put.


1) Snap or cut the bottom of the stalks from the asparagus and peel them with a vegetable peeler.


2) Drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with salt, the flaked almonds, then roast in the oven for 8 minutes.


3) Serve with a poached egg yolk

Sauteed samphire

Ingredients Samphire, butter

Preparation: 5 minutes


Samphire is incredible. Fresh, juicy yet almost unbearably salty it's hard to come by but well worth it if you can get hold of it. "Half way down hangs one that gathers samphire... dreadful trade!" wrote Shakespeare in King Lear, explaining how dangerous it was to gather rock samphire so beware! *laughs*


1) Rinse the samphire in cold water, then pat dry. Add to a pan with a touch of butter and sautee on a low heat for about 2 minutes and serve.

Sweet potato, maple & pecan mash

Ingredients    4 sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of crushed pecan nuts, salt.

Serves: 4 preparation: 20 minutes

Sweet potato and ginger mash has been a staple favourite in this house ever since I first made it for The Boy. Today however I had foolishly used up all my ginger making rhubarb and ginger glazed pork and was forced to consider an alternative. With my creative hat on, this idea for salty, buttery mash with a seductive maple gloss and soft nuggets of pecan nuts evolved and truly, it's a magnificent mouthful.


1) Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into small chunks. Boil them for about 15 minutes until soft.


2) Crush the pecan nuts in a blender, then add the sweet potatoes, a teaspoon of butter, a good pinch of salt and the maple syrup. Pulse until the mixture has completely combined and then taste it. The balance you want is similar to salted caramel - sweet yet unctuously savoury at the same time. Add more salt or maple syrup if necessary until you have it right and then serve hot.

Rhubarb & ginger glazed pork tenderloin

Ingredients Pork tenderloin, 4 stalks rhubarb, inch square of ginger root.

Serves: 3 preparation: 20 minutes


Obviously as a vegetarian, I can hardly rave about pork but as a vegetarian who cooks for a meat eating man on a daily basis, this is one of my favourite things to serve him and our dinner guests. The scent of rhubarb and ginger roasting together combined with the sizzle of the pork is what Sundays are all about in this house. It's so quick, simple and low maintenance as roast meats go and produces quiveringly tender meat every single time.


1) Top and tail the rhubarb and slice into inch long pieces. Peel the ginger and slice, along the grain into matchsticks and then tiny cubes. Personally I love spices and biting into a chunk of ginger doesn't bother me but most people find it overpowering.


2) Roast the rhubarb and ginger for about 10 minutes in a covered dish. Spoon over the pork loin and roast in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes. With this dish there is no need to sear the meat first, I told you - low maintenance!


3) Season and serve.

Dukkah with romanesco broccoli

Ingredients     Sesame seeds, pistachios, himalayan pink sea salt, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, paprika, chilli powder, cumin seeds, romanesco broccoli, pumpkin oil, basil oil.

Serves: 5 preparation: 10 minutes


I'm introducing three elements to you with this recipe. Firstly Dukkah, an absolutely stunningly delicious Egyptian dry spice mix which is usually served with bread and dipping oils. Secondly pumpkin oil which I bought at the incredible Cornucopia at Leeds Corn Exchange this week. It's a fabulous healthy oil made from dry roasted cold pressed pumpkin seeds which is evocative of sesame oil but FAR nicer. As soon as I tasted it, I knew it would change Dukkah for me forever. Thirdly, romanesco broccoli which is a gorgeous vegetable comprising of fractal spirals of crunchiness with a creamy flavour somewhere in between broccoli and cauliflower. I can rarely bear to cook it, instead preferring to admire the vivid green colour and sink my teeth into it. I chose to dunk the florets into the pumpkin oil and dukkah today and may never eat it with bread again! YUM!


1) Add equal quantities of the seeds and nuts to a hot pan and toast them off for 1-2 minutes or until the mustard seeds begin to pop.


2) Transfer to a mortar and pestle along with the sea salt, paprika, chilli powder and black peppercorns and grind until you have a rough, gritty powder.


Dukkah can be kept sealed in a jar in the cupboard for some time and makes a fabulous, fabulous dry rub for meat. I mixed the pumpkin oil with a little basil oil to bring out the sweetness of the romanesco broccoli.

Ruby salad

Ingredients Rocket, radish, pomegranate, red bell pepper, feta, beetroot, lime, basil oil, pumpkin seeds.

Serves: 1 Preparation: 35 minutes

This salad is not only absolutely beautiful to look at, it's marvellously healthy and absolutely delicious. The peppery hit of radish and rocket, the sweet juicey pomegranate and the sharp tang of the feta and lime really does make this one of those salads that can't quite ever be boring. Should you be in the mood for red-themed valentines treats, this should get you in the mood for love.

1) Wash the beetroot and slice off the stalks and leaves. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Carefully peel the beetroot with the nick of a knife, then once it's cool slice thinly.

2) Slice the top from the bell pepper and remove the core and seeds. Slice between the membrane segments (usually leaves 3 or 4 slices of pepper) and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until slightly blackened.

3) Slice the pomegranate in half and hold over a bowl, fruit side down. Bang sharply with a wooden spoon to release the jewels. Alternatively, if the pomegranate is very ripe, it's sometimes as quick to just break it in half and peel off the membrane.

4) Finely slice the radish and add the rocket to a bowl and squeeze over the juice of 1 small lime and a drizzle of basil oil. Toss and transfer to your serving dish.

5) Dice the feta and layer with the beetroot and roast pepper, then sprinkle over the pomegranate and sunflower seeds.

Turkey orange & stilton meatballs

Ingredients 400g turkey mince, 170g white stilton with orange, 1/2 small white onion, passata tomatoes, juice and zest of 1 orange, linguine

Serves: 3 Preparation: 20 minutes

This recipe evolved as a result of a twitter conversation. I was asked what kind of sauce I'd serve with a stilton-based meatball, creamy or tomatoey and I explained that stilton LOVES fruit. Whether cranberry, orange, apricot or ginger - the more tart the flavour, the better. So for me, the only solution would be a simple sauce of orange juice, zest and the rich warmth of tomato. I made these meatballs with lean turkey mince, all the better to balance the naughty addition of cheese!

1) Peel and slice half the onion and add to a blender. Pulse for a few seconds and then add the turkey mince and crumbled stilton.

2) Keep pulsing until the mixture is thoroughly combined - you will see it form a large ball in the blender when it is ready. Remove and form into meatballs.

3) Using a little splash of oil, fry off the meatballs in a hot pan for about a minute - tossing them to ensure they keep their shape and are evenly coloured. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and set aside.

4) Zest the orange and squeeze out the juice. Add the juice and zest to a pan with about 250g passata and warm through. Season and pour over the meatballs, then transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees.

5) Boil the linguine in salted water for about 10 minutes and strain. Add the meatballs and sauce to the linguine and toss until the sauce has coated the pasta. Serve with black pepper and a sprinkle of basil or parsley.

Veal sausage casserole

Ingredients 6 veal sausages, 2 tbsp Essential Cuisine veal stock, 1 small white onion, 1 small maris piper potato, 2 carrots, 1 tsp butter.

Serves: 4 Preparation: 1 hour

Recently I was sent a range of Essential Cuisine stocks to test and this is my first recipe using their veal stock. Veal stock sits right between chicken and beef so it could be used to enhance the flavour of a chicken or a beef casserole. It just so happened that I had some veal sausages in the freezer though and this very simple, clean casserole is wonderfully simple.

1) Peel and dice the onion, potato and carrot. Using a wok or frying pan, fry off the onion in a tsp of butter and add the carrot and potato for about a minute.

2) I added 2 tsps of veal stock to 500ml of hot water and poured over the vegetables to deglaze the pan. Transfer to a casserole dish and add the sausages.

3) Bake in the oven for at least an hour in an uncovered dish. As the sausages cook, they will float to the surface of the liquid, allowing the skin to crisp a little. Turn the sausages as they begin to brown.