HOT CAMEMBERT ON TOAST WITH WALNUTS & RELISH OF ONION & PEAR

Ingredients:

8 oz Camembert cheese or brie (ripe, flavoursome)
2 oz walnuts (shelled)
4 x slices of bread to toast or dip in olive oil then chargrill in a ribbed non-stick pan
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Leaves and lettuces for garnish
Onion & Pear Relish (see separate recipe below)

Method:

1 Leave the cheese in a warm area to air then heat gently in a warm place to begin melting very slowly.
2 Meanwhile toast the bread. I suggest a thick piece, or as I’ve mentioned above, dip the bread in olive oil then colour in a non stick pan.
3 Place the cheese on top of the toasted bread, sprinkle with walnuts, followed by the dressed leaves, in a little of the spare olive oil.
4 Best to serve up with a dollop of the relish.

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RELISH OF ONION & PEAR (Great 100% with all cheese!)

Ingredients
1.5kg (3lb) pears, peeled and chopped
2 eating apples, peeled and chopped
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
185g (6oz) sultanas
1 tbspn chopped fresh or stem ginger
1 tbspn coriander seeds
1 small red chilli
250g (8oz) sugar
375ml (12 fl oz) wine vinegar

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Simmer for about an hour or until the chutney thickens and you can draw a wooden spoon through it.
3. Ladle into the hot sterilised jars, label, store for two weeks before opening.

HONEY GLAZED SALMON

with Dill, Pickled Cucumber Shoe Laces and Balsameqsw[daric Olive Oil Dressing
(Starter Size)

4x4oz salmon fillets (skin on, no bones)
1 cucumber
5g chopped dill herb
10mls white vinegar
120mls balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
2 turns peppermill or pinch ground pepper
5gms of pure local honey

Method:
1. Peel cucumber and slice into thin strips looking like shoe strings. Marinade with the vinegar and the dill for 20 to 25 minutes and then drain it.
2. Season and brush the salmon with the warmed honey. Heat your pan (non-stick) quickly, using only a small amount of oil. While salmon is cooking, take balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk to make the dressing.
3. To plate, put the cucumber on the bottom of the plate, drape the salmon over and pour dressing around the plate. Garnish with some pickled dill and a few leaves.

HONEY ROAST CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH FRUITY CURRY

Ingredients
1 litre chicken stock
400g cauliflower
5 tablespoons clear honey
2 onions (peeled and chopped)
2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
5 fl oz double cream
80g plain flour
80g butter
sprig thyme

Fruity Curry
25g sultanas
25g raisins
25g dried bananas
70g coconut milk
½ oz turmeric
½ oz garam masala
½ oz ground cumin

Method:
1. Place the chopped cauliflower into a bowl and spoon over 2/3rds of the honey. Mix to coat evenly, then place on a roasting tray and cook in a hot oven at 170 degrees Centigrade until browned.
2. In a heavy based pan, sweat off the onion, garlic and thyme with a little butter. Add the cauliflower, remaining honey and flour and cook out briefly.
3. Pour over the warmed chicken stock and cook at a simmer for about 45 minutes.
4. In the meantime, sweat the fruit and spices in a little butter, add the coconut milk, then simmer for ten minutes.
5. Blitz the soup in a liquidiser/food processor, then pass through a fine sieve, add the cream and finish with a spoonful of the fruity curry in each serving bowl.

Accidentally invented in 1985.

Ingredients
1 onion, peeled & chopped
4 sticks celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 medium cauliflowers cut into florets
1 pint chicken/vegetable stock
40g plain flour
75g butter
250g spinach leaves, washed & de-stalked
5 tomatoes, quartered & de-seeded but skins on
150g tomato puree

Method:
1. Melt the butter in a heavy based pan. Add the onion, celery, garlic and cauliflower, stirring occasionally for a few minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes. Add the stock and leave to simmer until the cauliflower is soft.
3. Divide the soup into 3 portions. Blend/liquidise one portion and pass through a strainer.
4. To another portion, add the tomatoes and tomato puree, liquidise and strain.
5. To the remaining portion add the spinach leaves, liquidise and strain.

To Serve:
Take 3 separate pans and heat each soup until they are piping hot, pour into 3 separate jugs/gravy boats.
Place a small metal ring in the centre of a soup bowl and pour 2 of the soups either side of the metal ring at the same time.
Next pour the remaining soup into the centre of the ring, give the ring a little twizzle around and remove from the bowl.
Note: Alternatively, use 3 soups of your choice, differing in colour and of a good consistency.

Drink Suggestion:
Bloody Good Mary! 1/5th vodka, 4/5ths tomato juice, dash of lemon juice, 2 dashes Tabasco Sauce, celery salt & pepper to taste. Stir well & garnish with a stick of celery. For a virgin take away the vodka.

Ingredients
4 x 75g red mullet fillets (scaled)
1 medium carrot (peeled & thinly sliced)
3 shallots (peeled & finely sliced)
Salt & pepper
10 coriander seeds
250g caster sugar
400ml white wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 pinch saffron
100ml olive oil
Garnish
Selection of soft herbs eg chervil, flat leaf parsley, coriander

Method:
1. Pan fry the mullet fillets (skin side down) for a couple of minutes, then remove from the pan.
2. Place in a shallow dish and cover with the sliced carrot and shallots.
3. Bring the remaining ingredients to the boil, simmer for one minute then pour the liquid over the mullet, cover with cling film and leave for twenty minutes or until firm to the touch.

To Serve:
Place on a plate, garnish with a few soft herbs and drizzle with the cooking liquor.

Drink Suggestion:
Black Velvet. Draught flow Tin Guinness. Top off with champagne or a dry cider. Very nice. Drink it by the pint.

HONEY GLAZED SALMON

with Dill, Pickled Cucumber Shoe Laces and Balsameqsw[daric Olive Oil Dressing
(Starter Size)

4x4oz salmon fillets (skin on, no bones)
1 cucumber
5g chopped dill herb
10mls white vinegar
120mls balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
2 turns peppermill or pinch ground pepper
5gms of pure local honey

Method:
1. Peel cucumber and slice into thin strips looking like shoe strings. Marinade with the vinegar and the dill for 20 to 25 minutes and then drain it.
2. Season and brush the salmon with the warmed honey. Heat your pan (non-stick) quickly, using only a small amount of oil. While salmon is cooking, take balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk to make the dressing.
3. To plate, put the cucumber on the bottom of the plate, drape the salmon over and pour dressing around the plate. Garnish with some pickled dill and a few leaves.

Classical and simple.

Ingredients
1.5kg fresh mussels (cleaned, no barnacles and remove any beards)
300ml white wine
3 shallots (diced)
200ml double cream, whipped lightly
50g butter
Selection of soft herbs (chervil, chives, parsley etc).

Method:
1. Place the mussels in a large hot pan and add the shallots and white wine.
2. Cover with a lid and cook until the shells open.
3. Finish with double cream, butter and a few fresh herbs. Season to taste.

To Serve:
Pile the mussels into a large bowl and pour over the white wine/cream sauce. Garnish with a handful of fresh herbs.

Drink Suggestion:
Rosé Wine. Cote De Provence Regions. South France.

Accompanied by hunky, chunky big carrots, onions & celery and its braising liquor. Served complete.

Ingredients
4 baby chickens (approx. 375g each)
200g haricot blanc beans (soak in cold
200g black eyed beans (water over- night
4 medium red onions, peeled but left whole
4 carrots, peeled but left whole
3 litres white chicken stock
½ litre white wine
150g butter
Sprig of thyme
2 sticks celery
Selection of soft herbs (e.g. chervil, chives, coriander).

Method:
1. Place the chicken, carrots, onions & celery in a large saucepan with a sprig of thyme. Cover with 2 litres stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 1-3 hours.
2. Drain the beans and place in a pan. Cover with the remaining stock, add a sprig of thyme and simmer until tender.
3. When the chicken is poached & cooked thoroughly (i.e. the juices run clear) remove from the liquid and leave to cool.
4. Reduce the poaching liquid by 2/3rds until a light broth is formed. Pass through a strainer to remove the vegetables and whisk in the butter.
5. Lightly roast the chicken in a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 to add colour & flavour.

To Serve:
Place the onions, carrots, celery & beans in the centre of a large bowl and place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Pour over the buttered broth and garnish with a selection of soft herbs.

Drink Suggestion:
Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. With the perfect climate and soil stretched along the Pacific Ocean makes a great wine with baby birds.

An English Goat’s cheese flashed in the oven & served with a braising of lentils, madeira, bits of bacon & a good stock, graced with a herb salad.

Ingredients
1 Golden Cross goat’s cheese log
1 thin baguette
200g green lentils (soaked in cold water overnight)
1 litre of good quality veal stock/beef sauce
100g pancetta, cut into lardons
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
50g butter
3 sage leaves shredded finely
Selection of soft herbs to garnish (chervil, chives, parsley etc).

Method:
1. Slice the baguettes into croûtes and rub in a little olive oil. Bake the croûtes in a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 until just crisp. Leave to cool.
2. Place the lentils in a pan with the stock and simmer until just tender.
3. Drain the lentils keeping the cooking liquor. Reduce this by half to obtain a glossy sauce.
4. Lightly fry the pancetta and then remove from the heat.
5. Slice the goat’s cheese into 1” high towers. Sit the goat’s cheese onto croûtes and place under a hot grill until lightly glazed.
6. Rewarm the lentils in the sauce, stirring in mustard, butter, sage and pancetta until the butter has dissolved.

To Serve:
Place the lentil compote in the centre of a bowl. Top with the grilled goat’s cheese croûte.
Garnish with a light herb salad and drizzle with a good quality olive oil.
Note: Stages 1 – 4 can be prepared in advance.

Drink Suggestion:
Jurançon French wine. It may be very sweet but chilled with warm goat’s cheese it is a good partnership.

Accompanied by aubergines, peppers, basil potatoes, baby fennel and a tangy tomato sauce

4x150g sea bass portions (pin boned& skinned)
80g stale white bread, crusts removed
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Finely pared zest of 1 lemon
Salt and Pepper

1 bulb garlic
1 aubergine
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
Sprig of thyme
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Baby Fennel: see method
Basil mashed potato: see method

Tomato Sauce
100ml tomato juice
25ml raspberry vinegar
5 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
2 shallots peeled & roughly chopped
6 basil stalks, roughly chopped
50g caster sugar
100ml olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Garnish
A selection of soft herbs e.g. chervil, coriander, chives

Boiled Mash Potatoes
For the Pesto:
A good handful of basil leaves
25g lightly toasted pine kernels
50g finely grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
300ml olive oil (good quality)
Salt & Pepper

Method:
1. For the tomato sauce, combine the ingredients in a container, cover and leave to marinade in a cool place for 24 hours. Then pass through a sieve (not too fine). Some pulp should come through but not the seeds.
2. To slow roast the garlic, separate the cloves but leave the skins on (keep 1 clove in reserve). Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and place in a preheated oven 140ºC, 275º, Gas Mark 1 for 45 minutes. The soft cloves can then be squeezed from their skins.
3. Discard the seeds from the aubergines and peppers. Cut the flesh into 1cm squares. Sauté until tender in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar with a clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme & seasoning. Leave in a cool place until required.
4. Cut the bread into small (2cm) squares and place on a baking sheet with lemon zest. Transfer to a preheated oven at 110ºC, 225ºF, Gas Mark ¼ for about 30 minutes, until dried out and crispy.
5. Cool the bread a little before placing in a food processor. Add the chopped herbs and seasoning and blitz. The dry breadcrumbs should take up colour from the fresh herbs.
6. Trim 8 bulbs of baby fennel and blanch in boiling water for 3 – 4 minutes. Then place in a dish and cover with olive oil (this will be absorbed into the open pores of the fennel).

To make the pesto, place the pine kernels and garlic with some olive oil in a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add basil & parmesan and blend. Season. Mix a tablespoon of pesto into freshly mashed potato. For an extra basily flavour, infuse the basil stalks in warmed milk and strain before adding to the crushed potatoes during mashing.
7. Place the herb crumbs onto a plate/tray. Rub a little oil on the fish and then coat each piece in the crumb mixture. Pan fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil for about 1 minute on each side and then transfer to a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 for 10 minutes.
8. Gently re-warm the aubergine/pepper confit along with the slow roasted garlic. Remove the fennel from the oil and reheat in either a pan or in the oven for a few minutes.

To Serve:
Place a mound of basil mashed potatoes in the centre of a large plate or bowl, along with the confit of peppers & aubergine, and the slow roasted garlic. Sit a piece of sea bass on top. Add 2 pieces of fennel per protion and a drizzle of the tomato sauce. Garnish with a handful of soft herbs.

Note: Stages 1 – 6 and the pesto can be prepared ahead of time.

Mustard Butter
2 tbsp chopped shallot
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
125g unsalted butter
2 tbsp moutarde de meaux
seasoning
English Style Onions
Dusting of seasoned plain flour
½ pint milk
1 large onion (peeled and sliced whole to make onion rings)
Monkfish
½ red cabbage
½ white cabbage
½ Savoy cabbage
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large eating apple (peeled and either coarsely grated or finely sliced)
1 clove garlic (finely grated)
½ thumb fresh ginger (finely grated)
4 fresh monkfish tails (skinned, boned and trimmed – approx. 6-7oz portions)
1 pint whole milk
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 tsp cinnamon
4 sliced Parma ham (or similar cured ham)

Method:
1. For the mustard butter, combine the shallot, vinegar and tarragon in a pan. Bring to the boil and stir, then cool. Meanwhile cream together the butter and mustard, add the reduction to the butter and mustard mixture, then season. The butter sauce is now ready to serve.
2. For the onion rings, dip the onion rings in the flour and shake off any excess, then dip into the milk. Repeat this twice, then deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.
3. Ensure that the monkfish tails are well trimmed of the membrane, otherwise they will ‘contract’ when cooked.
4. Sprinkle the tails lightly with a small amount of cinnamon, and half cover with milk, adding a sprig of thyme and bay leaf. Clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least four hours.
5. Remove from the fridge, drain off the milk and pat dry, then gently wrap in a slice of the Parma ham and secure with a pre-soaked cocktail stick ready to place in the oven.
6. The fish will take between 7 and 8 minutes to cook in the oven on 190 degrees Centigrade, 375 degrees Fahrenheit or Gas Mark 5. Leave to rest for a good five minutes under a piece of kitchen foil.
7. For the cabbage, finely shred the three cabbages – making sure that you keep each of them separate from the other. In three pans, quickly blanche the cabbage in boiling salted water, then drain well.
8. Heat a large pan or wok and add the vegetable oil, add the garlic and ginger followed by the three different cabbages and the apple. Season with salt and black pepper.
9. Divide the cabbage between three plates and pile it in the centre, top with the monkfish and drizzle the mustard butter around. Top with the crispy onions.

A hearty main course, accompanied by classical boulangere potatoes, braised red cabbage and roast dinky apples.

Ingredients
4 x 150g pieces of pork belly (skin & bone removed)
Vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled & roughly diced
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & roughly diced
1 clove garlic
Sprig of thyme
600ml dry English cider
1.5litres of good quality meat stock
50g butter

Method:
1. Seal the pork in a little oil in a hot, thick bottomed pan. Add the onion, apples, garlic & thyme.
2. When the pork is well coloured on each side, deglaze with the cider and reduce by 2/3rds.
3. Cover with the stock and braise for 1-2 hours in either a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 or simmer on top of the stove until the pork belly is tender.
4. Remove the pork from the cooking liquor and leave to stand in a warm place. Reduce the cooking liquor to a sauce consistency. Stir in the butter & season to taste.

Boulangère Potatoes
Peel & thinly slice 4 medium sized potatoes, 1 onion & 1 garlic clove. In an ovenproof dish layer the potatoes, onion, garlic with thyme and seasoning. Cover with chicken stock and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 for 1hour, until the potatoes are soft & beginning to colour on top.

Braised red cabbage
Sweat finely sliced red cabbage in a little oil with a finely chopped garlic clove and a cinnamon stick. Braise in red wine until tender. Then stir in 1 tbsp of redcurrant jelly.

Roasted baby apples (available in tins eg ‘Les Delectables’ from high quality delicatessans) Place the apples (complete with stalks) on a baking tray with a little butter and roast for a few minutes in a hot oven (200ºC, 400ºF, Gas Mark 6). Fresh apples can be used if tinned baby ones are not available. Quarter, core, slice & then roast as above.

To Serve:
Place the cabbage and potato in the centre of a plate. Sit the pork on top. Drizzle the sauce around and garnish with the roasted baby apples.

Drink Suggestion:
Very well chilled Dry Scrumpy Cider from Somerset or Herefordshire. The cloudier the better.

Ingredients
Ingredients
4 x 5oz pieces pork fillet (trimmed of all traces of silverskin)
2 shallots (peeled and minced)
1 small garlic clove (peeled and minced)
2oz pancetta
5 fl oz double cream
1/2 pint chicken stock
1 rounded teaspoon grain mustard
4 fl oz white wine
1 x 5oz tin butter beans (drained and rinsed in cold water)
1 small pack fine green beans
3 old potatoes
4 large flat mushrooms
4 metal rings (or a Yorkshire pudding tin)
Salt and pepper
Butter

Method:
1. Begin with the potatoes which should be peeled then finely sliced (either in a food processor or by hand), then thoroughly washed to remove as much starch as possible.
2.Remove from the water and transfer to a gleaming, clean tea towel and dry as well as possible.
3.Take a baking sheet and liberally grease it with butter, place the four metal rings onto the sheet (if you don't have any metal rings it is possible to use a Yorkshire pudding tin,but the pies won't be as deep so you may want to make eight pies and stack them two on top of each other). Melt about 2oz butter and run the potato slices through the melted butter to lightly coat, then layer the potato slices in each of the four rings (season well with salt and black pepper as you go.
Bake in an oven at 180 degrees Centigrade for about one hour or until cooked through.
4. Take a large open mouthed pan and heat until very hot. Add the pancetta and cook for a few moments to seal, turn down the heat and add the shallots and garlic an sweat off in the oil created by the pancetta until softened.
5. Remove from the pan and place to one side. Add the pork fillets to the hot pan (again the residual fat from the pancetta should suffice, but it may be necessary to add a very small amount of vegetable oil to the pan).
6.Seal the pork on all sides, then remove to a hot oven at 200 degrees Centigrade for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
7.Remove the pork from the pan and leave to one side to rest and relax.
8. While the pork is cooking, de-glaze the pan by adding the white wine to the hot pan and let it bubble down to reduce it by half.
9. At this point, add the chicken stock and let it bubble down by about a third, add the butter beans and ensure they are thoroughly heated through.
10.Meanwhile take a sauté pan and melt some butter, place the rinsed whole flat mushrooms into the hot pan with a good grinding of salt and black pepper. Cook over a high heat moving around from time to time. Then remove from the heat.
11. Finish the sauce with the cream and finally the mustard.
12.Trim the stalk ends of the fine beans and briefly cook in rolling boiling water with sea salt. When almost cooked, remove from heat, drain well and place to one side.
13.To serve, place a potato scale pie in the centre of each plate, top with a mushroom, spoon the sauce around the outside of the potato pie, cut each piece of pork fillet in half diagonally and arrange on top of the pie, finally add a good handful of fine beans. Resist if you can!

Charred Smoked Salmon with slow roast tomatoes, olives & basil

Ingredients
4 x125g smoked salmon fillets (skin, bones & brown bits removed)
4 vine tomatoes
Fresh thyme springs
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
20g sea salt
20g caster sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

Tapenade:
100g black olives (de-stoned)
20g capers
1 clove of garlic
10g tinned anchovies (optional)
300ml olive oil (good quality)
Freshly ground black pepper

Pesto
A good handful of fresh basil leaves
25g lightly toasted pine kernels
50g finely grated parmesan cheese
1 clove of garlic
300ml olive oil (good quality)
A little salt & fresh ground pepper
Garnish
A few soft herbs (chervil, parsley, chives etc).

Method:
1. Cut the tomatoes in half and lay open side up on a baking tray with thyme and garlic on top. Dust with the salt, sugar & pepper, and place in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 1, 275ºF, 140ºC for 1½ - 2 hours until tender.

2. To make the tapenade, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for a few seconds.

3. To make the tapenade, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for a few seconds.

4. When the tomatoes are nearly ready, rub the smoked salmon with a little olive oil and sear in a hot pan for about a minute on each side.

To Serve:
Place a piece of salmon on top of 2 halves of tomato in the centre of a plate, drizzle a small amount of the tapenade and pesto around and garnish with a few fresh herbs.
Note: The tapenade and basil can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.

Drink Suggestion:
Why not try one of these fizzy white wines from a small region north of Paris.
Champagne classic – sexy, your choice.

Ingredients
½ white cabbage (finely shredded)
½ red cabbage (finely shredded)
½ savoy cabbage (finely shredded)
2 eating apples (cored and quartered)
1 clove garlic (finely grated)
1 inch piece of fresh ginger (finely grated)
1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 smoked duck breast (sliced)
1 smoked chicken breast (sliced)
Extra vegetable oil
Sesame oil

Method:
1. Take a saucepan and place the white cabbage into it. Cover with boiling water, a little salt and bring back to the boil. Boil for one minute, then refresh with cold water and drain.
2. Repeat the same process with the red cabbage (using fresh water) and then the Savoy cabbage (using fresh water).
3. In a large fry pan, heat a little vegetable oil then add the garlic and ginger and cook briefly without colour for one minute.
4. Add the sliced apple and the smoked meat and keep moving around the pan.
5. Add the three different types of cabbage and continue to work around the pan.
6. Make the vinaigrette dressing by combining the white wine vinegar and wholegrain mustard, then whisk in the vegetable oil.
7. Once the cabbage is heated through, splash over the vinaigrette and ensure all the ingredients are heated properly.
8. Finally add a splash of sesame oil and heap up a portion into a medium sized pasta bowl (or similar).
Eat at once

Ingredients
8 cherry tomatoes
2 vine tomatoes
2 plum tomatoes
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
Puff pastry discs (cut to the size of your pan, approximately 6” diameter & 5mm thick)
100g granulated sugar
100ml water
50ml balsamic vinegar (e.g. ‘Fresh Olive Company’)
Fresh sprig of basil

Method:
1. Place the water & sugar in a thick bottomed frying pan and bring to the boil.
2. Leave to form a golden caramel and then add the balsamic vinegar.
3. Halve the vine & plum tomatoes through the middle and place in the pan (open side up) along with the cherry tomatoes (whole). Sprinkle over the garlic.
4. Lay the pastry disc over the tomatoes & leave to rest for 10 minutes to stop shrinkage of pastry.
5. Place in a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 and cook for 15-20 minutes.
(Note: When the tomatoes are watery at certain times of the year, a little water may be poured out of the pan during baking).

To Serve:
When the pastry is crisp, remove from the oven & turn out onto a plate. (If necessary return to the oven for a few minutes to dry out the pastry).
Garnish with a sprig of basil.

Drink Suggestion:
The classic English Pimms No 1. Cram in to a glass jug ice, strawberry, cucumber, apple, pear, nicely chopped. For a 4 pint jug pour 1½” Pimms in the bottom. Top up with lemonade, give it a stir. Place fresh mint on top- very cool, very nice

Seared scallops with a warm ragout of garlic, tomato, potato and other bits.
A dish full of Mediterranean flavours.

Ingredients
16 scallops (with the roe or ‘coral’ removed)
6 tomatoes
1 bulb of garlic
1 aubergine
4 peppers (2 red, 2 yellow)
Sprigs of thyme
2 large potatoes
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (eg ‘Fresh Olive Company’)
Garnish
Deep fried basil and sage leaves and a few fresh chive tips.

Method
1. Remove the skins from the tomatoes (by blanching in hot water and then plunging into cold water). Cut into quarters and discard the seeds. Place on greaseproof paper on a baking sheet and sprinkle over a clove of finely chopped garlic, sprigs of thyme and season well. Place in a preheated oven at 140ºC, 275ºF, Gas Mark 1 for 1 hour.
2. To slow roast the garlic, separate the cloves but leave the skins on, drizzle with olive oil and place in a low oven (as above) for 45 minutes.
3. Discard the seeds from the aubergine and peppers. Cut the flesh into 1cm squares. Saute in 1tbsp olive oil and 1tbsp balsamic vinegar with a clove of garlic, thyme and seasoning until tender.
4. Peel the potatoes & cut out 16 potato balls using a parisienne scoop/melon baller. Blanch in hot water until tender.
5. Gently warm up the tomatoes, garlic, potato balls and aubergine and pepper confit. Rub the scallops with a little olive oil and sear in a hot pan for about 1 minute on each side.

To Serve:
Place the vegetables in the centre of a bowl. Top with the scallops and garnish with the deep fried herbs and fresh chive tips.
Note: Stages 1-4 can be prepared ahead of time.

Drink Suggestion:
Riesling Alsace. Region France. Delicate wine with fine grape aroma and fruity flavour.

Ingredients
2 large tins coconut milk (full fat)
6oz caster sugar
1 tablespoon Malibu (or more!)

Method:
1. Place the coconut milk into a non-stick pan along with the sugar and heat until the sugar has all melted.
2. Add the Malibu and stir to mix. Leave to cool.
3. Transfer to an ice cream machine and freeze/churn for 25 minutes.
4. Eat at 100mph.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons freshly picked jasmine flowers
150ml boiling water
100g caster sugar
½ lemon (juice only)
275ml double cream
Yellow food colouring (optional)
Jasmine flowers (to garnish)

Method:
1. Place half the jasmine flowers in boiling water and leave for one hour to infuse.
2. Dissolve the sugar in the jasmine water, then bring to the boil and boil for 4-5 minutes until syrupy.
3. Strain the syrup and place in a blender or food processor.
4. Add the remaining flowers and liquidise.
5. Cool and then add the lemon juice. Add the cream and whisk lightly, adding a tiny drop of yellow colouring if you wish.
6. Pour the mixture into a polythene lidded tub and freeze until the edges are just firm.
7. Remove from the freezer and either stir well with a fork, or beat with an electric whisk to break up the ice crystals.
8. Repeat this process every 45 minutes until the ice cream is fully frozen and without any ice crystals.
9. Decorate with lots of jasmine flower and eat with sugar biscuits.

A messy meringue masterpiece!

Ingredients
4 egg whites
225g caster sugar
400g mixture of soft berries
75g caster sugar
1 tbsp water
Icing Sugar to taste
Lemon Juice

Method:
1. Whisk the egg whites until stiff & gradually whisk in the sugar a little at a time.
2. Using a palette knife dipped into hot water, shape the meringue mixture into large flat triangles on greaseproof paper.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 140ºC, 275ºF, Gas Mark 1 until set.
4. Heat the berries in a pan with the sugar & water & simmer for 5 minutes until the juices begin to run. Chill.
5. For the fruit purée, pass some of the cooked berry mixture through a sieve & combine with a little icing sugar and lemon juice.
6. For the Crème Anglaise:
Simmer 300ml double cream with split vanilla pod. Take off the heat & leave to infuse. Whisk together 3 medium egg yolks and 50g caster sugar until thick & creamy. Remove the vanilla pod & then whisk in the warmed cream. Strain back into the pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens – do not boil. If serving cold, pour into a bowl, cover with a piece of dampened greaseproof paper (to prevent a skin forming) and allow to cool.
7. For the Chocolate Sauce:
Place 150ml water and 110g caster sugar in a pan and bring to the boil. Whisk in 55g Nestle Chocolat Cuisine Fine Dark Continental Chocolate (broken into pieces) and 55g Nestle Chocolat Cuisine Unsweetend Cocoa Powder until melted & smooth. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve.

To Serve:
Scoops of vanilla ice cream
Fruit Purée
Crème anglaise (see method)
Chocolate sauce (see method)

Use your artistic talent to arrange the meringue triangles, ice cream scoops & the berry mixture, and then go mad with the purée, crème anglaise & chocolate sauce!
Note: The meringue shapes, berry mixture, purée, crème anglaise & chocolate sauce can all be prepared ahead of time. Keep the meringues in a dry place & chill the berries, purée, crème anglaise & chocolate sauce.

Drink Suggestion:
Snowball.
Top 1970’s drink. Tall glass. Ice.
1/5th Advocaat, 3/5th Lemonade, dash of lime, good stir

The classic combination of pears and chocolate go well together in this traditional pudding.

Ingredients
110g butter, unsalted
100g granulated sugar
225g plain flour
50g Nestle Chocolat Cuisine unsweetened cocoa powder
2 x 400g tins of pear halves, drained well
50g Nestle Chocolat Cuisine fine dark continental chocolate broken into pieces
Chocolate Sauce
300ml water
225g caster sugar
110g Nestle Chocolat Cuisine fine dark continental chocolate broken into pieces
110g Nestle Chocolat Cuisine unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
1. To make the crumble topping place the butter, sugar, flour and cocoa powder in a food processor and whizz until the mixture is evenly mixed (alternatively, rub everything together in a bowl by hand).
2. Place half of the pears in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Break half of the chocolate over and cover with half of the crumble mix. Place the remaining pears on top of the crumble along with the remaining chocolate and crumble mixture. For individual crumbles, use metal rings (about 10cm in diameter and 7cm high). Grease well with butter & sit them on greaseproof paper on a baking sheet. Add a sprinkling of crumble mixture in the bottom of each ring. Then layer up to the top with a pear, chocolate & crumble mixture, compressing each layer in turn.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 for 45 minutes.
4. For the chocolate sauce, place the water & sugar in a pan & bring to the boil. Whisk in the chocolate & cocoa powder until melted & smooth. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a jug. (Delicious hot or cold).

To Serve:
Cut out a portion of the crumble (or loosen the crumbles in the ring with a palette knife). Place on a plate along with some custard and chocolate sauce and top with a piece of block chocolate. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a baby pear. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Serve with:
Custard
Chocolate Sauce
Block Chocolate
Tinned Baby Pears e.g. “Patisfrance” (optional – available from good delicatessans)
Fresh mint sprigs
Nestle Chocolat Cuisine unsweetened cocoa powder

Drink Suggestion:
Californian Eylsium Black Muscat. A dark purple fruity sweet wine. Perfect with dark chocolate.

Ingredients
250g pear halves (either fresh pears which have been peeled and cored or tinned – ensure they are well drained)
500g puff pastry
15g butter (do not use margarine)
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 small sprig rosemary
For the Sauce
55g butter (do not use margarine)
110g soft brown sugar
110g golden syrup
110g double cream

Method:
1. Take a heavy based pan (that can also go into the oven). Roll the puff pastry onto a floured surface until it is about 1cm thick. Invert the pan on top of the pastry and cut around it. Remove the pan, then prick the pastry disk all over and leave to one side.
2. Heat the butter in the same pan, when it has melted add the sugar and leave on heat until it starts to go brown (take care not to burn it).
3. Add the pear halves round side down (really cram them in). Pick a small amount of rosemary, chop as finely as possible and sprinkle over the pears. Err on the side of caution, otherwise the tart will be inclined to taste ‘soapy’.
4. With the pan still on the stove, place the puff pastry disk onto the top of the pears and press well down to compact.
5. Bake in a hot oven at 200 degrees Centigrade for 20-25 minutes.
6. For the sauce, combine the sugar, golden syrup and butter in a pan over a medium heat. When all the sugar has dissolved, add the cream and mix well.
7. When the tart is cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 3-5 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the top of the pan where the pastry meets the pan to ensure that it is sufficiently loose.
8. Place an upright plate on top of the pan, then invert to turn out the tart.
9. Serve warm with the warm butterscotch sauce. Try not to eat too much!

With right way up custard

Ingredients
220g unsalted butter
220g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
220g plain flour, sifted
1 tspn baking powder
Vanilla extract/essence
6 tinned pineapple rings
Decoration
Glace cherries
Lumpy custard
Vanilla ice cream (with bits of pineapple stuck into it)
Dried pineapple rings (see end)
Dried Pineapple
Slice 2 pineapple rings very thinly and place on a tray on a piece of greaseproof paper. Make a ‘glupey’ stock syrup by boiling together a small quantity of granulated sugar and water. Cover the pineapple rings with a spoonful of stock syrup, and a sprinkling of sugar. Place in a preheated oven at 130ºC, 250ºF, Gas Mark ½ until dried out.

Method:
1. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter and place 4 pineapple rings in the bottom.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating the mixture well in between. Fold in the flour.
3. Pour the cake mixture over the pineapple and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 for 40 minutes or until the sponge is pale, golden and springy to the touch.

To Serve:
Turn out the sponge. Cut either a square or circular (using a metal cutter) piece of sponge around the pineapple. Place on a plate with the custard. Put a ball of ice cream on top, along with a cherry and a dried pineapple ring.

Drink Suggestion:
Keep the pineapple thing going with your drink.
Pina Colada – real simple mix
White rum, coconut cream or malabu, big glass bowl with crushed ice in. Put everything in and top off with pineapple juice. Put some calypso music on and relax man!

with Vanilla Ice Cream and served with a Red Wine Syrup

100g crème fraiche
150g toasted almonds
8 figs
8 sheets filo pastry
20g melted butter
Poaching liquor
200ml ruby port
1 bottle red wine
2 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
5 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 vanilla pod

Method:
1. Place all poaching liquor ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the figs. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes then take figs out of the liquor.
2. Reduce liquor into syrup.
3. Place figs in cool place. Dry excess liquid off.
4. Put flaked almonds on a tray and roast in the oven until golden brown.
5. Cut filo pastry into large square, double sheets, enough to cover figs. Brush each sheet with melted butter
6. Wrap figs in the pastry and brush outside with melted butter.
7. Cook at 200 degrees Centigrade for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

To Serve:
Place some of the syrup on the bottom of a plate and place wrapped figs in filo on top, garnish with a quenelle of crème fraiche, and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Ingredients
800g fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced)
6 basil leaves
8 tbsp cold water
1 ½ tbsp granulated sugar
½ bottle Champagne or dry sparkling wine

Method:
1. Place the strawberries in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water over a medium heat.
2. Add the basil leaves, cold water and sugar. The water in the pan needs to be at a simmer.
3. Cook for one hour.
4. Remove from the heat and strain the strawberry liquor (without pressing the remaining fruit otherwise the liquor will become cloudy).
5. Mix 2/3rds of the strawberry syrup with 1/3 Champagne or sparkling wine. Blitz with a bamix or electric whisk to a froth.
6. Serve in small glasses as a miniature dessert.
7. Retain the hot strawberries to serve with ice cold vanilla ice cream when all your guests have gone home!