Christmas Pudding

When I was a child the tradition at my school was for all the children to stand in line and take a turn in giving the Christmas pudding a stir, whilst all singing a rather repetative song about stirring a pudding. Thankfully times have changed and I have a mixer, so don't rely on child

labour for such things.....

Ingredients
100g ready-to-eat dried figs, roughly chopped
150g sultanas
150g raisins
150g currants
50g chopped mixed peel
1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
50ml Guinness
50ml brandy
150g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
100g molasses sugar

Put the dried fruits, peel, apple, lemon zest, Guinness and brandy into a large bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, spices and a pinch of salt.

Melt the butter in a small pan, then allow to cool slightly. Pour over the dried fruit mixture, then add the breadcrumbs, eggs, molasses sugar and spiced flour. Mix well.
Grease and base line a 1.5 litre pudding basin. Tip in the pudding mixture and level the surface. Cut a circle of foil larger than the top of the pudding basin and make a pleat down the centre. Use to cover the pudding and secure in place with string – tie this around the basin rim, loop over the pudding and tie at the other side to make a handle.




Put an upturned saucer in the base of a deep saucepan. Sit the basin on top and fill the pan with boiling water to come halfway up the basin. Cover the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and steam the pudding for 5 hours, keeping the water level topped up. Using the tie-handle, carefully remove the basin from the saucepan. Set aside to cool. Cover with clean foil and store in a cool place for up to 6 months.

To reheat, place on an upturned saucer in a large saucepan of simmering water. Cook for 1 hour or until piping hot throughout.

Don't forget to add a silver charm for luck.....

Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies

150g plain flour

1/2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp salt

75g rolled oats

125g butter

75g brown sugar

100g caster sugar

1 egg

1tsp vanilla extract

75g dried cranberries

150g whit choc chips

Preheat the oven to Gas 4 and grease a baking sheet.

Cream the butter and sugars in a bowl, beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the foulr, baking powder, salt, oats and fold in the cranberries and choclate chips.

Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls, then place on the baking sheet and flatten with a fork.

Cook for 15 minutes, until golden, and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Oven baked risotto

1tbsp oil

1 chopped onion

300g risotto rice

100ml white wine

400g tin chopped tomatoes

200g roasted peppers

500ml veg stock.

good hadnful of parsley chopped

Heat the oven to Gas6.

Heat the oil in an oven proof pan, fry the onion until soft. Turn up the heat, add the rice and stir in the wine until absorbed, then pour in the tomatoes, peppers and 440ml stock.

Cover and bake in the oven fr 25mins until the rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in the remaining stock, parsley and scatter with Parmesan.

Pea Risotto

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

About 5 1/2 cups chicken stock

8 oz shelled fresh peas

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper
Pour olive oil into a pan over medium-high heat; when hot, add onion and stir often until limp, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes.
Add wine and stir until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 1/2 cups stock, about a cup at a time, stirring after each addition until almost absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes total; stir in peas with the second cup of stock. If risotto is thicker than desired, stir in a little more broth. Stir in cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

To make this totally vegetarian use a good vegetable stock.

Sausage and Guinness casserole

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
12 good-quality pork and herb sausages
2 large onions, sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
12 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
1/3 carton passata
330ml bottle Guinness
300ml beef stock, hot
250g chestnut mushrooms, halved

Heat the oil in a large casserole or deep, wide frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook for 6-8 minutes, until browned all over. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions, celery and bacon to the casserole and cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes, until softened. Stir in the flour and tomato passata and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the Guinness, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, until reduced. Add the stock, bring back to the boil, then return the sausages to the casserole with the mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and season to taste.

Not really what I was expecting to be making on a Sunday in August, but it was delicious and the accompanying vegetables were at least home grown!

Berry Slump

100g butter

100g caster sugar

100g SR Flour

2 eggs

2tsp vanilla extract

600g mixed summer berries

In a mixer, whizz together the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla, until smooth. Lightly grease a baking dish and tip in the summer berries.

Dollop over the cake mix, cover the fruit.

Cook for 45 minutes in an oven Gas 4. Serve warm with custard, vanilla ice cream, or extra thick cream.

Cherry Clafoutis

When everytime you pick up a cook book, magazine or recipe card, you can't help but wonder if your being "told" to try something. When it then appears on the TV and on websites you frequent, you know you must. This is the case with Cherry Clafoutis.

300g cherries, unpitted (although I did pit mine!!)
300ml milk

3 eggs

60g caster sugar

60g plain flour

Half-tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Half-tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar for serving

Method:

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Remove the stalks and arrange the cherries in a single layer in a shallow, lightly buttered 22cm glass or porcelain baking dish. In a food processor, combine the eggs and sugar and beat until smooth. Add the milk, salt and vanilla extract, and whiz briefly. Sift in the flour and baking powder and blend for one minute until smooth. Pour the batter over the cherries until just covered (you may not use all the batter) and bake for between 30 and 40 minutes, or until puffed, golden, and set. Rest for ten minutes (it will sink slightly), then dust with icing sugar and serve warm, straight from the dish.

I will admit this was not to my taste and a great dissappointment. I have also come to the conclusion that whilst I love cherries, I do not like them cooked. I had some difficulty in getting my clafoutis to set whilst baking, and this could account for the slightly rubbery texture.

Egyptian Tomato Salad.....sort of

1 Shallot chopped

1 glove of garlic minced

Black pepper (ground)

750g approx of tomatoes (use at least three varieties)

good squeeze of lemon

handfull of fresh chopped parsley

2tbs olive oil

Slice the tomatoes, amd layer in a flat serving dish.

Mix the shallot, garlic, lemon juice in a small jug. Pour over the tomatoes, add a generous grind of pepper and a good pinch of sea salt.

Leave to steep for a few hours. Serve at room temperature.

Just before serving add the parsley, and toss everything together to mix up the tomato varieties.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

175g butter

175g unrefined golden caster sugar

65g walnut pieces

3 large eggs

175g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp very strong coffee

200g butter

400g icing sugar

2 tbps very strong coffee

You will also need 2 x 21cm loose-bottomed sponge tins or a 2lb loaf tin, which is what I used.

Beat the butter and sugar till it is light, pale and fluffy. Set the oven at 180°C/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, line the base tin with greaseproof paper and chop the walnuts. Crack the eggs into a bowl, break them up with a fork and add them a little at a time to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.

Mix the flour and baking powder together and mix into the butter and sugar gently, with the mixer on a slow speed or by hand, with a large metal spoon. Stir in the coffee to the mixture. Chop the walnuts and fold gently into the cake.
Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin, smooth lightly, and bake for 40 minutes. If your using 2 round tins this will probably reduce to 25 minutes.

To make the frosting, beat the butter till soft and pale with an electric beater, then add the sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. Stir in the coffee mix it into the buttercream. Decorate with walnut halves.

Languine with chilli, and crab

2 gloves garlic

1 scant tbsp salt

1 large chilli (red)

200g white crab meat

100g brown meat

125ml extra virgin oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon

500g linguine

handfull of chopped fresh parsley

Put on a large pan of water to boil the pasta.

In a large pestle and mortar pulverise the peeled garlic cloves with the salt into a smooth paste. Add the chopped and seeded crab meat, breaking it up gently with the fork, and pour in the oil. Zest the lemon into the mortar then add the juice.

Mix together using a fork. Cook the pasta. Drain and tip into a serving bowl, pouring over the crab sauce. Toss the pasta to coat in the sauce and throw in the chopped parsley, and toss again.

This was not as fantastic as I had expected (or perhapes hoped). For my taste there was a little too much oil, and the flavour of it bebecame over poering in the dish. Should I make this again I'll cut the oil down to 100 ml's and try and find a hotter chilli!!

Lavender Biscuits

50g caster sugar

130g butter

200g self raising flour

1tbsp lavender flowers

Cream together the butter and sugar, add the four and lavender flowers, blend until it comes together. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes, then roll into little balls, and flatten. Bake for 7-8 mins at Gas mark 4.

I received the lavender from my dear friend Terry, and have been pondering for a while how best to use it. These are definately making full use of my lovely gift.

Chocolate brownies

Ingredients

200g best quality bitter chocolate

125g unsalted butter, softened

225g vanilla caster sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

4 tbsp freshly made instant coffee

150g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

handful of broken walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.

Line the base and sides of a 30 x 22cm roasting pan with foil.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl set over, but not touching , hot water. While the chocolate is melting, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the whole eggs and yolk with the beaters still going. 5. Stir in the chocolate and coffee.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Fold into the mixture together with the walnuts. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the mixture comes out a bit sticky. The interior should resemble fudgy goo, not a sponge.

Leave to cool in the pan, then cut into squares.

Lasagne

Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil

25g butter

2 large onion, finely chopped

3 celery sticks, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely diced

3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1kg freshly ground fatty beef, such as chuck

2 fresh bay leaves

225ml milk

1/3 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

225ml white wine,

2 400g canned plum tomatoes, chopped

9-10 sheets pre-cooked dried lasagne

90g parmasen,

salt and fresh ground black pepper
For the béchamel sauce:

600ml milk

2 fresh bay leaves

1 onion, halved

freshly grated nutmeg

60g butter

60g plain flour

salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method
Warm the oil and butter in a heavy-based casserole over medium heat. Add the onion and gently fry for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the celery, carrots and garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring to coat well.

Stir in the beef with a large pinch of salt and several grindings of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef has lost its raw pink look.

Add the bay leaves and milk, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the meat has absorbed the milk. Season with a pinch of nutmeg.

Pour in the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes with their juice and stir thoroughly. Cook, uncovered, at a simmer for 3 hours or more. Taste and correct the seasoning.

About 45 minutes before the meat is ready, make the béchamel sauce. Pour the milk into a saucepan with the bay leaf, onion and a generous pinch of nutmeg. Bring to just below the boiling point, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Grease a shallow baking dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Strain the milk, then gradually stir it into the flour mixture to make a thick smooth sauce. Season to taste.

Pour some béchamel into the baking dish - enough to just cover the base. Place a layer of lasagne sheets on top, followed by a layer of meat sauce, another layer of béchamel and a good handful of Parmesan. Continue with two or three more layers until both sauces are used up. Add a final sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling all over and a knife slips easily through the layers of lasagne.

I never quite manage to make Lasagne, the same twice in a row, probably because I like to switch what I put into my sauce. I sometimes like to add grated Courgettes, lots of mushrooms and olives. Whilst I'm certain an Italian Mama would be horrified, I like to think it ensures that those eating what I put in front of them know that it really is home-made!!

Spinach & ricotta cannelloni

150g butter
1 garlic, halved
½ a teacup of plain flour
600ml milk
a pinch of mixed spice
1 tbsp grated parmesan

olive oil

¼ of a carrot , grated
a couple of stems of parsley , chopped
¼ of a celery stick, chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 handful of basil leaves

500g cooked spinich (frozen is fine)
300g ricotta

1 egg , beaten
2 tbsp grated parmesan
18 cannelloni tubes

Heat the oven to 190C/170C/gas 5. Heat the butter gently, add the garlic. Add the flour, stirring all the time, then the milk. Stir until the béchamel sauce thickens. Add the spice and Parmesan. Remove garlic and season.
To make the Napoli sauce, heat some olive oil, add the garlic. Then add the carrot, parsley and celery and fry gently until brown. Then add the tomatoes. Stir in the basil and half a cup of water, simmer for 20 minutes.
For the filling, mix the spinach and ricotta with the egg and the Parmesan. Season, then spoon it into the cannelloni tubes and place in a buttered baking tray. Spoon over the béchamel sauce, then add a layer of the Napoli sauce on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Spiced Prawns

Fry one sliced onion, in olive oil until golden. Stir in 2tsp grated fresh ginger and 1/2tsp ground cumin, and 1/2tsp of crushed coriander seeds. After a minute stir in 1/2tsp of turmeric, pinch of dried chilli flakes and 250g raw prawns. Stir for a few minutes until the prawns turn pink. Add 250ml (approx) of roast tomato sauce (see post below), and heat. Serve on a bed of steamed rice, sprinkled with coriander.

Roast Tomato Sauce

Whilst its lovely, to pour over cook books, or foodie magazines, and create something delicious and new for dinner, sometime you just can't beat some pasta and a good sauce!

Having spent the last six weeks mainly eating carb free, today was a day for a treat -pasta, with roast tomato sauce.

Roast Tomato Sauce

1kg tomatoes halved

4 garlic gloves roughly chopped

2tsp caster sugar

2tbsp tomato puree

2tbsp olive oil
handful of fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to Gas 5, spread the tomatoes in a large roasting tin. Sprinkle with sugar, olive oil, garlic and puree. Roast for one hour until soft and slightly charred in places.

Scatter with basil leaves, crushing the tomatoes down with a fork to form a sauce. I prefer mine to be a littler more refined, so give it a quick whizz in the blender.

Simple and delicious.

This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to four days and freezes well.

Apricot and Almond Traybake

250g butter
225g golden caster sugar
275g self raising flour
2tsp baking powder
finely grated zest of 1 orange and 2tbsp orange juice
75g ground almonds
5 medium eggs lightly beaten
225g chopped ready to eat apricots

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Grease a 20.5x33com tin and baseline.

Put all of the ingredients except the apricots into the bowl of a free standing mixer and mix until thouroughly combined.

Fold in the apricots. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the surface with a pallet knife. You might want to sprinkle the surface with some flaked almonds.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until risen and golden.

Cool in the tin and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

This is increadibly easy to make, and tastes out of this world. I liketo think its healthy because it contains fruit!!

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients
For the ferment starter:
1 large egg, beaten
215ml warm water
15g fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
55gstrong white flour
For the dough:
450g strong white flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice
85g butter cut into cubes
85gsugar
1 lemon, grated, zest only
170g mixed dried fruit
2 tbsp plain flour
oil, for greasing
1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing


1. Prepare the ferment starter for the dough by combining the beaten egg with enough warm water to give approximately 290ml/½ pint of liquid. Whisk in the yeast, sugar and flour, cover and put in a warm place for 30 minutes.
2. make the buns: sieve the flour, salt and spice into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre and put the sugar and lemon zest in the well. Pour on the ferment starter.
3. Gradually draw in the flour and mix vigorously, then knead to a smooth, elastic dough.
4. Carefully work in the mixed dried fruit. Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a warm, greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
5. Turn out the dough and knead to knock out any air bubbles and give an even texture. Shape it into a ball again, put back into the bowl, cover and put back to rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Turn out the dough again and divide into 12 even pieces. Shape them into buns and leave to rest for a few minutes on the work surface covered with the tea towel.
7. Place the buns on a lightly greased baking sheet. Slightly flatten each bun and then cut into quarters, cutting almost all the way through the dough, so that as each bun rises, it has a well-marked cross on it.
8. Grease a large polythene bag and place the tray with the buns in it and tie the end. Put in a warm place and leave to rise for 40 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8. Make a paste for the crosses on the buns with the plain flour and 2 tbsp cold water. Mix until it is soft enough to pipe through a nozzle.
10. Remove the polythene bag and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake the buns for 8 -12 minutes or until risen and golden. Brush the buns with hot golden syrup as soon as they are ready. Cool on a wire rack.

Prawn and Chorizo Jamalaya

150g dice chorizo
1 each, small red pepper and yellow pepper, diced
1 onion finely chopped
2 celery sticks finely sliced
2 garlic gloves chopped
1 red chilli chopped finely
200g long grain rice
227g chopped tomato, tinned
700ml vegetable stock
1/2tsp tabasco sauce
200g raw tiger prawns, peeled
Cook the chorizo in a wide deep frying pan. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

To the pan add peppers, onion, celery, garlic and chilli, stirring occasionally, cook for 5 minutes. Stri in the rice, cook for 1 minute, add the tomatos, stock and tabasco sauce and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the chorizo and prawns and cook for a further few minutes.
You might like to garnish with spring onions and lime wedges.

Cheesy Macaroni

Ingredients For the cheese sauce

1pint milk

50g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish

50g plain flour

1 bay leaf

175gcheddar cheese

50g Parmesan

300g macaroni
.Heat oven

Gas 6. Fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with water and put it on a high heat to boil. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Using hot milk to make a béchamel greatly reduces the risk of a lumpy sauce, so start by pouring the milk into a medium saucepan and place it over a medium heat, until the milk is hot, but not quite boiling. Pour the hot milk into a jug and keep it standing by

Putthe butter in the medium saucepan and melt it over a low heat. As soon as it has melted, tip in the flour. Turn up the heat a little. Stir the flour and butter with a wooden spoon to make a thick paste called a roux. It is very important to cook this roux a little or you will end up with a floury-tasting sauce, so keep stirring it for a minute or two while it sizzles gently. Pour in about a quarter of the hot milk and stir it carefully into the roux. Gradually add the rest of the milk and keep whisking gently until it is all thoroughly mixed in. Add the bay leaf. Bring the sauce to the boil and then turn the heat down to low. Let the sauce gently simmer for about five minutes. Meanwhile, grate the two cheeses, keeping them separate. Grease a large ovenproof dish (about 22cm square) with plenty of butter.

Season the sauce very well with a good grinding of black pepper, a generous grinding of salt and pepper. Add the grated cheddar cheese to the sauce . When the water in the large pot starts to boil, add a good pudding spoonful of salt and the macaroni and cook the pasta for two minutes less than the time it says on the packet. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir together well until thoroughly combined. Pour the cheesy macaroni into the ovenproof dish. Spread evenly and sprinkle it with the grated Parmesan. Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese on top has turned golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Sometime we just need a bit of comfort from our food, and what could be better than this?

Pea and Watercress Soup

2tbsp olive oil
15g butter

1 large onion chopped

1 garlic glove chopped

1 large potato cubed

1.5 litres of chicken stock

900g frozen peas

100g watercress

Heat the oil and butter in a large pan, add the onions and garlic, cook gently until softened. Add the potato and toss with the onion and garlic before adding the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender.

Add the frozen peas and simmer for a few minutes. Add the watercress and stir until wilted. Remove from the heat, cool, and then blend until smooth. Season to taste, and reheat to serve.

Lemon Seed Loaf

Zest of 1 lemon

200g sugar

250g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1 medium egg

100ml semi-skimmed milk

2tbsp soured cream

2tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 2lb loaf tin, or line as I do with a paper case.

Mix together all the ingredients, except for the milk in a mixer. Continue mixing and add the milk, the mixture will turn into a lovely lemoney batter. Turn into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 55-60 minutes until cooked through ( you might need to cover lightly with tin foil after approx 40 mins).

Leave to cool in the tin for a good ten minutes before turning out onto a rack.

So having become addicted to the lovely DaniK's newest blog, http://www.daisybakery.co.uk/daisy-bakery-danis-blog/index.php, I had to accept the challenge and join in the Flavour of the Month Competition. Having trawled through my cook books there was nothing for it but to submit this, which has been adapted from The Good Housekeeping Great Cakes book. Now I just have to see how stiff the competition is........

The original recipe uses plain yogurt, and a sticky syrup to drizzle on top. I much prefer this addition of soured cream, and too keep it as a simple, non-sticky loaf, perfect with a cup of afternoon tea.

Love Buns

125g plain flour
125g caster sugar
125g butter
2 eggs
1/2tsp bicarb
2tsp baking powder
2tsp vanilla extract
2-3tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6.

If you have brought all the ingredients to room temperature, put everything except for the milk into a food mixer and blitz unil smooth. Add the milk to make a smooth dropping consistency.

Divide the mixutre into a muffin tin lined with papers and bake for 15-20 minutes. They should be risen and golden.

I find the topping in Nigella's book for these to sweet and sickly, so used a simple vanilla icing. The bling is obviously optional.....

Pancakes

110g plain flour,
2 eggs
200ml milk mixed
Butter for the pan

Method
Sift the flour and a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets a airing. Whisk the eggs into the milk. Add the flour to the egg mixture and whisk like furry, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. I like to leave my batter to stand in the fridge for at least an hour.

Melt a tiny amount of butter in a pan. I found it easier to use a pastry brush and smear the pan with that, after it had been dipped in the butter. Get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake. I use a nearly full ladel of batter per pancake. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then slide it out of the pan onto a plate.Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper.

To serve, spinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

As an alternative drizzle with mapel syrup, melted chocolate or a fruit coolie.

And you must, must, must at least once try tossing in the traditional manner!

Tomato and Red Lentil Soup

60g onion

1tsp olive oil

1 crushed clove garlic

60g diced carrot

60g red lentils

200g tinned tomatoes

250ml vegetable stock

Heat olive oil, add chopped onion & garlic. Cook until golden brown, add diced carrot. Cover and cook gently over heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add red lentils, tomato and stock (you can also add oregano and basil if you like). Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are tender. Blend and serve.

Cod Portugaise

1tsp lemon juice

2tsb olive oil

1 glove garlicBay leaf

100g cod fillet

200g tinned tomatoes

1tsp tomato puree

Chopped oregano

1tbsp chopped parsley

60g rice (uncooked weight)

Preheat oven 180 degrees. Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and bay leaf in a ceramic dish. Place cod fillet in marinade and turn to coat. Set aside to marinade. Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish.Meanwhile heat the tomatoes, puree and oregano. When the fish is almost cooked pour over the fish and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve with the cooked rice.

I'm on bit of a health kick, so instead of rice I served with broad beans and peas. Very low fat, but still tasty. Any firm white fish would work if you prefer not to eat cod.

Citrus Roast Chicken

Ingredients
2 limes, cut into quarters
4-6 whole garlic cloves
large handful of thyme leaves
2kg free-range chicken
juice of 1 lemon
salt and fresh ground black pepper
3 tbsp Olive oil

Set the oven to gas 6. Push the lime quarters, whole garlic cloves and thyme into the cavity of the chicken.

Place the chicken into a roasting pan and drizzle the lemon juice over. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 2 hours.

Lovely fresh tasting chicken, which I served with couscous and a tomato salad.

Chocolate Orange Cake

2 small oranges (approx 375g)
6 eggs
1/2tsp bicarb
1tsp baking powder
200g almonds
250g caster sugar
50g cocoa

Put the oranges in a pan of water and bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours until soft. Drain and cool, then pulp in a food processor.

Preheat the oven (Gas 4), butter and line a 20com tin.

Add the eggs, baking powder, bicarb, almonds, sugar and cocoa to the food processor. Mix together with the orange pulp into a batter. Pour into the cake tin and bake for an hour. Test with a cocktail stick, or cake tester if your posh! After 45mins you may need to cover with foil to prevent burning.

Leave to cool on a rack, take out of the tine when the cake is cold. Can be eaten as it is decorated with orange peel strips.

However I've taken to covering this with the following icing:-

75g butter
175g dark chocolate melted
300g icing sugar
1tbsp golden syrup
125ml sour cream
1tsp vanilla extract

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a pan over simmering water, add the golden syrup to the melted mix once its cooled. Then add sour cream, vanilla, and icing sugar. Mix together and decorate your chocoalte orange cake.

Ham in Cherry Coke

6-7 lb/ 2.5-3 kg mildly cured boneless ham

1 onion, peeled & halved

2 litre cherry coke

Water(if the coke doesn’t completely cover the ham)

16-20 whole cloves

Glaze

2-4 tbsp cherry jam

1tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2tsp smoked paprika

2tbsp english mustard powder.

Place the ham in a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Cover the ham completely with cold water. Bring it to a boil and immediately drain the ham in a colander and rinse. This removes the saltiness from the ham without having to soak it overnight.

Rinse out the pot, replace the ham, add the onion and pour the cherry coke to completely cover the ham. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, partially cover and let it cook for at least 2 – 2 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C4.

Remove the ham from the cooking liquid and let cool on a cutting board. In the meantime, in a small pot, combine the jam, mustard, paprika and vinegar and stir until the jam is melted. Strip the rind, if any (mine didn’t have any, but I was a little nervous trying to figure that out) and score the top and sides in a diamond pattern and stud with whole cloves.

Place the ham in a roasting pan and glaze with the jam mixture. Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

My coke didn't quite cover the ham so I topped it up with water, having done some internet research I think next time I make this I will top up with apple juice. Also either use a foil disposable roasting pan, or cover your pan with foil, otherwise lots of scrubbing for your resident dishwasher!!!

I served this on New Years Eve, with red cabbage and potato gratin.

Lobster Thermador

4 lobsters, about 1-1/2 Lb each
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 cup single cream
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 quartered lemon

Heat 3-4 gallons water to boil in a stockpot, over a high flame. Plunge lobsters headfirst, into boiling water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from pot and drain well. Remove claws and legs, leaving body intact. Remove flesh from claws and legs, and set aside. Cut thin undershell from tail with shears and gently remove flesh from tail shell. Cut flesh to large dice and combine with flesh from claws. Wash shells well and drain. Heat butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt and nutmeg. Heat and stir until bubbly. Whisk in cream and wine. Add lobster and stir to coat well. Remove from heat. Invert shells onto a baking sheet and fill with lobster mixture. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Place in oven briefly to melt cheese and brown lightly. Remove to a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve hot!

I actully used a cooked frozen lobster, but included the instructions for those brave enough to "kill" their own.

If you haven't tried lobster before I urge you too!! This was delicious, my only regret is that I served it as a starter, (so half a lobster each) and I think we'd have all enjoyed a whole one as a main!!