It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas….yes, we have less than 10 days to go! I put up my tree at the weekend; the house definitely seems more joyous – what is it with fairy lights, they always manage to cheer up the dullest corner?! I have also started lighting the White Co’s ‘Winter’ candles, so the house smells particularly Christmassy! Things seem almost under control, the goose is ordered the only thing I am slightly worried about is the last minute rush for groceries – Ocado have let me down this year, as I haven’t managed to get a Christmas delivery slot, but in the scheme of things, with Covid and all the other world problems, this seems one of the lesser evils!!

Last week, we enjoyed a lovely relaxing week away in the Yorkshire Dales – yes, at last the lifted lockdown rules allowed our get away! We stayed at Yorebridge House, a boutique hotel which we chose for the reputation of its restaurant, it did not disappoint! We enjoyed some fantastic meals there, plus discovered some other great restaurants nearby. I would definitely recommend a visit to Wensleydale, I loved the countryside – it’s dry stone walls, green dales and flocks of sheep. Although it was very cold, we wrapped up and enjoyed a few lovely walks – in particular the one around the Asygarth Falls to Castle Bolton was stunning. At the end of the week we met up with Felix in York, where we enjoyed a beautiful meal at my favourite restaurant, Meltons, before returning home, together, to London.  I will be sharing our restaurant experiences on my Eating Out Page over the coming weeks, so remember to take a look!

This week I am continuing to post recipes which I think will be good for you to have on your cooking list over the festive season. Menu one is a great recipe for Peppered Fillet of Beef with Port Sauce, it is one which I have served to guests for years. I love this recipe as it is easy to prepare the sauce beforehand, so you just need to put the beef fillet in the oven for about 20 minutes when your guests arrive – and if, this year, you don’t have any guests arriving(!), it is still a great family treat which won’t have you slaving over the stove for too long! I like to serve it with Dauphinoise Potatoes and Green Beans & Shallots. Menu Two, Potato and Mackerel Dauphinoise, admittedly isn’t particularly festive, but I feel that over the Christmas period we often need something that can be literally thrown together and put in the oven to almost forget about – this dish is the answer!…Served with a simple rocket salad, it is perfect for supper between Christmas and New Year, when you are almost running out of steam!…Menu Three is a lovely dessert, Chocolate Slab with Drunken Cherries, which can be prepared and kept in the fridge to serve at any time, no last minute cooking! Finally, Sausage Rolls, yes, I know, do you really need a recipe for these?…well the answer is YES, you do, as in this recipe the secret is the sausage meat  – seriously, these are the best sausage rolls you will taste! Make them!!…(you are privileged that I am sharing my secret recipe!!)…

Anyway, enjoy your week…and remember you can listen to my Christmas Music playlist here!

Menu One

Peppered Fillet of Beef with Port Sauce, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (Serves 4)

This fillet of beef recipe, is one that I have been doing for years. I particularly like that the sauce can be made in advance, so there is no last minute rush. I like to serve it with Dauphinoise Potatoes, I rather like the cheese version for this dish (recipe below), but you could also serve it with my simpler recipe without cheese (recipe here). In addition, a great accompaniment is Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (below) or simply Sautéed Spinach (recipe here).

2 x fillets of beef, 450g each – nice even pieces

2 teaspoons black peppercorns, lightly crushed

Olive oil

400ml port

2 sprigs of thyme

2 cloves of garlic, halved

300ml beef stock

2 teaspoons cornflour made into a paste with 2 tablespoons of the port

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Season the beef with salt and evenly coat it with the crushed peppercorns.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and brown the beef all over, then transfer to a roasting tray.
3. Place the beef in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for about 20 minutes for medium rare (a meat thermometer will read 55’c). Move to a plate to rest.
4. Meanwhile put the port, thyme and garlic in a small saucepan and boil to reduce by half, then whisk in the beef stock and the cornflour paste. Cook, whisking for about 1 minute until the sauce has thickened.
5. Check the sauce for seasoning, adding any juices from the resting beef.
6. Slice the beef into thick slices and serve with the sauce, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (recipes below).

Staple Side Dish – Dauphinoise Potatoes with Gruyére Cheese (Serves 4-6)

This is the second recipe that I have posted for Dauphinoise Potatoes on Menu Mistress. This recipe is the richer of the two and is more unctuous. I particularly like it with Peppered Fillet of Beef (above), but if you prefer a simpler Dauphinoise recipe, without cheese, you can find it here.

I found this recipe for Dauphinoise Potatoes with Gruyére in the cookbook, ‘At Home in the Provence’ by Patricia Wells, who in turn took it from renowned French chef, Joël Roubuchon – so it comes well endorsed!

500ml whole milk

250ml double cream

125g grated Gruyere cheese

1 kg firm fleshed potatoes (such as Charlotte), peeled and sliced very thinly

1 plump clove garlic, peeled and halved

45g unsalted butter, diced

Freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt and black pepper

1. In a large saucepan bring the milk to boiling point. Add the cream and three-quarters of the cheese. Stir to blend and melt the cheese. Season which salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Add the potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon. Cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
2. Rub a baking dish with the garlic. Transfer the potatoes and their liquid to the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the butter.
3. Place in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for about 1¼ hours.
4. Serve immediately.

Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (Serves 4)

This turns the humble bean into something really special, and it only takes a few minutes! The recipe is from Rachel Allen’s cookbook, ‘Recipes From My Mother’.

300g French green beans

25g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

50g shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the beans in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender (al dente). Drain and keep to one side.
2. Add the butter and oil to the empty saucepan, when the butter starts to foam add the shallots with the vinegar and cook for a minute or so over a medium heat.
3. Return the beans to the pan and toss in the shallot butter. Season to taste and serve.

Menu Two

Potato and Smoked Mackerel Dauphinoise with Rocket Salad (Serves 3-4)

I used to make this recipe years ago, but as Felix grew older, I made it less as he isn’t a fan of mackerel. However, now that he is away at university I am a free to cook what I want, so this dish has recently reappeared on my cooking list! It’s a great midweek supper dish, as you literally throw everything in a dish and leave it in the oven for an hour! I serve it simply with rocket, drizzled with a quality olive oil. The recipe is from one of Nigel Slater’s original cookbooks, ‘Real Food’. If you’re feeling particularly hungry, from personal experience, I think that for four people you should double the recipe and make two dishes – you can always reheat the leftovers for lunch the next day!

450g waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte

225g smoked mackerel fillets

2 bay leaves

300ml double cream

200ml full fat cream

1 tablespoon grain mustard

(Rocket to serve)

1. Wash the potatoes, there is no need to peel them, slice them lengthways (about 3mm thick).
2. Put them in a shallow baking dish about 30cm in diameter. Break up the mackerel fillets into large bite-sized pieces (remove the skin), and toss them gently with the potatoes. Tuck in the bay leaves.
3. Mix together the cream, milk, mustard and a little salt and pepper. Pour over the potatoes.
4. Bake in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for about an hour until the cream is bubbling and the potatoes are tender.
5. Serve with some rocket drizzled with a quality olive oil.

Menu Three

The Very Best Sausage Rolls (with a gluten free option!!)

Seriously, this is the best sausage roll recipe you will come across!…The secret is the sausage meat, the combination of bacon and fennel with the pork mince really adds a burst of flavour. Apart from making the sausage meat, this recipe is very quick, as the uses ready rolled puff pastry. Any uncooked sausage rolls can be easily frozen and cooked at a later date.

Gluten Free Note: As you may know, I’m gluten free, and so I make these both with and without gluten, if I’m totally honest the gluten recipe is slightly better, however the gluten free option is still very good. I have recently discovered ‘Jus Roll Gluten Free Ready Rolled Puff Pastry’, and I was pleasantly surprised with it, it doesn’t puff up in quite the same way as the gluten puff pastry, hence those pictured are made with ‘proper puff pastry’, however they still taste rather delicious!

The sausage meat recipe requires ‘Panko’ Breadcrumbs, so as a gluten free option I use ‘Esgir, Gluten Free Crunchy Crumbs’, which are a great substitute.

For the Sausaage Meat

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped

150g unsmoked streaky bacon, finely chopped

Olive oil

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan

500g pork mince

40g panko breadcrumbs (or gluten free crumbs – see note above)

1 egg, lightly whisked

½ teaspoon salt

Black pepper

For the Rolls

2 packets of Jus Rol Ready Rolled Puff Pastry (Gluten Free if required – see note above)

1 egg, lightly whisked

A little plain flour (gluten free if required) for rolling

1. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic and celery for 2 minutes, then add the bacon. Cook for a further 2 minutes without browning. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
2. Add the fennel seeds, pork mince, breadcrumbs, salt and a little pepper and the egg, mix well using your hands.
3. To make the rolls: lay out the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each rectangle of pastry in half lengthways, so that you have four pieces. Put the sausage meat in a compact log shape along the middle length of each piece of the pastry. For each piece: brush the egg along one long edge, fold the pastry over to meet this egg washed edge, seal tightly, then fold this sealed edge under the long roll.
4. If you have the patience it is a good idea to refrigerate the long rolls for an hour before cooking, as it makes them easier to cut.
5. When you are ready to cook them, cut each long roll into smaller lengths to create ‘sausage rolls’. Gently score each roll a couple of times with a knife and brush with the egg wash.
6. Place on a baking tray and cook in a preheated oven, 180’c fan,  for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and serve warm.

Freezing Note: You can freeze unbaked sausage rolls, place in an airtight container in single layers with baking paper between each layer. You can cook them from frozen, brush with egg wash and place in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for about 40 minutes.

Menu Four

Chocolate Slab with Drunken Cherries

I found this dessert in a magazine many years ago, it’s simplicity caught my eye – it is a simple case of melt and mix. It keeps in the fridge, so it can be made well in advance. It is quite rich so you only need a small slices. The ‘drunken cherries’ are in a light winey compote – it’s an ideal recipe for cherries which are out of season. You could, and I have done this myself in the past, serve it with cherries in Kirsch from a jar, the taste will be different as the ‘drunken cherries’ in this recipe are made with red wine, however they do work well – giving the dessert a more ‘black forest gateau’ flavour. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

75g walnut pieces, finely chopped

75g butter

100g caster sugar

1 tablespoon golden syrup

150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I use Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

35g plain flour (gluten free if required)

Generous pinch of sea salt

For the Cherries

400g cherries, stalks removed, pitted or left whole

300ml red wine

25g caster sugar

Whipped Cream to serve

1. Line a small loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated oven, 150’c, for about 6 minutes until golden.
3. Meanwhile put the butter, sugar and syrup into saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring.
4.  Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until it has melted. Add the eggs stirring vigorously until combined. Fold in the flour, salt and nuts, then pour into the prepared loaf tin.
5. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, 150’c fan. Leave to cool in the tin before transferring to the fridge for at least 2 hours.
6. Meanwhile make the cherries. Tip the cherries, red wine and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and allow to bubble for about 20 minutes until the cherries have begun to collapse and the liquid is syrupy. Leave to cool.
7. Turn out the chocolate slab and cut into slices. Serve with a spoonful of cherries and a dollop of whipped cream!

Well, this week we have finally managed to get away for a few days (I am therefore posting this weeks recipes a little earlier than normal!). You may remember that a few weeks ago, I mentioned that we had been hoping to have a short break in North Yorkshire, but unfortunately the second lockdown scuppered our plans. We rearranged our dates for this week, and fortunately, although we are under tier 2 rules, our ‘get away’ is allowed! The weather will be a little colder than we had originally planned, but we are planning to wrap up warm and enjoy a few refreshing walks in between eating lots of good food – we will be trying my Wensleydale restaurant list!…Hopefully, I will return to my kitchen inspired!…

In the meantime I have been continuing to think about simple recipes we can all enjoy over the Christmas period, and this week I have some real treats!

Menu one is Cullen Skink with Anchovy Puffs. This soup is a traditional Scottish recipe made from smoked haddock, it is great as a dish on its own with lots of crusty bread or as a starter before a special meal – in the past I have served it as a lovely light supper dish on Christmas Eve; I like fish Christmas Eve, as it is a light introduction to the following days heavy menu! The Anchovy Puffs are a recipe which you will definitely thank me for, they are absolutely delicious, not just with this soup but also as canapes with a glass of champagne! Menu Two is Smoked Duck Salad with Orange & Pomegranate, once again this is great as a starter – it’s particularly lovely before Christmas dinner, but is equally good as a light supper dish. I would definitely recommend that you get some smoked duck in the house for the Christmas period, as this dish is so easy to ‘throw’ together, yet very impressive. Menu Three is Venison Mince with Celeriac Mash, a great midweek dinner, warming and tasty. The venison gives this mince dish a lovely rich flavour whilst the addition of redcurrant jelly lends it a subtle sweetness. Finally, Menu Four is Raspberry Clafoutis, a beautifully light custard dessert which seems to complement most meals as although creamy it is quite light, so is a fantastic recipe to have over this festive period – a great finish to heavy meals!

In addition, I thought we should all enter into the Christmas spirit, covid or no covid!…and so on my MenuMusic page I am sharing some of my favourite Christmas tunes (here), so you can cook along to them!…

Enjoy!

Menu One

Cullen Skink with Anchovy Puff Pastries (Serves 4)

Cullen Skink is a Scottish recipe from the village of Cullen in the Highlands, which is the home of finnan haddock  (a local smoked haddock), the traditional ingredient of this soup. ‘Skink’ means ‘essence’, so in other words this soup is the ‘Essence of Cullen’. It is a completely satisfying soup with an elegant air, thus is as at home on a fancy dinner table served to guests, as it is served to family members for a casual midweek meal.

350g potatoes (such a Maris Piper), peeled and cut into pieces

350g smoked haddock fillet

1 medium onion, diced

25g butter

425ml milk

150ml single cream

1 rounded tablespoon parsley, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Put the potato pieces in a pan of cold, salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and mash.
2. Put the haddock in a saucepan with 425ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 7-10 minutes until it is cooked. Lift out the fish, discard the skin and any bones (strain and reserve the cooking liquid). Flake the fish into large pieces.
3.  Wipe out the saucepan, use it to cook the diced onion in the butter over a low heat for about 4-5 minutes until soft. Then add the reserved cooking liquid and mashed potato, cook over a medium heat, stirring to incorporate the potato.
4. Reduce the heat, slowly add the milk and then the fish. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls and serve with the hot anchovy puff pastries (recipe below).

Anchovy Puff Pastries

These Anchovy Puffs are a recipe which you will definitely thank me for, they are absolutely delicious, not just with Cullen Skink, but also as canapés with a glass of champagne! The combination of the cold, salty ice cream inside the hot puff pastries is divine. I have recently discovered ‘Jus Roll’ gluten free puff pastry, and I must say I was very impressed with it, so if you are gluten free, you can still enjoy these delicious puffs…in fact the Anchovy Puffs pictured above were made with it!

They are very easy to make, the ice cream is not ‘proper’ ice cream so does not need stirring – you just mix and freeze! The puff pastries can be frozen – just defrost and reheat before serving.

1 egg yolk

60g cream cheese

120ml double cream, lightly whipped

25g anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

A pinch of cayenne pepper

1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry (gluten free if required)

1 egg, beaten

1-2 tablespoons of porridge oats

A little flour of rolling (gluten free if required)

1. In a small bowl lightly whisk the egg yolk until creamy. Whisk in the cream cheese and then stir in the lightly whipped double cream, chopped anchovies, cayenne pepper and parsley. Transfer to a shallow container and freeze for about 2 hours until hard (there is no need to stir this ice cream).
2. On a lightly floured surface unroll the pastry. Using a 3” round cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a baking sheet. Then take a small knife and ‘knock up’ the edges of the pastry to encourage rising. Chill for 30 minutes before baking.
3. Brush the pastry circles with the beaten egg and sprinkle with some porridge oats. Bake in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 7-10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.
4. Remove the pastries and whilst still hot split them in half across the middle and spoon the anchovy ice cream into each.
5. Serve straight away either with the Cullen Skink (recipe above) or as canapés with a glass of champagne!

Menu Two

Smoked Duck Salad with Orange & Pomegranate (Serves 4)

This is great as a starter, but is equally good as light supper dish. If you can’t find ready cooked smoked duck breasts locally, you can buy them online, I would recommend those from Farmison & Co.

2 ready cooked smoked duck breasts (see note above)

2 oranges

1 pomegranate (or fresh pomegranate seeds)

Handful of walnuts

1 bag mixed salad leaves

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Juice and zest of an orange

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the walnuts on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven, 180’c, for about 7-10 minutes (keep a eye on them!).
2. If using a whole pomegranate, seed it. Peel one of the oranges, slice it into segments (remove any pith), and juice and zest the other.
3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients, seasoning to taste.
4. Slice the duck breasts
5. Divide the salad leaves between 4 plates, add the orange segments, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. Place sliced duck in the centre and drizzle with the dressing.

Menu Three

Venison Mince with Celeriac Mash (Serves 4)

This is a great midweek dinner, warming and tasty. The venison gives this mince dish a lovely rich flavour, whilst the addition of redcurrant jelly lends a subtle sweetness which is complemented beautifully by the roughly mashed celeriac. This is a recipe which I have taken from Tom Aikens cookbook, ‘Tom Aikens Cooking’ – although he is a Michelin starred chef, this is a very simple recipe!

These days it is easy to buy venison from your butcher – just ask him to mince it for you (diced shoulder is the best cut for this).

400g venison mince

150ml olive oil

25g unsalted butter

3 carrots, peeled and diced small

2 onions, peeled and diced small

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced

150g button mushrooms, sliced

1 rounded tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)

2 level tablespoons of tomato purée

200ml chicken stock

200ml red wine

40g redcurrant jelly

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon each of chopped parsley, thyme and sage

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place a casserole over a medium heat, add the oil , when hot add the mince and season with salt and pepper. Brown in the pan for about 5 minutes. Tip the mince into a colander with a bowl underneath to catch the juices.
2. Place the casserole back over the heat and return the drained juices to the pan with the butter. Cook the carrot for 5 minutes then add the onion and garlic and cook for a further 5-7 minutes until golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Return the mince to the casserole, add the flour stirring well and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute, then add the stock, red wine, redcurrant jelly, bay leaf and fresh herbs.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring now and again.
5. Serve with the celeriac mash (recipe below).

Simple Celeriac Mash (Serves 4)

This  is what I call my ‘rough and ready’ celeriac mash – I also cook another recipe with potato and garlic which is more of a purée, so more refined. This ‘rough and ready’ version is excellent for a quick midweek supper; the texture and flavour, with its hint of lemon, complements the venison mince perfectly (recipe above).

500g celeriac, peeled and chopped into 2 cm pieces

35g unsalted butter

2 teaspoons chopped thyme

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place a pan over a medium heat, add the butter, when melted add the celeriac and thyme, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes adding the lemon juice halfway through cooking.
2. Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes until soft.
3. Mash and check seasoning (adding more lemon juice if required).

Menu Four

Raspberry Clafoutis (Serves 4)

This recipe for Clafoutis is wonderfully light and rather like a baked custard, it is definitely the best clafoutis recipe I have tried. I found the recipe in Simon Hopkinson’s wonderful cookbook, ‘Roast Chicken and Other Stories’. I have been known to eat this dessert cold for breakfast!!…

(I think it is perfect served on its own, but in his cookbook, Simon Hopkinson does suggest a dollop of whipping cream if you fancy!)

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

250ml whipping cream

A tiny pinch of salt

250g raspberries

1 egg

2 egg yolks

100g caster sugar

1 teaspoon potato flour (fécule de pommes de terre)

A little sifted icing sugar

Softened butter to grease dishes

Whipping cream to serve (optional)

1. Put the vanilla pod in a small pan with the whipping cream and salt. When just coming to the boil remove from the heat and whisk carefully to dislodge the vanilla seeds from the pod into the cream. Cover and leave to infuse for 30 minutes or so.
2. Take four ovenproof dishes – I use small individual soufflé dishes – or you could use one large dish if you like, either way butter the dish(es) and arrange the raspberries evenly in them.
3. Beat together the egg and egg yolks, caster sugar and potato flour, then incorporate the cream and whisk together.
4. Carefully pour over the raspberries, so as not to dislodge them. Then place the dishes in a roasting tin. Fill the tin with water so that it comes at least halfway up the sides of the dishes then sift a little icing sugar over their surface.
5. Carefully place in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 25-30 minutes until slightly puffed and a little wobbly – if using a larger dish you may need to increase the cooking time by 10 minutes or so.
6. Switch off the oven and open the door. Leave them like this, in the oven for a further 5 minutes before removing. Take the dishes out of the roasting dish and allow to cool to lukewarm before serving with a little more icing sugar sifted over (and with some whipped cream if you fancy!).

It’s December!…And during these strange, uncertain times, there is at least one thing that we can be sure of…it will be Christmas soon, and of course, Christmas goes hand in hand with food! So, this week I’ve been getting my Christmas cooking list organised; even though there will be very little entertaining going on at home this year, I don’t see any reason why Nick, Felix and I can’t enjoy the menus I normally like to cook when entertaining for friends and family. Although I love cooking, I don’t necessarily like overcomplicated recipes, this definitely applies to those which I cook when I’m entertaining, I like dishes which don’t need too much last minute attention. So, over the next few weeks I thought that I would share a few of these recipes, which are equally suitable for midweek family meals as they are for special occasions.

This week’s Menu One is a fine example of a recipe which can be cooked easily for a midweek meal but is also special enough to be served as a festive treat, Duck breasts with Pomegranate and Walnuts. I think that I have mentioned before, that I like duck breasts as a midweek meal as they are so quick to cook – once the fat is rendered in a frying pan they just need about 10 minutes in the oven. The pomegranate and walnut sauce in this weeks recipe is also extremely quick to cook, so it really is an ideal midweek meal! I like to serve it with spinach and dauphinoise potatoes or if time is of essence, steamed potatoes.

Menu Two is a good family midweek pasta dish, Tagliatelle with Mushrooms and Chestnuts. It is a s a lovely winter vegetarian pasta recipe, I must admit that I often over indulge with rich meat dishes over the Christmas period so this recipe offers some light relief. Finally, Menu Three is another pasta dish, this one has an ‘Amatrice’ Style Sauce with pancetta and tomato, it is a real crowd pleaser and can be made in around 15 minutes, so it is a good recipe to have on your Christmas cooking list for a casual supper.

Who knows what Christmas will be like this year under the Covid conditions, but I think that even if we can’t entertain in the usual numbers, we can, without doubt, continue to enjoy the treat of some good food, and this week’s recipes are definitely the perfect starting point!…

Have a great week and enjoy cooking!

Menu One

Duck Breasts with Pomegranate & Walnuts served with Sautéed Spinach and Dauphinoise Potatoes (Serves 4)

This is such an easy, quick recipe but it looks so special that one would think you had spent hours in the kitchen – definitely my kind of recipe!! I like to serve it with sautéed spinach, which is super quick to make, and depending on time and the occasion, either with dauphinoise potatoes (I prefer the recipe without cheese for this dish) or steamed potatoes. The garnish of the coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds is very important, as they give the dish a lovely fresh, sweet tangy finish! I like to serve the duck breasts quite pink, but if you prefer them more well done, cook for a little longer.

4 duck breasts

2 medium onions, finely chopped

125g walnuts, roughly chopped

6 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 cloves garlic, crushed

200ml chicken stock

Coriander leaves to garnish

Pomegranate seeds to garnish

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Score the skin of the duck breasts, through the fat but not all the way through to the flesh,and salt them.
2. Place the breasts in a dry frying pan, skin side down, over a low heat to render down most of the fat, this may take as much as 10-15 minutes. When the fat is rendered, turn up the heat to crisp up and brown the skin (about 2 minutes). Finally, turn over to sear the underside for minute or so.
3. Place the duck breasts on a baking try and place in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 8-10 minutes (see note above)
4. Meanwhile remove half the duck fat from the frying pan, add the onion with a pinch of salt, cook until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or so.
5. Add the chicken stock, pomegranate molasses, walnuts and some seasoning to the pan, simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Once the duck is cooked allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
7. Serve on plates with the sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves.

Staple Side Dish – Sautéed Spinach with Garlic (Serves 4)

2 large bunches of baby spinach (washed) – about 400g

Olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is beginning to brown.
2. Add the spinach, turning it over to coat in the olive oil. Place a lid over the pan and cook for 1 minute. Remove the lid and stir. Return the lid and cook for a further minute.
3. The spinach should now be wilted, add a drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Staple Side Dish -Simple Dauphinoise Potatoes (without cheese) Serves 4

15g butter

1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper

400ml double cream

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Rub a gratin dish liberally with the butter.
2. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the cream, garlic, nutmeg and season well with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes in this cream mixture.
4. Layer the potatoes in the gratin dish, spreading them flat and evenly, pour over any remaining cream.
5. Place in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for 1 – 1 hour 15 minutes. Every 15 minutes or so press the down the potatoes with a spatula to stop them drying out. The gratin is ready when the top is golden and bubbling, and the potatoes are tender. You may want to turn up the oven to 190 -200’c for the last 5 minutes of cooking to achieve an extra golden crisp.

Menu Two

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms & Chestnuts (Serves 4)

This is a beautiful pasta recipe with lovely earthy flavours. It is particularly comforting during the winter months, however I cook it all year round as we like it so much. Unusually this pasta dish calls for Comté cheese to be grated over it, it really is a delicious addition, complementing the sweetness of the chestnuts. I use the vacuum packed bags of cooked and peeled chestnuts – ‘Merchant Gourmet’ is a good brand. It is worth investing in a quality bottle of truffle oil for this recipe, as it really does enhance the flavour.

This recipe is from one of my favourite cookbooks ‘Nina St Tropez’ by Nina Parker.

4 tablespoons olive oil

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

400g tagliatelle (gluten free if required)

4 cloves garlic, finely diced

150g cooked chestnuts chopped (see note above)

4 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

4 tablespoons truffle oil

Comté cheese, grated to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook until they have shrunk in size by about a half.
2. Add the garlic to the mushrooms and let it cook for a few minutes before adding the chestnuts and seasoning generously.
3. Meanwhile cook the tagliatelle according to the instructions on the packet until al dente.
4. Before draining the pasta, add about three or four spoonfuls of pasta cooking water to the mushroom mixture to loosen it.
5. Finally add the drained tagliatelle to the mushrooms along with the chives, crème fraiche and truffle oil, taste to check the seasoning.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and serve!

Menu Three

Amatrice Style Pasta – All’Amatriciana (Serves 4)

This is a great sauce for pasta, traditionally served with bucatini, but also, in my opinion, great with spaghetti, or dare I say it penne (I’m sure some Italians would disagree!). Whatever pasta you choose, I can assure you it will be a very delicious sauce, ready in 15 minutes – it’s a great crowd pleaser! The recipe calls for Pecorino cheese rather than the traditional Italian Parmesan cheese, Pecorino is saltier and gives this dish a tangy flavour which I particularly like, but you could substitute it for Parmesan if you wish.

This recipe is taken from Antonio Carluccio’s cookbook ‘Passion for Pasta’.

3 tablespoons olive oil

150g diced pancetta

1 small onion, chopped

1 small chilli pepper, chopped

450g tomato passata

400g bucatini pasta or spaghetti (see note above)

50g freshly grated Pecorino cheese (or Parmesan cheese – see note above)

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the pancetta, the onion and chilli for 3-4 minutes until slightly brown.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet until al dente.
4. Drain the pasta and mix with the sauce.
5. Serve sprinkled with the grated cheese.

This week’s recipes have been a family collaboration. At the weekend I had a Zoom dinner party with my sister, you may remember that I did my first Zoom dinner party, following the last lockdown, back in July, and was surprised at how successful and enjoyable it had been. So, my sister and I thought that we would have another one during this second lockdown. We once again decided on a menu which would be easy to prepare beforehand and one which would allow us to synchronise the cooking times during our ‘Zoom reunion’. This time we chose to cook my favourite Shepherd’s Pie, a Delia Smith recipe which is topped with leeks and cheese, making it that extra bit special. For dessert we both made the same delicious Chocolate Almond Torte served with strawberries and a dollop of cream. We also shared a cheeky cocktail, an Amaretto Sour, a simple cocktail recipe which I found online.

This week, I am sharing these recipes, plus, in keeping with the ‘family collaboration’, I am also sharing a recipe which my sister has been cooking for years and one which she suggested that I try and test for Menu Mistress – consequently I have discovered a winning recipe, ‘Salmon with Chilli Ginger Sauce’… thank you, Michelle, for the tip! In fact that reminds me, to remind all of you out there, that if you have a favourite recipe please share it with me…you can message me privately through the link on my Contact Page, I just need to know its name and author, and I will search it out!

Anyway, have a great week with these family recipes!…

Menu One

‘My Favourite’ Shepherds Pie (Serves 4)

If you have grown up in the British Isles there is no doubt that you have eaten numerous variations of this traditional dish. Shepherds pie is the perfect winter comfort food, and this recipe by Delia Smith is my all time favourite, the addition of the cheese and leeks, slightly caramelised on top of the mashed potato, takes the dish to a higher level!…Serve simply with peas.

450g minced lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

75g swede, peeled and chopped

75g carrot, peeled and chopped

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)

275ml lamb stock

1 tablespoon tomato purée

Salt and black pepper

For the topping:

50g mature Cheddar, grated

2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut into 1cm slices

900g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward)

50g butter

Salt and black pepper

(You will need a buttered baking dish approx. 19cm square x 5cm deep)

1. Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onions, fry for 5 minutes until slightly browned. Add the chopped carrot and swede and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove all the vegetables to a plate.
2. Now turn up the heat, and brown the meat, stirring to break it up.
3. Add a good seasoning of salt and pepper, return the vegetables to the pan along with the cinnamon, thyme and parsley. Next stir in the flour and gradually add the lamb stock, stirring to incorporate. Finally stir in the tomato purée.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low, cook gently for about 30 minutes .
5. While the meat is cooking, make the topping. Peel the potatoes and cut into even sized chunks, steam until they are completely tender.
6. Drain the cooked potatoes and mash with the butter and some seasoning (you can use an electric hand whisk, on a low setting, to do this)
7. When the meat is ready, spoon into a baking dish, level it out, then top, evenly, with the mashed potato. Sprinkle over the leek slices and finally with the cheese.
8. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for about 25 minutes, until the top is crusty and golden.

Menu Two

Salmon with Chilli Ginger Sauce & Fried Swiss Chard (Serves 4)

This recipe is one which my sister recommended to me, she found it in a ‘Hairy Bikers’ cookbook some years ago. I must say that it is a fantastic recipe and it makes a great midweek treat as it is super easy; just remember to marinate the salmon for 30 minutes before cooking it. I like to serve it with Japanese Sticky Rice and Stir Fried Swiss (or Rainbow) Chard (recipe below).

4 salmon fillets, skin on (about120-150g each)

2 balls of stem ginger in syrup (and 2 tablespoons of the syrup)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly slices

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 orange, juiced (and the grated zest of ½ an orange)

½ large red chilli, thinly sliced

Black pepper

1. Slice the ginger balls thinly, then slice these into matchsticks.
2. Place the ginger ‘matchsticks’ in a bowl, with 2 tablespoons of the stem ginger syrup, garlic, chilli, soy sauce, orange zest and juice; mix well. Add the salmon fillets to the bowl and cover with marinade, seasoning with lots of black pepper. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Line a small baking tray with baking parchment. Remove the salmon from the marinade, wiping off any excess bits of marinade. Place them on the baking tray, skin side down. Season with more black pepper.
4. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 12- 15 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillets.
5. While the salmon is cooking prepare the sauce. Place the marinade ingredients in a small pan and bring to the boil, simmer for about 6 minutes until it has reduced and the garlic has softened – you want enough sauce to pour over the salmon but not swamp it!
6. Remove the salmon from the oven, carefully lift them on to plates, lifting off the skin as you do so. Spoon over the hot sauce and serve with sticky Japanese rice and stir fried swiss (or rainbow) chard (recipe below).

Stir Fried Swiss (or Rainbow) Chard (Serves 4)

I must admit that I only started cooking this vegetable at home more recently; having enjoyed it in numerous restaurants over the years, I finally realised how very easy it is to cook!… I urge you try it!

1 bunch of fresh Swiss Chard

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, sliced

Pinch chilli flakes

¼ teaspoon whole coriander seeds

1. First rinse out the leaves of the chard, cut away the stalks and cut these into 1inch pieces. Chop the leaves inch wide strips.
2. Sauté the garlic, chilli and the coriander seeds in the olive oil for about 30 seconds, then add the swiss chard stalks, lower the heat and cover, cook for a bout 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the chopped leaves and turn over in the hot oil, cover once again and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
4. Taste to check it is cooked – it should be al dente (still have some bite), cook for a little longer if needed. Check the seasoning and serve straightaway.

Menu Three

Chocolate Almond Torte

This is a delicious chocolate cake and the best news is, is that it’s completely gluten free! It has a slightly chewy texture if served straight from the fridge, which I rather like, whilst at room temperature it has a more fudgy consistency – either way it is divine! You could omit the brandy, but I recommend you use it, as it does intensify the chocolate flavour.

200g dark chocolate (I use Lindt 70% cocoa plain chocolate)

200g unsalted butter, chilled and chopped

4 large eggs, separated

1½ tablespoons brandy (optional)

200g caster sugar

100g ground almonds

¼ teaspoon salt

Cocoa powder for dusting

Clotted cream or Crème Fraïche to serve (optional)

Strawberries or raspberries to serve (optional)

(You will need an 8 or 9 inch springform cake tin, buttered and the outside bottom and sides wrapped with foil to prevent leaking)

1. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heat proof bowl over a saucepan of bowling water (baine marie), making sure that the bottom does not have contact with the water, stir until melted. Set aside.
2. Place the egg yolks and 100g of the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale and thick (about 1 minute), stir in the chocolate mixture, brandy, almonds and salt.
3. Use an electric hand whisk to whisk the egg whites with the remaining 100g sugar until they form thick, shiny soft peaks.
4. Using a spatula fold in one-third of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture, mix gently until well combined, then fold in the remaining egg whites in a further two additions.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing over the top. Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 30-35minutes until an inserted skewer comes out with moist crumbs – the edges will be set but the middle will still be wobbly. Allow to cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until completely set.
6. Before serving sift over cocoa powder, serve chilled or at room temperature, with clotted cream or crème fraiche (it is also good with strawberries or raspberries).
7. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and also freezes well!!

Amaretto Sour (Serves 1)

I discovered this cocktail recently. Amaretto is one of my sister’s favourite liqueurs, so for our recent ‘Zoom’ meet up during lockdown, I thought it would be fun to ‘share’ an amaretto cocktail. I researched a few cocktails(!) and this Amaretto Sour was the winner! So here’s to you ‘Auntie Amaretto’!…

(The egg white is optional it just gives the cocktail the extra ‘frothy top’ and will make it a little extra creamy – I must admit that I am quite happy to have it without but a true bartender would probably disagree!…

3 tablespoons Amaretto

1 tablespoon bourbon whisky

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 dashes angostura bitters

1 egg white (optional)

1. Add the amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, bitters and egg white (if using) to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake for 15 seconds.
2. Add the ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake again for 30 seconds.
3. Serve in a chilled glass and enjoy!

This week we were supposed to be going away to Yorkshire for a short break, but unfortunately due to the new lockdown it was cancelled. We had been planning on having a socially distanced reunion(!) with Felix in York, then we were going to stay in Wensleydale for four nights. I must admit I am rather gutted as I had been looking forward to discovering Wensleydale (and of course seeing Felix!), I had planned some walks, including one around the Aysgarth Falls, which are supposed to be beautiful, plus a visit to Harrogate. As always, when planning a visit, the first thing I research is places to eat, so it is no surprise that we had chosen to stay in a hotel renowned locally for its restaurant, in addition I had a ‘Wensleydale restaurant list’, which needed to be tried, tested and ‘tasted’!…I had been really excited about trying these Yorkshire restaurants with their local food menus (and sharing them with you!). Never mind, these Covid times will eventually pass and we will, I am sure, have the opportunity to visit Wensleydale in the future, and be able to try my restaurant list!
In the meantime, this week I thought I would share recipes which use some of the beautiful ingredients which I had hoped to see on the restaurant menus on my visit to the Yorkshire Dales…

Sheep farming has shaped the Dales for centuries, indeed one of the foods I was most looking forward to tasting was the Yorkshire lamb, so for Menu One, I am sharing a recipe  which celebrates the deliciousness of lamb. ‘Provençal Rack of Lamb with Crushed Peas’, is a dish that despite looking very elegant and sophisticated (it’s definitely suitable for a dinner party), is quick to cook, so is great for a midweek treat. Menu Two takes inspiration from the current gaming season; without doubt, we would have seen evidence of this, both driving around the Yorkshire Dales and on the restaurant menus, so I thought that I would share one of my favourite recipes for pheasant, ‘Roast Pheasant Breast with Whisky and Peppercorn Sauce’. If you have never cooked pheasant before, this is the perfect recipe to experiment with; often pheasant can be dry as it is easy to overcook, but I find that this recipe is foolproof, as by roasting the bird whole and then removing the breasts they don’t dry out. Finally, Menu Three, Roasted Raspberries – a dessert which admittedly has very little to do with Yorkshire, but is the perfect complement to the previous two menus, with its pure simplicity and deliciousness!

All of this week’s recipes, in my opinion, are perfect not only for family dinners but also to serve to guests, and for this reason…dare I mention the word Christmas (?!), they are perfect to cook during the festive season, so make a note of them!

Have a great week and most of all enjoy cooking!

Menu One

Provençal Rack of Lamb with Crushed Peas & Dauphinoise Potatoes (Serves 4)

This is really one of the best rack of lamb recipes I have come across. It is simple yet elegant and is quick to cook, so you could easily serve it as a mid-week treat. It is definitely special enough to serve to guests, in fact it has been a favourite dinner party dish of mine over the years. It’s ideal for dinner parties as you can prepare the majority of the recipe beforehand – the lamb once bread-crumbed will happily wait to be cooked until your guests arrive – it just needs about 15-20 minutes in the oven. For a quick option, this recipe is great with steamed new potatoes, but to make it extra special serve with Dauphinoise potatoes with Gruyére cheese, recipe below. I make Dauphinoise potatoes both with and without the Gruyére, I think this lamb dish suits the latter but if you prefer it without use my other recipe.

This recipe is from Raymond Blanc’s cookbook ‘Foolproof French Cookery’, a title which contains all my favourite words, particularly ‘foolproof’! I like to serve lamb on the pinker side, so if you prefer it more well done, cook it for a little longer. The recipe calls for fresh marjoram but this can be difficult to get so I often replace it with fresh sage, and because sage is slightly stronger in flavour I reduce it to one tablespoon instead of two (see recipe).

Ask your butcher to not only French trim the rack of lamb but also to remove the fat covering the meat, this may seem usual as the fat is normally kept to keep the lamb moist and for flavour, but in this recipe the breadcrumbs will protect the meat and give it flavour.

Gluten Free Note: Almost, all of my recipes on Menu Mistress are gluten free, or suggest substitute gluten free ingredients. Unfortunately this recipe uses breadcrumbs which cannot be substituted. If you avoid gluten but don’t have an allergy, thus can eat ‘gluten contaminated’ food, then you could eat this recipe – just scrape off the breadcrumb crust when serving the lamb, believe me it is still delicious with the crushed peas! However, if you do have an allergy to gluten unfortunately this recipe is not for you!

A Tip:  Breadcrumbs – If you don’t have stale bread at hand for the bread crumbs use a fresh ciabatta loaf , it’s texture is naturally drier so it actually will make great breadcrumbs even if it is fresh – just slice off the crusts.

For the Crushed Peas:

600g peas, thawed if frozen

85ml extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped marjoram, or 1 tablespoon chopped sage (see note above)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

Juice ½ lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Provençal Breadcrumbs:

75g thickly cut stale white bread (or fresh ciabatta – see ‘tip’ above)

2 handfuls fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped

1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Lamb:

2 x  racks of lamb, French trimmed and trimmed of fat (see note above)

2 tablespoons olive oil

20g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

1. First prepare the peas. Put them in a food processor and gently pulse to just crush them – you want them to retain a lot of texture, so be careful not to purée them! Transfer to a small saucepan, stir in the olive oil, chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the breadcrumbs place the bread in the clean food processor and pulse to make coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the herbs, olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Season the racks of lamb with salt and pepper. Melt the butter with the oil in  frying pan and brown the meat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the lamb from the oven, brush over with the mustard – avoiding the bones and ends of the meat. Press in the Provençal breadcrumbs so that the meat is coated, apart from the two ends, (you can do this a few hours in advance).
5. Return the lamb to the oven and cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes (if you have a meat thermometer it should register 65-70’c). Rest for 5 minutes before carving.
6. Meanwhile finish cooking the peas. Cook the crushed peas over a medium heat with the lid on for 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and check the seasoning.
7. Serve the hot crushed peas on plates and top with the carved lamb cutlets.

Dauphinoise Potatoes with Gruyére Cheese (Serves 4 -6)

You may remember that I posted another recipe for Dauphinoise Potatoes a few weeks ago – that recipe was slightly simpler to make and not quite as rich as this one (that’s if it can be ‘less rich’!). This Dauphinoise Potatoes recipe is more unctuous with the cheese, it goes very well with the recipe, ‘Provençal Rack of Lamb with Crushed Peas’. I think you should try both recipes as there is a time and a place for either, depending on your mood!

I found this recipe in ‘At Home in the Provence’ by Patricia Wells, who in turn took if from renowned French chef Joël Roubuchon – so it comes well endorsed!

500ml whole milk

250ml double cream

125g grated Gruyere cheese

1 kg potatoes (such as Maris Piper), peeled and sliced very thinly

1 plump clove garlic, peeled and halved

45g unsalted butter, diced

Freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt and black pepper

1. In a large saucepan bring the milk to boiling point. Add the cream and three-quarters of the cheese. Stir to blend and melt the cheese. Season which salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Add the potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon. Cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
2. Rub a baking dish with the garlic. Transfer the potatoes and their liquid to the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the butter.
3. Place in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for about 1¼ hours.
4. Serve immediately.

Menu Two

Roast Pheasant Breast with Whisky and Peppercorn Sauce, Roast Potatoes & Savoy Cabbage (Serves 4)

If you have never cooked pheasant before, I urge you to cook this recipe, it is super easy. Pheasant meat can easily dry out during cooking, but by cooking bird whole and then removing the breasts, the meat remains juicy. I like to serve this with buttered savoy cabbage and roast potatoes (recipes below)

2 pheasants

1 onion cut into 4 wedges

Small bunch of thyme

40g butter, softened

800ml chicken stock

150ml whisky

300ml whipping cream

3 teaspoons finely chopped green peppercorns

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Place the pheasants in a roasting tin large enough to have at least 4 cm between them. Stuff each cavity with a wedge of onion and a few sprigs of thyme. Smear the butter over the breasts and legs and season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 45 minutes, basting twice during cooking.
3. While the pheasants are roasting,  pour the stock into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce by a third – you need about 500ml.
4. Pour the whisky into a large frying pan, warm through and then carefully light with a match – flambé to allow the alcohol to burn off. Pour in the reduced stock, followed by the cream and leave the sauce to simmer gently until it is reduced and just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Finally stir in the chopped peppercorns and check the seasoning.
5. Meanwhile when the pheasants are cooked, cover with foil and leave to rest for 10-15minutes.
6. To remove the breasts from the bone, carefully run a sharp knife down one side of the breastbone and ease off the whole breast.
7. Place each breast on a plate, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and pour over the whiskey and peppercorn sauce, and serve with buttered cabbage and roast potatoes. (as you will notice from the photo, I often place the legs on the plates too, more for decoration than for taste as there isn’t much meat on them).

Buttered Savoy Cabbage (Serves 4)

Such an easy and useful recipe to have…

1 Savoy cabbage, trimmed and finely sliced

25g unsalted butter

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the finely sliced cabbage in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes to blanch it. If you are not using straightaway, immediately refresh with cold water and drain well.
2. When you are ready to serve the cabbage, melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the drained cabbage and season well with salt and pepper. Toss over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the cabbage is just tender. Serve at once.

A Staple Side Dish – Perfect Roast Potatoes (Serves 4)

Everybody has their favourite roast potato recipe. I must admit that having tried various recipes, I have always returned to the one I found years ago in Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Collection Cookbook’ – you can’t beat it in my opinion. I use either olive oil or goose fat (I buy it in jars), depending on my mood. The olive oil gives a lighter, cleaner taste, whereas the goose fat has a richer flavour – both crisp up the potatoes equally well.

1.8kg Maris Piper or other floury, roasting potatoes

110g olive oil or goose fat (see note above)

Sea salt

1. Place the fat in the roasting tin and place in the oven, 190’c fan, on the highest shelf so that the oil preheats whilst you prepare the potatoes.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut into evenly sized pieces.
3. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and add the salt. Simmer for 10 minutes until the outer edge of the potatoes is fluffy – test with the points of a fork.
4. Drain the potatoes well and return to the saucepan. Place a lid over the pan and shake it vigorously. By shaking the potatoes in the saucepan in this way the cooked edges will become floury and fluffy – perfect for crisping up in the oven.
5. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and place the potatoes in the hot fat – careful as the oil may spit! Baste them well and return to the oven for about 40 minutes until they are golden brown and crisped.
6. Sprinkle with salt and serve straightaway – do not allow them to sit around otherwise they will loose their crunch (if they are cooked before you are ready, turn off the oven and leave them inside – but with caution, they don’t like to wait!)

Menu Three

Roasted Raspberries with Vanilla Ice Cream (Serves 4)

You will thank me for this simple recipe!! It’s such an obvious idea, I wonder why I never thought of it until I saw the recipe in a magazine some years ago. Winter raspberries often lack flavour, but by roasting them you can intensify the flavour and produce a lovely warming treat at the same time!

400g raspberries

2 tablespoons caster sugar

A dusting of icing sugar (2-3 teaspoons)

4 scoops of vanilla ice-cream

1. Put the raspberries in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the caster sugar. Cook in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for about 15 minutes until the juices have come out of the raspberries but they are still keeping their shape.
2. Remove from the oven, either serve at the table in the oven proof dish or transfer to individual bowls – either way sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
3. Serve with vanilla ice-cream.