Hasn’t the weather been glorious during September?! As I write up the recipes for October, the sun is shining, and it doesn’t quite feel right to be talking about colder days and the need for comforting food. But, let’s face it, they’re definitely on the horizon. And with that in mind, I have two wonderful recipes to share with you, which you will appreciate when there’s a slight chill in the air. Menu One is ‘Chicken, Bacon and Lentil Cassoulet’ from the cookbook ‘Medesque’ by Georgina Hayden. It’s not as robust as a traditional French cassoulet (made with pork, sausages and beans); instead, with Chicken and lentils, it has a lighter edge and is much easier to cook! Menu Two is a vegetarian dish from Anna Hedworth’s cookbook ‘Service’. ‘Spicy Bean Chilli with Sour Cream & Lime’, is a very tasty recipe that is easy to create from your store-cupboard staples. The addition of dark chocolate and lime at the end of cooking takes its flavours to a higher realm!

Happy October… I hope these recipes will make it even more enjoyable!..

Menu One

Chicken, Bacon and Lentil Cassoulet (Serves 4-6)

This is a recipe from the cookbook ‘Medesque’ by Georgina Hayden. It’s not as robust as a traditional French cassoulet (made with pork, sausages and beans); instead, with Chicken and lentils, it has a lighter edge and is much easier to cook (particularly if you use a blender to chop the vegetables!). Don’t forget to sprinkle over chopped tarragon, and add a dollop of crème fraiche at the end of cooking as they really do make a difference to the dish…

6 skin-on chicken thighs or 4 chicken legs

Olive oil

8 smoked streaky bacon rashers, finely sliced

3 onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

25g unsalted butter

250g Puy lentils, rinsed

650ml chicken stock

2 tablespoons red wine (or sherry) vinegar

½ bunch of tarragon, leaves chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Crème fraiche, to serve

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place a casserole pan over a medium heat, drizzle with olive oil, when heated, add the chicken, skin-side down. Cook for 10 minutes until the skin is deeply golden. Then transfer to a plate.
2. Add the bacon to the pan. Fry for 5 minutes, until starting to crisp up, then add the butter and all the chopped vegetables. Sauté for about 10 minutes .
3. Stir the lentils into the pan, then pour over the stock and vinegar. Bring everything to the boil, season, then place the chicken thighs (or legs) on top, skin facing up. Cover with a lid and transfer to a preheated oven, 180’c, for 35-40 minutes.
4. When the chicken is ready remove the lid and leave to cook for a further 10 minutes until the meat is golden and the lentils are tender.
5. Finally, sprinkle over the chopped tarragon and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Menu Two

Spicy Bean Chilli with Sour Cream & Lime (Serves 4)

This is a very tasty recipe that is easy to create from your store-cupboard staples. The addition of dark chocolate and lime at the end of cooking takes its flavours to a higher realm! Simply serve with rice or jacket potatoes.

Olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 carrot diced

1 red pepper, diced

Small handful of fresh coriander

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

400g tin chopped tomatoes

400g tin red kidney beans, drained

400g tin black beans, drained

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Juice of 2 limes

2 squares of dark chocolate

Sour cream, to serve

Lime wedges, to serve

1. Heat a good amount of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the onion and carrot with a generous pinch of salt. Fry for 10 minutes, then add the pepper and cook, stirring, until everything is soft and a bit sticky. Finely chop the coriander stems (reserve the leaves as garnish) and add to the pan. Grate in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the cumin, paprika, cinnamon and chilli, and cook for a final minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, fill the can with water and add that too. Add the beans, salt, sugar and the juice of 1 lime. Leave to simmer for about 45 minutes, topping up with water if it seems too thick.
3. Check the seasoning – you may want more salt or sugar – then add the juice of the second lime and melt in the chocolate. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkled with the reserved coriander leaves and lime wedges.

Well, what a summer we’ve all had. For once we can’t complain that the sun hasn’t shone!

As we move into September, I’m not quite ready to give up on summer’s lighter dishes. So, this month I’m sharing two recipes which are paired with light, fresh sauces. Both demand little time and attention; they’re perfect recipes to ease us back into the kitchen after the summer holidays! Menu one is ‘Lamb Rump with Rocket Salsa Verde‘ from Tom Kerridge’s cookbook ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’. As its name suggests, the book celebrates the best of British ingredients. In this recipe, Kerridge honours British lamb, pairing it with a bold salsa verde. Menu Two is ‘Honey Duck Breast with Saladise Potatoes’. It’s a recipe with clean, fresh flavours, all it needs is a good green salad. Both recipes are quick, easy and very tasty; what more can you ask for?!..

Menu One

Lamb Rump with Rocket Salsa Verde (Serves 4)

This is a recipe from Tom Kerridge’s cookbook ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’. As its name suggests, the book celebrates the best of British ingredients. In this recipe, Kerridge celebrates British lamb, pairing it with a bold salsa verde. It’s a delicious, simple recipe!..

4 boneless lamb rumps (300g each)

3 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Rocket Salsa Verde:

2 handfuls of rocket leaves (50g)

A handful of basil leaves

A handful of flat leave parsley leaves

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

120ml extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons baby capers

1 banana shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1. Trim any excess fat from the lamb rumps, leaving a very thin layer of fat on one side. Score the fat with a sharp knife and sprinkle both sides of the rumps with the rosemary and some salt and pepper.
2. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and place the lamb rumps in the pan, fat side down. Let the fat render slowly from the lamb and cook for 4-5 minutes until the fat is crispy. Flip the lamb rumps over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Lift the lamb rumps out of the pan and lay them on an oven tray. Place in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 6-8 minutes, depending on their thickness, to finish cooking.
4. Meanwhile make the rocket salsa verde. Put the rocket, basil, parsley and garlic into a food processor. Pour in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Add the mustard, capers, shallot, sherry vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Blend again briefly then transfer to a bowl.
5. When the lamb is ready, remove from the oven and rest in a warm place for a few minutes. Carve the lamb and serve with the rocket salsa verde.

Menu Two

Honey Duck Breast with Saladise Potatoes (Serves 4)

With its clean, fresh flavours this recipe is a fantastic way to serve duck. All it needs is a good green salad. Quick, easy and very tasty, what more can you ask for?!..

24 small new potatoes, halved

150 g (5½ oz) duck fat, melted

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 large duck breasts

3 tablespoons good-quality honey

5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra to season the duck

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon water

A handful of chopped parsley

1. Put the potatoes into a roasting tin, add the fat and garlic, and season with the teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Toss together, then roast in a preheated oven, 200’c for 30-40 minutes, stirring a couple of times during the cooking time.
2. Meanwhile, score the skin of the duck breasts through the fat but not all the way through to the flesh and salt them.
3. 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.
4. Place the duck breasts on a baking tray in the preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Finally, finish the sauce. Remove all but one tablespoon of the fat from the roasting pan. Add the honey, vinegar, salt and water then cook over a medium heat for a few minutes.
6. Slice the duck breasts and place them on a serving dish. Arrange the potatoes around them, top with the chopped parsley and pour over some of the honey sauce, reserving the rest for people to pour over their plates.