Wild garlic is the early herald of summer days ahead, that fragrant green leaf that can be freely foraged in woodlands. For me, wild garlic is always the precursor to asparagus, which is proving to be late this year due to the continuing cold weather! Below are two lovely recipes for wild garlic, a pesto and a butter, both of which can be frozen. The pesto is made extra special with the use of walnut-leaf wrapped aged pecorino from The Tuscan Farmshop; they deliver nationwide, so why not treat yourself to this vegetarian-friendly Italian delight! WILD GARLIC & WALNUT-LEAF PECORINO…
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Continue ReadingThis is my easy vegetarian filo pie recipe for those in a hurry. I love the luxury of a pie, but I don’t always want the heaviness that shortcrust or butter pastry can bring. This pie is perfect for an alternative – layers of crisp filo pastry with a delicious filling of the earthy flavours that I love so much, roasted butternut squash, sage, mushrooms, and chestnuts. If you don’t have the exact ingredients, don’t worry – use whatever you have in the fridge, and make the flavours your own. INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)1 packet of filo pastry1 butternut squash, peeled…
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Continue ReadingWho doesn’t love a chocolate cake? For me, it is the ultimate celebration cake, a real treat for high days and holidays. And to be fair, it is the ultimate comfort food as well, so let’s face it, chocolate cake is an all-rounder! Inspired by a recipe in Green & Black’s Chocolate Recipes, I made this luxurious chocolate cake flavoured with Moon Gazer Ale’s Bouchart Norfolk Mild beer. The result was a wonderfully moist, rich, chocolate cake that tastes wonderful on its own but would be just as enjoyable with some whipped cream. As with many cakes, my chocolate Bouchart…
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Continue ReadingGame is well and truly in season right now, so I thought it would be a good time to share my recipe for roast pheasant. Pheasant is high in B vitamins and potassium and is a lean meat. It makes a great alternative to turkey for Christmas dinner. I always cook a brace together – that is, a cock and a hen – and freeze the leftovers for another day. INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4 + LEFTOVERS)A brace of pheasants from Old Hall Farm6 rashers Old Hall Farm unsmoked streaky baconOld Hall Farm rare breed pork sausage meat1 large shallot, slicedA handful…
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Continue ReadingOld Hall Farm in Woodton isn’t just about their rare breed pork and beef – their raw Jersey cream and milk can be used in many ways and I have made the perfect dish for the change in the weather right now – a rice pudding. I think we all have those memories of school rice pudding with a spoonful of jam in the middle and, having fallen out of love with it, I now rate a chilled rice pudding as one of my ultimate desserts. Part of the beauty of the milk from Old Hall Farm is that several…
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Continue ReadingI shall let you into my new little secret – an absolute delight and my new guilty pleasure. Roasted strawberries. And I am sharing them here with a beautiful weekend cocktail sent to me by my friends at Brasted’s – their signature Brasted’s Bramble. The roasted strawberries first… I mentioned them to a friend yesterday , and she was surprised, saying that she has never thought of roasting them. “Do,” I replied. “They are amazing.” Not only are they amazing, they are simple and delicious, and such a good way to use up strawberries that are, perhaps, a little bit…
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Continue ReadingA quick and easy recipe, my dark chocolate and sea salt fudge truffles are perfect for making with children right now. These also make wonderful gifts – wrapped up in a bag and tied with a ribbon – all ready for when lockdown is over and we can visit our families again. INGREDIENTSOne tin condensed milk340g good quality dark chocolate – I use CallebautA dash of vanilla extractMaldon sea saltExtra flavours as desired METHODLine a deep baking tin with parchment paper – it needs to be at least one inch deep and, ideally, rectangular in shape. Empty the condensed milk…
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Continue ReadingOx cheeks – and beef cheeks – are amazing cuts of meat. When slow cooked, the become incredibly tender and melt in the mouth. Although the weather is warming up outside, the evenings are still cool enough to enjoy this delicious meal. This recipe easily feeds a family of four, with leftovers for another day. INGREDIENTS4 ox cheeks – ask your butcher to remove as much fat as possibleYare Valley rapeseed oil3 shallots, quartered3 or 4 bay leaves2 celery stalks, chopped2 large carrots, slicedA generous helping of white peppercornsDried parsley & fresh thyme500ml good red wineA beef stock potBoiling water…
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Continue ReadingRisotto. That simple, comforting bowl of creamy goodness that we all need right now. We all know that we are living in difficult and challenging times – I am not going to use this space as a place to talk about that. Instead, I am offering some light relief from the news – along with a store cupboard recipe that everyone can enjoy. Many people say that risotto is difficult to make. I have never found it to be, and I actually find it quite soothing, gently stirring the grains of rice until they are perfectly al dente. Risotto is…
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Continue ReadingWe all need the comfort of cake right now – and this spiced apple cake is delicious! The caramel flavors of the butterscotch sauce really add to the flavour of the apple, but you can also serve it with cream, ice cream, custard – or a mix of all three! Just go with what makes you happy and your taste buds sing. SPICED APPLE CAKE INGREDIENTS200g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing200g self-raising flour200g soft brown sugar2 tsp mixed spice4 large eggs, beaten4 small eating apples, cored and diced into 1cm size piecesDemerara sugar for sprinkling Preheat the oven to…