apple sauce recipe

570ml apple juice 

50ml double cream

200g butter chilled and diced

Calvados to taste

juice 1/2 lemon 

Reduce the apple juice to 2 tablespoons in a saucepan and add the cream. 

Whisk in the butter over a medium heat. 

Flavour with the calvados and lemon juice. 

An excellent accompaniment to boudin. 

Serves 4

apple masala baked beans

1 onion chopped 

3 cloves garlic crushed 

3cm root ginger 

3 tbsp sunflower oil for frying 

1/4 tsp turmeric 

3 tsp garam masala (freshly ground is preferable) 

1 large Bramley cooking apple peeled cored and chopped 

4 small red chillies kept whole 

1 tbsp sweet mango chutney 

3 tomatoes chopped 

1 tbsp sultanas 

150ml chicken stock 

500g cooked white haricot beans or butter beans 

salt and pepper

Blend the onion garlic and ginger in a processor to a paste add a dash of water to assist the blending. 

Fry the mixture in the oil with the turmeric and 2 tsp of the garam masala until lightly browned. 

Add all the remaining ingredients season and simmer until reduced and thickened. 

Stir in the remaining garam masala before serving.

Great with roast duck sausages or lamb chops. 

Serves 4 as an accompaniment

apple hives recipe

4 large cooking apples 

4 tablespoons clear honey 

75g Cheddar cheese grated 

1/2 small lettuce shredded 

2 tablespoons walnut halves

Line the grill pan with foil. 

Peel and core the apples and cut each one across into 4 rings. 

Arrange them close together on the foil and spread them with half the honey.

Place under a pre heated hot grill and cook for 3 minutes. 

Using a spatula or fish slice turn over the apple rings spread them with the remaining honey and grill for a further 3 minutes. 

Sprinkle the cheese over the slices and grill for 2 minutes more.

Re form the slices into 4 apple shapes.

Serve them on a bed of lettuce topped by the walnut halves.

Serves 4

apple flapjack pudding

675g eating apples 

50g demerara sugar 

grated rind and juice of I lemon 

150g dark muscovado sugar 

150g butter 

4 tbsp golden syrup 

100g self raising wholemeal flour 

225g rolled porridge oats 

2 tsp ground cinnamon 

2 eggs beaten 

Quarter peel and core the apples and cut each quarter into 3 slices. 

Heat gently in a pan with the demerara sugar lemon rind and juice until the sugar dissolves then cook for 5 minutes until the apples start to soften. 

Transfer apples to a bowl with a slotted spoon boil the sauce until reduced and thickened then pour over the apples. 

Place the muscovado sugar butter and syrup in a small pan and heat gently until the butter melts then cool slightly. 

Mix together the flour oats and cinnamon. 

Make a well in the centre and pour in the melted butter mixture and eggs stirring thoroughly. 

Spread two thirds of the mixture evenly over the base and sides of a buttered 1.5 litre pudding basin. 

Fill with the apples and spread remaining oat mixture over the top. 

Cover with greaseproof paper and foil (qv puddings  info) and steam for 2 hours. 

Cool in basin for 10 minutes then turn out and serve with custard. 

A cinnamon scented crust with lemon scented apples spilling out needs nothing more than hot custard to go with it. 

Serves 8

apple dumplings

2 cooking apples

28g sultanas

28g soft brown sugar

knob of butter

112g shortcrust pastry

Method

1. Peel and core apples leaving them whole.

2. Fill the centres with sultanas sugar and butter.

3. Divide pastry in two and roll out into roughly circular shapes large enough to fit around the apples.

4. Wrap pastry around the apples seal at the bottom make a slit at the top to allow steam to escape and brush with egg or milk.

5. Bake

servings: 2

small oven: 200¡C 45 minutes

PREHEATED bottom shelf

fan oven: 190¡CÑ35 minutes

COLD START

apple dapple cake

3 medium eggs

200ml sunflower oil

300g golden caster sugar

50ml cold water

375g plainflour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large Bramleys peeled and chopped

100g light muscovado sugar

3 tbsp milk

100g butter 

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients then sift in the next 4 ingredients and stir well. 

Add the vanilla and apples. 

Pour the mixture into a buttered deep 24cm loosebottom cake tin. 

Bake in a preheated oven (180C/350F/ Gas Mark 4) for 6070 minutes: test by inserting a wooden skewer into the middle  it should come out clean. 

Cover loosely with foil towards the end if necessary.

Meanwhile place the last 3 ingredients in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. 

Boil for 34 minutes until thickened stirring often. 

Cool for at least 5 minutes.

Once cooked remove the cake from the oven. 

Slowly pour over the sauce then return to the oven for a further 2 minutes. 

Remove to a wire rack and run a knife around the edges. 

Allow to cool in the tin then remove cut and serve with cream or yoghurt.

Add a cup of pecans for extra crunch.

Serves 8

apple cobbler

450g cooking apples peeled cored and thinly sliced

50g soft light brown sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

50g  stoned dates chopped

2 firm bananas thickly sliced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Scone topping:

225g  plain flour

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

50g butter or hard margarine

150ml milk plus extra for brushing

rind of 1 orange and 1/2 teaspoon orange juice

2 tablespoons demerara sugar

Arrange the apples in a 900 ml  ovenproof dish sprinkle with the sugar and pour on the orange juice.

Stir in the dates and cover the fruit with the bananas tossed in the lemon juice.

To make the scone topping sift together the flour ginger soda and cream of tartar and rub in the fat until the mixture is like crumbs.

Stir together the milk orange rind and juice and pour on to the dry ingredients. 

Mix to a dough and knead it until it is smooth.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 1cm. 

Cut out rounds with a5cm cutter.

Arrange the scone rounds on the fruit brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.

Bake the cobbler in a preheated oven (220c/425f/gas7) for 20 minutes or until the topping is well risen and golden brown. 

Serve hot.

Serves 4

apple chutney

1.34kg cooking apples peeled cored and chopped

672g onionspeeledandchopped

grated rind and juice of 2 lemons

336g sultanas

112g chopped walnuts

2tbsp mixed spice

ltsp salt

750ml malt or cider vinegar

448g Demerara sugar

Method

1 Place all the ingredients except sugar into a large preserving pan

2 Bring to the boil simmer until the apples are soft

3 Add the sugar simmer until the chutney is of the desired consistency (about 3/4 l hour)

4 Allow to cool for 10 minutes

5 Spoon into prepared jam jars seal and label

Makes: 2.2kg approx

apple cake

225g cooking apples peeled and chopped

l00g sultanas

150ml pint fresh milk

175g soft brown sugar

175g self raising wholemeal flour

175g selfraising flour

2 tsps mixed spice

175g  butter

1 egg beaten

Mix together apples sultanas milk and sugar

Sieve together flours and spice rub in butter

Add fruit mixture and egg

Mix well

Place in buttered lined 20cm cake tin

Bake at 170C/ 325F/Gas Mark 3 for 1 3/4 hours or until risen and golden brown

apple and walnut cake

224g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

l tsp cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

112g butter

168g soft brown sugar

112g raisins

112g chopped walnuts

224g apple puree

Method

1 Grease a 8in/200mm tin

2 Sift flour baking powder cinnamon and mixed spice into a bowl

3 Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

4 Stir in sugar beat in eggs stir in the rest of the ingredients

5 Mix well and place in tin

6 Bake in preheated oven

servings:

small oven: 170¡CÑ1 1 1/4 hours

PREHEATED bottom shelf

fan oven: 160¡CÑI hour

PRE HEATED

apple and raisin parcels

for the shotrcrust pastry:

350g plain flour

pinch of salt

75g softened lard oz

75g softened butter 

little cold water

for the filling:

225g bramley apples (unpeeled) cored and cut into 10mm dice

110g coxs apples (unpeeled) cored and cut into 10mm dice

75g raisins soaked overnight in 120ml dry cider 

8 teaspoons semolina 

16 whole cloves

50g golden caster sugar plus an extra teaspoon for sprinkling 

1 egg white lightly beaten

non stick baking n measuring 25.5 x 5cm and 2.5cm deep.

The night before soak the raisins in the cider. The next day start the pastry and to do this sift the flour with the pinch of salt into a large bowl holding the sieve high. 

Add the lard and butter and using your fingertips lightly rub the fat into the flour lifting the mixture up to give it a good airing. When the mixture is crumbly add about a tablespoon of cold water. 

Start mixing the pastry with a knife then finish off with your hands adding a little more water till you have a smooth dough that leaves the bowl clean. 

Pop it in a polythene bag and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/400F/200C. Remove the pastry from the fridge then divide it into four pieces. 

Dust your work surface lightly with flour then roll each into a length about 25.5 x 13cm and trim each piece into two 13cm squares. Working with two squares at a time scatter a teaspoon of semolina over each pastry square then mix both varieties of apple together and add 2 tablespoons of chopped apples 2 cloves 2 teaspoons of sugar and some drained raisins to each square.

Brush the edges of each square with some of the beaten egg white then loosely fold the comers over.

Using a fish slice to help you lift each parcel into the tin tucking them neatly into the corners and repeat with the remaining squares so that they all fit snugly in the tin. 

If you have any fruit left over carefully lift the corners of each parcel and add some more apples and raisins.

Either leave the parcels open or squeeze the pastry corners together a little more.

Brush the pastry with the remaining beaten egg white and scatter the rest of the sugar over along with the extra teaspoon of sugar. Bake in the oven on the shelf just above centre for 50 minutes then serve warm with cream ice cream or English Custard (qv) and dont forget to warn your guests that there are a few whole cloves lurking. Note: If youre using blackberries gooseberries rhubarb or bladccurrants use a level dessertspoon of semolina in each parcel to absorb the extra juice.

This is yet another version of a good old apple pie but the great thing about this recipe is that it bakes into individual portions so its much easier when you come to serve it. Raisins are a good winter addition but in autumn you could replace them with 110g of blackberries or in summer make the whole thing with 450g of ooseberries adding 95g sugar

Serves 8

apple and cinnamon layer pudding

224g selfraising flour

pinch of salt

112g shredded suet

cold water

448g apples prepared weight(peeled cored and thinly sliced)

56g sultanas

1tsp cinnamon

2tbsp soft brown sugar

1/2 tsp mixed spice

Method

1.Make pastry: mix flour salt and suet together in a basin. Add sufficicnt cold water to make a pliable dough.

2. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and lightly knead. Leave the dough in a cool place to rest for a few minutes.

3. Divide pastry into four pieces and roll out into circles each one a little larger than the previous.

4. Mix prepared apples with sultanas cinnamon sugar and mixed spice.

5. Grease a 2pt/1 litre ovenproof basin.

6. Place the smallest circle on the base of the dish and cover with a layer of apple mixture.

7. Repeat this process ending with a layer of pastry.

8. Cover with foil and tie string around the lip of the bowl.

9. Steam for 2 hours: place the bowl in a saucepan and pour enough water into the pan to reach 4uarter way up the basin place the lid on and steam.

10. Serve hot with custard or fresh cream.

Any other fruit or jam may be used in

place of the above mixture.

Serves 4

apple and bramble pie

For the shortcrust pastry

230g plain flour

110g butter or hard margarine

2 teaspoons caster sugar

For the filling

0.9 kg cooking apples

2 tablespoons cornflour

170g brambles (blackberries)

110g golden granulated sugar

To complete

A little lightly beaten egg white

Golden granulated sugar for sprinkling

A 1.15l deep pie dish

Make the pastry as directed in the basic shortcrust pastry recipe stirring in the sugar before adding the water. 

Wrap and chill while preparing the filling.

Peel quarter and core the apples.

Thickly slice them then toss in the cornflour. 

Add to the pie dish in layers with the brambles and sugar finishing with a layer of apple. 

The filling should make a high dome above the top of the dish. Set the

oven at Gas Mark 6 400 degrees F 200 degrees C.

Roll out the pastry to 4 cm (11/2 in) larger than the top of the pie dish  hold the pie dish above the pastry to gauge the size. 

Cut a strip from the edge of the pastry and carefully lay it around the rim of the dish. Lift the remaining pastry on the rolling pin and check its sizeÑit should fit the pie dish without stretching and overlap the rim by 6 mm (1/4 in). 

Roll to the right size if necessary.

Moisten the pastry rim with water and put on the pastry lid pressing the edges together. 

To trim edges hold up the dish on one hand and holding a knife at an angle cut off the excess pastry. 

Knock up the edges by pressing a finger along the pastry and making small horizontal cuts into the edge with the back of a knife all around the rim. 

This prevents the pastry shrinking back into the pie when it is baked. 

Flute the edge at 6 mm intervals keeping the knife upright and the pastry close to the edge of the dish. 

Crisscross the pie top with the back of a knife taking care not to pierce the pastry.

Brush the top (not the cut edges) with beaten egg white and sprinkle the top with the sugar.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes then reduce the heat to Gas Mark 4 350 degrees F 180 degrees C for a further 30 minutes or until the apples are tender.

Test by piercing them through the pastry with a thin skewer.

The Apple and Bramble Pie is equally good served hot or cold although if served cold the pastry is improved if the pie is placed in a hot oven for just a few minutes before eating.

Serve with single cream or custard or for a change try mixing equal quantities of custard and natural yogurt together.

Note: the flavour of an apple pie can be varied with any of the following additions: a quarter of a finelysliced quince mixed with the apple; the finelygrated rind of an orange or lemon; 4 whole cloves distributed evenly among the apple; 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with the granulated sugar; 2 or 3 tab lespoons marmalade or apricot jam spread over the base of the pie dish before adding the filling.

The brambles can be replaced by an equal quantity of gooseberries (topped and tailed) or raspberries or even mincemeat (reduce the quantity of sugar used in the recipe according to taste).

Serves 4

apple and blackberry with hazelnut dunking doughnuts

6 large cooking apples peeled cored

and chopped 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

230g caster sugar plus extra for dusting 

1 punnet blackberries 

500g plain flour 

50g hazelnuts roasted in a hot oven

until fragrant then ground 

250ml sugar 

30g butter 

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

175m1 buttermilk or milk 

2 eggs lightly beaten 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

corn oil for deepfrying

In a saucepan cook the chopped apple with the cinnamon and 100g of the sugar until the flesh has disintegrated and is completely smooth. Meanwhile heat the remaining sugar with 100m1 water to make a syrup. 

Add about 3 tbsp of the syrup to the blackberries and heat until soft and cooked. 

Keep to one side. 

Stir the remaining syrup into the cooked mixture. Again keep to one side.

Put half the flour into a processor with the ground hazelnuts sugar butter and baking powder and soda. 

Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Next beat together the buttermilk or milk eggs and vanilla add to the processor and mix. 

Work in the remaining flour to make a dough being careful not to overdo it. 

Remove to a floured surface and knead until smooth.

Next roll out the dough to about 2cm thick then using an 8cm ringcutter press out circles of dough (without twisting). 

For ring doughnuts press a small hole from the centre of each using a 4cm ring cutter. 

Heat the corn oil in a saucepan then deepfry the doughnuts in batches for about 3 minutes turning once. 

Drain on kitchen roll arid dust with caster sugar.

Warm the apple and blackberry purees then pour the apple into bowls and top with the blackberries. Eat the doughnuts warm dunking at every mouthful. 

Add thick cream if you can handle it.

If you don't want to make doughnuts you can use bought ones although you'll miss out on the hazelnut bit. 

Serves 6

apple and blackberry pie with crumble pastry

6 eating apples  not too large and  with stems intact

squeeze of lemon juice 

5 tbsp light muscovado sugar

50g butter 

350g blackberries 

double cream to serve

For the crumble pastry:

180g plain flour 

90g unsalted butter at room temperature 90g natural golden caster sugar 

3 free range medium egg yolks 

natural golden granulated sugar to sprinkle

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 1. 

Peel the apples without removing the stalks rubbing immediately with lemon juice to prevent browning. 

Place in a pie dish that will allow enough room for the blackberries later. 

Sprinkle the apples with 3 tbsp of the muscovado sugar then smear each one with butter cover with foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until nearly cooked but not collapsing. Remove the foil and leave in their dish to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile mix the blackberries with the remaining sugar then make the pastry. Put the flour in a large bowl make a well in the huddle tip in the butter and put the sugar and egg yolks on top. 

Using a fork mash the yolks butter and sugar together then start mashing the flour into this. 

Use your hands to mix everything together then knead on a work surface for about 30 seconds to make a smooth dough. (Alternatively blend the pastry ingredients to a dough in a food processor.) 

Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

On a smooth surface dusted with flour roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick. Cut out a rough shape that's bigger than the top of the pie dish. 

Then cut some thin strips from the remaining rolled dough and press them around the rim of the dish  this will help make a perfect seal between the dish and the pastry topping.

Next using a ring cutter cut out six circles each slightly smaller than the apples then arrange the apples in the pie dish where you think the holes will tall once the pastry is placed on top. 

Spoon the sugared blackberries around the apples packing them down. 

Now dampen the pastrylined rim with a finger dunked in water and place the pastry over the top. 

Jiggle the apples slightly so that they peek through the holes then lightly press the pastry cover onto the rim.

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7. 

Sprinkle the pastry top with granulated brown sugar and bake for about 10 minutes then turn down to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5 and cook for a futher 1 520 minutes or until the pastry looks lightly browned. 

Serve warm with lots of double cream.

Serves 4

apple amaretti strudel

12 sheets off filo pastry

175g melted unsalted butter

8 amaretti biscuits finely crushed

extra butter for greasing

icing sugar sifted

whipped cream for serving

for the filling

40g raisins

2 tbs brandy

75g dark brown sugar

1 tspn cinammon

juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

5 large Coxs or Granny Smith apples

3 large cooking apples

50g dry fine breadcrumbs

65g almonds chopped

The same day as serving soak raisins in brandy for at least 15 minutes. 

Mix sugar with cinammon and lemon rind. 

Peel core and thinly slice the apples. 

Place in a bowl and toss with the sugar mixture and half the breadcrumbs; then mix in the raisins nuts and lemon juice.

Carefully unfold the filo leaves. 

Keep the leaves covered with a sheet of plastic. 

Lift off 1 sheet place on a clean surface. brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of amaretti crumbs. 

Layer with 6 more sheets of filo brushing each with butter but only sprinkling every other layer with the crumbs. 

Sprinkle a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs over the last sheet and place half of the apple mixture at the bottom edge of the strip. 

Starting at the applefilled edge roll up the dough as for a Swiss roll. 

Place on a buttered baking tray seam side down and fold ends under to seal. 

Brush with melted butter. 

Repeat to make a second strudel. 

Cover with clingfilm  to make airtight and refrigerate. 

Allow about 11/2 hours  baking and  resting time. 

Before serving preheat oven to l90C (375F gas 5). 

Remove clingfilm and bake for 45 minutes. 

Remove from oven and sprinkle top with sifted icing sugar. Leave for 15 minutes to 1 hour before serving. 

Serve with whipped cream. 

Serves 10

aphrodite dressing recipe

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano 

salt and pepper 

8 tablespoons olive oil

Place the feta cheese oregano and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl and mix gently. 

Pour over the olive oil and combine well before serving.

Serve this heavenly dressing over a tomato and onion salad garnished with shredded fennel.

Makes 1/2 cup

anzac biscuits - recipe

110g plain flour

175g granulated sugar

75g desiccated coconut

75g rolled oats (we used porridge oats)

85g butter

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoons boiling water

Pre heat oven to gas mark 4 350 F/180 C.

Youll also need 2 well greased baking sheets.

Start off by combining the flour sugar coconut and oats in a mixing bowl. Then place the butter in a small pan along with the syrup and warm these gently until melted then remove from the heat.

Next dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water in a cup stir this into the melted butter and syrup mixture and then stir the whole lot into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms a stiff paste. 

Now arrange walnut sized lumps of the paste on the greased baking sheets  about 2.5cm apart to allow room for expansion  and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Leave the biscuits on the trays for a minute or two before using a palette knife to loosen them. 

Cool them on wire racks and store in an airtight tin

Makes about 40 biscuits

any kind of cheese sauce

570ml milk
40g plain flour
40g butter
pinch of cayenne pepper
50g mature cheddar grated
25g Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) finely grated
a little freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Place the milk flour butter and cayenne pepper into a medium saucepan and place it over a gentle heat.
Using a balloon whisk begin to whisk while bringing it to a gentle simmer.
Whisk continually until you have a smooth glossy sauce and simmer very gently for 5 minutes.
Add the cheeses and whisk again allowing them to melt.
Season with salt freshly milled black pepper and some freshly grated nutmeg.
Makes about 570ml

antipasto alla casalinga

2 green peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
salt and pepper
4 tomatoes sliced
few thinly sliced onion rings
1 x 198g can tuna fish drained and flaked
2 x 120g cans sardines in oil drained
To serve
2 tablespoons Maionese (qv)
Place the peppers under a preheated hot grill until the skin is charred and blistered turning frequently.
Cut in half and rinse under cold water to remove the skin and seeds.
Drain well and slice finely.
Mix with 2 tablespoons of the oil the vinegar and a little salt.
Leave in the refrigerator until required.
Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the remaining oil.
Arrange the pepper slices in a large serving dish and top with the tomatoes.
Scatter the onion rings over the top.
Pile the tuna fish in the centre and surround with the sardines.
Serve with the Maionese.
Serves 4

antipasti misti - recipe

3 tomatoes sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped basil or spring onion tops
salt and pepper
1 fennel bulb
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic crushed
6 slices italian salami
6 slices garlic sausage
50g black olives drained
2 hard boiled eggs quartered
basil or parsley sprigs to garnish
Arrange the tomato at one end of a large oval dish and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the oil the basil or spring onion tops and salt and pepper to taste.
Trim the fennel cut downwards into thin slices then into strips.
Mix the remaining oil with the lemon juice garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
Add the fennel and toss well.
Pile at the other end of the dish.
Arrange the salami and garlic sausage in the middle of the dish.
Top with the olives and surround with the egg.
Garnish with basil or parsley.
Serves 4

angry red mullet

75g butter
1 tablespoon sage finely chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chilli pepper coarsely chopped
4 red mullet 250g each scaled and filleted
1 glass red wine
salt
sprig of rosemary to decorate
Heat the butter in a pan add the herbs and chilli and stir fry for half a minute.
Add the fillets of fish and fry for 12 minutes on each side.
Set aside the fish and deglaze the pan with the wine.
Taste for salt.
Reunite the fish with the sauce warm and serve decorated with a sprig of rosemary.
Incazzate like arrabbiate means literally angry but in cookery has come to mean hot due to the addition of chilli.
Serves 4

angostura green mango chilli chutney

750g baby green mangoes peeled stoned and quartered
2 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic crushed
5cm root ginger peeled and finely grated
200m1 whitewine vinegar
250g caster sugar
3 large mild red chillies roughly chopped
4 tsp angostura bitters
1 mediumsized red onion halved and sliced lengthways
1 tsp onion (nigella) seeds
Sprinkle the mango quarters with a teaspoon of the salt and leave to sweat for a few hours (or overnight).
Rinse then blot them dry with kitchen roll.
Next mix the garlic ginger whitewine vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a bubble.
Cook gently for about 20 minutes.
Then add the mango chilli angostura bitters sliced onion and onion seeds and gently simmer for a further 20 minutes or until it is tender and has turned syrupy.
The chutney thickens as it cools.
Homemade and bought chutneys are worlds apart. In this one I've used angostura bitters and onion seeds to give an edge. For chutney you must use green mangos. That's not a green skinned eating variety but one that is unripe feels rock hard and is whitefleshed. Don't use regular mangoes as the flesh will dissolve to fibre. The babysized ones can be found in indian grocers.

angel hair pasta with scampi - recipe

150g angelhair pasta
3 tbsp scampi oil (qv)
4 fresh scampi or medium prawns cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp finely chopped tarragon
1 pinch salt
1 pinch white pepper
1/2 tbsp chopped chives
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp mirin (japanese rice wine)
1 small pinch finely chopped garlic
Place the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until al dente. Rinse the pasta in cold water drain well and set aside.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a frying pan and put on the heat.
Once the scampi meat starts to change colour add the drained pasta.
Toss well to combine adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve.
A light but rich dish ideal as an entree. You might need to increase the quantity of the scampi oil used so taste as you go. Watch the quantity of garlic the finished dish shouldn't really taste of it so use just a touch to lift the flavour. You can use prawns in place of scampi.
.Makes 4 startersize portions

andalusian gazpacho recipe

2 slices stale bread crusts removed
900g ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped
1 fresh green chilli deseeded and chopped
75mm length of cucumber peeled and coarsley chopped
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
1/2 green or red sweet pepper deseeded and coarsely chopped
2 tbspns olive oil
2 tbspns red wine vinegar
1/2 tspn paprika
2 tbspns parsley chopped
8 basil or mint leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
to garnish
large handful of basil torn into strips
1 green or red sweet pepper trimmed deseeded and finely diced
4cm cucumber peeled and finely diced
3 tbspns finely diced red onion
garlic croutons
Soak the bread in water for 1o minutes squeeze it a little and place it in a food processor or liquidizer with the remaining ingredients and 300ml water.
If the chilli is very hot add only half.
Process until smooth.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
If you like a sharper taste add a little more vinegar.
Empty into a bowl cover and chill for 23 hours or longer.
Before serving the soup float 23 ice cubes in it to keep it chilled and if needed dilute it with a little more iced water.
Serve the garnishes in separate small bowls and let people help themselves.
Serves 6

anchovy sauce recipe

1/4 ciabatta loaf
6 salted anchovy fillets prepared (qv) and finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped
flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon salted capers prepared (qv) and finely chopped
1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
2 hard boiled egg yolks
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
Soak the bread in 1/2 cup water then squeeze out the liquid.
Mix the bread with the anchovies parsley capers garlic and elg yolks using a fork.
Add the vinegar oil and pepper.

anchovy pizza recipe

7g fresh yeast or 1 teaspoon dried yeast
sugar
150 ml lukewarm water
225g flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
400g canned tomatoes drained and chopped
50g mozzarella cheese cut into pieces
100g back bacon diced
1 onion chopped
50g anchovy fillets soaked and drained
6 stuffed olives sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
To make the dough cream the fresh yeast with a pinch of sugar and a little of the water then add the remaining water. (If using dried yeast dissolve 4 teaspoon sugar in the water sprinkle on the yeast and stir well.)
Leave to stand in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
Make a hollow in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture.
Fold the flour over the yeast and mix adding more water if necessary.
Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
Return to the bowl cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until double in size.
Brush a pizza mould or 28 inch loosebased flan tin with oil.
Roll out the dough to the size of the mould.
Fit the dough into the mould prick with a fork.
Spread the tomatoes on the dough.
Add the cheese bacon and onion.
Curl up the anchovy fillets and arrange on top with the sliced olives.
Sprinkle on the oregano.
Bake at 240¡C/475¡F/gas g for 10 to 15 minutes.

anchovy and rosemary sauce - recipe

2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary

12 salted anchovy fillets prepared (qv)

juice of 2 lemons

150ml extra virgin olive oil

Crush the rosemary in a mortar add the anchovies and pound to a paste. 

Slowly add the lemon juice stirring to blend. 

Finally add the olive oil a drop at a time. 

When about half has been added pour in the remainder in a thin steady stream stirring continuously. 

Alternatively you can use a food processor although this method produces a thicker sauce. 

Put the rosemary in and chop very finely. then add the anchovy and chop to a thick fine paste. 

Pour the oil in slowly. 

Finally add the lemon juice. 

anchovy and caper dressing - recipe

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

5 tablespoons olive oil 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

6 anchovy fillets chopped or pounded 

1 tablespoon small capers chopped or pounded

Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Salt should not be needed because of the anchovies and capers.

Serves 4 

anchovies in green sauce - recipe

300g anchovy fillets cleaned weight

200g freshly copped fresh parsley

2 whole chillies finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers finely chopped 

4 small gherkins finely chopped

sufficient olive oil for covering

Fillet the anchovies if necessary. 

Combine the parsley chillies garlic capers and gherkins with the olive oil. 

Take a china bowl and build alternate layers of anchovies and the green herb sauce until it is all used up. 

Chill until required.

If the oil congeals in the fridge dont worry as it will melt again once the dish is taken out

A  typical Piemontese speciality which is delicious either as part of an antipasto or as a snack for when you feel a little peckish. It requires a little work filleting saited anchovies to get the best taste so it is better to prepare enough to enjoy for some time. Of course you can use tinned fillets of anchovies in oil. In this case it tates only a minute to make as much as you want.

To make it even quicker to prepare simply place all the ingredients in a liquidizer and blend until smooth.  

This makes a a creamy consistency but I prefer the mixture of the method above. 

In either case it is delicious but always serve it with pleny of fresh bread to dilute the saltiness.

Serves 6

amla chutney - recipe

150g dried amla pieces soaked for 2 hours 

8 tablespoons water 

4 teaspoons sugar 

1 teaspoon ginger paste

large pinch chilli powder

2 teaspoons distilled vinegar 

salt

Simmer the soaked amia in the water until soft. 

Add all the other ingredients and grind to a paste in a blender.

The chutney should be quite thick. 

Any leftover chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Fresh amla adds to the taste and nutritive value of the recipe but as it is difficult to find Ive used dried.

Serves 4

american pancake gateau - recipe

225 gplain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

450 ml milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

25g butter for frying

Sauce:

450g fresh cherries pitted

300 ml red grape juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons clear honey

4 teaspoons arrowroot

Instead of fresh cherries you could use 1 x 400g can of pitted cherries. 

Make up the syrup to 300ml with water. 

There will be fewer cherries in the sauce but it will still be very good.

Begin by making the sauce. 

Place the cherries grape juice lemon juice and honey in a pan and bring slowly to the boil. 

Simmer for 10 minutes or until the fruit is soft. 

Strain the cherries from the juice and set them aside.

Measure the juice and make it up to 300ml with water. 

Mix a little of the juice into the arrowroot and stir to make a smooth paste. 

Pour on the remaining juice return to the pan and stir over moderate heat until the sauce boils. 

Stir for 2 minutes until the sauce clears and thickens.

Return the cherries to the sauce cover the top with wetted greaseproof paper and keep warm.

To make the pancakes sift together the flour baking powder sugar cinnamon and salt. 

Beat in the eggs one at a time then gradually beat in the milk.

Pour on the melted butter and beat well. 

Or blend all the ingredients for a few seconds in a blender.

Heat a small frying pan or an omelette pan and grease it with some of the butter. 

Pour 3 tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and cook the pancake over high heat for 23 minutes until the surface bubbles.

Flip the pancake over and cook the other side for 2 minutes or until it is equally brown.

Keep the cooked pancake warm on a covered plate over a pan of hot water while you make the

remainder. 

Grease the pan with more butter as necessary. 

The mixture should make 16 small pancakes.

Gently reheat the sauce. 

Put one pancake on each of 4 individual plates. 

Spoon a little of the sauce between each and pile up 4 pancakes on each plate.

Serve the remainder of the sauce separately.

Serve the pancakes hot with single cream.

Serves 4

american hash browns - recipe

6 medlum sized potatoes approx 900g peeled and cut in half 

4 rashers streaky bacon

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 small green pepper finely chopped

1 teaspoon chilli sauce (bottled)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil and boil the potatoes uncovered until they can be pierced with the tip of a small knife about 10 minutes. 

Then drain the potatoes and leave them until they are cool enough to handle.

Grate the potatoes on a coarse cheese grater into a large bowl.

Add the onion and pepper and combine these with the grated potatoes using 2 large forks. 

Sprinkle with chilli sauce mix and season with salt and freshly milled black pepper.

Now in a 25cm frying pan preferably with a good non stick surface cook the bacon until it has rendered all of its fat and is crisp and brown then remove it and drain on kitchen paper.

Now add the butter to the bacon fat and place over the heat until the butter melts. 

Add the potatoes and press them down firmly into the pan using a spatula. Cook them over a low to medium heat shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the potatoes from sticking. 

A brown crust should form on the bottom surface of the potatoes in about 20 minutes you can check this by raising the edge of the potatoes with the spatula. 

If necessary cook for a few minutes longer raising the heat to achieve the proper crispness. 

To serve cover the frying pan with a heated plate and grasping the pan and the plate together turn it upside down. 

The potatoes should fall out easily. 

Crumble the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle them over the potatoes.

Serves 4 

american crabcakes recipe

220g crab meat brown and white
1 egg
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
11/2 tbsp flnely chopped parsley
4 spring onions finely chopped
Salt and pepper
55 85g fine dry breaderumbs
Olive or vegetable oil
Mix the crab with all the ingredients except the crumbs and oil.
Add enough crumbs to bind nicely.
Divide into four and pat each quarter into a flat round cake about 2cm thick.
Chill covered until needed.
Either fry in a little oil until browned on both sides or brush the grill rack and crabcakes lightly with oil and grill them until well browned on both sides.
notes:
These are only worth making if you can get fresh crab meat. Serve the crabcakes either with more mayonnaise lemon wedges and plenty of green salad or with a raw tomato salsa finely diced skinned deseeded tomato flavoured with chopped basil or coriander finely diced shallot a little red chilli some olive oil a pinch of sugar a squeeze or two of lime or lemon juice salt and pepper.
Serves 4 as a first course or light lunch

american cherry pie - recipe

This is one of the best cherry recipes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream cold with
whipped cream.
Pie crust:
450g plain flour
1/2 level tspn salt
140g lard or vegetable shortening
iced water
Filling:
500g cherries stoned
60g caster or vanilla sugar
2 tbspn flour
30g butter
Sift flour and salt.
Using a pastry blender or two knives (a processorwill make it too smooth) cut the lard into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the water over one tablespoon at a time mixing it in quickly and lightly with a fork until the pastry will form a ball.
Divide in two and roll into two balls handling as little as possible.
Roll out one half and line in 8in (20cm) pie dish.
Chill.
Mix the filling except the butter and fill the pie.
Dot with butter.
Roll out the pie lid brush the edges of the case with water lay the lid on top trim widely then tuck the edges under neatly.
Crimp with a fork or flute with your fingers.
Sprinkle on sugar.
Bake at 220¡C (425 F gas mark 7) for 10 minutes then at 190¡C (375¡F gas mark 5) for 3040 minutes more until slightly browned
Serves 8

ambrosia

1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbspns fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
2 tangerines peeled and sectioned (qv)
1 cup red seedless grapes halved
1 cup green seedless grapes halved
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup shredded coconut toasted (qv)
fresh mint leaves for garnish
In a blender or food processor puree cheese yogurt brown sugar and lemon juice.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Stir in fruit and coconut.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until chilled.
Serve garnished with mint leaves.

amaretti ice cream

100g amaretti or macaroons
3 tablespoons Marsala or medium sherry
450ml vanilla ice cream (qv)
To decorate
whipped cream (optional)
ratafia biscuits
Grind the amaretti or macaroons in an electric blender or crush with a rolling pin.
Mix to a soft paste with the Marsala or sherry.
Spread two thirds of the ice cream over the base and two thirds up the sides of a 600 ml basin.
Spread the macaroon mixture in the centre and cover with the remaining ice cream smoothing the top.
Cover with foil and freeze until required.
Turn the ice cream out onto a serving dish and place in the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to soften.
Decorate with whipped cream if using and ratafia biscuits to serve.
Serves 4
Note : Avoid soft ice cream otherwise the bombe will not hold its shape.

almond tuiles

375g softened butter
375g caster sugar
5 beaten eggs
25g plain flour
375g finely ground almonds
dusting of icing sugar
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl.
Slowly add the beaten eggs.
Sift the flour and the almonds together and add to the mixture.
Blend to a smooth paste.
Leave to set in the refrigerator.
Take the very cold baking tray.
Spread the paste evenly across the template and lift it up to leave a round of paste.
Continue until the tray is full.
Bake in the oven preheated to 140/C/285/F/gas mark 2 for about 12 minutes or until the colour is evenly golden.
Using a spatula remove the biscuits carefully off the tray and mould them quickly round a rolling pin or whatever utensil you want to use to shape them.
Leave to cool.
Before serving dust with icing sugar.
These can be made to any size. The easiest way to get an even thin round surface is to cut a template from a plastic container to whatever diameter you want. Ours are approxinately 75 to 100mm. You also get a better result if the paste is made a day in advance and if the baking tray has been placed in the freezer for a short time before baking.
Serves 4

almond tart

almond tart
1 tart case baked blind (qv short crust sweet pastry)
400g blanched whole almonds
350g unsalted butter
300g sugar
3 whole freerange eggs
In a food processor blitz the whole almonds to a fine powder and put into a bowl.
Then blitz the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Add this to the almonds with the lightly beaten eggs and fold in until completely mixed.
Place in the fridge to firm up slightly. Once it has chilled fill the tart case not too generously or it will spill over and not too meanly unless you are going to add some fruit.
If making a fruit and almond tart it is always a good idea to pick fruit that is slightly unripe when it is cooked it wilt contrast with the sweetness of the almond filling.
My favourites are fat cherries nectarines peaches and pears.
Just push the fruit into the almond mixture once you've filled the tart case.
Bake on a tray at 180C/350F/gas 4 for approximately 1 hour until the almond mix has become firm and golden.
Allow to coot for about 1/2 an hour and serve with icecream creme fraiche or vanilla cream (qv).
This tart will keep for 2 days but it's quite handy to freeze the raw almond mix and the blind baked tart shell for any surprising and presumptuous friends.

almond macaroons recipe

50g icing sugar sifted
egg beaten
225g ground almonds
teaspoond finely grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon imitation vanilla essence
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
extra icing suga for garnish
Preheat oven to 180¡C.
In a large mixing bowl combine cmg sugar and beaten egg.
Beat until mixture is white.
In another bowl combine ground almonds lemon rind vanilla essence and cinnamon and gradually mix into beaten sugar and egg mixture.
Knead dough in bowl until pliable about 5 minutes.
Cover with tea towel and leave to mature for 15 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to a long thin sausage shape about 4cm thick.
Cut into twenty four segments and roll each segment into an even sized ball.
Lightly oil the palms of your hands and flatten each ball into rounds about 4cm in diameter.
Place biscuits on a buttered baking tray giving them plenty of room to spread while baking and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Bake for 1520 minutes or until golden.
Cool on wire rack.
Store in airtight container.
Note. Serve with moroccan style fresh fruit salad (qv).
Serves 6

almond jelly with fresh oranges

southern region
1 tablespoon gelatine
300ml water
300ml milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
300ml fresh orange juice
2 oranges
Put the gelatine into a small bowl.
Add half the water to dissolve the gelatine and bring the other half to a boil in a small pot.
Pour the hot water into the gelatine and cold water and stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved.
Combine this with the milk sugar and almond extract in a large bowl.
Pour the mixture into a pyrex dish or square baking tin about 18cm square and 3.5cm deep.
Put it in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until it has completely set.
Peel the oranges and remove all the white pith.
Separate them into segments.
When the almond jelly is ready cut it into 2.5cm cubes.
Put some orange segments into individual bowls.
Add some almond jelly cubes and then pour a little orange juice over each portion.
This is my version of a classic Chinese dessert. In the original version agaragar (a type of seaweed) is used instead of gelatine ground almond juice is used instead of almond extract and a sugar syrup is served with it instead of orange juice. The original version involves a long and laborious process which requires obscure ingredients. I think this recipe although it departs from the original is nevertheless a delicious and refreshing variation.
Serves 4

almond fudge recipe

300g almonds soaked for 5 hours blanched
600ml full fat milk
6 tablespoons ghee
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 sheets edible silver foil (varq)
Put the almonds in a food processor with half the milk.
Grind to a paste adding more milk a little at a time until all the milk is used up.
Heat the ghee in a heavy pan and add the almond paste.
Fry over a low heat until it begins to stick.
Add the sugar and stir well.
Cook until the ghee separates and the fudge is well blended.
Take off the heat and add the cardamom powder.
Stir well and pour onto a net dish.
When it is almost cool cut it into fancy shapes and decorate with edible silver foil.
This recipe comes from south India and is one of the richest sweets you can eat. It always reminds me of a famous south indian restaurant in Bombay where it is served (believe it or not) with breakfast!
Serves 4

almond biscuits recipe 2

224g plain flour
pinch of salt
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in the sugar.
Rub in the fat.
Beat in the egg almond essence and enough milk to form a stiff dough.
Roll out to l/sin thickness.
Cut as required and place on greased baking sheets.
Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar and chopped almonds.
Bake in preheated oven until light golden in colour.
When cold leave on baking sheet to crisp and then place on wire rack to cool.
small oven: 180¡CÑ15 minutes
PRE HEATED middle shelf
fan oven: 160¡CÑ15 minutes
PRE HEATED

almond biscuits recipe

almond biscuits

6 oz SR flour
pinch salt
3 oz caster sugar
2 oz ground almonds
5 oz margarine
1/4 teaspoon almond essence
blanched almonds (or flaked almonds)
Mix together thoroughly flour salts sugar and ground almonds.
Rub in margarine.
Add essence and knead well.
Roll out to about 1+ inch thickness cut into rounds with scone cutter.
Place half a blanched almond on each.
Place on greased baking sheet and bake in moderate oven (325350 F) gas mark 34) about 15 min

almond and avocado rice salad recipe

175g easy cook brown rice
pinch of salt
1 tsp salad oil
4 spring onions
6 cherry tomatoes
55g almonds cut into slivers
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 large ripe avocado
For the dressing:
4 tbsp salad or olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 tspn salt
1 tspn sugar
Measure the rice into a cup and put it into a saucepan.
Measure twice the volume of water as you had of rice in the same cup pour it in adding a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of salad oil. Bring to the boil cover turn the heat right down to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile clean and finely chop the spring onions and wash and halve the tomatoes. Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan or under the grill for a couple of minutes until they're pale gold.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together oil juice salt and sugar and either whisk or shake in a sealed jar.
When the rice is cooked put it into a sieve and run cold water through it for a minute until it has cooled.
Drain thoroughly and place in a bowl.
Add the chopped spring onions half the chopped parsley and half the salad dressing and stir till mixed.
Put a layer on the servingdish or plate you're going to use arrange the tomatoes cut side up decoratively around it and sprinkle over the toasted almonds.
Halve the avocado remove the stone cut each half into quarters and peel the skin off very carefully.
Put each avocado quarter sharp end away from you onto a choppingboard and with a sharp knife cut it lengthways into four or five slivers without cutting through the tip.
Press down gently with the heel of your hand and you'll have a fan of avocado.
Repeat with the remaining quarters and place attractively on the rice salad.
Pour the remaining dressing over the avocados and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Covered lightly with clingfilm this can be chilled in the fridge for up to 6 to 8 hours before serving.
This combines the crunch of almonds the nutty textures and flavours of browr rice and the soft melting qualities of avocado. It's very easy to buy easycook brown rice these days which makes life much quicker as it takes only half the time to cook as the oldfashioned kind. Lay the salad out on an oval servingdish and decorate as prettily as you can.
Serves 4

almond and apricot cookies recipe

almond and apricot cookies

125g butter softened
200g caster sugar
1 medium egg beaten
4 drops almond essence
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon milk
50g blanched almonds finely chopped
2 tablespoons apricot jam
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy then beat in the egg and almond essence.
Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir into the mixture with enough milk to form a smooth paste.
Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls.
Roll in chopped almonds and place well apart on a greased baking sheet.
Make a deep dent in the centre of each and fill with jam.
Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 200¡C (400¡F) Gas Mark 6 for 12 to 15 minutes until golden.
Leave for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and leave until cold.
Store in an airtight tin.
Makes about 36

all purpose barbecue marinade recipe

all purpose barbecue marinade

2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
2 garlic cloves peeled chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 dashes of soy or Worcestershire sauce
Combine all the ingredients.
Chicken and meat should be marinated for 4 hours fish for only 20 to 30 minutes.
This is an extremely versatile marinade for using on chicken pork beef lamb and even fish. You can also add to the basic mixture 2 tbsp yoghurt and 1/2 tsp cumin for a middle Eastern flavour or 1 tbsp freshly chopped herbs to give a Provencal flavour.

all in one white sauce recipe

425ml milk this can be infused qv bechamel sauce) but must be cold
20g plain flour
40g butter
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Put the milk in a saucepan then simply add the flour and butter and bring everything gradually up to simmering point whisking continuously with a balloon whisk until the sauce has thickened and becomes smooth and glossy.
Turn the heat down to its lowest possible setting and let the sauce cook very gently for 5 minutes stirring from time to time. Meanwhile taste and add seasoning.
The golden rule here as explained earlier is to use cold milk. So ifyou want to infuse the milk pour it into a bowl and let it get completely cold before you begin.
Makes about 425ml

aligot recipe

900g potatoes unpeeled
150ml hot milk
salt and pepper
4 tbsp double cream
50g butter
1 crushed garlic clove
175g grated gruyere
Cover the potatoes with cold water in a large pan add a good pinch of salt bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender.
Drain well and leave until cool enough to handle.
Peel and return to the pan with double cream and butter.
Mash smoothly over gentle heat then gradually add the hot milk and beat until creamy and smooth.
Beat in garlic clove and then gradually add gruyere beating it in a little at a time until the potatoes are shiny and come away from the sides of the pan.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Choose a floury potato golden wonderking edward maris piper or wilja and for the best possible mash cook whole and unpeeled.
Serves 4

algerian meatballs in garlic broth recipe

1 head of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 litre chicken or meat stock
2 tomatoes skinned deseeded and chopped
1 carrot sliced
2 tbsp tomato puree
4 tbsp long grained rice rinsed
250g cooked chickpeas
2 squeezes of lemon juice salt and pepper
For the meatballs
garlic (see below)
500g minced beef or lamb
1 small bunch coriander finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg lightly beaten
salt and pepper
Break the garlic up into cloves and peel them then process the whole lot roughly.
Melt the oil in a large pan and fry the onion until tender.
Add twothirds of the garlic and cinnamon stick and stir for a few minutes.
Now add the herbs meat stock chopped tomatoes carrot and salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile make the meatballs.
Mix the remaining garlic with the minced meat coriander onion cinnamon salt and pepper and enough beaten egg to bind.
Roll into walnut sized balls.
Once the broth has been simmering for 40 minutes add the meatballs tomato puree and rice. Simmer for 15 minutes then add the chickpeas and simmer for three or four minutes.
Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately or reheat thoroughly when needed.
For chickpeas if you have time soak and cook your own rather than use tinned ones.
Serves 4

aioli recipe 2

1/2 small clove of garlic peeled
1 teaspoon soft
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
285ml extra virgin olive oil
285ml olive oil
lemon juice to taste
Smash up the garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt in a pestle and mortar (if you don't have a pestle and mortar you can very finely chop the garlic).
Place the egg yolk and mustard in a bowl and whisk.
Then start to add your olive oil bit by bit.
Once you've blended in a quarter of the olive oil you can start to add the rest in larger amounts.
When you've added it all you can add the garlic and lemon (to taste) and any extra flavours such as basil fennel tops dill chopped roast nuts.
To finish just season to taste with salt freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice.
When I make aaoli I use two olive oils: one that is a bit more expensive a bit more peppery and a bit more gutsy; and a second which is a bit more bland but still nice and mellow. By blending the flavours in 'this way you achieve an olive oil flavour that isn't too strong or too peppery. Aioti is great with cold roast pork. Basil aioli is good with pink grilled salmon and lemon aioli works well with crostini in fish broth.
Serves 8

aioli recipe

2 egg yolks
6 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
To make the aioli beat the egg yolks with the garlic and salt until the mixture thickens.
Add the oil drop by drop beating constantly. As it thickens add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and then add the oil in a steady stream beating vigorously.
Add the remaining lemon juice to taste and mix thoroughly.
Spoon the aioli into a small bowl place on a large plate and surround with a selection of prepared vegetables.
Aioli is a Provencal dish. It should be very thick and smooth with a powerful garlic flavor. Any combination of salad vegetables can be served as crudites to dip into the aioli sliced bell peppers radishes sticks of cucumber zucchini batons and pieces of fennel are particularly good.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

afternoon tea scone

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
200g granulated sugar
50g margarine
50g raisins
1 size 2 egg
110ml milk
Pre heat oven to gas mark 6 4000F/200C.
You will need 1 well greased 21 or 23 cm round cake tin.
First place the flour baking powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Then rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. After that stir in the raisins to distribute them evenly.
Now in a small bowl beat together the egg and milk and add this (reserving 1 dessertspoon) to the rest of the ingredients.
Then mix to a soft slightly sticky dough (you may ormay not need the remaining liquid).
Turn the dough out on to a floured surface knead it briefly and lightly to form a round then transfer it to the tin.
Using the flat of your hand push the dough out evenly to the size of the tin. Then bake it in the top half of the oven for 45 minutes.
Serve warm and fresh from the oven cut into slices and spread with butter and preserves.
Makes a 9 inch round scone

aegean fish soup

1.75kg mixed fish (below) prepared whole rinsed and drained
2 tbspns olive oil
8 small potatoes peeled whole
6 small onions peeled whole
2 carrots peeled and quartered
2 small stalks celery including some leaves chopped
225g courgettes quartered into 50mm lengths
2 lemons
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the olive oil in a very large saucepan with 1.4L of water bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 45 minutes in order to emulsify the liquid.
Sprinkle in some seasoning and add the fish.
Bring back to the boil and skim until clear.
Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
Then add all the vegetables.
They should be half immersed in the broth so add a little hot water if necessary but beware of too much liquid as it will result in a tasteless soup.
Cook for 20 to 30 minutes for large fish or less for smaller ones making sure the fish does not disintegrate.
It midst hold together so that it can be taken out whole without breaking if possible.
If the fish are small and cook quicker they should be taken out earlier and kept warm.
Add in the juice of 1 lemon at the end.
Carefully take the fish out of the liquid transfer it to a warmed platter and surround it with the vegetables.
Serve the soup separately and ask people to help themselves to a piece of fish and a selection of vegetables; or if they prefer they can have the soup first and fish and vegetables afterwards.
Offer some olive oil and lemon wedges for the fish.
In my opinion the best soup is made with scorpion fish (French rascasse rouge) and the main ingredient of the Provencal bouillabaisse as its bones have a glutinous quality indispensable to a soup. Its huge head also adds a lot to the broth. A good alternative to this is red gurnard which has a sweet taste. Dogfish is good and of course grey mullet or a combination of different fish.
Allow such fish to cook a little longer in order to get tho full benefit of the tastes in the broth. This is particularly true with scorpionfish which needs at least half an hours steady boiling or even more for larger specimens If in doubt make a broth first by boiling extra heads and bones of non oily fish.
Serves 6