I'm out and about this month promoting my latest cookbook, Bake, which is just out! It's a collection of delicious and easy recipes - including cakes and bakes, tarts and pies, quiches and casseroles and you can buy your copy now at amazon.co.uk
- Avocado, Orange and Watercress Salad
- Bacon and Sausage Stew with Beans
- No pastry pear and almond tart
- Avocado, Orange and Watercress Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients
25g (1oz) butter
2 leeks (about 300g/12oz),
dark green tops removed, white bits thinly sliced
2 potatoes (about 175g/6oz), peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 litre (13/4 pints) light vegetable or chicken stock
75ml (21/2fl oz) single cream
100-150g (4-5oz) blue cheese, such as Cashel Blue, Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort, crumbled (see handy tip), plus 25g (1oz) for serving
Method
1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, add the leeks, potatoes and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cover. Turn the heat down to low and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then to ensure they don't burn (see also the handy tip below).
2. After 10 minutes add the stock, increase the heat and simmer for a further 8-10 minutes until the potatoes and leeks are soft. Remove the bay leaves, add the cream and the crumbled blue cheese and transfer to a liquidiser. Whiz the soup until it is smooth and velvety. Return to the saucepan to re-heat, tasting and seasoning if necessary.
3. To serve, pour the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle with the extra crumbled blue cheese.
- Bacon and Sausage Stew with Beans
Serves 4
Ingredients
25g (1oz) butter
2 leeks (about 300g/12oz),
dark green tops removed, white bits thinly sliced
2 potatoes (about 175g/6oz), peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1 litre (13/4 pints) light vegetable or chicken stock
75ml (21/2fl oz) single cream
100-150g (4-5oz) blue cheese, such as Cashel Blue, Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort, crumbled (see handy tip), plus 25g (1oz) for serving
Method
1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, add the leeks, potatoes and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cover. Turn the heat down to low and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then to ensure they don't burn (see also the handy tip below).
2. After 10 minutes add the stock, increase the heat and simmer for a further 8-10 minutes until the potatoes and leeks are soft. Remove the bay leaves, add the cream and the crumbled blue cheese and transfer to a liquidiser. Whiz the soup until it is smooth and velvety. Return to the saucepan to re-heat, tasting and seasoning if necessary.
3. To serve, pour the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle with the extra crumbled blue cheese.
- No Pastry Pear And Almond Tart
Serves 4
Ingredients
175g (6oz) icing sugar
50g (2oz) plain flour
100g (4oz) ground almonds
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
5 egg whites
175g (6oz) butter, melted
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered, then cut into long slices about 5mm (1/4 in) thick
25g (1oz) flaked almonds
Icing sugar, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease the sides of a 23cm (9in) tart tin with a removable bottom and place a disc of greaseproof paper on the base. If you prefer, you can serve this tart on the tart tin base, in which case do not use a disc of paper.
2. Sieve the icing sugar and flour into a bowl and stir in the ground almonds and lemon zest. Whisk the egg whites for 30 seconds, until just frothy, and add to the dry ingrediants with the warm melted butter. Mix until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange the pieces of pear on top and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4 and cook for a further 10 minutes or until risen and pale golden. The filling should fill firm to the touch in the centre.
5. Allow to sit in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar to serve. This is delicious with softly whipped cream.
<< Back To Recipes