Baked alaska

Hazelnut meringue sandwich

Filled with raspberry coulis and cream, and topped with fresh raspberries.

Chocolate painted leaves

Melt some cooking chocolate, and paint it onto the underside of a leaf. Don't use dead or decaying leaves from the ground - get it from a tree. Place into the fridge on a tray (chocolate-side up), and gently peel the leaf off after two hours. Voila!

Mince pies

Tangy filling of mincemeat, redcurrants and apple.

Pork Pie Recipe

serves 10-12, or more! 20cm springform cake tin required filling:

• 1kg pork shoulder, cut into 5mm cubes
• 250g fresh pork belly, minced (or fatty sausage meat)
• 250g salt pork, pancetta or streaky bacon, finely chopped
• 12 sage leaves, finely chopped
• Leaves from 2 good sprigs of thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• good pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 250ml good pork stock that will set to jelly

hot water crust:

• 100g lard, diced
• 100g butter, diced
• 200ml water
• 550g plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs, beaten, plus 1 egg to glaze

the hot water crust pastry

Make the hot water crust pastry first. Put the lard, butter and water in a saucepan and heat gently until melted; do not let it boil. Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a dip in the centre and add the beaten eggs, stirring them gently around with a knife so they are half mixed with the flour. Pour in the melted fat and water and mix together to form a soft dough; add up to 50ml extra warm water if it is too dry. Knead gently, adding more flour if it is too sticky to handle. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for one hour.

For the filling, mix all the meats with the herbs, salt and seasonings (except the bay leaf), so they are thoroughly combined.

pie construction and setting

Now assemble the pie. Cut off a generous quarter of the pastry and keep in the fridge, for the lid. On a floured surface, roll out the rest of the pastry into a 30cm circle a good centimetre thick. Use this to line a 20cm springform cake tin, pressing the pastry into the sides and flattening any overlap with your fingers. It should come 6-8cm up the sides of the tin.

Fill with the seasoned pork mixture and push the bay leaf into the middle of it. Roll out the reserved piece of pastry into a circle about the size of the tin. Brush the edges of the lining pastry with a little beaten egg, and lay the pastry lid on top of the pie. Crimp the edges together so they are sealed. Cut a 1cm diameter hole in the centre of the pastry lid.

Place the pie in a moderate oven (180°C) and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for a further 1 1/4 hours. Carefully release the side of the tin and remove it. Brush the top and sides of the pie with beaten egg and cook for another 15 minutes to set the glaze. Take the pie out of the oven and allow to cool.

the jellied stock lining

It will have shrunk slightly in the oven, creating a cavity that is traditionally filled with jellied stock. It's a bit like filling a car with petrol, but requires a slightly more delicate touch (leon: also a more delicious one). Do it when the pie is still just a little warm. Warm the jellied stock until it is pourable, but not hot. Carefully lift the edges of the centre hole of the pastry with the tip of a knife, making sure you have good access to the cavity. You can use a small funnel for this or, better still, a 'turkey baster', with a squeezy rubber bulb on one end. Tilt the pie from time to time to help distribute the stock, then try and get a little more in. Stop when the stock begins to overflow from the hole. Leave the pie to cool, then put it in the fridge. It will keep for about 2 weeks. Serve with English mustard, pickles and salad.

Mushroom rice recipe

This produces a good, slightly creamy and very mushroom flavoured side dish.

Ingredients

• 10g butter
• 6 mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (optional)
• 475 ml chicken broth, chicken stock or pork stock
• 185 g uncooked white rice
• 0.6 g chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, garlic and green onion until mushrooms are cooked and liquid has evaporated. Stir in chicken broth and rice. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Tada!

Lebanese Aubergine and Courgette Curry recipe

This moist vegetable curry has a delicious kick, though it's still fine to eat early in the day. Freezable.

Works well with spiced lamb balls accompanied by mushroom rice as a complete meal.

Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine/ eggplant
• 2 courgettes/ zucchini, cut into 1cm squares
• 1 large onion
• 1 450g tin of plum tomatoes (add another tin if you prefer)
• mint
• chilli powder
• turmeric
• splash of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper to season
• serve on a bed of basmati rice

Directions

Shallow fry the onion in olive oil in a large saucepan and add diced courgettes once the onion has become soft.

In another pan cook the diced aubergine in a little oil and add water if the aubergine becomes too dry in the cooking process. Add to the onions and courgettes once cooked.

Add the tomatoes and crushed garlic. Then add chilli and turmeric according to taste as well as a generous helping of mint.

Add salt and pepper to season.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 1/2 hour