Chocolate peppermint traybake

Recipe 500g carrots, scrubbed well and cut in half lengthwise, ends trimmed 4 tablespoons good local rapeseed oil or cooking oil 2 medium onions, finely sliced 25g chopped root ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock 1 red chilli, finely sliced 4 small shallots, peeled and finely sliced 50g pumpkin seeds coarsely chopped Set oven to 190oc. Take a large sheet of parchment paper and place carrots on one side. Drizzle over a tablespoon of the oil and season with salt. Fold over the paper and twist the edges to seal in the carrots. Bake in the oven for about an hour or until soft. Cook the onions, ginger and garlic in another tablespoon of the oil until soft and golden over low heat – about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend to a smooth soup and check seasoning. Heat the remaining oil over low heat and add the shallots and chilli. Cook gently until the shallots are golden. Add the pumpkin seeds and cook until they pop. Remove from heat and season with salt. Spoon the soup into bowls or cups and sprinkle over the crispy pumpkin seed mixture.

Pear and blueberry buckle 2 pears 50g castor sugar 1 tablespoon honey 150g frozen blueberries Peel, core and dice the pears and cook with the sugar and honey until soft. Add the blueberries. Cool. Cake batter 60g soft butter 150g castor sugar 1 egg 125ml buttermilk 250g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Butter and line a 23cm cake tin with parchment paper and set the oven to 180oc. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in the egg. Mix the flour and baking powder and add half of this mixture to the butter mixture with half the buttermilk. Mix until incorporated then add the remaining flour and buttermilk and mix to a smooth batter. Fold in half the pear and blueberry mixture. Spoon half the batter into the bottom of the cake tin and smooth off. Add the remaining pear mixture and then top with the rest of the cake batter. Topping 50g castor sugar 25g oats 50g plain flour 60g diced butter Rub together to coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake for about 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Breton Chicken 8 chicken thighs, skin on bones removed ( see below for chicken stock recipe) 1 tablespoon oil 25g butter 1large leek, split, washed and chopped 200ml dry local cider 1 bay leaf 200ml chicken stock 75ml double cream 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Handful chopped parsley Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Season the chicken with salt and add skin side down in the pan and cook until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip over and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cider and bay leaf. Boil to reduce by half. Add the stock and boil for 5 minutes. Return the chicken thighs to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream, mustard and parsley and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes then check seasoning, remove bay leaf and serve. Chicken Stock Bones from chicken thighs 1 tablespoon oil 1 stick celery, chopped roughly 1 onion, chopped ½ carrot chopped 1 bay leaf 4 peppercorns crushed Few sprigs thyme Heat the oil in a saucepan until hot and add the bones. Cook until well coloured. Add the celery, onion and carrot, lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add the bay, peppercorns and thyme and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer for about 2 hours, make sure liquid is topped up. Strain and use what you need. The rest can be frozen.

500g shin of beef 2 tablespoons oil 2 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped 2 sticks celery chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon tomato puree 750ml beef stock 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons balsamic 350g pasta - I used pacheri 75g grated parmesan or hard cheeseHeat a tablespoon of the oil in a casserole until smoking hot. Season the beef with salt and sear on both sides for a couple of minutes. Remove from pan and add the onion, celery and carrots and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook for 5 minutes to colour then add the tomato puree and stir well. Cook for a minute and add the stock, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil and return beef to pan. Cover and bake in a 140oc oven for about 2 hours or until fork tender. Cook the pasta according to the pack. Remove carrots and add 150ml of liquor and blend well. Take the remaining liquor and boil to reduce by half. Blend and check seasoning. Shred the beef and add to the meat liquor. Drain the pasta and add to the meat with the carrot puree, stir well and add a bit of cooking water to loosen if needed. Mix in half the cheese and spoon into bowls. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and serve.Show less

Paula shows John how to make chocolate peppermint traybakes.

Coconut cheesecake cream 250g cream cheese 250g mascarpone 50g castor sugar 250ml double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 50g desiccated coconut 25g icing sugar Take 125g of the cream and add the vanilla and sugar. Bring to a simmer until sugar has dissolve and add the coconut. Turn off the heat and cool for 30 minutes. Whisk the cream cheese, mascarpone, remaining cream together and add the coconut cream mixture and icing sugar. Orange Crumble 100g plain flour 80g soft butter 100g castor sugar Zest 1 orange. Rub the flour and butter to coarse crumb texture. Add the sugar and orange zest Spread over a tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 180oc or until golden and crisp. Cool and break up into a crumble.Poached Rhubarb 4 stalks rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces 500ml local apple juice 250ml water 50g castor sugar 2 tablespoons grenadine Place the water and sugar in a large saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add the apple juice and bring to a simmer. Add the grenadine and gin and then the rhubarb. Cover the surface with parchment paper and lower the heat to as little as possible. Cook for about 3 minutes then turn off and allow the rhubarb to cool in the liquor. Store in the fridge and use as necessary. The juice can be added to sparkling water, wine or gin and tonic. Spoon the coconut cream into bowls, make a well in the centre, spoon in some rhubarb and scatter over the crumble.

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry 60g soft butter 60g castor sugar 1 egg 50g ground almonds 15g plain flour 15g cocoa powder 1 egg yolk 10g melted butter 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar 1 tablespoon maple syrup 175g cherries, stone removed Place the pastry on a lightly greased baking tray. Beat the castor sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Mix in the almonds, cocoa and flour to a smooth paste. Score a border of 1cm thick around the pastry, prick the middle with a fork and brush all over with the egg yolk. Spread the frangipane into the centre rectangle within the border. Press the cherry halves into the frangipane. Brush all over with the melted butter and sprinkle the Demerara sugar over evenly. Bake in a 180oc preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until frangipane is cooked through. Brush with the maple syrup and cool slightly before serving.

Spiced Courgette fritters with yoghurt dressing 125g mashed potatoes 250g coarsely grated courgettes ½ teaspoon salt 4 scallions, finely chopped 45g rice flour 1 teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon nigella seeds Oil for shallow frying Mix the courgettes with the salt and leave for 10 minutes. Squeeze through a sieve to get rid of as much water as possible and place in a bowl with the potatoes, scallions, rice flour, and spices. Mix well. Form into small golf ball size pieces – roll and then flatten. Heat a quarter of thumb nail depth of oil in a frying pan and add the fritters. Cook until golden on both sides – about 2 minutes each side. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the yoghurt dressing.Yoghurt Dressing 250ml Greek style yoghurt ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons oil 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons curry leaves ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powderSeason the yoghurt with salt in a bowl. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they pop add garlic and curry leaves. Cook gently until the garlic is golden. Add the turmeric and chilli powder and remove from heat. Pour the mixture over the surface of the yoghurt and serve with the fritters.

Braised local beans with parma ham and spaghetti 1 stick celery, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 25g butter 4 slices parma ham, shredded 1 tablespoon tomato puree 250g mixed beans ( runner beans and green beans) topped tail and cut into 2cm pieces 250g local tomatoes cut the same size or whole if cherry tomatoes 250ml stock 300g dried spaghetti 75g hard cheese like parmesan/ Cais na Tire/ pecorino Handful fresh basil, parsley or lovage, chopped 1 tablespoon of good olive oilCook the onion, garlic and celery in the butter in a pan over low heat – keep a lid on and give it a stir occasionally, for 15 minutes or until soft. Add the ham and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomato puree and add the beans, tomatoes and stock. Place the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the spaghetti for 10 minutes and then drain and add to the braised beans. Mix in the cheese and herbs. Check seasoning and serve in bowls with a drizzle of the good oil.

RecipeFlorentines 50g butter 50g soft brown sugar 50g golden syrup 50g plain flour 100g chopped mixed nuts ( pistachio, hazelnuts, almonds) 75g mixed dried fruit ( apricot, cranberry, raisins etc) Set oven to 180oc and line 2 trays with parchment paper. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Remove from heat and beat in the flour to a smooth paste. Mix in the buts and fruit. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and place on the baking tray and flatten slightly. Repeat with remaining mixture, leaving space in between as they spread when cooking. Bake for about 10 minutes and cool to set.Blackcurrant icecream 150g blackcurrants 1 tablespoon Brandy or fruit liqueur 1 tablespoon liquid glucose Juice ½ lemon 250g sugar 4 egg yolks 500ml double creamPlace the blackcurrants with the brandy, glucose, lemon juice and 50g of the sugar in a pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend and cool Whisk the remaining sugar with the egg yolks in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk for 2 minutes then whisk with an electric whisk for another 3 minutes or until pale. Whisk the cream to soft peaks. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the cream and then fold in the blackcurrant mixture. Place in a plastic tub and freeze until set.Scoop the icecream and sandwich between 2 Florentines.