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  CRANBERRY, MINCEMEAT, MERINGUE

  Crisp meringue. Whipped cream. Sweet mincemeat. Sour cranberries.

  Serves 2

  cranberries, fresh 125g

  cranberry jelly 150g

  double cream 250ml

  meringues 80g

  mincemeat 200g

  Marsala 40ml

  Put the cranberries in a saucepan with the cranberry jelly and leave over a moderate heat for five to seven minutes till the berries burst.

  Pour the cream into a chilled bowl and whisk till thick. The cream should be just stiff enough to sit in soft folds. Crumble the meringues into the cream.

  Warm the mincemeat and Marsala together in a small pan until they are hot and bubbling, then remove from the heat.

  Divide the meringue and cream between two bowls, then spoon over the hot mincemeat followed by the hot cranberry sauce.

  • You could successfully add slices of blood orange to this, too.

  PAPAYA, PASSION FRUIT, MINT

  Tart, bright flavours for a grey day.

  Serves 4

  passion fruit 6

  orange 1, small

  cardamom pods 4

  persimmon 1

  papayas 2

  mint leaves 6

  Slice the passion fruit in half, then squeeze their juice and seedy flesh into a small sieve over a bowl. Press the juice and pulp through the sieve with the back of a teaspoon, then discard the seeds. Cut the orange in half and squeeze its juice into the bowl of passion fruit juice.

  Crack open the cardamom pods with a heavy weight, such as a mortar or rolling pin, then drop them, whole, into the juice. Cover and place in the fridge.

  Slice the persimmon thinly, then add to the passion fruit juice. Slice the papayas in half, scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard them, then remove the yellow skin from each papaya half using a vegetable peeler. Slice the papaya into thick pieces, about the width of a pencil. Mix the papaya pieces with the persimmon and passion fruit juice, tossing the fruits tenderly together.

  Cover and leave for a couple of hours, or overnight, in the fridge. Add the mint leaves and remove the cardamom pods – they have done their work – then divide the fruit between four small bowls.

  PEARS, RED WINE, PECORINO

  Fruity, long-matured cheese, spiced fruits.

  Serves 4

  pears 4

  star anise 2

  cardamom pods 10

  a vanilla pod

  cloves 4

  a cinnamon stick

  a bottle of light, fruity red wine

  aged Pecorino 350g

  Peel the pears and tuck them snugly into a stainless-steel saucepan. Add the star anise, cardamom pods – lightly cracked open – the vanilla pod (split in half lengthways) and the cloves. Break the cinnamon stick in half, add to the pan then pour in the red wine.

  Bring the wine almost to the boil, lower the heat to a simmer, then leave to cook until the pears are tender. Expect this to take anything from twenty minutes to fifty, depending on the ripeness of your pears.

  Slice the cheese, drain the pears, discarding the spices, and put them both on a serving plate.

  • You can use the spiced red wine. Once you have removed the pears, turn the heat up, add 100g of caster sugar and let the wine bubble to a deep, garnet-red syrup. Keep your eye on it, but it will probably take a full ten minutes. When all is deep red and glossy, pour into a small jug and leave to cool. Pour over vanilla ice cream.

  PUDDING RICE, ROSEWATER, APRICOTS

  Creamy rice. A hint of rosewater.

  Serves 4

  pudding rice 150g

  double cream 250ml

  full-fat milk 250ml

  golden caster sugar 2 tablespoons

  a vanilla pod

  rosewater 2 teaspoons

  orange blossom water 2 teaspoons

  pistachios, roughly chopped 50g

  rose petals, fresh or dried 2 tablespoons

  For the apricots:

  dried apricots 16

  half a cinnamon stick

  a lemon

  Put the rice in a medium, heavy-based pan, then add the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla pod. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then turn down the heat until the milk is bubbling gently. Allow to simmer for twenty-five minutes or until tender, giving it the occasional stir.

  Put 300ml of water in a medium-sized pan, add the dried apricots, cinnamon stick and the juice and shell of the lemon. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for ten minutes.

  When the rice is soft, remove the vanilla pod and stir in the rose- and orange blossom water. Divide the rice pudding between four bowls. Spoon four apricots over each, with a little of the juice from the pan. Scatter over the pistachios and a few rose petals before serving.

  SHERRY, BLOOD ORANGES, CREAM

  The nutty warmth of sherry. The vibrancy of oranges.

  Serves 4

  blood orange 1 small

  lemon 1 small

  oloroso sherry 75ml

  caster sugar 75g

  double cream 300ml

  To finish:

  dark chocolate 50g

  candied orange zest 75g

  blood oranges 2

  Finely grate the zest of one blood orange and the lemon into a mixing bowl. Squeeze the fruits’ juice into the bowl, pour in the sherry and stir in the sugar. Mix until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside for a good two hours or even overnight.

  Make the chocolate-dipped peel. Melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, removing it from the heat as soon as the chocolate is liquid. Cut the candied peel into short pieces about 1cm thick and the length of a matchstick. Dip each piece of peel into the chocolate, place on a piece of baking parchment and leave in a cool place until the chocolate has set.

  Pour the double cream into the fruit juice and sherry, then slowly whip until the syllabub starts to thicken. It is best to whip slowly, watching the consistency of the syllabub constantly. As it starts to thicken, the cream will feel heavy on the whisk and you should stop as soon as the syllabub is thick enough to sit in soft, gentle waves. If you whisk until it will stand in peaks you have gone too far. Keep chilled in the refrigerator.

  Remove the peel from the remaining blood oranges with a very sharp knife, taking every shred of white pith with you. Slice the fruit thinly. Spoon the chilled syllabub into bowls, then add the slices of blood orange and the chocolate-dipped candied peel.

  RICE, MILK, FIG JAM

  The humble sweetness of baked rice. The syrupy luxury of fig preserve.

  Serves 4

  green cardamom pods 6

  milk 1 litre

  bay leaves 2

  a vanilla pod

  butter 30g

  pudding rice (short-grain) 80g

  caster sugar 3–4 tablespoons

  fig jam/preserve 8 tablespoons

  Set the oven at 140°C/Gas 1.

  Crack the green cardamoms, extract the tiny brown-black seeds, then crush them to a powder. A pestle and mortar will work if you don’t have a spice mill. Pour the milk into a saucepan. Add the ground cardamom, bay leaves, vanilla pod and butter and bring to the boil.

  Put the pudding rice and caster sugar in a baking dish, then, as soon as the milk boils (watch carefully), pour the hot milk over the rice and stir till the sugar has dissolved.

  Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for two hours until the rice is soft and creamy and the skin is pale gold. Serve with spoonfuls of soft fig jam.

  • No effort involved here. Just a little patience.

  • If fig jam proves tricky to track down, slice six small fresh figs in half and put them in a saucepan with four tablespoons each of granulated or caster sugar and water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer till the sugar and water have turned to a syrup and the figs are soft and on the point of collapse.

  Index

  The page numbers in this index relate to the printed version
of this book; they do not match the pages of your eBook. You can use your eBook reader’s search tool to find a specific word or recipe.

  A

  almonds:

  damson, almond, sunflower seeds 262

  hazelnuts, blood oranges, ricotta 266–8

  ice cream, chocolate, sherry 270

  red cabbage, carrots, smoked almonds 140

  (see also marzipan)

  apples:

  apple yoghurt 14–16

  apples, blue cheese, walnuts 134

  apples, cinnamon, puff pastry 244

  apples, ginger cake, custard 246

  apples, oats, chocolate 248

  apples, pears, rye 250

  beetroot, apple, goat’s curd 48

  shallots, apples, Parmesan 152

  apricots:

  chocolate, dried fruit, pistachios 256

  pudding rice, rosewater, apricots 278

  artichokes, beans, green olives 12

  artichokes, Jerusalem (see Jerusalem artichokes)

  aubergines:

  aubergine, tomato, coconut milk 196

  aubergines, ginger, tamarind 14–16

  butter beans, peppers, aubergines 74–6

  B

  bananas, butter, puff pastry 252–4

  barley:

  pearl barley, kale, goat’s cheese 220

  bay leaves:

  cauliflower, onions, bay 82

  bean sprouts:

  eggs, edamame, bean sprouts 26–8

  beans:

  artichokes, beans, green olives 12

  black-eyed beans, rosemary, kale 170

  burrata, beans, tomatoes 20

  butter beans, peppers, aubergines 74–6

  chickpeas, radicchio, butter beans 90

  haricot beans, rice, onions 204

  noodles, lentils, soured cream 182–4

  sweet potato, jalapeños, beans 124

  beetroot:

  artichokes, winter roots, smoked salt 68–70

  beetroot, apple, goat’s curd 48

  beetroot, blood orange, watercress 136

  beetroot, lentils, garam masala 166

  beetroot, sauerkraut, dill 168

  Berbere spice:

  cabbage, Berbere spice, crumbs 78

  biscuits:

  chocolate, dulce de leche, cantucci 258

  black-eyed beans:

  black-eyed beans, rosemary, kale 170

  sweet potato, jalapeños, beans 124

  blackberries:

  apples, blue cheese, walnuts 134

  blue cheese:

  apples, blue cheese, walnuts 134

  Brussels tops, blue cheese 172

  mushrooms, blue cheese, toasting muffins 60

  bread:

  celeriac, horseradish, pumpernickel 174

  (see also toast)

  breadcrumbs:

  apples, oats, chocolate 248

  apples, pears, rye 250

  Brussels sprouts, smoked mozzarella, dill 72

  butternut, breadcrumbs, curry powder 22

  cabbage, Berbere spice, crumbs 78

  fennel, cream, pine kernels 92

  mushrooms, orange, breadcrumbs 138

  broccoli:

  filo pastry, cheese, greens 146

  rice, broccoli, pak choi 228

  Brussels sprouts:

  Brussels sprouts, brown rice, miso 18

  Brussels sprouts, smoked mozzarella, dill 72

  potatoes, Brussels sprouts 106

  Brussels tops (see sprout tops)

  burrata, beans, tomatoes 20

  butter beans:

  butter beans, peppers, aubergines 74–6

  chickpeas, radicchio, butter beans 90

  butternut squash:

  butternut, breadcrumbs, curry powder 22

  butternut, feta, eggs 24

  mushrooms, butternut, soured cream 180

  pumpkin, couscous, date syrup 118

  tahini, sesame, butternut 188–90

  C

  cabbage:

  cabbage, Berbere spice, crumbs 78

  (see also red cabbage)

  cakes:

  apples, ginger cake, custard 246

  ginger cake, cardamom, maple syrup 264

  candied peel:

  chocolate, orange zest, candied peel 260

  cannellini beans:

  burrata, beans, tomatoes 20

  cantucci:

  chocolate, dulce de leche, cantucci 258

  caramel:

  chocolate, dulce de leche, cantucci 258

  cardamom pods:

  ginger cake, cardamom, maple syrup 264

  papaya, passion fruit, mint 274

  pears, red wine, Pecorino 276

  rice, milk, fig jam 282

  sweet potato, coconut milk, cashews 232–4

  carrots:

  artichokes, winter roots, smoked salt 68–70

  black-eyed beans, rosemary, kale 170

  a brown vegetable stock 4

  butternut, breadcrumbs, curry powder 22

  carrots, rice, coriander 198

  carrots, spices, paneer 80

  Cheddar, cider, mustard 176

  lentils, swede, paprika 206–8

  parsnips, smoked garlic, feta 104

  red cabbage, carrots, smoked almonds 140

  cashews:

  parsnips, cashews, spices 218

  sweet potato, coconut milk, cashews 232–4

  cauliflower:

  cauliflower, onions, bay 82

  orecchiette, cauliflower, cheese 216

  cavolo nero:

  fregola, greens, Pecorino 200

  celeriac:

  artichokes, winter roots, smoked salt 68–70

  celeriac, horseradish, pumpernickel 174

  chanterelles:

  tagliatelle, dill, mushrooms 236

  chard:

  rainbow chard, egg, noodles 40

  Cheddar, cider, mustard 176

  Cheddar, tarragon, eggs 84–6

  cheese:

  apples, blue cheese, walnuts 134

  beetroot, apple, goat’s curd 48

  Brussels sprouts, smoked mozzarella, dill 72

  Brussels tops, blue cheese 172

  burrata, beans, tomatoes 20

  butternut, feta, eggs 24

  carrots, spices, paneer 80

  Cheddar, cider, mustard 176

  Cheddar, tarragon, eggs 84–6

  cheese, thyme, grapes 88

  crumpets, cream cheese, spinach 50–2

  fennel, peas, halloumi 30

  filo pastry, cheese, greens 146

  fregola, greens, Pecorino 200

  hazelnuts, blood oranges, ricotta 266–8

  leeks, Caerphilly, mustard 58

  leeks, tomato, Pecorino 150

  milk, mushrooms, rice 210

  mushrooms, blue cheese, toasting muffins 60

  naan, mozzarella, tomatoes 62

  onions, Taleggio, cream 100

  orecchiette, cauliflower, cheese 216

  orzo, smoked mozzarella, thyme 186

  parsley, Parmesan, eggs 36

  parsnips, shallots, goat’s curd 102

  parsnips, smoked garlic, feta 104

  pearl barley, kale, goat’s cheese 220

  pears, red wine, Pecorino 276

  polenta, garlic, mushrooms 222–4

  polenta, thyme, Taleggio 226

  shallots, apples, Parmesan 152

  swede, mushroom, Gruyère, thyme 154–6

  sweet potato, jalapeños, beans 124

  tagliatelle, dill, mushrooms 236

  chestnuts:

  tahini, sesame, butternut 188–90

  chickpeas:

  chickpeas, radicchio, butter beans 90

  mushrooms, chickpeas, tahini 98

  mushrooms, hummus, herbs 34

  noodles, lentils, soured cream 182–4

  pumpkin, chickpeas, rosemary 114–16

  chillies:

  aubergine, tomato, coconut milk 196

  eggs, edamame, bean
sprouts 26–8

  parsnips, cashews, spices 218

  rainbow chard, egg, noodles 40

  sweet potato, coconut milk, cashews 232–4

  sweet potato, jalapeños, beans 124

  tomato, chillies, udon 238

  chocolate:

  apples, oats, chocolate 248

  chocolate, dried fruit, pistachios 256

  chocolate, dulce de leche, cantucci 258

  chocolate, orange zest, candied peel 260

  ice cream, chocolate, sherry 270

  cider:

  Cheddar, cider, mustard 176

  cinnamon:

  apples, cinnamon, puff pastry 244

  coconut milk:

  aubergine, tomato, coconut milk 196

  parsnips, cashews, spices 218

  sweet potato, coconut milk, cashews 232–4

  coriander:

  carrots, rice, coriander 198

  rainbow chard, egg, noodles 40

  couscous:

  mograbia, tomatoes, labneh 212

  pumpkin, couscous, date syrup 118

  cranberries:

  apples, pears, rye 250

  cranberry, mincemeat, meringue 272

  cream:

  Brussels sprouts, smoked mozzarella, dill 72

  cranberry, mincemeat, meringue 272

  custard 246

  fennel, cream, pine kernels 92

  ginger cake, cardamom, maple syrup 264

  hazelnuts, blood oranges, ricotta 266–8

  mushrooms, hummus, herbs 34

  onions, Taleggio, cream 100

  orecchiette, cauliflower, cheese 216

  polenta, garlic, mushrooms 222–4

  potatoes, sweet potatoes, cream 108

  pudding rice, rosewater, apricots 278

  pumpkin, mustard, cream 120–2

  sherry, blood oranges, cream 280

  (see also soured cream)

  cream cheese:

  crumpets, cream cheese, spinach 50–2

  crème fraîche:

  polenta, thyme, Taleggio 226

  crumbles:

  apples, pears, rye 250

  damson, almond, sunflower seeds 262

  leeks, tomato, Pecorino 150

  crumpets:

  crumpets, cream cheese, spinach 50–2

  leeks, Caerphilly, mustard 58

  cucumber:

  fennel, cucumber, mint 178