Serves 4

Ingredients

• 800g pork fillet, cleaned (200g per portion cut into three medallions and flattened to ¼ inch)
• Flour (to dust)
• 50g salted butter
• 1 small glass dry white wine
• 800g–1000g potatoes
• 5g chives, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 400g red peppers, roasted, peeled and sliced
• 10g salted capers
• 50ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 10g flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 25ml vegetable stock
• 500g courgette, sliced lengthways, ¼ inch thick
• Small bunch mint
• Italian extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method: How to make Salvo’s escalopes of pork fillet with sweet and sour red peppers and capers

1. Wash and drain the salted capers. Soak for at least 2 hours in lots of water making sure to change the water twice.
2. Peel the potatoes and gently boil in salted water for 10 minutes until just tender, keep warm.
3. Sauté the garlic in olive oil until soft, add the thyme sprigs, red peppers and capers. Finish with wine vinegar and allow to reduce to almost nothing. Balance any acidity with the sugar to taste. Add the parsley and 5 or 6 tablespoons of stock.
4. Season the pork medallions and dust in flour. Pan fry in oil and half the butter for about 2 minutes until medium rare. Dust the pan with flour to absorb the fat in the pan, add the white wine and reduce by half, add the sweet and sour red peppers. The pork will have cooked through by now so finish the dish with 25g of cold diced butter stirred in off the heat to give a little richness to the sauce. Moisten with a bit of extra stock if you need more sauce.
5. Take the par cooked potatoes – roughly crush them and add salt, some good extra virgin olive oil and chives.
6. Brush the courgettes with a little oil, griddle until cooked but maintaining a bite. Season and dress with chopped mint before serving with the pork and potatoes.

Serves 4

1. Soak the dried morels for the sauce in hot water for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas 4. Infuse the oil with the garlic in an ovenproof pan over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Pat the chicken breasts dry with kitchen paper then season with sea salt and black pepper. Fry the chicken, skin-side down, in the oil with the thyme, for 5 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp.

3. Turn the chicken over, add the butter to the pan, and sear the other side while spooning the melted butter and oil over for 1-2 minutes. Turn the chicken once again, so that the skin is facing upwards, then roast for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Make the sauce in the meantime. Drain and cool the morels, reserving the liquid. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and sauté the shallots, thyme and garlic for 5-6 minutes until golden. Add the morels, a little more oil and seasoning. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then carefully pour in most of the morel soaking liquid (leaving the sediment behind).

5. Add the wine and bubble until most almost totally reduced. Add the chicken stock and boil for 8-10 minutes until reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer until thickened to the consistency of single cream. Pass through a sieve, pressing the mushrooms and shallots to extract as much flavour as possible. Season and return the sauce to the pan.

6. Sauté the fresh morels in butter with some seasoning. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and keep warm.

7. Rest the chicken while you reheat the sauce. Slice each chicken breast in two horizontally and season each half. Arrange on warm plates, pour the sauce around and scatter with the cooked fresh morels. Serve with the asparagus and sautéed potatoes.

8. For the asparagus break off the tough and woody stems at the base of the spears. Heat a griddle pan until almost smoking. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the asparagus to the griddle pan with a pair of tongs and griddle until tender, turning them now and again to cook evenly.

9. Peel the potatoes and cut into even 1cm cubes. Parboil in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Sauté the potatoes with the garlic and thyme until the potatoes are almost cooked. Add the pancetta and continue to cook, until the pancetta is golden brown and crisp on the edges. Remove the thyme and garlic and check for seasoning.

• 500g venison bones
• 4 sticks of celery
• 2 large onions
• 2 carrots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 12 juniper berries
• 1 glass of red wine
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 15ml gin
• 25g butter
• 25g flour

For the venison:

• 4 x 150g portion, loin of venison, cleaned
• 15ml gin

For the vegetables:

• 200g Savoy cabbage, julienned
• 100g pancetta, diced
• 12 roasted and peeled chestnuts

For the polenta:

• 160g quick cook, yellow polenta
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 100ml dry white wine
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

Method: How to make loin of venison with polenta, chestnut and pancetta

1. Place the venison bones on a large oven tray and roast with 2 sticks of celery, 1 large onion, 1 carrot, 2 cloves of garlic and the juniper berries for 1 hour at 180°C. Once the bones and vegetables are done transfer into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 6 hours. For the first hour make sure to skim any impurities from the water’s surface. Once the stock has reduced and has a good flavour, strain it and let it cool so that the fat solidifies and can be removed.

2. Make a roux in a small pan by melting the butter and adding the flour until combined. Keep warm.

3. Finely dice the remaining 2 carrots, celery, onion and garlic and sweat off in a third pan with olive oil. Allow to develop a deep colour before deglazing the pan with a glass of red wine and reduce. Add bruised rosemary and bay leaf and gin then add the hot roux and slowly the cold stock. Whisk if necessary to mix well. Once the sauce has been simmering for 10 minutes and all the flour has cooked out of the roux, strain it through a fine sieve and keep warm until ready to use.

4. For the venison, sear the loin in a pan browning on all sides – approximately 1 minute on each side. Flambé with gin then finish in the oven for 3-5 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C.

5. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and blanch the cabbage for 3 minutes. In the meantime pan fry the pancetta. When crispy, add the drained blanched cabbage and crumble in the roasted chestnuts. Cook for a further 2 -3 minutes.

6. Take the meat out of the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.

7. Cook the polenta in boiling vegetable stock by adding it slowly and mixing constantly until you have a thick lava-like consistency bubbling in the pan, then cook on a low heat until the texture is smooth.

8. Spoon the polenta on to the plate followed by the rested venison. Add the cabbage and pour over some strained venison sauce to serve.

Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Masala onion concentrate:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic and ginger paste
• 4 cardamom pods
• About 3 cloves
• 1 piece of whole cinnamon
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 4 medium sized onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground cumin
• 1 tsp freshly ground coriander
• 1 turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (mild)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 whole peeled plum tomatoes

For the basmati rice:

• 200g basmati rice, washed and drained
• 1 tbsp pure vegetable ghee
• 1 tsp garlic and ginger paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 inch piece cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• Pinch of fennel seeds
• Pinch of salt
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 265ml water approx, to cover rice
• Pinch of dried red chilli flakes (optional)
• Pinch of dried rose petals (optional)
• 4 silver coated cardamom pods (optional)

For the monkfish:

• 740g fresh monkfish fillets, 185g per person, cut into 4 pieces
• Olive oil for frying
• Pinch of ajwain seeds
• Pinch of fennel seeds
• Pinch freshly ground black mustard seeds

For the saffron cream curry:

• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 8 tbsp freshly ground coconut
• 100ml double cream
• 100ml milk
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Small pinch saffron
• 2 drops screwpine flower essence
• 8 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

For the garnish:

• Freshly ground coconut
• Red amaranth and micro red veined sorrel leaves to garnish

Method: How to make monkfish in saffron cream curry with basmati pilau rice
1. For the masala onion curry concentrate base, get a medium saucepan and place it on fairly high heat, add olive oil, garlic and ginger paste, whole spices and brown for a minute to release flavour then lower the heat, add onion and salt and cook until soft. Once the onion is soft, add the ground spices, stirring constantly to ensure spices do not burn. Add the tomato puree and peeled plum tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes until evenly browned and the spices are aromatic and cooked through.
2. For the basmati pilau rice, heat vegetable ghee and then add garlic and ginger paste with the whole spices and pinch of salt and cook for approximately 1 minute until garlic and ginger is starting to brown and release an aromatic smell, then add finely chopped onion and fry until light brown. Add the rinsed basmati rice to the pan and stir into the fragrant onion spice mix, making sure that the rice is well coated. Pour over enough water to cover the rice, season with a pinch of dried chilli flakes and add the rose petals and silver coated cardamom if using. Heat the water until it starts boiling and cook with the lid on until there is no excess water in the pan. Lower the heat and simmer with the lid on for approximately 10 minutes, keep checking the rice to ensure that it is not overcooked.
3. For the monkfish, heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan on a high heat. Add just a small pinch of ajwain seeds (remember the flavour is very strong), followed by a pinch of fennel and a pinch of mustard seeds and heat to release the flavour. Fry the spices for only a few seconds as they may catch and burn easily. Quickly add the monkfish, sear on all sides to lock in the flavour then immediately remove monkfish pieces from the pan.
4. For the saffron cream curry, put the frying pan back on the heat. Add the masala onion concentrate to the frying pan with the spring onions, kaffir lime leaves, freshly ground coconut, cream, milk, cherry tomatoes and a pinch of saffron to infuse in the sauce. Cook on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, all ingredients must be cooked through properly and the milk and cream reduced by half. Once the saffron cream sauce is reduced by half and the flavours have infused, add the monkfish fillets back into the pan and add a couple of drops of screwpine flower essence, chopped coriander and warm through for a minute.
5. To serve add cooked rice to a small bowl and mould into a small dome, turn out into the centre of a large bowl, spoon the monkfish cream curry around the rice, garnish with fresh coconut, red amaranth and red veined sorrel leaves and serve.

• 4 British rose veal escalope, about 170g each and 1 cm thick
• Approx 120ml Marsala
• 15g butter
• 2 large banana shallots, finely sliced
• 80g mushrooms, sliced
• 300ml chicken stock
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled deseeded and diced
• 1 tbsp chopped chervil
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sautéed vegetables:

• 1 red pepper, cored and deseeded
• 1 yellow pepper, cored and deseeded
• 1 medium aubergine, trimmed
• 1 courgette, trimmed
• 1 garlic clove, (unpeeled) smashed
• Few thyme sprigs
• Splash balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method: How to make veal Marsala with sautéed vegetables

1. Season the veal escalopes with a little salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy based pan. Quickly sauté the veal on both sides (you may have to do this in batches if your pan isn’t big enough) remove the meat and set aside to rest. Keep warm.

2. Bring the same pan back up to temperature and add the butter. Add the shallots and mushrooms and sauté for 2- 3 minutes until softened. Add the stock, season and add a splash of Marsala and allow to reduce.

3. Chop the vegetables into 2cm pieces. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in another large pan. Lightly fry the garlic then add the peppers, aubergine and thyme and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the courgette. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Take off the heat and dress with the a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar; check the seasoning. Finally add the parsley and keep warm until ready to serve.

4. To finish the Marsala sauce mix through the diced tomatoes, chervil and tarragon. Return the veal back to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top to heat it through.

5. Spoon the sautéed vegetables onto warm plates. Lay the escalopes on top of the vegetables and spoon over the Marsala sauce.

Serves 2
Ingredients

• 2 pigeon breasts
• 200g good black pudding
• 100g pancetta, cut into lardons
• Splash of sherry vinegar
• 2 large handfuls of salad leaves

For the vinaigrette:

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crusty bread to serve

Method: How to make wood pigeon salad with bacon and black pudding

1. Season the pigeon breast with oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a heavy based frying pan until hot. Add the pigeon breasts skin side down and fry for about 1 minute each side. They should feel slightly springy when pressed, transfer to a plate to rest.

2. For the vinaigrette whisk together the olive oil, sherry vinegar, seasoning and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spoon a little of the vinaigrette on the resting pigeon breasts then cover them with foil to keep warm.

3. Tip out the excess oil from the pigeon pan and add the pancetta. Cook the pancetta for a couple of minutes, then crumble in the black pudding. Cook them together for 3 – 4 minutes until crispy. Deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar and allow to cook out for around a minute. Drain the contents of the pan through a sieve and rest on kitchen paper.

4. Place the salad leaves in a large bowl and drizzle over most of the remaining vinaigrette. Add the bacon and black pudding mix and toss together.

5. Arrange the salad onto serving plates. Slice the pigeon breast thickly into approx 4 even pieces, arrange on top of the salad leaves , drizzle the juices from the cooking pan over the pigeon along with a final touch of reserved vinaigrette. Serve with crusty bread.

• 1 large onion or 2 banana shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli deseeded or keep half with seeds if you like it spicy
• 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• Olive oil, for frying
• 500g good quality beef mince
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 fresh tomatoes or 1 beef tomato, roughly chopped
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 100-200ml chicken or beef stock
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 400g kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and pepper
• Handful of chives, chopped
• 200ml soured cream
• Boiled rice, to serve

Method: How to make Gordon’s chilli con carne

1. Sweat the onion, garlic, chilli and thyme in 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan. At the same time, brown the mince in a separate pan over moderate heat in a little oil.

2. Add the dried spices to the onion mixture and cook until they release their aroma. Then stir in the beef and mix well. Add the fresh and tinned tomatoes and leave to cook down a little for about 5 minutes.

3. Pour in the chicken or beef stock and stir in tomato puree to taste. Drop the cinnamon and bay leaf in then bring to the boil and leave to simmer.

4. Once the sauce is beginning to thicken add the kidney beans and leave to cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the beans to soak up the flavours. Check for seasoning.

5. Mix the chives and soured cream together. To serve, spoon the chilli into the centre of a mound of rice, with the soured cream and chives in a separate bowl on the side.

Serves 4
Ingredients

• 8 boneless wood pigeon breasts
• 50g pancetta, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 80g girolles, cleaned and prepped
• Splash red wine vinegar
• 50ml chicken stock
• 100g baby leeks, roughly chopped
• 100g fresh asparagus,
• 100g baby carrots
• 100g beetroot, peeled chopped and blanched
• 100g broad beans, shelled
• 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the fleurons:

• Approx 250g chilled puff pastry
• Flour for dusting
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
• Fresh thyme and rock salt to season

Method: How to make pigeon and summer vegetable casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C.

2. To make the fleurons, roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut four 6 ½ cm discs using a plate or a pastry cutter. Cut away one side of each disc to make a crescent moon shape. Place the pastry crescents on a greased baking sheet and chill for approximately 20 minutes. Then brush with beaten egg and season with a sprinkling of rock salt and thyme. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until puffed up and golden. Remove and keep warm.

3. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a heavy based frying pan. Season the pigeon breasts and cook, skin side down, for about 3 minutes. Flip the breasts over and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes. They should feel lightly springy when pressed. Remove from the pan and leave to rest.

4. Trim the asparagus, carrots and leeks. Chop each asparagus spear and baby leek into three pieces, then blanch with the carrots in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Strain and set aside.

5. Add a little fresh olive oil to the pigeon pan. Sauté off the pancetta with the garlic and girolles for a minute or two then add the blanched vegetables. Deglaze with the red wine vinegar. Add the chicken stock and allow to simmer. Finish with broad beans and a spoonful of chopped tarragon, mix thoroughly.

6. Dish the vegetables into warm serving bowls. Slice the pigeon breasts in half and arrange four pieces over each bowl of vegetables, drizzle with olive oil and sit a fleuron on top, serve immediately.

• 4 salmon fillets, each about 100-140g
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Large handful of mint (about 6 sprigs), leaves only
• 500g Frozen peas
• A few knobs of butter
• 200g crème fraîche

Method: How to make pan fried salmon with pea and mint puree

1. To cook the salmon fillets, heat a non-stick frying pan until hot and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Fry the salmon, skin side down, for 3 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. The flesh should be slightly springy when pressed. Season lightly.

2. Add the mint leaves to a medium pan of boiling salted water. Bring back to the boil, then add the peas and blanch for 2–3 minutes until they are just tender and bright green. Drain, reserving the liquor.

3. Tip the peas and mint into a blender. Add just enough of the reserved liquor to cover the peas and whiz to a smooth, bright green purée. Add the butter and all but 4 tbsp crème fraîche. Season and pulse for a few seconds to combine.

4. To serve. Place the salmon off centre and spoon the pea puree next to the salmon. Accompany with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Serves 2
Ingredients

• 2 mid-cut beef fillets, approx 8oz each
• 2 cloves garlic, whole, lightly crushed
• Sprig rosemary
• Sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Approx 250ml chicken stock
• Olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the gremolata:

• 2 lemons
• Handful flat leaf parsley
• Approx 2 tbsp capers, drained

For the pommes puree:

• 500g floury potatoes such as King Edward or Romano, well scrubbed
• Approx 60ml semi skimmed milk
• 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil

For the sautéed spinach:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 300g baby spinach leaves, washed
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock
• 1 tsp butter

Method: How to make pan roasted glazed fillets of beef

1.To make the pommes puree, place the potatoes in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until they feel tender when pierced. Drain and peel while still hot (wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands if needed). Push the potatoes through a mouli or ricer. Heat the milk in a pan to boiling point. Add the mashed potato to the milk then beat in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2.To prepare the gremolata, finely zest the lemons, chop the parsley and mix together with the capers, season to taste and set aside.

3.Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a very hot pan. Add the steaks and sear on all sides, this should take approx 2 ½ minutes – aim to get a good colour on the meat here as some of it will be lost during the glazing. Add the rosemary, garlic, thyme and bay leaves to the pan and allow to infuse. When the steak is seared on all sides, drain the oil from the pan.

4.Add a quarter of the stock to the pan. Using a pair of tongs, roll the steaks in the evaporating stock. Keep the heat high enough for a rolling boil and add the rest of the stock bit by bit being careful not to flood the pan – the aim is to glaze the beef, not stew it. Once the steaks are cooked, approx 6 –8 minutes in total, remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes.

5.To prepare the gremolata, finely zest the lemons, chop the parsley and mix together with the capers, season to taste and set aside.

6. Wash and dry the spinach. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan, add the butter. Tip in the spinach and stir over a high heat, add a tablespoon of the chicken stock and cook until the leaves have just wilted. Season with a little salt and pepper.

7.Slice each steak in half horizontally and overlap the slices on the serving plates. Spoon the gremolata on top, add a serving of pommes puree and spinach and finish with spoonfuls of the pan juices and a drizzle of olive oil.

• 6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
• 2 tbsp juniper berries
• Few thyme sprigs
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 4 venison loin steaks, about 170g each and 3cm thick
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Knob of unsalted butter

Pepper compote

• Drizzle of olive oil
• 3 red peppers
• 3 yellow peppers
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Handful of thyme sprigs
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp water

Pomme purée

• 1kg la ratte or maris piper potatoes, peeled
• 100ml double cream
• 60g butter, plus a few extra knobs
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Purple sprouting broccoli with shallot and garlic confit

• 4 banana shallots, roots trimmed
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 75ml extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
• Rock salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 400g purple sprouting broccoli, trimmed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Method: How to make venison with sweet and sour peppers

1. Begin by making a marinade for the venison. Pour the olive oil into a shallow dish and scatter over the thyme. Lightly crush the juniper berries on a board, using the back of a pan, then add to the dish, along with the crushed garlic. Give everything a stir then add the venison. Season with salt and pepper then toss everything together, making sure the venison is coated thoroughly.

2. Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan. Once the oil is hot, add the venison along with a third of the marinade. Cook over high heat for 6-8 minutes, tossing and turning the meat so it cooks evenly and browns on all sides. Add more of the marinade once the meat has browned, if you like.

3. Add the butter to the pan. Once it starts to foam, remove the pan from the heat. Spoon the butter and pan juices over the venison for 1-2 minutes – this will help to brown the meat even further and keep it succulent.

4. Check the venison is cooked by touch; if it feels springy, then it is perfectly medium rare. If there is no bounce, return to the heat and cook for a couple minutes more. Remove the venison from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

5. For the pepper compote, heat a large heavy-based sauté pan then add a drizzle of olive oil. Remove the core and seeds from all the peppers then slice thinly. Add them to the hot pan with some seasoning, then throw in the thyme. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until just softened.

6. Deglaze with the vinegar over a high heat, until the vinegar has almost completely evaporated. Add a splash of water, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until you are left with syrupy juices.

7. To serve, spoon a portion of the peppers onto the middle of 4 warm serving plates and drizzle over the syrupy juices. Thickly slice the venison on the diagonal and arrange on of top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

8. For the pomme purée, cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks then cook in a large pan of boiling salted water until tender. Once cooked, drain well then return the potatoes to the pan over a low heat to dry out for a few minutes. Pass the potatoes through a vegetable mouli or potato ricer (and if you want an even smoother result, press the potato through a fine sieve with a spatula). Meanwhile, heat the cream in a pan. Beat the butter and some seasoning into the potatoes then pour the hot cream over and mix together really well. Whisk in a few extra knobs of butter for a rich, silky finish.

9. For the brocolli, use a large, sharp cook’s knife, chop the shallots and garlic into very fine dice. Place the shallots and garlic into a heavy-based saucepan with the oil, a light sprinkling of salt, the sugar and herbs and a splash of water.

10. Set the pan over high heat. When the oil becomes hot, adjust the heat to a moderate setting, give the shallots and garlic a stir and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time and stirring every 5 minutes, to stop the shallots and garlic sticking to the bottom. You should be left with a soft, sweet and lightly golden shallot mixture. Set aside.

11. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Boil the broccoli spears for 2 minutes. Drain then cool under a cold running tap or in a bowl of iced cold water. Drain well then pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.

12. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add the broccoli and fry for 1-2 minutes until the broccoli is just tender. Add the shallot and garlic confit and toss through the broccoli until warm. Season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

• 25g unsalted softened butter, for greasing
• finely grated chocolate
• Crème pâtissière
• 20g cornflour
• 200ml milk
• 200g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped
• 80g egg yolks
• Egg white mixture
• 200g egg whites
• 150g caster sugar

Decoration

• 1 tbsp of cocoa powder

Method: How to make chocolate soufflé

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C/gas 4

2. Brush 8 ramekins (8cm in width, 4-5cm in height) with the softened butter in upward strokes, from the base to the rim. Chill the dishes for 5 minutes, then as an insurance policy so the soufflé doesn’t stick to the dish, apply a second coat as before

3. Sprinkle a little grated chocolate into each dish, tilting and rolling the dishes around to line them with an even layer of chocolate

4. For the crème pâtissière, slake the corn flour with a little of the milk, then gradually add the rest of the milk until you have a smooth mixture. Pour into a small pan, and slowly bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Boil for 30 seconds then off the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks until smooth before transferring to a bowl to cool

5. In an artisan mixer, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually start to add in the sugar, whisking well in between each addition. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whisk until you have a thick and glossy mixture

6. Add one third of the egg whites into the chocolate crème patisserie mixture and mix well. Now add in the remaining egg white and gently fold into the mix. Do not over work the mixture as it will become too hard and stiff

7. Divide the mixture between the ramekins. Level the surface with a palate knife then bake for 6-8 minutes, or until well risen and with a slightly wobbly centre. Remove from the oven and dust with the remaining cocoa powder. Serve immediately with a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream

• 600g good quality lean beef mince
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Dash of Tabasco
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 4 x tomatoes, thinly sliced
• Splash of balsamic vinegar
• 4 iceberg lettuce leaves, trimmed to neaten
• 4 x whole wheat burger buns, toasted

For the beetroot relish:

• 250g cooked beetroot in natural juices, drained
• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• Handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the oven roasted potato wedges:

• 2 large washed baking potatoes
• Olive oil
• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
• Tabasco sauce
• Dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Method: How to make beef burgers with beetroot relish and potato

1.Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas 6.

2.Put the beef mince into a large bowl and season, add the smoked paprika, cayenne, a dash each of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and finally 3-4 tbsp ketchup. Mix well with your hands then shape into 4 neat patties. Place on a plate or tray, cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes to set the shape.

3.Cut the potatoes into wedges approximately 2cm wide. Par boil them in salted water then place in a bowl and season with olive oil, chilli flakes, cayenne pepper and a dash of Tabasco, toss to coat. Season a large baking tray with salt, pepper and oil, tip the wedges onto the tray and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain the wedges on kitchen paper.

4.Make the beetroot relish in the meantime. Roughly chop the beetroot and place in a food processor along with the capers, parsley, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped – you don’t want to purée the beetroot. Season to taste and transfer to a bowl.

5.Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Pan-fry allowing 3–4 minutes on each side for medium burgers. Remove to a warm plate and leave to rest for a few minutes.

6.Serve the burgers in the bun with the tomato and lettuce and the beetroot relish, divide the wedges on the side and serve immediately.

Serves 6
Ingredients

• 1.2kg prime beef fillet (in one piece, cut from the thick end)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tomato tarragon dressing:

• 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
• 500g (about 6) ripe plum tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• A few dashes of Tabasco sauce
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• Large handful each of tarragon and flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method: How to make pan roasted fillet of beef with tomato and tarragon dressing

1. To make the dressing: Finely dice the tomatoes and place in a large bowl with the shallots. Add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes or until ready to serve.

2. Trim any fat or sinew from the fillet of beef, cut into 6 individual steaks weighing each approx 200g and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil. When it is hot, add the beef and sear on each side until evenly browned all over, this will take approx 2 mins. Cook the steak according to preference: approx 4 mins each side for rare, 5 for med and so on. When cooked spoon the dressing on top of the steaks and allow to rest for a few minutes. Serve with the coleslaw.

Serves 4
Ingredients

• 4 pork loin chops with bone, about 300g each
• ½-1 tsp mild chilli powder, to taste
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• A few thyme sprigs
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5-6 star anise, lightly smashed
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 3 large sweet potatoes, about 350g
• Chicken stock, enough to cover the potatoes
• 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
• 4- 5 sage leaves, roughly chopped

For the salad:

• A large handful each of dandelion leaves and rocket
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• A splash of Chardonnay vinegar
• Extra olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: how to make spiced pork chops with crushed sweet potatoes, warm dandelion and rocket salad

1.Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C/Gas 4.

2. Cut off the rind and excess fat around the pork chops. Mix the chilli powder, paprika and some salt and pepper with the olive oil in a wide baking dish. Add the thyme, garlic, star anise and coriander seeds. Add the pork chops and turn to coat. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight.

3.Heat a pan with a little olive oil. Season the chop and sear until golden. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until the meat is just firm when lightly pressed. When cooked, transfer the chops to a warm plate and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.

4.Meanwhile, bring a pot of chicken stock to the boil. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1½ cm slices. Add to the chicken stock and cook for 7-8 minutes until almost tender when pierced with a skewer (they should be just slightly undercooked at this stage). Drain and refresh under running cold water. Dice the par-cooked potatoes and set aside.

5.Add the shallots to a pan with hot oil and chopped garlic, sauté briefly until they start to caramelise then tip in the sweet potatoes and toss to mix. Season lightly and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring until the potatoes are tender. Lightly crush the potatoes with a masher or fork and finish with the chopped sage and coriander.

6. Heat some extra olive oil in a separate pan. Add the spring onion and warm through. Add the salad leaves and toss to lightly wilt, then remove from the heat immediately. Place on a plate and sprinkle a little of the vinegar on top.

7. Spoon the mash onto warm plates. Add a pork chop to each plate and serve with the warm salad on top.

• 6–8 canned anchovies in oil, drained and finely chopped
• 200g pitted black olives, quartered or chopped
• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
• 300g dried linguine or spaghetti
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Handful of basil leaves, shredded

Method: How to make linguine puttanesca

1. Add the pasta to a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wide pan and fry the garlic, onion, chilli and anchovies for 1–2 minutes. Add the olives, capers and tomatoes, and stir over high heat for a few more minutes until the onions are soft.

3. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning (salt probably won’t be needed because the anchovies, capers and olives are quite salty).

4. To serve,divide among warm bowls and drizzle over a little more olive oil and finish off with some Parmesan shavings.

Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Lamb

• 1 saddle of lamb, about 2.4kg, boned out
• 1 garlic bulb
• Sea salt and pepper
• Splash of olive oil
• Few sage sprigs
• Knob of butter

Stuffing

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 250g mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, button), cleaned
• Knob of butter
• 250g young spinach, stalks removed
• 2-3 tbsp mascarpone
• 1 egg yolk
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 6-8 sage leaves

Pan Jus

• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2 glasses red wine
• 125ml light stock

Method: How to make saddle of lamb with spinach

1. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6. Open out the saddle of lamb; set aside the eye fillets. Halve the garlic, season and leave for a few minutes to draw out the juices.

2. For the stuffing, heat a splash of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the mushrooms until softened and browned; drain in a colander. Heat a little more oil and a knob of butter in the pan, add the spinach, season lightly and cook until just wilted. Tip the mushrooms into a bowl, mix in the spinach, mascarpone and egg yolk, and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

3. Oil several sage leaves and place down the middle of the lamb. Rub the meat with the garlic bulb. Spoon the stuffing on top of the sage leaves. Cut the eye fillets horizontally (but not right through), open out and place over the stuffing. Fold one flap of the saddle over, then the other, wrapping firmly to make a neat roll. Secure with string at intervals and tuck the remaining sage leaves in at the ends.

4. Heat a splash of oil in a roasting pan, add the garlic bulb and a few sage sprigs and sauté briefly, then add the butter and allow to foam. Put the meat on top.

5. Roast for 30 minutes, then lower setting to 180C/Gas Mark 5 and roast for a further 30 minutes. Lift meat onto a warm platter and rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Deglaze pan juices with sherry vinegar, add the wine and stock and reduce by half. Strain and adjust seasoning. Serve the lamb thickly sliced with the jus.

Serves 4
Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Few knobs of butter
• 1 apple, cored and sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• Handful of coriander, chopped
• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 300g couscous
• 3 – 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 courgette, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 tomato, skinned, deseeded and chopped
• Large handful of fresh coriander, chopped recipe

Method: How to make sautéed chicken breast with couscous

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas 4. Season the chicken on both sides. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan then fry the chicken, skin-side down, for 5 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. Turn the chicken over, add the butter to the pan, and sear the other side while basting with the melted butter and oil for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish.

2. Drain the fat from the pan. Add another tablespoon of olive oil, then fry the apple and sliced lemon for 2 minutes until they start to release their juices and soften slightly. Pour into the dish with the chicken and roast for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Bring the stock to the boil. Measure the couscous into a large bowl then pour over the stock and 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover with cling film and leave to soak for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cling film then fluff up the couscous with a fork to separate the grains. Stir through the vinaigrette.

4. Meanwhile, heat another sauté pan with 2 tbsp olive oil. Over moderate heat, fry the onion for 3-4 minutes then add the aubergine and cumin. Fry for another 2 minutes, then add the courgette. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat then stir through the tomato and coriander and check for seasoning. Toss through the couscous.

5. To serve, pile the couscous into the centre of 4 plates. Slice the chicken on the diagonal then arrange on top of the couscous. Drain the juices from the baking dish, check for seasoning and stir in the chopped coriander. Spoon over the chicken and serve immediately.