Apple, Mint and Radish Salad

Ingredients:

For the
salad:

• 2 red skinned apples cut into
       quarters and thinly sliced.
• 140g/5oz radishes thinly
       sliced.
• 3 celery sticks, thinly sliced
       at an angle.
• 1 bunch of mint leaves.
• 1 bunch of spring onions finely
       sliced on an angle.

 For the
dressing:

• 2 tbsp walnut oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp clear honey

 Method:

1. Place the apples, radishes, celery, mint and spring onions in a shallow serving dish, and then lightly toss together.  
2. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients to together in a small bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad, and then serve. 

Mushroom and Spinach Puff Pastry (Serve 4)

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp butter

1 red onion, halved and sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

225g mushrooms, sliced

175g baby spinach

Pinch of nutmeg

4 tbsp double heavy cream

225 prepared puff pastry

1 egg beaten

2 tsp poppy seeds

Salt and pepper

Method:  

1)      Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring well until the onion has softened. 

2)      Add the mushrooms, spinach and nutmeg, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  

3)      Stir in the double heavy cream, mixing well. 

4)      Season with salt and pepper to taste, and remove the pan from the heat.  

5)      Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and cut into four 15cm circles. 

6)      Spoon a quarter of the filling on to one half of each circle and fold the pastry over to encase the filling.  

7)      Press down to seal the edges of the pastry and brush with egg beaten. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.  

8)      Place the parcels on to a baking tray (cookie sheet), and cook in a preheated oven 200?C for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.  

9)      Transfer the mushrooms and spinach puff pastry parcels to serving plates, and serve immediately.

Italian Gluten free Wheat free Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

85g/3oz butter, 1tbsp extra for tin

85g/3oz golden caster sugar, plus extra for
tin

85g/3oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces

85g/3oz hazelnuts, toasted and ground in a
food processor

1 tbsp brandy

3 eggs, separated

Icing sugar for dusting

 Method:

1)     Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the base of a 25cm loose-bottomed tin. Melt 1 tbsp butter and brush the inside of the tin, then line the base with the parchment and brush again with more butter. Spoon in 2 tbsp of caster sugar, wirl it around to coat the base and sides, then tip out any excess.  

2)      Heat oven to 180ºC/fan160º/gas4. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water, remove from the heat, stir in the brandy and leave to cool.

3)      Whisk the eggs yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick. Fold into the chocolate with the hazelnuts.

Spelt Bread

Ingredients:

     14 oz. Spelt brown flour

     2 oz. oat bran

     2 oz. butter

     1 tsp baking soda

     15 fl oz 
butter milk

     Mixed seeds

Method:

1)          Mix all dry ingredients together and add the butter milk.

2)       Cook for 45 minutes in 150 º fan oven.  

Note: 

• Spelt is a perfect alternative to wheat anybody with allergies.

• You can use soya milk instead of butter milk. Use baking powder with soya milk.

4)      In a separate bowl, with a clean whisk, beat the whites until they reach a soft peak (try not to whisk them too stiffly or you’ll have trouble folding them in). Stir a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mix, then carefully fold in the rest of them in 2 additions. 

5)      Spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for 40 minutes until the cake is cooked all the way through.  

6)      Leave to cool in the tin slightly before releasing it, then place on the rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar. 

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

100g / 4oz red lentils (no need to soak)

1 onion, chopped

Knob of butter

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tbsp curry paste

450g / 1 lborange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into
cubes

450g / 1lb floury potatoes, peeled and cut into
cubes

1.2litres / 2pints hot vegetable stock

140ml pot natural yogurt

Naan bread to serve

Method:

1)      Cook lentils in boiling water for
15minutes. Cook the onion in the butter for 8mins until softened and beginning
to brown. Stir in the garlic, curry paste and both types of potato. Cook for 5
minutes, stirring.

2)      Drain the lentils. Add to the
potatoes with the stock, then cook for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are
fully cooked. Whizz in a blender until smooth. Return to the pan, season to
taste, then heat through.

Ladle the soups into bowls, then swirl in the
yogurt and serve with naan bread

Aubergine Parmigiana

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds aubergine

Salt olive oil

2 large onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 can chopped tomatoes

½ pound cheese, mozzarella

6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1)    Cut the aubergine
into ¼ inch circles, salt, drain and rinse.

2)    Preheat the oven
400f

3)    Heat a little olive
oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 10
mins.

4)    Remove the onion
mixture with a slotted spoon, add the aubergine to the pan and sauté until
crisp & lightly browned.

5)    Layer the
aubergine, onion, tomato & sliced cheese in an oven proof dish, sprinkle
some parmesan cheese, salt & pepper between the layers.

6)    Bake, uncovered for
40-60 minutes, until the aubergine is tender.

Lemon Tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet short crust
pastry, 28 cm in diameter, thawed if frozen

6 large eggs

200 ml/7 fl oz
lemon juice (4-6 large lemons)

200 g/7 oz
caster sugar

125 g/4 ½ oz
butter

Icing sugar,
cream, selection of fresh berries to serve

Method:

1)     
Preheat the oven to 190ºC,
375ºF, Gas 5. Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat.

2)     
Line a 24.5 cm/8 in
loose-bottomed metal tart tin with the sheet of pastry and trim the edges. Line
the pastry with foil, bringing it up the sides, and fill with baking beans,
dried pulses or rice. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake blind for 10
minutes in the preheated oven.

3)     
Remove the beans and foil,
return the pastry case to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven
and set aside to cool in its tin on a wire rack.

4)     
Meanwhile, put the eggs, lemon
juice and sugar in a saucepan and whisk well. Place over a low to moderate heat
and whisk constantly with a balloon whisk until thick enough for traces to be
left when the whisk is lifted. Remove from the heat and strain into a clean
bowl.

5)     
Dice the butter and mix into
the filling until melted. Pour into the pastry case, allow to cool then
refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until the filling has set.

6)     
To serve, take the tart from
the fridge, remove it from the tin and set on a serving plate. Leave at room
temperature for about 30 minutes, then sift icing sugar over the top and serve
with cream and berries.