Crunchy apple pots

These are a de-constructed apple crumble, for days when you fancy a change or haven't got an oven.

Stew some cooking apples (3 big ones for 6 people) by placing peeled and sliced apples, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water into a pan and simmering until soft.

Place stewed apple in the bottom of 6 ramekins.

Make real custard (see recipe). Pour a layer of custard into each ramekin.

Sprinkle each ramekin with granola.

That's it - real simple and very yummy.

Apple veggie burgers

2 tart apples (like Granny Smith), grated, peel on

½ onion, grated or very finely chopped

1 cup bread crumbs

1 pepper, de-seeded and very finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 cup brown or white rice, cooked and cooled (leftover is fine)

6 tablespoon rolled oats

½ teaspoon salt

plenty of black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable, groundnut or light olive  oil

Place grated apples in a bowl with onions, half of the bread crumbs, pepper, ginger, rice, half of the oats, salt, and pepper. Mix well. 

Shape mixture into patties, adding more bread crumbs if necessary to get a sticky but firm consistency. Press into a ring mould, if you want to be all cheffy. Chill in the fridge for an hour if you want them to firm up. Coat with the remaining oats.

Heat the oil in the frying pan, over medium heat. Fry over medium heat until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. DO NOT MOVE OR DISTURB THE BURGERS UNTIL THEY ARE BROWNED.

Courgette and cheese soup

2 tablespoons vegetable (or light olive) oil

1 large onion (or 2 shallots) chopped

1 clove garlic

3 or 4 rashers of smoked bacon, chopped into small chunks

1kg courgettes, chopped

2 litres chicken stock (see recipe)

250g hard cheese (that will melt without going grainy), grated

Salt and pepper

In a large pan, gently soften the bacon, onion and garlic, without browning them. Add the courgettes, and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes (or until the courgettes are soft).

Add half of the cheese, and blend well in a liquidiser of with a wand blender. Check and adjust the seasoning, and add more cheese to taste. The cheese shouldn’t overpower the flavour of courgette.

Serve with a swirl of double cream, if you prefer.

Escalope of pork in honey mustard sauce

4 pork escalopes

A little vegetable (or light olive) oil

2 shallots, chopped finely

A splash of white wine

250ml double cream

1 tablespoon grainy honey mustard (or 1 tablespoon grainy mustard and 1 teaspoon runny honey)

Salt and pepper

Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Oil and season both sides of the escalopes. Reduce the heat to medium. Place the pork in the griddle pan and fry (without moving them) on one side until you can see they are cooked halfway through. Turn them, and repeat on the other side. Remove the escalopes from the pan, wrap them in foil, and set them aside.

Gently fry the onions in the oil that remains in the pan, until they are glossy. Add a splash of wine to ‘de-glaze’ the pan. Add the cream and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low. Add 2/3 of the honey mustard. Return the pork to the pan, with any juices that have seeped out. Check the seasoning and adjust. Add a little more mustard, to taste. Baste the pork with the sauce.

Serve with mash or new potatoes, and the veg of your choice. I like finely sliced cabbage, sautéed in a little butter for 2-3 minutes.

Best ever burgers

500g lean beef mince (chuck steak mince is best)

One large onion, grated or very finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or ½ teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 egg yolk

1 packet salted peanuts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon good olive oil

Black pepper, coarsely ground

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl, and mix thoroughly (with your hands is best). Form into 4 burgers.

Grill or shallow fry for 10-15 minutes. You can serve these ‘medium’, if the mince is good quality and lean.

Serve in bread buns, with mayonnaise and a bit of salad.

Basic Risotto (for Nikki)

approx 1 litre stock
1 knob of butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
400g/14oz risotto rice
2 wine glasses of dry white vermouth or dry white wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
70g/2½oz butter
115g/4oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

You need two pans for this. Heat the stock in one pan. In the other, heat the olive oil and butter, add the onions and garlic, and fry very slowly for about 15 minutes without colouring. When the onion and garlic have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat. Keep stirring.  After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the wine and keep stirring.

Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Check the seasoning. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.

Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan. Stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes.

Rhubarb ripple syllabub with Kitty’s homemade ginger wine

6 sticks of young (or 'forced') rhubarb

20g sugar

I vanilla pod – seeds only (or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)

275ml Stichill double cream

4 tablespoons Kitty’s ginger wine

Pre-heat the oven to 140C.

Trim the rhubarb, and slice into 3cm lengths. Lay it on a baking sheet. Mix the sugar and vanilla, and sprinkle it over the rhubarb. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Reserve a chunk or two of rhubarb for each serving.

Whisk the cream in a large bowl. Add the ginger wine and the remaining rhubarb (including all the syrup from the tray). Swirl, don’t stir, and serve in wine glasses. Top with a chunk of rhubarb.

Bellingham bakery hot cross bun bread-and-butter pudding with Stichill clotted cream

6 Bellingham bakery hot cross buns, sliced vertically, and buttered on both sides

2 Greenbrae eggs

200ml Stichill double cream

200ml milk

50g sugar

Stichill clotted cream

Line up the bun slices in an ovenproof dish, leaning so the tops are at the top. In a bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients. Pour over the buns. Squash down a couple of times. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, while the oven heats up.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or so, until the top is crispy and the custard has just set.

Serve with a little Stichill clotted cream.

Northumberland Poultry duck breast with sweet and sour sauce, sweet potato mash

2 Northumberland Poultry duck breasts

A glass of Sloecrafts damson vodka (or a glass of wine)

2 tablespoons Sloecrafts sloe cheese (or any fruit jelly)

A little (30-100ml) white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon tomato puree (not needed if your chutney contains tomatoes)

Salt and pepper

Slash the skin of the duck breasts. Place them skin side down in a hot griddle pan, and press them down. Let them cook for 5 minutes, and drain off the fat as it renders out. Keep the fat for roast potatoes. Get the skin crispy. Turn, and continue cooking for a further 3-8 minutes, depending on how well done you like them.

Remove the duck breasts, wrap them in foil and keep them warm.

Remove any fat from the griddle pan, but keep the sticky and crunchy bits. Add the alcohol, and boil until reduced by half (or flame off the vodka). Add half of the vinegar. Melt in the jelly/chutney, and add the tomato puree. Add a little water, if the sauce is too thick. Add a little more jelly, if the sauce is too sour. Add a little more vinegar, if the sauce is too sweet. Season to taste.

Slice the duck, and serve on a bed of sweet potato mash (just mashed up baked sweet potatoes, with a touch of cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg), or champ potato. Pour over a little of the sauce.

Greenbrae beefburgers with wild garlic pesto

500g Greenbrae minced beef (or get your butcher to mince frying steak)

1 tablespoon wild garlic pesto

1 onion, chopped

1 Greenbrae egg yolk

Salt and pepper

For the pesto

A blender bowl full of rinsed wild garlic leaves

A handful of lightly toasted pine nuts

A handful of grated parmesan

A squeeze of lemon juice

Lots (maybe 1/3 of a litre?) of extra virgin olive oil

To make the pesto, blend everything. Keep adding olive oil until it becomes creamy. Put in jars, and top with a little olive oil. Use within a week or so. Once opened, keep in the fridge and make sure it always has a skin of olive oil over it, to stop it drying out.

To make the burgers, just mix everything together in a bowl, shape into burgers, and fry or barbecue until they are how you like them. Use good beef, and you can serve them medium-rare.

Seared Ridleys roe venison striploin with Bluebell beetroot rosti and hawthorn jus

6 roe venison striploins (from Ridley’s Fish and Game)

6 tablespoons sloe gin

2 sprigs sage, bruised

2 tablespoons Yellowfields rapeseed oil

50g butter, in small pieces

1 heaped teaspoon Vallum Cooking hawthorn jelly

Salt and pepper

2 large potatoes, whole, unpeeled (from Bluebell Organics)

2 beetroots, whole, in their skin (from Bluebell Organics)

100g plain flour (you may not need it all)

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon dried or fresh sage, chopped

2 tablespoons Yellowfields rapeseed oil

50g butter

Marinade the venison in the sloe gin and sage for 20 minutes.

To make the rosti, boil the potato and beetroot for 8 minutes. Peel and grate, and squeeze out any excess moisture by wrapping in a cloth and twisting.

Place the potato and beetroot in a bowl, mix in the sage, salt and pepper, and enough flour just to bind it all together. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil and butter. Press six ½ cm thick rounds of rosti mixture into the frying pan, and fry on each side for 5 minutes until golden.

While the rosti are cooking, preheat a griddle pan until very hot. Remove the venison from the marinade, and pat dry. Brush with oil, and place in the griddle pan. Fry for only 1-2 minutes each side, depending on thickness. The venison should be crispy on the outside, and cool in the middle. Just as the venison is cooked, strain over the marinade and set it alight. As soon as the flames go out, remove the venison to a warm plate. Add the hawthorn jelly and butter to the pan juices, and melt. Stir once, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

Slice the venison into 1cm slices, place each sliced striploin on a rosti, and pour over some of the sauce. Serve immediately.

Sticky Chinese-style Kielder Organics pork (serves 2-3)

400g Kielder Organics diced pork, sliced thinly

½ jar (125g) Northumbrian Soup Co plum sauce

¼ jar (55g) Northumbrian Soup Co chilli jam

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2cm cube fresh ginger, grated

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder

1 tablespoon Yellowfields rapeseed oil, for frying

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, marinade the pork with the plum sauce, chilli jam, garlic, ginger, soy, oil and five spice powder, for 10 minutes to 1 hour.

Place a large wok over a high heat, and add the rapeseed oil. Remove the pork from the marinade, drain, and fry until almost cooked. Add the marinade, and reduce until really sticky. Throw in the sesame seeds, stir and serve with plain boiled rice (see recipe).

Askerton mutton koftas

900g minced Askerton mutton

2 onions, finely grated

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons chopped chilli (or dried flakes)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley (or half parsley, half mint)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons Yellowfields rapeseed oil (for brushing)

200ml greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Soak 8 bamboo skewers in cold water. Pre-heat a heavy griddle pan.

In a large bowl, mix (with your hands) the mince, onions, egg, garlic, chilli, parsley, cumin and seasoning until all bound together. Divide into 8, and mould round skewers into sausage shapes (or form into small balls if you don’t want to use skewers.

Brush the kofta with oil, and griddle over a medium heat (or a barbecue), turning occasionally, until golden.

Serve with a yoghurt and mint dressing (it’s just yoghurt, and mint)

Bluebell spicy parsnip soup (with or without apple)

(All vegetables from Bluebell Organics)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon Yellowfields rapeseed oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

500g parsnips, peeled and cubed

1/2 a cooking apple, peeled and cubed (optional)

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

100ml double cream (optional)

In a large saucepan, fry the onion until glossy in rapeseed oil. Add the curry powder, and fry for 1 minute.

Add the parsnips (apple) and stock, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, liquidise until creamy, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and serve.

Chirnells pain perdu with Bywell bacon (serves 2)

 4 slices Chirnells fruit bread (or brioche)

1 egg

5 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons white sugar

A pinch of salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons SR flour

150ml milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Leave the slices of bread on a wire rack for an hour, to dry a little.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a pan, and allow to cool. Whisk the egg in a bowl. Whisk in the sugar, salt and spices. Add the melted butter, whisking all the time. Add the flour gradually, whisking to form a smooth paste. Add the milk and vanilla gradually, to thin the batter.

Heat the remaining butter in a large frying pan. Dip each slice of bread into the batter for no more than 30 seconds, allow it to drain, and put it in the frying pan. Cook until golden, then flip and cook the other side.

Serve with crispy Bywell Smokery bacon and maybe a little honey.

Devilled Ravensworth kidneys (serves 2)

4 Ravensworth rare breed pigs kidneys, skinned and cleaned, and cut into chunks

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons tomato puree

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon English mustard powder

½ teaspoon cayenne or dried chilli

Salt and pepper

2 slices toasted Chirnells bread

Pre-soak the kidneys in a little milk, for 10 minutes. Pat them dry, and trim them.

In a hot frying pan, fry the kidneys in the butter until brown. Whisk the remaining ingredients in a bowl, and pour over the kidneys. Add a little water, if the sauce is too sticky. It should just 'run' in the pan. Cook for a further minute. Serve on toast.

Parsonby rarebit with Allendale ale (serves 2-4)

1 tablespoon plain flour

1 tablespoon butter

150ml milk (you may use less, as the sauce needs to be thick)

175g Wardhall Parsonby cheese (or cheddar), grated

150ml Allendale (or other) bitter

1 teaspoon English mustard (or ½ teaspoon mustard powder)

2 egg yolks

Salt and pepper

4 slices toasted Chrirnells (or other) bread

Toast your bread, and leave it to cool. Reduce the beer and mustard until sticky.

Make a thick white sauce with the flour, butter and milk, and stir in the cheese. Leave to cool.

Add the reduced beer to the sauce.

Stir in the egg yolks, and season to taste.

Spoon/spread onto the toast, and grill until bubbling and golden brown.

Vegetarian wellington

100g basmati rice

½ teaspoon turmeric

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

500g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped (or a mix of chestnut, shi-take and oyster)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped sage

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

Salt and pepper

500g puff pastry (choose ‘all butter’ pastry)

Egg to glaze

Cook the rice with the turmeric and lemon zest (see recipe) and allow to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

In a large frying pan, gently fry the onion and mushrooms in the oil until soft (about 10 minutes). Stir in the cooked rice, herbs, cranberries and eggs. Season well.

Roll the pastry into a large rectangle, about 3-5mm thick. Put the filling mixture down one long side of the rectangle, in a big sausage. Moisten the edges of the pastry with a little water. Fold over the ‘flap’ of the rectangle, into a big parcel, trim, and crimp the edges with your thumb. Brush with beaten egg, and place uncovered on an oven sheet in the oven for 30 minutes until golden. Serve in thick slices.

Cider gammon

1.5kg unsmoked gammon joint (tied, but with rind still on)

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

10 black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

1L good cider*

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon English mustard powder (or 1 tablespoon ready-made mustard)

Place the gammon joint in a very large pan. Add the onions, carrots, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cider. Add cold water until the gammon is covered by 2cm. Bring to the boil, then put on the lid and let it simmer gently for 2 hours.

Stand the pan off the heat for 30 minutes (or an hour, if you can wait) for it to cool. Leaving the gammon in the liquid, as it cools, keeps it moist.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Remove the gammon from the liquid**, and trim off the rind, leaving ½-1 cm of fat. Score the fat, lightly, into diamonds. Mix the sugar and mustard in a bowl, and pat it onto the fat of the gammon (or spread it on, and press it in, if you used made mustard).

Place the gammon in a baking tray, fat upwards. Protect the bare meat sides with a double layer of foil. Wedge the gammon with skewers or forks, if it might fall over. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the skin starts to colour but not burn (check after 20).

Serve immediately, or when cold.

* You can use 3 cans of coke, instead. Yes, really. The meat will be dark, but taste amazing.

**Don’t try using the stock for soup – it will be really salty.

Roasted winter vegetables

Cooked by Maxine, during coaching (see The Cookery Coach)

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm slices

6 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks (leave the ‘tails’ about 3cm long)

50ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon thyme leaves (fresh or dried)

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons runny honey

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

Place all the veg in a large ovenproof tray. Pour on the oil, and toss the veg so it is coated. Sprinkle on the thyme, and a good twist of salt and pepper. Pour over the honey.

Place the tray, uncovered, in the oven for 45-60 minutes. Check after 30 minutes, and turn the veg so they brown evenly. Don’t worry about brown edges – they’re the best bits. Remove when the veg is nicely toasted, and tender.