Posh Beans on Toast

Serves 4

1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp mace
500ml carton passata sauce (sieved tomatoes)
A dash of Tabasco
A dash of Worchester sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 420g tin haricot beans

1 Using a frying pan sweat the onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil with the spices and herbs for 10 minutes on a low heat.
2 Put the sweated onions in an oven proof dish and add the remaining ingredients. Mix together and then place in the oven at 170°C for another 20 – 30 minutes until it has thickened up and has darkened in colour. If you have the time the beans will absorb more of the sauce if you slow cook them at 110°C over 3 to 4 hours and then leave them to soak in the cooked juices over night.
3 Serve on toast.

No Bake Cheesecake

Serves 8

250g ginger biscuits, crushed using a rolling pin in a bowl
100g melted butter
400g soft fruit of your choice. i.e. berries, apricots, plums, bananas
400g cream cheese
600ml double cream
100g icing sugar
1 lemon

1 Pour the belted butter onto the crushed biscuits in a small bowl. Combine well and then press into eight small rounds onto a baking sheet. Put into the fridge and allow to cool for one hour.
2 In a large bowl whisk the cream with the icing sugar until it forms peaks. Add in a squeeze of lemon juice and whisk again.
3 Fold in the soft cheese and then smooth over the individual biscuit bases. Then add the fruit on top and serve.

Caribbean Fish Patty Cakes

Serves 4

Ingredients

300 g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
300g potatoes, peeled and chopped
300 g tuna in spring water, flaked
2 spring onions or 1 red onion chopped
1 small bunch coriander leaves chopped
freshly ground black pepper
100 g polenta
3 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp lime juice


Method

1. Place the potatoes in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling add in the sweet potatoes and simmering water for 10 minutes or until they are all soft.Drain well and mash.

2. Add the tuna, spring onions, coriander, Tabasco, lime juice and season with freshly ground black pepper and mix well.

3. Divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces and shape into patties.

4. Put the polenta on a plate and roll the fish cakes in it until they are coated on all sides.

5. Heat the oil on a medium heat in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes on each side until golden. Serve with a tomato salad.

Chocolate and Orange Pancakes

Makes 8

For the pancakes
125g (4oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
300ml (1/2 pint) milk
1 orange zest only
A little oil for frying

For the chocolate sauce
100g chocolate
2 tbsp double cream
1 orange zested and segmented to garnish



Method

1. Put the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add in the egg and whisk with a balloon whisk. Gradually beat in the milk, drawing in the flour from the sides to make a smooth batter. Add in the orange zest from one orange.

2. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Pour in just enough batter to cover the base of the pan. Cook over a moderately high heat for about 1 minute until golden brown. Turn or toss and cook the other side for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and keep hot and then carry on with the rest of the mixture, stacking the pancakes as you go.

3. For the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in a small pan over a medium heat, adding the cream, to make a pouring consistency. Add in the zest.

4. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the pancakes, to serve, and garnish with orange segments

Thai Fish Cakes

Serves 4

450g/1lb coley fillets, skinned and cut into chunks
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 strip or lime zest, shredded very finely
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 egg
1 tsp muscovado sugar
150ml/5fl oz groundnut or sunflower oil

1. For the fish cakes, put the fish in a food processor with the fish sauce, curry paste, lime zest, chopped coriander, egg and sugar. Process until smooth.
2. Divide the mixture into 16 pieces. Roll each one into a ball and then flatten into a 6cm/2½in disc.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the fish cakes in batches for 1 minute on each side, until golden brown. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper, then serve with the sweet and sour sauce

Stewed Apples with Crème Fraiche

Serves 4

4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Juice of one lemon,
½ tsp cinnamon
100g raisins
50g caster sugar

Crème fraiche to serve

1 Put all the ingredients apart from the crème fraiche into a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
2 With a slotted spoon, remove the apple and raisins and serve into bowls. You can add some of the liquid from the pan.
3 Serve with natural yogurt or crème fraiche.

Rough Homemade Pisto

1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
a handful of fresh basil leaves chopped
a handful of fresh coriander leaves chopped
a handful of fresh parsley leaves chopped
a handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
a tbsp lemon juice


1 Combine all of the prepared ingredients in a small bowl. Use for cooked pasta, bruchetta, for flavouring fish or for grilled field mushrooms.

Rice Salad with Apple and Sage Derby

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g brown rice cooked using instructions on packet
100g Sage Derby cheese chopped into chunks (can use cheese of your own choice)
1 whole apple, cored and thinly sliced
a handful of shredded lettuce
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, finely sliced
A handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 wholemeal pita breads

Method
1 Mix together the rice, cheese, apple, lettuce, parsley, carrot, spring onions and cherry tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.
2 Mix the lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl and drizzle over the salad.
3 Chop the pitas in half and stuff them with the salad and then dig in.