Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 50g butter or vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp paprika
• 20 fresh sage leaves
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1-2 vegetable stock cubes
• 1 tbl Olive oil
• 2 tbl crème fraiche

Method:

1. Preheat oven. Oven 180⁰C / 160⁰ fan / Gas 4
2. Put squash and potato into roasting tin, dot with 30g of the butter, sprinkle with the chilli flakes.
3. In a large pan, add the rest of the butter plus onion and garlic. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until soft.
4. Remove the vegetables from oven and pour over the onions, crumble the stock cubes and add with 1 litre boiling water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and blend in a processor until smooth. Return to a clean pan and simmer, add seasoning if needed.
6. Heat a small pan, add olive oil and fry rest of sage leaves until crisp but still green. Drain onto kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt.
7. To serve, pour the soup into bowls, top with crème fraiche and scatter over the sage leaves.

Ingredients:

• 500ml milk
• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• 70ml beer
• 20g English mustard
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce
• 350g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 large fillets (undyed) smoked haddock halved
• 4 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced

Serves 4

Method:

1. In a small jug, bring 200ml of milk to the boil in a microwave.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour and mix into a roux. Cook gently for a few minutes, then add the hot milk, a little at a time, stirring until smooth between each addition.
3. Add the beer, mustard and Worcester sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the cheese until it is melted and smooth. This is your Rarebit - set aside in a warm place.
4. Place the haddock fillets in a large pan and cover with the remaining milk. If the fillets are not covered, top up with cold water. Over a medium heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
5. Preheat the grill to the highest setting.
6. Arrange a fan of tomatoes for each haddock on a serving plate. Carefully lift the haddock fillets out of the pan, letting any excess liquid escape, and place on top of the tomatoes.
7. Divide the rarebit mixture into four and spread over the top of each piece of haddock. Place under the grill until golden brown, and serve with a green salad.

(This recipe can easily be halved to serve 2)

Damson Fool

Ingredients:

• 500g Damsons halved and stoned
• 85g caster sugar
• 300mls double cream

Chocolate Thins

Ingredients:

• 140g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 60g chocolate, melted
• 140g plain flour
• 60g cocoa powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190⁰C / gas mark 5
2. To make the Fool, put the damsons in a pan with 2 tablespoons water and simmer gently until they are soft. Stir in the sugar, whizz the lot in a processor and leave to cool. Whip the cream until soft peaks form and then fold it into the damson mixture. Pour into six glasses or serving bowls and put in the fridge to set.
3. To make the Chocolate Thins, clean out the food processor and whizz the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, Add the melted chocolate, followed by the flour and cocoa powder and process until the dough comes together. Wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Line the baking sheet with baking parchment.
5. Roll out the dough between two pieces of baking parchment to approx. 5mm / ¼ inch thick. Use a small cutter to stamp out the dough: you should be able to make about 12 - 15 rounds. Place them on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes, but check after 5 minutes for any signs of darkening around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
6. Serve the damson fool with a plate of chocolate thins.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 small dessert apples
• Short sticks eg Lolly sticks
• 450g demerara sugar
• 50g butter
• 10ml (2 tsp) vinegar
• 150ml water
• 15ml (1 level tbl) golden syrup

Method:

1. Wash and dry the apples then push a stick firmly into the core of each one.
2. For the toffee, heat gently the rest of the ingredients in a large heavy base pan until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Bring to the boil and boil without stirring for about 5 minutes, until the temperature reaches 143⁰C - soft crack stage (or drop a little into cold water and forms a hard thread).
4. Brush sides of pan with water to stop crystals forming.
5. When temperature is reached, remove from heat.
6. Tip pan slightly and dip apple into the toffee, twirl gently to evenly coat with toffee.
7. Sprinkle with or dip in 100's and 1000's if wished, whilst toffee is soft.
8. Place apples onto baking paper or a buttered tin, until toffee has hardened before serving or wrapping in cellophane.