Adapted from Elizabeth David. 285ml/1/2 pt double cream 3 eggs 200g smoked bacon/lardons 50/75g cheese - I use mixed parmesan and medium/mature cheddar; a mix of parmesan/gruyere also works well. 1/2 pack shortcrust pastry Roll out the pastry and line a 20/23cm or 8"/9" pie/flan dish. Bake blind for 15-20 mins. This makes a deep (approx 2.5cm/1") tart on a 18/20cm or 7"/8" tin, or about 1/2" on a 9"; both are pleasant, in their own way.

Makes about six fair sized scones. To be honest, I prefer to double up quantities. Scones 220g / 8oz self-raising flour pinch of salt 60g / 2oz butter 30g / 1 oz caster sugar 60 - 120ml/2 - 4 fl oz milk Mix the flour and salt, then rub in the butter to reach a breadcrumbs texture. Use cool butter (and cold hands), and you can cut it into the flour with a knife before finally rubbing in with your fingers.

Make a marinade from: 1 tbs five spice powder; 100 ml soy sauce; 100 ml dry sherry (or a suitable substitute); a 1in cube of fresh root ginger, finely chopped; 2-3 cloves of garlic; 1 finely chopped chili; 50 ml or so light oil. Take a 800g piece of pork loin, and put in in the marinade. Rub the marinade well in; and make deep cuts through the meat and push in the marinade.

This is what I would want to find in any kitchen. Knives. 0) a good quality sharpening steel. 1) An 8-10" cook’s knife, with sharpening steel, and some form of storage, is the bare minimum. Most people don’t take enough care with their knives, and keep them blunt - that needs fixing. I can do most things comfortably with a 10" cooks knife, including peeling vegetables (by scraping, which works better than paring if the knife is sharp).

pack of chicken thighs (500g) 2 leeks 6 medium carrots small bunch of thyme 1 stick celery 1 tin cannelini beans 1 glass white wine 0.5 - 1.0 lt/1-2 pt chicken stock (good quality stock is very important) Bone and trim the thighs, and brown them with a little oil (they give off a lot of fat, so use just enough to start them). Skin them after browning, and break up into decent sized lumps - sort of broad bean sized, if that helps.

I think this may be a Nigella recipe, or it may have come from a magazine. Ingredients Serves 6 Prep 15 min Cook 40 min 150g dark, bitter chocolate 125g butter 3 eggs 150g sugar 150g self-raising flour, sifted 1/2 tsp vanilla extract METHOD Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 (160C for a fan oven). Lightly butter a 20 x 10cm loaf tin. Combine the chocolate with the butter in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Heat 720ml/3 cups milk till bubbling. Combine and add: 4 tbs unsweetened cocoa 50g/ 1/4 c sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp each cloves & salt, 1 Tsp each instant coffee & Vanilla Beat Till frothy. Pour into Mugs. Dust With Cinnamon.

Equipment 1 medium casserole (I use pyrex one) 1 largish frying pan (10" is good) 1 medium saucepan 1 potato masher/ricer, or a strong fork at a pinch Ingredients 1 medium onion 500g mince (lean preferred) 1 tsp marmite 3 medium potatoes 200ml/ 1/3 pt hot water 55g/2 oz butter 30ml/2 tbs oil Slice the onion and soften it in some oil. Brown the mince and mix with the onion.

From Elizabeth David, Italian Food 500g lean beef - “braising steak”, skirt, or one of the lumps sold as “roasting joint” in English supermarkets. Preferably in a chunk rather than a flat steak, and NOT diced. 1 italian pork sausage, approx 85g/3oz. 1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped 1 stick of celery, finely chopped 1 oz butter 1 tbs tomato puree small glass white wine 240ml/1 cup beef stock 2 cloves salt and pepper Melt the butter and soften the onion, carrot and celery over a low/medium heat.

Brine 0.5 cup kosher salt 475ml/1 US pt pineapple orange juice 15 black peppercorns small bunch thyme 4 cloves crushed garlic joint - remove wings, cut alongside spine (both sides), split into 2. Separate into 2 parts each. Score the skin (not into meat) - 3 cuts each way. 2.5 hours in brine in fridge. 45 mins steam. 2" water in bottom of pan. Cover. Sauté potatoes in duck fat.