recipes

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the beaten egg.
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour and mixed spice.
• Stir in lemon zest and currants or sultanas.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a dough forms.
• Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface until smooth.
• Roll out the dough to about 1cm thickness.
• Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
• Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheets.
• Brush the tops of the biscuits with milk or beaten egg.
• Sprinkle with caster sugar.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Soup:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion and leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the diced potato and broccoli florets to the pot.
• Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the crumbled Stilton cheese until melted.
• Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
• Return the soup to low heat, add the milk, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat through gently, do not boil.

For the Cheddar Scones:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/ Gas Mark 7).
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Rub the cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the grated cheddar cheese.
• Gradually add the milk, mixing with a knife until a soft dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a round about 2cm thick.
• Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut out scones.
• Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the tops of the scones with a little extra milk and sprinkle with extra cheese.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and well-risen.

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add butternut squash, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour in broth and milk.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until squash is tender.
• Blend the soup using a blender or immersion blender until smooth.
• For the oatcakes: In a mixing bowl, combine gluten-free oats, flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add olive oil and water, mix until a dough forms.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut into rounds or triangles.
• Place oatcakes on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
• Serve the soup hot with the gluten-free oatcakes.

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Place rhubarb, 2 tbsp sugar and grated ginger on a baking sheet.
• Roast for 20 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender.
• Let cool.
• In a blender, puree the roasted rhubarb mixture until smooth.
• In a saucepan, heat heavy cream, whole milk, and 150g sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks.
• Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into egg yolks.
• Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly (about 5-10 minutes).
• Do not boil.
• Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
• Stir in vanilla extract and cooled rhubarb puree.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Roll out one sheet of puff pastry and line a 9-inch pie dish.
• In a large bowl, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Mix well.
• Pour the spinach and ricotta mixture into the puff pastry-lined pie dish.
• Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry and place it over the filling.
• Crimp the edges to seal.
• Brush the top with beaten egg.
• Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown and the filling is set.
• Let cool slightly before serving.

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
• In a mixing bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.
• Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken.
• Drizzle olive oil over the chicken.
• Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
• Roast for 1 hour, basting occasionally with pan juices.
• While the chicken is roasting, prepare the glaze.
• In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
• After 1 hour, brush the chicken with the honey-lemon glaze.
• Roast for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F).
• Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
• Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Pour melted butter into the pan and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over the bottom.
• Press down to form a crust.
• Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust.
• Sprinkle shredded coconut evenly over the condensed milk.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the coconut.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let cool completely before slicing into bars.

• Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with plenty of water.
• Drain and rinse.
• Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) or prepare a slow cooker.
• In a Dutch oven or slow cooker, combine soaked beans, smoked pork belly, onion, and garlic.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, dry mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
• Pour the molasses mixture over the beans and pork belly.
• Add water or chicken broth until beans are covered.
• For oven baking: Cover and bake for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and sauce is thickened.
• For slow cooker: Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Serve hot.

• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, and baking powder.
• Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Stir in almond extract.
• Pour batter into the prepared cake pan.
• Arrange rhubarb pieces over the batter.
• In a small bowl, mix flaked almonds and sugar.
• Sprinkle almond sugar mixture over the rhubarb.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.

• In a mixing bowl, season prawns with salt and pepper.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Add prawns to the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes, until pink and cooked through.
• Stir in lime juice, lime zest, and parsley.
• Cook for another minute.
• Serve immediately.