Spring Lamb Stew

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1kg lamb neck and fore shanks
2 garlic cloves
1 onion finely chopped
2 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
1 litre of lamb stock
handful of baby carrots
handful of diced potatoes

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large casserole pot and soften the garlic and onion.

Season the meat with salt and pepper, then add to the pot to brown.





Add the bay leaf and thyme.

Add carrots, and potatoes and enough stock reach the same level as the meat.

Bring to a simmer and remove any scum that rises to the top. Once all the scum is removed, cover the pan. Cook for 1½-2 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve straightaway

Apple pie and homemade custard

Ingredients

For the custard

2 medium egg yolks

2 teaspoons of cornflour

25g caster sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

250ml whole milk

250mll double cream

For the Apple pie

Already rolled out puff pastry

2 Cox Apples

2 tablespoons of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

1 taablespon of flour

Juice of half a lemon

Preparing the custard

Put the egg yolks in a pyrex bowl with the cornflour and sugar.

Add the vanilla extract, and use a whisk to combine all the ingredients.

Gradually whisk in the milk and cream then place the bowl over a boiling pot of water and cook gently for 6-8 minutes, whisking constantly, until smooth and thick. (Do not allow the custard to boil.)

Preparing the Apple pie

Set aside one-third of the pastry for the lid.

Press the pastry firmly into the ramekin and up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Chill the fridge for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Thinly slice the apples.

For the filling, mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the apples.

Place the apple filling into the ramekin.

Roll out the reserved ball of pastry. Cover the pie with the pastry and press the edges together firmly to seal. Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess pastry, then gently crimp all around the edge.

Make a few small cross shaped hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife.

Sprinkle the pie with sugar and bake in the centre of the oven for 45–55 minutes or golden-brown all over and the apples are tender.

Beef in Oyster Sauce

Ingredients

400g lean stir fry beef

Vegetables of your choice ( I used a red pepper and onions, you can also use carrots, spring onions or mushrooms)

2 tablespoons groundnut oil

2cm of ginger

1 red chilli pepper

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cane sugar

2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

2 Tablespoons of cane sugar

1 Tablespoon dark or light soy sauce

2 Tablespoons of sesame oil

Preparation

Marinade the beef in sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar for a couple of hours. For a bit of a kick you can add dry chilli flakes to the marinade.

Finely chop the chilli, ginger and garlic. Heat the groundnut oil in a wok and add the chilli garlic and ginger.

Add the beef and cook till it turns brown.

Add the vegetables.

Serve hot, with rice or blanched spinach.

Mussels in Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

1kg fresh mussels

Groundnut oil

5 Cloves of garlic

3cm of ginger

1 Red chilli

1 Jar of black bean sauce (I used sharwood's 195g)

2 Tablespoons of dry sherry (optional)

1 Handful of coriander

Spring onion

Preparation:

Wash the mussels under cool water, remove all beards and discard any open mussels and set the remaining aside.

In a pot big enough to hold all the mussels, heat 4 tablespoons of groundnut oil, add chopped ginger, garlic, chilli and sherry if being used and stir for 1 minute.

The sherry is not necessary, but it takes away the fishy taste and smell.

Add the black bean sauce and stir.

Tip in the mussels and stir till the sauce coats all the mussels.

Cover and allow to cook until mussels open up.

Sprinkle spring onions on top and serve immediately.

Chicken in a honey mustard sauce

Chicken in a Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

8 Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks

5 Cloves of garlic

3 Tablespoons of English Mustard

3 Tablespoons of Dark Soy Sauce

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Dried Chilli flakes

1 Tablespoon of Chicken seasoning

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

1 Medium size Onion

Preparation:

Place the Chicken pieces in a bowl.

Coarsely chop the Onion and Garlic and add to the chicken.

Add the Mustard, Soy sauce, Chicken seasoning, Chilli and Lemon juice to the chicken.

Allow to marinate for at least an hour.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the Chicken pieces one by one and any juices left in the marinade bowl.

Cover the pan and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the honey to the cooked sauce and stir.

Boiled Asparagus spears make a good side to this recipe. Add Asparagus spears to boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain.

Arrange the spears in a neat row and place a piece of chicken on top. Finish

Layered Brownies

Ingredients:

For the Brownies

3/4 cup of unsalted butter

185g best chocolate

2/3 cup of plain flour

1/3 cup of cocoa powder

100g of milk chocolate

3 eggs

1 and 1/4 of caster sugar

For the White Layer

180 g Cream cheese

1 Egg

50 g Castor Sugar

30 g plain Flour

Vanilla Essence

Cut the butter into small cubes and tip into a medium bowl. Break dark chocolate and milk chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl.

Melt the butter and chocolate, then leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.

While you wait for the chocolate to cool, turn the oven on to 180C and line the baking tin with grease proof baking paper.

Now begin the white layer, beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar, sifted flour and a drop of vanilla essence together.

Once the chocolate mix has cooled, tip the flour and cocoa powder into a sieve held over the medium bowl, and tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.

Break the 3 eggs into a bowl and tip in the sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is, so don't lose heart. You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume. Another check is to turn off the mixer, lift out the beaters and wiggle them from side to side. If the mixture that runs off the beaters leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture in the bowl for a second or two, you're there.

Pour the eggy mouse into the cooled chocolate mixture, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula. Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin, then follow with the cream cheese mix.

Put in the pre heated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes pull the tin out and gently shake, if the brownie wobbles in the middle, it's not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven and leave in the tin until completely cool, the cut into squares.

Cheesy Potatoes with Rosemary

Ingredients:
Small potatoes
Olive oil
Mature cheddar cheese
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 200C.

Place potatoes in salted water and bring to a boil; cook until tender.

Place the cooked potatoes on a well-oiled baking tray and press down gently on each potato with a potato masher.

Brush the top of each potato with olive oil. 

Season well with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary.

Place in the oven for 25 minutes until browned and crispy.

Remove from oven and top with grated cheese. Then put back in oven for a further 2 minutes, or until cheese melts.