Frangipanes of various kinds have been my go-to dessert for years. Let’s face it; it sounds, and is, a bit more impressive than Bakewell tart. The frangipane is easy-peasy, and doesn’t change much and for the fruit – the choice is yours. And varying, all year round, seasonal frangipane is a distinct possibility because forced rhubarb works a treat – as does all the end of season pears, blackberries, damsons etc. Bottled, spiced plums are good but fresh, slightly underripe ones are just tart enough to keep it interesting. Using, and blitzing, a third, whole almonds adds a bit of texture. Homemade pastry is always best but if you’re feeling lazy, just go and buy some. It will still be good. The quantities below make a Watson sized, 26cm (approx. 3cm deep) tart but you can never have too much frangipane.
If you've found yourself with a glut of plums, this is a recipe well worth making. Roasting the fruit concentrates the flavour and creates a beautifully rich compote that's just as good spooned over breakfast as it is tucked into puddings. It also keeps the taste of late summer going long after the season has finished.
This recipe is adapted from Pam Corbin's fantastic book Pam the Jam, one of our favourite preserving books. As well as the compote itself, Pam includes a simple way to turn it into a homemade Chinese-style plum sauce that's perfect with duck, pork or barbecued meats.
Makes 3–4 × 300ml jars
You can't beat a bowl of strawberries in the summer. Especially when eating wild European strawberries, which do taste exquisite and that’s not a word that comes to me easily. This dish calls for a slight caramelisation in a pan with a dash of our very own apple cider vinegar to really make the strawberries sing. Don't forget the delectable addition of a side of shortcake to soak up all of the tangy syrup.
For our mango lassi, we use the yoghurt whey left over from straining the labneh. It’s ideal, but you could use a little more, slightly watered-down kefir instead. The cans of proper Indian Alphonso mango pulp are the real deal, far tastier than anything you’ll get from the fresh, underripe ‘Tommy Atkins’ varietal sold in UK supermarkets and greengrocers.
Using a good dollop of our lemon marmalade and lemon curd, this recipe will turn your excess of leftover hot cross buns into a delicious dessert this Easter.
Poaching, as a method of cooking meat, is sadly out of vogue, largely because of the slightly gelatinous, ‘Spam-like’ texture you get in high-collagen cuts like ox tongue, pressed brisket (corned beef) and cotechino, saveloy or zampone type sausages. It’s a bit like Marmite, I love it but it doesn’t seem to do it for most of the UK population. In Europe, where they have a firmer hold on their culinary traditions, it’s still commonly paired with something sharp like salsa verde or mustard. Think bollito misto, cotechino and lentils, or Austrian Tafelspitz.
But with a carefully poached chicken you get perfectly cooked, moist meat suitable for all manner of dishes and, if you give it a blast in a hot oven before serving, it becomes a very superior cheat’s roast, with the added bonus of a saucepan of delicious broth for whatever’s on the menu the next day. Gentle poaching is also the perfect way to cook a slightly more mature organic bird which, it pains me to admit, can be a little dry.
The key is to keep the liquid at a steady simmer (90–95°C) and, if you’re going for the cheat’s roast, to give the skin plenty of time to dry off. I did mine on the sous-vide function in my Instant Pot multi-cooker, but a saucepan and thermometer will work just as well. A tight-fitting lid, so the breasts can steam, is a must. To be extra safe, make a cartouche out of baking parchment.
Using cloves of confit garlic not only gives a lovely mellow garlic flavour, but also helps create a thicker, creamier mayonnaise. Traditionally, aioli was made without egg, making it more of a sauce than a mayonnaise and lacking the yolky yellow colour.
Shamelessly plagiarised and adapted from a recipe on the Riverford website, the combination of nutty brown rice and true spinach works a treat. Old Winchester and Parmesan breadcrumbs bring sweetness and crunch. Served by itself it’s a satisfyingly simple supper or add protein (bacon or ham for example) of your choice.
This rhubarb is almost too good for crumble. It shines when gently poached—just fresh fruit juice and sugar will do. The key is not to overcook it: two to three minutes is plenty. Like toasting pine nuts, turn away for a moment and it’s burnt/overdone! Serve with thick yoghurt and our BFS granola for a simple, elegant breakfast.