Tuscan Meatballs

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and chopped roughly

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed with flat of knife and roughly chopped.

1 Large Sprig of Rosemary

450g lean organic pork mince/meatballs

x2 Tomato Pasata cartons

2/3 teaspoons tomato paste

half teaspoon dried chilli flakes (or more!)

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Sea salt + Black pepper to taste

250g Spaghetti

Parsley to serve

Method

In a hot frying pan, brown off the pork meatballs until they have a bit of colour on the sides, and set aside on a plate.

Slice the onion in half and then into long strips. Sweat off in the same frying pan so they become translucent. Add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, chopped rosemary and crushed and chopped garlic to the pan. Stir through the onions for a few minutes, but don't burn the garlic.

Add the meatballs back into the pan, and cook for another minute or two. Add the tomato pasata and tomato paste. You may also need a small bit of water. Stir the dish so as to unstick the bottom of the pan into the sauce, and then turn the heat down and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Keep half an eye on the pan so the sauce does not get too low. To finish the dish, add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, and extra black pepper/salt to taste.

During this time cook the spaghetti, until it is al-dente to bite. Once drained, it can be added to the pan to soak up some of the flavour of the dish. Serve with a bit of fresh parsley over the top.

Toad In The Hole with Lardon and Onion Gravy

Serves 4

For the toad in the hole

3 medium eggs

250ml milk

50ml water

150g plain flour

3 sprigs of rosemary

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 fat sausages

For the gravy

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

150g lardons

300g onions, sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

2 tablespoon plain flour

50ml port

300ml water

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C fan/240C/460F/gas mark 9. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk a little. Add the milk and 50ml of water. Whisk again before adding the flour, chopped rosemary leaves and a pinch of black pepper and some salt. Whisk again until smooth and combined.Put the vegetable oil in a roasting in, add the sausages and cook for 8 minutes, until they have a touch of colour. Remove the tin from the oven pour in the batter and put back in the oven immediately for 35 minutes when the batter should be well puffed and golden.Meanwhile heat the teaspoon of olive oil with the lardons in a saucepan over a medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes until the lardons turn golden. Add the onions, mix well and reduce the heat a little. Sweat them for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions become soft and sweet. Turn the heat right down then add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir the flour into the onions and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat and add the port and allow to boil for 1 minute before adding the 300ml of water and letting the liquid reduce by about a third to intensify the flavours and thicken the gravy.Serve immediately with mash and greens.

 Spelt Risotto with Celeriac, Spinach and Roquefort

Serves 4

20 grams unsalted butter,

40 grams shallots chopped,

200 grams celeriac peeled and cut into two cm chunks,

Few thyme sprigs with stalks removed and leaves finally chopped,

250 grams spelt soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes then drained,

75 ml of dry white wine,

1 litre of hot chicken broth,

40 grams of pecans halved,

100 grams baby spinach leaves washed,

100 grams roquefot cut into one cm squares,

Ground black pepper,

Method

Heat a large thick base pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and saute the shallot, celeriac and thyme until the shallots are `soft with no colour. Add the drained spelt and white wine and cook until the wine has reduced by two thirds. Add a couple of litres of hot chicken broth to the pan and using a wooden spoon stir over medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the spelt. Continue to add the broth, little by little, bring it back to the boil whilst stirring and shaking. Every 45 seconds, add some more broth until the spelt cooks through. There is no need to stir the risotto as frequently at towards the end. The whole process will take about 20 minutes. Meanwhile roast the pecans in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees Celsius or gas mark 3 for 8 minutes. When the risotto is cooked remove from the heat and add the spinach and roquefort will melt into the risotto. Season to taste with black pepper.

Moroccan Spiced Lamb with Saffron Couscous

Serves 4-6

For the spiced lamb

800g butterflied leg of lamb (without the bone)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoon runny honey

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon ras-el-hanout

8 sprigs of thyme

30g butter

For the Saffron couscous

10 saffron threads

2 tablespoons just-boiled water

150g couscous

240g drained tinned chickpeas

Juice of ½ lemon

Method

Mix the honey, garlic, olive oil, ras el hanout, thyme and sea salt and black pepper in a bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the lamb and place in a roasting tin. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.1 hour before you wish to eat heat the oven to 160C fan/120C/250F/ gas mark ½. Place the lamb in its tin in the middle of the oven and cook for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and create a tent of foil over the tray, sealing it around the edges. Leave it to rest for 20 minutes. Whilst its resting prepare the couscous.Put the saffron in a heatproof bowl and add the 2 tablespoons of just boiled water. Leave the saffron to infuse for 5 minutes, then add the couscous, Cover the bowl and leave for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Season with the lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper.Heat a frying pan big enough to hold the meat. Add the butter. Once it’s foaming add the meat. Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown and crusted, then remove from the pan and serve with the couscous.

Fennel, Soft Salami and Lemon Linguine

Serves 2

35g butter

150g fennel

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 large garlic clove finely sliced

150g salami

Lemon zest and juice of ½ lemon

60g grated parmesan

Method

Set a saucepan of water to boil. In a frying pan melt 15g of butter over a medium-high heat. Add the diced fennel and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the fennel seeds and garlic. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another minute.Put the pasta in the boiling water for 3-4 minutes, draining whilst its aldente. Add your salami to the fennel pan for 2 minutes to warm a little and for the fat to render. Add the lemon zest and remaining butter and allow the butter to melt before adding 2 ladles of the pasta water. Shake the pan so the liquids emulsify, then add another ladle of water and 40g of parmesan. Grind plenty of black pepper over the fennel and sausage. Add the drained pasta to the pan and shake. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve with plenty of parmesan.