APPLE, SAGE & CALVADOS CHUTNEY
6 apples, peeled, cored and diced
120 ml/½ cup Calvados or other apple liqueur
450 g/2¼ cups caster/granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried sage
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
sterilized glass jars with airtight lids
Makes 950 ml/1 quart
Place the apple pieces in a large pan with 710 ml/3 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft.
Place the cooked apples in a blender and purée. Return the purée to the pan and add the Calvados, sugar, sage and lemon zest and juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring frequently. The paste should be thick and deep in colour.
Put the paste into sterilized glass jars, leaving a little space from the top. Carefully tap on the counter top to remove air pockets. Wipe the jars clean and screw on the lids. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
25 g/2 tablespoons butter
1 red onion, finely diced
12 fresh figs, peeled and chopped
40 g/3 tablespoons soft/packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
a pinch of ground ginger
a handful of sultanas/golden raisins
juice of ¼ lemon
a sterilized glass jar with an airtight lid
Makes 1 jar (about 200 g/7 oz.)
Melt the butter in a frying pan/skillet, then add the onion and fry over fairly high heat until it’s soft and starting to brown. Stir in the figs and sugar, then add the vinegar, ginger and sultanas/golden raisins. Add the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons water. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes until the mixture thickens, stirring now and then.
Remove from the heat and let cool, then transfer to a sterilized jar or a suitable airtight container and cover. Store in the fridge. It is best to make this chutney at least 24 hours before serving, to let the flavours mature.
Note: This chutney will keep (if sealed) for a couple of weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze it (in an airtight container). Just check the flavour after you thaw it, as it might need a little top-up of seasoning – perhaps a little more ground ginger or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
90 g/6 tablespoons butter, softened
130 g/4½ oz. strong blue cheese, such as Roquefort
200 g/1⅔ cups plain/all-purpose flour
a pinch of salt
50 g/½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper
Makes about 30
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
Beat the butter and blue cheese together in a mixing bowl until evenly mixed. Work in the flour and salt and bring the mixture together to form a smooth dough. Add the chopped walnuts and knead very lightly until they have all been evenly combined. Form the mixture into two long sausage shapes and wrap each in clingfilm/plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Unwrap the dough and cut into slices just under 1 cm/½ inch thick. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space for spreading between each one. Bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes until crisp and golden.
Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
SUN-BLUSH TOMATO, ORANGE & BURRATA SALAD
2 large oranges
24 sun-blush/semi-dried cherry tomato halves
2 burrata cheeses (or good-quality fresh mozzarella cheese)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
freshly ground black pepper, to season
a handful of basil leaves, to garnish
Serves 4
Peel the oranges, making sure to trim off all the white pith, and cut into thick, even slices.
Place the orange slices on a large serving dish, then scatter over the sun-blush/semi-dried tomato halves. Tear the burrata cheeses into chunks and layer on top of the orange slices.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with pepper. Garnish with basil leaves and serve at once.
3 x 250-g/8-oz. Camembert cheeses in boxes (Vacherin Mont d’Or works just as well)
3 tablespoons Calvados or brandy
3 tablespoons dark chestnut honey
1 fat garlic clove, sliced
3 sage leaves
3 rosemary sprigs
3 bay leaves
TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)
celery sticks
walnut bread
chilled French breakfast radishes
Serves about 15
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6.
Unwrap the cheeses and return them to their boxes. Using a skewer, make six holes in each cheese. Mix the Calvados or brandy and honey together and spoon over the holes. Stud with the garlic and press the herbs onto each cheese. Bake for about 7 minutes.
Remove the boxes from the oven. Using sharp scissors, quickly make three cuts on the surface of each cheese, from the centre out, and gently open the ‘petals’ a little. Take the cheeses out of their boxes, put them on a plate and serve straight away.
1 digestive biscuit/graham cracker
10 ml/2 teaspoons sugar syrup
50 ml/2 fl. oz. vodka
12.5 ml/⅓ fl. oz. Chambord
12.5 ml/⅓ fl. oz. raspberry purée
12.5 ml/⅓ fl. oz. double/heavy cream
Makes 1
Grind the biscuit/cracker into crumbs, add the sugar syrup, mix and pack into the bottom of a martini glass.
Put the remaining ingredients into a cocktail shaker, shake well and strain gently over the crumbs into the martini glass.
FIG & HONEY RICOTTA CHEESECAKE
150 g/5½ oz. digestive biscuits/graham crackers
50 g/3½ tablespoons butter, melted
750 g/3 cups ricotta
2 eggs
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon orange flower water
40 g/⅓ cup plain/all-purpose flour
6 fresh figs, halved
20-cm/8-inch loose-based cake pan
Serves 6
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 3.
Using a rolling pin, crush the biscuits/crackers into fine crumbs.
In a large bowl, mix the crumbs with the melted butter. Next, press this mixture firmly and evenly into the cake pan to form a crust.
In a separate large bowl, mix together the ricotta and eggs. Stir in the honey, orange flower water and flour.
Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly across the biscuit crust. Now, press the halved figs, skinside down, into the ricotta mixture.
Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour until set. Remove the pan from the oven and cool, then cover and chill until serving.
The cheesecake will keep for a few days, covered, in the fridge.
