Damsons in Damson Liqueur

A fantastic way to preserve some of the season's bounty for winter, and if you make the jars look pretty, this is also good to give as a Christmas gift.

Makes approx 3 pint or half-litre jars

• 2 1/2 lbs damsons (or small prune plums)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2" piece of cinnamon
• 5 whole cloves
• Approx 1 1/2 cups good quality vodka

Prick each damson 2-3 times with a darning needle.

Combine water and sugar in a high-sided skillet and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add half the damsons to the liquid in a single layer. Return to the boil and cook, gently moving the damsons around in the syrup with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 mins. Remove the damsons to a 9 x 13" glass baking dish.

Repeat with the rest of the damsons, add those to the baking dish. Make sure all the damsons are in a single layer.

Pour the hot syrup over the damsons, cover immediately with clingfilm. Leave the damsons overnight, turning once or twice in the syrup.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the damsons to sterilized jars, filling them to about 3/4 full.

Transfer the syrup to a saucepan, add the cinnamon stock and cloves and bring to a boil. Boil until slighly thickened - you should have about 1 1/2 cups of syrup.

Strain the hot syrup through a fine mesh, then pour it over the damsons, filling each jar about half full. Let cool, then pour in the vodka. The liquid should cover the damsons completely.

Seal the jars, label and store in a cool, dark place. Rest for at least 2 months before opening, gently tilting the jars occasionally to mix the vodka and syrup. The damsons will keep almost indefinitely.

Lemon Walnut Hummus

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
• 2 garlic cloves

Directions

1. In a small skillet on medium-heat toast the walnuts for 3 minutes or so. Shake the pan every once in awhile while you toast to ensure an even toast.
2. Put the nuts aside to cool down.
3. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in the skillet for 30 seconds or so. Transfer this to a mortar and add cayenne pepper and grind to a powder.
4. In your food processor, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, oil, garlic, ground spices and 1 tspn of the salt.
5. Rub the walnuts to remove most of their skin. Add the walnuts to your food processor and puree until smooth.
6. Add water one tablespoon at a time if it is too thick. Add in your pepper and olive oil to serve.

Cheese and Lentil Loaf

• 140g/5 oz cooked lentils (you can use red, green or brown)
• 140g/5 oz grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 45g/1½ oz wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tbsp chopped herbs
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Mix together the lentils, cheese and onion in a bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place the mixture in a greased and lined loaf tin. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for approximately 35-45 minutes (the loaf should be firm to the touch). Let the loaf cool for a few minutes before lifting from the tin.

Serve with a good home-made tomato sauce.

Serves 2-3

Blackberry Syrup, or Cordial

• 600gm (1 1/4lb) blackberries
• 100gm (3 ½ oz) sugar
• 2tsp cinnamon pieces
• 2tsp whole cloves

Mash the fruit and strain through a sieve, pressing the fruit with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Add the liquid to a saucepan and to every 300ml (1/2 pint) of liquid, add 100g (3 1/2 oz) of sugar. Add the cloves and cinnamon. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly as the liquid reduces and thickens. Strain through a sieve to remove the spice pieces and pour into clean sterilized bottles. Store in refrigerator.

You can either use this as a fruit syrup, to pour over ice cream, pancakes etc, or dilute to taste with sparkling water.

Oven Roast Sweet Potato

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 450° and lightly oil a baking tray.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1" wedges and put them in a good sized bowl. Drizzle the oil over the potatoes and then toss them to coat. Separately, mix the chili powder, thyme, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Sprinkle this over the sweet potatoes and then toss everything until the potatoes are well coated.
3. Arrange them in a single layer on the baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes,then turn them over and continue to bake them for another 15 minutes or so until tender and just barely golden brown.

Spicy Root Vegetable & Lentil Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves (depending on how fat they are), crushed
• 350g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 1 parsnip, thickly sliced
• 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp curry paste (I like the Patak curry pastes, and some are hotter than others)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 75g red lentils
• a small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• low-fat yogurt and naan bread or chapatis to serve
  
  Note: You can use cauliflower, broccoli, peas, spinach, squash, turnips or swede in place of the carrots and/or parsnip. Simply mix'n'match to your tastes! (or whatever's hiding in the veggie rack)

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Tip in the potatoes, carrots and parsnip, turn up the heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are golden.
2. Stir in the curry paste, pour in the stock and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the lentils, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened.
3. Stir in most of the coriander, season and heat for a minute or so. Top with yogurt and the rest of the coriander. Serve with naan bread to mop it up with.
   
   Serves 2

Ginger and Marmalade Cake

Ingredients

• 140g chunky marmalade
• 175g soft butter
• 150g soft brown sugar
• 3 beaten eggs
• 225g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2-3 chunks of stem ginger in syrup (drained)
• 100g pecan or walnuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180c/gas 4. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin
2. Mix the marmalade in with all the other ingredients except the nuts, whisk or beat with a spoon until smooth.
3. Stir in half the nuts, spoon into tin, smooth top and scatter with remaining nuts.
4. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. If it starts to brown too quickly cover loosely with foil once the cake has risen and set.
5. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then tip out onto cooling rack.
6. To glaze (optional): Either warm 1 tbsp marmalade gently until it has melted then brush over the top of the cake to glaze or
   Sift 100g icing sugar and mix it to a smooth, slightly runny consistency with approx. 1 1/2 tbsps orange juice. Drizzle the icing over the cake, letting it run down the sides, and leave to set.

Spiced Rice

I seem to be cooking a lot of Indian meals at the moment! Maybe because the luscious warm spiciness is so wonderful on these grey, wet, dismal English spring days *grins* This spiced rice is full of colour and flavour and makes a more interesting accompaniment to a meal than just plain rice. It goes especially well with a lentil curry or tarkha dahl.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or small pierce of cinnamon stick
• Pinch of turmeric (optional: this is just for the color)
• 120 g Basmati rice
• 50 g red lentils
• Pinch of salt
• 355 ml water
• 1/2 potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or 1 small carrot, grated
• 35 g green peas
• 15 g raisins

What to do with it all:

1. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until they have softened.
2. Sprinkle in the ginger, garlic and spices. Cook for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.
3. Add the rice and saute with the spices for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the lentils, salt and the water and stir then add the potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Place the bell pepper or carrot, peas and raisins into the saucepan. Stir well, then cover the pan again. Cook 10 minutes more, or until the rice, potatoes, and lentils are tender.

This amount serves 2 quite generously as a side dish.

Chicken Chasseur

There's a thousand and one chicken chasseur recipes out there, but this is the one I've tweaked to suit my partner's preferences.

Ingredients for 2:

• 2 chicken breasts, skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 rasher of smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , thickly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 125g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 rounded tbsp tomato purée
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 120ml red wine
• 150ml chicken stock
• Sprig each of tarragon, marjoram and thyme (really you can use whatever combination of herbs you like best!)
  
  Optional:
• 2 tomatoes, quartered and deseeded
• 1/2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper and brown in the olive oil. Remove from the pan and keep to one side.
2. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan, and cook until golden. Add the garlic and bacon, and fry til the bacon is cooked through.
3. Stir in the wine, tomato purée, stock, black pepper and herbs. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for about 30 mins until the chicken is tender.
4. If the sauce is too thin at this stage, mix 1 tbsp cornflour to a thin paste with a little of the liquid and whisk in, or reduce the amount of liquid by hard boiling without a lid.
5. To finish, add the tomatoes, if using, and simmer for a further 2-3 mins to soften them, then scatter over the flat-leaf parsley before serving.
   
   Great with either roast potatoes or mustard mash.

Paneer Korma

This is a recipe that I've gradually derived and adapted to my own preferences from lord knows how many korma recipes I've tried over the years! It might not be authentic, but its tasty.

Ingredients:

• 225g paneer, cut into cubes
• 120g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 30 g ground unsalted cashews
• Salt to taste
• 300 ml coconut milk
• Vegetable oil

Spices:

• 1/2 tsp chili
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Coriander
• 6 cardamom pods

1. Heat oil in a pan, fry paneer cubes on medium heat till slightly brown, turning them all the time. Keep to one side.
2. Fry the mushrooms and onion until golden. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking for 1 minute
3. Stir in all the spices and fry for approximately 1-2 minutes more.
4. Add the coconut milk and ground cashews, season with salt to taste. Bring to the boil and simmer until the mixture thickens.
5. Add the paneer cubes, cook and stir until everything is heated through.
6. Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve with rice, chapatis or naan bread.

Serves 2-3 depending how many other dishes you're serving it with.

Potato, Mushroom and Cauliflower Curry

This is a fave curry recipe that's ever-so versatile - you can swap the cauliflower for aubergine (eggplant), potatoes for sweet potatoes or squash, add peas rather than spinach, it need never be the same twice! Whatever you use, it's dead easy and tastes even better reheated the next day.

You'll need:

• 1 tbsp ghee (or use olive oil for a healthier option)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large potato, chopped up into small chunks
• 1 small (or half a large) cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced thickly
• 200g fresh baby spinach leaves
• 2-4 tbsp curry paste (you can use madras, korma, tikka masala or balti - depends on how hot you like it)
• 150ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 400ml can coconut milk
• Handful of chopped coriander (cilantro)

How to do it:

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan, add the onion and potato. Cover, then cook over a low heat for 5 mins until the potatoes start to soften. Throw in the cauliflower florets and mushrooms, then cook for a few more mins.
2. Stir in the curry paste, pour over the stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins or until the potato is tender.
3. Add the baby spinach and cook until its just wilted
4. Stir through the coriander before serving with rice, chapatis or naan bread.
   
   This quantity serves 4.

Lentils and Chorizo

A friend cooked this for my carnivorous partner and so since he loved it and it looked simple, I copied the recipe from her.

• 150g green or brown lentils
• 2 sliced onions
• 1 leek , sliced
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 500ml chicken stock
• a large glass of red wine
• 75g chorizo , roughly sliced
• a handful of roughly chopped parsley
• 2 sprigs thyme

1. Soak the lentils for an hour in cold water before you start cooking
2. Fry the onion, leek and garlic in a little oil then add the lentils, red wine, stock and thyme.
3. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender, adding the chorizo for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
4. Stir through the parsley. Serve with lots of crusty bread

Serves 2

Chicken Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 250 g boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
• 100g chorizo sausage, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced (red or green can be used, or a bit of each!)
• 100g brown basmati rice, soaked for 20 mins before hand and well drained
• 20 fl oz hot chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. Heat the frying pan and brown the pieces of chorizo sausage over a high heat without adding any fat. Remove from the pan to a plate and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil, brown the chicken all over and transfer that to the plate with the chorizo.
3. Fry the onions for 2-3 minutes until starting to brown, then return the chorizo and chicken to the pan and add the garlic, fennel, chilli and sliced pepper. Cook for about ten minutes.
4. Stir in the rice to coat with of oil, then add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, hot chicken stock and Tabasco. Season with salt and black pepper.
5. Let it simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, covered. Check the rice is cooked - add a little more stock if necessary. Cover with a lid for 5 more minutes, then serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley.