homemade horseradish sauce

by hannah williams

preperation time: 15 minutes

1 root of horseradish, peeled
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
5 Tbsp double cream
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

I decided to make some horseradish sauce one afternoon because the men at the market were selling chunks of it for 10p a go. When I peeled the root I was so excited by the smell and the way it made my nostrils tingle I made everyone in the house inhale it…be careful though I think it could be addictive. Not really knowing what to do I cobbled together a couple of suggestions from the internet, combined them with what we had in the cupboards and on the whole I was pleased with the results.

Grate the peeled horseradish using the course side of the grater and stir in the remaining ingredients.

I chose to use Dijon mustard, partly because we had an abundance in the kitchen and partly because I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to fiery food. Traditionally you’d use the English variety but you could vary the type depending on your preference. I wouldn’t serve anything to my Dad that was made with mustard of less than industrial strength heat.

Stir the mixture thoroughly and season to taste.

If you’d prefer the sauce to be smoother you can always get the blender involved at this stage.

Serve on roast beef or mashed into creamy potatoes.

green olive tapenade with goats cheese and red onion ciabatta

by hannah williams

preperation time: about 10 minutes

tapenade:
4 to 5 Tbsp capers well drained
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and again well drained
2 anchovies
3 large cloves of garlic
olive oil to taste

sandwich:
1 crusty ciabatta roll
150 g goats cheese
a couple of wedges of red onion

Before making this recipe I had only ever eaten black olive tapenade but I remember a cafe back home in Sheffield selling it and it always looked really tasty so I thought I’d give it a go. The recipe is pretty much adapted from a traditional black olive version though I’d recommend thoroughly washing the olives first as the green olive and anchovy combiniation can be a bit salty for some.

It’s all pretty simple…….whizz up the capers, olives, anchovies and garlic in a blender, gradually adding the olive oil until you’re left with a smooth(ish) paste, I like mine with the approximate spreadability of guacamole.

Spread the tapenade over a crusty ciabatta, topped with a couple of slices of crumbly goats cheese and a couple of wedges of red onion.

This green olive version is probably more of an acquired taste than the more traditional black version but with the right goats cheese the extra salt can give the whole thing a really moreish flavour that’s perfect for a hangover.

really creamy rice pudding

by audrey roger

cooking time: about 45 min

700 ml full fat milk
300 ml double cream
100 g pudding rice
1 Tbsp vanilla sugar ( I recommend the type that contains vanilla seeds, like Fiddes Payne “vanilla sugar”, much yummier!)
4 Tbsp caster sugar

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the net to make it much creamier, as I think a rice pudding should be. To me this is one of the top ten comfort foods of winter. When it’s freezing and dark outside and you’re making rice pudding and this amazing aroma comes out and fills the kitchen…bliss…

Put the double cream and milk in a big saucepan or pot with the sugar and vanilla sugar. Let it all come to a boil.

When the milk starts to boil, pour the rice in. Turn the heat down to really low so that it just simmers.

It will take a while to cook so just keep on checking it from time to time. Don’t stir it, just leave it. It will be cooked when the rice comes back up to the surface. Then, turn the heat off and let the rice cool down. It will seem quite liquidy still but the rice will soak up the milk as it is cooling down.

Enjoy lukewarm or cold.

tomato tarte tatin

by audrey roger

preparation time: about 15 min
cooking time: 30 min

puff pastry (enough to cover a big tart dish)
6 big tomatoes
3 big cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
thyme or basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
golden sugar
salt and pepper

I found this recipe in a French magazine, “Cuisine Actuelle”. I’m always on the lookout for tomato dishes. I love cooking with tomatoes, it’s got to be one of my favourite foods. This is a good adaptation of the traditional “tarte tatin”, savoury style. Except it’s actually not that savoury and comes out quite sweet with the golden sugar and olive oil mixture. It’s delicious though and always really popular.

First warm up the oven by putting it on 200°C. Boil the tomatoes in hot water, just long enough so that you can peel the skin off of them easily. Cut the tomatoes in half, pour salt over them and leave them on a big plate for the juices to come out (about 10 minutes).

Pour a bit of golden sugar on a big tart dish, just enough to cover the whole surface. Then pour some olive oil on top of the sugar. Sprinkle with a few thyme sprigs or basil leaves. Place the tomatoes (which you will have dried previously so that they’re not too watery) on top with the round part of the tomato facing up. Sprinkle the crushed garlic, salt and pepper over the tomatoes. Put a bit more olive oil if you like over the tomatoes. Then take a bit of puff pastry and roll it with the rolling pin so that it is the same size as the dish and round. Cover the tomatoes with the puff pastry and tuck in the borders inside so that everything is completely covered up with the pastry.

Put in the oven for about half an hour. Check to see if the pastry is cooked and golden.
When it is cooked, take the dish out of the oven and flip the tarte tatin over on a big round dish. You can put more salt and pepper and a few more herbs to taste on top. Bon appetit.

chicken and pecorino sandwich

by audrey roger

a few slices of brown bread
leftover roast chicken breasts or pieces
a few shavings of pecorino cheese (or parmesan if you can’t find pecorino)
fresh lettuce leaves
Dijon mustard
a few “Maille” cornichons cut in half lengthwise

This is a great sandwich to make the next day after you’ve had a roast chicken and have some leftover pieces. I use “Maille” cornichons (the thin gherkins you find in France) because I always bring back some jars from France. I’m addicted to them and if I have some in my fridge they never last for very long! They just have a more vinegary taste than the gherkins you find in the English supermarkets, that’s why I prefer them but I guess that’s just a matter of taste. The closest I’ve found here is the cornichons from Waitrose, slightly too sweet but still quite close in taste.