Ingredients:

4 wholewheat tortillas
3 tbsp olive oil
800 g canned chopped tomatoes, drained
85 g low-fat mozzarella, coarsely grated
30 g pecorino cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
60 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthways
¼ tsp dried red chilli flakes
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
230 g rocket, thick stems removed, washed and well dried
100 g fresh basil leaves, torn in pieces 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 230C with the racks in the upper and lower thirds. Arrange the tortillas on two rimmed baking sheets and brush the tops with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and then divide the tomatoes, cheeses, olives and red-pepper flakes between them.
2. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the crusts are crisp and edges are browned, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. When the pizzas are finished baking, toss the rocket with the vinaigrette. Top the pizzas with the basil leaves, slice and serve with the salad.

Victoria sponge cake

Ingredients:

Sponge

175 g unsalted butter
175 g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175 g self-raising flour

Filling

3 tbsp strawberry jam
500 ml double cream

Method:

1. Set the oven to 180C/gas 4. Lightly butter two sandwich tins, each with a diameter of 20cm.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, and then slowly add the beaten egg.
3. Fold in the sifted flour and spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tins.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool and then remove from the tins.
5. Whip the cream until thick and use it to fill the sponge with the jam.
6. Dust liberally with icing sugar to serve.

Battenberg cake

Ingredients:

175 g unsalted butter, softened
175 g caster sugar
3 free range eggs, lightly beaten
175 g self-raising flour
2 tbsp milk
red food colouring
150 g apricots, glaze
2 tbsp icing sugar
350 g readymade marzipan

Method:

1. Grease a 20 x 15cm Battenberg cake tin with butter, or if using an oblong tin, line with parchment paper. Use enough to cover the base and sides. Cut another piece of baking parchment as long as the tin. Fold the paper in half along its length – so it's just over the height of the tin. This last bit of paper will keep the two colours of sponge separate as they bake.
2. Heat the oven to 180C/160 C fan/gas 4.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy – this should take about 10 minutes. You could use an electric mixer for this. Gradually beat in the eggs, - if the mixture looks like curdling add a tablespoon of flour.
4. Fold in the remaining flour along with enough milk to give a soft dropping consistency.
5. Divide half the cake mixture between 2 sections of the battenburg tin. If you are using a normal tin, spoon half the mixture into one half of the tin – along its length. Then put the long strip of baking parchment in the middle of the tin.
6. Tinge the remaining cake mixture pink with food colouring and spoon into the remaining two sections of the battenberg tin, or add it to the other half of the tin. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until firm to the touch.
7. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. It’s a good idea to bake this cake the day before assembling as it firms up and is easier to handle.
8. Trim both halves of cake so they are the same size. Cut each piece in half down their length so you have 2 long strips of each colour.
9. Warm the apricot glaze. Lay a strip of pink cake on a board and brush the top and sides with the glaze; put a plain strip alongside it and brush with more glaze in the same way. Finish with the other two strips on top, so you have a coloured checkerboard affect.
10. Brush the entire cake with the glaze. Roll the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar to a 20cm x 30 cm rectangle. Put the cake at one end of the oblong and encase with the marzipan. Serve sliced with the marzipan seam facing downwards.

Cornish pasty wraps

Ingredients:

4 tortillas, wraps
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
225 g minced beef
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves
100 ml passata
85 g frozen peas
1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Turn up the heat, stir in beef and cook for 5 minutes until browned.
2. Stir in the tomato puree, potato, carrot, thyme, passata and 100ml water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for a further 2 minutes. Season to taste.
3. Pre-heat oven to 200C/Gas 6. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
4. Take the wraps and place 2 on each tray. Divide the beef mixture between each, spooning on to each half, leaving a 1/2 cm border around edges.
5. Brush the edges well with beaten egg, fold over the wrap and press down firmly to seal the edges. Brush outside edges with more beaten egg and press down well. Brush all over with more beaten egg.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Serve with tomato chutney or ketchup on the side

Chocolate risotto

Ingredients:

For the risotto:

875 ml whole milk
60 g caster sugar
165 g risotto rice
60 g dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa solids, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla paste
single cream, to serve, optional

For the boozy cherries:

650 g cherries 
60 g caster sugar  
3 tbsp kirsch 
2 tsp cornflour

Method:

1. For the risotto: Preheat the oven to 150C/130C/gas 2. Put the milk, sugar and rice into an ovenproof casserole dish. Bring the milk almost to the boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the chocolate and keep stirring until it melts.
2. Stir in the vanilla, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender. Stir any skin that forms on the surface into the rice and leave it to rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
3. For the boozy cherries: Meanwhile, put the cherries, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
4. Mix together the kirsch and cornflour and gradually stir the mixture into the cherries. Simmer for another 2–3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the cherries are tender.  
5. Serve the chocolate risotto topped with the cherries and a swirl of cream, if you like. 

Tips and suggestions :

• A sweet risotto may sound unusual, but the short-grain arborio is equally happy used in a rice pudding as it is in a savoury risotto. 
• Any spare boozy cherries can be transferred to a sterilized jar and covered with a lid. They will keep for 1 week stored in the fridge.  

Warm chicken salad

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 red peppers, halved lengthways
300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
250 g fine green beans, ends trimmed, halved lengthways
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oregano, chopped
5 tinned anchovies, drained, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly oil a baking sheet and lay the peppers on it, cut-side down. Rub a little of the oil over the pepper skins. Roast them for 35-40 minutes or until the skin is blackened and charred. Tip the peppers into a bowl with any juices and immediately cover with plastic film. This will create steam and make the peppers easier to peel. Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile lay the tomatoes on the baking sheet, scatter over the garlic and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the oil and toss together to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 6-8 minutes until the tomatoes are starting to soften and burst but still holding their shape. Cook the beans in boiling water for 6-8 minutes until cooked but still bright green, then drain.

3. When the peppers have cooled enough to handle, peel off the skin and rip or slice the flesh into strips, removing the stems, cores and seeds as you go. Reserve the juices in the bowl and mix with the remaining 3 tablespoons of the oil, the lemon juice and oregano and any juices from the roasted tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the beans on each serving plate then casually scatter over the pepper strips, tomatoes and garlic and anchovies.

4. Heat a griddle pan. Brush the chicken all over with a little extra oil and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Place the chicken on the hot griddle pan, skinned side down, and cook for 10 minutes, turning half way through. Serve on top of the salad.  

Banoffee cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

250 g unsalted butter, soft 250 g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 ripe banana, mashed to pulp
250 g self-raising flour
 

For the frosting

250 g unsalted butter, soft
550 g icing sugar
9 tsp caramel, plus extra to decorate

For the caramel

300 g caster sugar
80 ml water
350 ml double cream
½ tsp vanilla extract 

Method:

1. For the cupcakes: heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. In a mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Once this is fluffy, add 4 eggs one by one.

2. Add the mashed banana and blend well. Add the flour and mix to combine. Spoon into cupcake cases and bake for 17 minutes. Once they are firm but springy to the touch, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

3. For the caramel: combine all the ingredients in a pan over a medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Be careful not to let the syrup burn. Cool thoroughly.

4. For the frosting: in a bowl, combine the butter with 500g of the icing sugar and once this has mixed well and become fluffy, then add the caramel sauce.

5. Blend for 3 minutes, then either spoon on to the cooled sponges or pipe with a nozzle and piping bag. Finish off with some banana pulp, a dried banana chip or a swirl of caramel sauce.  

Dal soup

Ingredients:

200 g red lentils
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 long red chillies, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, choped
5cm ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
50 g ghee
1 sprig curry leaves, picked
1 tsp black mustard seeds

Method:

1. Place the lentils, turmeric, chilli, onion, tomato and 1½ litres of water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and beginning to break up.
2. Meanwhile, using a pestle and mortar, grind the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds into a paste.
3. Heat the ghee in a small heavy-based frying pan over a medium to low heat, add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and the spice paste and cook for 4 minutes or just until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the mixture starts to brown.
4. Pour the spice mixture into the lentils, combine well and simmer for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then ladle into bowls to serve.

Corn dogs

Ingredients:

150 g fine cornmeal
75 g self-raising flour, plus 1 tbsp
2 tsp caster sugar
1 baking powder
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg, beaten
250 ml buttermilk
1 tbsp whole or semi-skimmed milk
10 frankfurter, drained well if canned
Roughly 600 ml sunflower or corn oil, for frying
Mustard or ketchup, to serve 

Method:

1. Put the cornmeal in a large bowl and stir in 75g self raising flour, the sugar, baking powder, chilli powder and salt. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and buttermilk. Beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth and thick. Stir in the milk until evenly mixed. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency. Pour into a large, shallow rectangle dish – a lasagne dish is ideal.

2. Poke a wooden skewer up inside each frankfurter almost all the way through to the end. Using sharp scissors, carefully snip off the skewer 6cm from the bottom of the frankfurter. Put the frankfurters on a plate and dust with 1 tablespoon of self raising flour to lightly coat – this will help the batter stick.

3. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or sauté pan over a medium-high heat to 180C. The oil should rise roughly 2cm in the pan – no deeper. Use a cooking thermometer to gauge the temperature at all times. Do not allow the oil to overheat. Do not leave hot oil unattended.

4. Take one frankfurter at a time and holding the skewer end, roll in the cornmeal batter until thickly and evenly coated. Keep twisting the skewer as you lift the frankfurter from the batter to help keep the coating smooth. Taking great care, gently lower into the hot oil.

5. Fry for 6-8 seconds then turn in the oil with metal tongs and cook for a further 2 minutes, turning after about a minute. As soon as one corn dog is frying, prepare a second in exactly the same way. You should be able to cook 3-4 corn dogs at the same time in a wide-based pan.

6. The corn dogs are ready when the batter is puffed up, deep golden brown and crisp. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper before serving with mustard or ketchup.

Passion fruit whoopie pies

Ingredients:

For the cakes

140 g granulated sugar
85 g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
150 ml milk
150 ml buttermilk
280 g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder

For the filling

200 g cream cheese
1 vanilla pod
3 passion fruit, seeds removed
icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. For the cakes: preheat the oven 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cream together the sugar and the butter. Add the vanilla, eggs, milk and buttermilk. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
2. Divide between the greased whoopie tins (or Yorkshire pudding tins) and bake for 10 minutes.
3. For the filling: whisk together the cream cheese and the seeds of the vanilla pod and fold in the passion fruit.
4. When the cakes are cool enough to handle, take them off the tray and sandwich together with the cream cheese filling.
5. Dust lightly with some icing sugar and serve.