My Kitchen

4 large floury potatoes, peeled and quartered

½ bunch of spring onions, finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped chives

110g (4oz) flour, for dusting

150ml (5fl oz) olive oil

110g (4oz) butter

4 duck eggs

200g (7oz) watercress

50ml (2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil

20ml (¾fl oz) white wine vinegar

Salt and black pepper

Potato cakes are excellent as a starter or as a filling snack. They can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge until needed. Duck eggs are a Saturday Kitchen favourite. Cook them just like hens’ eggs; however, they’re too rich to use in baking.

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and cook for 20–25 minutes, then drain and return to the pan. With the pan on a heatproof surface, mash the potatoes well, then transfer to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the spring onions and chives and divide the mixture into eight balls.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour, place a potato ball on it and shape into a round, flat cake about 1cm (½in) thick and 5cm (2in) wide. Repeat with the rest of the potato and place the finished cakes in the fridge for about an hour to firm up.

Add the olive oil to a non-stick frying pan, dust the potato cakes with flour and fry over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes on each side. Depending on the size of the pan, you may have to cook them in batches.

While the potato cakes are cooking, melt the butter in another non-stick frying pan, set over a medium heat, and once it is hot and bubbling, crack the duck eggs into the pan and cook them until the edges are crispy but the centres remain soft.

Dress the watercress with the extra-virgin olive oil and the vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Place 1–2 potato cakes on each plate, top with a fried egg, drizzle with the leftover butter from the egg pan and serve with some watercress on the side.

Cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with bacon (#ulink_319e7d8e-a6fb-59a2-8d2d-2f68ec67c117)

Serves 4

300g (11oz) Jerusalem artichokes

1 large shallot

1 small potato

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

500ml (18fl oz) Vegetable Stock (see page 218)

3 rashers of smoked streaky bacon

110ml (4fl oz) double cream

Salt and black pepper

Crusty bread, to serve

Jerusalem artichokes are the roots of a plant related to the sunflower. They come into season very early in spring, sometimes even earlier, at the tail end of winter. Despite having the same name, the globe artichoke comes from a completely different plant and isn’t in season until the summer. Jerusalem artichokes make excellent soup; I also love them in purées, salads or simply sautéed.

Peel the artichokes, shallot and potato and chop into 1cm (½in) cubes. Set a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Tip in the vegetables and fry gently for 2–3 minutes, without browning.

Add the garlic and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the artichokes and potato are cooked through and soft.

Meanwhile, heat the grill to high and grill the bacon on both sides until crispy, then set aside. Once cool, cut into pieces.

Add the cream to the soup, bring back up to the boil and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, then pour the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively, puree the soup using a held-held blender.

Return the soup to the pan, reheat gently and add salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the soup into bowls and sprinkle with small pieces of the bacon. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve with fresh crusty bread.

Frisée, radish and orange salad (#ulink_d7e8590f-0b3b-524a-ae1a-64bfd8ed4ca1)

Serves 4

Vegetarian

3 oranges

½ head frisée lettuce

4 radishes, sliced

½ bunch of chives, in 2.5cm (1in) lengths

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

This refreshing salad makes a great accompaniment to fish, especially smoked salmon. The outer leaves of frisee lettuce can be bitter, so use the inner leaves only.

Zest two oranges, then peel and break the segments into a large bowl. Add the lettuce leaves, radish slices and chives.

To make the dressing, put the zest in another bowl with the juice of the third orange and the vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad, toss the leaves to coat evenly and serve immediately.

Bibb lettuce salad with radishes (#ulink_e0f969f5-bdb6-5426-91d8-457db3990013)