The Hidden Hut: Irresistible Recipes from Cornwall’s Best-kept Secret

1 tsp fine sea salt

60g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

a little peeled and grated fresh horseradish

FOR THE HORSERADISH SOURED CREAM

4 tbsp soured cream

30g peeled and grated fresh horseradish

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

To make the splits, put the yeast in a bowl and mix in the sugar and milk. Leave to stand for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.

Sift the bread flour and plain flour, and the salt, into a large mixing bowl, then rub the butter into the flour mix using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre, add the yeasty milk and mix to form a dough. Tip onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Put in a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead again for 2 minutes, then shape into 6 rolls. Put these on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg yolk and sprinkle over a little grated horseradish. Leave to rise again in a warm place for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6.

Bake the rolls for 25–30 minutes until light golden — to test they are cooked, tap the bottom of one of the rolls; it should sound hollow when ready. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

To make the horseradish soured cream, mix all the ingredients together a bowl.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the mackerel well with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the frying pan and add the fillets skin-side down — cook in batches of 2–4 fillets, depending on the size of your pan. Press down for the first 10 seconds so that the mackerel doesn’t curl up. Cook for 2 minutes until crispy, then flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat with the remaining fillets.

To serve, cut the warm splits horizontally like a burger bun, put two mackerel fillets in each bun along with a good spoonful of the horseradish soured cream and some watercress. If you have any gooseberry jam in the fridge, pop this out on the table, too, to add to the mackerel.

FLUFFIEST SMOKED HADDOCK OMELETTE

This is no ordinary omelette. Light, fluffy and delicately smokey, the yolks added towards the end give it a beautiful self-saucing finish when cut into.

Serves 4

300g skinless, boneless smoked haddock fillet

10 eggs

100ml double cream

8 spring onions, finely chopped

a small bunch of coriander, leaves chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

50g Cheddar cheese, finely grated

sea salt (if needed) and freshly ground black pepper

Put the haddock in a bowl and pour hot water from the kettle over it, then leave it to poach for 2 minutes. Drain and flake the fish into large chunks.

Separate four of the eggs, leaving the yolks in the shells for now. Put the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl and whisk them using an electric hand whisk until firm peaks form.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the remaining six whole eggs with the cream and season with pepper (you probably won’t need much salt, if any, as the haddock is quite salty). Fold the egg whites into the egg and cream mixture, being careful not to knock out too much of the air. Using a spatula, quickly fold in the flaked haddock, spring onions and coriander.

Preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a frying pan with a heatproof handle over a medium heat. Pour the egg mix into the pan and use a spatula to move the mix around a bit so that it starts to cook evenly. Pop a lid on and leave to cook for 5 minutes in the pan or until well set on the bottom.

Remove the pan from the heat and gently tip the four egg yolks from their shells onto the top of the omelette. Sprinkle the top with the cheese and put the pan under the grill for 3–4 minutes until the omelette is turning golden on top and is cooked throughout, but the egg yolks are still runny. Serve immediately.

TOPPED CORNISH POTATO CAKES

Cornish potato cakes stacked up with sausage patties, blistered tomatoes and crispy potato skins. By popping a few baking potatoes into the oven first thing, you’re well on the way to making a cooked brunch that will set you up for the day.

Serves 4

4 baking potatoes, about 200g each

480g of your favourite sausages

olive oil, for brushing and shallow-frying

1 tsp flaked sea salt

40g butter, melted

10g plain flour, for dusting

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

basil leaves, to garnish

FOR THE BLISTERED TOMATOES

400g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

4 spring onions, finely shredded

a squeeze of lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds