From Season to Season: A Year in Recipes

1 tablespoon of olive oil

A small handful of fresh chopped mint

For the wasabi coating

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

½ teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of wasabi paste or powder mixed to a paste with water

Cook the wild rice (two parts water to one part rice) by boiling for 45 minutes. Leave to the side to cool.

Meanwhile, cover the beetroot/beet with water; bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the beetroot/beet is tender. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and cut the beetroot/beet into rough chunks.

Chop the pomegranate in half and extract the seeds. Add the pomegranate, beetroot/beet, olive oil and mint to the rice. Leave to the side.

Make the wasabi coating by mixing the mayonnaise, cumin and wasabi together. Taste and adjust if you want. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4.

Wash and dry the salmon, and season. Heat a griddle pan or ovenproof frying pan big enough to fit both salmon steaks and, when it is searing hot, drop the salmon in, skin-side down. Turn after 5 minutes or when the skin is brown and crispy. Take off the heat, carefully turn again, and spoon the wasabi mayonnaise onto the top of the salmon. Put the pan into the oven and cook for around 10 minutes until the glaze begins to brown. Serve on the wild rice.

Baked vegetables smothered in scamorza (#ulink_80782963-a9d4-52ba-82e3-b37d370004d8)

Scamorza is an Italian cow’s milk cheese, available in most Italian delis. If you can’t find it, use mozzarella instead. The smoked scamorza lends a smoky depth to sauces and whatever it touches. It is also pretty bloody good on it’s own, eaten from the packet. This is a variation on a recipe given to me by my girlfriend Emma.

SERVES 2

1 large aubergine/ eggplant

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 ball of smoked scamorza or smoked mozzarella (or use regular mozzarella)

For the pesto

1 large clove of garlic, peeled

A large handful of fresh basil

A few tablespoons of pine nuts

3 tablespoons of olive oil

30g/¼ cup of grated Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4.

Start with salting the aubergine/eggplant. Slice it lengthways, put on a tea towel and sprinkle it with sea salt. Turn after 20 minutes or so, and do the other side. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Make the pesto in a big pestle and mortar by grinding up the garlic. Add the basil, keep mashing away, and then add the pine nuts. Slowly add the olive oil, and then the Parmesan. Season to taste.

Put all the aubergine/eggplant in an ovenproof dish and give it a good dash of olive oil. Cook for around 10 minutes. Take out and spread the pesto on a layer of aubergine/eggplant, followed by a layer of scamorza or mozzarella (if using). Repeat the process until everything is used up. Bake for around 30 minutes and serve with a crisp green salad.

Root vegetable cakes with a cheesy béchamel sauce (#ulink_44fabab4-7095-5ce4-80f3-1a2daf86d925)

Basically, a bubble-and-squeak cake with melted cheese on top. You could also serve this as an accompaniment to roast beef or any meat. Children seem to like these, they are crispy outside and sweet and moreish on the in. Serve with a gravy, either meat eaters or a mushroom or onion one for non- meat eaters.

SERVES 4

2 sweet potatoes, chopped into rough pieces

2 parsnips, chopped into rough pieces

2 carrots, chopped into rough pieces

A handful of chopped curly kale

½ a celeriac, chopped into small pieces

A handful of spinach, chopped

½ a leek, cut into small rounds

2 knobs of butter

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

For the sauce

500ml/2 cups of milk

A few slices of carrot and onion

A few sprigs of fresh parsley

A few peppercorns

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of arrowroot

50g/½ cup of grated cheese