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Want to improve your skills in the kitchen? Check out my new schedule of virtual cooking classes. From light and healthy Springtime Recipes to a bit of fun with Cocktails and Canapes to summer evenings with Tapas and Paella, it’s time to celebrate longer evenings and some warmer weather!
Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Warm Steak Salad with lightly pickled Red Onions & Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients:
2 x ribeye steaks
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
100g blue cheese, crumbled
A few dashes of worcestershire sauce
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
1 head of Broccoli, cut into florets and gently cooked, al dente
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 red onion, sliced thinly
4 potatoes, cubed & scrubbed
Rapeseed oil
½ tsp Onion salt
½ tsp Garlic granules
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Sprig of rosemary, chopped
Optional garnish: selection of micro greens
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180℃. Place the potatoes in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle the onion salt, garlic granules, cayenne and rosemary over them. Shake them about to coat evenly and place in the oven for 25-35 minutes, shaking every now and then to cook evenly.
Pour some boiling water over the onions. After 5 minutes, drain and add a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
Heat a pan until very hot. Season and oil the steaks and add to the pan , ensuring there is a sizzle. Cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes (for rare) or however you like to serve it. Rest the steaks in a warm place for at least 5 minutes but longer if possible while you make the rest of the salad.
To make the blue cheese dressing, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, worcestershire sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mash the cheese with a fork and mix well. Don’t worry if it’s a little lumpy as the little pieces of blue cheese give a great kick of flavour. Taste and check for seasoning.
Layer up the salad on a platter by adding the broccoli and celery. Slice the steaks thinly when they’ve rested for at least 5 minutes. Place the slices of steak over the vegetables, drizzle generously with the blue cheese dressing and top with the pickled red onion and micro greens. Serve the potatoes on the side.
Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Soy Maple Glazed Salmon with Charred Corn and Orzo
(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
2 Salmon fillets
1 ½ tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Pinch of ground ginger
Salt & Pepper
100g Orzo, cooked according to the pack
1 Corn on the cob or a small tin of sweetcorn on the cob is preferable)
½ a block or 100g Feta cheese, crumbled
10 sugar snap peas, chopped
Squeeze of Orange Juice
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Tsp Cider or White Wine Vinegar
Method:
Lightly oil an ovenproof dish and place the salmon fillets in.
In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy, garlic, ginger, a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the salmon and roast in the oven for 15-2o minutes until cooked through as you like it.
On a dry pan, toast the corn gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring all the time until it is nicely charred. Add the corn to a bowl with the feta, orzo, sugar snaps, orange juice and olive oil. Taste for seasoning. Serve the salmon with the orzo.
This is a very indulgent treat! Perfect for a casual get-together as it can be prepped the day before! Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Cheesey Garlic Tear’n’Share Bread
Makes 12 rolls
Ingredients:
325g strong white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2tablespoon sugar
7g pack fast acting yeast
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
150ml-200ml lukewarm water
About 100g Mozzarella and /or Cheddar cheese, grated and mixed
100g Garlic Butter (see recipe below), melted
Optional finish: chopped Rosemary
Method:
For the garlic butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
100g butter
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Lemon Thumbprint Gems
Once you have mastered the shortbread recipe you can choose to make or buy the lemon curd for this simple but delicious afternoon treat or dessert.
Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
30g caster sugar
½ an egg yolk
1 tsp lemon juice
125g plain flour
25g ground almonds
10g cornflour
Optional:
6-7 tablespoons of lemon curd
Raspberries & Mint to garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. Line or grease 2 baking sheets.
Beat together the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolk, lemon zest and juice. You can use an electric mixer here, but we aren’t really creaming so its not necessary
Fold in the flour, almonds and cornflour. Do this gently – it should be just combined. It’s very sticky so it goes in the fridge to chill for an hour.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into cherry tomato sized balls. Space these evenly on your baking sheets. Make an indentation in each biscuit (see the picture below). Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
The moment they come out of the oven fill the indentation on each biscuit with 1/2 a teaspoon of lemon curd. Then transfer them from the baking sheet to wire racks to cool.
Top with a mint leaf and a raspberry if desired and sprinkle a little icing sugar over.
For the Lemon curd
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
100g (4oz) butter
175g (6oz) caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
To make the lemon curd:
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs & the egg yolk.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a very low heat.
Add the caster sugar, grated zest, & lemon juice, & then the beaten eggs.
Stir carefully with a wooden spoon, over a very gentle heat until the mixture thickens.
This+ should take about 7-10 minutes. If the heat is too high, the egg will scramble.
The curd is ready when the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon & leave a definite mark when you push your finger through it.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Meringue Swirls
(Makes 6)
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
A pinch of salt
175g of caster sugar
Red food colouring
¼ tsp of vanilla extract
Method:
Sandwich two of the swirls together with whipped cream and any other filling you like such as lemon or orange curd or fruit.
Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Sticky Chicken Drumsticks
These drumsticks are always an absolute winner with kids and adults alike.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
16 Chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of honey
½ a teaspoon of paprika
½ a teaspoon of ground coriander
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated
Optional Garnishes:
2 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted on a dry pan
Coriander leaves
Method:
Vegetable Egg Fried Rice
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
1 tsp rapeseed or groundnut oil
3 cups leftover, cooled rice
2 eggs, whisked
Selection of Veg such as courgette, mange tout, baby corn, sugar snaps, peppers, frozen peas, frozen edamame, sliced into bitesize pieces.
Fresh Coriander to serve
A drizzle of sesame oil & Soy sauce
Method:
Place the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Toss the veggies in and cook for a minute or two.
Add the rice and stir fry everything together for another minute or two then add the eggs, stirring all the time.
When the eggs are set around the rice season with the sesame oil and soy sauce and garnish with the coriander to serve.
I absolutely love soup but Mushroom soup is definitely one of my favourites, especially in autumn when the nights draw in and the fire beckons after a chilly walk in the woods!
Watch the clip here, recipe below.
Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
450g (1 lb) mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
25g or a generous knob of butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
30g (1oz) flour
A few sprigs of thyme, leaves removed.
600ml chicken stock or vegetable stock
A glug of cream, approx 75ml
Optional garnish :Truffle oil
Method:
Melt the butter in a saucepan on a gentle heat. Toss the onions in the butter and add a pinch of salt.
Cover and sweat until softened and golden brown.
Meanwhile, chop up the mushrooms, brushing any dirt off. Try to avoid washing if possible.
Add to the saucepan and cook on a medium heat for 7 or 8 minutes until any juices have been re-absorbed.
Stir the flour and thyme into the onions and mushrooms , cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes then add the stock to just cover. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer for a couple of minutes.
Blitz with a stick blender or in a liquidiser.
Taste for seasoning and add a dash of cream.
Garnish with thyme and a drizzle of truffle oil.