Breton Chicken

8 chicken thighs, skin on bones removed ( see below for chicken stock recipe)

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Season the chicken with salt and add skin side down in the pan and cook until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip over and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cider and bay leaf. Boil to reduce by half. Add the stock and boil for 5 minutes. Return the chicken thighs to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream, mustard and parsley and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes then check seasoning, remove bay leaf and serve.

Chicken Stock

Bones from chicken thighs

Heat the oil in a saucepan until hot and add the bones. Cook until well coloured. Add the celery, onion and carrot, lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add the bay, peppercorns and thyme and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer for about 2 hours, make sure liquid is topped up. Strain and use what you need. The rest can be frozen.

500g shin of beef

Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a casserole until smoking hot. Season the beef with salt and sear on both sides for a couple of minutes. Remove from pan and add the onion, celery and carrots and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook for 5 minutes to colour then add the tomato puree and stir well. Cook for a minute and add the stock, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil and return beef to pan. Cover and bake in a 140oc oven for about 2 hours or until fork tender.

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Coconut cheesecake cream

250g cream cheese

Take 125g of the cream and add the vanilla and sugar. Bring to a simmer until sugar has dissolve and add the coconut. Turn off the heat and cool for 30 minutes. Whisk the cream cheese, mascarpone, remaining cream together and add the coconut cream mixture and icing sugar.

Poached Rhubarb

Place the water and sugar in a large saucepan and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add the apple juice and bring to a simmer. Add the grenadine and gin and then the rhubarb. Cover the surface with parchment paper and lower the heat to as little as possible. Cook for about 3 minutes then turn off and allow the rhubarb to cool in the liquor. Store in the fridge and use as necessary. The juice can be added to sparkling water, wine or gin and tonic.

Spoon the coconut cream into bowls, make a well in the centre, spoon in some rhubarb and scatter over the crumble.

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry

Place the pastry on a lightly greased baking tray.

Spiced Courgette fritters with yoghurt dressing

125g mashed potatoes

Mix the courgettes with the salt and leave for 10 minutes. Squeeze through a sieve to get rid of as much water as possible and place in a bowl with the potatoes, scallions, rice flour, and spices. Mix well. Form into small golf ball size pieces – roll and then flatten. Heat a quarter of thumb nail depth of oil in a frying pan and add the fritters. Cook until golden on both sides – about 2 minutes each side. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the yoghurt dressing.

Yoghurt Dressing

250ml Greek style yoghurt

Season the yoghurt with salt in a bowl.

Braised local beans with parma ham and spaghetti

1 stick celery, finely chopped

Cook the onion, garlic and celery in the butter in a pan over low heat – keep a lid on and give it a stir occasionally, for 15 minutes or until soft. Add the ham and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomato puree and add the beans, tomatoes and stock. Place the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the spaghetti for 10 minutes and then drain and add to the braised beans. Mix in the cheese and herbs. Check seasoning and serve in bowls with a drizzle of the good oil.

Recipe

Florentines

Blackcurrant icecream

150g blackcurrants

Place the blackcurrants with the brandy, glucose, lemon juice and 50g of the sugar in a pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend and cool

Scoop the icecream and sandwich between 2 Florentines.

Recipe

Scones

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the butter and rub until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. ( For best results chill at this stage for an hour)

Whisk the egg, buttermilk and vanilla together and add to the flour mixture Mix to a soft dough and place on a floured surface. Knead gently.

Brush the top with egg yolk and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden, risen and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

Strawberry and elderflower jam

If the strawberries are large, cut them in half. Put the strawberries and lemon juice into a large pan. Heat for a few minutes to soften, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the elderflower heads. Once the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear, boil steadily for about 6 minutes, or until at setting point. To test if the jam is at setting point, spoon a little onto a cold plate, leave for a minute and then push the jam with your finger. If the jam crinkles and separates without flooding back, setting point has been reached. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the elderflowers. Spoon into sterilised jars, label and seal with wax paper and a lid.

Split the scones, add some jam and a little clotted cream.

Recipe

Southern Fried Chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Mix the buttermilk with the minced garlic and thyme. Add the chicken and marinate in the fridge for a few hours

Waldorf Salad

75g walnuts

Heat the sugar in a small pan until it turns amber. Add the balsamic and 25ml water. Cook to a liquid and toss in the walnuts and place on parchment paper to cool. Chop the walnuts and mix into the other ingredients.