Ingredient: plain flour

Venison Pie

I am seeing venison more and more on the shelves, Norwich market nearly always stocks it and farm shops often have a stock in their freezers. It’s a similar price to beef and cheaper cuts offer tender, quality and rich tasty dishes making it perfect for old fashioned pies and casseroles.

Fish & Chips

What better way to celebrate than with home-made fish and chips, a perfect treat. I’ll be eating mine in newspaper.

My nana used to make the best fish and chips I was round there every Tuesday after college for her special battered haddock with heaps of chips and ketchup – so British it’s almost unbelievable to think they are an Italian invention.

I’ve made this recipe for two but its easily doubled and don’t forget the mushy peas.

Christmas Pudding

Christmas pudding needs time to mature and October is the perfect time to make it. It’s a really simple process and not daunting at all – it’s as simple as weighing, mixing and steaming. The result is a magnificent beast of a pudding oozing with rich plump fruit, deep in colour and as moist as the richest pudding you could ever imagine.

I’ve been making my own Christmas pud for over 15 years first for my customers then for my family and this recipe has stuck with me for the last 6 years of teaching and probably for the next 50. It uses stout and even though I wouldn’t entertain a glass of stout it adds a real depth to the pudding worth its weight in gastronomic tinsel!

Christmas Cake

Boozie ole Christmas cake full of seasonal cheer. Although better made earlier so the alcohol can seep in and mature, its still not to late to make this one. My husband has his with a slice of cheese, a Northern tradition but I like mine just as it is with a nice cup of tea on Christmas eve when the children have gone to bed and Santas mince pie is waiting on the mantle.

Easy Light Carrot Cake

There’s nothing quite like a homemade cake, especially when it’s edging on guilt free. Packed with Autumn Carrots, dried fruit and low in fat and sugar.
Slightly spiced but as light as a feather – with a piece of carrot cake on top!

Sherry Battered Whelks

This is a Tapas batter recipe I usualy use with mushrooms but it works a treat with whelks too. The batter is light and airy with a little crisp from the vinegar with the bonus of the plump juicy whelk in the middle. Serve with a garlic mayonnaise.