Beef & mushroom burgers

Beef & mushroom burgers

serves 4
ingredients
1 small onion, chopped 150g/5oz small cup mushrooms 450g/1lb lean minced beef 50g/2oz fresh wholemeal
breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 tablespoon tomato purée flour for shaping
salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Put the onion and mushrooms in a blender or food processor, and whiz until finely chopped. Add the beef, breadcrumbs, herbs and tomato purée, and season with salt and pepper. Blend for a few seconds until the mixture binds together but still has some texture.
•Divide the mixture into 8 to 10 pieces, then press into burger shapes using lightly floured hands.
•Cook the burgers in a non-stick frying pan or under a hot grill for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until evenly cooked. Serve hot.

Veal Marsala

serves 2
ingredients
2 veal escalopes flour for dredging
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
8 field mushrooms, stalks removed and caps thinly sliced
about 25g/1oz butter
2 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil 150ml/5fl oz Marsala
salt and freshly ground black pepper
•If necessary, put the veal escalopes between two sheets of greaseproof paper or cling film, and gently pound with a meat mallet or wooden rolling pin to flatten. Trim any rough edges if necessary.
•Put enough flour for dredging in a shallow bowl or plate. Season with salt and pepper, and the oregano. Dredge the escalopes in the seasoned flour, gently shaking off any excess. (If you like, you can omit this step, and simply season the veal without dredging in the flour.)
•Put the oil and a knob of butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted and is starting to foam (do not allow to burn), add the escalopes and fry for 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate, cover with foil and keep warm.
•Pour the Marsala into the pan and boil it down, deglazing the pan by scraping up any bits stuck to the pan using a wooden spoon. Add the cooked mushrooms and toss through.
•Put an escalope on each of two serving plates, pour over the mushroom sauce and serve immediately.

Veal chops & mushrooms

serves 4
ingredients
25g/1oz margarine or butter 4 lean loin veal chops
1 onion, chopped 450g/1lb mushroom caps 225g/8oz white onions 1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon tomato purée 175ml/6fl oz chicken stock 150ml/5fl oz dry white wine 50g/2oz chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 small bay leaf
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
•Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.
•Melt the margarine or butter in a large heavy frying pan. Add the veal chops and brown over a high heat. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish.
•In the same frying pan, sauté the onions. Add the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
•Pour the mixture over the chops. Cover the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving hot.

Pork with port & coffee sauce

serves 6
ingredients
1.8kg/4lb pork loin, boned 225ml/8fl oz strong espresso coffee 125ml/4fl oz single cream 75ml/3fl oz port
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
•Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
•Remove the rind from the pork and trim the fat to make a 1cm/1⁄2in layer. Roll and tie the meat with string. Put the meat in a roasting tin, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
•Combine the coffee, half the cream, half the port and the sugar, and pour over the pork. Continue roasting the pork for 11⁄2 hours, basting it every 15 minutes with the coffee mixture.
•Remove the pork from the oven when cooked. Keep covered in a warm place while making the sauce. Skim off the fat from the pan juices, and transfer the juices to a small saucepan. Add 50ml/2fl oz water, the remaining cream and port, and the cornflour. Cook until thickened, then strain. Slice the pork thinly and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

Ginger & honey-glazed gammon

serves 10
ingredients 4.5–6.8kg/10–15lbunsmoked
gammon on the bone
2 shallots, peeled and halved
6 cloves
3 bay leaves
2 celery sticks, cut into 5cm/2in lengths
2 tablespoons English mustard 5cm/2in piece of fresh root ginger,
thinly sliced
For the glaze
225g/8oz dark muscovado sugar 2 tablespoons clear honey 125ml/4fl oz brandy
•Put the gammon in a heavy pan with the shallots, cloves, bay leaves, celery and enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 5 hours. Skim off any scum using a slotted spoon. Lift the ham out of the pan, discard the vegetables and herbs, and allow the gammon cool.
•Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
•Using a sharp knife, carefully cut away the gammon’s thick skin to leave an even layer of fat. Score a diamond pattern in the fat. Put the gammon in a roasting tin, smother evenly with the mustard and tuck the ginger into the scored fat.
•To make the glaze, put the sugar, honey and brandy in a pan, and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Brush over the gammon.
•Cook the gammon in the oven for 30–40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Serve either hot or cold, cut into slices.

Chargrilled pork fillet with apple sauce

serves 4
ingredients
450g/1lb pork fillet, trimmed 150ml/5fl oz cider
1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary sprigs, bruised
2 tablespoons olive oil
finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons golden sultanas
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 dessert apples
salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Trim the pork fillets of any fat, and cut into 1cm/1⁄2in thick rounds before placing in a bowl. Mix together half of the the cider with the sugar, mustard, garlic, rosemary sprigs, oil, half of the lemon zest and
1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Pour over the pork, and rub all over the meat. Cover and chill until needed.
•To make the sauce, put the remaining lemon zest in a small mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the remaining cider, the sultanas and thyme leaves. Peel, core and finely dice the apples, one at a time, mixing them in as you go. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
•Preheat the grill until hot. Remove the meat from its marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the meat under the grill for 3 minutes per side, removing as soon as it is just cooked through, so that it retains its tenderness. Serve with the apple sauce.