Fig & Prosciutto Pizzettas

Impress when entertaining with these mini pizzas topped with creamy mozzarella, sweet fruit and salty Italian ham

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6 - 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  501

• Protein

  17g

• Carbs

  41g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  1.5g

Ingredients

• knob of butter
• 3 shallots, finely diced
• 250g full-fat crème fraîche
• 50g parmesan, finely grated
• 4 ripe figs, cut into chunks
• 125g ball good-quality buffalo mozzarella, roughly torn
• 2 handfuls rocket
• 6 slices prosciutto, torn into strips
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
• For the dough
• 400g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. To make the dough, mix the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Measure 250ml hand-warm water into a jug, add the oil, then tip into the flour mixture. Mix together with a wooden spoon, followed by your hands, to make a wet dough-add a splash more warm water if needed. Cover with oiled cling film and leave somewhere warm-ish to rise for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Heat the butter, then soften the shallots and set aside.
2. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the dough onto a floured surface, knead briefly to smooth, then divide into 6-8 balls. Roll out each to a thin circle, then arrange on flour-dusted baking sheets. Mix the crème fraîche, Parmesan and shallots with a little salt and lots of black pepper. Spread over the dough and bake for 10-15 mins until crisp at the edges and slightly puffed up.
3. Toss the figs and mozzarella with the rocket. Sprinkle over the pizzettas with the prosciutto. Mix the oil and vinegar, drizzle over the pizzettas and serve.

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Party Vol-Au-Vents

Use our foolproof recipe for retro puff pastry cases then pack them high with savoury fillings for a party canap

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 25 mins
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 30 cases

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  64

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  6g

• Fat

  4g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  0.1g

Ingredients

• 500g pack puff pastry
• plain flour, for dusting
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk, to glaze
• fillings of your choice, to serve (see 'goes well with')

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 30 x 6cm squares, trimming any edges. Score a smaller square inside each one, leaving a 7.5mm border, taking care not to cut the pastry all the way through.
2. Put the squares on the tray, lightly brush with egg glaze and bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When cool, carefully remove and discard the central piece of pastry from each one. To serve, fill with the fillings . The vol-au-vent cases can be kept in an airtight container for up to a day before filling and serving.

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Herb & Pepper Crusted Rib Of Beef

Planning a dinner party? James Martin's crusted roast beef will wow your guests

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 2 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  694

• Protein

  63g

• Carbs

  4g

• Fat

  46g

• Saturates

  20g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  1.43g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp rock salt
• 2 tbsp cracked black peppercorns
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• small bunch rosemary, finely chopped
• small bunch parsley, chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3kg rib of beef on the bone
• For the gravy
• 2 onions, sliced
• 250ml red wine
• 400ml fresh beef stock

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix the rock salt, peppercorns, garlic, rosemary, parsley and olive oil. Rub this mixture all over the beef rib then place in a roasting tin. Put in the oven and cook for 30 mins, then turn the oven down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for a further 1 hr 20 mins. Remove from the oven, transfer the beef to a board, cover with tin foil and rest for 30 mins before carving.
2. While the beef rests, make the gravy. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the roasting tin and reserve any juices. Fry the onions in the roasting tin over a medium heat for about 10 mins, then add the wine, stock and reserved juices. Keep cooking for a further 10 mins to reduce to a thick sauce, season well and serve alongside the roast beef.

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Pears With Chocolate Sauce

A good recipe for chocolate sauce is invaluable. Put everything out on the table and let everyone help themselves

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  602

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  70g

• Fat

  34g

• Saturates

  19g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  69g

• Salt

  0.12g

Ingredients

• 8 pears
• 1 lemon, zest removed in strips
• 1 orange, zest removed in strips
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 600ml white wine
• vanilla ice cream, to serve
• For the chocolate sauce
• 300g plain chocolate, chopped
• 300ml double cream
• 150ml milk
• 25g butter

Directions

1. Peel the pears, leaving the stalks intact, then take the core out from the bottom of each by using a small sharp knife or a melon baller. Flatten the bottom by slicing off a little bit so that it will sit upright when served. Put the pears into a saucepan with the zests, vanilla pod, sugar, cinnamon, white wine and 600ml water, then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and poach for about 20-25 mins until they are cooked all the way through, but are not so soft that they will fall apart. Leave to cool in the liquid. Can be made and chilled a day ahead.
2. When cool, take the pears out, strain out the cinnamon, zest and vanilla pod (keep the pod, allow it to dry, then pop it into a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar), then pour the syrup back in the pan. Boil until reduced by half to a thin syrup.
3. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Warm the cream, milk and butter in a heavy based pan. Stir this into the melted chocolate, set aside and keep warm. Can be made and chilled a day ahead. If the sauce cools and thickens too much, warm it again gently over a pan of simmering water or for 30 secs in a microwave. Serve the pears with plenty of syrup, chocolate sauce and good-quality vanilla ice cream.

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Slow Roast Shoulder Of Pork

If you're entertaining a crowd, keep the cooking laid-back but delicious with this tender roast pork and homemade apple sauce

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 4 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  581

• Protein

  53g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  34g

• Saturates

  12g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  1g

Ingredients

• 3kg piece of pork shoulder, bone in and rind on
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• juice 1 lemon
• 4 large potatoes, peeled

Directions

1. The day before, use a very sharp knife to score the skin of the pork in a criss-cross fashion at 1cm intervals. (Ask your butcher to do this if you prefer.) Combine the garlic, paprika, oil, lemon juice and 1 tsp salt in a mixing bowl. Rub this marinade all over the pork, cover and leave in the fridge for 12-24 hrs.
2. The next day, heat oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7. Put the potatoes in a roasting tin to make a trivet for the meat, trimming them flat if you need to. Sit the pork on top, then pour any marinade plus ½ a cup of water over the pork. Cook for 30 mins to start the crackling crisping up. Now turn down the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2, cover the tin with foil and cook for 3½ hrs. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 30 mins. Serve with apple sauce, see below.

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Braised Beef In Red Wine

A hearty classic that tastes even better when made a day or two in advance

• Cooking Time Prep 40 mins
  Cook 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  894

• Protein

  78g

• Carbs

  12g

• Fat

  51g

• Saturates

  24g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  1.88g

Ingredients

• 2kg boned shin or feather blade of beef, cut into 6 x 2½ cm thick steaks (ask your butcher to do this)
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp clarified butter (see tip, below)
• For the marinade
• 1½ l (2 bottles) full-bodied red wine
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 2cm thick slices
• 1 celery stick, cut into 1cm thick slices
• 30 baby onions or shallots, peeled but left whole
• 9 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
• 2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 bouquet garni (made with a few parsley stalks, 4 bay leaves and 6 thyme sprigs, tied together with string)
• For the garnish
• 50g unsalted butter
• 300g button mushrooms, trimmed
• 150g Jambugo ham, finely sliced, or any smoked bacon such as pancetta or lardons, freshly fried
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. A day ahead, marinate the beef. Bring the wine to the boil in a large saucepan, then boil until reduced by a third to remove the alcohol (takes about 8-10 mins). Leave to cool for about 1 hr. Mix the beef steaks, carrots, celery, baby onions, garlic, crushed peppercorns and bouquet garni together in 1 or 2 large bowls, then pour the cooled red wine over them. Cover with cling film, put in the fridge and leave to marinate for 24 hrs.
2. The next day, place a large colander over a large bowl and tip in the beef mixture to drain off the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hr to remove excess liquid.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sprinkle the flour on a baking sheet and cook for 8-10 mins until it has turned pale brown. Set aside. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
4. Separate the beef, vegetables and herbs and pat dry with kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade liquid. Season the beef with 4 pinches of salt. In a large, heavy-based casserole over a high heat, warm the clarified butter, then colour the beef steaks in it for 5-7 mins on each side (in batches if necessary). With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables to the casserole. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 mins until lightly coloured, stirring occasionally.
5. Tip the toasted flour into the casserole and stir for a few secs. Pour in the marinade wine little by little, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the flour and until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add the beef and herbs, bring the sauce to the boil and skim if necessary. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 3 hrs.
6. To finish the sauce, place a colander (big enough to hold the meat and veg) over a large saucepan and drain off the cooking liquor from the casserole. Put the saucepan on a high heat and boil until the sauce has reduced by about half to make a lightly coating sauce. Skim if necessary. Taste the sauce. Do not add any salt as you will be adding the smoked ham or lardons later. Return the beef and vegetables to the casserole, then pour over the sauce (discarding the herbs).
7. For the garnish, heat the butter over a high heat in a large non-stick frying pan, then fry the mushrooms until lightly caramelised, adding a little more butter if necessary. Season to taste. Mix into the beef with the finely sliced ham or freshly fried lardons. Heat through, sprinkle with the parsley and serve piping hot.

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Teriyaki Beef & Lettuce Cups

Add a taste of Asia to your next party with these irresistible, easy-to-pick-up finger food favourites

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  424

• Protein

  27g

• Carbs

  4g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.19g

Ingredients

• 350g trimmed sirloin steaks
• 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce marinade, (we used Kikkoman teriyaki marinade)
• 1?2 cucumber
• 2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
• juice 1?2 lime
• 6 Little Gem lettuces leaves
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 1?2 red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Put the steak between two sheets of cling film and beat with a rolling pin until half its original thickness. Thinly slice the steak, then mix with the teriyaki marinade in a bowl. Leave to marinate for 5-10 mins.
2. Roughly dice the cucumber and mix with the chopped coriander and lime juice. Season with a little salt.
3. Heat a frying pan until very hot, then fry the steak slices for 1½-2½ mins for rare to medium, turning the slices halfway through.
4. Pile the cucumber mixture into the lettuce leaves, then top with the seared teriyaki beef, chilli and red onion.

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Open Flower Dumplings

These Chinese nibbles look fiddly, but they're actually very easy to make, and healthy too

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 24

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  47

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.61g

Ingredients

• 6 large or 9 small filo pastry sheets
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• For the filling
• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
• ½ spring or other green cabbage, shredded
• 220g can bamboo shoots, drained and finely chopped
• 100g small chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 bunch chives, snipped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Sandwich 3 sheets of filo together, brushing with melted butter between each layer, then repeat with the rest of the filo. Using a 7cm round cutter, cut out 24 circles. Brush the holes of a non-stick mini muffin tin with melted butter, then press the circles into the holes (you may need to make these in batches-just keep the rest of the filo circles covered with a damp tea towel until ready to cook). Bake for 15 mins until golden brown. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to a day.
2. To serve, return the filo cases to a warm oven to heat through. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Fry the garlic for a few secs, add the carrot, cabbage and bamboo shoots, then stir-fry for 2 mins. Stir in the mushrooms, oyster and soy sauce for 1 min more, remove from the heat, then add the chives. Season with some pepper, then spoon into the cases and serve the dumplings immediately.

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Cranberry Fresh Pear & Cinnamon Bubbles

Wonderfully Christmas-scented fizz - a brilliant way to get the party started

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  93

• Protein

  0g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  0g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  10g

• Salt

  0.02g

Ingredients

• 2 ripe pears, peeled and cored
• 100ml cranberry juice
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 bottle cava

Directions

1. In a blender, purée the pears until smooth. Pour into a jug, then add a small splash of cranberry juice to stop the pear discolouring.
2. When your guests arrive, put a few tsps purée in the bottom of each flute or glass, then add a splash more juice. Add a pinch of cinnamon, then top up with chilled Cava. Serve immediately, before making another batch with the leftover purée.

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Ginos Spicy Aperitivo

A spicy cocktail to get your party started - you can buy the grappa at most off-licences

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  74

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  9g

• Fat

  1g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.77g

Ingredients

• 500ml of good quality passata
• juice of 3 lime, about 6 tbsp
• ½ nutmeg, grated
• 2 pinches salt
• 2 pinches chilli powder
• 6 tbsp grappa or vodka
• To serve
• caster sugar
• 6 slices of lime

Directions

1. Put the passata, lime juice, nutmeg, salt and chilli powder in a bowl or jug and stir well, adding the grappa or vodka, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr. Chill 6 cocktail glasses-small Martini glasses are best-at the same time.
2. Take two saucers. Pour a little water into one and sprinkle a couple of tbsp of sugar in the other. Take each glass and dip the rim into the water then the sugar. Divide the aperitivo between the glasses and decorate with slices of lime. Serve immediately.

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