Roasted Chestnut & Herb Pesto Pasta With Mushrooms

This seasonal pesto is a good way of using up any herbs that are knocking around the kitchen

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  582

• Protein

  14g

• Carbs

  70g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 100g cooked chestnuts
• handful each basil, parsley and mint, leaves only
• 50g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 150ml rapeseed oil
• 500g dried pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 250g pack chestnut mushrooms, quartered

Directions

1. Put the chestnuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Throw in the herbs, Parmesan and garlic, then pulse again until chopped (not too finely). Pour in the rapeseed oil, mix together and season to taste.
2. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms with some seasoning for 6-8 mins until tender and starting to brown. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, return to the pan, then stir through the pesto and the mushrooms. Serve with some extra Parmesan on top, if you like.

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Bean Enchiladas

This substantial veggie supper is quick to prepare and packed with goodness

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  430

• Protein

  23g

• Carbs

  60g

• Fat

  13g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  15g

• Sugar

  17g

• Salt

  1.36g

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 280g carrots, grated
• 2-3 tsp chilli powder (mild or hot, according to your taste)
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 x 400g cans pulses in water, drained (we used mixed beans and lentils)
• 6 small wholemeal tortillas
• 200g low-fat natural yogurt
• 50g extra-mature cheddar cheese (or veg alternative), finely grated

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onions and carrots for 5-8 mins until soft-add a splash of water if they start to stick. Sprinkle in the chilli powder and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the tomatoes and pulses and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well.
2. Heat grill to high. Spread a spoonful of the bean chilli over a large ovenproof dish. Lay each tortilla onto a board, fill with a few tbsp of chilli mixture, fold over the ends and roll up to seal. Place them into the ovenproof dish. Spoon the remaining chilli on top.
3. Mix the yogurt and grated cheese together with some seasoning, and spoon over the enchiladas. Grill for a few mins until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.

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Peach & Almond Tart

Juicy peaches, sweet almonds, melt-in-the-mouth pastry... you'll want a large slice of this one

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  537

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  45g

• Fat

  37g

• Saturates

  16g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  22g

• Salt

  0.29g

Ingredients

• For the pastry
• 175g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 85g cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• For the filling
• 100g caster sugar
• 140g butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 140g ground almonds
• 50g plain flour
• 3 peaches, sliced
• peach preserve or apricot jam
• cr�me fra�che, to serve

Directions

1. To make the pastry, rub together the flour and butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then mix in the sugar. Add 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water, followed by the next yolk and 1 tsp water until the dough just comes together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 mins.
2. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface until big enough to line a 23cm tart tin. If the dough rips, simply patch it up. Cut away the excess pastry. Line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans, then bake for 10 mins. Remove paper and beans. Prick quite a few holes in the base of your tart, then bake for another 10-15 mins until biscuity.
3. While the pastry cooks, make the filling. Whisk the sugar and butter together until you get a pale paste. Beat in the eggs and finally add the almonds and flour. Spoon into pastry case, arrange the peach slices across the top in a pattern and bake for 30-40 mins until golden. When cool, brush your preserve or jam across the top. Serve with a little pot of cr�me fra�che on the side and eat it quick before anyone else gets their hands on it!

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Pears In Gaillac Doux

Give pears a boozy French treatment with this wine-friendly pudding recipe

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  217

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  48g

• Fat

  0g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  31g

• Salt

  0g

Ingredients

• 6 pears, Williams are best, ripe or nearly ripe
• 300ml sweet white wine
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split in half

Directions

1. Peel and halve the pears. Spoon out and discard the core (try to keep the stems intact). Put the wine in a pan with the sugar and vanilla, and bring to the boil. Slide in the pears and top up with water just to cover. Simmer for 10-15 mins until tender. Test with a skewer, then carry on until they are fully tender-they can be rubbery if under-ripe and undercooked. Leave to cool in the pan, covered in the wine syrup.
2. An hour or so before serving, slice the pears and fan out or put the halves in a serving dish with the vanilla pod. Reduce the syrup to about 300ml, then pour over the pears and leave to cool, or cool the syrup and then drizzle over the pears.

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Lemon Syllabub

A quick dessert than can be as indulgent or as healthy as you want, experiment with your favourites

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  329

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  15g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  18g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  15g

• Salt

  0.05g

Ingredients

• 284 tub whipping cream
• 50g caster sugar
• 50ml white wine
• zest and juice from ½ lemon
• almond thins or berries, to serve

Directions

1. Whip the cream and sugar together until soft peaks form. Stir in the wine, most of the lemon zest and the juice. Spoon into glasses or bowls, sprinkle with the remaining zest and serve with almond thins or berries.

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Lemon Curd & Yogurt Fool

Treat yourself to a delightfully easy family dessert - ready in just five minutes

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  299

• Protein

  16g

• Carbs

  42g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  41g

• Salt

  0.66g

Ingredients

• 300g jar lemon curd (we used Duchy Originals Traditional Lemon Curd)
• 500g tub 0% Greek yogurt
• 200g punnet raspberries
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• shortbread, to serve

Directions

1. Put the lemon curd and yogurt into a bowl. Fold together for a rippled effect. Divide the mixture between four glasses and chill.
2. Mix raspberries and icing sugar together and gently crush, then spoon with their juices over the chilled mix and serve.

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Passion Fruit Teacup Puddings

Cook these steamed sponge puddings in small, sturdy ramekins and serve in little china cups when entertaining

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  439

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  52g

• Fat

  22g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  34g

• Salt

  0.5g

Ingredients

• 250g passion fruit or lemon curd
• 4 ripe passion fruits, seeds and pulp removed
• 3 large eggs
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 85g butter, melted
• 100ml milk
• 140g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• icing sugar, to dust
• clotted cream, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line a large, deep roasting tin with a tea towel, set aside, and boil the kettle. Put 100g of the curd in a bowl, mix the remaining curd with the passion fruit seeds and pulp, and divide between 6 teacups or ramekins (mine were around 200ml).
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy-this will take about 5 mins. Add the reserved curd, butter, milk, flour and baking powder. Fold the mixture together with a spatula until there are no visible lumps of flour, then divide between the teacups.
3. Put the teacups in the roasting tin. Carefully fill the tin with hot water from the kettle to come about halfway up the sides of the teacups, being careful not to get any water in the cups. Bake for 50 mins until risen and golden. Once cooked, you can cool the puddings and chill for up to a day, or wrap in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, bring to room temperature, put back in a hot water bath in the oven and bake for 15 mins at 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Before serving, dust each pudding with a little icing sugar and put a spoonful of clotted cream on top, if you like.

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Eton Mess Stacks

We love individual puddings, they add a certain 'Je ne sais quoi' to an occasion. And these fab little meringues are definitely an occasion pudding

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 6 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  550

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  96g

• Fat

  20g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  94g

• Salt

  0.1g

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 350g icing sugar
• 1 tsp crushed cardamom seeds
• a little oil for greasing
• 142ml pot double cream
• juice 1?2 lemon
• 250g punnet raspberries

Directions

1. Lightly whisk the egg white, then stir in the icing sugar and cardamom to make a firm fondant icing. Roll the icing into 8 golfballsize balls (you probably won't need all of it). Two at a time, place the balls at opposite ends of a greased piece of baking paper, then microwave for 30-40 secs on High until quadrupled in size. Leave to cool for a few mins, then lift off the paper and repeat until all the balls are cooked.
2. Whip the cream with half the lemon juice. Crush half the raspberries, then fold through the cream. To serve, place a little splodge of raspberry cream onto each plate. Stack a meringue with some more cream, then place another meringue on top. Spoon over more cream, then top with a few whole raspberries. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

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Real Vanilla Ice Cream

Make super-creamy vanilla ice cream and eat it as it is, or add different flavours to suit all tastes

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 1 litre

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  159

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  9g

• Fat

  13g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  0.04g

Ingredients

• 500ml full-fat milk
• 300ml pot double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• 5 large egg yolks (freeze the whites for next time you want to make meringue)
• 140g golden caster sugar

Directions

1. Put the milk and cream in a saucepan. Slit the vanilla pod down its length with a small, sharp knife and scoop out as many of the tiny black seeds as you can into the milk mixture. Add the pod to the pan, too. Heat the whole lot over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until it almost boils-you'll see a few bubbles at the edge. Take off the heat and set aside for 30 mins so that the vanilla can infuse.
2. Mix the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Gradually pour the milk over the egg mixture, whisking continuously until combined. Pour everything back into the cleaned pan, return to a low heat and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Make sure it doesn't boil or you will end up with scrambled eggs.
3. Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, then sit it in a bigger bowl, one-third full of ice and water, to cool it down-keep stirring every now and then to stop a skin forming. Chill to make sure it is completely cold, putting cling film directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
4. Pour the custard into an ice-cream machine. Churn following manufacturers' instructions until frozen, then spoon into a metal or plastic freezer-proof container. Cover and freeze until solid. If you don't have an ice-cream machine, pour the custard into the container and freeze. Every 2-3 hrs, take the mixture out of the freezer and give it a stir. Once it is softly set, beat it well with electric beaters, then freeze solid. It will keep in the freezer for 3 months. Remove from the freezer 15 mins before serving to allow it to get soft enough to scoop.

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Baked Nectarines With Almonds & Marsala

Create a delicious Italian-style topping for peaches and nectarines for a simple summer dessert

• Cooking Time Prep 12 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6 - 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  447

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  45g

• Fat

  25g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  36g

• Salt

  0.43g

Ingredients

• 6 nectarines, halved, stones removed
• 100g amaretti biscuits
• 100g butter, softened
• 85g ground almonds
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-2 tbsp toasted, flaked almonds
• 250ml marsala
• Greek yogurt or crème fraîche, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sit the nectarine halves snugly in a baking dish, cut-side up. Put the amaretti biscuits into a large bowl and use the end of a rolling pin to bash into crumbs. Add the softened butter, ground almonds, caster sugar and egg, and stir together.
2. Push spoonfuls of the mixture into the cavities of the nectarines, piling more on top until the mixture is evenly divided among them. Scatter with almonds, then carefully pour the Marsala into the dish through a gap between the fruit so the topping doesn't get soggy. Bake for 40-50 mins until golden and crisp, and the fruit is soft. Eat warm with the juices spooned over, and a dollop of Greek yogurt or crème fraîche alongside.

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