Rosti and Bacon

Ingredients
500g Potatoes (leave the skins on but wash well)
6 Rashers Bacon (chopped)
45g Butter
Salt and Pepper
A Splash of Oil

Equipment
1 Large Pan (1/2 filled with boiling salted water)
1 Frying Pan
1 Chopping Board
1 SHARP Knife
1 Cheese Grater
1 Firm Spatula

The Good Bit

1. Cook your potatoes for 10 minutes then allow to cool, peel them and then grate them.
2. Now fry your bacon off in a splash of oil for 3-4 minutes then add 1/3 rd of the butter until it begins to bubble then add your potato. Season the mixture well and stir for 3 minutes, then press it down firmly with your spatula and cook for 9 minutes without stirring.
3. Next you want to place a plate over your frying pan allowing you to flip the rosti on to it, once on the plate, add the last knob of butter to the frying pan, bring to a bubble then slide your rosti back into the frying pan. Press down firmly again and cook for another 6 minutes. Serve (if you skewer your rosti, it should feel tender when cooked)

Serves 4

Yellow Pepper Salad

Ingredients
4 Rashers of Bacon/A Handful of Lardons (cooked and chopped into chunks)
2 Yellow peppers (de seeded and sliced)
8 Radishes (trimmed and cut into wedges)
1 Stick Celery (thinly chopped)
3 Plum Tomatoes (cut into wedges)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Thyme (1/3 tablespoon if using dried)
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Serving Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Leaving the bacon to one side, place all your ingredients into your serving bowl and mix well, then season with salt and pepper before finally sprinkling on the bacon/lardons.
   
2. Serve

Serves 4

Rabbit in Cider (rabbit is traditional at easter)

Ingredients
900g Rabbit Joints (or 1 medium rabbit jointed)
25g Butter
2 Onions (chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
225g Bacon (cut into chunks)
225g Mushrooms (sliced, you can grill them first for extra flavour but that is optional)
1 Tablespoon Plain Flour
275ml Cider (dry not sweet)
275ml Stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 Sprig Thyme
6 Juniper Berries (optional but add a nice tanginess)
A Splash of Oil
Salt and Pepper for Seasoning

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Large Casserole

The Good Bit

1. Start by heating the butter and oil in a flameproof casserole and frying the rabbit joints quickly to brown them all over. Now remove them to one side and fry the onions, garlic and bacon for about 10 minutes.
   
2. Next sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook for a minute before gradually stirring in the cider and the stock, at this stage add the rabbit joints, together with the thyme and crushed juniper berries and bring to simmering point.
3. Then add the sliced mushrooms and a seasoning of salt and freshly milled black pepper. Cover and simmer the rabbit very gently for about an hour, or until it's tender.

Serves 4

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients
175g Smokey Bacon (rinded and cut into strips)
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
300g Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Double Cream
3 Egg Yolks
75g Parmesan Cheese (grated)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Frying Pan
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Fork
1 Large Pan (2/3rds full with boiling salted water)

The Good Bit

1. Fry your bacon in a splash of olive oil for 2-3 minutes then add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
2. In the meantime cook your pasta according to packet instructions (10 minutes usually, you want it just cooked, not over done so it is sloppy and breaks easily)
3. Beat the egg yolk and cream together well and pour over the bacon, keep stirring otherwise you'll get an omlette! Drain your pasta and add the sauce and parmesan, stir well season and serve.

Serves 4

Roast Goose

Ingredients
5Kg Goose (oven ready with giblets)
300ml Water
500g Canned Chestnut Purée (unsweetened)
350g Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
8 Rashers Bacon (with rind taken off and chopped)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Thyme (chopped)
1 Tablespoon Sage (chopped)
1 Lemon (zested)
1 Large Onion (finely chopped)
25g Butter
250g Cooking Apples (cored, peeled and chopped)
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom (powder)
Salt and pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Carving Fork
String
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Roasting Tin with a rack
Tin Foil
1 Zester
1 Sauce Pan
1 Blender

The Good Bit

1. Prepare the goose by removing the giblets and setting aside, remove and fat you can in the cavity and chop the liver, then prick the Goose by the lower breast and it's legs.
2. Mix the chestnut purée, mash, bacon, lemon thyme, sage, lemon rind and chopped liver together and season with pepper, now stuff the cavity of the goose with this mixture.
3. Pre heat your oven too 190c 375f or gas 5 whilst you do the next bit. Tie the birds legs together firmly.Put the remaining giblets in the roasting tin and top up with the water, then stand the rack over it and place the goose on the rack, cover the goose loosely with tin foil.
4. Cook for 30 minutes then lower the temperature to 180c 350f and gas 4 and cook for a further 3:1/2 hours to 3:3/4 hours (check as you would with a chicken to make sure it's juices run clear) You will need to occasionally baste the goose using the liquid from the tray below, top that up with water if needed. When it's cooked allow 3 hours to cool and for the skin to go crisp.
5. To make the sauce heat the butter in the sauce pan and add the apple, honey, onion and lemon juice, cover and cook for 15 minutes until the onion is soft then add the cardamom and season with salt and pepper, blend this mixture until you have a smooth paste then pass through a sieve.
6. Serve the carved goose with the sauce served separately, you can also make a nice gravy from the juices in the roasting tin by stirring in a tablespoon of flour then adding in 300ml of vegetable stock (or use the juices from your vegetables if you are having any with goose, pea, carrot, cabbage and sprout water will make a very tasty gravy)
   

Serves 6-8

Basque Chicken

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts
175g Bacon (cut the rind off and bin)
4 Onions (thinly chopped)
3 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 Green Peppers (seeded and diced)
1 400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
150ml Chicken Stock
A Good Splash of Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
Salt and Pepper
Parsley (chopped, to serve)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Spatula
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Slotted Spoon
1 Garlic Press

The Good Bit

1. In a Splash of Oil fry the diced bacon until it is just cooked then remove, now fry the chicken breast, if you need to add a splash more il do, until the breasts are evenly golden all over, remove and set aside with the bacon, keep warm if possible.
2. Next fry the onion, garlic and marjoram gently over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the onion is golden too, then add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Now add the chicken and bacon back in and stir well, cover and leave for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and boil the sauce until it coats the back of a wooden spoon, adjust the seasoning and serve with a topping of chopped fresh parsley.
   

Serves 4

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients
500g Pasta
500g Minced Beef
1 Onion (finely chopped)
4 Rashers Bacon (rind taken off and chopped)
1 Carrot (diced)
1 Stick Celery (diced)
1 400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
150ml Red Wine (a decent quality wine is better)
125ml Milk
1 Teaspoon Chopped Oregano (1/2 if using dried)
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Splash of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Optional
2 Beef Stock Cubes
A Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
Parmesan for Serving

Equipment
1 Sharp Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Large Pan

The Good Bit

1. Add a very good splash of oil to the frying pan and heat the onion, bacon, carrot and celery until the onion begins to brown (5 minutes) stirring continuously. then add the beef and cook until well browned, at this point you can add the stock cubes and a splash of sauce if you are using, stir well and cook for another minute.
2. Add the red wine and bring to a good boil, cooking until the wine has reduced by about 2/3rds.
3. Add the milk and nutmeg and cook until most of the liquid has been soaked up by the meat, then add the tomatoes, sugar and oregano and leave to simmer over a low heat for 2-3 hours. Season
   
4. Cook the pasta when required, usually about 10-15 minutes in a pan of boiling salted water, (don't be afraid to get a spoon in there and try a piece, if it's still crunchy give it a few minutes more, if it's soft, get it out straight away)
5. Serve a 1/4 of the pasta each and a good helping of the bolognese on top, sprinkle Parmesan on top for the authentic taste!

Serves 4

Coq Au Vin

Ingredients
750g Potato (cubed)
A Good Splash of Olive Oil
4 Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon of Flour
1 Large Onion (chopped into cm chunks)
4 Rashers Bacon (smoked or unsmoked)
100g Button Mushrooms (cut into 4)
2 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Red Wine (don't use your best but again don't go for 1 that tastes like vinegar)
Fresh or Dried Thyme
Fresh Parsley
Tomato Puree
2 Teaspoons Cornflour

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Large Pan
A Cup

The Good Bit

1. Heat your potatoes in the large pan with boiling salted water, dust your chicken with 1 tablespoon of seasoned flour and fry in the frying pan with a small splash of oil for 2 minutes each side.
2. Add the onion and bacon and cook for another 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms, cook until everything begins to brown stirring continuously then add the brandy, heat for a short while (seconds not minutes) then ignite!!
3. Once the flames have died add in the red wine and bring to the boil, add a good squeeze of tomato purée and either 2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, leave to simmer for 15 minutes, and cool.
4. Mix the cornflour in the cup with a little cold water (little at a time again it's harder to take out than add more), chuck this in with the chicken and stir bringing the pan back to the boil again until the sauce has thickened. (a minute or so)
5. In the meantime drain your potatoes, add a splash of oil, some chopped parsley and mash well. Serve onto your plates then top with coq au vin

Serves 4