3 gelatine leaves
double cream (400ml)
1 lemon
1 vanilla pod
icing sugar (75g)
handful of fresh strawberries
handful of fresh raspberries
handful of fresh blueberries
glass of rose wine
heaped tbsp of sugar
sprig of fresh mint


soak the gelatine leaves in a little cold water to soften.
zest the lemon and put into a pan with.
half the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Put both the pod and seeds into the pan with the zest.
pour ¾ of the cream into a pan and bring to the boil.
squeeze all excess water from the gelatine and whisk through the hot cream. Leave to cool.
whisk what is left of the cream and fold through the slightly cooled cream.
divide into 4 individual jelly moulds, ramekins or espresso cups and put into the fridge to set overnight.
cut up all the berries and leave to soak in the rose with a spoonful of sugar overnight.

serve:-
dunk the moulds into hot water to loosen the pannacottas and turn out onto a plate.
scatter with macerated berries and garnish with a sprig of mint.

serves 4

1 large Spanish onion
shot of oil1 large Spanish onion
shot of oil
big sprig of thyme
a bay leaf or two
4 cloves of garlic
bag of frozen squid tubes, thawed (1 kg)
mug of tomato passata
half a mug of brandy
half a mug of double cream
handful of fresh parsley
new potatoes (500g)

peel and slice the onion before throwing into a casserole dish with the oil, thyme and bay leaves.
fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden brown, then add the peeled and crushed garlic.
slice the squid tubes into strips, pat dry with kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper.
heat a pan with a dash of oil and when smoking hot fry a handful of the squid for 1 minute.
tip this fried squid into the onions with the passata whilst you quickly fry off the rest of the squid, a batch at a time.
pour the brandy and an equal quantity of water into the casserole, then bring to a gentle simmer.
cook for 45 mins until the squid is tender, before stirring through the cream.
wash and scrub the potatoes, cover in cold salted water and bring to the boil for 15 mins to cook.
finely chop the parsley and stir into the casserole when the potatoes are ready.
drain the potatoes, toss in butter and serve with plenty of the squid casserole and a portion of steamed green veg.

serves 4

2 large, firm banana
4 tbsp of brown sugar
4 tbsp of butter
pinch of cinnamon
1 lime
100ml double cream
splash of rum

melt the butter in a small pot (nuke it in the microwave if you have one).
stir in the sugar, cinnamon and the juice and zest of the lime.
tear off a large sheet of tin foil and fold in half to form a double layer.
spread a quarter of the butter mix into a blob on the top half of the tin foil sheet.
peel a banana and break it into three equal pieces laying them onto of the spread butter.
cover with another quarter of the mix.
now fold over the bottom half of the tin foil and fold in the edges to form an air-tight envelope. repeat the process to make a second parcel.
bake in the hot oven (or on BBQ) for 20-25 mins until the bananas soften.
whip the cream to soft peaks and whisk in the rum.
slit open the ton foil parcel and dollop on some rum cream to serve.

serves 2

Surrounded by bucket loads of muddy spuds, passionate potato farmers, enthusiastic ambassadors and dieticians it was set to be an interesting evening.

As a chef, I was happy with my potato knowledge until I realised how much I was missing out on. There is a whole world of potato madness out there that is over-looked and taken for granted. They shouldn’t just be that veg that is thrown into a meal to bulk up the plate as an after-thought. Instead, the humble spud should be honoured for their global popularity and versatility.

Celebrity Chef Sanjay Dwivedi knocked up 3 simple and tasty dishes that prove potatoes can be as easy and quick to prepare as rice or pasta and should be enjoyed all year round. Then it was our turn to get hands on. Split into groups we cooked up another 10 brilliantly straightforward dishes focussed on potato, each as simple and tasty as the rest. My personal favourite was the chorizo and spinach potato wedges. Cooked in just 15 minutes and perfect for the summer sun makes this recipe a winner.

There are over 6 million tonnes of potato grown in the UK each year covering more than 80 different varieties. With so much to choose from, huge advantages in sustainability and nutrition and endless options for cooking them, there is no excuse not to be making the most of this British classic.

Want to know more about spuds? Then visit the potato council website!

2 large flat field mushrooms
shot of olive oil
fresh thyme
clove of garlic
dollop of garlic and herb cream cheese
couple of spring onions, finely sliced
sprinkle of chilli flakes
4 rashers of bacon (optional)
half a ciabatta loaf
crisp green salad leaves
splash of vinaigrette

preheat oven to 200°C.
break off the stalks from the mushrooms and peel away any excess skin.
crush the garlic, chop the thyme and mix with the oil.
rub the mushroom with the flavoured oil and season.
cream together the cheese, spring onion and chilli and spread into the cap of the mushroom.
bake for 10 minutes until the mushroom has softened.
grill the bacon until crispy and then pile ‘em on top of the oozing cheese (optional).
toast the bread under the grill.
serve mushroom on top of bread, with dressed side salad.

serves 2

2 small bananas
knob of butter (50g)
10 digestive biscuits, crushed
double cream, lightly whipped (120ml)
icing sugar (120g)
soft cream cheese (300g)
crunchy peanut butter (175g)

freeze the bananas in their skins overnight, then defrost and mash.
crush the biscuits into fine crumbs (bash them up in a food bag to avoid a mess!).
melt the butter in a microwave and stir through the biscuit crumbs.
press into a loose-bottomed cake tin and leave to one side.
whip the cream slightly then add in the mashed banana.
beat in the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla together then stir through the peanut butter.
pour the mix over the biscuit base and freeze for several hours.
warm the edges of your tin with your hands to ease the cheesecake out when ready to serve and cut into portions.

serves 8