what to do with your rollmop thanks to Hugh F-W

Herring, potato and watercress salad
This makes a delicious, punchy main-course salad; leftovers are good in a lunchbox the next day. Serves four to six.
400g small, waxy potatoes300g rollmop herring (see previous recipe)1 small shallot, peeled, halved and finely sliced1 tbsp dill fronds, chopped1 big handful watercress
For the dressing½ tbsp wholegrain mustard1 tsp freshly grated (or prepared) strong horseradish½ tsp dry mustard1 tbsp cider vinegar3 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, plus ½ tsp extra for the watercressA good pinch of sugarSalt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Taste and add a little more sugar if necessary.
Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and, when cooled just enough to handle, halve and toss in the dressing. Set aside to cool.
Cut the rollmops into bite-sized pieces and mix gently with the ­potatoes, shallot and dill. Dress the watercress with oil, turning it with your hands, and season. Divide the salad between four plates and spoon the potatoes and herring on top.

Rollmops with thanks to Hugh F-W

Cider vinegar and orange rollmops
Some commercial rollmops are ­pickled in brutally acidic distilled vinegar, which obliterates their oily succulence and flavour. It's ­immensely satisfying to make your own – this brine mixture is the one we use at River Cottage, though ­experiment with the aromatics to create a blend that is your own. Makes three 500ml jars.
6 large, fresh herrings, descaled, gutted and filleted60g salt
For the marinade
500ml cider vinegar250ml cider12 allspice berries12 black peppercorns6 bay leaves1 tbsp light brown sugar1 tsp mustard seedsZest of 1 large orange, pared into wide strips with no white pith1 small onion (red or white), very thinly sliced
Check the herring fillets for any pin bones and remove as necessary. Dissolve the salt in 500ml cold water to make a brine, then add the fillets. Leave for two to three hours.
Meanwhile, make the marinade. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring slowly to a boil and simmer for a minute. Set aside to cool.
Drain the herring fillets from the brine and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Roll them up, skin side out, from tail end to head end, and pack the rolls into three sterilised 500ml preserving jars. Pour the ­marinade over the herrings, making sure you get some of the spices and zest in each jar, then seal.
Store in the fridge for at least three days before eating. They're best eaten five to 10 days from ­jarring, but will keep for up to a month. The longer you leave them, the softer and more pickled they'll get.
To serve, drain the fillets from their marinade and accompany with a little soured cream and slices of rye bread or country-style bread.

Mullagatawny the worlds greatest Fridge Cleaner!!!

So empty the veg rack and clear out that half jar of Passatta
eg:
2 carrots
2 onions
some courgette
a lump of butternut
a chunk of swede
that half a parsnip at the back
any sweet poato or a potato
half a leek
2 lamb stock cubes
a good heaped teaspoon of curry powder
half a jar of passatta with garlic [or chuck some garlic in]
enough water to cover by about a couple of centimetres or 3

Dice or chop all the above veg...doesnt matter what size as you will blitz it when it is cooked.
Chuck all the above into a large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30-40 minutes [whatever it takes to walk to the shop to buy a paper]


in a seperate pan cook 50 gram rice and 50 gram peas then drain.

When all the veg are cooked blitz till smooth then add the cooked rice and peas
Enjoy

'99' cupcakes

175g butter, softened

175g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, lightly beaten

55g ground almonds

150g self raising flour

buttercream icing

8 mini chocolate flakes

sugar sprinkles

seedless raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 180°c. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 8 paper cases.

Put the butter, sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the eggs, then fold in in the almonds and flour. Spoon the mixture into the cases.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Spoon the mixture on top once cool, in a heap like an ice cream cone. Press a flake into each cake, sprinkle with sprinkles and heat up the jam and drizzle on top.

Nannies' easy fruit cake

360g mixed fruit

120g sugar

120g butter

1/4 pint water

1 egg, beaten

240g self raising flour

Put fruit, sugar, butter and water in a pan. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and add the beaten egg and then stir in the flour. Put into a greased tin. Bake for about 40 minutes at 130°c.

Chicken Teriyaki

4 chicken breasts, skin on

4 tbsp dry sherry

4 tbsp masala

3 tbsp caster sugar

5 tbsp dark soy sauce

Make 3 diagonal cuts into the skin of the chicken.

Heat a pan. Add chicken skin side down, fry for 3 minutes. Turn over and fry for another 4 minutes.Remove from the pan and discard any left over fat.

In the same pan bring the sherry, masala and sugar to a boil stirring until the sugar dissolves. Return the chicken to the pan, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, bring back to the boil, cover and cook over a high heat 6 minutes. Turning the chicken until the sauce thickens.

Squidgy chocolate cake

125g ready to eat stoned prunes

100ml brandy

125g butter, cubed

150g dark chocolate

500g caster sugar

375g plain flour

60g self raising flour

75g cocoa powder

1 whole egg and 2 egg whites lightly beaten

Heat the oven to 160°c. Grease a tin and line with baking paper.

Puree prunes adding 1 tbsp of hot water for smoothness. Put in a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy, butter, chocolate, sugar and 250ml boiling water. Put the rest of the water in a saucepan and place the bowl on top until the chocolate melts. Leave to cool for 2-3 minutes.

Sift both flours and cocoa into a large bowl and make a well. Pour in the chocolate mixture then add the whole egg and the egg whites and best to a smooth batter. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.