Granny Smith apples, 1 peeled and diced
600ml Vegetable Stock
300ml milk
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SMOKED CRÈME FRAÎCHE
1 × quantity of Smoke Mix, using 1 tbsp black tea leaves
100g crème fraîche
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the celeriac, onion, table salt and bay leaves and cook for 7–10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add the diced apple and vegetable stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the milk then remove the pan from the heat, remove the bay leaves and blend in a blender until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Smoke the crème fraîche according to the method here, spreading it as thinly as possible in a foil dish and putting the dish on the smoking rack. Once smoked, remove the tray and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the foil then scrape the crème fraîche into a bowl and whisk to evenly distribute the smokiness. Season with a little sea salt.
To serve, finely julienne the remaining apple, with the skin on, and mix it in a bowl with the sesame oil, seasoning it with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the soup in bowls, topped with a good dollop of the smoked crème fraîche and the julienned apple.
CHILLED SWEETCORN SOUP WITH AVOCADO SALSA, CHILLI AND BLACK SESAME SEEDS
Think of a hot summer’s day when it comes to this soup. It really does hit the spot, and being vegan and gluten-free, it is a good recipe to make if you are having guests over who may have food intolerances. The cobs of corn have a sweet flavour, too, so do not throw them away. Use them to flavour soups and stocks.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes, plus chilling
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cobs of corn, kernels sliced off and husks retained
800ml Vegetable Stock
½ tsp table salt
100ml coconut milk
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE AVOCADO SALSA
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, stoned and diced
Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the cobs of corn and fry them for 5–7 minutes. When golden, add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the cobs from the stock and add three-quarters of the sweetcorn kernels and the table salt. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the kernels are soft.
Remove from the heat, add the coconut milk and blitz the soup in a blender or using a stick blender, until smooth. Season to taste (if necessary) then chill.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium frying pan. When hot, add the remaining sweetcorn kernels and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Combine the chilli, lime zest and juice, coriander, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a bowl and season with sea salt. Gently fold through the diced avocado.
Divide the chilled soup between four bowls and garnish with the whole sweetcorn kernels and dressed avocado.
BURRATA WITH ROMESCO SAUCE AND GRILLED PADRON PEPPERS
Burrata is one of my all-time favourite cheeses and makes a stunning starter. It is quite unlike any other cheese, with a mozzarella shell filled with creamy stracciatella. It used to be very difficult to get hold of, but it is now available from cheesemongers and some larger supermarkets (buy the best mozzarella you can find if not).
Serves: 4 as a starter
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
12 fresh padron peppers (approx. 60g in total)
splash of vegetable oil
4 × 100g or 2 × 200g balls burrata
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE ROMESCO SAUCE
100g roasted red peppers, deseeded and skin removed, or piquillo peppers (from a jar or tin), drained and roughly chopped
50g flaked toasted almonds
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp tomato purée
splash of dry sherry
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the romesco sauce, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have a chunky paste. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Divide between four plates.
Heat a dry grill pan over high heat until smoking. Drizzle the padron peppers with a little oil and seasoning, then grill for about 5 minutes until lightly blackened.
If using small burrata balls, tear them over the romesco. If you’re using larger burrata, cut them almost all the way through then peel open and add half a burrata per portion, cut side facing up, to the romesco. Drizzle with olive oil and season well. Garnish with the grilled padron peppers and serve immediately.
HONEY-BAKED FETA WITH LAVENDER, THYME AND RYE CRISPS
A great alternative to a traditional cheese board, this baked feta combines salty cheese with fragrant, lightly caramelised honey. Serve with these crisp rye bread crackers, crusty bread or your favourite cheese biscuits. I love the fragrant lavender in this dish – it really adds a point of difference.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour draining
Cooking time: 12–20 minutes
1 × 200g block feta cheese
½ loaf rye bread
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
3–4 tbsp runny honey
4 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of fresh lavender or ½ tsp dried lavender
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Cover the feta with 2 pieces of kitchen paper and leave at room temperature for 1 hour to absorb excess moisture.
Cut the rye bread into very thin slices. Place them in a single layer on 2 baking trays. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub each slice with a halved garlic