Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

Topping:

500g potatoes, peeled and chopped

splash of milk

50g butter

few handfuls of grated cheese

salt & pepper

Filling:

1 onion, chopped finely

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp thyme

1 bay leaf

300g lentils

2/3 large carrots, chopped

handful of frozen peas

handful of frozen sweetcorn

1 tin of black eyed beans

600ml vegetable stock

splash of Worcester sauce (vegetarian one)

1 tbsp tomato puree

olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Gently fry the onion, garlic & thyme in the oil, until soft.
3. Add a little more oil & the lentils, coating them in the oil.
4. Add the vegetable stock, carrots, peas, sweetcorn, black eyed beans, bay leaf, Worcester sauce & tomato puree, mix well.
5. Bring to the simmer, with the lid on the pan simmer for 20-30 mins until the carrots are soft & lentils are cooked but not too mushy.
6. Whilst the lentils are simmering, prepare the potatoes & boil them in a pan of boiling water until soft.
7. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk and a handful of cheese. Add the seasoning to taste.
8. Place the lentil filling into the bottom of an ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potato.
9. On top sprinkle another handful of grated cheese.
10. Place in the oven for about 30 mins or until the topping is golden brown.

Serve with a green salad or crusty bread.

Decadent Chocolate & Banana Tart

Ingredients:

Base:
225g ginger nut biscuits, crushed
125g butter, melted

Filling:
4 bananas
150g dark chocolate
280ml double cream
50g butter
2 large tbsps nutella

Method:

Base:

1. Crush biscuits finely. I used my pestle & mortar, which worked really well.
2. Melt the butter on a low heat.
3. Add the butter to the ginger biscuits and mix well.
4. Spoon into a loose bottomed cake tin & press into the base & sides to create a tart base.
5. Leave to cool in the fridge for 30 mins.

Filling:

1. Heat double cream til gently simmering, remove from the heat.
2. Add the chocolate & butter to the cream, stirring continuously until melted & smooth.
3. Whisk in the nutella until smooth.
4. Pour into the cooled biscuit & refrigerate for a minimum of 30 mins.
5. Before serving slice the bananas & gently press into the surface.

Optional: sprinkle the top with some icing sugar or top with whipped cream.

Serve as a dessert by itself or with some cream or ice cream.

Leek & Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

2 leeks

1kg squash (if I haven't quite got enough squash I add root vegetables ie carrots, swede), cubed

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp dried sage

350g pearl barley (or risotto rice if you prefer)

1.3l veg stock (made with 2 OXO cubes)

Butter

Method:

1. On a low-medium heat melt a knob of butter, add the leeks, garlic & sage for a few mins to soften.
2. Add the squash (& root veg if using) & keep stirring for a few mins again to begin to soften.
3. Melt another knob of butter & add the pearl barley mixing well & coating in the butter.
4. Add the stock & bring to boil. Simmer very gently until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the pearl barley, about 30 mins.

Scotch pancakes

Ingredients:

135g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

130ml milk

1 egg

2 tbsp olive oil

Butter for frying

Method:

1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Whisk together wet ingredients. 
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients & whisk together until there are no lumps. 
4. Heat frying pan to medium heat & add knob of butter.
5. Place a tbsp of the mix into the pan, which will make one pancake & depending on the size of the pan you may be able to cook a few pancakes at once.
6. Once bubbles appear on the top of the pancake, flip them over & brown nicely on both sides.

Serve with lemon & sugar or maple syrup.