Stuffed Tomatoes with Basil and Herb Salsa Verde.

For the stuffing tear up some semi stale bead and lightly toast until it colours slightly (you can also use bread crumbs if you keep them in store), place in a mixing bowl with a good bunch of chopped parsley leaves.
Chop a few shallots and fry in good oil until crispy but be careful not to burn and add to the bowl.
Grate in some good cheese, I used pecorino,  but you can use parmesan, comte or any good quality cheese, add to the bowl drizzle in some melted butter, add some ground pepper and mix together.

For the basil salsa verde place a large bunch of basil in a blender. Add some other herbs such as parsley, a little mint, chives etc but nothing to over powering as you the basil to be the dominant flavour, a little dijon mustard, a dash of sherry vinegar and capers.
Blitz while drizzling in extra virgin olive to make a smooth sauce.
this sauce also work very well with tomato and tomato based salads.

Cut the top off your tomatoes, de-seed and cut out the cores and discard but save any flesh for the stuffing.
Lightly season the inside of the hollowed out tomatoes with salt and stuff with the breadcrumb mixture.
Replace the tops and lightly brush the outside with oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 180 degrees for 20 - 35 mins depending on the size of your tomatoes.
Plate up and drizzle with the basil salsa. Serve.

Griddled Little Gem with Grapes, Shaved Pecorino and Pecorino and Mint Dressing

For the dressing finely grate some pecorino cheese into a container and add a good glug of extra virgin olive oil, some good quality vinegar (I used sherry vinegar), and chopped mint leaves.
Season and leave for the flavours to mingle.
Half or quarter your little gem, depending on size and cut off any tough stem.
Lightly toss in rape seed oil (don't use olive oil as it will go bitter when cooked).
Heat the griddle pan to a very high heat and place the lettuce on to cook.
Once the lettuce has cooked on one side flip to the other, rotate to cook on all sides.
You want griddle lines on the lettuce and for it to be wilted and cooked on the outside but still cold and crisp in the centre.
Place on a plate with halved black grape and pecorino shavings.
Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Autumn Minestrone Soup

In a mortar and pestle crush up a couple of cloves of garlic, a bunch of chopped parsley and a glug of olive oil until it is almost a paste.
In a saucepan add a good glug of olive oil and lightly fry the garlic and parsley paste for a few mins being careful not to burn or colour the garlic.
Add finely sliced carrot, celery and onion and soften.
Then add diced turnip, you can use any season veg available at this stage, and soften.
Add a good squeeze of tomato puree and stir in, then add a piece of parmesan rind, if you have any (this will add a real depth of flavour as it cooks down to nothing), before adding water.
Bring up to a gentle boil the reduce the heat to a low simmer.
When the turnips and other veg have cooked through add sliced mushrooms (wild if you can get them), some shredded cavolo nero and curly kale (again any autumnal veg is good) and a couple of handfuls of pasta (I used broken up linguine, but any will do) and simmer until cooked.
Serve.

Classic French Vinaigrette.

Firstly dry some herbs - I used Rosemary and Thyme but you can use any you wish, its better to use dried as the vinaigrette will last a lot longer.
In a tall bottle add the herbs, a clove or two of garlic, a few teaspoons of Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of sugar (or honey), a handful of black peppercorns, a good glug of white wine vinegar and then top with extra virgin oilve oil.
Place a stopper in the top of the bottle and shake a few times, then leave to infuse.
When its running low you can just top up with vinegar, more oil, sugar and mustard.
The herbs, garlic pepper corns etc should last a long time before they need changing.
I often use oil from empty jars of artichoke hearts and other veg.
You can also add a dried chilli (not fresh) if you like a little heat.

Pork Steak with Sage Butter Sauce.

A very quick, easy and tasty sauce for pork.
Marinade your pork steak (a chop would be better as its on the bone), in oil, lemon juice and seasoning for a good few hours.
Fry a couple of sage leaves in rapeseed oil until crispy and place on kitchen paper to drain.
Turn up the heat and fry the pork in the remaining sage oil for 4/5 mins on each side (chops make take a little longer).
Place the cooked pork on a warmed plate, covered in foil to rest.
While the pork is resting, deglaze the pan with a little boiling water, throw in 4/5 ripped/ bruised sage leaves and a knob of butter.
Reduce to a syrup, add a dash of lemon juice and pour the sauce over the pork (discarding the crushed sage leaves), and dress with the crispy sage leaves.

Baked Eggs with Ham and Spinach.

A very quick and simple supper or brunch dish which takes very little preparation or cooking.
First wilt down a couple of large handfuls of spinach in a steamer. When the spinach has cooled squeeze out any access water.
Arrange in the dish with slices of ham, leaving a few little hollows for the eggs.
Break in a couple of eggs, dot the top of the spinach with a little butter, season with pepper and place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees or until the eggs have cooked.
Serve with some good crusty bread.

Fennel, Orange and Mint Salad with Squid.

This is a wonderful salad that is full of fresh flavours and could be served on its own, or with any white fish or prawns.
First peel your oranges with a knife removing the skin and pith. do this over a bowl to reserve any orange juice.
Finely slice half a red onion and add to a separate bowl with a couple of tea spoonful's of capers, a glug of good oil and half of the orange juice.
Clean and prepare your squid. Dry off on a clean tea towel and dress in a little oil and a good grid of salt and pepper.
Remove the tough outer part of the fennel blub and slice as finely as possible and place in a bowl.
Peel and de-seed a small cucumber, removing some, but not all of the outer green skin, slice and add to the fennel.
Roughly tear up a small handful of mint leaves, add to the fennel and cucumber and then dress with the onion and caper dressing.
Heat a glug of good oil in a frying pan to a very high heat. Add you squid and flash fry until just cooked.
Add the remainder of the orange juice and allow a few seconds too reduce to a glaze, then remove from the heat giving a few stirs as you do to slightly cool it.
Plate the salad and add the squid and orange glaze and serve.