Squid with Choritzo and Chickory.

Clean the squid and dry with a kitchen towel.
Place a large knife inside the squid tube and with another knife slice across, giving a concertina effect.
Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.
Slice the cooking choritzo and quarter.
Place a small amount of oil in a oven proof frying pan and put on a low heat - add the choritzo pieces and cook until they begin to release their oil.
Turn up the heat and turn the choritzo.
Add the squid tubes cook for a minute and turn.
Then add the squid tentacles, splash with balsamic vinegar and stir.
Add the red chicory and place in the oven for a few mins until the squid is cooked and the chicory has wilted slightly and serve.

Jersey Royals, Broad Beans, Mint Dressing and Comte.

Boil the potatoes in salted water.
A few minutes before they are cooked add the broad beans.
Leave to cool.
Finely chop up the mint leaves and add to olive oil and a dash of white wine vinegar.
When the potatoes and beans have cooled but are still warm dress with the mint vinaigrette.
Serve with shavings of comte cheese.
Pecorino or any other good quality hard cheese would also work well.

Self Saucing Asparagus.

Break off the woody end of the stalks and discard.
Pack the spears into the bottom of a saucepan and half cover with boiling water - put on hob and steam until cooked.
Remove the spears and keep warm.
Add a knob of butter and a dash of Sherry vinegar (balsamic also works well) to the water and boil to reduce.
When it is a sauce like syrup poor over the spears and serve.

Pork Steak with Cider Sauce and Broadbean Puree

Use young new season beans for this recipe as its the pods that are used to make the puree.
Season the steak with salt and pepper and rub in with a little oil. Leave covered until it comes up to room temperature.
Top and tail the pobs and remove any black spots etc. an cook in slightly salted boiling water until they are tender.
Cook the steak and leave to rest covered in foil. De-glaze the pan with cider burning off the alcohol. Add a knob of butter and reduce to a sauce.
Blitz the cooked pods with a little of the cooking liquor in a blender  and pass through a fine sieve back into the sauce pan. Add a knob of butter and some chopped parsley and return to the heat to cook off any excess liquid.
Add any resting juices back to the sauce and serve the steak with the sauce puree and broad beans.

Fennel, Pear, Radish and Dill.

A starter salad or tapas dish which is also great alongside smoked salmon.
Peel core and finely slice the pear and roll in lemon juice.
Finely slice the fennel and do the same.
Quarter the radishes and finely chop the dill and  put all the ingredients in a bowl with the lemon juice season with salt and pepper and dress with olive oil.
Serve.

Artichoke with Shallot, Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette.

Cut the base and stalk off the choke, rip off the tough outer leaves and plunge into a pan of water with a squeeze of lemon juice - this stops the choke flesh discolouring.
Cut in half and and run a sharp knife along the bottom of the choke and then scoop it out of both halves, rinsing clean with the lemon water.
Place in a lidded sauce pan with about an inch of salted water and bring to the boil - then lower to a simmer and cook for about ten mins depending on the size of the choke (when a sharp knife slips into the flesh and back out again easily its ready).
While the choke is cooking soften a finely chopped shallot in olive oil.
Remove from the heat and add a good squeeze of lemon juice, a small dollop of Dijon mustard,  more oil and a selection of finely chopped herbs.
Season and blitz in a blender. Return to the saucepan and keep warm on a very low heat.
Ladle a little vinaigrette onto a plate place one half of the choke upright on it.
Rest the second half against it, cavity upwards and fill the cavity with more vinaigrette and serve.

Mushroom Risotto with Haddock.

This was another dish cooked with a friend while on my visit to the west country and again I was just the sous-chef!
I was a bit skeptical about fish with it but the combination of earthy mushrooms with the fish was excellent.
We used a mix of dried and fresh mushrooms, if you can get wild foraged mushrooms all the better but any combination is ok.
Other meaty white fish like sea bass, pollack or cod would also work well or indeed none at all.
First put your dried mushrooms in water to soak.
Put a saucepan of veg or chicken stock on to heat up.
In a large pan or frying pan heat a knob of butter on a high heat.
Add a chopped onion and soften.
Then add your risotto rice and stir to coat with the butter.
Add a glass of white wine and burn off the alcohol stirring constantly.
Add the soaked and drained dried mushrooms. some recipes suggest adding the soaking liquor, but i would advise against it as its very strong and very bitter. If you are unsure smell it. If you are still unsure taste it!
Reduce the heat slightly to med/high and add a ladle full of hot stock stirring continuously.
When all the stock has been absorbed repeat.
Keep doing this for 20-25mins until the rice is cooked - it should still be a little firm in the centre.
Remove from the heat and add chopped butter - leave to rest for a few mins.
Meanwhile in another pan saute your fresh mushrooms if using in a little butter with chopped parsley.
In another pan put your fish on to cook.
Stir and beat the risotto furiously with a wooden spoon to incoporate the butter.
Add grated Parmesan and do the same.
Stir in your sauteed mushrooms and serve with cooked fish on top.