The first is a Spinach Quiche and it is truly delicious, who could not love the combination of pastry, cream cheese, eggs and spinach?

The second is a Coconut Bread and it is so yummy. I am a bit of a sucker for coconut. This bread should really be called less-sweet coconut cake that you can eat any time of the day and not seem like a complete piggly-wiggly because it’s a ‘bread’ and not a ‘cake’. Delicious toasted with (homemade) damson jam on top.

Ice creams of distinction have been Apple and Blackberry ice cream and Coconut ice cream. Sadly, blackberries are now gone and I have none in my freezer. Boo hoo!

Recipe provided by Dave’s mum.

Grease a 18cm springform tin.

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 dsp caster sugar
225g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
2 tbsp whiskey
225 g crushed digestive biscuits
55g chopped nuts

Method

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Gradually add melted butter and chocolate beating all the time.

Fold in whiskey, biscuits and nuts. Pour into tin and chill to set.

Optional

Decorate with a thin layer of cream and chocolate flake or matchmakers (I didn’t as I thought that the cake itself was rich enough).

Serves 4
For the filling:

• 2 medium sized leeks, or onions, chopped
• a medium sized carrot, diced
• a decent knob of butter
• 4 medium sized brown mushrooms, sliced
• 450g minced roast lamb or raw lamb mince
• flour
• a tablespoon tomato puree
• 250ml hot lamb stock (one oxo cube)
• bay leaf
• sprig of thyme
• worcestershire sauce

In a large pan, cook the chopped leeks or onions and the diced carrots with the butter until they are meltingly soft and golden. If they have caught slightly at the edges then all to the good. This is the savoury base on which you are making your pie filling, so it is best not to hurry. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a further five minutes, then stir in the minced meat. The meat must brown a little here and there, so do not stir it too often. Leave to cook for five minutes or so, breaking it up as necessary.

Add a casual sprinkling of flour (about a tablespoon) and the tomato puree. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for three or four minutes. Pour on the hot stock, throw in the bay leaf and a sprig of thyme if you have them, and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer very gently for a good twenty five minutes. The mixture should not really bubble, just occasionally ‘bloop’ at you. Season the filling as it cooks with salt, worcestershire sauce (about a tablespoon) and a few grinds of black pepper. be generous.

For the topping:

• 900g large parsnips, peeled
• 2 medium sized onion, sliced
• a thick slice of butter, about 50g
• a large pinch of ground cumin
• a teaspoon of freshly ground coriander seeds
• a tablespoon of garam masala
• more butter for mashing, about 50g

While the meat is cooking cut the parsnips into large chunks and simmer them until tender, about fifteen to twenty minutes. While they are cooking fry the onions in the butter over a moderate heat until soft and translucent. Stir in the spices and continue cooking for two minutes till all is fragrant. Drain the parsnips when they are tender, mash them with a potato masher, stirring in the butter and some salt and black pepper, then the spiced onions.

Scoop the meat mixture into a large baking dish. Spoon dollops of mashed parsnip over the top, and bake for twenty-five minutes at 190C/375F/Gas 5, till golden brown and caught a little on the peaks.

Serves 4

• 75g (3oz) butter
• 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 heaped tablespoon flour
• 75ml (3fl oz)) Madeira
• 510ml (18fl oz) stock
• Worcestershire sauce
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan, add the onions and cook, covered, over a low heat till golden and soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove the lid, raise the heat and cook, stirring, until truly brown and soft enough to crush between your fingers.

Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes until it has lightly browned, then pour in the madeira and stock. Season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce, stir and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down so that the gravy bubbles gently and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Per serving 216 cals; 15g fat, of which 10g saturated fat; 3g protein; 11g carbohydrate; no added sugar; 1g fibre.

This I serve with mashed potato and sausages. Yum!

I usually make this with Marsala, but tonight I am using Madeira which I have bought specially.

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1/2tsp garlic powder
• 1/2tsp ground red chilli
• 1/2tsp dried oregano
• 1/2tsp chilli flakes
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• roast potatoes to serve

Sauce

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2tsp hot oak-smoked paprika
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 beef or large tomatoes, skinned, halved and deseeded
• 2tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1/2tsp sugar
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• red kidney beans: 400g cooked or canned red kidney beans; 1tbsp olive oil; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Brush the shanks with the olive oil. Put the garlic powder, ground red chillli, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl, mix well, then sprinkle over the shanks.

Set the shanks end to end in a roasting tin. put in the middle of a preheated oven and cook at 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2 for two hours, turning them over two to three times. Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and cook to a light brown (it will give off a delicious roasting aroma). Add the paprika and cumin and coook for one minute without letting them burn.

Pour in the vinegar, then add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a woden spoon and cooking to form a lumpy sauce. Add the mint, season with salt and pepper and add sugar to taste.

To prepare the red kidney beans, drain and transfer to a small saucepan, stir in the olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, then heat gently.

Dish up the shanks, pour off any excess fat and add two or three tablespoons water to the tin to make a little stock. Stir well, then add to the sauce.

Bring to the boil, then season with salt and pepper and add more sugar if necessary. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve with roast potatoes and red kidney beans.