Chocolate Covered Strawberries*

Sometimes the simplest things are by far the best! Chocolate covered strawberries are a must for Valentine’s Day and these recipes show you how to make them extra special. Use dairy free chocolate for the same results.

 

Clam Tagliatelle*

This is a delicious pasta dish that is a little more upmarket than usual. It can be adapted to be wheat and dairy free using the correct pasta (usually can only be bought in supermarkets in spaghetti not tagliatelle). Add whatever shellfish you wish. Add some chilli to spice things up!

Clam Tagliatelle

Chicken and Leek Puff Pie

This is an all-time favourite in our family for those winter months. A lovely Sunday lunch meal when no-one quite fancies a roast. This rich, creamy sauce is warming and filling. The pastry topping can be swapped for some wheat-free mashed potatoes for those allergy-guests. Remember to leave a hole in the pastry topping to allow the steam to escape and preventing those dreaded soggy crusts.

Fish Pie*

Another delicious, homely meal. This can be made using whatever fish you prefer, why not try adding raw king prawns and squid for that extra treat? Again, easy to scale up or down depending on how many you’re feeding and can even be prepared in advance!

Lamb Shanks*

These oven-cooked, slow-roasted lamb shanks are simple to make and result in a delicious, meltingly tender lamb. This recipe is WDF and easy to change. A recipe that appears as though you’ve spent hours slaving in the kitchen, or one for that special evening meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp oil

4 lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat

2 carrots, peeled and cut in half or thirds

1 onion, peeled, cut into thirds

5 whole peppercorns

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed

bunch fresh thyme

small bunch fresh rosemary

1 bottle of red wine

6-10 tbsp redcurrant jelly, to taste

 METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a heatproof casserole dish over a high heat
2. Brown the lamb shanks all over, until evenly coloured
3. Add the carrot, onion, peppercorns, garlic and herbs
4. Pour over enough wine to cover the meat of the shanks – about a whole bottle – then set the casserole aside to cool. Preferably chill in the fridge overnight to help to tenderise the meat. If this is not possible, leave to tenderise as long as possible.
5. The next day or later on, preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
6. Place the casserole, covered with a lid, into the oven and cook for 2-2½ hours, or until the meat is tender. Slightly uncover the pot for the last hour so that the liquid will start to reduce. If the simmering becomes too lively during cooking, reduce the temperature slightly.
7. Remove the casserole from the oven. Remove the shanks from the cooking liquid and place in a roasting dish. Spoon over a couple of ladles of the cooking liquid to keep the shanks moist. Reserve the remaining cooking liquid. Roast the shanks in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the meat is falling off the bone.
8. Remove the vegetables from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon or strain the liquid through a sieve.
9. Heat the cooking liquid until boiling, then boil until the volume has reduced by half. Stir in the redcurrant jelly until melted. Use enough that you like how it tastes!

Serve the lamb shanks and reserved vegetables (from the cooking liquid) with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and the gravy.

PREPARATION: 10 minutes plus resting time, preferably overnight

COOKING: 2hr 45mins – 3hr 30mins

DIFFICULTY: easy

Chocolate Marquise

This makes for an impressive dinner party dessert. A chocolatey treat that is enjoyed in small quantities. For a silky smooth texture, make sure the chocolate, gelatine and egg yolk mixture is still warm when folded together, before adding the cream. Unlike on these pictures, ensure that the baking parchment is completely smooth to the edges of the tin to avoid getting the crease marks on the marquise itself.

INGREDIENTS

250g dark chocolate (70%), broken into pieces

3 leaves of gelatine

3 medium egg yolks

25g caster sugar

2 tbsp brandy (optional)

400ml whipping cream

unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

YOU WILL ALSO NEED: a non-stick loaf tin, 500g, greased and lined with baking parchment so the ends hang 4 inches over the ends.

METHOD

1. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of steaming water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water)
2. Melt the chocolate gently, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly
3. Put the gelatine in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Let it soak for 3 minutes until soft, then drain the water. Heat the gelatine over a very low heat, swirling the pan, until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside for later
4. Put the egg yolks in a large, heatproof bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer until pale and creamy, about 10 minutes
5. Put the sugar and 50ml water in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved
6. Increase the heat and cook for 3 minutes or until the temperature of the water has reached 118C
7. Gently pour the sugar syrup onto the egg yolks, beating with a hand-held mixer as you pour, until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.
8. Beat in the brandy now, if you are using it!
9. Add half the warm chocolate and stir well with a large metal spoon until well mixed. Gently stir in the remaining chocolate, followed by the warm gelatine
10. Put the cream in a bowl and whisk until it starts to thicken
11. Using a large, metal spoon, gently fold in the cream into the chocolate mixture.
12. Pour this into the prepared loaf tin, tapping the base gently on the work surface to remove air bubbles and ensure the mixture reaches the corners. Level the top with a knife
13. Cover with clingfilm and chill overnight in the refrigerator until set
14. When ready to serve, gently lift the marquise out of the tin by pulling up on the greaseproof paper and transfer to a serving plate
15. Dust with cocoa, then cut into slices
16. Enjoy 😀

PREP: 15 minutes

COOK: 20 minutes plus chilling overnight

DIFFICULTY: medium