8 servings

Lighter and healthier than Dauphinoise and just as impressive, perfect for a cold winter's night

Boulangère potatoes

onions,thinly sliced

few thymesprigs

olive oil

vegetable stock

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Fry the onions and thyme sprigs in the oil until softened and lightly coloured (about 5 mins).

Spread a layer of potatoes over the base of a 1.5-litre oiled gratin dish. Sprinkle over a few onions (see picture, above) and continue layering, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour over the stock and bake for 50-60 mins until the potatoes are cooked and the top is golden and crisp.

'Neeps' are better known as swedes, the traditional Scottish accompaniment to haggis

Neeps & tatties

8large baking potatoes, washed, peel

olive oilor sunflower

swede weighing about 675 grams/11⁄2lb, peeled and roughly chopped

butter,

The day before you want to serve, preheat the oven to fan oven 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. Put the potatoes into a pan of lightly salted water, return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, put them back into the pan and place it back on the heat for a couple of minutes to dry out.

Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large roasting tin (you may have to use two) and heat it in the oven until smoking hot. Now stir the potatoes into the hot oil and return to the oven to roast, turning occasionally, for 55 minutes.

Cook the swede in boiling salted water for 50-55 minutes, or until very soft. Drain and add to the roasted potatoes. Roughly mash everything together, keeping quite chunky, then cool, cover and keep in a cool place.

To serve, preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Uncover the potatoes and swede, dot with the butter and put in the oven to reheat for 25-30 minutes, stirring now and again until piping hot. Serve with lots of butter.

This moist cake with a crunchy nut topping is sure to become a teatime favourite

Caramelised apple cake with streusel topping

light brown muscovado sugar, plus 1 tbsp

dessert apples,

eggs

tsp vanilla extract

plain flour

tsp baking powder

cinnamon

milk

flour

demerara sugar, plus 1 tbsp

cold butter

tbsp toasted, chopped hazelnuts

Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp sugar in a large frying pan over medium heat until the sugar starts to melt. Add apples, then cook for about 5 mins, until nicely browned and the sauce is a rich caramel. Leave to cool.

While the apples cool, make the topping. In a food processor or using the tips of your fingers, rub together flour, 85g sugar, cinnamon and cold butter until the mixture is crumbly and only pea-size pieces of butter remain. Stir in 2 tbsp of hazelnuts. Set aside in a cool place.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. To make the cake, place the remaining butter and sugar in a bowl or food mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and milk in two goes, alternating between dry and wet ingredients. When the mixture is well combined, stir through the apples.

Grease a 20cm cake tin with removable base and line the base with a circle of baking paper. Spoon in the cake mixture, smooth over the top with a spoon, then sprinkle over the streusel topping. Scatter with the remaining 1 tbsp demerara sugar and hazelnuts. Cook in the oven for 50 mins-1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a baking rack, remove paper and cool.

Sweet parsnips work well with pork in this one pot autumnal warmer – it really needs little or no accompaniment

Pork & parsnip cobbler

vegetable oil

pork

onions,

celery sticks, finely chopped

ready-to-eat dried apricot

lemon

orange

Cox's apples, peeled and chopped

garlic cloves, crushed

thyme, rosemary and sage

curry powder

½ tsp ground fennel seed

red wine

parsnip

self-raising flour

shredded suet

chilled butter, grated

parsley

For the filling, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and fry the pork in small batches for 4-5 minutes until just browned, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and fry for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden. Return the pork to the pan and sprinkle in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well.

Add the celery, apricots, lemon and orange zest, apples, garlic, herbs and spices. Pour in the wine and stock and bring to simmering point, then cover and gently cook for 11⁄4 hours or until the pork is tender. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan oven 180C. Peel and cut the parsnips into 2.5cm/1in dice. Put the remaining oil in a roasting tin and put in the oven for 5 minutes until hot. Tip the parsnip chunks into the roasting tin and coat in the hot oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Drain and set aside. When the pork is tender, stir in the parsnips. Spoon into a 2 litre/31⁄2 pint ovenproof dish and leave to cool completely.

For the cobbler crust, sift the flour and season. Add the suet, butter and parsley and lightly mix in with a fork. Make a well in the centre, then add the lemon zest and juice and gently bring together to make a soft and pliable dough. If it is too dry, add a little cold water, but don’t knead the dough or it will become tough. Reduce the temperature to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm/1⁄4in thick. Cut the dough into rounds using a 7.5cm/3in pastry cutter. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds until all the dough is used up. Arrange the circles of dough so that they slightly overlap on top.

Brush the dough with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the crust is golden.

Use this great mince recipe as a base for bolognese or cottage pie - freeze a batch ready to whip out for last-minute dinners

Multi mince

beef

back bacon rashers, chopped

onions, finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

milliliters red wine

beef stock (from a cube is fine)

thyme

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. When hot, tip in the mince and cook for 10 mins until browned all over, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon. Tip onto a plate. You may need to do this in batches.

Add the bacon to the pan with the onions and garlic, then cook for 7 mins until the bacon is cooked and onion softened. Return the mince to the pan, then pour in the red wine, stock and thyme leaves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 mins until the mince is tender and the sauce has reduced down. Once cool, can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Just when you thought this classic rum and mint cocktail couldn't get any better - grapefruit juice adds a sunshine tang

Grapefruit mojitos

pink grapefruits

mint

golden caster sugar

white rum

water

Put the grapefruit juice, most of the mint and the sugar in a large jug. Crush the ingredients together with the end of a rolling pin to release the flavour from the mint and dissolve the sugar. Add the rum, mix well and top up with soda water and ice. Add the sliced grapefruit and remaining mint before serving.

This impressive Spanish one pot, with monkfish, king prawns and mussels, is perfect for feeding a crowd at a dinner party

Seafood paella

20-24 raw shell-on king prawns

monkfish,

onion,

paella rice

garlic cloves, sliced

tsp smoked paprika

cayenne pepper (optional)

saffron

½ x 400 grams can chopped tomatoes (save the rest

mussels, cleaned

frozen peas

frozen baby broad beans

parsley leaves, roughly chopped

onion, roughly chopped

½ x 400 grams can chopped tomatoes

garlic cloves, roughly chopped

chicken stock cube

star anise

Peel and de-vein the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Return the prawns to the fridge.

To make the stock, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, and reserved prawn shells and heads. Cook for 3-4 mins, then pour in 2 litres of water and add the stock cube and star anise. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Leave to cool slightly, then whizz in batches in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine sieve.

Heat the oil in a large paella pan or an extra-large frying pan. Brown the monkfish for a few mins each side, then remove and set aside. Add the onion and fry for 4-5 mins until softened.

Stir in the rice and cook for 30 secs to toast. Add the garlic, paprika, cayenne (if using) and saffron, cook for another 30 secs, then stir in the tomatoes and 1.5 litres of the fish stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 mins (the rice should still be al dente). Return the monkfish to the pan with the prawns, mussels, peas and broad beans.

Cover the pan with a large baking tray, or foil, and cook on a low heat for another 10-15 mins until the mussels are open and the prawns are cooked through. Scatter over the parsley before serving.

A Scottish favourite, this is one of the best ways to cook leeks – slowly and gently in their own juice

Buttered leeks

1.8kg leek, trimmed

thyme leaves

The day before you want to serve this dish, cut the leeks from top to root and wash thoroughly under cold running water. Thinly slice them on the diagonal and put into plastic bags and chill until ready to cook.

To serve, put a large pan over a medium heat, add the butter and let it melt over the base of the pan. Add the leeks and plenty of seasoning and stir to coat in the butter. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan and cook the leeks gently for about 15 minutes, stirring half way through until they are tender. Serve with extra butter and a sprinkling of thyme leaves.

Solo salads for a casual help-yourself party

Amalfi salads

pine nut

SunBlush tomato

black olive (niçoise are great)

tbsp sundried tomato paste

tbsp balsamic vinegar

The day before, make the dressing. Mix the tomato paste and vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to form a smooth emulsion and season to taste. Store it in a screw-top jar if you want to get ahead and rewhisk before using on the night.

The pine nuts can be dealt with the day before to save time. Heat a small frying pan, tip in the nuts and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning them frequently until they smell nutty and are nicely browned.

To serve, put the leaves in a large bowl with the tomatoes and olives. Pour in the dressing and mix well, then divide between eight glasses and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.

This delicious salad is thrown together in minutes to make a fresh, seasonal dish that’s stylish enough for entertaining

Hot-smoked salmon salad with a chilli lemon dressing

new potato

pack asparagus tips

bag mixed salad leaves

parsley and mint, leaves

radish

salmon

spring onions

lemon juice

tsp wholegrain mustard

red chillies

Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 mins until tender, adding the asparagus tips for the final 2 mins of cooking. Drain and allow to cool. Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. then season to taste.

In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, asparagus, salad leaves, herbs and radishes. Add two-thirds of the dressing, thoroughly mix through the salad, then spread the salad over a large platter. Break the hot-smoked salmon into large chunks, then scatter over the top along with the spring onions. Finish by pouring remaining dressing over the top.

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Top Tags

Boulangère potatoes

Neeps & tatties

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Hot-smoked salmon salad with a chil...

Top 10 8 servings recipes from across the web

The most viewed 8 servings recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Boulangère potatoes

Neeps & tatties

Caramelised apple cake with streuse...

Pork & parsnip cobbler

Multi mince

Grapefruit mojitos

Seafood paella

Buttered leeks

Amalfi salads

Hot-smoked salmon salad with a chil...

The most viewed 8 servings recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine