Chef Savvy

  Method 1 Ingredients 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened 260g/9¼oz granulated sugar 2 free-range eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tsp red food colouring gel (natural food colouring won’t work here) ¼ tsp fine salt 250g/9oz plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp baking powder 120ml/4fl oz natural yoghurt 1 tsp apple cider vinegar For the cream cheese icing 55g/2oz unsalted butter, softened 250g/9oz cream cheese, room temperature 150g/5½oz icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract Method Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the vanilla, cocoa powder, vegetable oil, food colouring and salt. In another bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. In a jug, mix the yoghurt and vinegar with 80ml/2¾fl oz water. Stir half of the flour mixture into the butter, followed by half th...

  Method 1 Ingredients 250g/9oz butter, at room temperature 100g/3½oz caster sugar 1 free-range egg ½ tsp vanilla extract 450g/1lb plain flour, plus extra for dusting For the topping 250g/9oz icing sugar 3 tbsp full-fat milk (optional) Scottish raspberry jam, for spreading glacé cherries, halved, or sugared gem sweets Method Place the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and cream together until smooth and light in colour. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour in small batches and mix well until combined. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to a 1cm/½in thickness. Use a round plain or fluted biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits – the smaller the cutter, the more biscuits you will have, just make sure you cut out an even amount. Roll any offcuts of dough back together and cut out some more biscuits. Place the rounds on baking trays, leaving at least 3cm/½in space between biscuits as they will spread in the oven. Pop in the fridge for at least 1 h...

  Method 1 Ingredients 750g/1lb 10oz diced pork (shoulder or leg) 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean fermented chilli paste) 10g/⅓oz dried shiitake mushrooms 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 large onion, thickly sliced 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks 2 turnips or 1 small swede, peeled and cut into wedges 200g/7oz kimchi 1 tbsp soy sauce 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock or water bunch spring onions, roughly sliced (including the green parts) salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve steamed rice small bunch coriander, leaves separated 1 tsp sesame seeds pinch gochugaru (Korean red chilli powder), or other chilli flakes Put the pork in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the gochujang and stir until the pork is completely coated. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes–1 hour. Put the mushrooms in a bowl, add warm water to cover and leave to soak for 20–30 minutes. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole. Add the onion, carrot and turnips and fry over a high heat, st...

  Method 1 Ingredients 1kg/2lb 4oz boneless pork shoulder 4 floury bread rolls, to serve For the pulled pork marinade 1 large onion, finely chopped 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1½ tsp Tabasco ½ tsp coriander seeds 2 tbsp English mustard powder 2 tsp paprika 6 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp treacle 75g/2¾oz dark brown sugar sea salt For the sweet potato fries 3 sweet potatoes, cut into thin chips 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tsp Cajun seasoning few fresh thyme sprigs For the coleslaw 3 tbsp buttermilk (or plain yoghurt) 3 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 3 carrots, peeled and grated ½ head white cabbage, finely shredded ½ head red cabbage, finely shredded 6 spring onions, thinly sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper To make the marinade, put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a smooth mixture. Put the pork in a large saucepan, pour over the marinade and turn the meat until coated. Cover and m...

  Method 1 Ingredients For the spice paste 25g/1oz fresh ginger, peeled 2 lemongrass stalks 2 red chillies 3 shallots, chopped 1 garlic clove 1 tsp turmeric powder pinch of salt 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil For the sauce 400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk 250ml/9fl oz vegetable stock For the noodles vegetable oil, for deep-frying, plus 1 tbsp for frying 150g/5oz fresh tofu, cut to 2.5cm/1in squares, dried on kitchen paper 20 oyster mushrooms, finely sliced 8 sugar snap peas or mange tout, blanched, cut in half lengthways 400g/14oz ready-made udon noodles, cooked according to packet instructions To serve fresh coriander leaves lime wedges crushed peanuts For the spice paste, place all of the spice paste ingredients, except the vegetable oil, into a food processor and blend to a pulp. With the motor still running, gradually add the oil and continue to blend until you get a loose paste (you may not need to use all the oil). For the sauce, place a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spice pas...

  Method 1 Ingredients 2 sheets filo pastry (measuring 25x25cm/10x10in square) a little melted butter 3 ripe figs 100g/3½oz Roquefort (or similar blue raw milk sheep’s cheese) 1 tsp lemon juice 3 sage leaves, chopped sprinkling of ground paprika Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Brush two sheets of filo with butter and place on top of each other. Cut into 24 equal squares. Put the squares together in pairs on top of each other at a 45 degree angle to make a star shape. Press into the holes of a 12 mini-muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining pastry to make 24 mini tartlets. Bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Transfer to a baking tray. Chop the figs into small pieces, and divide between the filo cases. Put the cheese, lemon juice and sage into a bowl. Mash down with a fork, season with pepper, then spoon blobs of cheese mixture on top of the fig. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake in the oven for five minutes, or until the cheese has just mel...

  Method 1 Ingredients For the vegetables 18-20 Brussels sprouts, trimmed (any larger sprouts cut in half through the root) 4 large carrots, peeled, trimmed, chopped 2 red onions, chopped 4 large parsnips, peeled, trimmed, chopped 3-4 heaped tbsp coconut oil handul chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme salt and freshly ground black pepper For the aduki balls 1 tbsp coconut oil, plus extra for basting 2 tsp ground cumin 1½ tsp ground turmeric 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 large onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 400g tin aduki beans, drained 50g/1¾oz chestnut flour 60g/2¼oz dried, ready-to-eat apricots,preferably organic, roughly chopped handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or 1 tsp chopped fresh chilli) 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper For the miso gravy 2 small white onions, quartered 250ml/9fl oz white wine 1 tbsp tamari 1 tbsp unpasteurised miso paste, to taste small handul chopped fresh mixed herbs (optional) Preheat the oven ...

  Method 1 Ingredients 1 large celeriac 150g/5oz butter, plus extra for the sauce salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large onion 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 Cox's apples, peeled 425ml/¾ pint London Pride ale (or similar) 4 pork chops 2 tsp vegetable oil For the salad ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 250g/9oz rocket leaves Peel the celeriac, chop into 2.5cm/1-inch chunks and place in a pan of cold water. Place on the hob, bring to the boil and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Mash the celeriac with 100g/3½oz of the butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep covered and warm. Meanwhile, peel, halve and thinly slice the onion lengthways into semicircles. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and cook the onions on a medium high heat until soft and lightly coloured. Cut the apples into quarters and cut out the cores out, then cut them again into eighths. Remove the onions from the pan, add the r...

  Method 1 Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 675g/1lb 8oz beef mince 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 350–500ml/12–18fl oz beef stock 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp redcurrant jelly 1 tbsp butter 250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms, sliced 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves 225g/8oz penne pasta 50g/1¾oz cheddar, grated 30g/1oz Parmesan, grated salt and freshly ground black pepper green or tomato salad, to serve Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or wide, flameproof casserole. Add the onions and celery and fry over a high heat for about 3 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the mince and fry until browned, breaking it up with two wooden spoons as it browns. Add the garlic and tomato purée and stir for a few seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly. Add stock (you may need the full amount stock if your pan is very wide) and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer o...