Mushroom à la Grecque

SERVES 4

290 ml | ½ pint water

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

6 coriander seeds, well crushed

1 teaspoon dried fennel seed

freshly ground black pepper

a small pinch of salt

a pinch of caster sugar

a good squeeze of lemon juice

450 g | 1 lb button mushrooms, wiped and trimmed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1.      Place all the ingredients except the mushrooms and parsley in a saucepan and simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes.

2.      Add the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes then remove.

3.      Reduce the liquid by boiling to about 190 ml | 1/3 pint. Put the mushrooms back and allow to cool.

4.      Check the seasoning and tip into a shallow bowl or dish. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves: 4

• 170 g | 6 oz fresh green and white tagliatelle
• 170 g | 6 oz good-quality smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
• French dessing

To garnish

• 4 springs of fresh dill
• Cook the pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling water. When cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Leave to cool.
• Mix the pasta and smoked salmon with the dressing. Arrange on a 4 individual serving plates and garnish each with a sprig of fresh dill.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

SERVES 4

85 g | 3 oz plain chocolate

85 g | 3 oz butter

45 g | 1 ½ oz caster sugar

4 tablespoons golden syrup

340 g | 12 oz plain biscuits, crushed

85 g | 3 oz glace cherries

85 g | 3 oz flaked almonds

1.      Chop the chocolate and melt it slowly with the butter, sugar and syrup in a heavy saucepan, stirring all the time.

2.      Add the crushed biscuits, cherries and almonds.

3.      Grease a sheet of greaseproof paper and the inside of a 20 cm | 8 in flan ring.

4.      Press the mixture on to the paper and flatten it, using the flan ring to get a round shape.

5.      Allow to cool until set hard.

6.      Cut into small wedges.

Wine: Liquer Muscat