PERFECT FESTIVE STARTERS

BEETROOT AND GOAT’S CHEESE SALAD INGREDIENTS

6 fresh beetroots, very finely sliced
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
50g hazelnuts
2 tbsp honey
50g salad leaves
200g goat’s cheese, sliced

For the marinade:

250ml cider vinegar
4 tbsp caster sugar or honey
1⁄4 tsp sea-salt flakes

METHOD

1. Place the porcini mushrooms in a small jug and pour over 100ml boiling water. 1 Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add 100ml water. Add the beetroot and set to one side for 3 hours or allow to marinate overnight. Drain the beetroot, reserving 5 tbsp of the marinade and set to one side. Whisk the olive oil into the reserved marinade to make a dressing and check the seasoning.

2 Place the hazelnuts in a small frying pan with the honey and a good pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and sticky. Tip on to non-stick baking parchment and allow to cool before roughly chopping.

3 To assemble the salad, divide the salad leaves between six plates, top each with slices of beetroot and goat’s cheese, drizzle with the dressing and scatter with the sticky hazelnuts.

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

2 banana shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 x 400g packs chicken livers

6 sage leaves, chopped

good pinch mace

600g unsalted butter, softened

To decorate:

16 small sage leaves

16 fresh redcurrants or cranberries

METHOD

1 Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the shallot and garlic and cook very gently for 10 minutes until perfectly softened. Remove from the pan and place in a blender. Clean 8 x 150ml glass dishes or ramekins and set to one side.

2 Return the pan to the hob, turn up to medium-high and add the chicken livers. Cook for a minute or two on each side until golden but still pink in the middle, you’ll need to do this in batches. Add the sage, sizzle for 30 seconds and then add to the blender.

3 Add the mace, season well and whizz until perfectly smooth. Add half of the butter and blend again. Spoon into the clean jars, level off the tops and set to one side. Very gently warm the remaining butter in a small pan and spoon the golden clarified butter into a jug. Discard the milky mixture left at the bottom. Pour over the pâté to cover completely. Decorate with the leaves and berries and pop in the fridge to set for two hours or up to two days before serving.

PRAWN AND AVOCADO COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS

400g cooked shelled prawns, defrosted if frozen

1 small head romaine lettuce, leaves separated

1 large avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced

2 tbsp snipped chives

¼ cucumber, cut into ribbons

lemon wedges to serve

For the dressing:

5 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

splash Tabasco

good squeeze of lemon

METHOD

1 In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Season to taste and stir in the prawns.

2 Divide some lettuce leaves among four plates and spoon the prawns into each.

3 Slice a large avocado and scatter over the prawns along with some chives and cucumber.

4 Add a wedge of lemon and serve with buttered brown bread.

PEAR, FENNEL AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD INGREDIENTS

2 small heads of fennel, halved and very finely sliced

2 ripe Rocha pears, cored and thinly sliced

50g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

2 heads of endive, leaves separated

50g fresh rocket

200g Castello Danish blue cheese

For the dressing:

4 tbsp walnut oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp honey

METHOD

1 Combine the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Add the fennel, pear, walnuts, endive and rocket and, using your hands, combine well to coat in the dressing gently.

2 Divide among 8 serving plates and top each one with chunks of cheese. Serve straight away.