Rice & Lentils

Ingredients
2 oz pancetta, cut in pieces
1/2 onion, cut in chunks
1 large carrot, cut in chunks
1 celery, cut in chunks
5 sage leaves
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups hot water
3/4 cup lentils
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper


To make...
In a food processor pulse pancetta to chop into small bits. Add the pancetta into a heavy saucepan. Pulse the onion, carrot, celery, and sage leaves in food processor mincing to a fine paste. 
Put the butter and olive oil into the saucepan with the pancetta and set over medium-high heat. Cook stirring, until the fat starts to render off the pancetta. When the pancetta is sizzling add the vegetable paste, and stir for about 4 minutes until it begins to slightly stick to the bottom. Clear a space on the pan bottom, and drop in the tomato paste, toast in that spot for a minute then stir into the vegetable paste. 
Raise the heat, add the wine and cook, stirring, until wine has almost evaporated. Poor in hot water and large pinch of salt, stir then bring to a boil. Cover pan, reduce heat to simmer and let it bubble for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to develop. 
Stir in lentils, return to a simmer and cook partially covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils begin to soften about 15 minutes. Add rice, return to simmer, and cook partially covered for another 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. If dish is thickening more then you like, fully cover and reduce heat . If it seems to wet , remover cover and cook at a faster boil. 
when rice and lentils are fully cooked, stir in parmesan and serve. 

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butternut pumpkin, chopped boiled and purred
1/2 cup good maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup cream
1/4 tsp nutmeg
for dough...
1 1/2 cups flour
125g butter, chopped
1/2 cup icing sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp iced water
1 egg white
for topping...
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon 


To make dough...
Place the flour, butter, and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. While the motor is running, add the egg yolks and vanilla. Add the water and process until dough just begins to come together. Turn out on lightly floured surface, bring together, flatten into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour. 
To make topping...
Place the walnut, sugar, and cinnamon in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. set aside for later. 
To make filling...
Whisk together the purred butternut pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, cream, and nutmeg till combined. Set aside. 
To make pie...
Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out pastry on a floured surface to 3mm thick. Line the pie dish, trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Line pie dish with parchment paper and pie weights and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake for a further 5 minutes or until lightly golden. Brush the inside of the pie with egg white, poor in the filling and bake for 45 minutes or until slightly risen and firm in the middle. Top pies with the walnut sugar and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Snapper with Potatoes and Leeks

Ingredients
4 snapper filets
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp butter
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
6 fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen fava beans
2 cups baby spinach
zest of 1 lemon
2tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper


To make...
In a pan heat butter over medium add leek and garlic and cook for a minute until softened. Add potatoes, stock, season, then cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add peas, favas, spinach, lemon zest and juice and cook for another minute. Cover and keep warm until fish is ready.
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Season fish filets with salt and pepper. Cook, skin side down, for 4 minutes or until skin is crispy. Flip and cook or a further minute or 2 or  until cooked through. 
Serve fish on top of the potato and leek mixture. 

Warm Maple Steamed Puddings

Ingredients
1 cup maple syrup
150g butter, softened
2/3 cup superfine caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk


To make...
Preheat oven to 340F. In a small saucepan place the maple syrup over medium heat and bring to a boil for 8 minutes or until thickened. Distribute evenly into 1 cup capacity lightly greased baking dishes and refrigerate. 
Place the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the baking dishes.
Place the puddings into a large deep sided baking dish and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the puddings. Cover tightly with 2 sheets of aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes or until the puddings have risen and are springy to the touch. Remove puddings from water bath and invert onto plates. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. 

Rich Chocolate/Caramel Puddings

Ingredients
380g store bought caramel filling
1/3 cup heavy cream
200g dark chocolate, chopped
60g butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond meal


To make...
Preheat oven to 400F. Place the caramel and cream in a bowl and whisk until smooth and combined. Evenly distribute the caramel mixture into the bottom of 4 cup sized oven proof dishes. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted. Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer for 8-10 minutes or until fluffy and doubled in size. Fold the chocolate and almond meal through the egg mixture and divide between dishes. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until risen and centers are soft. Stand for 5 minutes. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Smores Brownies

Ingredients 
2 sticks of butter
315g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
6 graham crackers, crushed in hands
6 jumbo marshmallows


To make...
Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter your baking dish. 
In a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in both sugars. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then whisk in the vanilla and salt. 
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into saucepan, using a rubber spatula, fold in until just blended. Stir in the graham crackers. Poor evenly into your buttered baking dish. Then top with marshmallows. 
Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out almost completely clean, 35 minutes. Let cool in the dish on a wire rack, then cut into big, gooey squares.