Advice & Inspiration For Your Garden

Dairy-free spiced plum cranachan

Start preparing this the day before, so the filling can set in the fridge overnight and then be assembled and the fruit add in no time when ready to serve. We serve these in clear glass tumblers. Suit

Spiced Plum and Chestnut Roulade

One of our favourite puddings for special parties and events — easy for when you’re feeding lots of people. Through the autumn and winter, and over Christmas, this is great stuffed with spiced plums a

Spiced Oat Biscuits

Rather like homemade Hobnobs, these biscuits make a nice, light change from flapjacks, good with mousses or just as a straight biscuit with a cup of tea. They’re at their very best eaten still warm fr

Devonshire honey cake with plum or damson compote

With its quite dense texture and fantastic taste of honey, this cake almost makes you feel like you’re eating straight from the comb. It’s delicious but sweet, so serve it as a pudding with a sharp pl

My favourite granola/muesli

This is a good healthy way to start the year and start the day. Hard to beat, with a delicious taste and texture and very sustaining. Serve with natural yoghurt, topped with fresh fruit. Kept airtight

citrus fruit salad

Ideally, make this with super-nutritious blood oranges, but if they're not available, use the best standard oranges, such as Navels. It's healthy and delicious.serves 4 4 blood oranges 2 p

smoked haddock and beetroot gratin

serves 6 600g beetroot (we used mixed colours) 2 tbsp oil Salt and pepper 200g finely chopped leek 425ml full fat milk (or almond milk) 500g undyed smoked haddock 50g butter (or set

seville orange marmalade recipe

The best marmalade is quite chunkily cut and not too sweet, like the old-fashioned Oxford type. This recipe makes a delicious, deep-amber coloured marmalade.for about 3.5kg of marmalade 1.4k

sauté of red brussels sprouts with almonds recipe

Sautéed with a dash of vinegar, these amazing crimson Brussels sprouts keep their colour.for 6 750g/2lbs small red Brussels sprouts 50g/2oz whole almonds, cut in half lengthwise and toasted 30

coffee, meringue and ice cream cake

I was first given this incredible pudding by a friend, Tam Lawson, 20 years ago and I’ve made it for pretty much every Christmas since. I’ve never across anyone (apart from those who are non-dairy)

prune and armagnac tart

A brilliant winter tart for serving with a spoon of crème fraîche or vanilla ice-cream. You can make it in a few weeks to eat over Christmas, or if you have more time now, this is a good tart

parsnip balls with chilli recipe

A light alternative to dumplings, these parsnip balls are ideal for serving on their own with tzatziki, or on top of Hungarian paprakash or Venison casserole. I use an almost identical recipe

roasted tomato soup

serves 6 as a main course, 8 as a starter 1kg ripe tomatoes 2 roughly chopped fennel bulbs (about 400g) 2 large quartered onions 3 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 3 crushed garlic cloves2 tbsp (ab

kale seaweed recipe

One of my favourite snacks for a winter party – a big plate of kale seaweed, with everyone dipping in. Because of the amount of oil in the cooking, a little goes a long way. Redbor is the bes

kale, mushroom and lentil pilaf with toasted goat's cheese recipe

This is hearty, filling winter food. Chestnut mushrooms in particular are good here as they don't collapse on cooking, or you can use whole button mushrooms, oyster, or large flat field mushroom

kale and chickpea curry recipe

My sister Jane gave me this good Oriental-tasting and healthy curry recipe. She discovered it while on a detox, but now cooks it all the time. It's one of my children's favourite meals. The mush