THE SUN-SOAKED PLATE...Mediterranean recipes for family and friends

Some dessert connoisseurs may try to argue that Pâte choux is the ultimate, French, classic Pastry recipe. For me, there is no doubt that Choux pastry is one of the lightest, crispiest pastries around, it's also so versatile and can be used in so many different ways both sweet and savoury. For some reason, it has a reputation for being difficult to master, but in fact it’s so easy once you know the proper technique its almost child's play. A pre-heated hot oven is essential to rise and set the choux and if you take it out of the oven before it’s cooked thoroughly it will collapse. Any filling should not be added until the last possible moment because it will make the choux pastry sag. It’s made with plain flour, salt, butter, eggs, milk and a little sugar (if it’s being used for a sweet dish). Instead of a raising agent, choux pastry is puffed up by steam. It is used to make wonderful profiteroles, éclairs and forms the basis of the dramatic classic French...

There are certain ingredients that you almost have to treat like a sponge. Take a simple, insipid chicken breast for example; it can be totally transformed with the addition of a few herbs & spices and a couple of hours marinating before being cooked.   Although the main purpose of marinating is to add flavour, in some cases it can also help to tenderise meat, chicken and fish. Marinades can even be used on some vegetables, including aubergines, courgettes and artichokes. Part of the trick is to plan ahead so your food has time to absorb the flavours. The best way to do this is to marinate the night before and sleep on it. Most marinades combine an acid, like lemon

Apples and pears are so versatile…while they are great to eat raw; they also make a delicious addition to baked goods, salads, sauces or stews. Personally, from a cooks perspective, I prefer to use pears in my cooking. There are more than 3,000 varieties of pear cultivated all over the world, but it is thought that the wild pear originated in Asia and the ancient Greeks introduced them to Europe. They come in different shapes and sizes and vary in sweetness and texture and so can be used in different ways. Most cooks tend to prefer the Comice pear for their sweet, aromatic flavour and good texture,

Pretty soon now, potatoes should have been lifted and stored for the winter. Consequently, a wide range is now available and it’s a good time to experiment with the world’s favourite tuber. Potato & parmesan soup with walnut-watercress pesto I think the potato is a fantastic ingredient for any cook. They are so versatile, can be cooked in so many different ways and they are also a great vehicle for absorbing loads of other flavours. My favourite pairings for potatoes include truffles, bacon, capers, anchovies, watercress & caviar. The combination of warm roasted new potatoes topped with sour cream & caviar is simply awesome and must rate as my preferred canapé of all-time. Potatoes were by no means an instant success in the western world; they were thought to have originated in Chile when prehistoric tribes took them to the Andes region of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The potato had been cultivated for centuries in South America before the Spanish conquista...

Autumn is all about the harvest....it's the time for gathering and collecting…making Jam, making wine & bottling preserves. The golden colours take over from the vivid display of summer and cooking takes on a different character too. T he flavours are more powerful and pronounced, as the ingredients lend themselves to more robust, earthy dishes with game, root vegetables, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin and wild mushrooms all coming into season. Mushroom & Spinach Tartlets There’s something special about wild mushrooms. The fact that they have still defied modern cultivation methods and only grow wild in woodlands and meadows adds to their mystery. Wild varieties have been gathered since 3500bc. The Greeks exported them to the Romans who considered them food for gods and the Egyptians would only serve them to the pharaohs as they were judged to be far too good for ordinary mortals like you and me. These days’s mushroom picking is a national pastime in Spai...