THE NIGHTS ARE DRAWING IN ONE

A menu for cosy, relaxed and potentially lap-based hosting

MENU TO SERVE 6 PEOPLE

LEEK AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP

SHEPHERDS PIE

CARAMEL PEARS, CLOTTED CREAM YOGHURT

I am deep into my hunkering down phase of the year and quite frankly I am thrilled about it. It sometimes feels like the collective social battery has run low by this time in the calendar, and that we need to recharge before “silly season” begins. So October and November become slower and cosier as we prepare for winter and store up some charm and charisma for the onslaught of parties that December will bring. It’s a social hibernation of sorts. It coincides with the darkening evenings and the later dawns, condensation on windows and that smokey, earthy smell of falling leaves.

I crave hearty, warming meals to soothe after long days. Dinners that are reminiscent of those plopped in front of you after school which you wolf down three portions of before even uttering a word. If you are having people over, it’s people you know well, who don’t need you to be in sparkling form necessarily. People who will love a simple menu of familiar dishes that in themselves provide balm and nostalgia. Food that could be eaten on your lap, on the sofa, in front of the TV or round a puzzle. And that is what this menu is for.

Soup feels like a particularly autumnal thing I think. In fact this time last year I offered an Onion Soup as part of The Cheap, Cheerful and Comforting One so clearly it’s a craving I lean into at this time. For the 2023 October soup we are going for a proper creamy and gorgeous Leek and Cauliflower number. Cauliflower is here in the stead of the usual potato. Being deeply savoury it works amazingly with the sweet, funky leeks. The flavour of this becomes more hearty and rounded than its potato version. It’s also lighter and silkier too being a much less starchy vegetable. Obviously it needed to be drizzled with a nutty, smokey, seedy spiced butter because soup is nothing without toppings.

In the spirit of nights being shorter we are sticking with 3 courses instead of 4 today. Our main is a classic British dish that we all grew up with. It came to me in a dream in a very biblical way and I decided that was reason enough for it to be immortalised here. A well made Shepherds Pie seems a simple thing - unctuous lamb mince ragu topped with fluffy, cheesy mash. However making both the ragu and mash takes time so it is worth getting ahead. But that in itself is the beauty of this dish. It can be done well in advance, refrigerated or frozen and then when you need it all you have to do is whack the oven on. 

It’s finally hot pudding season again and sticky, Caramel Pears are just a sensational little treat. The inception of this dish was sort of an accident - I started wanting a sort of hot pear with cold, creamy yoghurt and crunchy bits. Then I remembered that at my favourite hotel Coombeshead Farm they often serve their fruity puddings with a slab of crunchy puff pastry, so I did that. Then when cooking the pears I decided to start with a bit more of a toffee, caramel sort of vibe, which is deceptively easy to do. In fact what I ended up with is a kind of deconstructed tarte tatin that is a lot less stressful to make than the real thing and is an utterly glorious finish to our meal. 

LEEK AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Eating soup as a starter make me feel a bit like I am in Downton Abbey and I bloody love it. This is such a divine soup; hearty and rich, easily vegan if you switch the dairy for plant based alternatives and super simple to make. I kind of prefer it to leek and potato because cauliflower blends so beautifully - you end up with a very luscious, velvety yet light texture with very little effort. 

Serves 6 - 8

For the soup

• 1 medium cauliflower, leaves stripped (keep them for a stir fry!), core removed and chopped into little florets - around 600g prepped weight

• 4 leeks, washed and thinly sliced

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• 30g butter

• 1 celery stick, finely diced - keep any leaves for garnish

• 1 clove garlic, finely sliced

• 3 - 4 sprigs of thyme

• 1l vegetable stock

• Salt, pepper and plenty of nutmeg

For the spiced seed butter

• 100g salted butter

• 2 tbsps sesame seeds

• 50g pumpkin seeds

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp chilli flakes

• 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped

• 6 tbsps sour cream or crème fraiche

• Celery leaves or a small bunch of parsley, finely shredded

• Bread to serve

Heat the oil and butter together in a deep, medium sized saucepan with a lid. Add in the leeks and celery when the butter is sizzling and stir well, then cover with the lid. Let the vegetables soften on a medium heat for around 10 minutes, stirring often. They will create plenty of steam to cook in and will turn a slightly brighter green. Drop in the cauliflower and garlic and stir well - the pan will be pretty full at this point. Put the lid back on and leave to cook for another 5 minutes or so before dropping in the the thyme sprigs and pouring over the vegetable stock. Season well with a good pinch of salt, fresh black pepper and a decent grating of nutmeg. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for around 15 - 20 minutes. When the cauliflower is very tender and soft then the soup is cooked. I like to use a Nutri bullet or jug blender for an ultra smooth blend. If using a Nutribullet you will have to blend in batches. Check the seasoning and pour the soup back into a pan or set aside in the fridge until needed.

To make the butter pop it into a pan along with the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Place the pan over a medium heat and let the butter melt and begin to sizzle and brown. The pumpkin seeds will pop and splutter as they toast so be warned - wear long sleeves! When the butter is foaming add the spices and thyme leaves. Let it sizzle for a minute or so more until the foam dies down - this means the butter is now caramelising. Remove it from the heat and keep warm until needed. 

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with dollops of sour cream. Drizzle over the hot, nutty, spicy butter and sprinkle over the finely shredded celery leaves if using. I like the freshness they bring but parsley works well too. Serve with crusty bread. 

MAKE AHEAD - 

• The soup can be made up to 4 days ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen for up to 6 months.

• The butter will keep for a week in the fridge just reheat it before serving.

SUBSTITUTIONS -

• Rosemary or sage would work well here is instead of thyme.

• Use different nuts or seeds in your butter - sunflower, linseed, poppy, nigella, pine nuts or almonds would all be great.

SHEPHERDS PIE

I am extremely proud of this recipe; it is my perfect iteration of this iconic pie. Some people think this is a simple dish to make but actually there are a few stages, albeit manageable ones. So make your life easier and get ahead with the lamb filling which will come to no harm in the fridge or freezer. Or make the whole thing on a quiet day and freeze it for whenever you need it most. In the dream that I had about this pie the potato was like fluffy clouds on top, so I tried to recreate that by piping the mash into large mounds. It works beautifully but it will be just as delicious if you spread it on as normal, or even ditch the piping bag and spoon it. The ragu is luscious and saucy but just in case you want it I’ve included a method for a separate lamb gravy too. Peas are an absolute must here; sometimes they are in with the lamb itself and feel free to do that if you wish, but I love a pile of them to serve alongside. Or even both! 

Serves 6 - 8

For the filling

• 1.2kg good quality lamb mince

• 3 tbsps olive oil

• 2 carrots, diced - larger than the onion

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tbsps tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tbsps fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped - around 6 sprigs

• 1 tbsp thyme leaves, picked

• 1.5 tbsps plain flour

• 800ml lamb stock

• 300ml red wine 

• 3 anchovies, optional

For the lamb gravy

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• 500g lamb neck bones / lamb scrag - ask your butcher!

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 stick of celery, diced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 200ml red wine

• 500ml lamb stock

For the mash

• 2kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into similar sized chunks

• 150g butter

• 125ml double cream

• 100g mature cheddar, finely grated - 70g for the mash, 30g for the top!

• 60g parmesan, finely grated - 40g for the mash, 20g for the top!

• Lots of salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg

• 600g frozen peas

• 40g butter

• A handful of fresh mint

• Salt and pepper

Make the lamb filling the day before at least, so it has time to rest and for the flavours to get more intense. Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan or casserole. Brown the onion, carrot and celery in the oil on a medium to high heat for 10 - 12 minutes or so. Add in the garlic and fry for 1 minute then the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture is a deep red. Now add the lamb mince and mix well, using a spoon to break it up where necessary. Cook the lamb for around 15 minutes until any liquid has evaporated and it is a uniform colour - you aren’t looking for brown necessarily, it just needs to not be pink anymore. Now stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two before adding your herbs and anchovies if you’re using them (they add a great savoury edge) and then the wine. Bring the wine to a rapid simmer and use it to scrape any good gold off the bottom of the pan, then add the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook gently for 1 hour 20 minutes on a low to medium heat. It should be bubbling but not boiling. Remove the lid for the last half an hour. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper where necessary and then set aside to cool. There will be a fair amount of fat on the top as lamb is a fatty meat. If you don’t like that feel free to scrape it off - this will be very easy to do when the mix has been chilled.

While I make the filling I like to crack on with the gravy too as it is a very similar process. In a saucepan, heat the oil on a high heat. Season the and the lamb neck bones generously with salt and pepper and then proceed to brown them off in the pan. Get lots of colour on them, turning and sealing a bit like you would with meat before a stew. Remove the bones, set them aside and add the veg. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 10 or so minutes until the veg has softened and started to go brown. Add the tomato paste, stir well and cook out for around 2 minutes until the orange oil from the paste has started to ooze into the pan. Now deglaze with the wine, scraping up any gold from the bottom and reduce by half before adding the stock, bay leaves and the browned bones. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for around 1 hour with a lid on and then 15 - 20 minutes with the lid off. It will become a slightly thicker, deep brown liquor and will have reduced by at least a third. Taste it - it shouldn’t need much more seasoning but just in case, then strain through a fine sieve to get a glossy gravy. Cool completely and then pour into a container and keep in the fridge until needed. 

For the mash, put your peeled and mashed potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold water and season generously with salt. Bring this to a boil on a high heat and then cook for around 10 - 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and just starting to fall apart. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the butter and cream in a pan until just steaming, then set aside. Drain the potatoes and, while still piping hot, use a potato ricer to mash them - it’s by far the best thing for easy mash. For extra smooth mash you can rice the potatoes directly into a sieve and then use a spatula to pass the potato through it. This does take a bit of time though so don’t worry if it feels like a step too far. Keep the mash warm on a medium to low heat and add all the cream and milk, stirring well to combine. Then stir in two thirds of each cheese and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg. It is easiest to apply your mash while it is warm so at this point grab your lamb filling and your chosen dish. This amount works well in a 30cm cast iron pan or a 30cm/37cm oven dish. Spoon in the chilled lamb mix (it is also easier to pipe mash onto something cold) and then spread it out to create an even surface. Put some of the mash into a large piping bag and then cut a large hole - around 10 - 12cm at the end. Now squeeze decent dollops of mash all over your dish, using scissors to snip through the flow of potato as it can come quite quickly - video here. This does not need to be perfect at all, just try and get an even distribution all over. You will need to refill your piping bag a couple of times. Finally use your fingers to gently press down any super craggy points, then sprinkle over the remaining cheese. You can also do dollops with a spoon if you prefer.

Leave to firm up for at least an hour while you preheat your oven to 180 fan. 

Bake for 40 - 50 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Boil the peas in plenty of salted water, drain and toss with the butter and mint. Pop the gravy into a pan bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes before pouring into a jug. Serve the pie with the peas and gravy.

MAKE AHEAD

• You can refrigerate the assembled pie for up to 3 days or freeze it. If baking from chilled, allow to sit at room temperature for an hour before putting in the oven and cook at the same time. If baking from frozen cook for 1 hour 30, covered in foil for the first 40 minutes.

• You can make the lamb filling and gravy up to 4 days ahead or freeze it ahead for up to 6 months.

• Feel free to make the mash up to 3 days ahead but just be sure to reheat it before attempting to pipe it.

SUBSTITUTIONS 

• Shepherds pie is a lamb dish (shepherds look after lambs) so if you use beef it’s called a cottage pie. 

• Use white wine if that’s what you have.

• Beef or chicken stock also work too instead of lamb stock. 

• The cheeses could be swapped with pecorino, berkswell or manchego.

CARAMEL PEARS, CLOTTED CREAM YOGHURT

Pears are a stunning Autumn fruit and they are fabulous to cook with. They hold their shape nicely even when tender and they taste incredible - fragrant and sweet. Here we cook them simply in a very easy caramel that is actually halfway to a sticky toffee sauce. Once the butter and sugar have melted and are bubbling you add the pears. As they cook their juices, along with some added lemon, fuse with the sugar and butter to create an amazing pear flavoured caramel. Served with shards of crispy puff pastry you have all the flavours of a tarte tatin and none of the hassle. I created clotted cream yoghurt on a whim, because I wanted richer yoghurt than I had, and there was a spare pot of clotted cream in my fridge. It creates a super thick, voluptuous yoghurt that is very, very good but you can just use one or the other for ease if you prefer. 

Serves 6

• 6 ripe conference pears, peeled, halved, cores scooped out with a teaspoon

• 50g unsalted butter

• 100g light brown sugar

• Juice of 1 lemon

For the yoghurt

• 130g clotted cream - avoid dried bits from the top

• 300g greek yoghurt

• 1 sheet of all butter puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200 fan. Unroll your puff pastry onto a large baking tray on a piece of baking paper, or in the paper it comes wrapped in. Cover the top with another sheet of baking paper and then pop a similar size tray on top and weigh it down with another tray on top of that. This is to make sure the pastry comes out in an even thin and crisp shard. 

Pop the weighted down pastry into the oven and bake for around 25 minutes, checking it is browning evenly after around 15. It should be an even, deep gold all over when cooked. Remove the trays on top and while still hot cut into 6 equal squares with a large, sharp knife. Leave to cool. 

To make the yoghurt, loosen the clotted cream before folding it through the yoghurt to make a smooth, ivory cream.

For the pears, put the butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat. When it is melted and bubbling add in the sugar and mix well. The sugar will start to gently dissolve into the butter after around 5 minutes and form a golden, homogeneous caramel. Carefully lay the pears cut side down into the caramel and let them cook on one side for about 8 minutes, stirring the sauce around them gently with a teaspoon. You might notice a few lumps of sugar - these will dissolve as the sauce cooks so don’t worry. Add half of the lemon juice to prevent the caramel from burning. Flip the pears and cook gently in the sauce for another 8 minutes, adding the rest of the lemon too. Then flip one more time and cook for a final 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Then you can either serve immediately or you simply reheat them in their caramel later when you need them. Put the pan on a medium heat and bring the sauce back up to bubbling. The pears will have released more juices into the sauce as they cool but don’t worry it will thicken up again as you reheat it. Simmer for 5 minutes before serving. 

To serve, pile the pears onto plates with drizzles of their sauce, dollops of yoghurt.

MAKE AHEAD - 

• The pears can be cooked up to 6 hours ahead - they are best eaten on the day that they are made. 

• The puff pastry can be baked up to 6 hours ahead and left at room temperature. 

• The yoghurt will keep for 4 days in the fridge, just mix it up to incorporate any seepage before serving. 

SUBSTITUTIONS -

• Apples or plums would be gorgeous here instead. Just be aware plums are softer and will take less time to cook. 

TIMEPLAN 

This first plan should help you see what you can get done in advance, so that for each course on the day you have at least 1, maybe 2 major parts of it taken care of. I appreciate that not everyone’s weeks are easily peppered with dinner party prep, but if you’re hosting after work or on a day where you can’t be in the kitchen, getting ahead is going to save your arse.

MISE-EN-PLACE

This is the fancy name we give to the food prep each section in the restaurant needs to do for their dishes. Hopefully breaking down each dish like this will help you feel organised. 

Use the hour before your guests arrive to organise your space too- I find it helpful to group ingredients by dish so it is all in the same place. Little ramekins are really useful for this.

STYLING

I am trying to save some money so no flowers this week, however I do love bowls of chestnuts, physalis and pomegranates at this time of year to decorate tables.

LEEK AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP

This soup is a very muted beige. It gets a little help from its various toppings but I thoroughly recommend patterned bowls with white undertones. This way the beige doesn’t look yellow or snotty against the white but the patterns prevent it from getting totally lost. You could also offer your guests the DIY option and serve it à table with a little pan of butter and bowls of sour cream and celery leaf.

SHEPHERDS PIE

This can only be served one way I think -  in its vessel in majestic glory. You will get many oohs and ahhs plonking this down on a table and serving it can get messy so it’s best to let your guests see it before it gets attacked. For drama, put the peas on your fanciest plate or bowl, ideally with a foot for height, and the gravy into cute little jugs to distribute around the table. 

CARAMEL PEARS, CLOTTED CREAM YOGHURT

You can do these various ways - either plate individual serves with the pears nestled into the creamy yoghurt and a shard of pastry alongside. Or you can pile the pears on a platter with the pastry and the yoghurt in a bowl to dollop yourselves. The secret third option is to create a pear and yoghurt pile topped with crushed puff. You choose - they all look and taste amazing.