Baked Mackerel with Fennel, Apple and Cider

It isn't every day that you meet a hairy biker. No, I don't mean some random Hell's Angel with excess hair. I mean one of THE original and one and only Hairy Bikers, Mr Simon King. I was chuffed to bits to bump into Simon on Saturday as I was leaving my show at the Journal Taste North East England Food and Drink Festival at Gibside in Rowlands Gill. And what lovely bloke he is, every inch the warm and happy fella you see on their TV show.

The whole point of the day was to highlight what I have been singing about for ages now; that up here in the chilly North East, we have some amazing small producers supplying unbelievably good food and drink. Without sounding like the down-trodden northerner, I do think that we suffer a little when it comes to National recognition for great food and drink production. But thanks to The Journal, our flagship newspaper, the event was a huge success with thousands of people coming out to see what all the fuss was about.

I was first to present and I actually thought that the looming dark clouds and early start may have given me one man and a dog to present to. I was astounded to see a packed marquee full of food loving people who were happy to see me chirping on for half an hour. Young fennel and Seahouses kippers were the order of the day on a variation of my orange, mustard and saffron braised fennel. I love to see people smiling and realising how easy it is to cook something that may at first seem like a complicated recipe or a confusing taste combination. I was told that within an hour, my friend Sandy Higson of the brilliant Coquet Valley Preserves had sold out of her English Mustard with Newcastle Brown Ale. Happy days.

Here is a quick fish and fennel recipe that entails minimum fuss and maximum flavour. It is great with buttery boiled potatoes and greens. And if you see a Hairy Biker, one of the originals, give them a shout. You will be assured of a big cuddle and a warm smile.

Baked Mackerel with Fennel, Apple and Cider
Feeds 2

2 mackerels, filleted
1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly lengthways
2 apples, peeled and cut into slices
150ml dry cider
2 tbsp cider vinegar
25g butter
Salt and pepper

1 - Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C, GM6.
2 - Put the cider and vinegar into a pan and bring to the boil.
3 - Layer the sliced fennel and apple into a small baking tray. Place the fillets on top, season with salt and pepper then pour on the hot cider and vinegar. Dot with butter, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
4 - Remove and scatter with finely chopped fennel fronds.

Lamb's Liver and Bacon with Ale, Sage and Onion Gravy

Happy St George's Day everybody. I'm sure you are all wearing your red roses in your lapels today and can't wait to get out of work to get home and celebrate our National Day, probably with a few English ales, a traditional English meal followed by a rousing edition of Jerusalem. Methinks that this is not the case, for like many other traditions, us Brits seem to be forgetting what they are all about.

I still can't work out why we don't put more emphasis on St George's Day in England. We all don large pixie hats and do the jig to fiddle-based tunes whilst getting sloshed on the black stuff on St Patrick's Day. I've been there, despite not having an ounce of Irish in me. I just like to take advantage of the stout offers that are usually on in the local and I have been prone to the odd jig.

So why don't we bother too much on St George's Day? Is it because we don't have a huge multi-corporate stout company advertising it in every pub? Or is it because we are apparently losing our identity and a little pride? Or are we simply embarrassed to fly the white ensign in fear that it might look like an advert for the British Nationalist Party?

One of our national broadsheet writers condemned St George's Day last year, saying that it is too much of a flag waving celebration of Anglo Saxon survival and that it should embrace our modern multi-cultural society. I'm sorry, but I have to disagree; as much as I love the fact that we have embraced cultures into our country and subsequently improved and expanded our culinary desires; and as much as I deplore the far right element to some our flag bearers. I do think that a National Day should be just that; a day to celebrate our country and instil some pride back into it. For us to smile at each other, wish each other all the best and generally be happy about where we are from. I have to ask - what on earth is wrong with that?

I love people from all over the world and I take everybody as they come no matter what country they come from. But I am proud to be English and I have no problems telling people that. So celebrate our one and only National Day with pride, crack open a few real English ales or ciders and perhaps try my version of an English classic meal. As the one and only Billy Bragg once lamented, “Oh my country, Oh my country, Oh my country, What a beautiful country you are.” Happy St George's Day everybody.

Lamb's Liver and Bacon with Ale, Sage and Onion Gravy
Feeds 4

8 slices of good quality back bacon
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, peeled, halved and sliced
A handful of sage leaves, roughly torn
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
300g lamb's liver, cut into strips
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp English mustard powder
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Half bottle of good English Ale, I used Jarrow Brewery Rivet catcher
100ml stock
1 tbsp English mustard
Salt and pepper

1 - In a large non-stick frying pan, heat up the oil. Cook the bacon for 2-3 minutes each side until crisp and golden. Put aside on kitchen paper.
2 - In the same pan, add the onions and sage and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add more oil if required. Put aside on kitchen paper.
3 - Mix the flour, mustard powder and a little seasoning together then drop in the liver. Ensure it is well coated.
4 - Heat up the oil in the pan and then add the liver. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden all over. Return the onions to the pan and pour in the ale and stock. Bring quickly to the boil then simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the English mustard and taste for seasoning.
5 - Serve with the slices of crisp bacon with buttery mashed potatoes and greens such as kale or broccoli.

Chocolate, Almond and Orange Terrine

Chocolate, Almond and Orange Terrine

300g chocolate, min 70%
250g unsalted butter
A few broken fingers of shortbread (or digestives if you prefer...or any crunchy biscuit)
100g caster sugar
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
100g toasted flaked almonds
Grated zest of 2 oranges
A jolt of brandy (or Cointreau, or rum)

1 - Melt the chocolate in a bain marie with the butter.
2 - Whip the eggs together with the sugar - not too much but so they're well blended. Stir into the chocolate butter mix thoroughly.
3 - Stir in the broken biscuits, zest, almonds and booze. I also added a handful of glacier cherries.
4 - Pour into a medium loaf tin lined with good strong cling film and place in the freezer to set for a couple of hours.
5 - When you're ready to serve, remove from the freezer 10 minutes before, remove from the tin and peel off the cling film...and then slice that old rascal up.

Sticky Banana and Chocolate Loaf Cake

This cake is a little like a banana loaf cake, a great 'cake' to start with for any budding baker as it is literally a cup of this and a cup of that. I've taken mine to a different level with the addition of some chocolate. I've also caramelised some bananas in honey which makes for a sumptuous, sticky and fragrant topping.

Sticky Banana and Chocolate Loaf Cake

6 bananas (3 ripe for the top, 3 not so ripe for the cake)
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g oats
100g honey
100g butter or low fat spread
2 eggs
100g chocolate, roughly chopped into small chunks

1 - Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees C, GM3.
2 - Drizzle a little honey into a non-stick frying pan and heat up. Slice 3 of the bananas into diagonal 1cm chunks and cook until caramelised on both sides.
3 - Line a loaf or square tin with baking paper then line this with the caramelised bananas, pouring on any sticky caramel from the pan.
4 - Mash the 3 bananas in a bowl.
5 - Beat together the butter/margarine with the honey until pale, then beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour, oats, baking powder, bananas and chocolate.
6 - Pour this into the prepared loaf tin and bake on the middle shelf for 45-50 minutes. If it starts to go brown before cooking time is up, cover with a piece of baking paper.
7 - Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack. Perfect as a dessert with cream or yoghurt or just with a good old cup of tea.

Aubergine, Cashew Nut and Coconut Curry

A curry appears on our family menu most weeks and I prefer to knock one up myself than order one in. I've got a few that I can turn to that take 10 minutes prep and 15-20 minutes cooking time, making it fresher and faster than the takeaway. If you have some garam masala, chilli, garlic and a tin of tomatoes in the cupboard, it is the basis for a whole host of curried delights.

With a few 'rules' broken during the cooking process, this curry isn't sure if it is from Thailand or India. But I reckon our Keralan friends in the south would be happy with it. Break some of these so called cooking rules, and you might be surprised at how good a simple, healthy home cooked 30 minute curry can be.

Aubergine, Cashew Nut and Coconut Curry
Feeds 2

1 aubergine
2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
1 onion
1 thumb size of ginger
4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
1 red chilli or a tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tin of coconut milk
A handful of cashew nuts
Fresh mint
Fresh coriander
1 lime (optional)
Salt and pepper

1 - Half the aubergine lengthways then slice each half into 1cm slices. Heat up the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry them on each side until golden brown. Put onto kitchen paper and set aside.
2 - In a food processor, blitz the onion, ginger and garlic into a paste. If you don't have a food processor, just chop everything by hand, it will still be great.
3 - Heat up the oil in a pan and add the paste. Cook for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and beginning to colour.
4 - Add the garam masala and chilli and cook for a further minute. Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
5 - Add the aubergine and cashew nuts and heat through. A squeeze of lime juice would be great. Taste for seasoning.
6 - Serve with boiled rice, chopped mint and coriander and some roughly chopped cashew nuts on top.

Banana, Honey and Oat Muffins

Muffins are almost a healthier option to a cake. I say almost as there is still butter and sugar prevalent, but generally less than a standard cake. They often come with fruit, bran, oats or wholemeal too which ups the healthy stakes.

There is nothing to them; they are easier than making a cake, can be experimented with at will and ready in 30 minutes. The only problem is trying to not eat them all as soon as they come out of the oven, they are so good. 

Banana, Honey and Oat Muffins
Makes 6

175g self raising flour
50g rolled oats
25g bran flakes, crushed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3 ripened bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
50g low fat spread or butter, your choice
100ml runny honey
100ml milk
A handful of walnuts, roughly chopped

1 - Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C, GM5.
2 - Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in the oats and bran flakes.
3 - Melt the butter. In another bowl, stir the eggs, butter, honey and milk together. Stir in the banana.
4 - Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and beat together with a wooden spoon. Don't worry if it looks lumpy, all will be fine. If the mixture seems a little dry, add a little more milk.
5 - Drop the mixture into greased muffin cases. Sprinkle on a few walnuts. Place onto the middle shelf and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
6 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack. Eat whilst still warm, amazing.

Lamb and Squash Hot Pot

This is a regional recipe adapted from the Cumbrian Tatty Pot. Similar to the Lancashire Hot Pot, it combines lamb, black pudding and vegetables which are slow cooked to melting deliciousness in a large pot. I've simply replaced the traditional potatoes with a squash and upped the flavour with lots of fresh thyme. It is simple, economical, unfussy, delicious down to earth food, the kind of food that I approve of. 

Lamb and Squash Hot Pot
Feeds a family with accompaniments

500g lamb shoulder, cubed
3 tbsp plain flour
Salt and pepper
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
A handful of fresh or dried thyme
2 small black or white puddings or a combination of both like I did, sliced
1 butternut squash, peeled, halved, deseeded and cut into 1cm slices
500ml of hot lamb or vegetable stock

1 - Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees C, GM3.
2 - Coat the lamb with flour and a little seasoning.
3 - Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the lamb and onions and quickly cook until golden brown for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the thyme.
4 - Take a casserole dish. Begin to layer, starting with butternut squash, then lamb and onions, then black pudding and finally a grinding of salt and pepper. Do another layer finishing with a layer of butternut squash.
5 - Pour in the hot stock until it is barely covered. Dot a few nobs of butter on the top, cover with a lid or foil and bake on the middle shelf for 2 hours.
6 - Remove the lid or foil and cook in the oven for a further 20-30 minutes or until the top begins to brown.
7 - Rest for 10 minutes then serve with greens.