Ro's Banana-berry Crème Brulee

Serves 4 - preparation time less than 20 mins, cooking time c.1 hour

Ingredients:

• 250ml milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 large banana, sliced thinly
• small punnet raspberries, blueberries or blackberries
• Preheat oven to 140C/285F/Gas 1.

Heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling and turn off the heat.

Beat the egg yolks and half the sugar until the mixture is thick and pale.

Then slowly add small amounts of the warm milk, stirring occasionally, until all is incorporated.

Divide the banana and berries between four ramekin dishes, reserving 12 slices of banana and a few berries for garnish.

Pour the custard over the fruit and place in a deep-sized roasting tin, then add water to roughly halfway up the sides of each ramekin.

Bake for around an hour until just set with a golden top. Remove from the baking tray and allow to cool. When cool enough, transfer to the fridge until chilled through.

When ready to serve, top each dish with three slices of banana and then the remaining sugar. Melt the sugar under a hot grill or with a cook's blowtorch, leave to set for a few minutes then garnish with remaining berries and serve.

Anna's Chorizo Pasta at the Oasis

I ripped this recipe out of the London Paper one day and just love it. It’s very easy, and particularly useful if you forget you’ve invited friends round for a weeknight supper and have to grab ingredients quickly at the M&S at the station.

Serves 4 - ready in 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Enough penne pasta for 4 people
• Half a large chorizo sausage or all of a small one, sliced
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 12-15 cherry tomatoes, havled
• 2-3 tbsp of pesto OR tapernade - whichever you prefer
• 1 bag of washed rocket - these are usually fairly small which is perfect
• Parmesan and black olives to garnish

Put the penne on to boil in a large saucepan. Fry the sliced chorizo in a non-stick saucepan on a low-medium heat so it cooks in its own oil, turning when slightly crisp on one side. When the chorizo is cooked, set aside and throw in the halved cherry tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar to the pan so they cook in the flavoured oil. Keep on a medium/low heat.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and return to the saucepan. Then stir in the chorizo and tomatoes, quickly followed by the pesto or tapernade.
Next stir in your rocket, which will start to wilt, and you’re ready to serve onto plates, garnishing with plenty of parmesan and a few black olives

Claire's Pork Involtini with Roasted Fennel and Potatoes

Simple and delicious dinner party dish - serves 4

Ingredients

Pork:

• 800g piece pork tenderloin, cut in half
• 200g pancetta, finely sliced
• 50g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 16 asparagus spears, blanched
• 200g Gorgonzola, cut into baton-style strips
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Roasted Fennel and Potatoes:

• 2 fennel bulbs, cut into eighths
• 550g waxy potatoes, thickly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

How to do it

To make pork involtini, butterfly the pork tenderloin pieces lengthways with a sharp knife on a wooden board, then flatten carefully with a meat tenderiser. Place pancetta on board and lay tenderloins on top, leaving pancetta showing around the sides. Brush tenderloins with the softened butter. Place asparagus and Gorgonzola on tenderloins, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully roll tenderloins into a barrel, making sure the pancetta slices cover the outside of the tenderloins. Tie with kitchen string at 5cm intervals.

Preheated oven to 180C. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, then brown involtini for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove involtini from oven, cover with kitchen foil and rest for 5-7 minutes serving with roast artichokes and potatoes.

To make roast fennel and potatoes, preheat oven to 200C. Combine ingredients. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then transfer to a roasting dish and cook in oven for 30-40 minutes.