CAERPHILLY, LEEK AND MUSTARD ON TOAST

This is a sort of less cheesy, more substantial Welsh rarebit. Leeks go splendidly with most cheeses but are a particularly good match for the more citrussy flavours of something like caerphilly. For those steering clear of bread, this would be super on cooked cauliflower or potatoes.

FOR 1

1 leek, about 200g

2 tbsp light olive oil

2 sprigs of thyme

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

50g coarsely grated caerphilly

1 or 2 slices of bread of your choice 1 garlic clove, halved sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE H

Trim the leek, keeping as much of the green top as possible, then wash well and cut into 2cm rounds. Heat the oil in a large saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the leek, thyme and water, stirring well to coat the leek with the oily water. Season with a pinch of salt and a little pepper, then cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the leek is very tender. Shake or stir the pan occasionally to stop it sticking, and add a little more water if the pan seems to be getting too dry before the leek has softened.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill. Once the leek is soft and sweet, check it isn’t sitting in too much liquid – it should glisten and be just coated. If there’s too much liquid, simmer with the lid off and reduce for a minute or so before stirring in the mustard and cheese.

Toast the bread lightly on both sides, then rub one side of the toast with the cut side of the garlic clove. Lift out the thyme sprigs from the leek, then check the seasoning – plenty of black pepper is good. Pile the cheesy leek mixture on to the toast and grill until the cheese is melting, bubbling and starting to brown.

Serve with some chutney or ketchup and eat straight away.

HHHHchutney or tomato ketchup

LEFTOVERS Any cheese will work for this dish. I grate all my cheese ends, weigh them and bung them together in the freezer in a little bag or box. When I have enough, this is a great, fast dish to use them in.

BACON AND EGG PIE

Bacon and egg pie is an absolute New Zealand staple – and, as my mum was a Kiwi, this featured heavily in my youth. It always came with us on picnics.

FOR 3-4

butter, for greasing

200g ready-made puff pastry plain flour, for dusting 5 eggs

4 back bacon rashers, rind removed

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

HTO SERVE H H

chutney or ketchup (optional) buttered peas or a salad (optional)

Preheat the oven to 230C/ 210C fan/gas 8. Heat a baking tray at the same time – you want a hot tray so the bottom of the pie starts crisping immediately. Grease a 24cm pie plate or cake tin with butter.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm and cut out two circles, one for the bottom, about 24cm, and one a bit smaller for the top. Line the

HHgreased plate with the larger circle of pastry, pressing it well into the base and draping any excess over the sides.

Crack the eggs into the pie (hold back a bit of the white of the last egg if it seems too much – you don’t want it overflowing! Use the tip of a sharp knife to pierce each yolk, then season the eggs well with salt and pepper.

Lay the bacon on top. Brush the rim of the pie, either using the egg white you held back or by dipping your pastry brush into the filling. Brush the top of the other circle of pastry, then cut a cross in its centre. Carefully lay this on top of the pie, brushed-side up, and press the edges together well. Trim off the excess pastry, then go round the pie rim pressing with the tines of a fork, or crimp between your finger and thumb.

Put the pie on the hot tray and reduce the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6½.

HHHCook for 25 minutes – the eggs should be set and the bacon cooked. Remove from the oven and slide the pie on to a wire rack, so the crisp bottom doesn’t steam and go soggy. Serve hot or warm with chutney or ketchup, buttered peas or a salad.

LEFTOVERS Little snippets of pastry can be pressed together and rolled out into cheese straws – a great way to use up cheese ends, too. Roll the pastry into a rectangle, brush half with Marmite, mustard, tomato chutney or tapenade and shower with grated cheese, then fold the other half over and roll again to the same size rectangle. Brush with milk and scatter with seeds – say, cumin, poppy, sesame or fennel. Cut into fingers and bake in an oven preheated to 210C/190C fan/ gas 6½ for about 12 minutes or until puffy and golden.

RICE CHILLI TACOS

This recipe came from a glut of leftover wild rice. It turned out to be a good meat replacement for chilli to go with tacos. It’s very easy to get all sorts of ready-cooked rice in little pouches these days.

FOR 4

pepper and chillies with a good pinch of salt for 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring frequently.

Turn down the heat and add a splash of water if they’re sticking or getting too brown, but a bit of colour is good. Add the garlic, oregano and spices, turn up the heat and cook for about 1½ minutes. Add the vinegar, which will evaporate immediately, then the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add the rice and sweetcorn, stir well and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick.

Heat the tortillas according to the packet instructions.

Stir most of the coriander through the chilli and season to taste with salt. Serve the chilli with the tortillas, soured cream, cheese, lime juice, remaining coriander and chillies of choice, and let people build their own.

HHH