PARSNIP CAKES WITH GREEN SALSA

This very English vegetable goes very well with this Italian dressing from Puglia. Serve as a light lunch dish or a hefty starter. Choose a well-flavoured Puglian oil with a bit of a peppery punch such as De Carlo or Pellegrino.

Ingredients
750g parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped.
6 rashers streaky bacon or pancetta cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons Puglian olive oil
25g plain flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Green Salsa:
1 large handful parsley
1 large handful basil
a few sprigs of mint
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
6 tablespoons Puglian extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice to taste

Method
Start by cooking the parsnips in plenty of salted boiling water for about 15 minutes until tender.
While they are cooking fry the onion and bacon or pancetta in two tablespoons of olive oil until golden. Stir the flour into the onions and continue cooking for one minute.
Mash the parsnips with one tablespoon of olive oil and stir in the onion and bacon mixture. Season to taste and leave to cool.
To make the sauce chop the herbs coarsely in a blender and stir in the remaining ingredients, adding sufficient lemon juice to give a tangy flavour.
Shape the parsnip mixture into small patties with floured hands and fry in remaining olive oil for 6-8 minutes, browning on each side.
Serve with the salsa on the side.

CHORIZO AND PRAWN RISOTTO

This Spanish take on an Italian dish is both colourful and delicious. You can make smaller quantities for two or larger quantities for a buffet supper. Choose a well flavoured fruity oil from Andalucia and don’t stint on it!

Ingredients
l large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
crushed dried chillis
saffon
125ml Spanish extra virgin olive oil from Andalucia
2 chorizo sausages, sliced
350g Arborio rice
150ml white wine
550 ml strong chicken stock
1x420g can red beans, drained
200g peeled prawns
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Gently fry the onions, garlic, chill and saffron in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil for about five minutes until translucent. Add the sliced chorizo and continue cooking for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Pour on the wine and enough stock to cover the rice. Simmer gently, stirring from time to time until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Add a further 150ml of stock and simmer again until absorbed. Continue in this way until the rice is tender and all of the stock has been absorbed.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the cooked red beans. Fry quickly and add the prawns. Stir into the risotto and season to taste.

FRENCH WINTER SALAD

This salad is sometimes known as epiphany salad, perhaps because the ingredients are not difficult to find at this time of the year. A good French olive oil will lift the simple ingredients so look for something from the Vallee des Baux or Aixe-en-Provence.

Ingredients
4 medium sized waxy potatoes, steamed, peeled and cut into small chunks
1x420g can haricot beans, drained and washed
4 sharp eating apples, cored and diced
3 heads chicory (Belgian endive), sliced into rounds
sprigs of watercress

Dressing:
6 tablespoonfuls French extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix carefully together. Mix the dressing in a cup and spoon over the salad and serve at once.