The Steps:

• Place your frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add about 0.5 tblsp butter and 0.5 tblsp olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the leeks. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute more.
• Add the chunks of potato, mustard, salt and pepper and stir briefly, then add the white wine, hot water, thyme, olives and, if the olives have been stored in brine, add about a tblsp of the olive brine. Stir again and bring the potatoes to the boil, then cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer gently until the potatoes are cooked through and the liquid had reduced considerably – this will take around 30 minutes or so.
• Enjoy these potatoes on their or with eggs or fish or whatever else you fancy.

The Variations:

• You could certainly add some parsley to good effect here or some parmesan cheese if you felt like it. A few capers wouldn’t go astray either.

The Results:

• Makes 2-3 servings

The Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180C
• Remove the outer papery skin from the head of garlic and slice off the top to expose the garlic cloves. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the garlic, wrap in foil and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the cloves have softened completely.
• While the garlic is roasting, place a large, heavy saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add 1-2 tsp each vegetable oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Stir and fry for 4-5 minutes until softened.
• Add the chopped potato and celeriac and stir briefly, then add the water or stock along with about 0.75 tsp salt (or less if you’re using stock that is already salted).
• Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cauliflower, bring back to a boil and simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• While the soup is simmering, place a small frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and toast for 3-4 minutes until fragrant, shaking the pan frequently.
• When the vegetables are cooked, remove the soup from the heat and blend until reasonably smooth. Remove 5-6 cloves of the roasted garlic from their skins and blend into the soup (adding more to taste if desired).
• Add lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and additional salt if the soup needs it and stir in the toasted cumin seeds. The soup will be fairly thick, so use additional boiling water to thin to your desired consistency.
• Serve with chopped flat leaf parsley and perhaps some toast spread with some of the remaining roasted garlic.

The Variations:

• You could toss some breadcrumbs in a little olive oil and toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes while the garlic is roasting and use as a crunchy garnish or, alternatively, scatter the soup with some toasted flaked almonds or chopped roasted cashew nuts.

The Results:

• Soup for 3-4

The Steps:

• Scrub the potato very well and (leaving the skin on) grate it. Place the grated potato into a clean tea towel, twist and squeeze to remove as much water as possible.
• Place your pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add enough oil to coat the pan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and nigella seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop (after about a minute), add the onion and fry for about five minutes or so, until starting to soften.
• Add the chopped garlic and ginger, stir and fry for about a minute more, then add the grated potato and sprinkle with the salt. Stir and fry the potato for around 10-12 minutes, adding some more oil if the mixture seems dry.
• Now flatten the potato mixture and spread it out so that it covers the base of the pan. Mix the chopped coriander with the beaten egg and pour evenly over the potatoes. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes, until the egg and potato pancake seems set.
• Now turn the pancake, by taking a plate or flat saucepan lid, placing it on the frying pan, and inverting the pan so that the pancake ends up on the plate. Then slide it carefully back into the pan and cook on the second side for a further 3-4 minutes.
• Enjoy the pancake on its own or perhaps with some fried tomatoes, mushrooms and other breakfast fare.

The Variations:

• Of course you can vary the flavourings according to your taste: add some chilli flakes to the egg, say, or omit the spices and ginger and add thyme and parsley or whatever else takes your fancy.

The Results:

• Serves one generously.

The Steps:

• Prepare the gnocchi and the sorrel sauce (recipes below).
• If you have access to a water bath for cooking purposes, then preheat it to 56C, seal each piece of salmon in a vacuum bag with some fine salt and a small knob of butter and cook in the water bath for 12 minutes. Rest for 3 minutes, then carefully remove the skin, season the top side with Maldon salt and keep warm.
• Alternatively, preheat your oven to 150C. Place the salmon fillets on a baking tray, sprinkle with some salt and a small knob of butter. Bake until just cooked through, 15-20 minutes depending on thickness. Remove the skin (or not as you prefer) and sprinkle with some Maldon salt.
• To serve: warm the gnocchi in a pan with a pinch of the tandoori spice and some butter emulsion (which is water or stock which has been heated, and to which a knob of butter has been added and whisked through).
• Place the salmon on a plate, top each fillet with 3-4 gnocchi (and, though it’s not the Guilbaud way, you could serve more gnocchi on the side). Give the sorrel sauce a whizz with a hand blender and spoon over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs.

The Variations:

• What I have cooked is already, inevitably, a variation of the real thing – I’d be inclined, in this case, to try to get the original right (or as close to right as possible) before going on any (other) major tangents.

The Results:

• Each thusly prepared salmon fillet serves one.

The Steps:

• To make the spice mix, toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small pan over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant. Grind using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and mix with the cayenne pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon and set aside.
• Preheat your oven to 200C
• Scrub the potatoes, prick all over with a fork. Scatter a baking tray with coarse salt, place the potatoes on the salt and bake until fork tender – this could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour or more, depending on size.
• Split each potato in two and scoop out the flesh. Push the flesh through a potato ricer into a bowl, or mash well using a masher or a fork if you don’t have a ricer.
• To the still warm potatoes, add the flour, parmesan, melted butter, egg and about 2 tsp of the tandoori spice (keeping aside a small amount for finishing the gnocchi later). Mix to a soft, pliable dough – if the dough feels a bit damp add a little more flour as needed.
• Break off pieces of the dough and roll into logs around the thickness of your thumb. Then cut the logs into pieces around 2cm long (the Guilbaud recipe specifies a weight of 15g for each piece). Using plenty of flour so that the pieces don’t stick, press each piece against the inside of a fork, so that it forms little ridges on one side. Alternatively, if you have such a thing as a gnocchi paddle then by all means use it.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches, dropping the pieces into the boiling water and waiting until shortly after they float back up to the top of the pot (this should only take a couple of minutes). Then remove with a slotted spoon, refresh in iced water and reserve until needed.

The Variations:

• The obvious thing to vary here is the spicing – if I had any inkling about the nature of the tandoori spice used by Guilbaud’s, I’d certainly try that out.

The Results:

• Around regular 4 dinner servings of gnocchi or perhaps 10 or so Guilbaud-style servings with the salmon above

The Steps:

• Place the fish stock in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for around 15 minutes or until reduced by about half.
• Add the sorrel leaves to the stock, remove from the heat and leave to sit for 2-3 minutes.
• Strain the stock into a clean pan and return to the heat. Whisk in the butter a little at a time. Adjust the seasoning with lemon juice (though just a few drops, otherwise you may overpower the tang of the sorrel) and salt and keep warm until required.

The Results:

• Makes around 300ml of sauce

The Steps:

• If you’re using frozen puff pastry, remove it from the freezer in advance, so that it has enough time to defrost properly.
• Soak the porcini mushrooms in about 500ml water and set aside.
• Preheat your oven to 180C.
• Scrub the potatoes and, leaving them unpeeled, cut into slices about 0.5cm thick and rinse well under cold water.
• Bring a pan of about 1.5l water to the boil, add 2 tsp salt and the potato slices. Return to the boil, then simmer gently, covered, for 6-8 minutes or until just fork tender. Drain well and then cover with a tea-towel to absorb excess steam.
• Meanwhile, place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add about half of the butter and, when melted, add the fresh mushrooms. Fry, without stirring too much, until they have released their juices and have started to brown, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove the mushrooms from the pan, add the other half of the butter and, when melted, add the sliced onion. Fry for around 7 or 8 minutes or until well softened.
• Add the chopped garlic, thyme and rosemary to the onions and stir and fry for another minute or so.
• Add the porcini mushrooms and their soaking liquid to the onions. Allow this to come to the boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for a minute more.
• Remove from the heat and add the fried mushrooms, cheese and parsley along with black pepper to taste. Check for salt and add more if it needs it (but remember that the cheese will add some saltiness too). Add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to taste.
• Add the cheese, onion and mushroom mix to the cooked potato slices and stir to combine. Check seasoning again before pouring the contents into your ovenproof dish.
• Top the dish with a sheet of puff pastry and trim to the edges of the dish. Cut a small opening in the centre of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush the pastry with beaten egg if you like and place in the oven for around 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is nicely golden. Dish this up along with salads or perhaps as a side-dish to some pork.

The Variations:

• If you wanted to make this even more substantial, you could, say, add some cooked ham to the pie just before baking

The Results:

• Serves around 4 people

The Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 200C
• Scrub the potatoes and leave them unpeeled.
• Bring a pot of about 1.5l water to the boil, add 2 tsp salt and the potatoes. Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow them to dry off and cool slightly.
• Add your oil to the roasting tin and place in the oven to heat.
• Cut a slit in each potato and insert a bay leaf.
• Remove your tin from the oven and toss the potatoes with the hot oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and return to the oven. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until tender and browned. These are lovely on their own with some salt and butter or serve alongside any kind of roast meat – Eveleen Coyle notes that they are particularly good with game.

The Variations:

• Instead of roasting the potatoes in oil, you could do like Jenni did, and bake them without oil but with a little butter added into the slit along with the bay leaf.

The Results:

• This serves 3-4 as a side-dish

The Steps:

• Slice the smoked fish into very fine, narrow strips, spread onto a plate or board, scatter with the spring onions, squeeze generously with lemon juice and set aside.
• Place a large saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add vegetable oil to coat the pan. Add the sliced onions and stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften.
• Add the tomatoes and garlic, fry for another 5-8 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened.
• Add the crushed fennel seeds and the paprika, stir briefly, then add the cubed potatoes, puy lentils, bay leaf, salt and water or stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add the chopped kale and simmer for about 30 minutes more or until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Add black pepper to taste and additional salt if it needs it.
• Remove from the heat and stir in about half of the smoked fish and spring onions. To serve, ladle into bowls and scatter with the remaining smoked fish and some chopped parsley if using.

The Variations:

• You could perhaps replace the smoked fish with some smoked bacon or leave both out and enjoy as a satisfying vegetarian main course on its own.

The Results:

• Serves 4-6 for lunch or dinner

The Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 220C and line your roasting tray with foil
• Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil (approx 1.5l water and 2 tsp salt). Add the potato chunks, return to the boil and boil gently for about 3 minutes. Drain well and then either let them sit, covered by a tea-towel, for about 5 minutes or place the saucepan over a low heat and stir the potatoes gently for a minute or so while they dry out.
• Toss the potatoes with the olive and sunflower oils and about 2 tsp coarse salt plus some black pepper.
• Spread the potatoes onto your roasting tray and place in the oven for about 10 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and garlic, along with half of the coriander, the chilli flakes and the sumac (if using). Roast for another 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and tender.
• Tip the contents of the roasting tray into a large bowl and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, spring onions, toasted sesame seeds (if using) and more salt and pepper if need be. Serve warm or at room temperature on its own or perhaps with some fried fish, such as sea bass, and stir in the remaining coriander, as well as the mint just before serving.

The Variations:

• Of course you can give Ottolenghi’s original version a whirl, using red peppers in place of the cherry tomatoes.

The Results:

• Serves around 4 people as a warm salad or side dish.

The Steps:

• Put the cooked and still warm potatoes through a potato ricer, if you have one, or mash with a potato masher or fork.
• Add the melted butter to the potatoes and mix to combine, followed by about 50ml of the warmed milk (or cream), adding more if you prefer a looser consistency. Season to taste with coarse salt and black pepper and, if you like, set aside 4-5 tblsp of the mash to swirl in later.
• Mash the sweet potatoes (again you can use a ricer if you have one) and add to the rest of the potatoes, mixing well.
• Add about half of the lime zest to the potatoes and add lime juice to taste plus more salt if you think it needs it, along with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper if using.
• To serve, swirl in the reserved (white) mash and sprinkle with the remaining lime zest. Serve with roasted poultry, pork or, for an alternative take on bangers and mash, have it with some sausages and perhaps a red onion gravy.

The Variations:

• I think you could probably substitute carrots for the sweet potatoes here, for something that’s even more Irish in nature.

The Results:

• Serves around 4 people as a side dish

The Steps:

• Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large, warm mixing bowl.
• Add the still-warm cooked, sieved potato to the flour and, using your hands, rub the potatoes into the flour (in the same way you would rub in fat), so that they are thoroughly mixed. Stir in the grated parmesan and fennel seeds.
• Mix together the puréed tomatoes and warm water. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the water and tomato mixture. Mix to form a soft dough with your hands. If it feels too wet and sticky, sprinkle with some more flour.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, or go ahead and knead using your mixer and dough hook for about 5 minutes.
• Now place the dough into a warmed and greased loaf tin. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise until about doubled in bulk (this will take longer than for ordinary yeast bread, anything up to 2 hours). The use of a damp cloth is important, as this dough tends to form a skin, which can inhibit rising when put in the oven and makes for a tougher crust.
• When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 220C, then bake the loaf for about 35-45 minutes. The bread should make a hollow sound when tapped. Don’t let the crust get too browned or hard.

The Variations:

• You can leave the parmesan out if you like, and leave out the fennel, or substitute with other herbs of your choosing. You can also shape the bread into around 8 individual bread rolls instead of a single loaf, in which case, they’ll only need about 15-20 mins baking time.

The Results:

• One loaf of potato tomato bread