Pink strawberry cheesecake

 

Ingredients

For the base

• 200g digestive biscuits
• 100g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 3 sheets of leaf gelatine
• 142ml carton single cream
• 300g full-fat soft cheese
• 100g golden caster sugar
• finely grated zest of half a lemon
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 300g strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 142ml carton whipping or double cream
• 1 medium egg white

For the sauce

• 250g strawberries, hulled and chopped, plus about 200g/8oz extra to decorate
• finely grated zest of half a lemon
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, or more to taste
•   Cook: 45 mins
  Moderately easy
  Serves 8 

  Method

  1. Seal the biscuits in a plastic bag and crush them to fine crumbs with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter, mixing thoroughly so that all the crumbs are soaked. Now tip the mixture into a loose-bottomed 24cm round cake tin, at least 5cm deep, and press down with the back of a metal spoon to make an even layer over the bottom of the tin. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
  2. Submerge the gelatine leaves in a dish of cold water, and leave to soak and soften for 5 minutes. Pour the single cream into a pan and bring just to the boil, then take off the heat. Take the gelatine leaves out of the water, give them a good squeeze to get rid of excess water, and stir one by one into the cream (they will dissolve instantly). Leave to cool for a few minutes.
  3. Beat the cheese in a bowl with the sugar, lemon zest and juice until smooth and creamy. Mix in the cream and gelatine mixture and the chopped strawberries.
  4. In another bowl, lightly whip the whipping or double cream so it falls in soft peaks, then fold it into the strawberry mixture. Whisk the egg white in a clean bowl until it forms stiff peaks, then fold gently into the cheese mixture. Pour into the cake tin and smooth down lightly. Chill for at least 21⁄2 hours until set.
  5. To make the sauce, blitz all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Taste and add more sugar if needed, then pour into a jug and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. (Both cheesecake and sauce can be made a day ahead.)
  6. To serve, run a knife between the cheesecake and the tin to loosen it, remove it from the tin, then take it off its base and put it on a serving plate. Halve the extra strawberries lengthways, pile them in the middle and serve with the jug of sauce.

   

Spaghetti with seafood velouté

 

 

Ingredients

• 8 oysters
• 300g piece skinned salmon fillet
• 3 large scallops or 6 smaller scallops
• 6 large raw tiger prawns
• 500ml fresh fish stock
• 50g butter
• 1 large shallot, chopped as finely as possible
• 200ml white wine or dry vermouth, or half of each
• 150ml whipping cream
• large handful mixed soft herbs including parsley and chives, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 150g fresh spaghetti
• drizzle olive oil
• chervil or parsley sprigs, to serve
•   Prep: 40 mins Cook: 40 mins
  
  Moderately easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. Prepare all the seafood by first opening the oysters into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juices (see video technique). Trim and slice the salmon into 6 equal-size square chunks. If the scallops are large, cut them in half lengthways. Peel and devein the prawns if needed.
  2. Place the strained oyster juice and fish stock into a shallow saucepan and bring to a simmer. First add the salmon and poach for 1 min. Add the prawns and oysters (if using large ones) and poach for 1 min more. Add the scallops and poach for 1 min more, then add the oysters (if small) and simmer everything for a final min until just cooked.
  3. Carefully tip the fish and poaching liquid into a sieve over a large saucepan or bowl, keeping all the salmon chunks intact.
  4. Heat half the butter in the cleaned shallow pan and add the shallot. Cook very gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured, then pour in the alcohol and boil until reduced to a few tablespoons. Pour in the poaching liquid and boil down until reduced by half, about 20-25 mins. Stir in the cream and, once more, reduce by half. Turn down to a gentle simmer and whisk in the rest of the butter.
  5. Gently add the seafood to the sauce, taking care not to break up the salmon. Simmer lightly until heated through, then add most of the herbs, squeeze over the lemon juice and set aside.
  6. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water until just done, about 3-4 mins, then drain well and add back to the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the herbs. You are now ready to plate up.
  7. Use a roasting fork to twirl a neat bundle of spaghetti. Stand the bundle in the middle of a warm large pasta bowl. Alternate the salmon and seafood around the pasta. Spoon the sauce over the seafood, top the pasta with the chervil or parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

Double chocolate cardamom pots

 

 

Ingredients

• 25g white chocolate
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• generous pinch ground cardamom
•   Prep: 15 mins Cook: 5 mins Plus chilling
  Easy
  Makes 4

  Method

  1. Make chocolate curls with the white chocolate by running a swivel peeler over the surface. When you have enough to sprinkle over 4 chocolate pots, set these aside, then chop the remainder.
  2. Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or in the microwave on Medium for 1½-2 mins. Leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar and cardamom. Fold in the melted chocolate, then gently fold in the chopped white chocolate.
  3. Divide between 4 small dishes or cups, about 100ml in size. Sprinkle over the white chocolate curls and chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hr.

Feta-crusted lamb with rich tomato sauce

 

Ingredients

• 7-or 8-bone rack of lamb, trimmed of fat, then cut into two racks
• few thyme sprigs, left whole, plus extra sprigs to serve
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying and drizzling
• zest ½ lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano

For the sauce

• 20g pack flat-leaf parsley
• 1 fat or 2 regular garlic cloves, crushed
• 400g can cherry tomatoes

For the crust

• 50g feta cheese, finely crumbled
• zest ½ lemon
• pinch dried oregano
• ½ slice white bread (use day-old if you can), whizzed into crumbs
•   Prep: 20 mins Cook: 30 mins Plus marinating and resting
  Easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. Marinate the lamb first. Put the racks into a non-metallic dish and mix the thyme, oil, lemon zest, garlic and half the oregano in a bowl. Rub this all over the lamb, then leave to marinate for at least 30 mins or up to 24 hrs. It’s important that you cook the lamb from room temperature rather than fridge cold, so if you’re cooking within 1 hr or so, leave it out of the fridge.
  2. For the sauce, finely chop the parsley stalks. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan or wide casserole, then add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic and the stalks, then soften for 1 min. Add the tomatoes and remaining oregano, then simmer for 5 mins until saucy, popping the cherry tomatoes with your wooden spoon to release all the juices and seeds. Chop the parsley leaves roughly and add half to the pan. Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/ gas 8. Make the crust by mixing the remaining parsley leaves, feta, zest, oregano and breadcrumbs in a bowl.
  3. When you’re ready to cook the lamb, leave most of the tasty marinade on the meat, season it well with salt and freshly ground pepper, then press the crust onto one side of each piece. Sit the racks in the sauce, with the crust-side facing upwards. Strew the thyme sprigs from the marinade over the lamb and into the sauce, then drizzle everything with a little extra virgin olive oil. Roast the lamb in the sauce, uncovered, for 20 mins (for pink and juicy meat) until the crust is golden and the sauce thickened. Leave to rest for 10 mins, loosely covered, so that the crust doesn’t go soggy, then carve the lamb between each bone to make cutlets. Serve the crusted cutlets with spoonfuls of the intense, roasted-down tomato sauce, and the Easy buttered onion pilaf and Lemony greens (recipes below). Garnish with thyme.

Melting middle truffles

 

Ingredients

• ½ 450g/1lb jar dulce de leche caramel toffee
• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• 2 x 200g/7oz bars milk chocolate, chopped
• 142ml pot double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• about 85g/3oz cocoa powder, to coat
•   Prep: 45 mins Cook: 5 mins Plus cooling and freezing
  Easy
  Makes 40

  Method

  1. Make the middles first. Heat the Dulce de Leche in a pan for 1 min until warmed and runny, then stir in the chopped dark chocolate and leave to melt. Stir until smooth. Cover a dinner plate with cling film, oil the cling film well, then tip the mix onto it. Cool, then freeze for 2 hrs or until very firm.
  2. Put the milk chocolate into a bowl. Bring the cream to the boil in another pan, then pour it over the chocolate. Leave for 2 mins, then add the vanilla and stir until smooth. Cool, then chill until set.
  3. Peel the caramel from the cling film, then snip into thumbnail-size pieces; wet kitchen scissors work best. Spread cocoa powder over a large baking tray. Take a heaped tsp of the truffle mix then, with cocoa-dusted hands, poke in a caramel chunk. Squash the mix around the caramel to seal, then roll into a ball. Put onto the tray, then shake to coat in the cocoa. Repeat with the rest of the mix, then freeze, or chill if making less than 3 days ahead.

Treacle tart hearts

 

Ingredients

• 200g cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 350g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
• ½ tsp ground ginger (optional)
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk

For the filling

• 400g golden syrup
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1⁄2
• 100g white breadcrumbs
•   Prep: 20 mins Cook: 25 mins Plus chilling
  Moderately easy
  Makes 8

  Method

  1. Blitz the butter, flour and ginger, if using, in a food processor until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar, then add the egg yolk and 2 tsp cold water. Pulse until the dough clumps together, or bring it together with a knife by hand. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and press into a smooth round. Chill for 30 mins or until firm.
  2. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of 2 x £1 coins and stamp out 8 x 11cm circles (or cut around a saucer and trim to fit tins). Line 8 x 10cm width heart shaped tins with the pastry. Re-roll trimmings. With a small cutter, stamp out 8 hearts to decorate. Chill tins and hearts for 15 mins or until firm. Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 5 and put a baking sheet in.
  3. Stir the syrup, lemon juice and zest together. Divide the breadcrumbs between tins (they should reach to the top of the pastry), then spoon the syrup over slowly, adding more once the first lot has started to soak in. Top with the small pastry hearts. Put tins onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 25 mins or until pastry is golden and the filling is orangey-gold and slightly set. Leave to cool for 15 mins, then turn onto a wire rack. Serve just warm. Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Heat in a low oven for 5 mins to warm through.

Tia Maria & chocolate creams

 

 

Ingredients

• 50g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa, broken into squares
• 150ml double cream
• 2 tbsp Tia Maria (or use another liqueur such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Kahlua)
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• Cantuccini or amaretti biscuits, to serve
•  
  Prep: 20 mins Cook: 2 mins Plus chilling
  Easy
  Serves 2

  Method

  1. Put the chocolate into a bowl. Mix the cream with the Tia Maria, reserve 2 tbsp, then tip the rest into a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat and tip straight over the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate melts. Divide between 2 small glasses and allow to cool slightly. Whip the remaining cream until slightly thickened, then spoon over the cooled chocolate mix. Chill for at least 1 hr to set. While you’re waiting, cut a heart shape from a piece of thick card.
  2. When ready to serve, set the card over the glass and sift over a dusting of cocoa powder. Lift off carefully and do the same with the other glass.

Chocolate & almond puds with boozy hot chocolate sauce

 

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened, plus extra for the moulds
• 25g toasted flaked almonds, chopped
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 25g self-raising flour
• 25g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, to serve

For the sauce

• 50g dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp butter
• 125ml double cream
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp Disaronno (amaretto)
•  
  Prep: 10 mins Cook: 25 mins
  Easy
  Serves 2

• Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 2 x 150ml dariole moulds, scatter in the flaked almonds so they stick to the base and sides and put on a small baking tray. Beat the butter, sugar, egg, flour, ground almonds and cocoa powder together, then divide between the moulds. Bake for 20-25 mins until a skewer comes out clean.
  2. Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt all the ingredients in a small pan and keep warm.
  3. Carefully turn the cakes out of their moulds and sit on 2 plates (the same way up as they baked). Serve with vanilla ice cream, the hot chocolate sauce, espressos and a splash more Disaronno.
   

Warm lobster & potato salad with truffled mayonnaise

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cooked lobsters, about 500g each
• 250g fine green beans, cooked
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 12 new potatoes, cooked
• 100g mixed baby salad leaves
• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

For the mayonnaise

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp English mustard
• 300ml olive oil
• few drops truffle oil (optional)
• juice ½ lemon
•  
  Prep: 1 hr, 10 mins Cook: 20 mins
  Moderately easy
  Serves 4 
   

  Method

  1. To make the mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolks with the mustard and some salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Trickle in a few drops of oil, whisking vigorously.
  2. Continue to whisk in the oil, little by little at first, then slowly increasing the amount to a steady stream. Make sure each addition is well incorporated before you add any more. Finally, add a few drops of the truffle oil, if using, then finish with the lemon juice. Keep in the fridge until needed.
  3. Prepare the lobster and remove the meat from the claws and tail. Trim the frayed bit of meat from the tails and flake the claw meat into large chunks, discarding the membrane. Set aside. Cut the tails into 6 slices each and set aside.
  4. Trim the ends off the beans and cut the beans in half. Tip into a bowl with the shallots and 3 tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the lobster claw meat and squeeze over a lemon half, then set aside.
  5. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the potato slices over a medium heat for 5 mins on each side until crisp and golden. Use a fish slice to transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
  6. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the same pan and lower the heat, add the slices of tail meat to the pan, then heat through in the oil for a few moments on each side. Turn off the heat, season lightly with salt and pepper and squeeze over the lemon. Moments before you are ready to plate up, toss the salad leaves with the balsamic vinegar and remaining olive oil. You are now ready to plate up.
  7. Spoon a quarter of the green bean salad into the centre of the plate. Shape using a 10cm ring or cutter, if you have one, then press down lightly and remove the ring. Place 1 tsp of mayonnaise on the four opposite sides of the outside of the plate and sit a piece of lobster on top of each spoonful of mayonnaise.
  8. Put a fried potato slice in between each pile of lobster so you have alternate pieces of lobster, then potato. Toss the leaves in the dressing and carefully tower a small handful on top of the green beans and serve straight away.

Salmon with tarragon Hollandaise

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 salmon fillets, scaled, skin on, about 140g/5oz each
• 125g pack asparagus tips, ends trimmed
• 2 bunches cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 150ml hollandaise sauce, to serve (we used Joubére Fresh Hollandaise Sauce)
•  
  Prep: 5 mins Cook: 5 mins
  Easy
  Serves 2

  Method

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan over a high heat. Add the salmon, skin-side down, then cook for 5 mins until the skin is crisp.
• Add the asparagus and vine tomatoes to the pan, then place in the oven. Cook for 7-10 mins until the salmon is just cooked through.
• Add the tarragon to the Hollandaise and stir through. Drizzle over the salmon, then serve

Roasted duck breast with plum sauce

 

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 star anise
• 25g butter

For the plum sauce

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 250g dark red plums, halved, stoned and cut into small wedges
• 50g demerara sugar
• 50ml red wine
• 300ml beef stock
•  
  Prep: 10 mins Cook: 15 mins - 20 mins Plus resting
  Easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. For the sauce, fry the shallot in the oil for 5 mins or until softened but not coloured. Add the plums and sugar, stirring for a few mins until the sugar has dissolved. Add the red wine and stock, then simmer for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly thickened. Keep warm or leave at room temperature for up to a day before reheating to serve.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan and place the duck breasts in, skin-side down. Fry for 6-7 mins, then turn and add the thyme, star anise and butter. Allow this to melt, basting the duck with the juices, then transfer everything to a small roasting tin and finish in the oven for 5-6 mins for pink or 10-12 mins for well done.
  3. When the duck is ready, baste again with the juices, then rest for 5 mins while you finish everything else.
  4. To serve, thinly slice each duck breast on a chopping board. Arrange on each plate along with a spoon of the Creamed potatoes, some of the plum sauce and the Buttered spinach.

Simple squash risotto

 

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 4 tbsp light olive oil
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, picked
• 140g risotto rice (we like carnaroli)
• 100ml white wine
• 50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated
•   Prep: 15 mins - 20 mins Cook: 35 mins
  Easy
  Serves 2 
  
  

  Method

  1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Peel the squash and separate the bulbous seed-bearing section from the slender end. Chop the slender end into 2cm cubes, toss in half the oil, season lightly and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and soft in the centre, about 30 mins. Cut the bulb in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon – you can keep these to toast in the oven and sprinkle over salads. Chop the flesh into 2cm pieces. Warm the vegetable stock in a small pan, set over a low heat. Drop in squash and leave to gently poach.
  2. While the squash is roasting, warm a medium-size frying pan over a gentle heat. Add the remaining olive oil and half the butter, followed by the onion. Cover and cook for 3 mins until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the celery, garlic, herbs and a few turns of pepper (no salt at this stage). Cover again and cook for a further 2 mins. Increase the heat slightly and stir in the rice. Stir, uncovered, for about 5 mins – this will help to develop the toasty aroma of the rice without burning the veg.
  3. Turn up the heat, stir in the wine and let it bubble away to almost nothing. Reduce the heat and start adding the stock. Add one ladle at a time, stirring gently but constantly during each addition. The idea is to encourage the rice to absorb the liquid and soften, but also give up its starch to thicken the remaining broth. Don’t stir too aggressively or you will end up with a pan of mush. When the stock has been absorbed, it’s time to add the next ladleful and so on. It will take about 15 mins to reach the final ladle of stock. By this time the squash in the stock should have softened. Mash it up with the remaining stock and stir into the risotto.
  4. Turn off the heat, dot the top of the risotto with remaining butter and most of the Parmesan, cover, leave to rest for 2 mins, then stir through and check the seasoning. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and sprinkle the roasted squash and leftover Parmesan on top. Serve with crusty bread and Sautéed spinach (below).

Pot-roasted pheasant

 

 

Ingredients

For the pheasant

• 1 oven-ready pheasant, legs removed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 smoked bacon rasher
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 leek, roughly sliced
• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic bulb, halved
• 1 thyme sprig
• 250ml fresh chicken stock
• carrot purée, to serve (see recipe below)

For the potatoes

• 1 medium potato (Maris Piper are good)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 smoked streaky bacon rashers
• 1 thyme sprig
• 100ml fresh chicken stock 
  Prep: 40 mins Cook: 1 hr, 15 mins
  Easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. Start with the potatoes. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Trim the wider side off the potato and cut into 2 thick slices, so each side sits flat in the pan. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and fry the bacon for 2 mins until crisp. Push the bacon aside; then, over a very high heat, brown the potato slices really well for about 3 mins on each side.
  2. Add the thyme, splash in the stock and place in the oven while you cook the pheasant.
  3. Season the pheasant really well. Heat the oil in a casserole dish and add the pheasant pieces. Spend about 10 mins making sure the meat is well coloured on all sides, using tongs to turn the pieces when needed.
  4. Remove the meat from the dish and add a splash more oil. Sizzle the bacon for 1 min, then add all the vegetables and the thyme. Turn up the heat and brown the vegetables really well. Nestle the legs amongst the vegetables and sit the breast on top. Place in the oven, uncovered, to roast for 25 mins.
  5. Remove the dish from oven, lift out the breast and leave somewhere warm to rest. Pour the chicken stock over the legs and return to the oven for 20 mins to braise. Meanwhile, gently reheat the carrot purée in a pan, stirring in a touch of butter.
  6. Remove the legs from the dish and set aside. Use a potato masher to squash the veg into the sauce to thicken. Season well and strain the sauce into a bowl. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and finely chop the bacon from the potato pan into small bits – you are now ready to carve the pheasant and plate up.
  7. Neatly cut each breast away from the carcass. Slice into 2 and cut each leg through the joint into 2 pieces. Cut each potato in half on an angle. Smear a large spoonful of carrot purée along one side of the plate. Lean the pheasant pieces against each other and lay a piece of potato alongside. Scatter the pheasant breast with the chopped bacon, spoon over the sauce and serve.

Rump steak with quick mushroom and red wine sauce

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 rump steaks (about 200g/8oz each)
• 140g mushrooms, quartered
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
• 150ml red wine
• 1 tbsp butter
•   Prep: 5 mins Cook: 10 mins
  Easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. Heat the oil in a pan. Season the steaks, then fry for 2-3 mins each side for medium rare, or cook more to your liking. Remove from the pan, then set aside to rest.
  2. Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves to the pan, then cook for a couple of mins until softened and golden. Pour in the wine and bubble until syrupy, then turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Season.
  3. Serve the steaks with the mushroom sauce poured over, along with creamy mash and some crunchy spring greens.

Slow-cooked duck legs in Port with celeriac gratin

 

Ingredients

• 2 duck legs
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• 2 cloves
• 2 strips orange skin (with a potato peeler)
• 150ml port
• 500ml chicken stock

For the gratin

• 100ml milk
• 100ml double cream
• 1 garlic clove, squashed
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 25g butter, plus extra for greasing
• ¼ small celeriac (about 100g), quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 small potato, thinly sliced
• grated parmesan, for sprinkling
• seasonal vegetables, to serve
• Cook: 2 hrs, 30 mins Prep 15 mins + infusing
  Moderately easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the duck legs in a flameproof casserole set over a medium heat. Brown all over, then remove from the casserole and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat, leave more fat in the pan if you are doubling or tripling (save the drained fat for your Christmas roasties). Add the carrots and onion to the casserole and cook for 5-10 mins or until starting to caramelise. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min more. Return the duck along with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and put in the oven for 2 hrs.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the gratin. Put the milk, cream, garlic and rosemary in a pan set over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 mins. Grease 2 ramekins (about 8cm diameter, 5cm deep). Arrange the celeriac and potato slices in the ramekins, seasoning the layers as you go. Remove the garlic and rosemary from the milk, pour over the veg, then dot with butter. Cover tightly with foil and bake with the duck for 1½ hrs.
  3. Once cooked, remove the duck and gratins from the oven. To freeze the duck, cool, then pack into a freezer container, pushing the duck under the sauce. If it doesn’t cover it, lay cling film on top. Use within 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the casserole and complete from Step 4. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put a heavy can on top of each foil-wrapped gratin and stand for 15-20 mins, or chill like this until needed. Once pressed, turn the gratins out onto a baking tray, sprinkle with a little Parmesan and bake for 20 mins until golden.
  4. Meanwhile, remove the duck legs from the casserole, strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the sauce by half until thickened and glossy. Add the duck legs and heat through. Put a duck leg on each plate with a little sauce spooned over the top. Serve with the gratins and seasonal veg.