Clean up cocktails

If you ever find yourself having to mop the floor on your birthday, I can recommend doing so with the accompaniment of a strong, bitter sweet Negroni. Makes the whole episode far more pleasurable.

Signs of spring

An affogato, sipped and spooned one barmy Sunday, on the banks of the Regent's Canal. Made all the more delicious thanks to Laura's home made ice cream.

Sympathy for the stuffed goose

For another seasonal guest recipe, I turn to the inspirational Philippa Davies, who despite currently living an oh-so-glamorous post-Mudchute existence, found time to put together this wonderfully characterful selection for your cooking, eating, and drinking pleasure. Take it away, Philippa...

"For those who consider food one of the major loves in their life, the festive period is a very exciting time. I, being such a person, hate to admit that my body has reached the age where it can no longer remained unscathed after days on end of banqueting, boozing and revelling, so I have had to start planning a more balanced Christmas. This is not say that I won’t have my fair share of goose fat roast potatoes or mums sherry trifle but I will be having the occasional lighter and digestible meal.

Ignoring the above, however (I did say it was about balance), firstly, I have a fun, festive cocktail to get you going!"

Clementine Margarita Cocktail

enough to make many merry
Tequila chilled in the freezer
200g White Sugar
1 bag clementines
Crushed Ice

Melt the sugar with 200ml water and leave to cool. Juice the Clementines. In a jug, add 2 parts tequila, 2 parts clementine juice, 1 part sugar syrup and stir. Taste to see if the balance is right and adjust accordingly - if you prefer sour add a squeeze of lemon juice or less sugar syrup. Serve in chilled glasses rimmed with salt or sugar and filled with crushed ice.

Baked trout with tahini sauce and greens

Serves two.

for the trout
2 small trout stuffed with parsley stalks, a pinch of ground cumin, lemon wedges, seasoned and drizzled with olive oil.
blanched winter greens like chard, cavolo nero or savoy cabbage.

for the tahini Sauce
1 large tbsp spoon Tahini
100ml Water approx
Juice of ½ Lemon
½ crushed garlic clove
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
¼ tsp sweet paprika

In a bowl whisk 2 tablespoons tahini with the lemon juice slowly whisk in the water until you have the consistency of single cream then add the olive oil, parsley and paprika. Season.

To serve, bake the trout and serve warm with the blanched greens and tahini sauce poured all over.

"Cocoa for your frosty button nose"

My first guest recipe, and second guest appearance, from my dear friend Haley, all the way from the frozen hinterlands of Arctic Canada. In her words, "Sweet Lord, the best hot chocolate in the world."

for one mugful

two tbsp cocoa powder

a quarter cup of eggnog

three quarters cup of hot water

"Add the cocoa powder to the eggnog. Be sure to whip up the cocoa in the eggnog real good before adding the hot water. That's it... So good!"

Haley, I look forward to sharing your lamb dish with the world very soon.

West Country vibes

Apples at the Powderham Country Park orchards.

And some pokey-sounding cider... They like it strong down here!

Naranjade

A revitalising beverage for a summer's day in the Sierra. If you don't have oranges growing on trees in your patio, shop bought ones will do the job just fine.

Enough for 4 thirsty farmers

Two largesprigs of mint – a couple of dozen leaves

Sugar

The juice of six or seven juicy oranges

The juice of one large lemon

Water

Ice

In a large jug, 'muddle' half the mint leaves together with roughly a desert spoonful of sugar, as if you were making a mojito. Juice the oranges and lemons into the jug, and add the same volume of water. Add the remainder of the mint leaves and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Serve in tall glasses over plenty of ice.