Pastry has always been a challenge for me. This year I've faced my fear of it yet again but this time with a little help from Delia and Nigella and it turned out really well. With all that food about at christmas the larger mince pies can be just too much with a belly full of turnkey and pudding which is why these little mini organic christmas mince pies are so brilliant.

The picture on the left are the pies I made for the unveiling of the Live advent window at our SoOrganic Greenwich store.

This recipe (courtesy of Delia with a few mini changes) makes 36 mini mince pies.

Ingredients

1¼ lb (560 g) organic mincemeat
12 oz (350 g) organic plain flour
3 oz (75 g) lard (I used Trex vegetable fat)
3 oz (75 g) organic butter
pinch of salt

For the top:
a little milk
icing sugar

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C). Make up the pastry by sifting the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rubbing the fats into it until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Then add just enough cold water to mix to a dough that leaves the bowl clean. Leave the pastry to rest in a polythene bag in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, then roll half of it out as thinly as possible and cut it into two dozen 3 inch (7.5 cm) rounds, gathering up the scraps and re-rolling. Then do the same with the other half of the pastry, this time using the 2½ inch (6 cm) cutter.

Now grease mini patty tins lightly and line them with the larger rounds. Fill these with mincemeat to the level of the edges of the pastry. Dampen the edges of the smaller rounds of pastry with water and press them lightly into position to form lids, sealing the edges. Brush each one with milk and make three snips in the tops with a pair of scissors. Bake near the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with icing sugar. When cool, store in an airtight container.

These creamy but crunchy stuffed mushrooms and their cooling cucumber dip make a fabulous starter. Serve them with some bread and they'll do for a main course too.

This recipe was given to me by my good friend Martina, one of the best home cooks I know!

Ingredients:

• 15 Open mushrooms about 7.5-10cm (3-4 in) across


• 4  tbsp  olive oil


• 1  small onion


• 1  clove garlic, finely chopped


• 100g / (3 ½ oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs


• 50g / (2oz) walnut pieces


• 3 tbsp  chopped fresh parsley


• 3 tbsp  snipped fresh chives


• finely grated rind of ½ lemon


• 125g / (4oz) stilton, crumbled


• salt and black pepper


• 50g / (2oz) Parmesan, freshly grated


• 7.5 cm piece cucumber, finely diced


• 100ml / (4 fl oz) crème fraiche

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F Gas Mark 5. Remove the mushroom stems and finely chop together with 3 of the mushroom caps.


2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion, garlic and chopped mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes, until soft. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the breadcrumbs, walnuts, 1 ½ tablespoons each of the parsley and chives, the lemon rind and Stilton. Season well.


3. Place the 12 whole mushroom caps in a large ovenproof dish or roasting tin and divide the stuffing between them. Scatter with Parmesan, drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, basting once, until the mushrooms are tender and the tops have browned.


4. Stir the remaining herbs and the cucumber into the crème fraiche and serve with the stuffed mushrooms.

A couple of years ago I made this recipe and served it at my bonfire night party, I had quite a few to feed so I used a huge pork leg which only just fit into the oven and slow roasted overnight on the lowest possible heat. Everyone said it was amazing, falling apart tender; we ate it stuffed into crusty rolls with rocket and relish. But the real triumph of the recipe was the spiced apple relish that goes with the pork. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water; I'm going to have to cook it again.

The recipe came from the November 2006 issue of BBC Olive magazine.

Ingredients:

• 3-3.5kg Boned and rolled pork shoulder - skin deeply scored


• Olive Oil


• 300ml Dry Cider


• 4 Cooking Apples - peeled, cored and cut into chunks


• 3 tbsp Golden Caster Sugar


• 1 Cinnamon Stick


• ½ tsp crushed dried chilli


• Nutmeg


• Crusty rolls or baguettes - to serve


• Wild Rocket - to serve

 Spice Paste:

• 2 tsp fennel seeds


• 1 tsp coriander seeds


• 1tsp black peppercorns


• 1 tsp crushed dried chilli


• 3tsp sea salt


• 4 garlic cloves  - crushed


• 1 lemon - zested and juiced

What to do:

1. Heat the oven to 230 c / fan 210 c / Gas 8.
   
   
   
   1. To make the spice paste, lightly crush the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns with a pestle and mortar
   
   
   2. Add the chilli, salt, garlic, and lemon zest and mix to a paste
   
   
   3. Using your fingers push the mixture into the slits in the pork skin
   
   
   4. Put the pork, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting tin and drizzle with a little olive oil
   
   
   5. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the skin starts to crisp
   
   
   
   


2. Turn the oven down to 150 c / fan 130c / gas 2.
   
   
   
   1. Turn the pork over, pour over the lemon juice and cook for 1 hour
   
   
   2. Pour 150ml cider into the roasting tin and cook for a further hour
   
   
   
   


3. To make the relish,
   
   
   
   1. Put the apples in a pan with the sugar, remaining cider, cinnamon stick, chilli and a good grating of nutmeg.
   
   
   2. Cover and cook over a low heat until reduced to a thick pulp.
   
   
   3. Add more sugar if needed
   
   
   
   


4. Remove the pork from the oven
   
   
   
   1. Tip the pan juices into a saucepan.
   
   
   2. Turn the oven up to 220 c / fan 200 c / gas 7
   
   
   3. Cook the pork for a further 25-30 minutes until the skin has turned golden and very crisp.
   
   
   4. Rest for 10-15 minutes.
   
   
   
   


5. Spoon off the fat from the pan juices and warm over a gentle heat. Thinly slice the pork and serve in rolls or baguettes with a drizzle of warm pan juices, a handful of rocket and a good spoonful of apple relish


6. And don't forget the crackling!

This chutney is yummy with cheese or cold meats. I first made it the year I grew tomatoes from seed and because I couldn't bear to be ruthless and discard the weakest seedlings I ended up with 26 tomato plants. They were totally organic and tasted amazing. We ate an awful lot of tomatoes that summer and had quite a few green ones left at the end of the season. I originally found this recipe on The Foody Uk & Ireland, although my version is now slightly different.

I love making jams and chutneys because it puts my jar collection to good use. I am a compulsive collector washing out all shapes and sizes of jar and saving them for future use. I can't bear to throw them away, but sometimes it gets a bit ridiculous when you can't actually close the cupboard door and I have to give in and put some in the recycling bin. Happily making jams and chutneys means some of my many jars eventually do get reused!

Ingredients - organic and local where possible which is not too difficult with this ingredients list although you might struggle to find organic root ginger and organic chillies:

• 
  
  1.8kg (4lb) Green Tomatoes


• 
  
  675g (1½ lb) Onions


• 450g (1lb) Cooking Apples


• 450g (1lb) Soft Brown Sugar


• 600ml (1 pint) White Vinegar


• 225g (8oz) Sultanas (or other dried fruit, you could use a mixture of what's to hand such as apricots, dates and raisins too)


• 25g (1oz) Root Ginger


• 8 Red Chillies


• 2 tsp Salt

 What to do:

1. Prepare your jars by washing and rinsing them thoroughly. Allow them to drain but don't dry them and then stand them in a baking tin. Put them into the oven on a very low heat 70 to 100°c which will dry them out and sterilise them. I put the lids in the tray too, but it depends which ones you're using if they have any plastic on them, leave them out of the oven!


2. Wash the tomatoes and chop them, not too small, you probably want a medium sized tomato to make about 8 pieces.


3. Peel and chop the onion and apples to about the same size.


4. Put the tomatoes, onions, apple and ½ the vinegar into a big heavy bottomed saucepan, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook until tender. Probably about 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.


5. Peel the ginger and cut into a few large pieces, split the chillies lengthways and place inside a muslin bag. If you don't have one you can always use a square of muslin and tie it all into a bundle but make sure the chilli and ginger don't escape into the mixture, they'll make the chutney to hot if you do.


6. Add the sultanas or other dried fruit.


7. Continue to cook gently until the mixture starts to thicken stirring every now and then. This might take up to an hour


8. Add the sugar, the rest of the vinegar and the salt. Stir until completely dissolved.


9. Continue to simmer until the mixture becomes thick pressing the muslin bag occasionally with the spoon.


10. The mixture is ready when it is thick enough that when you draw a line through it with the spoon it stays for a while.


11. Remove the bag


12. Fill your warm jars with the chutney. Do this carefully it can be messy if you miss and will burn you. I have a jam funnel for filling jars which makes things much easier, they are not expensive so if you intend to make jams and chutneys more than once it's worth getting one.


13. Leave the jars to cool before applying labels, they won't stick otherwise


14. Leave for 4-6 weeks before eating to allow the flavour to mature, but this will keep for many months (I have some that I kept for a couple of years and it was lovely when I opened it)


15. Remember to write the date you made it and the date from which it can be eaten on the label. You will forget otherwise.

English apples season is in full swing right now so you should have no problem buying British grown apples in the supermarket but its far better to go local and head to your nearest farmers market. One of my biggest gripes with supermarkets (other than our ongoing battle with Sainsbury's over the use of our name!) is that if you try to buy organic apples from them even in the middle of English apple season, they'll offer varieties such as Gala that have come all the way from Chile or New Zealand. Where are the organically grown Russets, Bramleys and Cox's? I would much rather buy these traditional English apple varieties from my local farmers market where they have only travelled a few miles from the orchards of Kent than sample these long distance boring tasting varieties. My farmers' market apples are not organic, but they are unsprayed, but if anyone knows where to get organic versions of these varieties please let me know.

Vegetables to eat now include field mushrooms, the big flat ones which the supermarkets call portabello. I remember picking these in the fields as a child but I don't think I'll find any in my London garden, despite its rapid decline into wilderness this summer, so will have to look for those at the farmers market or local greengrocer. My favourite way to use these is in my friend Martina's recipe for stuffed mushrooms which are lovely for lunch with salad or as a substantial starter.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables include: Bramley apples, pears, damsons, figs, walnuts, the first sprouts and broccoli, squash, turnips. You should still be able to find some cobnuts too but it is approaching the end of their season. 

Wild mushrooms are everywhere at the moment and you can use them to make so many gorgeous dishes, that are really quick to prepare such as mushrooms in garlic, white wine and cream sauce, celeriac, onions are at their best now.

Seasonal meat and fish include pheasant and mussels.