Chestnuts in Cognac & vanilla syrup

Recipe & Food styling: Mary Cadogan
Prop styling: Stuart Ovenden

Find the recipe here

A Quick Sweet Chestnut Stuffing

I've spoken before about the giant Sweet Chestnut that arcs above my fellow Commuters and I as we wait for the train each morning. A light scattering of Chestnuts nestle among the briefcases and steaming coffees on platform one; I have just enough time to hunt around in the leaves and gather the best that have fallen the previous day before hopping on the train to Metropolis. By the time Friday arrives, I have a bulging pocketful, ready to fashion into something tasty at the weekend.

A coat pocketful of Sweet Chestnuts, roasted and shelled

1 Onion

2 Garlic cloves

About 8 Sage leaves

A pinch of dried Oregano

A thick slice of stale white bread (crust if you've got it)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blitz; the wetness of the chestnuts and onion helps bind the stuffing together without the need of egg. Roast in the cavity of your Sunday Chicken, or roll into Crab apple-sized balls, place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 3o minutes (200C/fan 180C/gas 6) until golden.

Roast Mallard with sour cherry shallots

This feels about as Autumnal as things get. For the last few weeks I've been busy stocking the freezer with Pigeon, Pheasant and Wild duck; this recipe makes for a perfect Sunday lunch after a crisp, country walk. Serve with celeriac chips or mash.

1 Wild Duck (One Mallard will serve two, Teal and Widgeon are smaller so you’d need one each)

Salt and pepper

A large knob of soft butter

12 shallots, ends trimmed and peeled

Olive oil

A handful of dried sour cherries

A large wine glassful of sherry (not too dry)

1Tsp Honey

A few thyme sprigs

1 Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Rub the butter into the duck skin, season well then sit on a metal roasting dish. Toss the shallots in a little olive oil then arrange around the bird. Roast for 35 minutes, basting the duck and turning the shallots regularly.

2 Remove the duck from the dish, cover with foil and leave in a warm place to rest. Drain off any fatty juice into a bowl and put the metal dish onto the hob. Pour in the sherry, thyme, honey and cherries, then simmer with the shallots on a medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, until the sherry has reduced and the cherries have swollen.

Walnut caramel tart

Recipe: Mary Cadogan (Check out Good Food Nov '12 issue for the recipe)

Ginger-spiced pears

Recipe: Mary Cadogan (Check out Good Food Nov '12 issue for the recipe)

Raspberry licqueur

Forager's cookcard #2: Dulse

There are so many edible species of seaweed to be foraged on our shores - dulse is probably my favourite. Eat this frittata piping hot just after cooking - or let it cool, pop it in the fridge, and eat the next day.

Dulse frittata
A large handful of dulse fronds, roughly chopped
1 Onion, sliced
1 Garlic clove, grated
A small sprig of Rosemary, finely chopped
400g Cooked new potatoes, sliced
4 Eggs
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

1 Fry the potatoes in an oiled non-stick pan until they start to crisp up. Add the Dulse, onion, rosemary and garlic, then keep stirring on a low heat for a further 10 minutes.
2 Beat the eggs in a bowl. Season, then put to ones side.
3 Try to space everything out evenly in the pan, then pour in the beaten eggs. Let the frittata cook for 7-10 mins on a low heat, then pop the pan under the grill for a few minutes to cook the top.