Easy Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a yoghurt based Greek sauce served either as a dip with pitta bread and fresh vegetables, or as an accompaniment to grilled or roasted lamb dishes, vegetable kebabs, or falafels. It is so easy to make using just a few simple ingredients to create a fresh and versatile dish.

½ large cucumber

350g full fat Greek yoghurt

1 large garlic glove, grated

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

½ tsp sea salt

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)

Grate the cucumber (no need to peel) and put into a sieve to drain. While that's happening, assemble your sauce ingredients and chop the fresh dill (keeping a sprig to decorate).

After an hour or two, gently press the cucumber with a spoon to extract the last of the juices.

Put the yoghurt, grated garlic, olive oil, vinegar and sea salt into a large bowl and mix together. Stir in the grated cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Spoon into a small serving dish and top with a sprig of dill for decoration. Serve with warmed pitta bread for dipping.

Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Tart

This is an easy-to-make tart and the earthy flavour of the beetroot pairs well with the goat's cheese for a quick lunch during the winter months. I make this with a sheet of ready rolled puff pastry though, unlike my savoury tart collection you will need to pre-cook it slightly before adding the topping.

Goat's cheese is sold in all sorts of different shapes and varying strengths. I chose to use a mild goat's cheese log to crumble over the beetroot.

1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry

450g cooked beetroot, sliced

1 goat's cheese log

a sprinkle of black pepper

chopped walnuts

a handful of rocket

Take the pastry out of the fridge about an hour before you want to use it.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan) and put a large baking sheet in the oven to get hot. (This will ensure your tart has a crispy base). 

Unroll the pastry, keeping it on the baking paper supplied. Score a 2cm border around the edge of the pastry sheet and prick the middle with a fork. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and lift the pastry sheet (and baking paper) onto the tray. Return to the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until slighty brown.

When the time is up, remove the tart from the oven and if the centre has risen, gently flatten it - I used a fish slice. Overlap the beetroot slices down the middle and crumble the goat's cheese on top. Give it a quick grind of black pepper and return to the oven for a further ten minutes or until the goat's cheese has browned.

Remove from the oven and garnish with a few chopped walnuts and some rocket leaves. Serve with a simple salad for a delicious lunch.

Green Tomato Chutney

Green tomato chutney is a bit of a treat and something you will rarely find in the shops. It's also a fantastic way of using up those end of season green tomatoes from the garden, those unlikely to turn red before the first cold snap of winter!

I found this in my mother's recipe book and have brought it up to date, using the same amount of apples as green tomatoes and using allspice instead of chilli. It's a sweet and spicy mix, perfect with a mature cheddar cheese and a slice of fresh bread.

1 kg Bramley apples, cored, peeled and chopped

1 kg green tomatoes, chopped

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped

350g granulated sugar

350g soft brown sugar

350g chopped sultanas (optional)

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 large garlic clove, grated

1 tsp salt

900ml white wine vinegar

This amount makes about five jars

First, sterilise your jars. Have a look at 'all you need to know about making chutney' to find out how easy this is.

Next, prepare all the ingredients and then put everything into a large enamel pan. Simmer for about an hour or until it's reduced by half. Be sure to stir frequently towards the end of the cooking time to make sure it's not catching on the bottom of the pan.

When it's done, allow to cool for a short while and then spoon into warm sterilised jars and seal. It's best to leave it to mature for a few weeks before indulging as this will allow the flavours to develop.