Sticky blackcurrant shallots

A really easy, delicious preserve using red wine and cassis from Sybil Kapoor's recently released The Great British Vegetable Cookbook - a great present for anyone who has an allotment.

Sybil says "This ultra-sticky shallot confit will keep for several weeks covered in the fridge. It tastes amazing in blue cheese sandwiches or as an accompaniment to roast venison or steak.

SERVES 6–8

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

450g/1lb smallish shallots, peeled

salt and freshly ground black pepper

150ml/5fl oz full-bodied red wine

150ml/5fl oz crème de cassis

1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Set a wide sauté pan over a low heat. Add the oil and, once warm, mix in the peeled shallots. Season lightly and fry gently, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, until they start to colour, then cover the pan with some dampened crumpled greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook gently over a low heat for 20 minutes, or until very soft, remembering to give the pan the odd shake.

2 Remove the lid and paper. Add the wine, crème de cassis and vinegar. Return to the boil, then simmer gently for 30–35 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated into a sticky juice and the shallots are dark and soft. Season to taste and transfer to a clean container. Once cool, cover and chill until needed. Gently reheat to serve.

Sybil Kapoor’s The Great British Vegetable Cookbook is published by National Trust Books. Recipe photography is by Karen Thomas.

Oktoberfest potato salad

The key element to this typically Bavarian recipe, which comes from my book An Appetite for Ale, is the addition of hot stock which gives it a consistency half way between a conventional potato salad and mashed potato. It also has the most delicious sweet-sour flavour.

Serves 4-6

1 kg of waxy new potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized pieces
1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
4 tbsp white malt vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp caster sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp sunflower or grapeseed oil
1 medium-sized mild or sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
40g butter
Fresh chives or dill

Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender - about 12-15 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Pour 150ml of the cooking water over the vegetable bouillon powder and stir. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle (about 5 minutes), slice them roughly into a bowl.

Put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Add the salt, caster sugar and pepper and stir to dissolve. Add the oil and the onion, bring to the boil then pour the hot dressing over the sliced potatoes and stir vigorously.

Melt the butter, add to the salad and stir again. Add a little more of the potato cooking water to give you a slightly sloppy consistency, a bit like lumpy mashed potato. Leave to cool and stand for about 2 hours for the flavours to develop. Sprinkle with snipped chives or finely chopped dill and serve with cold sliced sausage and ham, frankfurters or grilled bratwrst

* Sometimes the locals add cucumber. Take half a cucumber, peel it, halve it and scoop out the seeds with the tip of a teaspoon. Cut into slices, put in a shallow plate, sprinkle with salt and put another weighted plate on the top. Leave for about 20 minutes then rinse the cucumber and pat dry. Dress with a little white vinegar seasoned with salt and sugar and a splash of sunflower oil and mix in with the potato. (Or you could serve it on its own sprinkled with a little fresh dill)

What to drink: Given this is a typical Munich salad you should drink an authentic Munchener helles or Marzen lager with it - or a Czech golden lager, at a pinch.

Potato and lemon frittata with watercress & almond salad

An unusual and fresh-tasting frittata that would make a perfect brunch dish from Ryn and Cordie's In Search of the Perfect Partner (The Food and Wine Matching Formula) reviewed here.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
3 baby potatoes
Oil or butter for greasing the dish
200g firm ricotta
4 large free range eggs
50ml cream
1 tsp cumin
1.5 lemons, zested & juiced (keep separate)
1/4 bunch chives, chopped
Salt & pepper
1 large bunch watercress
1 small red onion, sliced into rings
30ml extra virgin olive oil
80g flaked almonds, toasted

METHOD
1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. When cooled slightly, dice into 1cm cubes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
3. Grease a 25cm pie dish with oil or butter. Place the potatoes in the dish, and crumble the ricotta over the top.
4. Whisk the eggs and cream together, then add cumin, lemon zest and three quarters of the lemon juice (set aside the remaining lemon juice), chives, pepper and salt.
5. Pour this egg mix over the potatoes and ricotta. Bake the frittata for 20-25 minutes or until the egg has set. Set aside to cool slightly.
6. In a bowl, toss the watercress and sliced onion, and drizzle with the olive oil and some lemon juice. Season to taste.

TO SERVE: Plate a wedge of frittata next to a generous portion of salad and sprinkle with the almonds.

MATCH! The freshness and zestiness of a young Semillon makes a fabulous fusion with this frittata. Find one from the Hunter Valley and dig in!

Mushroom and Mustard soup

With the country blanketed by snow what else can you think of but soup? A favourite recipe from my book An Appetite for Ale that makes a great pairing with a dark, Trappist beer. You can decide how creamy you want it - my preference is to add just a dash to the soup then swirl a little in each bowl to decorate.

Serves 3-4

50g butter
250g portabella mushrooms, wiped clean and roughly chopped
1 small onion (about 90-100g), peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 small potato (about 75g), peeled and finely sliced
1 tbsp madeira or amontillado sherry
500ml fresh beef stock or stock made with a beef stock cube (or 2 level tsp yeast extract if you’re a veggie)
1 rounded tsp grain mustard
2 tbsp double cream (optional) + extra cream for swirling
A good squeeze of lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped parsley or chervil to garnish

Heat a large saucepan or cast iron casserole for a minute or two, add the butter then as soon as it’s melted tip in the mushrooms. Stir and cook for about 8-10 minutes until any liquid created begins to evaporate. Add the onion, stir and fry for 3-4 minutes then stir in the garlic and fry for a minute longer. Add the potato, stir, then add the madeira and beef stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until the potato is cooked (about 12-15 minutes). Turn the heat off and cool for a few minutes then add the mustard.

Pass the soup through a strainer, reserving the liquid and put the mushrooms into a blender. Whizz until smooth then add half of the reserved liquid and whizz again. Add the remaining liquid and whizz. Pour the soup back into the pan or casserole. Pour 150ml of water into the blender to pick up the remaining soup you haven’t managed to scrape out and add to the pan. Add the cream if using then reheat gently without boiling.

Season with a good squeeze of lemon, a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish each portion with a swirl or splosh of cream and sprinkle over a little chopped parsley or chervil.

Recommended beer match: I found Westmalle Dubbel was a great match with this soup but you could also try it with a porter or stout.