The British Larder Inspirational recipe diary

The compilation of this dish is one I like very much. I quickly get bored of dishes when the textures are mostly similar or ‘monotone’ – this is how I refer to it in the kitchen when talking to our chefs about creating new dishes. I find a dish consisting of a few surprises and gems makes the best eat.

The fresh apple, crispy bacon and soft pâté-like texture of the rillettes, plus the silky softness of the smoked eel, all work beautifully together in this recipe. Do not overdo the smoked eel as it could easily overpower the dish and it’s also pricy. You don’t really need that much either.

We have a wonderful smokehouse situated 9 miles from us here in Suffolk, called Pinney’s of Orford. Their award wining oak smoked wild English silver eels are delicious and perfect used in small quantities in a salad such as

We all love a good roast and I am sure I am not the only one who has been stuck for ideas on how to use up leftovers. This recipe is perfect and ideal for using up leftover roast pork and potatoes.

Situated in the heart of Suffolk, we are spoilt for choice, as pork farmers in our county are well known for producing some of the country’s finest pork. We love them all and we can vouch first hand for the top quality and taste. We are also in the heartland where fantastic vegetables are grown and our surrounding landscape seems to be one giant kitchen garden!

These baby parsnips are beauties and their taste is superb at this time of the year. We prefer roasting them quickly with skin and all in a hot oven with a drizzle of honey and a helping of good butter.

The lovely Mr. P inspired the makings of this recipe. He loves a good pie and one in this format, resembling a strudel, makes him very happy. He likes a bit of pastry but not too much and for him the key to a successful pie is not a soggy bottom. Well, filo pastry is a good choice for guaranteed crispness and no soggy bottoms.

I love autumn and winter for the range of colours that Mother Nature displays, and for the peacefulness around us, with everything going to rest for a few months, but consequently, the seasonal produce available at this time of year is a bit more limited. I like British apples and pears as the varieties are numerous and there are lots to choose from. We get our apples and pears from High House Farm, where Piers and Suvie endlessly and painstakingly look after their fruits. We

Winter has settled in and rain, snow and sleet is at the order of the day. Autumn has passed quickly this year. I did however managed to capture the beautiful colours of autumn that took over my beautiful apple tree. I have now managed to take a photograph of this wonderful tree in every season and I must confess that the rusty brown colours during autumn are possibly my favourites.

At this time of the year, we have an abundance of chestnuts and walnuts, along with pears, quinces and apples, all of which we squirreled away at the end of autumn going into winter. These ingredients will not last long but whilst available can be used to create some delicious and warming recipes.

I am a sucker for a good tart, savoury or sweet, and when the pastry is homemade, it’s even better. I recently made a large batch of