(By Eric Lanlard)

Ingredients:

1. 55g butter, plus extra for greasing

2. 70g plain flour, sifted

3. 2 medium eggs

4. 250g caster sugar

5. Edible silver leaf, to decorate (from squires-shop.com, optional)

For the pastry cream filling-

1. 300ml full-fat milk

2. 25g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

3. 2 large egg yolks

4. 55g caster sugar

5. 30g plain flour

6. Icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ fan160°C/gas 4. For the choux pastry, put the butter and 150ml water in a large pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted and the water is simmering, quickly add the flour and mix to a thick paste. Mix over the heat for 1 minute, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well before adding the second egg. You should get a thick, glossy, dropping-consistency mixture. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain 1.5cm nozzle. Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets with a little water, then pipe on 25 golf-ball-size blobs, spaced apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until well risen and golden.

3. Carefully make a hole in the base of each bun with a sharp knife. Pop back in the turned off oven for 5 minutes to crisp up the centres. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the milk and chocolate in a pan over a medium heat, stirring to melt. When just simmering, remove from the heat. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together, until pale and creamy, then mix in the flour. Slowly mix in the chocolate mixture, then pour it all back into the pan. Return to a medium-low heat and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes, until thick and glossy. Cool, dust the surface with a little icing sugar to prevent a skin forming.

5. Spoon the pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain 5mm nozzle. Fill each bun, pushing the nozzle through the base-hole.

6. For the caramel, put the sugar and 2 tablespoons cold water in a wide, stainless-steel pan over a low heat. Melt gently, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Increase the temperature and simmer, without stirring, until a golden amber colour – be careful as it will easily burn. Cool slightly.

7. Carefully dip a little of each bun into the caramel, allow the excess to drip off and stack the buns up into a pyramid shape. Leave to firm up.

8. To make the spun sugar, return the caramel to the heat to melt again. Dip in a fork and flick back-and-forth over the croquembouche, repeating until you have lots of fine strands of hardened caramel all over the buns. Decorate with flecks of silver leaf, if you like, to serve.

Ingredients:

(basic recipe is per one egg yolk)

* 1 egg yolk

* 1/8 l vegetable or light olive oil

* 1-2 tsp smooth mustard

* 1 tsp lemon juice

* 1 tsp sugar

* salt to taste

Method:

Using an electric hand mixer, stand mixer or a wire whisk, whip the egg yolks with mustard, sugar, salt and lemon juice until they’re thoroughly beaten.

Now, with the mixer going full speed (or with your arm whisking as hard as it can) add the oil very slowly, as little as a drop at a time until emulsifies.

When the emulsion starts to form, you can add the oil more quickly, but keep it at a fairly moderate stream. Adding the oil too fast will break your mayonnaise.

If the emulsion thickens too much, add a teaspoon or so of lemon juice to thin it out. Continue adding oil, stopping occasionally to add more lemon juice if the mixture gets too thick.

Store unused portion in the refrigerator, where it should keep for a day or two.

Note:  Homemade maionese should be made only from completely fresh and high quality eggs to prevent food poisoning. Because there is no preservatives it should be consumed quickly, therefore only small amount should be made at a time. However, the taste of homemade maionese beats the commercial ones.

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

* 600g fillet steak, thinly sliced

* 2 tablespoons flour

* 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika

* 1 tablespoon olive oil

* 1 tablespoon butter

* 1 large onion, finely sliced

* 2 garlic cloves, crushed

* 250g button mushrooms, sliced

* ¼ cup (60mL) brandy

* 150mL beef stock

* 300mL sour cream

* 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley

Method:

Toss meat in bowl with flour and paprika to coat.

Heat oil in a large frypan over high heat, cook half the steak for 1-2 minutes until brown on all sides.

Remove and set aside, repeat with remaining steak.

Add butter to frypan, reduce heat to medium and cook onion until onion starts to soften and colour.

Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.

Add brandy and stock, cook for another minute.

Add meat, any juices, sour cream and stir well to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish stroganoff with parsley and serve with boiled potatoes or rice.

Note: Beef fillet is expensive; you can substitute with chuck or gravy beef, but will have to simmer the meat for at least 1 hour before adding sour cream.

Ingredients:

* 4 shallots, peeled and chopped

* 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

* 30g butter

* 1kg cauliflower florets

* sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

* 1.5 litres good vegetable or chicken stock

* 400ml full-fat milk

* ½ tsp grated nutmeg, plus extra for sprinkling

* 1 bay leaf

* 100ml double cream

* copped chives or parsley for garnish

Method:

1. Gently fry the shallots and garlic in a large saucepan in the butter until softened but not coloured, 2-3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and plenty of seasoning, cover and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then pour in the milk, add the nutmeg and bay leaf and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Discard the bay leaf, then blend the soup in batches in a processor or liquidiser until smooth. Pour into a saucepan, add the cream and gently reheat. Ladle the soup into bowls,  sprinkle with extra nutmeg and garnish with chives or parsley.

4. Serve with croutons, toast or savoury muffins.

Ingredients:

( serves 6-8 )

* 1 kg pork tenderloin

* 1 cup dry white wine

* 1 cup chicken broth

* 2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

* 1 teaspoon minced garlic

* 1 teaspoon pepper, divided

* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

* Vegetable cooking spray

Method:

1. Remove silver skin from tenderloin, leaving a thin layer of fat covering the tenderloin.

2. Combine wine and next 4 ingredients in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; add pork and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Seal and chill 24 hours, turning occasionally.

3. Remove pork tenderloin from marinade, discarding marinade. Pat dry, and sprinkle evenly with salt and remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper. Dredge in flour. Place pork on a lightly greased rack in a broiler pan; coat pork evenly with cooking spray.

4. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 27 to 30 minutes or until pork is browned and a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 150°, turning pork occasionally. Let stand 10 minutes.

Note: Pork tenderloin may be frozen raw in marinade up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator 2 days or until completely thawed. Proceed as directed.