Warming up

Minty soup, nutty pasty and a seriously wicked cherry pudding make Peter Gordon's comforting winter menu simply irresistible At this time of the year we all begin to crave comfort food. Soups, stews and simple-to-prepare pasta dishes are the order of the day. You can serve the following soup and pasta as either a starter or a main course. The clafouti is really straightforward and fresh or canned cherries work well for this recipe, as do blackcurrants or wedges of apple or pear.

Kale, leek and mint soup with lamb dumplings When I serve this as a main course, I add chunks of pumpkin and pre-cooked rice to make it more filling.

2 medium leeks, finely sliced and washed well 1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced 30ml extra virgin olive oil 1 bayleaf a large handful of curly kale, washed, stems removed and finely shredded 800ml vegetable stock 200g fine lamb mince 1 cup mint leaves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon cornflour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 shallots, peeled and finely diced 250g baby spinach, washed Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and add the leeks, onion, garlic and bayleaf. Saute gently for five minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the kale and stir in. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then turn to a simmer. Mix the lamb with half the mint, all the cornflour, salt and the diced shallots. Mix well and roll into large marble-sized balls, then add to the soup and poach for 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining mint, taste for seasoning and bring to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, take it off the heat and serve.

Lemon, pinenut, raisin and spinach pasta This makes for a great luncheon or brunch dish, rich yet light at the same time, with a zing of lemon to counteract the sweetness of the raisins. The pasta I used in the photo is called trofie, and it comes from Genova. Penne, linguine or fusilli would all work equally as well.

Serves four 300g dried pasta 60ml extra virgin olive oil 2 medium sized red onions, peeled and sliced 3mm thick 120g pinenuts 90g raisins 2 lemons - peel the rind off one with a potato peeler and finely julienne it, then juice them both 60g unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 good handfuls of baby spinach freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional) Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until cooked, then drain in a colander. Meanwhile, make the 'sauce'. Heat up a saucepan, then add the oil and the onions and cook for a minute over medium to high heat until the onions begin to wilt. Add the nuts and continue to cook until the nuts become golden, then add the raisins and cook until they begin to caramelise, stirring well. Add the lemon juice and zest and cook over a medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring well. Lastly add the butter and mix in well. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, tip it into a large bowl and mix in the spinach and the salt, then the 'sauce'. Add some freshly grated parmesan if you want.

Cherry and chocolate clafouti Serve this warm, with a little runny cream, or some vanilla ice cream. The best cherries to use are black cherries.

SERVES 8.

20g unsalted butter to grease the dish 400g cherries, stalks removed and pitted 180g flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 100g caster sugar - eggs 400ml milk 150g coarsely chopped or grated bitter chocolate 20ml Kirsch (optional) 1/4 cup icing sugar Heat the oven to 190C. Grease a 1.5 litre ceramic dish with the butter. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and whisk in half the sugar, then make a well in the centre. Beat the eggs with the remaining sugar, then whisk in half the milk. Pour this mixture into the well and beat until you have a lump-free batter, then beat in the remaining milk, Kirsch and chocolate. Put the cherries into the dish and pour the batter over them. Bake in the oven and cook until the batter is golden on top and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Test with a skewer, it should come out clean, but the chocolate will inevitably make the skewer moist. Sprinkle with the icing sugar and serve while still warm.

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