Carpaccio of Beef with Red Pepper Relish

• 500g best-quality fillet of beef
• Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
• Sea salt
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 large red pepper
• 40g currants
• 50g very fresh pine nuts
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• Small bunch of basil leaves finely chopped
• Small bunch of rocket, chopped
• 20ml sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp sherry
• 50ml mild-tasting extra virgin olive oil
• 4 generous tbsp fromage blanc
  
  Trim the meat of any sinew or fat, then wrap and place it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes until chilled but not frozen.

Cut 16 x 25cm squares of baking parchment. Using a very sharp knife, slice the meat with the grain into eight slices. Brush one parchment square with a little olive oil and lay a slice of meat on top.

Cover with a second oiled square of parchment. Working from the centre outwards, pound the meat evenly and gently using a wooden rolling pin. When you have finished, the slice should be two or three times its original size.

Continue until you have eight slices of finished carpaccio. Refrigerate until ready to serve, but for no longer than four hours, or the meat will discolour and lose flavour.

To make the relish, roast the pepper under a hot grill, turning until the skin is charred all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and let stand for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C. Soak the currants in a little warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Warm the pine nuts in the oven for a few minutes to release their flavour.

Peel, halve and deseed the pepper, then cut into small dice and place in a bowl. Add the pine nuts and currants. Season and add the garlic, basil, rocket, sherry vinegar, sherry and finally the extra virgin olive oil. Stir well.

To assemble, carefully peel off one sheet of parchment paper from each parcel. Then lay a slice exposed side down on each chilled plate and peel off the top layer of paper. Add a second slice of beef to each plate if serving two each.

Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. Spoon over the relish, leaving most of the meat exposed. Finish with the fromage blanc and a final drizzle of relish.

Nectarine and Tomato Salad

(Serves 4)

• 4 ripe nectarines
• 20 ripe little tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• Few drops of lemon juice
• 20ml of extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 balls of buffalo mozzarella
• 12 basil leaves shredded
• 8 fine slices of Parma ham
• 2 tbsp basil oil
• Aged balsamic vinegar, to drizzle (optional)
  
  Cut the nectarines in half along their natural division, remove the stones, then cut each half into three wedges. Halve the tomatoes. Place the nectarines and tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Tear the mozzarella balls in half with your fingers and lay two halves on each plate. Now build your salad, alternating the peach slices and tomatoes with basil and Parma ham, spooning a little basil oil between the layers and seasoning delicately as you go. Finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar if you like. Serve at once, preferably with some really good chewy peasant-style bread drizzled with olive oil.
  
  Oaty Bread with Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds
  
  Makes 1 large loaf
  
  
• 325g wholemeal plain flour
• 75g plain flour
• 50g Flahavan's Organic Porridge Oats
• 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1tbsp honey
• 325ml natural yogurt
• 100ml milk
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 75g walnuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp porridge oats
  
  Set oven at 230c. Place the flours, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a mixing bowl with the seeds and walnuts. Mix the yogurt and honey together and stir into flour with the milk, to make soft dough. Mix gently to a soft dough. Spread in a 1kg loaf tin and scatter with the extra 2 tbsp oats. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200c and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. The loaf should sound hollow when the base is tapped.