BLACK WALNUT SLICES RECIPES

1. Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Oven grill on high • Large lidded pan, medium heat • Griddle pan, high heat • Stick blender
2. START COOKING Peel, halve and finely slice the onions and put them into the large pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Crumble in the stock cube, add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, strip in the thyme leaves and squash in 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic through a garlic crusher.
4. De-stalk the chestnut mushrooms and place the tops on the griddle pan, turning when charred.
5. Tear the chestnut stalks and portobellos into the onion pan, add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in 1 litre of boiling water and boil with the lid on.
6. Cut 4 slices of ciabatta at an angle and add to the griddle pan. When charred on both sides, rub with a halved garlic clove.
7. Coarsely grate or slice the apple into matchsticks and toss with the roughly chopped parsley and a little lemon juice.
8. Place the chestnut mushrooms on the toasts, crumble over the stilton and walnuts, then pop under the grill until the cheese is melted.
9. Use the stick blender to purée the soup to a consistency you like, then season to taste, if needed, and swirl in the cream and truffle oil.
10. Top the toasts with pinches of apple and parsley and serve on the side.

Measure all the ingredients except the poppy seeds into a food processor. Season with salt and black pepper and whiz until well combined to a soft dough.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a cigar shape about 12cm (4½in) long and 4cm (1½in) wide.

Sprinkle the poppy seeds on to a board. Roll the dough in the seeds so the roll is completely covered. Carefully wrap in cling film and place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.

Slice the roll into 20 thin slices and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until pale golden and just firm in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mary’s tips:

Can be made up to 4 days ahead and kept in an airtight tin lined with kitchen paper – this prevents the biscuits from becoming soggy.

Freeze well. Refresh in a low oven after defrosting.

Measure all the ingredients except the poppy seeds into a food processor. Season with salt and black pepper and whiz until well combined to a soft dough.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a cigar shape about 12cm (4½in) long and 4cm (1½in) wide.

Sprinkle the poppy seeds on to a board. Roll the dough in the seeds so the roll is completely covered. Carefully wrap in cling film and place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.

Slice the roll into 20 thin slices and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until pale golden and just firm in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mary’s tips:

Can be made up to 4 days ahead and kept in an airtight tin lined with kitchen paper – this prevents the biscuits from becoming soggy.

Freeze well. Refresh in a low oven after defrosting.