Menu of the month - October 2012

Smoked Mackerel Pate with Ricotta 
Quite simply the easiest pâté I've ever made. All the ingredients are placed together in the bowl of the processor, then one little whiz and it's made! It also has an utterly sublime flavour – brilliant! Serve with hot toasted wholemeal bread.

Pork Chops Baked with Wild Mushrooms and Creme Fraiche 
This is quite simply the best recipe I've ever done for pork chops. Years ago I had to make do with just cultivated mushrooms and double cream, which always tended to separate in the cooking. Now, with the addition of porcini mushrooms and that heavenly ingredient crème fraîche, the recipe is even more wonderful.
 

Deep Lemon Tart 
I once spent a great deal of time trying every sort of lemon tart imaginable in order to come up with the definitive version. And here it is – thicker than is usual which, quite rightly I think, includes much more filling than pastry. If you want to serve it warm you can prepare everything in advance – and pour the filling in just before you bake it.