The Ingredients:

• 500g Hebridean white crab meat
• 2 tbsp Desiccated coconut
• 50g Coconut cream
• 5cm Fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 Lime, juice (or enough to taste)
• 25–50g Fresh white breadcrumbs
• 750ml Vegetable oil, for deep frying

The Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, except for the breadcrumbs and oil. Grind in plenty of black pepper, then add half the breadcrumbs and mix well. Keep adding the breadcrumbs until the mixture is demonstrably firm enough to hold together. Mould the mixture into 8 cakes and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
2. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180°C (or fill a large, deep saucepan just over a third full with vegetable oil and heat it until it turns a cube of bread golden in about 30 seconds). Deep-fry the crab cakes in two batches for 2–3 minutes each until they are golden-brown, then blot them dry on kitchen paper. (At this point you could leave the cakes for an hour or so at room temperature and finish the cooking later.)
3. Heat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Put the crab cakes on a heavy baking sheet and cook for 10–15 minutes. Serve immediately.

• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large Spanish onions, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 medium eggs, plus 2 medium egg yolks
• 142ml carton double cream
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs to garnish
• 100g mild goat’s cheese, crumbled
• for the pastry
• 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g butter, diced and chilled
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• Splash of milk

The Method:

1. Put the pastry ingredients in a food processor and pulse, adding a splash of milk if the dough seems dry. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a shallow 20cm round, fluted tart tin. Pop in the freezer for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 20 minutes or until soft and golden. Season well.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with baking paper and beans and place on a baking sheet. Blind bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes, until pale golden.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Whisk the eggs, yolks and cream. Stir in the onions and chopped thyme, then spoon into the pastry case. Crumble over the cheese and bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve with a mixed leaf salad.

• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 3 red peppers, halved
• 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 75ml Cabernet Sauvignon red wine
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 x 100g rounds Somerset goat’s cheese
• Small handful shredded fresh basil
• 2 medium eggs
• 142ml carton double cream

For the pastry

• 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 75g butter, chilled and cubed
• 75g vegetable shortening or lard, chilled and cubed

Method:

1. Make the shortcrust pastry. Put the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and shortening or lard and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles crumbs. Add 4-5 tablespoons cold water and use your hands to mix it into a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 15 minutes. (Angela Hartnett’s tip: I like to use half butter and half shortening or lard, but feel free to use all butter for a richer, crumblier pastry.)

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface, then use to line a 23cm round x 2-3cm deep fluted, loose-bottomed tart tin. Press the pastry into the corners of the tin. Leave the excess overhanging the edge – trim it slightly so you have a little pastry to patch up any holes later. The overhanging pastry will ensure the pastry case doesn’t shrink during cooking. Prick the pastry base a few times with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with rice or baking beans to weigh down. Place on a baking sheet and bake blind in the hot oven for 15 minutes. Remove the rice or beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes to dry out the pastry. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Put the garlic cloves and peppers, skin-side up, on a baking tray. Grill for 8-10 minutes, until the peppers have blackened and both the garlic and peppers have softened. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with cling film, and set aside until cool enough to handle.

4. Peel and cut the peppers into strips, then place in a saucepan. Squeeze the soft garlic from its skin and add to the pan, along with any juices in the bowl. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar and wine and place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has nearly all evaporated. Season to taste and set aside.

5. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the red onions and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not coloured. Set aside. Crumble the cheese into chunky pieces in a bowl and mix in the basil. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together and season.

6. Using a small serrated knife, cut off the overhanging pastry around the edge of the pastry case. Use a little of the reserved raw pastry to plug the pastry where you pricked it with a fork, so the filling doesn’t escape. Spread half the peppers around the base, top with half the onions and scatter over the cheese and basil. Pour in the egg mixture. Scatter with the remaining peppers and onions and bake for 30 minutes, or until light-golden and just set. Cool slightly in the tin, then turn out. Serve warm or cold.

• 375g packet ready-rolled puff pastry
• Plain flour, for dusting
• 150g goat’s cheese
• 250g punnet vine cherry or pomodorino tomatoes, halved
• 1 egg, beaten with a little water
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Large sprigs basil leaves, to garnish
• 4 slices Parma ham (optional)
• Rocket, to serve

The Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Open out the pastry on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Trim off the edges to neaten – you don’t have to do this but I think it gives better results. Cut the pastry to make 4, equal-size squares and put on a baking tray. Chill until the filling is ready.

2. Break the cheese into craggy pieces. Arrange the tomato halves and goat’s cheese in the centre of each pastry square. Don’t worry if the piles look quite high, the pastry will cook up around them. Season well, then brush the edges with the beaten egg and pop in the oven for 15-18 minutes until puffed and golden.

3. Serve as they are, hot from the oven, drizzled with a little olive oil and garnished with a large basil sprig. Or top each tart with a slice of Parma ham before garnishing with the basil and rocket.