Tom says: “These crunchy fritters are a perfect speedy lunch. Carrots bring sweetness and there’s gentle spicing from the nigella seeds and cumin, all cooled down with a herby yoghurt dip. Once you’ve got the hang of making the fritters, play around with the ingredients you use – any root veg, or courgettes, will work.”

Makes 16–20

Ingredients

• 500g grated carrots
• 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp nigella seeds
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp plain flour
• 4 tbsp finely grated parmesan
• 50ml vegetable or sunflower oil, to cook
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, to serve

For the herby yoghurt:

• 250g Greek yoghurt
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp dill leaves, chopped

Method

Put the grated carrots into the middle of a clean J-cloth or tea towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Tip the carrots into a large bowl.

Add the beaten eggs, spices, spring onions, parsley, flour and grated parmesan to the carrots and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until well combined. (Now this mixture can hold in the fridge until you are ready to cook the fritters.)

For the herby yoghurt, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the oil and let it heat up. Test the oil by putting a tiny bit of the carrot mixture into the pan; if bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.

You will need to cook the fritters in batches. Add heaped tablespoonfuls of the carrot mixture to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and golden brown on each side, flattening each one a little with the back of the spoon before flipping it over.

As the fritters are cooked, pop them on a baking tray and keep them warm in a low oven, while you cook the rest.

Once they are all cooked, pop the fritters onto plates and add a big spoonful of herby yoghurt. Serve with lemon wedges, and a side salad if you like.

Tom says: “I guarantee this one-pot sausage stew will become a new regular on your midweek menu. It delivers on all fronts with filling beans, sweet cherry tomatoes and smokiness from the paprika. Get a good colour on the sausages in the pan first, as this really boosts the flavour.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 pork sausages
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 120ml red wine
• 400ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat a large non-stick casserole pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil followed by the sausages. Cook, turning, for around 5-6 minutes or until well browned on all sides. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the paprika and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute before deglazing the pan with the wine. Let bubble, stirring gently, until the wine is reduced by half.

Add the beef stock, rosemary and tinned tomatoes and bring the sauce to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Now add the sausages back to the pan, along with the butter beans. Leave to simmer gently for another 5 minutes or so.

Lastly stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes are just starting to break down. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley.

Divide the stew between warmed bowls or plates and serve with crusty bread, or mashed potato if you prefer.

Tom says: “Who doesn’t get excited by a beautiful pie topped with crispy golden pastry? For the filling, chicken, leeks, lardons and peas are covered in a thick and creamy mustard sauce. Ready-rolled puff pastry makes it very easy to assemble. You can use chicken left over from a Sunday roast or shop-bought roasted chicken.”

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 70g butter
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 leeks, cut into thick rounds
• 100ml dry white wine
• 50g plain flour
• 250ml whole milk
• 250ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 1½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 500g boneless roast chicken, cut into 2-3cm pieces
• 100g frozen peas
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 320g pack ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten, to glaze
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Melt 20g of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the lardons and cook for about 5 minutes until just starting to caramelise. Add the leeks and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until totally reduced. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Melt the remaining 50g butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat, then add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to make a roux. Swap the spoon for a whisk. Slowly add the milk and chicken stock, whisking to keep the sauce smooth. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and mustard. Add the chicken and sautéed leek mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool. Once cooled, stir in the frozen peas and parsley. (You can prepare the filling ahead to this point and keep it covered in the fridge, ready to assemble the pie and bake.)

Spoon the filling into a pie dish, about 28 x 18cm and 5cm deep. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 2cm larger all round than your pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Lift the pastry over the dish and let the excess overhang. Press the edges onto the rim of the dish.

Brush the pastry with beaten egg and cut a small hole in the middle, to allow the steam to escape. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the pastry to rest. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.

Bake the pie in the oven for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Leave to stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Real Life Recipes by Tom Kerridge (£26, Bloomsbury Absolute) is out now