Courgette and Smoked Cheese Frittata (4-6)

I already have a few recipes for courgette frittata on my site but could not resist trying this one from Thomasina Miers. The courgettes are roasted in the oven first, and the smoked cheese works really well, giving an almost meaty flavour. You can buy Scamorza ( smoked Mozzarella) in most Italian delicatessens and some larger supermarkets, but if you cant find this then use ordinary mozzarella.

Bacon and Chive Cornbread (8)

This cornbread is best served still warm from the oven, with or without butter dribbling over it, but also good cold. It can be served as a simple lunch, or with soup, and makes a great base for a chicken stuffing. As an alternative to the bacon , or to complement, you can jazz it up with a selection from chopped sun dried tomatoes, spring onions, parma ham, cubes of Cheddar or Parmesan , chilli and herbs if wished . This is from ” Sophie Grigson’s Country Kitchen”.

Le Cake aux Herbes (8)

A herb heavy savoury cake from France to nibble while sipping wine or serve warm from the oven with a tomato and olive salad as a starter. I first came across this while on a walking holiday in Corsica and determined to find a recipe it was so good!The herbs can be varied, but balance more dominant herbs with plenty of softer ones such as parsley and chives. This is from ” Sophie Grigson’s Country Kitchen”.