RECOMMENDATIONS

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  Corn bread

  Best served warm from the oven, Lesley Waters's recipe for a classic American corn bread makes a great side-dish

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  Lobster and sprue asparagus salad

  Reach giddy culinary heights with Lawrence Keogh's luxurious salad dressed with homemade lobster oil

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  Skirt steak with watercress and barley salad

  Oliver Rowe shares a simple steak recipe with a peppery salad that's full of texture and flavour

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  Chorizo and potato soup

  You'll probably have potatoes and onions in the house even if the cupboard are otherwise bare, so you could make Darina Allen's simply delicious soup at a moment's notice

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  Rich chocolate mousse

  Dark and luscious, this indulgent treat by Roopa Gulati is great for celebrations - try varying the flavour by adding a grate of orange rind or a splash of brandy

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  Apple and date chutney

  Add a little pizzazz to a Ploughman's, with Lesley Water's tangy and versatile Apple and Date Chutney

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  Pan-grilled scallops with baby spinach and pine nut salad

  Rachel Allen serves sweet tender scallops with a tasty salad of spinach leaves, pine nuts and lemon zest

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  Hong Kong-style prawns

  Ching He-Huang uses Chinese herbalist ingredients in this quick prawn stir-fry

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  Oysters, vermouth and tarragon cream

  Even oyster purists will love these warm oysters in a delicious cream sauce from Matt Tebbutt

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  Mexican hot chocolate (champurrada)

  Gino D`Acampo serves comforting mugs of Mexican hot chocolate made with masa harina - a speciality Mexican cornfour