Makes 72

• 1 x approx. 425g packet readyrolled puff-pastry sheets (gives 2 sheets, each approx. 28 x 21cm), defrosted if frozen
• 1 egg
• 2 x 350g packet frankfurters (gives 20, but you only need 16)

For the mustard dipping sauce:

• 100g wholegrain mustard
• 100g Dijon mustard
• 2 x 15ml tablespoons sour cream

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Roll out one of the rectangular puff-pastry sheets to make it just a little bit thinner, stretching the long side rather than the short side as you roll. Cut the rectangle into quarters, then cut each rectangle in half lengthwise, to give 8 small pastry strips in total. (Stay with me!)

• Beat the egg in a small bowl and paint each pastry section with the egg wash. Sit a frankfurter horizontally on the left-hand side of one of the pieces of pastry and roll it up until it just seals. Then do the same with the remaining 7 small pastry strips.

• Cut each rolled frank into 4 small pieces, pressing the pastry back around the sausage kitchen pickings | kitchen comforts if it comes loose. Then place on a baking-parchmentlined baking sheet with the sealed bit down to prevent it springing open.

• Paint the franks in blankets with the egg wash, and put them in the oven for 15–20 minutes. The pastry should have puffed up a little and turned golden. You can get on with the other sheet of pastry while the first lot of franks are cooking and repeat the process with the remaining franks.

• Mix together the mustards and sour cream and put in little bowls. Put the cooked franks in blanks onto a plate and serve warm with the dipping sauce in the little bowls (for ease of eating and passing) on the side.

Make ahead note
The frankfurters in their pastry can be assembled 1 day in advance. Put cut-up pigs in blankets on lined baking sheets but do not glaze the outside. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until needed; store egg wash in a separate, covered container in fridge. Glaze and bake, following directions in recipe.

Roast duck legs & potatoes

Serves 2

• 2 duck legs
• 2 baking potatoes or 500g other maincrop potatoes
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• sea salt flakes and pepper

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. On the hob, heat a small roasting tin (I use one like a slightly oversized tarte tatin dish) and sear the duck legs, skin-side down over medium heat until the skin turns golden and gives out some oil.

• Turn the legs over, and take the tin off the heat while you cut the potatoes into 2cm slices across, then cut each slice into 4. Arrange these potato pieces around the duck legs, then let a few sprigs of thyme fall over the duck and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper, before putting into the preheated oven.

• Cook for 2 hours, occasionally turning the potatoes, for optimal outcome, which is tender duck legs and crispy potatoes, though both will be ready to eat after 1½ hours.

Making leftovers right
If you have even a small amount of meat left, you could bag it and mark it and store it in the deep freeze for up to two months - for future use in a mixed meat pilaff.

Orange and blackberry trifle

Serves 4–6

• 350g marmalade pudding cake
• 80ml Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• zest and juice 1 orange or 2 clementines
  (approx. 100ml)
• 250ml double cream
• 300g blackberries
  (or blueberries if blackberries can’t be found)

• Cut the cake into slices and arrange on a plate or wide, shallow dish. Drizzle with the orange liqueur.

• Zest the orange or clementines into a bowl and leave the zest to one side. Then squeeze the juice from the orange or clementines, pouring this over the liqueur-soaked cake.

• Whip the cream until thick but softly so, and spoon unfancily over the top of the saturated, not to say gloriously sodden, cake.

• Arrange the blackberries over the top of the whipped cream, then scatter with the reserved zest.

Make ahead note
The base can be prepared a couple of hours ahead, then finish with whipped cream, fruit and zest as directed in recipe.