Honey roast parsnip soup

25g/1oz unsalted butter
500g/1lb 2oz parsnips, roughly chopped
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 small clove of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 small bay leaf
1 tbsp clear honey
1l/1¾pt chicken or vegetable stock
6tbsp dry cider
4tbsp double cream

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas7. Heat the butter in an ovenproof casserole dish, add the parsnips and roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Add the onion, carrot and garlic and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes, then mix in the herbs and honey. Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables have caramelized.
2. Now remove the dish from the oven, add the stock and bring it to the boil on top of the stove. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cider then pour the soup into a blender and purée until smooth. Strain through a fine strainer, bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat, swirl in the cream and serve.

Mushroom leek and chestnut pie

225g/8oz ready-made puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
2 tbsp olive oil+25g butter
200 g leeks, finely chopped
150g mushrooms, sliced
200g/7oz packed cooked and peeled chestnuts, chopped
1 tbsp thyme, leaves only, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
200 ml crème fraise

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan and gently fry the leeks for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 5 minutes, and then stir in the chestnuts, thyme and parsley. Add the crème fraise and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Spoon the filling into a pie dish and let it cool. Then roll out the pastry slightly larger than the top of the pie dish and cover the top of the dish with it. Make a cut on the pastry to let the air escape. Brush with some milk and put in the oven for 15 minutes or until the pastry looks golden.