Eight recipes from West Dorset chef Lesley Waters you should try out

Set up last year during the first lockdown, Hollis Mead is a brand new family dairy farm based in West Dorset.

They produce high quality organic products including milk, yoghurt, butter and cream which they sell out of vending machines across the south West. Their cows are 100 per grass fed, lovingly reared and only milked once a day ensuring a taste of rural Dorset like no other.

Chef Lesley, who is well known for her regular television appearances on Ready Steady Cook, Great Food Live and This Morning, has put together these delicious recipes inspired by Hollis Mead produce.

Lesley is also a former Head Tutor of Leith's School of Food & Wine, author of several Cookery Books. Originally a Londoner born & bred, Lesley was quickly charmed by the beauty of the West Dorset area and inspired by the superb quality of the fresh local produce available right on her doorstep. Lesley now runs her own cookery school in Dorset. See lesleywaters.com for further details.

Head to the Hollis Mead website www.hollismeadorganicdairy.co.uk for further details on their produce and to find a vending machine near you!

CREAMY LEMON POTATOES WITH HERBY SALMON

A kind of deconstructed fish pie without all the fuss and using only one pan and one serving dish. Creamy and rich with a touch of freshness with lemon and chives. These potatoes are also good served straight from the pan with baked ham or roast chicken.

SERVES 4

300ml Hollis Mead organic milk

250ml Hollis Mead organic cream

900g medium potatoes, peeled and cut into approx. 2cm cubes

1 unwaxed lemon, zest only

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 x 140g boneless, skinless salmon fillets

olive oil tbsp

small bunch chives, chopped

225g frozen petit pois

• Place the Hollis Mead milk, cream, lemon zest and garlic, in a non-stick sauté pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat gently until just boiling.

• Add the potatoes to the pan, bring back to the boil and cook at a medium simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until potatoes are just tender and still holding their shape.

• Preheat the oven to 180C fan, gas mark 6. Meanwhile, place the salmon fillets in a bowl, Drizzle over the juice of ½ lemon, olive oil, chives and season well. Mix well to coat the salmon fillets.

• Add the peas to the potatoes and gently stir through and pour into a gratin dish. Lay the salmon fillets over the top and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve with a watercress salad.

DOUBLE BAKED MAC & CHEESE WITH ROASTED VINE TOMATOES

SERVES 4

900 ml Hollis Mead organic milk

4 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

175g strong mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Grated nutmeg

300g macaroni, cooked as directed on the packet

3 tbsp white breadcrumbs

400g baby vine tomatoes washed and kept on vine

Chilli or olive oil to drizzle (optional)

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

6 rashers streaky smoked bacon

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200c/400f.

• In a pan, heat 3 tbsps. of the oil, add the flour and mustard and cook over a medium heat for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add all the Hollis Mead milk. Whisk well until all the lumps have gone, then return to heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer for 4/ 5 minutes until thickish and smooth. Add 3/4 of the cheese, remove from the heat and stir until melted. Season to taste.

• Stir the cooked macaroni into the sauce and transfer to a large or 2 medium, shallow, ovenproof dish. Mix together the remaining soya cheese and breadcrumbs and scatter over the dish.

• Bake in the oven for approx. 15 minutes until golden and bubbling hot and a good crust has formed.

• Remove the mac & cheese from the oven, lay the tomato vine over the top, drizzle with a dash of chilli or olive oil and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile grill or fry the bacon until crisp. Crumble the bacon over the mac & cheese and serve at once.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & BROCCOLI MORNAY WITH A CHORIZO CRUMB

SERVES 4

600mls Hollis Mead organic milk

2 tbsp Hollis Mead organic cream

4 tbsp olive oil

1 medium cauliflower, broken into small-medium sized florets

225g broccoli, broken into medium-large florets

30g flour

85g strong, Cheddar-style cheese, grated

squeeze lemon juice

100g chorizo slices

55g breadcrumbs

• Preheat the oven to 180C fan, gas mark 6

• Spoon 2 tbsp of oil into a shallow ovenproof pan and place over a medium heat.

• Meanwhile, rinse the vegetable florets under cold water. Add the wet florets to the hot pan. Toss together and season well. Rinse a round of greaseproof paper under cold water and place over the vegetables. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil and place in the oven for approx. 18-20 minutes or until just tender.

• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of the oil, add the flour and cook over a medium heat for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add all the Hollis Mead milk. Whisk well until all the lumps have gone, then return to heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickish and smooth. Add the cheese and Hollis Mead cream, remove from the heat and stir until melted. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste.

• For the crumbs, roughly chop the chorizo slices, place in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Place a medium frying pan over the heat and add the chopped chorizo. Fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden. Add the breadcrumbs to the pan and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Set to one side.

• Remove the vegetable florets from the oven, pour over the mornay sauce and sprinkle over the chorizo crumbs. Return to the oven for 12-15 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve at once.

RICH STILTON/ BLUE VINNY SOUFFLÉS WITH WALNUT AND CELERY SALAD

Wow your guests with these fool-proof double baked soufflés that are cooked in advance and then re-baked just before serving with extra cream and cheese and served with a crunchy, seasonal salad.

SERVES 6

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

300ml Hollis Mead organic milk

200ml Hollis Mead organic cream

1 slice onion

pinch nutmeg

1 bay leaf

45g butter

45g plain flour

2tsps grainy mustard

55g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

100g Stilton cheese, grated

4 medium free-range eggs, separated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

extra butter for brushing out ramekins

• Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4.

• Place the Hollis Mead milk, onion, nutmeg and bay leaf in a saucepan and gently heat. Remove the pan from the heat and set one side to infuse for 30 minutes then remove the onion and bay leaf.

• In a second saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and gently cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the Hollis Mead milk until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and stir until the sauce boils and thickens.

• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grainy mustard, three quarters of the cheese and the egg yolks. Season well.

• Generously butter 6 ramekins. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Carefully fold the whisked whites into the cheese mixture and fill each ramekin until two thirds full.

• Place the ramekins in a roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water to come up just halfway up the ramekins. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until the mixture is cooked. Remove the ramekins from the roasting tin and allow to cool.

• When ready to serve, preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7, 425F, 220C. Loosen the soufflé edges with a knife and turn out and place into a shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and pour over the Hollis Mead cream.

• Place in the oven for approx. 10-12 minutes until the soufflés are puffed and golden. Serve at once with the Crunchy Walnut and Rocket Salad.

CRUNCHY WALNUT AND ROCKET

85g rocket leaves, washed

100g walnut halves, crumbled

6 stalks celery, sliced on the diagonal

2 Cox’s apples, cored and roughly chopped

juice ½ lemon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Just before serving, simply toss all the ingredients together and season to taste.

CATALAN PUDDING

These light egg custards are scented with orange zest and are really popular in Catalonia. Often made in small, shallow, earthenware dishes and caramelised on top. Our version is served family style and with a side of oranges in caramel.

Makes 4 small individual or 1 larger

75ml Hollis Mead organic milk

75ml Hollis Mead organic cream

Zest of ½ orange

50g caster sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

4tbsp caster sugar for glazing

• Preheat the oven to 140C fan assisted.

• Put the Hollis Mead cream, milk and orange zest in a pan and heat to almost boiling. Place in a bowl to cool.

• Put the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until well blended.

• Stir in the cream mixture.

• Pour the custard mixture into 4 x 80ml heatproof dishes or 1 large. Place the dishes in a roasting tin and add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.

• Carefully place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until gently set and still wobbly. Remove dishes from tin.

• Sprinkle sugar evenly over the custards and glaze with a blowtorch or under a very hot grill until a layer of caramel forms on top. Serve at room temperature.

BAKED RICE PUDDING WITH BROWN SUGARED PLUMS

SERVES 4

750 ml Hollis Mead organic milk

Knob of Hollis Mead organic salted butter

85 g pudding, rice washed and boiled for 5 minutes in water

40 g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod split or good grating of nutmeg

For the topping

450g plums washed halved and stoned

30g demerera sugar

• Pre heat oven to 160/c Gas 3.

• Use the butter to grease a shallow ovenproof dish

• Tip in the boiled rice, sugar, Hollis Mead milk and vanilla pod and stir to combine.

• Place in the oven until the rice pudding is golden on top, creamy and cooked (approx. 2 hours).

• Remove the rice from the oven and increase the oven temp to 200c/ Gas mark 6.

• Lay the halved plums cut side up over the surface of the rice pudding and scatter over the demerara sugar. Return to the oven for a further 10/15 minutes or until the plums are tender and bubbling hot.

CLASSIC QUICHE

Ooh any excuse for a quiche! I love to top mine with dressed, peppery rocket leaves

My other favourite quiche fillers are strips of smoked salmon or smoked trout with fresh dill and horseradish spread on the bottom of the pastry case or roasted peppers and pine nuts with my classic pesto spread thickly.

SERVES 6

For the pastry

140 g Hollis Mead salted butter, diced

280 g plain flour

pinch salt

1 whole egg

Approx. 2-3 tbsp water

For the filling

250 ml Hollis Mead organic milk

250 ml Hollis Mead organic cream

3 tbsp wholegrain mustard

100 g antipasti tomatoes, drained and chopped

200 g smoked ham, cut into strips

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

Small bunch chives, chopped

100 g mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated

For the salad topping

50g rocket leaves, washed

2tsp balsamic vinegar

100g rocket leaves, washed

• Preheat the oven to 150C fan, gas mark 5.

• Place all the ingredients for the pastry in a food processor, and whiz until the ingredients just come together. Beware not to over process. Bring together with your hands and pat into a rough, flat disc. On a lightly floured surface gently roll out the pastry. Line a 28cm loose-bottomed flan tin. Place in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes. Place a disc of baking parchment in the bottom, cover the base with baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and turn temperature up to 180cfan, gas mark 6.

• Spoon the mustard over the base of the pastry. Scatter over the tomatoes, ham and half the cheese.

• In a bowl beat together the eggs, yolks, Hollis Mead cream and milk. Season well and stir in the chives. Pour mixture carefully into the pastry case and scatter over remaining cheese.

• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and just set.

• Remove quiche from oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate.

• In a large bowl mix together the balsamic vinegar and oil. Season to taste. Toss in the rocket leaves and simply pile into the centre of the quiche just before serving.