AVOCA COOKBOOK:Pomegranates, celeriac, Stilton, mincemeat . . . a new book of seasonal recipes from Simon Pratt of Avoca is bursting with inspiration. And those unusual mince pies can be made now and frozen

Lebanese couscous salad with pomegranate and mint

This salad was created at The Sugar Tree Café in Kilmacanogue. Serve on its own for lunch or with a fragrant lamb dish such as Avoca’s Moroccan lamb for dinner.

Serves 6-8

200g couscous

2tbsp olive oil

90g mint, roughly chopped

1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced

Seeds of 2 whole pomegranates or 4tbsp seeds

1tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)

For the spice infusion

3tbsp olive oil

2tsp ground coriander

1tsp cumin

2tbsp sultanas

Sea salt

Freshly ground

Black pepper

The infusion of spices makes this extra special. In this part of the world, pomegranates are available from before Christmas until about March. Keep an eye out for tubs of pomegranate seeds as an alternative to squeezing the seeds out of the fruit. Pomegranate molasses is a thick syrupy sauce that can be used in salads or meat dishes in the same way as balsamic vinegar. You will find it in specialist Middle Eastern delis and supermarkets. It is not vital, but it adds an interesting intensity to the taste.

In a deep bowl, coat the couscous in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil before adding boiling water to barely cover it. Keep mixing the cooked grains with a fork as they cool to stop them sticking – you are aiming for light, fluffy grains.

As the couscous is cooling, make the spice infusion. Place the spices and sultanas in a small saucepan with the olive oil and warm gently on a low heat for a minute or until the fragrance of spices is released, then add to the couscous. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool, add the chopped mint, spring onions, pomegranate seeds and pomegranate molasses if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little extra olive oil if necessary. Serve in a large bowl with a few leaves of mint to garnish.

Celeriac soup

This winter classic is an easy soup for Christmas day and also makes a great light lunch. Serve with a good terrine and some chutneys, pickles and salads.

Serves 4-8

40g butter

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

1 large head celeriac, peeled and chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

2-3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

Fresh thyme leaves

100ml cream

Sea salt

Freshly ground

Black pepper

Pre-heat an oven to 180 degrees/gas mark six. In a large heavy saucepan, cook the chopped onions in the butter on a very low heat for six to eight minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Next, add the diced celeriac, potatoes, celery and the hot stock and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked through. Remove from the heat, add the thyme leaves and the cream, and liquidise until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required.

Apple and Stilton scones

450g plain white flour

1 rounded tsp baking powder

Generous pinch of salt

110g butter

50g-75g Stilton cheese, crumbled

1 large Bramley apple, peeled and coarsely grated

1 large egg

200ml milk

1tsp snipped chives

Sesame seeds or five-seed mix (optional)

Pre-heat an oven to 180 degrees/gas mark six. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl well. Rub the butter into the flour mixture either by hand or using a food processor until the mixture has the appearance of fine crumbs. Gently mix in the crumbled cheese, the chives and the grated apple. Next, make a well in the middle and crack in the egg. Add 150ml milk and mix until the mixture comes together, adding as much of the remaining milk as required. The dough should not be too wet and sticky. Place on a floured surface and, using the palm of your hand or a rolling pin, gently flatten the dough to a depth of four centimetres. Cut out using a scone cutter, brush with a little lightly beaten egg, place on a lined baking tray and bake for 10-25 minutes depending on the size of your scones. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds or five-seed mix if using.

Chocolate and orange mince pies

Makes about 20-24

Chocolate pastry

400g plain flour

275g unsalted butter

75g icing sugar

75g ground almonds

50g cocoa powder

2 large egg yolks

2-3tbsp milk

Chocolate orange mincemeat

450g raisins

225g sultanas

225g currants

900g dark brown muscovado sugar

450g vegetarian suet

110g mixed peel

125ml brandy or whiskey

3tbsp marmalade

2 large cooking apples, grated

Zest of 3 large oranges

100g good quality dark chocolate, grated

Pre-heat an oven to 165 degrees/gas mark 4½. Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar, ground almonds and cocoa powder. Make a well in the centre. Add the egg yolks (and a little milk if necessary) and mix until it comes together in a ball. Wrap in cling film, refrigerate and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine all the dried fruit, cover the fruit with boiling water and allow to plump up in the liquid for 30 minutes, then drain well. Transfer the drained fruit into a clean bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients, stirring well. The mincemeat is better if it is matured for a few days before being used.

To make the mince pies, grease the mince pie or muffin tins well. Roll the chocolate pastry out to about three millimetres thick and cut out 24 circles, around two centimetres larger than the diameter of your tin, test one to see that it fully lines the shape of the individual pie, then line all the tins. For the top of the mince pies, cut out 24 smaller stars, holly leaves or Christmas trees to use as lids.

Generously fill the pastry bases with the mincemeat, then place a tree or star in the middle, brush with a little milk, and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly in the tin and then remove to cool fully on a wire rack. These keep well in an airtight container for up to a week, and can be frozen before baking. Dust with icing sugar and serve.