Recipes taken from the Complete Traditional Recipe Book by Sarah Edington.

Golden Cider Soup

This recipe was given to me by the cook at Montacute, Somerset, a glorious, golden house set in lush countryside of orchards and green fields, so use Somerset cider for preference. The cider gives this simple recipe a wonderful luxurious flavour. I have served this soup hot and cold – it is equally delicious either way. I think it is best very smooth – I know pushing a soup through a sieve is tedious, but in this recipe the result is rewarding.

• 50g (2oz) butter
• 225g (8oz) carrots, diced
• 225g (8oz) potatoes, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 450ml (3⁄4 pint) medium or sweet cider
• 450ml (3⁄4 pint) vegetable stock

For garnish

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Crème fraîche
• Basil leaves

Serves 6

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sweat the diced carrots and potatoes for 5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic, tin of tomatoes, cider and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a food processor and blend until very smooth. Then press the mixture through a sieve before returning it to the pan and reheating before serving. Garnish each bowl with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a couple of basil leaves.

Chicken in Hocchee

© National Trust Books

This is a modern adaptation of a medieval or Tudor recipe: ‘Take chykens and scald them, take parsel and sawge, without any other erbes, take garlec and grapes, and stoppe the chikens ful, and seeth them in good broth, so that they may esly be boyled thereine. Messe them and cast thereto powdor-douce (a mixture of mild spices).

• 4 chicken breasts
• 110g (4oz) green grapes
• 2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh parsley and sage
• 1 garlic clove
• 250ml (1⁄2 pint) chicken stock
• 1 small glass white wine
• 1⁄2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For garnish

• Chopped parsley
• A few grapes

Serves 4

Slice the chicken breasts in half so you can stuff them. Pip the grapes if necessary, reserving a few for garnishing. Mix the rest with the garlic and the herbs and stuff the chicken breasts with the mixture. Pin each breast into a neat parcel with a cocktail stick and place in a dish that just holds them. Add the stock and wine and cover the dish with foil. Simmer until tender (about 45 minutes). Remove the breasts and place on a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixed together, the chopped parsley and the grapes. Serve with the cooking juices as a gravy.

Killerton Chocolate Pot

Recipes using chocolate usually date from no earlier than the 20th century. However, chocolate puddings are now part of our tradition. I like the concentration of flavour that these little pots provide. You could also make the cocoa-and-sugar paste with strong instant coffee for a change, and stir in a tablespoon of rum or Tia Maria.

• 4 tablespoons cocoa, the best quality you can find
• 225g (8oz) soft brown sugar
• Boiling water to mix
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 600ml (1 pint) double cream
• Grated orange zest, to garnish
• Thin cream, to serve

Serves 4

Mix the cocoa and sugar into a thick paste with boiling water. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge until really cold. Put the liqueur and cocoa mixture into a mixing bowl. Using an electric rotary whisk, beat in the cream slowly, being careful not to overbeat the mixture. When all is combined, fill small ramekins with the chocolate mixture and garnish with grated orange zest. This is very rich and creamy and keeps excellently for a day or two in the fridge. Serve with a jug of thin cream to pour on top of the pots.

The Complete Traditional Recipe Book contains more than 300 recipes.