Serves 2 

50g butter
100g streaky bacon or pancetta, sliced
2 small to medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
4 joints of free-range chicken on the bone
200g small brown mushrooms, halved or quartered
500ml medium-dry white wine such as Riesling
300ml double cream
3 tablespoons chopped parsley 

Melt the butter in a heavy-based casserole and pour in the oil. Put in the diced bacon or pancetta and let it colour a little, then add the onions garlic. Leave to cook over a moderate heat until the onions have softened but not yet coloured.
Scoop the onions and bacon out with a draining spoon, leaving behind the cooking juices, then add the chicken pieces. Let them brown lightly on all sides. A moderate heat is best for this but be prepared to add a little more oil if the butter shows signs of browning.
Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for a few minutes, then return the bacon and onions to the pan. Turn up the heat, pour in the wine, bring quickly to the boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Let everything cook at a gentle bubble for twenty five minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.
Lift the chicken out of the pan and pour in the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in the chopped parsley. Continue cooking, at an enthusiastic bubble, until the cream starts to thicken slightly. Return the chicken to the pan. When the chicken is thoroughly hot and the sauce has the thickness of double cream, serve. 

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CAKE 

When it comes out of the oven the cake should still be moist - sticky even - in the middle. As it cools the cake will sink slightly and the crust will crisp. On cooling, the outside of the cake becomes sponge like, while the centre remains dense and fudgy. 

Serves 8 

180g gine dark chocolate, chopped
a small espresso (about 3 tablespoons very strong coffee)
140g butter, diced
5 free range eggs, separated
200g golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
90g plain flour 

Line the base of a 21-23cm shallow springform cake tin with silicone baking parchment, buttering the tin lightly to hold it in place.
Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. As soon as it starts to soften, add the coffee and leave it for two or three minutes. Stir very gently, then when the chocolate has melted add the butter. Stir until it has melted.
Meanwhile, beat the egg with an electric mixer till stiff, then fold in the sugar. Mix the baking powder with the cocoa powder and flour. Remove the chocolate from the heat, quickly stir in the egg yolks, then slowly, firmly and gently fold the melted chocolate into the egg whites. Lastly sift in the flour and cocoa mixture.
Stir the mixture tenderly with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out any air. It should feel light and wobbly. Do not overmix - just enough to fold in the flour. Scoop into the lined tin and bake in an oven preheated to 180c/Gas 4 for thirty-five minutes. Leave to cool in its tin, then turn out. 

HOT MOZZARELLA FOCACCIA 

This is a cross between a pizza and a sandwich. It is essential that the focaccia is not too thick and cakey as some of them are. Though if that is what you have it will still be fine enough, but it might be better to bake it rather than grill it. 

Serves 4 as part of a light lunch 

350g buffalo mozzarella
100ml extra virgin olive oil
a handful of basil leaves
2 bottled red chillies, thinly sliced
a tablespoon of black peppercorns, roughly crushed
4 spring onions
a round focaccia, not too thick
6 large slices of Parma ham (or San Daniele or coppa) thinly sliced
2 tablespoons or so finely grated Parmesan 

Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and put it in a shallow dish. Cover it with the olive oil, the basil leaves, torn up a little, and the red chillies. Scatter the black peppercorns over the cheese. Cover with cling film and leave it to marinate. Half an hour will be enough, but leave it longer if you can. Meanwhile, grill the spring onions till lightly blackened in patches. They should be quite limp.
Halve the focaccia horizontally, hold the cheese in place in its dish and pour the marinating oil and milky juices over the cut sides of the bread. Cover the bottom half with the ham, then the mozzarella and bits, then the grilled onions, then the finely grated parmesan. It will look rather beautiful at this point, like a piece of modern art. But it?s not, it?s your lunch, so put the top half on and press gently, then lift it carefully on to a hot ridged griddle pan or a preheated baking sheet.
Either cook it on the hot griddle till the cheese starts to melt, turning once with the help of a wide, flat kitchen slice or bake it in an oven preheated to 180C/ Gas 4 for twenty to twenty-five minutes. The point is to get the outside toasted and the cheese oozing.
Cut into wedges and eat while the cheese is still molten and stringy.