"Brilliant!"

And so back into the kitchen. Last week we only had one day in there, mainly being occupied with food writing, and the start of the second (intermediate) module of wines and spirits on Friday. This week its vegetarin and special diets, culminating in an assessment on Friday, which I have already got sussed (it will be Allegra McEvery's veggie curry).

Today's exercise was to choose a few ingredients from a big pile of vegetables, and make something nice out of it. I produced a dish described by Lizzie as "brilliant" (I kid you not), and a disaster.

Lets get the disaster - or experiment as I prefer to think of it - out of the way first. Shredded jerusalem artichoke, wilted spinach, fried onions and chillis, topped with breadcrumbs and cheese. No amount of flavourings could give the dish any taste whatsoever, and it was destined for the bin from the off.

The other dish, however, I would happily do again, so I will write down the recipe before I forget it.

ROASTED SQUASH AND LEEK TARTE

The "E" is just to look a bit more flash.

Serves 6 as a starter, 3-4 as a main course.

1 leek
1/2 butternut squash
4 oz good soft blue cheese (I used Roquefort)
salt and pepper
oil and butter
2 cloves garlic
puff pastry

1. Put the squash (skin on) in a medium oven for 30-40 minutes to roast. It is best to do this face down on a baking tray, you can brush a lttle oil on it if you like. For the last 20 minutes, add the garlic cloves to the pan (skin on).
2. Meanwhile, shred the leeks finely, and soften in a little oil and butter for 10 minutes.
3. When the squash is soft, scoop out the flesh, mix with the leeks and half of the crumbled blue cheese, mash the insides of the garlic cloves in, and season to taste (you can add some herbs etc. at this point if you like.
4. Cut 6 rings about 4 inches across from the puff pastry (a slightly larger rectangle per person may be more suitable if serving as a main course), using a fancy edged cutter. Score diamonds across the surface of each ring and brush with a little milk.
5. Place a generous dollop of filling in the centre of each pastry ring. Top with the remaining blue cheese.
6. Bake at Gas 6 for 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry is well risen around the edges.
7. Serve with salad, and maybe some garlic mayonnaise.