Simon Stallard - The Hidden Hut - Irresistible Recipes from Cornwall’s Best-kept Secret

To make the cinnamon butter, beat all the ingredients together until fluffy. Roll in greaseproof paper and form into a sausage, then chill in the fridge until needed. Allow the butter to come to room temperature before serving (this will enhance the cinnamon flavour).

For the roasted figs, preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan oven) gas mark 9. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, and allow it to foam. Add the star anise and cook over a low heat for 10–15 minutes until the anise flavours the butter.

Put the figs, cut side up, on a baking tray and drizzle over the star anise butter. Roast for 15–20 minutes until the figs are tender.

Slice the bread and toast it, then spread the hot toast with the cinnamon butter. Top with the figs, sprinkle with flaked almonds and serve with honey, ricotta and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

GRILLED MACKEREL WITH A WARM CORNISH SPLIT AND HORSERADISH SOURED CREAM

We serve these filled splits during the annual Portscatho Fish Festival. The mackerel comes in straight from the boats and onto our big wood-fired grills on the harbour jetty. Try to use the freshest possible mackerel. If you can, choose mackerel that are whole so that you can check if the eyes are clear and bright. Then ask the fishmonger to fillet and pin-bone them for you, leaving the skin on.

Splits are like a proven scone. They are well worth the effort, especially when served warm from the oven. The subtle sweetness of the split and the punch from the horseradish really complement the oily mackerel. If you have a sweet tooth, try a bit of gooseberry jam in there too; it might just make your day.

Serves 6

12 mackerel fillets, about 100g each, boned (see here), with skin

sunflower oil, for frying

100g watercress

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

gooseberry jam (optional), to serve

FOR THE SPLITS

10g active dried yeast

1 rounded tsp caster sugar

200ml whole milk, lukewarm

265g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

100g plain flour

1 tsp fine sea salt

60g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

a little peeled and grated fresh horseradish

FOR THE HORSERADISH SOURED CREAM

4 tbsp soured cream

30g peeled and grated fresh horseradish

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

To make the splits, put the yeast in a bowl and mix in the sugar and milk. Leave to stand for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.

Sift the bread flour and plain flour, and the salt, into a large mixing bowl, then rub the butter into the flour mix using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre, add the yeasty milk and mix to form a dough. Tip onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Put in a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead again for 2 minutes, then shape into 6 rolls. Put these on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg yolk and sprinkle over a little grated horseradish. Leave to rise again in a warm place for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6.

Bake the rolls for 25–30 minutes until light golden — to test they are cooked, tap the bottom of one of the rolls; it should sound hollow when ready. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

To make the horseradish soured cream, mix all the ingredients together a bowl.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the mackerel well with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the frying pan and add the fillets skin-side down — cook in batches of 2–4 fillets, depending on the size of your pan. Press down for the first 10 seconds so that the mackerel doesn’t curl up. Cook for 2 minutes until crispy, then flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat with the remaining fillets.

To serve, cut the warm splits horizontally like a burger bun, put two mackerel fillets in each bun along with a good spoonful of the horseradish soured cream and some watercress. If you have any gooseberry jam in the fridge, pop this out on the table, too, to add to the mackerel.

FLUFFIEST SMOKED HADDOCK OMELETTE

This is no ordinary omelette. Light, fluffy and delicately smokey, the yolks added towards the end give it a beautiful self-saucing finish when cut into.

Serves 4

300g skinless, boneless smoked haddock fillet

10 eggs

100ml double cream

8 spring onions, finely chopped

a small bunch of coriander, leaves chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

50g Cheddar cheese, finely grated

sea salt (if needed) and freshly ground black pepper

Put the haddock in a bowl and pour hot water from the kettle over it, then leave it to poach for 2 minutes. Drain and flake the fish into large chunks.

Separate four of the eggs, leaving the yolks in the shells for now. Put the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl and whisk them using an electric hand whisk until firm peaks form.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the remaining six whole eggs with the cream and season with pepper (you probably won’t need much salt, if any, as the haddock is quite salty). Fold the egg whites into the egg and cream mixture, being careful not to knock out too much of the air. Using a spatula, quickly fold in the flaked haddock, spring onions and coriander.

Preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a frying pan with a heatproof handle over a medium heat. Pour the egg mix into the pan and use a spatula to move the mix around a bit so that it starts to cook evenly. Pop a lid on and leave to cook for 5 minutes in the pan or until well set on the bottom.

Remove the pan from the heat and gently tip the four egg yolks from their shells onto the top of the omelette. Sprinkle the top with the cheese and put the pan under the grill for 3–4 minutes until the omelette is turning golden on top and is cooked throughout, but the egg yolks are still runny. Serve immediately.

TOPPED CORNISH POTATO CAKES

Cornish potato cakes stacked up with sausage patties, blistered tomatoes and crispy potato skins. By popping a few baking potatoes into the oven first thing, you’re well on the way to making a cooked brunch that will set you up for the day.

Serves 4

4 baking potatoes, about 200g each

480g of your favourite sausages

olive oil, for brushing and shallow-frying

1 tsp flaked sea salt

40g butter, melted

10g plain flour, for dusting

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

basil leaves, to garnish

FOR THE BLISTERED TOMATOES

400g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

4 spring onions, finely shredded

a squeeze of lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds

First thing in the morning, put the potatoes into the oven, set it for 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6 and leave to bake for 1–1½ hours or until soft. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the flesh into a bowl, keeping the skins. Leave until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan oven) gas mark 5. Remove the skins from the sausages and form the sausagemeat into eight small patties. Put to one side.

Thoroughly scrape off any remaining mash from the potato skins and cut the skins into 2.5cm slices. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with the flaked sea salt. Put onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the potato with a fork, then add the butter and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide the mash into eight even balls and gently flatten the top and bottom of each slightly, then dust in the flour.

Heat the olive oil for shallow-frying in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and pan-fry the balls for 1 minute on each side or until browned. Set these on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 8 minutes.