Mushroom pappardelle

I sometimes think I could measure my life in pasta suppers, but the fact is that no food I can think of quite fits the bill so successfully in terms of weekday suppers. Lovely wintry flavours here, especially if you let the mushrooms cook until they are nut brown and stickily tender.

serves 2

dried pappardelle for 2 (about 250-300g)
chestnut mushrooms - 350g
butter - 75g
olive oil
garlic - 2 cloves
parsley - 5 bushy sprigs
parmesan cheese - 40g

Slice the mushrooms thinly. Melt the butter in a shallow pan, then add olive oil and the mushrooms. Leave to cook on a moderate heat. Peel and finely slice the garlic, then add it to the pan with a few grinds of salt and black pepper. Stir the mushrooms from time to time, but it is important to let them colour so that all their sweet nuttiness comes out.

Put a deep pot of water on for the pasta. Bring it to the boil, then salt it generously. Toss in the pasta and leave it to cook until it is tender, but still has a bit of bite to it. This will be about 7-9 minutes, so test it from time to time. When the pasta is ready, drain it and tip it into the cooked mushrooms. Throw in the chopped parsley and grated parmesan, continue cooking briefly then tip into warm bowls.

Steak panini with mustard mayonnaise

A chunky steak sandwich perked up with a mustard mayonnaise. I use smooth Dijon or, when I can find it, green peppercorn mustard. Try your local deli or food hall.

serves 2

olive oil
rump steak - 2 x 150g pieces, cut thin
small ciabatta or small french sticks - 2
green peppercorn Dijon mustard - 2-3 tsp
good quality mayonnaise - 2 tbs
rocket or watercress - a small bunch

Lightly oil and season the steak with salt and black pepper then cook on a hot grill or ridged grill pan. It will only need a few minutes to colour on the outside. Take it off while it's still pink in the middle and leave it to rest.

Cut the bread in half lengthways and toast the cut halves on one side. Mix the mustard with the mayonnaise. Spread the bottom piece of toasted bread with the mustard mayonnaise then pile with trimmed watercress and rocket leaves. Place the steak on top, pour over any juices that have collected on the plate then top with the second half of bread.

Hot chocolate puddings

It is strange that despite having a long and passionate love affair with the stuff, I so rarely offer any chocolate recipes. I attempt to redress the balance with these little chocolate puddings - fluffy outside and molten within, a cross between a soufflé and a sponge pudding. I make them with the best chocolate I can get my hands on. The hazelnut spread such as Nutella or Green and Black's sounds an odd addition, but in fact lends a lingering, nutty depth. If you feel the need to offer cream (and well you might), make it a jug of pouring cream rather than the rich, thick sort.

serves 4

dark, fine quality chocolate - 200g
butter - 60g
caster sugar 100g
eggs - 3
chocolate hazelnut spread - 2 lightly heaped tbs

Set the oven at 200°C/gas 6. Lightly butter four small ramekins or ovenproof cups. Break the chocolate into rough pieces and leave to melt in a basin suspended over gently simmering water. Let it melt without stirring, occasionally poking any unmelted chocolate down into the liquid chocolate. Put the sugar into the bowl of the food mixer, separate the eggs and add the yolks to the sugar. Beat till thick and creamy. Whisk egg whites till almost stiff.

Stir the butter into the chocolate and leave to melt, then gently stir in the chocolate hazelnut spread. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites with a metal spoon. Take care not to overmix. Just firmly, calmly mix the egg white into the chocolate making certain there are no floating drifts of egg white. Scoop into the four buttered dishes and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-25 minutes till risen. The tops should be cracked and the centres still slightly wobbly.

The wine list

Mushroom pappardelle: 2001 Thandi Pinot Noir, Elgin Valley (£7.99, Tesco)

Thandi is the most successful of South Africa's empowerment projects and its latest releases are well up to scratch. This is a savoury, minty Pinot Noir with medium-weight tannins and a core of strawberry fruit sweetness.

Steak panini : 2002 Asda Californian Reserve Zinfandel (£4.98, Asda)

You don't want to drink anything too fussy with a steak sandwich, and this spicy, pruney, West Coast glugger is just the job. The tannins and acidity work well with the protein in the middle of the sandwich.

Chocolate pudding: Hidalgo Pedro Ximenez, Viejo Napoleon (£8.99, Majestic)

This PX Sherry is so viscous that you can barely pour it out of the bottle. But it's heavenly with chocolate pudding, adding flavours of dates, raisins and burnt toffee. It's very, very sweet, but you'll love it if you've got a hedonistic bone in your body.
Tim Atkin