Spreads

Nice for breakfast on bagels or toast.

In manor-house cooking, meat, poultry, and fish were preserved by being "potted" — minced and combined with seasonings, then packed in a container and covered with a layer of fat or butter. The fat was removed before serving, and the contents of the container spread on toasts or crackers.

Serve with: Roast leg of lamb. Combine with: Crusty bread spread with goat cheese. Use as: A seasoning for roast chicken (spread tapenade under the skin before cooking).

We've given a range on the amount of sugar in this recipe because some berries are sweeter than others. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 40 min

A spoonful of this classic compound butter, known as maître d'hôtel butter, makes an instant sauce for anything from grilled steak to sautéed chicken to steamed vegetables. It can also be stirred into soups and stews.

This dip would be good served before the Vegetable and Bean Chili or any kind of beef dish. In fact, it's compatible with almost any main course that doesn't contain cheese. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

For Golden Pumpkin adn Apricot Layer Cake Try any extra puree with biscuits or waffles.

Spooning this conserve over yogurt makes a light, sweet summer dessert.