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STEAK RAREBIT

The sweet onion chutney and the watercress on the side cut through all the richness. The rarebit can be frozen, so you might want to make a double batch and freeze half 

Use bavette here, as it is a tasty, affordable cut from the skirt or flank. It can overcook easily, so be sure to keep it pink. The sweet onion chutney and the watercress on the side cut through all the richness. The rarebit can be frozen, so you might want to make a double batch and freeze half.

Serves 2

• 400g piece of bavette steak
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• Cheddar rarebit
• 20g butter
• 20g plain flour
• 125ml stout
• 100g mature cheddar, grated
• 1 tbsp English mustard
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 large free-range egg yolks

To serve

• 2 large slices of sourdough
• 20g butter, softened
• 2 tbsp red onion chutney
• watercress

Trickle the bavette steak with the olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and some salt and pepper.

For the rarebit, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, then gradually add the stout, stirring all the time. Cook, stirring, over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the grated cheese, mustard and worcestershire sauce, then stir until the cheese is fully melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and leave the rarebit to cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the grill to medium (200C/180C fan/gas 6).

When you're ready to serve, heat a griddle pan over a high heat. When it is smoking hot, add the steak and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the steak to a warmed plate and set aside to rest in a warm place. 

Meanwhile, toast the sourdough on the griddle until well coloured on each side, then spread each slice with butter and red onion chutney.

Slice the bavette steak and arrange the slices over the chutney. Spoon the rarebit sauce on top of the steak and spread it thinly to cover the meat.

Carefully transfer the steak rarebits to a baking tray and place under the grill for a few minutes until the sauce starts to bubble and turn golden brown.

Serve at once, with lots of watercress on the side.

LANCASHIRE HOT POTS

It is an ideal choice for a chilly day or even as a midweek meal as there is very little hands-on work required

There is good reason why a Lancashire hot pot is still so popular 200 years after it was first made. It is an ideal choice for a chilly day or even as a midweek meal as there is very little hands-on work required.

I like to add stout for a darker, hoppy, malty flavour dimension.

Serves 4

• 900g lamb neck, cut into 2cm-3cm pieces
• 50g plain flour
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large white onions, finely sliced
• 450g swede, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tsp thyme leaves
• 350ml stout
• 350ml lamb or beef stock
• 500g small maris piper potatoes
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp melted butter, to brush
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper then dust all over with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over a high heat. Brown the lamb in the pan in batches, turning as necessary until well coloured on all sides and adding more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer the meat to a plate using a slotted spoon.

Once all the lamb is browned and set aside, add the onions to the pan. Cook for 8 minutes or until caramelised, then add the swede and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the meat back to the pan along with 2 tsp of the thyme. Pour in the stout, bring to a simmer and stir well. Let bubble to reduce by half, then add the stock. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, peel and thinly slice the potatoes. (I use a biscuit cutter to trim and neaten the slices for a slick look – you could do this too.) Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Remove the lid from the pan and check that the meat is tender. Add the sugar, worcestershire sauce and a little salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir through the chopped parsley.

Divide the filling evenly between 4 individual ovenproof dishes. Arrange the potato slices overlapping on top of the filling and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tsp thyme leaves.

Place on a high shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for a few minutes before tucking in. Serve with a green veg.

CREAMY PRAWN TAGLIATELE 

The pink peppercorns are optional, but they make a dramatic garnish and are easy to get hold of

This luxuriously creamy pasta is packed with the flavours you would expect from a bowl of comforting seafood. You simply can't go wrong with a white wine, fish stock, caper and cream combo. The pink peppercorns are optional, but they make a dramatic garnish and are easy to get hold of.

Serves 2

• 200g tagliatelle
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 30g butter
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 16 large raw tiger prawns, peeled, with tails left on
• 150ml white wine
• 100ml fish stock
• 1 tbsp baby capers
• 100ml double cream
• 20g parmesan, finely grated
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chervil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• pink peppercorns, to sprinkle (optional)

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Add the tagliatelle to the boiling salted water and cook for 9-11 minutes until al dente (cooked but still with a bite).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. When the butter is melted and foaming, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the prawns to the sauté pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they turn pink. Take the pan off the heat and transfer the prawns to a plate using a slotted spoon.

Place the pan back over a high heat, pour in the wine and let it bubble to reduce by half. Add the fish stock and continue to simmer until the liquor is reduced by half again. Add the capers and cream and cook until the sauce is thickened.

Drain the pasta, saving a small ladleful of the cooking water. Take the sauté pan off the heat and add the pasta directly to it, along with the reserved pasta water. Tip the prawns back into the pan and add the grated parmesan, crème fraîche and half of the chopped herbs. Stir until the sauce coats the tagliatelle. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide between warmed serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining chopped herbs and some pink peppercorns if you fancy.

PORK STEAKS WITH ROMESCO SAUCE 

All the elements work together beautifully: the earthy, tangy goat's cheese complements the sweet and spicy carrots, and the zingy hazelnut butter offers a delightful crunch in every mouthful

Whipped cheese and roasted root veg is a new take on crudités and sits nicely as a modern pub classic. All the elements work together beautifully: the earthy, tangy goat's cheese complements the sweet and spicy carrots, and the zingy hazelnut butter offers a delightful crunch in every mouthful.

Serves 4

• 1.5kg mixed heritage carrots
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Whipped goat's cheese

• 200g soft goat's cheese
• 200g cream cheese
• 100g crème fraîche
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Hazelnut brown butter

• 100g butter
• 50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• juice of ½ lemon

To finish

• za'atar, to sprinkle
• pomegranate molasses, to drizzle

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

Peel the carrots, quarter them lengthways and lay on the baking trays. If using some bigger carrots, just cut them so that they are all even in size. Sprinkle with the spices and thyme, then trickle over the honey and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, toss to mix then roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

Take out the baking trays, give the carrots a stir around and drizzle over the sherry vinegar. Return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the whipped goat's cheese in a food processor and blend until smoothly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the hazelnut butter, melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat, then add the hazelnuts and cook until both the nuts and butter turn a lovely golden brown. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and stir well. Pour the butter into a bowl and set aside.

Divide the whipped goat's cheese between 4 plates and spread it out to a circle using the back of a spoon. Top with the roasted carrots and spoon on the hazelnut butter. Sprinkle with za'atar and drizzle a little pomegranate molasses around each plate. Serve at once, with warm pittas or flatbreads.

STICKY DATE AND BANANA PUDDING

Sticky, caramelised bananas shine alongside a sweet date pudding, and the easy-to-make toffee sauce served with it takes it to another level of indulgence

This naughty, boozy pud is one of our pub classics. Sticky, caramelised bananas shine alongside a sweet date pudding, and the easy-to-make toffee sauce served with it takes it to another level of indulgence.

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp softened butter, to grease the dishes
• 100g plain white flour, plus 1 tbsp to dust
• 100ml dark rum
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g pitted dates, chopped
• 85g vegetable suet
• 85g soft dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large free-range eggs

Toffee sauce

• 200ml double cream
• 100g soft dark brown sugar
• 75g butter
• a small pinch of salt

To finish

• 2 small bananas
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

Brush 4 individual ovenproof dishes (250ml capacity) with the softened butter and dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess.

Pour the rum and 100ml water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then take off the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and dates. Pop a lid on the pan and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the dates to soak up the liquid and cool down.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Tip the dates and liquid into a large bowl and add the flour, suet, brown sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Beat until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile, to make the toffee sauce, pour the cream into a saucepan and add the brown sugar, butter and salt. Place over a low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Peel and thinly slice the bananas. Once you've removed the puddings from the oven, arrange the banana slices, overlapping, around the edge of each dish. Sprinkle the banana slices liberally with demerara sugar and run a cook's blowtorch over them to caramelise the sugar.

Serve the date and banana puddings with the toffee sauce in a jug on the side.

Now buy the book

Our recipes are from Pub Kitchen by Tom Kerridge, with photographs by Cristian Barnett, to be published by Bloomsbury on 14 September, £27. To pre-order a copy for £21.60 until 17 September go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25