Black olive gougeres; parsnip, celeriac and blue cheese bake

Two recipes from the Guardian’s resident recipe writers this week, both more apt for winter climates but (did I mention this?) it’s been cold in Miami and the only heating in this town is the kind that comes from rib-sticking calorie-loaded food within. Let me tell you, I’m still thawing out my feet from stand-up paddleboard the other day, and I’m meant to be a Tough Northern Girl. Granted, I’m somewhat tougher than Mr. R&R who sends me into the sea first, stands at about thigh height and winces every time a wave touches his stomach. Be a man, I say, rip that plaster off and dive in, but to no avail, he’s been spoilt by balmy Bahamian waters. Anyway, here are a couple of ideas for internal central heating.

The method for Dan Lepard’s black olive gougeres is a bit like the choux pastry used for profiteroles I suppose – you add the flour to boiling fat and water, then beat in eggs and cheese. I substituted the thyme in the recipe for chopped chives and parsley, which worked quite well. They didn’t puff up much for me, but I suspect that was due to using a glass dish rather than a baking sheet (I’m not cooking at home). After I’d prised them off said dish, they were bloody addictive though, perfect for Oscar-night snacking.

This celeriac and parnsip bake from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall was pretty nice too – difficult to go wrong with a combination of blue cheese, bacon and hazelnuts. I added potato slices too and even though I had to take out some of the liquid by hand at the end, it was none the worse for it. Served it with steamed brussel sprouts for a hearty but not too heavy main meal.