This week, I make lovely lean turkey burgers and a steamed chocolate and orange pudding that’s great for a treat. Turkey mince is very lean so if you are cutting down on the fats, this is a good one to try. It is also very good value.

I use rapeseed oil in this recipe but olive oil will also do fine. I tend to use rapeseed a lot – partly because I like the taste but I also like that it has a higher smoke point so you can cook at a higher temperature. Plus, it is home-produced and I am always keen to support our local farmers.

I love the taste of Ballymaloe relish with burgers. And for spices, I sometimes substitute basil or sage.

Now, hands up who doesn’t love a chocolate pudding? This steamed pudding is just perfect for winter. The orange gives it a lovely taste while the dark sugar is great for the colour. Mixed spices also work instead of cinnamon.

This chocolate sauce recipe is one to save because it is so useful – it is perfect with ice cream. I also like it with vanilla panna cotta for a more stylish meal. Or with a chocolate tart. Enjoy!

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES

CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE PUDDING

Serves six

4 oz butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

4 oz dark muscovado sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

¼ pint milk

1 egg

1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder

8 oz self-raising flour, sieved

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp baking soda

1 orange, juice and rind

For the chocolate sauce:

100g dark chocolate

1 tbsp golden syrup

4 tbsp cream

4 tbsp milk

1 Butter the inside of a 1.2-litre pudding bowl and line the base with a disc of buttered greaseproof paper.

2 Melt the butter, syrup and sugar in a pan, remove from the heat and stir in the milk and egg. Next, add in the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, orange juice and rind.

3 Pour this mixture into the pudding bowl and cover tightly with tin foil and steam for 1¼ hours. Just before it’s done, make the sauce by melting and continually stirring the ingredients.

4 To serve, turn out the pudding (run a knife around the inside of the bowl if necessary), discard the paper disc, pour the sauce on top and serve with some whipped cream.

TURKEY BURGER WITH LEMON AND THYME

Serves four

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

500g pack minced turkey

Zest of one lemon

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1tbsp Ballymaloe relish

4 thin rashers or streaky bacon

Buns, lettuce leaves, sliced tomato and tomato relish, to serve

1 Heat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, cook for a few minutes until lightly browned and soft. Then cook the turkey mince with the lemon zest, thyme, parsley, onion, tomato relish and seasoning. Mix until well combined.

2 Shape the mixture into four burgers and wrap a rasher of bacon around each. Put in a roasting tin, bake for 20-25 mins, then grill for a few minutes on each side to crisp up the bacon.

3 Serve in bun with lettuce, tomato, tomato relish and roast vegetables.