3 Pancetta, Faro & bean soup

A delish high energy soup, that can be made in vats and bought to work to heat up and that will keep her fuller for longer.

Makes 5 portions, (1 for each day of the week) 100g pancetta cubetti (or smoked bacon)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 onion , finely chopped

• 2 small carrots, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and diced (or 2 whole tomatoes from a can, chopped)

• 1 tablespoon tomato puree

• 1l chicken stock, fresh if you can find

• 140g pearled spelt (or farro), or pearl barley

• 400g can canellini beans

• flat-leaf parsley and Parmesan to serve

Fry the pancetta in the oil for 2-3 mins in a medium saucepan. Add the bay leaf and onion. Cook over a gentle heat until the onion has softened and is starting to go golden. Add the garlic, fry for a few secs more, then the tomatoes and puree. Cook these down until the tomatoes start to thicken and soften.

Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Rinse the spelt and drain well. Add to stock then simmer very gently for 25-30 mins.

Add the Canelllini beans and simmer for 10 mins more, or until the grains are tender. Season and serve with grated Parmesan and parsley.

Rare roast beef with potato salad (Serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 beef fillet steaks, each 5 cm thick

• Sea salt and white pepper

• 100g crème fraiche

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise

• 2 tbp good horseradish

• A squeeze of lemon juice

• 300g charlotte potatoes, cooked whole then cut in half

• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced

• 1 bunch watercress, trimmed

• 10 radishes, quartered

• 8 cherry tomatoes, preferably a mixture of red and yellow

• 4 chives, snipped

Heat the oil in a frying pan until really hot. Season the beef steaks with salt and pepper then sear them all over for 20 seconds on each side until the meat is fairly dark on the outside and really rare in the middle. Remove and leave to rest for one hour in the freezer until almost frozen.

Mix together the crème fraiche, horseradish and mayonnaise with some salt and pepper. Mix with the potatoes, spring onions, watercress, radishes, tomatoes and chives. When you're ready to serve, thinly slice the beef, aiming to cut 12 slices from each steak. Lay slices, overlapping each other and top with salad.

• See September's Society Magazine for more recipes