Fairtrade recipes for winter Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Life and character The Guardian

Juicy mangoes and tawny ­avocados get a punchy, delectable diagnosis with proposal strips of beef and a pointy dressing. Photograph: Colin Campbell

It"s an permanently tasty and rewarding, though ­occasionally challenging, even arduous, journey togrow, catch, behind or buy locally majority of the food that ends up on the kitchen table. Tucking in to dishes done from ­ingredients we"ve nurtured ourselves (or things constructed by ­neighbours, a small of whom have ­become friends) creates them all themore satisfying.

But though I live in one of the majority copious corners of Britain, there are a small reduction that eventhese immature and fruitful acres can"t provide. Oranges, lemons and ­clementines, coffee and tea, ­chocolate and bananas are all ­verging on being staples, generally during spare February. And ­pineapples andmangoes are ­particularly ­welcome treats whenthe awaiting of picking my own sun-ripened fruitand veg feelssuch a really prolonged wayoff. Rightnow, we rely on thesevibrant exotics to whet the palates and lighten the plates.

Fortunately, Fairtrade Fortnight starts on Monday and runs until 7 March. This year, they"re enlivening us all to stick on inThe Big Swap. The thought is that wetweak the selling day to day and, ­between us, collect up a million and one Fairtrade products in place of the normal purchases. This will givea improved understanding to tolerable ­producers in the building world.

My recipes currently have the majority of this changed annuity in the form of salads, cakes and puds – all satisfactory sufficient in multiform senses (and multiform senses of senses, come to that).

Mango, avocado and beef salad

Juicy mangoes and tawny ­avocadosget a punchy, delectable diagnosis with proposal strips of beef and a pointy dressing. Serves four.

For the marinade2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced1 tbsp oyster salsa (optional)1 tbsp dry sherry2 tsp soy sauce1 tsp light muscovado sugar1 tsp grated uninformed gingerA integrate of twists of black peppers

For the salad350g sirloin or strap steak1 large, developed mango1 large, developed avocado (or 2 not as big ones)2-3 handfuls space station leaves1 small garland coriander, stalksremoved

For the dressing2 tbsp Thai fish salsa (or Worcestershire sauce)1 tbsp sesame oilJuice of 1 lime1 tbsp soy sauce1 tsp light muscovado sugar1 small red chilli, halved, deseeded and finely sliced1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced Salt and creatively belligerent blackpepper

In a bowl, drive together all the ­ingredients for the marinade. Add the beef and have make use of of your hands to massage in the brine until all of the beef is well coated. Leave to marinate for thirty mins to an hour.

While the beef is marinating, ­prepare the rest of the salad. Peel the mango, cut the strength afar from the mill and cut in to long, thin slices. Whisk together the reduction for the dressing.

Heat a ridged roaster vessel or ­fryingpan until really hot. Sear the beef for dual to 4 mins a side, depending on density – you wish it browned on the outward and still pinkish in the middle. Leave to rest ona comfortable image for five mins ­before rupturing thinly. Cut the ­avocado in to thin slices.

Arrange the space station on 4 plates or one large platter. Arrange the steak, mango and avocado on top, drip on the dressing, together with any juices from the frying vessel and/or image on that the beef has rested, separate over the coriander and offer immediately.

Banana chocolate cake

Don"t rubbish bananas that have ­languished in the ripened offspring play a ­little as well prolonged – overripe ones that are a small browned around the edges are undiluted in this moist, chocolaty cake. Makes one 22cm cake.

120g unsalted butter, softened, and additional for greasing280g self-raising spelt flour, or "light brown" flour (or 280g solid flour and 3 tsp baking powder)1 tsp baking powder½ tsp salt120g solid chocolate, 70%, coarsely chopped 150g sugar2 eggs3 really developed medium-sized ­bananas, mashed140g whole-milk yogurt

Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas symbol 5. Butter a 22cm, loose-­bottomed spin or block baked sweat bread tin. Line the bottom with baking ­parchment, and butter the ­parchment also.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a heatproof play over a vessel of hardly simmering ­water, warp the chocolate until smooth. Set in reserve to cool whilst you get on with the rest.

Beat the butter and sugarine until light and fluffy, afterwards kick in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Stir in the bananas and yogurt until well blended, afterwards overlay in the flour­ ­mixture – don"t overmix. Take a third of the beat and brew it with the chocolate. Spoon the solid ­batter in to the tin, inter­spersing it with spoonfuls of chocolate batter, afterwards have make use of of a blade to whirl together to­create a streaked effect. Bake for30-35 minutes, until a toothpick extrinsic in to the centre comes out smooth. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins afterwards spin out on to a rack to cool completely.

Grilled pineapple

This easy pud creates an devotedly attached winter treat. In summer, the ­marinated pineapple slices are ­delicious grilled on the barbecue, though in that eventuality you will have to abandon the buttery, caramelly salsa – hopefully, tucking in in the fever will have up for this ­sacrifice. Serves 4 to six.

1 pineapple30g light muscovado sugar30g dim muscovado sugar60ml dim rumJuice of 1 lime2 pieces star anise (optional)50g unsalted butter Ice-cream, to offer

Cut the ends off the pineapple and place it on a chopping house on the base. Work around the fruit, slicing off the skin in strips and stealing as most eyes as you can. If you miss a few, go behind around and cut them out with a small, pointy knife. Cut thepineapple in to 2cm slices, afterwards delicately cut out the cores.

In a large bowl, brew together the sugars, rum and lime. Bash the star anise rounded off (with a pestle and mortar, say), and supplement to the mixture. Add the pineapple slices, spin over well in the brine and leave for 40 minutes, branch a integrate of some-more times as it soaks.

In a large frying pan, warp the ­butter over medium-high heat. With a slotted spoon, lift the pineapple from the brine and sauté for about dual and a half mins a side, until somewhat caramelised. Transfer to a comfortable plate, aria the brine in to the vessel and let it burble for a notation or so until thickened and glossy. Serve with ice-cream and with a small salsa stretched over the top.

• Would you similar to to stick on us for the Hugh Cooks Seasonal Produce eventuality on sixteen March? Go to rivercottage.net for details.