The incredible pair spicing up the British menu

They both believe traditional British fare is among the finest in the world, while our home-grown produce is the very best money can buy.

The pair (pictured), who call themselves The Incredible Spice Men, first met back in 1999, now almost a decade and a half and the duo are releasing a book, The Incredible Spice Men, and have a five-part BBC Two series of the same title.

The TV series shows them delivering a batch of recipes which are a blend of their cooking styles, while travelling the length and breadth of the UK, in search of the finest produce. When they find an item they return to their kitchen where they offer up a spicy new recipe as an alternative to tried-and-tested methods.

Here are two ideas for you to try at home:

SMOKED SALMON WITH SPICED BEETROOT SALAD
(Serves 4-6 as a starter)

Ingredients
200g sliced smoked salmon
For the beetroot salad:
Juice of 1 lime
3tsp clear honey
½tsp smoked paprika
½tsp ground cinnamon
1 fresh beetroot, very finely sliced
3tbsp raisins, preferably golden
3tbsp (heaped) torn mint leaves
Salt
For the horseradish cream:
Juice of 2 limes
½tsp clear honey
4tbsp horseradish sauce
150ml double cream
Pinch of chilli powder, or more to taste
A small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt

Method
For the beetroot salad, first make the dressing - whisk together the lime juice and honey in a small bowl, then mix in the smoked paprika, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
In a separate bowl, mix together the beetroot, raisins and mint leaves and pour over the dressing. Chill for an hour. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.
To make the horseradish cream, whisk together the lime juice, honey and horseradish sauce in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl.
Stir the horseradish and lime mixture into the whisked cream. Add the chilli powder and salt to taste, and sprinkle on the parsley.
Set the salmon slices onto individual plates, and serve with the beetroot salad and a dollop of the horseradish cream.

APPLE CRUMBLE WITH STAR ANISE
(Serves 6)

Ingredients
For the crumble topping:
300g plain flour
200g brown sugar
200g unsalted butter, cubed and softened to room temperature, plus extra for greasing
Pinch of salt
For the filling:
75g unsalted butter
1kg eating apples (such as russet or cox), peeled, cored and chopped into large chunks
150g caster sugar
5 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
To serve (optional):
Creme fraiche
Pomegranate seeds
Pomegranate syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
To make the crumble topping, put the flour, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time, rub them into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle the mixture onto a baking sheet in a thin layer, using two sheets if necessary. Bake in the preheated oven for five minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and break with a fork, then return to the oven and repeat the process a couple of times, until you have a lovely crunchy biscuit topping. Set aside; if continuing to cook the apple crumble immediately, do not turn the oven off.
To make the filling, heat a wide, shallow, heavy-bottomed pan and melt the butter until it foams. Add the star anise and fry for a minute, then add the apples, sugar and cinnamon, and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved and the apple is soft at the edges. Remove the cinnamon and the star anise, and add a little bit more sugar if you like.
To assemble, grease a medium-sized ovenproof dish with butter. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top. Ensure the oven is preheated to 200C/gas mark 6, and bake for 20 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling. Leave to cool slightly.
To serve, put some creme fraiche into a small bowl and mix in some pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with a little pomegranate syrup and serve alongside the crumble.