How to make something very nearly out of nothing. This is really brilliant – just some cold chicken, a few mushrooms and a couple of eggs and you have a very acceptable starter.

Serve it hot spread on buttered toast.

(Serves four)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
200 g cooked chicken
120 g small white mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 eggs
100 ml cream
Salt and pepper
Splash of Worcester sauce
Butter

Generously butter four ramekin dishes. Heat the oil in a small pan and fry the onion until soft but not coloured.

Roughly chop the chicken, put it in the processor, add the onion and whizz them together until finely chopped. Add the mushrooms and pulse two or three times so they are chopped fairly small.

Mix in the eggs and cream and season well with salt and pepper and a splash of Worcester sauce. Divide the mixture between the ramekins, put a small knob of butter on each one and leave them in the fridge until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and cook the paté for about 20 minutes. Let it stand for a few minutes, then serve with hot buttered toast.