Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's comfort food recipes

Rhubarb and orange smoothie Rhubarb is such a gift: one of the few fresh, homegrown crops available at this time of year. For me, it is always a joyful reminder of good things to come. Honey and peanut butter booster bars I spent a long time tweaking and twiddling with this recipe before putting it into River Cottage Every Day and I am now very pleased with it. These fruity, nutty, oaty slabs are the perfect antidote to those dubious "energy bars" that seem to be ubiquitous these days. Roasted parsnip, puy lentil and watercress salad This salad uses three of my very favourite ingredients. Packed with deep, earthy flavours but still fresh and enticing, it is, for me, what winter food should be all about. Kale and onion pizza Homemade pizzas have become a staple in our house – and at River Cottage. Not only are they generally delicious, but I've so often found them to be a great way to introduce inexperienced cooks to the pleasures of home-cooking. Lamb's liver with merguez spices I love this dish. It's quick and straightforward, and demonstrates just how great the results can be when you take well-produced, local ingredients – even pretty humble ones such as lamb's liver and onions – and give them a really imaginative treatment. Slow-cooked aromatic shoulder of pork This deliciously tender, succulent slow-roast pork is a great way to feed a crowd – and it reminds me of some very good nights. It practically cooks itself too: after browning, you just put the pork in the oven and forget about it for several hours. Leftovers make fabulous salads and sandwiches. Rhubarb and custard tart The sweet, warm flavour of the vanilla is infused in both the custard and the rhubarb, making this a pure, sensuous pleasure to eat. Rice pudding with butterscotch apples Thanks to the school version (out of an enormous tin, I suspect), I used to hate rice pudding. Only recently did I discover how sublime it can be. It's easy, too – the secret being in the occasional stir that helps separate the grains, and the half-and-half mix of milk and cream.