Beef and mushroom sautée



beef and mushroom sauté

2 tbsp. oil

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp. cornflour

6 tbsp. water

1/2 tbsp. Chinese five-spice

6 tbsp. chilli sauce

350g rump or sirloin steak, cut into thin strips

225g button mushrooms, halved

3-cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped

6 spring onions, sliced

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms, onion garlic ad ginger and stir fry until the onion is soft. Add the beef and cook for a further 5 minutes on a fairly high heat. Stir in the chilli sauce and five-spice powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the cornflour mixed with the water and the spring onions. Simmer for 2 minutes, season, transfer to a serving dish and serve with rice or noodles.

beef goulash

1 kg lean beef

4 tsp. butter

2 onions

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. flour

1 bunch assorted herbs

1 pt beer

7 potatoes

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Cut meat into small squares. Brown in 4 tsp. butter. Drop in chopped onions. Sprinkle with flour. Add salt, pepper, crushed garlic and tomato paste. Cook briefly. The place lid on and cook for further hour. Add peeled and cubed potatoes and cook until potatoes are soft

chilli con carne

60g butter

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

500g minced beef

1-2 tsp. chilli powder

4 tsp. cumin powder

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 x 440g cans red kidney beans

1 1/4 cups beef stock

chopped parsley

Melt butter in a flameproof casserole. Add onions and garlic and fry gently for 5 mins. Stir in the beef and cook, stirring for 10 mins. Mix together the chilli powder, cumin and tomato paste and stir into the beef. Add the kidney beans, stock and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bake at 180°C for 25 mins. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot with bread or rice.

Hungarian beef rolls

4 thin beef steaks

7 tbsp. butter

5 oz sausage meat

4 slices bread

1/2 dozen mushrooms

1 cup dry white wine

1 clove garlic

1 shallot

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1/2 tsp. thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. flour

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

Cut ends off mushrooms. Wash along with mushrooms and chop stems with parsley, garlic and the shallot. Mix with the sausage meat, paprika and salt. Spread a quarter of this stuffing on meat. Roll and tie. Brown the stuffed pieces of meat in 4 tbsp. warm butter. Sprinkle with flour, pour on white wine and stir. Cook for 30 mins. Five minutes before serving, brown mushrooms in butter. Add salt and pepper. Fry bread. Serve on the bread and pour over mushroom mixture.

Swedish beef steak with onions

2 pounds sirloin steak

1/4 cup butter or margarine

4 onions, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup boiling water

Cut steak into 4 serving portions. Pound meat lightly with meat hammer. Melt 2 tbsp. of the fat in a skillet. Add onions and sauté until tender and nicely brown. Remove onions from pan and keep warm. Add remaining butter or margarine to pan and heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Fry in butter or margarine 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove meat to a hot serving platter. Pour boiling water into skillet and stir to dissolve brown particles in pan. Pour over meat. Garnish steaks with onions. Serve with fried potatoes.

veal scaloppini in lemon sauce

12 small veal escalopes

flour

6 tbsp. butter

salt

2 sprigs flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped

juice of 1 lemon

2 1/2 tbsp. hot stock

Beat scaloppini until thin and flat and sprinkle them with flour. Heat half of the butter in a wide pan and add veal. Turn up heat and fry quickly. Salt lightly. Keep meat warm on a hot dish. Add the parsley, lemon juice, the remaining butter and stock in the pan. Stir until bubbling, pour over veal and serve.

sailor’s beef

1 1/2 pounds chuck or round of beef

5-6 medium potatoes

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

2 cups sliced onions

2 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup beer

chopped parsley

Cut meat into 1/2 inch slices. Pound a little with meat hammer. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Heat butter or margarine in skillet. Add meat and brown quickly on both sides. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Remove meat from skillet. Cook onions in the same skillet until brown. Remove from pan. Add water to the pan and cook a few minutes. Place meat, onions and potatoes in alternate layers in a large casserole, sprinkling each layer with remaining salt and pepper. Add pan liquid and beer. Cover and bake in a moderate oven for 1-1 1/4 hours or until meat is tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

veal mozzarella

4 veal steaks

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

1 onion

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. oil

60g butter

1 tbsp. oil, extra

2/3 cup grated mozzarella

2 tbsp. grated parmesan

sauce 30g butter

2 tbsp. plain flour

1 1/3 cups milk

1/2 cup cream

125g champignons

salt and pepper

Remove fat from steaks and pound thinly. Place in a single layer in a glass dish. Combine crushed garlic, oregano, parsley, peeled and sliced onion, lemon juice and oil. Mix well. Pour marinade over steaks and stand 2 hours. Drain steaks and pat dry. Heat butter and extra oil in pan, add steaks and cook on both sides until browned. Remove steaks and place in shallow ovenproof dish in a single layer, pour sauce over steaks and sprinkle top with combined cheese. Bake, uncovered in moderate oven for 30 mins. For the sauce: Melt butter in pan, add flour and cook for 1 min., stirring constantly. Add milk add cream, stir until sauce boils and thickens. Add thinly sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper, simmer uncovered 1 min. Serve with vegetables with basil.

peppered beef with onion

500g fillet of beef

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. cornstarch

5 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 slices root ginger, coarsely chopped

1 tsp. peppercorns

2 medium onions thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

Cut beef into 5x4cm slices and rub with salt and pepper. Wet with egg white and dredge with cornflour. Heat 4 tbsp. oil and when hot, add ginger and peppercorns. Stir-fry 45 sec. Add beef, and stir fry for 1 min over high heat. Add remaining oil and when hot, add the sliced onions. Stir-fry 1 1/2 mins. Add sugar and soy sauce, and stir-fry 11/2 mins more.

lamb’s liver with onion and bacon gravy

3 large onions, peeled and sliced

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 thick slices of butter

50 diced bacon

1 tbsp. flour

200 ml meat stock

Worcester sauce

4 thin slices of lamb’s liver

Warm oil and one of the slices of butter in a shallow pan and add onions. Cook on a slow heat for 30 minutes until soft and golden. Turn up heat and reduce liquid, then add bacon. Cook for a couple of minutes until bacon fat is golden, then sprinkle with the flour. Cook for a few minutes at a moderate heat and then add stock, a shake or two of Worcester sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring for about 10 minutes. In another pan, melt the second piece of butter. When it is foaming, add the liver. Cook for one minute at a high heat, turn and cook the other side.

beef with quaglino’s noodles

5 tbsp. oil

3 tbsp. soy sauce

5 dried red chillies

1 medium onion, sliced into thin strips

handful of fresh coriander, chopped

500g beef (or turkey) per person, sliced into strips

water

egg noodles or buckwheat noodles

Heat oil in pan and add chillies. Heat until smoking and leave to steep for at least 5 mins. Remove chillies. Boil water in saucepan and add noodles. Boil 5 mins or until cooked, drain. Reheat oil and when hot, add beef and stir-fry 1 min. Add onions and stir fry another 1 min. Add noodles and soy sauce and turn until covered, then add coriander. Turn once more and serve, garnished with more coriander.

veal with lemon

4 veal steaks

1 egg white

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1 clove garlic

3 tbsp. plain flour

2 tbsp. cornflour

2 tbsp. oil

30g butter

sauce 1/2 red pepper

3 shallots

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. soy sauce

3 tsp. cornflour

1 chicken stock cube

2/3 cup water

salt, pepper

Trim steaks, pound out very thinly with meat mallet and combine with combined egg white, salt, sugar, soy sauce and crushed garlic, stand 30 minutes. Heat oil and butter in large frying pan, add steaks, cook quickly on both sides until golden brown. Remove from pan and spoon sauce over the veal steaks. For the sauce: seed pepper, shred finely. Slice shallots diagonally. Combine lemon juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, cornflour, crumbled stock cube, water salt and pepper in saucepan, stir over low heat until sauce thickens. Add pepper and shallots. M ix well.

Bolognese meat sauce

6 tbsp. butter

2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

2/3 cup bacon, finely chopped

3/4 cup minced pork

3/4 cup minced beef

1/4 cup sausage meat

2-3 chicken livers, optional

2/3 cup dry white wine

salt and pepper

4 tsp. tomato paste

1 1/4 cups stock

4 tbsp. single cream or milk

Heat half the butter and all the oil in a deep frying pan. Add onion, carrot, celery and bacon and fry over a low heat until the vegetables begin to change colour. Add pork, beef, sausage meat and chicken livers and fry gently until they begin to change colour. Moisten with wine and cook until it evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Dilute tomato paste with a little stock. Stir this into the sauce, cover and cook slowly, gradually adding the rest of the stock. After 1 1/2 hours, stir in the cream and continue cooking until reduced. Finally, add remaining butter and stir until melted in. Sauté 250g mushrooms in garlic. Finely chopped parsley can be added at the last moment.

hot herbed meatballs

750g pork and veal mince

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. marjoram

pinch nutmeg

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

In a large bowl combine the pork and veal mince with the salt, rosemary, pepper, marjoram, thyme and nutmeg. Roll into 1” balls with floured hands. Dip meatballs in beaten eggs to coat thoroughly and then roll in breadcrumbs which have been seasoned with the salt, pepper and paprika. Place crumbed meatballs onto lightly greased trays and bake in a moderately hot oven for 15 mins. Shake tray occasionally to keep meatballs in good shape.

veal katsu

2 pieces of rib-eye steak or scotch fillet

1 tbsp. dry sherry

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1” piece ginger

1 egg

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 carrot

1 onion

1 tbsp. oil

1/3 cup oil, extra

1 egg, extra

1/2 tsp. soy sauce, extra

sauce 2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 1/2 tbsp. water

2 tsp. sugar

1” piece ginger

Remove fat from steak and flatten with a meat mallet. Place steak in bowl, add sherry, crushed garlic and soy sauce. Grate ginger and squeeze between fingers to extract juice. Add juice to bowl. Discard fibres. Coat steak with flour, and shake away excess. Dip in lightly beaten egg, then breadcrumbs. Scrape carrot, cut into thin 5cm lengths. Peel onion, cut in half and then slice thinly. Heat oil in pan, add carrot and onion and cook 2 mins stirring occasionally. Remove, drain on paper. Place vegetables on serving dish. Add extra oil to pan add steak and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove and cut into strips. Place on top of vegetables. Pour sauce over top. Bring saucepan of salted water to boil, add combined extra lightly beaten egg and extra soy sauce in thin stream, stirring occasionally with fork. Remove from heat, strain off and arrange around edge of plate. For the sauce: combine soy sauce, water and sugar. Grate ginger and press to extract juice and add to soy mixture. Discard fibres. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 min.

sliced lamb with leek and garlic

1kg leg of lamb

salt to taste

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 tsp. cornflour

375g leeks

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 slices root ginger, shredded

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tbsp. dark soy sauce

4 tbsp. stock

Cut lamb into thin slices, rub with salt, wet with egg white and dredge in cornflour. Cut leeks into 5cm lengths. Heat the oil in a wok and when hot, add the ginger and onion. Stir-fry for 1 min. Add the garlic and lamb. Continue to stir and turn all the contents in the wok over high heat for 2 mins. Push away from the centre of the heat. Add the leeks and stir-fry them for 1 min over high heat. Pour the soy sauce and stock over them. Turn and stir for 45 seconds. Bring the lamb back to the centre and turn with the leeks over high heat for 45 seconds.

veal with mushrooms

1.5 kg veal

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup sherry

3 tbsp. oil

30g butter

1 onion

1 tbsp. flour

1/2 cup cream

1 chicken stock cube

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. tarragon

1 tsp. cornflour

1 tsp. water, extra

salt and pepper

250g mushrooms

60g butter, extra

Cut sinew from veal and place veal in bowl, pour over both wine and sherry and leave to stand for 4 hours, turning occasionally. Remove veal and pat dry. Reserve marinade. Heat oil and butter in pan, add veal and brown on all sides, remove and place in ovenproof dish. Pour off pan juices, leaving 1 tbsp. in pan. Add peeled and chopped onion, cook 2 mins. Add flour, stir 1 min, add strained marinade, cream, crumbled stock cube, water, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and tarragon, stir until boiling. Pour sauce over veal, cover, bake in moderate oven 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Melt extra butter in separate pan, add thinly sliced mushrooms, cook over high heat 2 mins, remove from pan. Remove veal from dish and keep warm. Pour sauce into saucepan, add mushrooms, combine cornflour and extra water, add to pan, stir until boiling, season with salt and pepper. Pour over sliced veal.

beef in Barolo wine

2-2.5 lbs. lean beef

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper

grated nutmeg

2 cups Barolo or good red wine

1 medium-sized onion

4 tbsp. pork fat

2 tbsp. butter

Cut the meat into six pieces of equal size. Put in a bowl with the bay lead, garlic, a little salt, pepper and the nutmeg. Add the wine, stir and leave in a cool place covered for at least 8 hours, turning occasionally. Dice the onion and the pork fat. Heat the pork fat and the butter in a large pan and sauté the onion gently until soft but not brown. Take the meat from the marinade, drain and pat dry with paper towels. Add the meat to the pan and brown over moderate heat. Strain the marinade and pour over the meat. Check seasoning and cook for 2 hours over low heat.

balti onion sauce / quick lamb curry

sauce 4 tbsp. cooking oil

3-4 large onions, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

6 large cloves garlic

4 green chillies, trimmed and de-seeded

1 tbsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. garam masala

450g tomatoes, peeled and chopped

3 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves

1 tsp. salt

curry 500 lamb fillet

1 tbsp. cooking oil

225g French beans

1/4 of balti onion sauce recipe

4 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. coriander leaves

For the sauce: Heat oil in large pan and fry onions over moderate heat for 35 mins or until evenly brown. Add ginger, garlic and chillies, raise heat slightly and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the ground coriander, giving it a good stir, and cook for a couple more minutes before adding the cumin, turmeric and garam masala. Add the tomatoes, fresh coriander, salt and 150ml water. Simmer over a low heat for 15 mins or until the sauce is thick. For the curry: Trim the meat and cut into kebab-sized chunks. Trim beans and halve. Heat a pan and add the oil and balti onion sauce, then the meat and beans. Sauté for a few minutes, add the water and simmer, stirring for six or seven minutes or until the meat is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with rice, yoghurt, Indian bread and chutneys. (Sauce can be kept in fridge for 2 weeks, or can be frozen.)

beef stewed in beer

900g beef, cubed, or vegetarian alternative

50g butter

4 shallots or 2 onions

salt, black pepper, pinch of coriander

2 springs of thyme

500ml-1 lit beer

2 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Chop onions or shallots and fry them in butter in a casserole. Add beef and brown for about 5 mins. Season with salt, pepper, coriander and thyme. Pour in beer to cover meat completely and simmer for 90 mins. Lift out meat and set aside. Run sauce through a sieve and return to pan. Blend flour with a little of the sauce and add to pan, along with mustard. Simmer, stirring until flour is cooked, (about 2 mins). Return meat to sauce and cook through. Serve with potatoes.

lahmakun (Turkish spicy meat pizza)

250g strong white bread flour

1/4 tsp. salt

6g dried yeast

150 ml warm water

topping 2 tsp. olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 courgette, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. hot chilli powder

300g canned tomatoes

1 tbsp. tomato purée

175g minced beef or lamb

pepper

Make dough and leave in a greased plastic bag to rise for 30 mins or until double in size. For the topping, heat the oil land fry the onion and courgette for 5-10 mins until soft. Ad the chilli powder and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and the tomato purée, season with pepper and simmer for 10 minutes or until thick. Leave to cool then stir in the meat. Work the dough and knead it for 5 mins. Return it to bag and leave for another 30 mins. Roll it out and leave for five. Spread with the topping and bake for 20-25 mins.

veal masala

2 veal escalopes

175ml masala

1 tbsp. plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

25g butter

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Cut each escalope into three pieces, lay a piece of clingfilm on top of them and gently batter them flat and about 3-5mm thick. Coat each piece in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Add olive oil and butter to pan and when the butter is foaming, add the veal and fry on each side for 90 sec. Then add masala and balsamic vinegar. Cook until sauce is thick and glossy. Serve with a green salad and baked potatoes.

calves’ liver with sage

800g-1kg calves liver

10 sage leaves

1/4 glass white wine

butter, olive oil

salt, pepper

Cut the liver into 1/2 cm thick slices about 7-8cm wide. Cut again into fingers 1/2” square and 7-8cm long. Season well. Place the sage leaves on top of each other, roll them into a little cigar and slice as thinly as possible. Heat some oil in a frying pan and when it is very hot but not smoking, throw in the liver and toss a few times to ensure it is sealed on all sides and then add the sage leaves. Turn a couple of times and then add the splash of white wine. Let it bubble up and then reduce, add the butter. Swirl it to coat and serve.

Christmas burger

200g spicy, flavoured butcher’s sausages

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

350g turkey breast, minced

3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped

6 more rashers, to serve

1/2 teaspoon crushed chilli flakes

2 level tbsp. grainy mustard

1 tbsp. Worcester sauce

1 rounded tbsp. mango chutney

2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp. vegetable oil for frying

+

6 English muffins

12 tbsp. cranberry sauce or mango chutney

12 small crisp lettuce leaves

18 slices gherkins

Squeeze sausages out of their skins. Mix in meat with spring onions, garlic, turkey breast, chopped bacon, chilli flakes, mustard Worcester sauce, mango chutney, thyme and salt and pepper. Shape roughly into six patties. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook for 5 minutes each side until done. Meanwhile, grill bacon rashers and toast muffins. Spread the bottom half of each muffin with a layer of mango chutney (or tomato chilli), pile on lettuce, cucumber, gherkin and bacon and add a little more sauce or chutney.

meatloaf

2 slices bread, cubed

4 tsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 tbsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 bunch spring onions, finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2 large cloves, finely chopped

2 eggs

100ml tomato ketchup

500g minced beef

500g minced pork

2 tsp. salt

black pepper

Toss cubes of bread in a bowl with 2 tbsp. of olive oil, cumin, coriander and nutmeg. Spread on a baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then crumb in a food processor or place in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Heat remaining 2 tbsp.. oil over a low heat, add peppers, onion, chilli and garlic and soften for about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Beat eggs with ketchup in a large bowl. Add vegetables, ground meat, crumbs, salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly and form the mixture in an oval loaf shape in a shallow baking dish. Bake for 45 mins-1 hour and serve with mashed potatoes and relish.

pot-roast pork chops with fennel and onion

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 large pork chops, about 450g

2 juicy cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

1 tsp. fennel seed

1 lemon

100 ml dry vermouth

thick slice of butter

a palmful of chopped parsley

Heat oil in a stainless steel or cast iron casserole. Put in the chops and colour lightly on each side, sot that they leave a slight sticky deposit in the pan in a minute or two. Tuck the garlic around the chops, scatter in the fennel seed and grind over a little salt and pepper. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and pour in the dry vermouth. Bring the liquid to the boil and bubble for 3-4 minutes until it becomes mildly syrupy. Drop in the butter, cover with a lid and bake at 170°C for 40 mins. After 35 minutes, put a serving dish in to warm. Place the chops on the serving dish, boil the cooking juices for 1 minute, then stir in the juice from the second half of the lemon and the chopped parsley. Pour the juices over the chops and serve with scrubbed new potatoes and a green salad.

summer meatballs

1 kg minced veal

2-4 slices stale white bread

200 ml milk

100g pine nuts

3 cloves garlic

leaves from a decent handful of basil

40 g freshly grated Parmesan

2 beaten eggs

olive oil for frying

sauce: 1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 stick celery

1 carrot

zest of half a lemon

4 tsp. butter

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 x 700 ml tomato passata

one or two sprigs basil

250 ml full-fat milk

Put onion, garlic, celery, carrot and lemon zest in the food processor and purée roughly. Heat 2 tbsp.. butter and the oil in a large pan into which the meatballs will fit in a large layer. When warm, add the onion mixture. Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the sugar and the passata (or alternatively, 4 x 400g tins of tomatoes), throw in a couple of springs of basil and cook covered, on low heat, for 20 minutes. Take lid off and reduce, stirring occasionally for another 20 minutes. Ten minutes in, stir in the milk and the remaining butter. Remove crusts from the bread and break into pieces. Cover with the milk and leave for 10 minutes to soak. Put the pin nuts in the (dry) bowl of the food processor and grind. Add the garlic, basil and grated Parmesan and blend together. Put the minced meat into a large bowl and scrape out the contents of the food processor bowl on top of it. Add the eggs. Squeeze out the milky bread and add. Use hands to mix well and combine. Line two baking sheets with clingfilm. Take clumps of the meat mixture and roll into balls about the size of walnuts, and then press slightly too flatten. When plastic sheet is full, place in refrigerate for 10 minutes. Pour olive oil into a frying pan to a depth of 5mm. When hot, brown the meatballs on both sides and transfer to the pan or casserole with the sauce. When they’re all in, put on the lid and cook on a low-ish heat for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and leave to bubble gently for a final 5 minutes. Sprinkle on added basil and some toasted pine nuts and serve with either rice or pasta.

lamb shanks with balsamic vinegar and Marsala

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 small lamb shanks, about 450g each

2 large onions

100 ml balsamic vinegar

150 ml Marsala

Put the oil into a casserole and place it over a moderate flame. Once it is hot, add the lamb shanks and allow them to brown lightly on all sides. While the meat is browning, peel and slice the onions, but not too thinly. Remove the meat and turn the heat down. Add the onions to the pan and stir occasionally, letting them cook slowly until soft and lightly coloured. Add the vinegar, bring to the boil, then return the lamb and any juices to the pot. Baste the lamb with the onions and juices, then cover with a lid and bake at 170°C for 1 1/2 hours, basting and turning once. Now add the Marsala and return to the oven, uncovered, for 25 mins. The lamb will be sticky and will fall off the bone with ease and the onions will be rich and jammy. Serve with a chicory salad and some hunks of crusty bread.

veal kidneys with three mustards

450 g veal (or lamb) kidneys

2 shallots

1 glass white wine

200 ml double cream

1 small tsp. tarragon mustard

1 small tsp. Meaux seed mustard

1 small tsp. Dijon mustard

50 g unsalted butter

a little lemon juice

Remove sinew from kidneys and cut into small lobes (or if using lamb) simply split in half and remove nerve). Heat pan with oil but not to smoking point. Seal on all sides, season and continue cooking for a few seconds more. Empty kidneys into a colander and drain. Chop shallots very finely and add to pan as butter foams. When shallots soften, add wine and reduce on high heat, scraping up the juices. When wine is almost gone, add cream. Boil vigorously until cream has reduced and thickened. Turn down heat and whisk in mustards. Do not boil. Return the kidneys to the pan and coat with sauce. Sharpen with lemon juice. Add more butter if necessary, and season. Serve with plain noodles and spinach leaves seared in a tine amount of oil.

sautéed lambs’ kidneys with Madeira gravy bacon gremolata and parsley and mustard mash

kidneys: 8 plum lamb’s kidneys

50 g butter

150 ml Madeira

bacon: 200 g streaky bacon, cut into thin strips

50 g butter

95 g fresh breadcrumbs

handful fresh, flat-leafed parsley

grated zest of one lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

mash: 740 g potatoes, peeled, in large chunks

2 heaped tbsp. grain mustard

50 g butter

3 heaped tbsp. crème fraîche

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Meanwhile, halve kidneys and remove white core with scissors. Rinse under cold running water. When potatoes are tender, drain and mash with butter, parsley, mustard and crème fraîche. Cover with butter paper and a tight lid, and keep warm. Fry the bacon in a shallow pan until the fat on the bacon is golden. Remove pan from heat, leaving bacon and butter in it. In another pan, melt half the butter for kidneys. Place dry kidneys into butter. Cook on one side for 1 min. on high heat and turn over and cook for another. Lift out and keep warm. Discard most of the butter and pour in the Madeira and boil over a high heat for 90 sec., scraping the pan. Add the remaining butter. Reduce the heat and return kidneys to the sauce. return bacon to heat and mix breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and grated lemon together. Stir them into the sizzling bacon and butter. Season with salt and some black pepper and stir gently for 2-3 minutes. To serve, spoon the kidneys and their sauce into a hot, shallow serving dish. Scatter the hot bacon gremolata over.

lamb with fennel and garlic

12 lamb cutlets

plain flour, for dusting

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb with leaves, cut into chunks

150 g dry Marsala

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dust the cutlets in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan, then fry the cutlets on both sides until brown. Remove and set aside. Add the garlic and fennel to the pan and fry for a few minutes, stirring. Stir in the Marsala and season with salt and pepper. Return cutlets to pan and cook for 15 minutes.

Blanquette of lamb

50 g unsalted butter

1.8 kg lamb shoulder, boned and cut into chunks

2 tbsp. plain flour

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 litre dry white wine

bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaves)

500 g baby carrots

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp. crème fraîche

salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a large pan and carefully brown the lamb, in batches if necessary. Sprinkle the lamb with the flour, then add the garlic. Stir over a high heat for a couple of minutes until garlic is cooked. Lower the heat and slowly stir in the wine. Add the bouquet garni, carrots and salt and pepper, then simmer for about 1 1/4 hours until lamb is tender. In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, egg yolk and crème fraîche with a fork. Just before serving, remove the lamb from the heat, stir the lemon juice mixture into the pan and return to the heat to warm through. Serve with saffron rice.

roast pigs’ kidneys with mushrooms and cream

2 large pigs’ kidneys

200 g small brown mushrooms, halved

75 ml whipping cream

4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tbsp. olive oil

95 g butter

1 level tbsp. plain flour

150 ml chicken stock

1 level tsp. chopped thyme leaves

150 g streaky bacon

2 level tbsp. smooth Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Halve and rinse kidneys. In a shallow pan, cook the chopped shallots and half the crushed garlic in the oil and a third of the butter until soft. Do not brown. Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 mins until soft. Sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in stock and white wine and bring to the boil. Turn down heat, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 2 mins. The sauce should not be too thick. Thin with stock if it is. Melt half of the remaining butter in a small frying pan. Once it starts to sizzle, briefly fry the kidneys on each side over a high heat. Place seared kidney halves in a flame proof dish, cut side up. Mix together the remaining butter and garlic with the chopped thyme leaves and a little salt and pepper. Spread this seasoned butter over the cut side of the kidneys and place the remaining kidney halves on top. Unravel the bacon to form long strips and wrap each kidney in 5 slices. Pour sauce over and bake in 200°C oven for 20-25 minutes until bacon is crisp.

lamb and potato moussaka

900 g waxy potatoes

2 tbsp. sunflower oil

450 g onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 large cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1 level tsp. cinnamon

500 g lamb mince

400 g tomatoes, drained and chopped

750 ml vegetable stock

1 tsp. oregano

1 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

sauce: 1 pint milk

freshly grated nutmeg

50 g unsalted butter

50 g plain flour

3 medium eggs

salt and pepper

Cook potatoes for 10 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into 5mm slices. Heat oil in frying pan and sauté onion for 15 mins. Add cinnamon and stir for 1 minute. Add lamb and cook for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and add the stock, oregano, sugar, and parsley. Season and cook for 25 minutes. Make sauce as for a white sauce and when cool, add the whisked eggs. Place alternate layers of potatoes and mince mixture in a casserole. Spoon cooled sauce over the top and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. Leave for 10 minutes before serving.

gigot of lamb on boulangerie potatoes

5-6 large potatoes

3 medium onions

2 garlic cloves

60 g butter

1/2 pint light meat stock

2 kg leg of lamb (or hogget)

sea salt

black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (move the shelves to make room for the dish. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and wash them thoroughly. Smear the butter around the interior of a large dish. Drain the potatoes and start layering the potato slices and the onions until you have filled the disk. Slip in a slice of garlic every now and then. Pour the stock over the potatoes. Place the lamb on a roasting tray, fiercely brown it in a very hot oven for 15 minutes and then transfer to the baking dish (this is to burn excess fat off of it) . Place a small sprig of rosemary under the meat and season the meat with salt and pepper and moisten the lamb with a little oil if it dries out. Cook for 90 minutes and allow to rest in the (off) oven for 20 minutes.

herb-crusted lamb with broad bean purée

purée: 225 g floury potatoes, peeled and diced

500 g broad beans, shelled

100 g fat-free Greek yoghurt

4 tbsp. fresh chives

lamb: 3 tbsp roughly chopped mixed herbs

(parsley, basil, coriander, mint)

1 fresh rosemary sprig, leaves ripped off

1 tsp olive oil

8 x 50 g lamb noisettes

2 tbsp prepared mustard

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 220°C. Cook potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes until tender, then drain well. Cook the broad beans in a separate pan of boiling water for 5-8 min. until tender and then drain. Meanwhile, put the mixed herbs, rosemary leaves and garlic in a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Stir in the lemon rind and juice, olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. Spread each noisette or chop with a little mustard and sprinkle with the herb mixture. Lay in a baking dish and cook for 8-10 min. until well browned but pink in the middle. Mash the potatoes. Whiz the beans in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the potato with the yoghurt, lemon juice and chives. Season to taste. Spoon the purée on to serving plates and top with the lamb. Serve with salad.

spicy beef

500g diced braising steak

15ml sunflower oil

5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 red chillis, halved and deseeded

6 salad onions, trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths

1 cinnamon stick, halved

30ml hoisin sauce

450ml hot chicken stock

15ml soft brown sugar

60ml dark soy sauce

60ml dry sherry

1/2 head Chinese cabbage (pak choi) roughly shredded)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

175g egg noodles, cooked to serve

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the steak and blanch for 5 mins. Skim the surface. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot. Add the steak and stir-fry for 5-7 mins, until browned. Remove and set aside. Add the ginger, garlic, chillies and half the salad onions and stir-fry for 1 min. Stir in the cinnamon, hoisin sauce and steak. Mix in the stock, sugar, soy sauce and sherry. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 90 mins. until the meat is tender. remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the Chinese cabbage and remaining onions. Allow to cook in theheat of the stew for 5 mins. Season to taste. Divide among four dishes and serve with noodles.

honey-grilled lamb with saffron pilaf

generous pinch of saffron

750ml hot lamb stock

4 green cardamon pods

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

15ml clear honey

4 lamb neck fillets, about 450g in weight

15ml olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

225g basmati rice

12 dried apricts, halved

200g fine beans, halved

salt and freshly ground black pepper

50g flaked almonds, toasted

Stir the saffron into the lamb stock. Split open the cardamon pods, place the seeds in a pestle and mortar, then finely crush them. Mix the seeds with the garlic and honey. Thickly spread over the lamb fillets and set to one side. heat the oil in a large frying pan, then cook the onion until it starts to turn golden. Add the rice, dried apricots and beans, pour in the saffron-infused stock and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 mins or until the rice is tender and all the stock is absorbed. Meanwhile, frill the lamb for 8-10 mins. turning frequently, until tender. Stir any honey juices from the grill pan into the cooked rice, then gently warm through. Toss in the toasted almonds and serve topped with slices of lamb.

shoulder confit with truffle mashed potato

400 g lamb shoulder

720 g lambchops

1 litre grape juice

50 g carrot

30 g onion, sliced

5 g pepper

30 g lime, cut into segments

3 g each bay leaves, black peppercorns, coriander, chopped parsley

3 ml truffle oil

100 ml cream

50 ml milk

30 g potato, boiled in salted water and peeled

15 g butter

100 ml demi-glaze

3 g each, salt, pepper

30 g shallots, chopped

Trim the lam shoulder from excess of fat, cut into pieces and 4cm long. Marinate with carrots, onions, bay leaves, black peppercorn and cover with graph juice. Marinate for 2 days in the refrigerator. Transfer the lamb onto a baking tray, cook with the marinade at 100C for 2-1/2 hours. When the lamb is done, cool it in the marinade and break it into small pieces in your hand.

To prepare mashed potato, boil cream and milk in a large saucepan. Add potato and mash them with a wooden spoon. Add truffle oil and adjust seasoning. In a hot pan heat butter and sauté shallots till translucent. Add lime and confit. Saute and check for salt and pepper. Place the sautéed lamb confit in a ring mould and top with mashed potato.

To prepare lyonnaise, heat olive oil in frying pan and sauté onion till brown. Add parsley and a splash of grape juice to deglaze. Marinate the lamb chops with salt, papper and oil then grill as you wish. For the sauce, bring the demiglaze to a simmer and correct seasoning, add butter andn allow it to gently melt.

To plate, place the ring mould on the plate, spoon lamb confit at the base, top with mashed potato, arrange the lyonnaise and place the grilled lamb chop on top of it. Drizzle with the sauce to finish. Serve immediately.

La-ham (Lamb with Emirati spices)

650g de-boned lamb, cubed

2 tsp tomato paste

1 tomato, chopped

½ cup corn oil

2 large onions. sliced

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp bezar (Arabic spice mix)

1 tsp tumeric

½ pod cardamon

1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped

salt, to taste

Place the lamb in a large pot with water and bring to the boil. Cook for around 45 minutes, until tender, then drain and keep to one side. Fry onions in a pan until brown, add spices and continue frying for two or three minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients and enough water and cook until a thick gravy forms and all the spices are well amalgamated. Plate the lamb and pour the gravy over.

*chicken*CHICKENCantonese chicken & vegetables

30ml oil

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion, chopped

6 tbsp. water

1 tsp. cornflour and 1 tsp. sugar, mixed together

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

4 tbsp. chilli sauce

450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 carrot, sliced and quartered

125g button mushrooms, sliced

8 baby sweetcorns

1/4 tbsp. Chinese 5-spice

4 tbsp. white wine

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken over a high heat until cooked. Add the garlic and onion, fry for 1 minute and then stir in the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes over a fairly high heat. Mix in the remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.

chicken pepitoria

6 pieces chicken breast

1 piece leek

200 ml olive oil

1 kg spinach

200g onion, chopped

300ml white wine

400ml chicken stock

pinch of saffron

220ml cream

1 tsp. green or red pepper, chopped

Poach the leek for a few minutes, immerse in cold water. Cut pocket in each chicken breast, fill with leek and season to taste. Heat oil in pan and brown chicken breasts on both sides. Place pan in oven and bake at 190° C for 10 mins. Remove. Add half the onion and glaze. Add wine, saffron and stock. Reduce by half. Add cream. Parboil spinach. Remove and sauté with rest of onion. Season and place on serving plates. Cut each breast into three pieces and add to serving plates with sauce.

navajo stew

2 large onions, chopped

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

2 small chillies finely chopped

4 fl oz orange juice

2 lb. boneless turkey breast, cut into 2 cm cubes

salt and pepper

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

2 10 oz tins black beans

Fry the onions in the butter until soft but not browned, and the turkey and stir for one minute. Add the chillies, juice and sweet potatoes. Season and stir. Add the beans and simmer for 30 mins or until the sweet potatoes are soft and mushy.

chicken stew in white wine

250g butter

8 small carrots

one can of new potatoes

200g mushrooms

200g bacon

3 small onions

8 small stalks celery

4 chicken breasts

4 tablespoons flour

2/3 bottle dry white wine

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. parsley flakes

1 pinch thyme

Chop bacon and onions into bite-sized pieces and sauté in large pan along with the celery. In a separate pa sauté the chicken until brown. To the first pan add the flour and stir until smooth. Add more butter if necessary. Add chicken. Pour on the wine and add spices. Add the carrots and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until carrots and chicken are cooked (40-50 mins.) 10 mins before serving, sauté mushrooms and add along with potatoes.

chicken with crab

4 chicken fillets

30g butter

2 tbsp. oil

filling 30g butter

3 shallots

1 clove garlic

170g can crab

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. cream

salt and pepper

sauce 30g butter

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 chicken stock cube

2 tsp. French mustard

2 tsp. cornflour

1 tbsp. cream

salt and pepper

Cut a pocket in the chicken and fill with the prepared filling. Heat oil and butter in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove and place in greased ovenproof dish. Cover and bake in moderate oven for 20 mins. For the filling: melt butter in pan, add chopped shallots and crushed garlic. Add drained crab, lemon juice and cream, cook for a further 1 min. Season with salt and pepper.

chicken with oranges & almonds

60g butter

1/2 cup flaked almonds

4 chicken portions

salt and pepper

paprika

3 oranges

2 tsp. caster sugar

Melt the butter in a pan, add the almonds and fry gently until golden. Remove and set aside. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Add to the fat remaining in the pan and fry until golden all over. Cover and cook gently for 30 mins or until tender. Meanwhile squeeze the juice from two of the oranges. Cut the third into segments, discarding all pith. Transfer the chicken to a warmed serving dish and keep hot. Add the orange juice, orange segments and sugar to the pan juices and boil rapidly for 2 mins. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve immediately.

chicken breasts with grilled mango and passionfruit sauce

4 passionfruit

1 glass water

1 tsp. cornflour

1 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped

2 chicken breasts

1 mango

Scoop out the flesh of the passionfruit and blend with the water. Sieve to remove the pips. Pour into a small saucepan and boil to reduce for 5 minutes, add the cornflour and blend. Toss in the coriander. Slice the chicken breasts across the flat and fry them in a small amount of butter. Slice the mango and grill or griddle until slightly blackened. Arrange on a plate and serve with the sauce.

chilli chicken garlic steaks

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. cornflour

2 tbsp. oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp. water

6 tbsp. chilli sauce

450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts

100g mange tout

50g beansprouts

2 tsp. oyster sauce

Cut the chicken into 5cm pieces and make criss-cross cuts on the surface. Combine the chilli sauce with the garlic, oyster sauce, sugar, cornflour and chicken and leave it to marinate for 30 minutes. Heat the oil and fry the onion and chicken until cooked (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in the mange tout and beansprouts and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add a little water to make a sauce and serve hot.

chicken with crab

4 chicken fillets

30g butter

2 tbsp. oil

filling 30g butter

3 shallots

1 clove garlic

170g can crab

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. cream

salt and pepper

sauce 30g butter

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 chicken stock cube

2 tsp. French mustard

2 tsp. cornflour

1 tbsp. cream

salt and pepper

Cut a pocket in the chicken and fill with the prepared filling. Heat oil and butter in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove and place in greased ovenproof dish. Cover and bake in moderate oven for 20 mins. For the filling: melt butter in pan, add chopped shallots and crushed garlic. Add drained crab, lemon juice and cream, cook for a further 1 min. Season with salt and pepper.

lemon chicken

8 small chicken breast fillets

1 egg white

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. grated green ginger

flour

2 tbsp. oil

30g butter

3 shallots

1 lemon

sauce 1/2 cup lemon juice

1 chicken stock cube

2 tbsp. cornflour

2 tbsp. honey

2 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 3/4 cups water

Combine egg white, sugar, salt and ginger, mix well, add fillets, turn in mixture, stand 10 minutes. Coat lightly with flour. heat oil and butter in pan and add half the fillets. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove. Repeat. Spoon lemon sauce over. Garnish with chopped shallots and thinly sliced lemon. For the sauce: Combine lemon juice, crumbled stock cube, cornflour, honey, brown sugar, ginger and water in saucepan and stir over low heat until sauce thickens.

red-cooked chicken

one 2kg chicken, chopped into 5x4cm pieces

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

4 slices root ginger, chopped

6-6 1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

6-6 1/2 tbsp. rice wine or sherry

600ml stock or water

3 tsp. sugar

Heat oil in a casserole and when hot, add onions and ginger. Stir-fry over medium heat for 2 mins. Add the chicken pieces and turn in the hot oil for 3-4 mins. Add soy sauce, sherry, stock and sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 70 mins. Turn every 15 mins until sauce is reduced.

white cut chicken

one 2kg chicken

2.2 lit water

4 slices root ginger

salt

sauce 3-4 tbsp. dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. chilli sauce

2 tbsp. shallots, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 chilli, finely chopped

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Boil water and place chicken, salt, and ginger in saucepan and when boiling, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour until done, turning a couple of times. Turn off feat and allow chicken to stand in the stock for 30 mins, before refrigerating. When chicken is cool, remove from the stock and chop into 5x4cm pieces. Mix together ingredients for sauce, pour over and serve.

chilli chicken stir fry

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small onion, cut into wedges

1 tsp. cornflour

125ml water

6 tbsp. chilli sauce

450g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped

1 green and 1 red pepper, de-seeded, cut into chunks

Combine the chilli sauce, honey, soy sauce, salt, pepper and chicken. Marinate for about 20 minutes. Heat the oil and fry the chicken until nearly cooked (about 8-10 minutes). Add the ginger, garlic and vegetables and stir fry over a high heat for a few minutes until onion softens. Mix the cornflour and water and stir into the chicken mixture and heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Serve hot with rice.

chicken in lemon mustard

8 small chicken fillets

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup lemon juice

salt and pepper

2 tsp. dry mustard

90g butter

1 tbsp. oil

watercress for garnish

sauce 30g butter

1 leek, washed and sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 stick celery, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

1 rasher bacon, chopped

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups water

2 chicken stock cubes

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. French mustard

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 tbsp. cornflour

salt and pepper

60g butter, extra

Place chicken in a single layer in a glass dish. Combine onion, crushed garlic, lemon juice, sat, pepper and mustard, pour lemon mixture over chicken. Stand 2-3 hours. Remove chicken and pat dry with paper. Melt butter and oil in pan, add chicken and cook over high heat until lightly browned. Remove and place in ovenproof dish, cover and bake in moderate oven 15 mins. Serve with sauce and garnish. For the sauce: Melt butter, add leek, garlic, carrot, celery and bacon, cook covered over low heat for 5 mins. Add wine, water and crumbled stock cubes, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 mins, uncovered. Strain, return to saucepan, add mustards and sugar. Combine lemon juice and cornflour, add to sauce and stir until boiling thickens slightly. Season and add extra butter. Serve with vegetable platter.

Shangtung hand-shredded chicken

1 young roasting chicken about 2kg

2 medium sticks celery, chopped

4 slices root ginger, chopped

1/2 medium red capsicum, chopped

2 medium chillies, chopped

4-5 thin slices of zha cai (ph. “zarr sigh”) pickles

3 shallots, chopped

salt

sauce 2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 tbsp. stock

Roast the chicken in a 200°C oven for 1 1/2 hours. When cool, cut into small pieces and shred. Mix sauce ingredients together until well blended. To serve, mix and toss all ingredients together on a serving platter. Pour the sauce over.

spiced country chicken

4 chicken portions

2 tbsp. plain flour

30g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. chopped thyme

1/2 x 425g can tomatoes

2 tbsp. sweet vermouth

salt and pepper

1/3 cup raisins

Coat chicken portions with flour and fry in melted butter until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add garlic, green pepper, curry powder and thyme to remaining fat and fry, stirring for 5 mins. Add tomatoes with their juice and the vermouth. Return chicken to pan and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 20 mins or until chicken is tender. Stir in raisins and serve hot with jacket potatoes or plain boiled rice.

chicken supreme

2 x 1.5kg chickens

2 red peppers

2 carrots, scraped and cut into small cubes

250g mushrooms, finely sliced

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

2/3 cup frozen peas

125g butter

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup cream

1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

1/2 tsp. turmeric

60 butter, extra

Steam or boil chickens until tender. Reserve 3 cups of chicken stock. Remove skin and bones from meat and cut into 1” pieces. Peel and finely chop onions. Melt butter in pan and add prepared vegetables. Cook until tender. Remove. Add extra butter and melt, stir in flour and cook 1 min. Add chicken stock, turmeric, mustard and cream. Mix well. Stir until boiling. Reduce heat. Return vegetables to pan, add chicken pieces and peas, cover, simmer 5 mins. Serve with rice.

chicken in lime, ginger and soy sauce

2 chicken breasts, 4 drumsticks or 12 wings

4tbsp olive oil

juice of 1 lime

4 tbsp. soy sauce

1tbsp grated ginger

Rub chicken pieces with olive oil and roast in a moderate oven 30 mins. Drain off fat and add lime juice, soy sauce and ginger. Turn oven to moderate. Bake a further 15 mins, basting occasionally.

duck with Campari and orange

4 oranges

Remove the outer part of the skin with a vegetable peeler and cut into strips. Simmer for 15 mins. in a quart of water, drain and pat dry. Squeeze the juice out of the oranges and set aside.

1 duckling, about 2kg

1 carrot

1 onion

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of pepper

Season the duck cavity with the salt and pepper, add a third of the prepared orange peel. Prick the skin around the thighs, back and lower breast, dry the duck thoroughly and place in a roasting tin with the chopped carrot and onion around it. Bake at 220°C for 15 mins. to brown. Turn heat down to 180°C and turn the duck onto the other side. After 15 mins, turn it back upright and sprinkle the breast with some coarse salt.

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

50ml red wine vinegar

500ml stock (duck, if possible)

30g arrowroot

2 tbsp. Campari

the previously squeezed orange juice

Boil the sugar and vinegar over a medium-high heat until the mixture turns into a brown syrup. Remove from heat and pour in the orange juice. Reduce to a syrupy glaze and add the stock. Blend Campari into a paste with the arrowroot and whisk into the sauce. Simmer gently for a minute and then stir in the orange peel. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce is clear, limpid and lightly thickened. When the duck is cooked, remove the string, put in a dish and replace in the turned-off oven with the door ajar.

125ml Campari

2-3 tbsp. Cointreau

25g butter

3 or 4 oranges, cut into segments

Remove as much fat as possible from the roasting tin, add the Campari and boil it down rapidly. Re39duce until there is only 2-3 tbsp. of liquid left. Strain this into the sauce and then stir in the liqueur a spoonful at a time. Add extra orange juice at this stage if the sauce is too sweet. Just before serving and off of the heat, swirl in the butter to enrich it and pour the sauce into a warmed sauceboat. Place a line of orange segments over the duck and heap the rest at the two ends of the dish. Spoon a little of the sauce over the duck, and serve.

ginger chicken satay

marinade 1/4 cup ginger root, peeled and sliced

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp. garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. honey

satay 4 chicken breasts

24 wooden skewers

mint sauce 1 cup mint leaves, no stems

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

1 cup yoghurt

1 tbsp. chilli garlic paste

Purée marinade ingredients in blender. Slice chicken breasts into 6 strips and thread onto skewers. Place in a shallow pan and coat with the marinade for 24 hours. Purée mint sauce and refrigerate. Grill chicken satays, arrange on plate and serve with the mint sauce.

Chinese lemon chicken

375g chicken breasts, cut into 4x1cm slices.

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp. vegetable oil (for rubbing onto chicken)

3 shallots, cut diagonally into 4cm lengths

3 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil for stir-frying

3 slices root ginger, chopped into double matchsticks

rind of 1 1/2 medium lemons, chopped similarly

1 medium red capsicum, thinly sliced

1 medium green capsicum, thinly sliced

3 tbsp. stock

2 tbsp. dry sherry

3 tbsp. light soy sauce

juice from 2 medium lemons

Rub chicken with salt, pepper and oil. Heat oil in wok and when hot, add ginger, chicken and lemon rind. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add shallots and capsicums and stir-fry over high heat. Pour in stock, sherry and soy sauce. When boiling, return chicken to wok and toss in sauce. After 90 sec. or when the liquid in the wok reduces by half, sprinkle with lemon juice. Turn once more and serve.

chicken breasts stuffed with pesto

4 tbsp. fresh brown breadcrumbs

4 large, free-range chicken breasts, unskinned

2 tbsp. pesto (preferably fresh)

1 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese

olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix together breadcrumbs, pesto and parmesan together, then season. Lift skin from chicken and push a quarter of stuffing under . Replace skin, patting gently, to cover pesto mix. Brush a little olive oil over chicken. (This can be done up to 6 hours ahead, but return chicken to room temperature 30 mins prior to baking.) Roast at 220°C for 25 mins. Allow chicken to rest for 5 mins before serving with tomato and basil sauce and a small spoonful of basil juices spooned over. Or serve in 3 or 4 pieces garnished with basil.

chilli chicken strips with red-pepper pasta

2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. mild chilli pepper

half tsp. ground cumin

half tsp. dried oregano or marjoram

180g pasta shapes

1 large red pepper, cored and chopped

2 cloves garlic

200g can chopped tomatoes

1 small head broccoli, stalks chopped, florets halved

few leaves of fresh basil, torn

2 dsp. fromage frais

sea salt and ground black pepper

Place chicken in food bag with 1 tbsp. oil, spices, herbs and a little seasoning. Rub well together and leave for 15 mins. Boil pasta according to instructions. Drain and rinse. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp. of oil in a saucepan and stir in the peppers and garlic. Cover and cook for 5 mins until soft. Preheat a grill pan over a medium heat. Mix the tomatoes and the broccoli into the peppers together with half a cup of water. Cover and cook for 5 mins. Mix in the pasta, reheat and add the basil and fromage frais. Place chicken strips on the grill pan when hot and sizzle for 5 mins. Turn and cook another 5. Serve on top of the pasta.

laksa (chicken with noodles)

shredded poached chicken

bean curd slices, fried

beansprouts, blanched

fishcake, sliced

a few coriander leaves

chipped fresh red chilli

prawns

paste 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 stalks lemongrass

3 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

6 shallots

5 blanched almonds

5 dried red chillies, seeded and soaked

1 tsp. ground cumin, coriander and turmeric

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

3 lime leaves

600 ml coconut milk

600ml chicken or fish stock

200 gm dried vermicelli noodles

Blend paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth, adding water if necessary. Fry paste in oil for 5-8 minutes, until it starts to separate and reddish oil appears Add stock or water and bring to boil. Add coconut milk, salt, sugar, lime leaves, bean curd and prawns. Simmer, uncovered for 10 mins. Soak noodles in cold water to soften and separate, then cook until just tender. Drain. Rinse. Divide and put into bowls, adding handful of beansprouts. Add soup, fishcake and chicken. Garnish with coriander, chilli and spring onions.

turkey with tarragon

4 turkey escalopes

20g plain flour

25g polyunsaturated margarine

6 tbsp. white wine

175ml fresh orange juice

1 tsp. clear honey

4 sprigs fresh tarragon

pepper

Coat turkey with flour. Melt margarine and add meat and cook over high heat until brown. Add wine and bring to boil. Add orange juice, honey and tarragon, season with pepper, cover and simmer over low heat for 20-30 mins or until turkey is cooked.

aromatic chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts, skinned

2 tsp. hot curry powder

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. mustard powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

4 tsp. apricot jam

3 tsp. tomato purée

3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 tsp. oil

4 tsp. lemon juice

pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Cut 5mm diagonal slits in the top of the chicken pieces. Mix together all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and let the chicken marinate in it for one hour. Preheat oven to 190°C, place chicken in a lightly greased ovenproof dish and cook for 40-45 mins, turning at half time. Serve with nan or pitta bread, brown rice and a salad.

hot Thai stir fry

350g chicken, cut into small pieces

groundnut oil

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

a lump of ginger (walnut sized) chopped

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 hot red chillies, seeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

generous handful of basil leaves

Heat a wok or deep frying pan and pour in enough oil to cover the bottom, about two tablespoons. When the oil starts to shimmer and smoke, drop in the chopped chicken. Do not touch until the bottom side is golden, then move the chicken around in the pan. Take out when done. Add a little more oil to the pan and thrown in the spring onions, ginger and garlic. Shake it all about. It should sizzle and spit. Turn up heat if it doesn’t. Add the chillies, and when they soften, return the chicken to the pan. Tear the basil leaves up a bit and throw them into the pan. Stir for a minute. Slosh in the soy sauce and serve.

pan-fried turkey steaks with onion confit

confit 3 tbsp. olive oil

50g butter

750g onions, cut into thick segments

1 wineglass dry Marsala

2 tbsp. vinegar

turkey 4 turkey breast steaks

1 thick slice butter

1 large mango, peeled and diced

2 tbsp. green peppercorns, in brine

a little chopped parsley

Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with a lid. Add the onions, cover and leave to cook over a low heat for about an hour, stirring from time to time. They should be soft and golden. Turn the heat up to boil off any remaining liquid and let them colour a little, stirring to stop them sticking. Season with salt and pepper and pour in the Marsala and vinegar. Continue cooking until the onions are dark, sweet and sticky. In a shallow pan, melt the butter over a moderate to high heat. When it sizzles, put in the turkey steaks. Season. Let them fry, adjusting the heat as necessary, until they are golden brown on both sides and cooked right through. Add a few splashes of Marsala, wine or water to the pan and stir to dislodge good bits stuck to pan. Stir this liquid into the onions. Serve steaks surrounded by the onion confit, and a little of the chopped mango, mixed with the peppercorns and parsley, on the side.

chicken Pascal

2 chicken breasts

1 onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, in segments

1 tbsp. sun-dried tomato paste

1 banana

1 cup water

1/2 cup rice

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. garam masala

1 tbsp. olive oil

Slice chicken breasts and brown in oil in a large saucepan with a lid. Add onion, stir, lower heat, place lid and let onions turn transparent. Stir in rice and add water, tomatoes and tomato paste. When rice is almost cooked (about 12~15 mins), add spices and stir. Finally, add sliced banana and cook for a further one minute.

chicken and cashew stir fry

one chicken breast

2 tsp. sesame oil

1 1-inch cube ginger, chopped

1 bunch spring onions, sliced

1 tsp. yellow bean sauce

1 tsp. chilli bean sauce

2 tbsp. broken cashew nuts

Stir fry chicken in sesame oil for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped ginger and spring onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute more and add sauces. Cook for 30 seconds. scatter on broken cashew nuts. Serve with 250g cooked egg noodles, chopped pieces of spring onion, and soy sauce.

hot chicken with basil and coconut

100g creamed coconut

250ml water

500g chicken breasts, cut into 1cm strips

2 tbsp. oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. shredded fresh basil

2 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. dried red chillies, chopped

1 tsp. coriander

Combine creamed coconut and water. Heat oil in wok, add onion and stir-fry until soft. Add chicken and continue cooking for a further 2-3 minutes. Add basil, fish sauce, chillies, coriander and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add coconut milk and heat the mixture through. Serve immediately.

herb-stuffed chicken  

2 each red, green and yellow peppers

60 ml olive oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 tsp. chilli oil

2 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained and chopped

1/2 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp. coriander, chopped

1 tbsp. basil, chopped

salt and pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

75 g breadcrumbs

3-5 tbsp. sunflower oil

Remove chicken oyster and reserve. Make slit along each breast and set aside. Place chilli, tomatoes, garlic, coriander and basil in the food processor and add butter. Mix and add seasoning. Place 1 tbsp. of butter mixture in each chicken breast and cover hole with oyster. Dip chicken breasts in the egg and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Heat sunflower oil and cook the chicken over a low heat for about 20 minutes, turning once and adding some more oil if necessary. Serve on top of roasted peppers with dressing.

Chinese lemon chicken with cashew nuts

1 large egg

2 tbsp. cornflour

1 tbsp. peeled and finely grated ginger

salt and pepper

2 large chicken breast fillets, cut into strips

sauce: 3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

2 tsp. caster sugar

3 tbsp. sunflower oil

75 g sugar snap peas, trimmed

4 salad onions, trimmed and shredded

50 roasted cashew nuts

Beat egg with cornflour, ginger and seasoning, then stir in the chicken strips. Cover the bow and set aside until ready to cook. To make sauce, combine the lemon juice with the soy sauce, 3 tbsp. water, sugar and cornflour, then set aside. Heat 2 tbsp. of the sunflower oil in a large frying pan, and fry the chicken strips in batches for 3-4 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove from pan and keep warm. Wipe pan with kitchen paper and add the remaining oil and heat until hot. stir-fry the peas for a few minutes, then add three-quarters of the salad onions and stir for a few seconds more. Stir the lemon sauce well, pour into the pan containing the peas and onions and stir until is smooth and thick. Add the cashews, toss in the chicken and heat until hot. Serve with a combination of plain and wild rice.

chicken chaser

1 small roasting chicken, in pieces

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 sprig of tarragon, leaves chopped

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped into dice

10 g dried ceps

1 tbsp. tarragon or white-wine vinegar

1 glass dry white wine

100 ml chicken stock

75 g butter

Soak the ceps for two hours in tepid water. Season the pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the sauté pan until it is quite hot. Add half the butter and when foaming, add the chicken pieces, skin side down. Turn down heat and let chicken cook for 8-10 mins. Turn over and cook another 5 minutes. While chicken is cooking, drain mushrooms, reserving the liquid and slice into large pieces. In a separate pan, fry with a little oil over high heat, then drain again. When chicken is almost cooked, pour out any oil or fat. Add a tablespoon of fresh butter and stew the chopped shallots and garlic under the chicken pieces. Do not let brown. Pour in vinegar, and reduce completely before adding the wine. Reduce by half and then add some of the stock. Let stew 2 or 3 minutes, and add stock and a little of the mushroom liquid. Add mushrooms, tomato and tarragon and bring to boil Check seasoning and serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

cumin lemon chicken with spicy chickpeas

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1 lemon

1 tsp. ground cumin

3 tbsp. fresh parsley

4 spring onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp. paprika

400 g can chickpeas

1/2 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper

Flatten chicken with a mallet. Cut lemon in half, and cut the other half into wedges. In a flat dish, mix the lemon juice with the cumin, 1 tbsp. of oil, salt and pepper, and then roll the chicken in it and coat. In a pan over a fairly high heat, fry the chicken in 1 tbsp. of oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden, sprinkling a little parsley over at the end. In a separate pan, briefly fry the spring onions, garlic and paprika in the remaining oil without browning. Stir in the chickpeas, lemon rind and remaining parsley and gently warm through. Add the lemon juice mixture, 2-3 tbsp. of water and sugar to the pan with the chicken and let it bubble. Serve the chicken and juices with lemon wedges and green salad.

chicken with creamy asparagus and sherry sauce

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp. plain flour

25 g butter, plus extra

1 tbsp. sunflower oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

250 ml chicken stock

200g asparagus

2 tbsp. sherry

125 ml crème fraîche

salt and pepper

Dust the chicken breasts with the flour and a little salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large wide pan with a lid, then add the chicken and fry over medium heat until nicely browned. Add the onion and stir well, then cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Meanwhile, trim tips from asparagus and set aside. Cut the stalks into 2.5 cm lengths. Add the asparagus stalks to the pan for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Tip the contents of the pan into a blender and process until smooth. Add sherry and crème fraîche and process further. Tip into small pan and reheat gently. Cook the asparagus tips for about 3 minutes until just tender, then drain and return to pan with a know of butter. Put the chicken on warm serving plates, pour over the sauce and scatter the asparagus tips. Serve with new potatoes and a green salad.

Jewish chicken rissoles

600 g chicken mince

2 eggs, beaten

4 tbsp. fresh breadcrumbs

pinch of cinnamon

6 tbsp. olive oil

2 celery sticks, cut into small cubes

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

600 g crushed tomatoes

a little chicken stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large bowl, mix the chicken with the eggs, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, and plenty of salt and pepper. Shape into 12 rissoles. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the rissoles fore 2-3 minutes on each side until brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the celery, garlic and tomato pulp to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the rissoles to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, adding more stock if the sauce gets too thick.

simple lemon chicken

lemon 4 or 5 chicken joints

4-5 tbsp. olive oil

two garlic cloves, squashed

juice of 1 lemon (reserve the shells)

handful of basil

glassful of wine

Put chicken in baking dish and pour olive oil over. Add garlic and lemon juice and toss the shells into the pan also. After 30 mins tear up basil and toss over. Cook for another 10 minutes. Take out the bits of chicken. Place pan over a hot flame and add the wine and reduce. Trickle juice over chicken.

Thai-style chicken roulades

100g soft white breadcrumbs

2 shallots, finely diced

2 red chillies, finely diced

60 ml (4 tbsp. fresh coriander), finely chopped

2 stalks lemon grass, finely chopped

15 ml (1 tbsp.) Thai fish sauce

30 ml (1 tbsp.) light soy sauce

juice and rind of 1 lime

500 boneless, skinless chicken

12 rashers smoked riddles streaky bacon

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the chicken fillets and bacon. Wrap each fillet in cling film and beat gently with a rolling pin to an even thickness so it is large enough to fill and roll. Place a little stuffing in the centre of each piece of chicken, roll up and wrap with two rashers of bacon, securing with a cocktail stick. Place the chicken roulades in a lightly oiled roasting tray in a preheated oven 200°C for 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

summer gratin of chicken, broad beans and tarragon

300 g shelled broad beans

250 g cold roast chicken

hear of a small summer lettuce, shredded

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

2 tbsp. roughly chopped tarragon

300 ml whipping cream

handful of Pecorino cheese

Boil the beans for 5 minutes. Drain and remove skins from the largest. Pull the cooked chicken from the carcass in large lumps. Put beans and chicken in a shallow baking dish. Add lettuce, salt, black pepper, parsley and tarragon. Pour over the whipping cream, then turn gently in it. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 185°C for 25 minutes.

sticky fingers chicken

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. orange juice

2 tbsp. mustard

2 tbsp. clear honey

4 chicken thighs

4 chicken drumsticks

Mix together sauce ingredients and tip the whole lot into a roasting tin or lay on a barbeque and cook for 30 minutes, basting occasionally and turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and has a sticky glaze.

chicken with grape and herb stuffing

1 roasting chicken, about 1.6 kg

50g butter, softened

6 tbsp dry white wine

salt and pepper

stuffing: 2 tbsp olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 vegetable stock cube, finely crumbed

4 ciabatta slices, diced

175 g white seedless grapes, halved if large

50 g butter, melted

3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley

4 tbsp chopped watercress

1 tbsp chopped sage leaves

Preheat oven to 190°C. Make the stuffing by heating the oil in a large frying pan and cooking the onion garlic and stock cube until the onion is transparent (2-3 min.) In a large bowl, mix in the graphs, butter, parsley, watercress and sage, and season with salt and pepper. Sppon into a small ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Rub the inside of the chicken with salt. Rub the outside with softened butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff stuffing in chicken and roast in the oven for 90 min. basting it with a little of the wine and cooking juices.

pesto-stuffed chicken with a tomato sauce

4 boneless chicken breasts

pesto: 2 garlic cloves

100g fresh basil leaves

85 g pine nuts

85 g freshly grated Parmesan

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

sauce: 1 small onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. caster sugar

salt and pepper

rocket and grated Parmesan, to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut a pocket in each chicken breast. Make the pesto by putting all ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Drizzle in the olive oil to form a thick paste. Spoon into the chicken pockets and spread some over the top. Cook in the oven for 30 min. Make the sauce by softening the onion in the olive oil Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 min. Stir in the rosemary and vinegar. Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken with the sauce, rocket and Parmesan.

chicken with lemon & parsley sauce

2 chicken breasts, sliced

100 ml chicken or vegetable stock, heated

3 dspn. flour

salt and pepper

juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. butter

handful of flat-leaved parsley

Melt butter in a large frying pan. Flatten chicken slices with a mallet and coat in the seasoned flour. Cook for 2 min. each side until golden. Add stock and stir vigorously for 1 min. Add parsley and cook for 30 secs. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve.

chicken with mint sauce and peas

2 chicken breasts, sliced

100 ml chicken or vegetable stock, heated

3 dspn. flour

salt and pepper

juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. butter

handful of mint, torn into pieces

1/2 cup of cooked green peas

Melt butter in a large frying pan. Flatten chicken slices with a mallet and coat in the seasoned flour. Cook for 2 min. each side until golden. Add stock and stir vigorously for 1 min. Add mint and peas and cook for 30 secs. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve.

roast chicken with juniper and gin

50 g butter, softened

1 heaped teaspoon juniper berries

1 large chicken

1 lemon, halved

1 tbsp. gin

Mix together the butter and juniper berries then rub over the chicken. Place in a roasting tin, tucking the lemons inside. Season with salt and pepper and then place in a preheated oven (225°C) for

20 min. Reduce heat to 180°CD and continue to bake for 20 min. per 450g, basting regularly until cooked through. Remove from the oven, Take out lemon halves and pour the juices with the gin over the chicken. Stir up the juices, leave to rest for 10-15 min. then carve and serve.

poached chicken with cream sauce

a free-range chicken, about 2kg

2 medium onions, quartered

2 leeks, white and green, washed and sliced

2 stalks of celery, thickly sliced

1 tomato, quartered

3 or 4 bay leaves

a few sprigs of thyme

6-10 whole peppercorns

250ml double cream

a small bunch of parsley, leaves removed and reserved

Rinse the chicken thoroughly, inside and out, and pit it in a saucepan. It will need to be big enough to allow water to just cover the chicken without boiling over. Tuck the onions, leeks, celery and tomato around the chicken and stuff in the herbs and peppercorns. Put the pan on a high heat and pour in enough cold water to just cover the bird. Leave it to come to the boil. When boiling, turn the heat down almost as low as it will go. Skim the froth. Leave the chicken to cook quietly for an hour and a half, skimming any froth. Turn off the heat. Ladle out 300ml of cooking liquid into a shallow saucepan and bring to the boil, covering the chicken pan with a lid to keep it warm. Leave the liquor to bubble until it has reduced by half. Now pour in the cream and bring back to the boil. Taste and season with salt and ground pepper and the chopped parsley leaves. Remove the chicken and carve into thick slices. Spoon over the cream sauce and serve with rice or mashed potato.

citrus turkey pan-fry

2 large oranges

1 chicken stock cube, crumbled

15ml sunflower oil

250g stir-fry turkey breast

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

225g baby potatoes, quartered

1 leek, sliced and washed

1 large carrut, peeled and cut into matchsticks

3 celery sticks, washed and cut into matchsticks

3 savoy cabbage leaves, shredded

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Great the rind and squeeze the juice of one orange. Using a knife, cut the peel and pith from the other orange, then cut it into segments. Set aside with the rind. Stir the chicken stock cube and 60ml water into the orange juice. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan and fry the turkey strips and garlic until the meat is golden. Toss in the potatoes and leek, then cook for 3 mins more. Add the carrot, celery and cabbage. Stir in the orange juice and stock and season to taste. Cover and simmer for about 10 mins. or until the potatotes are tender. Toss in the orange rind and orange segments, warm through and serve at once.

wok-fried chicken with cashew nuts

180g sliced chicken breast

40g onion

40g bell pepper

40g black mushroom

40g carrot

10g dry chilli

seasoning

1 spoon oyster sauce

1 spoon light soy sauce

1 tsp sweet soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 spoon tamarind juice

pepper powder

Cut the chicken breast in slices and marinade it with salt, pepper and oyster sauce. Prepare the seasoning by mixing all the ingredients in a separate bowl. Fry the chicken in a wok and leave it aside. Cut all vegetables to cubes and boil them until soft. Saute chicken and vegetables in the work with chopped garlic and a slice of ginger for one minute. Finally add alal the seasoning and mix it in the wok with the chicken. Add dry chilli and cashew nuts to garnish and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

*dessertskiwifruit with passionfruit cream

9 ripe kiwifruit

lemon juice

pulp of 9 passionfruit

2 tbsp. castor sugar

250ml cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Peel kiwifruit, cut into quarters lengthways and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix passionfruit with castor sugar. Beat cream with vanilla until it forms soft peaks. Arrange kiwifruit on plate like petals. Put whipped cream in the centre and spoon over the passionfruit.

poached pears with passionfruit syrup

1 litre white wine

500ml water

200g sugar

zest of 1 lemon

6 firm pears

12 passionfruit

100ml water

100 sugar

Boil together the white wine, water, sugar and lemon zest. Allow to cool. Peel pears, cut in half and remove seeds. Place immediately into the syrup. Bring syrup to the boil and poach pears gently for about 5 minutes. Allow pears to cool in the syrup. To make syrup: Pass pulp of passionfruit through a fine sieve. Combine juice with water and sugar and bring to the boil. Skim off scum as it forms and reduce liquid to about half its volume. The syrup should be clear. To serve: Cut each half pear into 10 or 12 slices, taking care not to cut through the top of the pear. Fan out and pour syrup over. Serve with whipped cream.

poached peaches with kirsch jelly

jelly 1 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

3/4 cup kirsch

poach 1 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 large peach halves

serve 250 ml cream

1 tbsp. icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. kirsch

To make jelly: boil together water, sugar and lemon juice. Remove from stove and add gelatine to dissolve. Add kirsch and pour into a cake tin. Cover and refrigerate to set. To poach peaches: bring water and sugar to the boil and place peach halves in the syrup. Simmer, covered until cooked. Do not break the peaches. Allow to cool and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate. To serve: whip cream with icing sugar and stir in the kirsch. Put a good spoonful of cream on a plate, place a peach half on top, round side up. Chop jelly and scatter around the edge of the cream.

lemon meringue pie

shell 1 1/2 cups flour

2 tbsp. icing sugar

pinch of salt

125g hard unsalted butter

1 small egg, beaten

filling 1 cup sugar

6 tbsp. cornflour

1/8 tsp. salt

2 cups water

4 egg yolks, beaten

3 tbsp. butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 tbsp. grated lemon rind

meringue 4 egg whites

pinch of cream of tartar

8 tbsp. castor sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

To make pastry: place all dry ingredients and butter into a food processor and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until mixture forms a mass. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Roll out dough on a floured board and line tin. Cook on centre shelf at 190°C for 25-30 mins. To make filling: mix together sugar, cornflour and salt. Gradually add water and whisk until cornflour is dissolved. Bring mixture to the boil, stirring occasionally and boil for 10 mins. Pour a little hot mixture onto the yolks, mix well and pour back into the mixture in the saucepan. Cook, stirring for 5 mins. Remove from heat and beat in butter, lemon juice and lemon rind. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Pour into cold pie shell. To cook meringue: beat egg whites with cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and beat until meringue holds stiff peaks. Beat in vanilla. To cook: pile meringue on top of lemon filling, spreading well to seal and prevent shrinkage. Cook at 180°C for about 10 mins to brown.

strawberries in Cointreau

1 Puente strawberries

2 passionfruit

2 large oranges

3 passionfruit

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp. water

3 tbsp. Cointreau

300 ml carton cream

Wash and hull strawberries, peel and segment oranges, remove pulp from passionfruit. Combine all fruit with Cointreau, add reserved orange juice, cover and refrigerate. Combine sugar and water in saucepan, stir over heat until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil, remove from heat and cool. Add to fruit mixture, cover and refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.

meringues with lemon cream and apricot sauce

meringues 5 egg whites

pinch of salt

375g castor sugar

lemon cheese 5 egg yolks

2 heaped tbsp. sugar

juice and grated rind of 5 lemons

125g butter

to serve whipped cream

bottled apricots, puréed

strawberries

To make meringues: beat egg whites and salt until fluffy. Add half the sugar gradually and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks. Add remaining sugar and stir in well. Butter two biscuit trays and cover with greaseproof paper. Spoon meringues onto trays in preferred sizes. Cook at bottom of oven at 110°C for 2 1/2 hours. To make lemon cheese: beat egg yolks with sugar. Add juice and rind of lemons. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens. Remove from stove and beat in butter. Pour into a jar, allow to cool and cover. Store in refrigerator. To serve, mix some lemon cheese and whipped cream to taste. Pout 2 meringues together with a large spoonful of the lemon cheese mixture. Pour a little apricot purée on to each dish, top with an assembled meringue and garnish with a strawberry.

hazelnut crepes with chocolate sauce

crepes 1/3 cup plain flour

2 eggs

1 tbsp. oil

pinch salt

3/4 cup milk

filling 90g butter

1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts

1/4 cup icing sugar

sauce 30g butter

125g dark chocolate

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp. Kahlua

vanilla ice cream

Sift flour into bowl, add eggs, oil, salt and 2 tbsp. milk. Beat until smooth. Beat in remainder of milk and refrigerate 30 mins. Heat heavy pan, grease with butter. Pour a thin layer of batter into pan, brown on one side. Turn and brown other. Repeat. Spread a thin layer of hazelnut filling over each crepe and fold into triangles. Place crepes, slightly overlapping in a lightly greased ovenproof dish. Cover and bake in oven until heated through. For the filling: combine softened butter, chopped hazelnuts and sifted icing sugar and mix well. For the sauce: place butter and chocolate in sauce pan, stir over moderate heat until melted. Add sifted icing sugar and mix well. Remove from heat, add sour cream and liqueur, stir until smooth and glossy.

summer pudding

12 slices day-old white bread

250g frozen raspberries

500g frozen boysenberries

1 green apple

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Remove crusts from bread and cut each slice in half. Combine raspberries and boysenberries in a bowl and allow to thaw. Drain and reserve all the juice. Peel, core and thinly slice the apple. Combine reserved berry juice, sugar and water in a saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 mins. Add apply and cook another 2 mins. Combined drained apple with berry mixture. Line base and sides of deep 20cm cake tin with the bread. Spread one quarter of fruit mixture over the base. Cover with a layer of bread slices. Repeat, alternating bread and fruit. Let stand for 20 mins. Cover, put a heavy weight on top and refrigerate overnight. Serve upside down. Spoon extra juice over.

baked pears with raisins, pine kernels and honey

2 pears

55g raisins

55g pine kernels

30ml honey

30g unsalted butter

Set oven to 190°C. Take a thin slice of the top and bottom of pears and core them. Keep the top. Plug the hole in the middle with raisins and pine kernels. Place pears on a baking tray and scatter the remaining raisins and pine kernels about. Pour a tablespoon of honey over each pear and replace top. Add the butter to pan and place in oven. Baste occasionally while baking until cooked through (5-15 mins). Serve with a little cream.

crème Anglaise (proper custard)

500 ml milk

vanilla pod, split open

5 egg yolks

75g caster sugar

Put milk in a saucepan with the split vanilla pod and bring slowly back to the boil. Just before boiling, remove from heat and leave for 20 mins. Lift out pod and scrape seeds back into the milk. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until they are thick and pale in colour, then add the milk to them and stir. Pour custard into a clean pan and put over a low heat, stirring right into the corners of the pan almost constantly until it thickens slightly. Do not let it get too hot. Use immediately or when cool, cover with clingfilm and store.

umm ali

100g cooked puff pastry

2 cups warm milk

100g whipped cream

10 g sliced almonds

10 g pistachio

2 tbsp sugar

1g cinnamon powder

15g sultanas

Boil milk in pan. Add the sugar, cinnamon powder, sultanas, almond flakes and pistachio and bring to the boil. Break the baked puff pastry into small pieces and arrange in baking mould. Pour the hot milk on the broken puff pastry. Pipe the whipped cream on to the puff pastry to cover the surface of the mould completely. Bake for 15 mins at 200°C. When the cream turns brown on top, remove it from the oven and serve hot.

strawberries with passionfruit, orange and mint

450 g strawberries

4 large passionfruit

juice and finely grated zest of 1 small orange

6 young mint leaves

Cut the berries in half if they are small, quarters if not. Place them in bowl. Cut the passionfruit in half and squeeze the juice and seeds all over the strawberries. Gently fold in the orange juice and zest. Toss the mint with the berries. Serve chilled, without cream.

fragrant rosé peaches

750 ml rosé wine

115 g caster sugar

4 peaches

4 tbsp crème fraîche

handful of small mint leaves

Put the wine and sugar in a large pan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about one third. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then cover and chill about 30 minutes until completely cold. Meanwhile, skin the peaches, then cut them in half and remove the stones. Cut into slices about 5 mm thick and divide between four serving bowls. Add a tablespoon of crème fraîche to each serving and then pour in the rosé syrup. Scatter over the mint leaves and serve immediately.

gin and tonic granita

300 ml tonic water

25g caster sugar

150 ml gin

1 small lemon, thinly sliced

Put the tonic and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Stir in the gin, then spoon the mixture into a rigid container and freeze for 2-3 hours until semi frozen. Stir to distribute the ice crystals evenly through the mixture, then return to the freezer. Leave overnight until the granita is firm but crumbles when a spoon is scraped across the surface. Spoon the mixture into four small tumblers, pushing lemon slices into the mixture as you go.

bloody mary sorbet

Boil up 400ml water with 50g sugar to make a syrup. Make 500ml of bloody mary (adding tomato juice, dash of Tabasco, celery salt, black pepper and Polish vodka – not too much or it won't freeze). Mix it up with the syrup, a tablespoon of lemon juice and beat occasionally while freezing in a metal container. A teaspoon of gelatine or half an egg white will speed up the process.

*drinkscosmopolitan martini

2 shots Absolut vodka

1/2 oz cranberry juice

1/4 oz Cointreau

juice of 1/2 lime

Blend ingredients a shaker, strain and garnish with a lemon twist.

summer cocktail

1 part Campari

1 part dry gin

3 parts freshly squeezed orange juice

juice of 1 lime

Pour ingredients over ice and serve with a slice of lime and a wedge of pineapple.

lemonade

4 lemons

2-3 tbsp. sugar

1 litre water

Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out their juice into a glass or bowl. Put the squeezed lemon halves into a bowl along with the sugar. Bring the water to the boil and then pour it over the lemon/sugar mixture. Set aside to steep until it is cool, then strain off into a jug and add the lemon juice. Chill.

ginger beer

30g root ginger

15g cream of tartar

455 granulated sugar

1 lemon

4 1/2 litres water

1 sachet dried yeast

Peel the rind off the lemon, making sure there is no pith and squeeze the juice into a glass. Bash the ginger to bruise it, put it into a bowl and add the cream of tartar, sugar and lemon rind. In a large pan, bring the water to the boil land then pour it over the contents of the bowl. Stir well to make sure the sugar dissolves. Set aside until lukewarm. If using dry yeast, dissolve it in warm water and then add to the bowl, along with the lemon juice. Cover the bow with a cloth and leave to stand for 12-24 hours. Then skim strain and bottle the liquid, and age it for 2-3 days, checking the fizz quotient after 36 hours.

*fishtuna with anchovy and tomato sauce

900g tuna steaks, 1.5 cm thick

juice of 1/2 lemon

150ml olive oil

salt and pepper

6 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, de-seeded and diced

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Divide the tune into four portions and marinate in the lemon juice, 4 tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper for at least half an hour. The last half-hour should be out of the refrigerator so that the tuna is at room temperature when cooking. Begin sauce while you wait. Warm the remaining oil in a small saucepan and add the anchovy and garlic. Cook over a low heat, mashing the anchovy with a fork until it has melted down and the garlic is lightly browned. To cook the tuna, grease a frying pan with a little hot oil and set over a high heat until searingly hot. Shake excess marinade from the tuna and slap the pieces onto the hot metal. Leave for 1 minute and then turn over and give the other side a minute. As soon as the tuna is done, transfer to a serving dish. Add the tomato and parsley to the anchovy sauce, reheat briefly and spoon over the tuna. Serve immediately.

crispy fish with sweet pepper sauce

50g cornflour for coating, 2 tsp. extra for sauce

oil for deep frying

150l water

2 tsp. sugar

4 tbsp. chilli sauce

450 skinless, boneless cod fillets, cut into 5cm pieces

3cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped

2 spring onions,

1 red and 1 green pepper, de-seeded

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

Season the fish with salt and pepper and then coat lightly with cornflour. Heat the oil to 180°C and deep fry the fish until golden brown (about 8 minutes). Drain and keep warm in a serving dish. For the sauce: place the spring onions, peppers in a processor and finely chop together. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the pepper mixture for about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for a few minutes. Spoon over the fish and serve hot.

pan-fried trout

50g butter

2 large trout, filleted

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

1 tbsp. chopped dill, tarragon or chervil

juice of half a fresh lemon

Heat butter over moderate heat. When frothy, add fillets, skin side down. Cook until golden, basting occasionally. Cook 7-8 mins. Remove fish. Add herbs to butter, squeeze in lemon juice and pour over fish.

Joan fish curry

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cumin

1 1” piece ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. turmeric

pinch of salt

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped

75g creamed coconut, grated

12 oz white fish, skinned and cut into large chunks

Lightly fry the garlic, spices, salt and onion in the oil for 3-5 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in tomatoes, add coconut and cook for 2-3 mins. Lower heat, add fish to pan and cook another 10 mins.

salmon carpaccio with fried horseradish, parmesan and rocket salad

30g rock salt

30g caster sugar

1 bunch dill, trimmed

1 bunch coriander, trimmed

1 measure of brandy

2 lemons

6 pink peppercorns

500g fresh salmon fillet

1 bunch chives

2 shallots

1 cucumber, peeled

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 piece fresh horseradish

30g fresh whole parmesan cheese

1 bunch rocket

Put rock salt, sugar, dill, coriander, brandy, lemon zest and peppercorns in a food processor. Process 2 mins. Lay salmon on foil, spread with mix and seal. Chill 24 hours. Remove herbs, reseal and chill 48 hours. Finely chop chives, shallots and cucumber. Blanch shallots and cucumber in boiling salted water. Refresh. Mix chives, shallots and cucumber. Moisten with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and mustard. Season. Slice salmon thinly and place on plates, leaving a ring in the centre. Spread cucumber mix over. For the salad: slice horseradish and cut into fine strands. Fry in vegetable oil until golden. Shave parmesan and combine with rocket leaves and place in centre of carpaccio. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

grilled tropical fish with chillies and lime

2 x 350g red mullet or other whole fish, prepared

6 tbsp. olive oil

juice of 2 large limes

1 large red chilli, finely chopped

Rinse the fish and remove scales. Place in a shallow dish. Mix the oil, lime juice, chopped chilli and a good seasoning of salt and pepper and pour this mixture over the fish. Leave for 20 minutes. Heat a ridged cast-iron grill pan. Shake the fish free of any loose marinade, which should be reserved. Grill the fish over a steady heat until the skin has crisped a little, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Drizzle with a little marinade, and eat straightaway.

grilled mackerel

6 mackerel, each weighing 750g

lemon, salt, pepper, oil

Season the fillets both sides and brush the skin side with a little oil. Lay the fillets skin side down on the griddle when hot. Then leave them. After a couple of minutes, flip the fish over. Cook very briefly on the flesh side and remove. Serve skin side up with a sprinkling of sea salt, a wedge of lemon and either ginger and spring onion dressing or mango salsa.

raw mackerel with horseradish and lemon

2 x 750g mackerel

100g fresh horseradish

3 lemons

sea salt, pepper, oil

Fillet the fish and rinse it under cold water. Cover with film and put in the freezer for 10 mins. Peel and grate the horseradish. Squeeze the juice of the lemons, strain and add to the mix. Take the fish from the freezer, place it skin-side down and cut into long, thin slices. Avoid cutting into the skin. Arrange on a cold plate. Sprinkle sea salt and milled pepper over the fish and pour over the marinade. Serve after the fish has cooked in the marinade.

mackerel marinated in oil with peppers and garlic

3 x 750g mackerel

500 olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 onion

1 lemon

salt, pepper

Heat oven to 240C. De-seed peppers and cut into thin strips. Slice onion and garlic finely and slice the lemon into very thin rounds. Lay half the mackerel fillets in an oven dish large enough to hold them in a single layer, and season well. Cover with half the sliced vegetables and lemon. Add a second layer of seasoned fish over the top, and top with the remaining vegetables. Pour over the oil, making sure that it covers the fish. Put the dish into the hot oven for five minutes. Remove and cool for at least half a day. Serve with hot toast.

blackened swordfish

3 tbsp. dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

4 thin swordfish steaks

20 margarine or butter, melted

juice of 1 lemon

Mix together the spices and coat the swordfish steaks in it. Preheat grill to medium heat. Place the fish on the grill and brush with the margarine. Cook for 7 mins, then turn over and brush with more margarine. Cook for another 5-7 mins, then transfer to a warm serving dish, pour over the lemon juice and serve with new potatoes and a green salad.

baked stuffed sardines

16 small sardines, gutted and deboned

2 tsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. lemon juice

lemon wedges

4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

75g breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

pepper

Mix together the parsley, breadcrumbs, egg and pepper. Stuff each of the fish, lay them skin side down in a greased ovenproof dish. Bake for 30-35 mins in an oven preheated to 200°C. Serve with lemon wedges.

herring salad

4 large herring, cleaned and boned

200 ml red wine vinegar

1 small onion, sliced

4 cloves

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

4 sprigs dill

sauce 2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. wine vinegar

2 tsp. French mustard

6 sprigs fresh dill, chopped finely

4 tbsp. yoghurt

pepper

salad 1 lollo rosso lettuce

4 large carrots, grated

1/2 cucumber, sliced

Preheat oven to 150°C. Roll each herring, starting from the head end, and secure with a cocktail stick. Place in a deep ovenproof dish and add the vinegar and 4 tbsp. water. Cover with the onion slices, cloves, bay leaves peppercorns and dill. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Leave the fish to cool in the liquid for about 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile make the sauce by mixing the sugar, vinegar, mustard, dill and yoghurt. Season with pepper. Drain herrings and remove cocktail sticks. Arrange on plates and serve with wholemeal bread.

sardines beccafico

18 fresh sardines

25g pine kernels

2 anchovy fillets

25g raisins

1 x 20g pack flat leafed parsley, finely chopped

2 medium tomatoes

50g pecorino cheese, finely grated

3 lemons

juice of 1 small orange

20 fresh bay leaves

25g fresh breadcrumbs

1 level dsp. caster sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Place pine kernels in pan over medium heat and toast for about 2 minutes. Finely chop anchovies and place in a medium-sized bowl with the toasted pine kernels, raisins and parsley. Peel tomatoes, quarter them and remove seeds. Dice flesh and add to mixture, along with the cheese, juice of 1 lemon and the orange juice. Season. Mix and leave to one side. Prepare sardines, leaving the tails intact. Place a teaspoon of stuffing in each sardine and roll them from head to tail. Arrange in a dish with tails pointing up. Thinly slice the 2 lemons left and place a slice of lemon and a bay leaf between each sardine. Sprinkle breadcrumbs, sugar, olive oil and any stuffing juices over the top. Cook at 190°C for 20-25 minutes until tender and golden. remove cocktail sticks. Arrange on plates and serve with wholemeal bread.

New York smoked salmon hash

Boil 300g new potatotes from cold salted water for 10-12 mins until tender. Drain. Meanwhile, melt 30g unsalted butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry half a sliced onion for 4-5 mins until soft. Add the spuds to the onions and fry until they begin to soften and break down.

Add 1 tbsp dill, 1 tsp capers and 75g-100g smoked salmon and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the salmon is palepink. Grill four rashers of dry cured, smoked back bacon until crispy. Poach two eggs.

Serve the poitato mixture with two rashers of bacon alongside and a poached egg on top. Top with a little dressing (Whisk ½ tbsp. Dijon mustard, half a lemon, 25 ml white wine vinegar, 100 ml olive oil, salt and pepper).

Mackerel tartare recipe

Cooking time: 30 minutes if your fishmonger guts, bones and skins the fillets, but remember to leave time for the hot pickle to cool; allow at least an hour before serving

4 mackerel fillets skinned

2 tbsp capers, finely chopped

2 shallots finely diced

4 tbsp parsley finely chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger finely chopped

1 lemon – ½ juiced and ½ zested

1 lime – ½ juiced and ½ zested

200ml double cream

For the pickle:

4 tbsp water

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

½ cucumber peeled, de-seeded, thinly sliced and salted

Skin and remove the central bones from the fillets (the bones should come out in one piece if you're careful), and chop into small dice – approx ½ cm. Add the chopped capers, shallots, parsley, ginger, lemon and lime juices (keep the zest to one side) and season with salt and pepper.

Mix everything all together and place in the fridge. The citrus juices will partially "cook" the fish so allow at least half an hour. Bring to the boil all the pickle ingredients apart from the cucumber, take off the heat and add your cucumber. Leave to cool. Lightly whip the double cream, add the zest, a squeeze of lemon and lime and seasoning.

salmon fishcakes with sorrel sauce

650g dry mashed potato (no butter)

650g salmon fillet, poached in fish stock, flaked

2 tbsp. tomato ketchup

1 tbsp. anchovy essence

1 tbsp. English mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.5 kg spinach, picked over, washed and dried

sauce 1/2 litre strong fish stock

50g butter

30g flour

50g white wine

250ml double cream

15g fresh sorrel, shredded

salt and pepper

stock 2kg white fish bones

2 medium leeks, trimmed, washed, chopped

1/2 head celery, chopped

1/2 lemon

1 tsp. fennel seeds

20 black peppercorns

5g thyme

1 bay leaf

handful of parsley

Stock: wash the bones in cold water. Place in a pot with the rest of the ingredients, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Check strength and reduce if necessary. Fishcakes: mix together the potato, half the poached salmon, ketchup, anchovy essence, mustard and seasoning until smooth. Fold in the rest of the salmon. Mould the mixture into 8 round cakes and refrigerate. Sauce: bring the fish stock to the boil in a thick-bottomed pan. In another pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce had thickened. Add the cream and reduce the sauce to a thick pouring consistency, then add the sorrel and season. Preheat the oven to 200C. Lightly flour the fishcakes and fry them in a pan until coloured on both sides, then bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the spinach, season lightly and cover tightly with a lid, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander. Put some spinach on each plate, then place a fishcake on top and pour over the sauce. Serve immediately.

steamed red snapper with ginger and leeks

600g snapper fillets

2 medium leeks, sliced very thinly on diagonal

2 courgettes, also sliced very thinly on diagonal

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, finely julienned

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. mirin

salt and pepper

marinade:

1 inch piece of ginger, crushed

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. soy sauce

Cut fillets into portion sizes. Combine with the marinade ingredients and leave for at least one hour . Steam the fish in its marinade for about 8 minutes, retaining the cooking juices. Meanwhile, put the oil, garlic and ginger in a wok or a large frying pan, and cook briefly over a high heat until just beginning to brown, then add the leeks and courgettes and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add mirin and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve snapper on a bed of vegetables, pouring the fish and marinade juices over it.

pickled salt herrings

2 large salt herrings

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 small piece horseradish, diced

2 bay leaves

thyme

parsley and dill, chopped

allspice

marinade: 150ml white vinegar

50g sugar

2 onions, sliced

1 tsp. white pepper, crushed

2 tsp. allspice, crushed

Clean the fish and remove bones. Soak overnight in cold water. Mix marinade ingredients and heat until boiling point. Chill. Place the herrings in a jar and pour over the marinade. Add red onion, carrots, horseradish, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, dill and a little allspice. Stand overnight in refrigerator.

haddock fishcakes with lime leaves

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 small hot red chillies, seeded and chopped

handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

6 large or 8 small Kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1 tbsp. nam pla (bottled Thai fish sauce)

450g haddock, skinned and chopped (de-boned)

vegetable oil

sauce: 6 tbsp. mirin

4 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

1 small red and 1 smell green chilli, seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp. coriander leaves, finely chopped

juice of a lime

Put the shallot, garlic, chillies and coriander in the bowl of a food processor and whiz into a coarse sludge. Add the lime leaves and the fish sauce. Mix. Tip into a bowl and season with salt. Whiz the fish into a rough paste (don’t overdo) add it to the spice paste and mush the lot together. Shape the mixture into about 8 round, flat patties with the aid of a little flour to stop them sticking to your fingers. Set aside for half an hour to allow the flavours to mix. Make the dipping sauce. Heat the mirin and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is becoming syrupy. Stir in the soy sauce. Leave to cool. Add the chillies, coriander leaves and lime juice. Heat just enough oil to shallow-fry the fish cakes. When it is hot, add the cakes, a few at a time, until golden on both sides (about 4-5 mins each side, perhaps less.) serve hot from the pan with the dipping sauce.

pan-seared salmon with chilli and orange

1 x 170 g packet fine green beans

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 Scottish boneless skinless salmon fillets

50 g butter

1/2 fresh red or green chilli, de-seeded and chopped

grated rind and juice 1orange

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. freshly chopped coriander

orange and lemon rind to garnish (optional)

Cook beans in boiling salted water for 5-6 minutes and rain. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and dry-fry the salmon over a high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove salmon and keep warm. Wipe pan with kitchen paper and then melt a little of the butter. Fry the chilli for a few second until it is just softened, then stir in the orange and lemon rind and juice with the rest of the butter, seasoning and honey. Warm the sauce through gently and then stir in the chopped coriander. Pile a stack of beans onto each serving plate, top with a salmon fillet and drizzle the sauce around the fish. Garnish with orange and lemon rind and serve immediately.

trout with gin

8 trout fillets

3 tbsp. gin

3 level tbsp. plain flour

50 g unsalted butter

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 level tbsp. juniper berries, bruised

150 ml crème fraîche

2 level tbsp. chopped fresh dill

salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix the flour with 1 level tsp. salt and coat each fillet lightly. Heat butter in frying pan and after foaming, add the fillets, skin down, and cook for 3 minutes. Fry other side for 2 mins. Do not burn the butter. Transfer fillets to warm dish and leave in oven, covered in foil. To make sauce, throw carrots and juniper berries into pan and cook for 5 minutes, moving around. Reduce heat to low and add cream. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, then add flaming gin. When flame dies, turn heat off and add dill and pepper. Check the salt. Spoon over the trout fillets and serve.

baked tuna with herbs

4 fresh tuna steaks about 200 g each

2 tbsp. dried breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. pine nuts

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

topping: 4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint

3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp. salted capers, drained

grated rind and juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp. dried oregano

Preheat oven to 200°C. Make the topping by pounding the garlic to a fine pulp. Then, add the remaining ingredients and enough olive oil to make an almost liquid mixture. Pound to make a thick sauce and then season with salt and pepper. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then put them on a large baking sheet and spread topping over. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and pine nuts over the top and bake for 6-7 minutes or until tuna is just cooked.

plaice and crispy bacon grill

butter

4 plaice fillets

3 rashers smoked back bacon

1 lemon

salt and pepper

Preheat the grill. Line a grill pan with a sheet of foil and butter it lightly. Arrange the plaice fillets on the foil in one layer and season with salt and pepper. Cut the bacon into this strips and scatter over the fish. Top each plaice fillet with a knob of butter and squeeze over some lemon juice, then grill for 4-5 minutes.

cod with red pepper sauce

4 red peppers, quartered

700 g new potatoes, thickly sliced

115 g spinach leaves, stalks removed

6 thick cod fillets

2 tbsp. half-fat crème fraîche

2 tbsp. lemon or basil-flavoured olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat grill to high and grill peppers until skins are charred - about 10 minutes. When peppers have cooled, peel off skins. Put pepper flesh in blender and process for 30 seconds until only slightly chunky. Boil potatoes for 8-10 minutes until tender. Add the spinach leaves for the last minute of cooking. Drain and keep warm. Cook the fish by putting fish with flesh side up on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 6-7 minutes until fish is cooked. remove and discard the skin and keep warm. Toss the potatoes and spinach with the red pepper sauce. Gently stir in the crème fraîche and warm through. Spoon on to the serving plates and lay cod on top. Drizzle with the oil and serve immediately. (Chicken can be substituted for cod.)

salmon with gazpacho sauce

500 g ripe tomatoes, skinned

1 red pepper, de-seeded, chopped

1/2 tsp. red onion, peeled, chopped

1 fat garlic clove, peeled, chopped

10 large basil leaves

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

olive oil

Tabasco

4 salmon steaks

De-seed and chop the tomatoes, then pat them dry on several changes of kitchen paper. (This is important, otherwise the sauce will be watery.) Place in a liquidiser with the pepper, onion, garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add a couple of shakes of Tabasco and some salt and pepper, then blend until thoroughly combined. Chill for at least two hours. Preheat grill to hot and brush steaks with a little oil. Grill for about 3 minutes each side, until just cooked. Serve with sauce and new potatoes.

plaice with bananas and parsley

sauce: 2 shallots

small knob of butter

3 tsp. malt or white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. caster sugar

1-2 tsp. prepared English mustard

150 ml gravy or thick stock

salt and pepper

cayenne pepper (optional)

fish: 4 x 350/450 g plaice fillets, skinned

a little seasoned flour, for dusting

4 slices day-old white bread, crumbed

25 g butter, melted

bananas: 2 bananas

a little seasoned flour, for dusting

knob of butter

parsley: vegetable oil, for deep frying

handful of English parsley sprigs, washed

salt

Make the sauce by softening the shallots in the butter for 2-3 minutes without colouring them. Add the vinegar and sugar, bring to the boil and reduce until the mixture is almost dry. Stir in the mustard and gravy, bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes. Season and keep warm. Add cayenne pepper at this point. Split fillets so that there are two per person. Preheat grill to moderate, season the fish with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Season the breadcrumbs and stir in the melted butter. Place the crumbs on the top of each fillet. Press lightly with a knife to tidy them up. Grill for 6-8 min., by which time the crumbs will be golden brown. Slice the bananas and cut them diagonally into thick slices. Lightly dust with seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and cook the bananas for 3-4 min. turning once, until golden brown. Just before the end of the cooking time, add a knob of butter and allow to bubble for a few seconds. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Deep- fry the parsley in hot oil for a minute and then remove and drain. The sauce can either be poured over or served separately.

pan-fried salmon with lime and coriander

300g boneless salmon joint (halved) or 2 skinless fillets

salt and freshly ground black pepper

60ml olive oil

2.5cm root ginger, peeled and chopped

1 leek, 1 carrot and 1 courgette, washed and cut into matchsticks

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

juice of 1 lime

5ml wholegrain mustard

30ml freshly chopped coriander

roasted vine tomatoes (optional)

Season the salmon. Heat a frying pan and dry-fry the fish for 3-5 mins on each side until tener. Remove and keep warm. Heat 15ml of oil and stir-fry the ginger, leek, carrot, courgette and garlic until just tender, and then spoon over the fish. Add remaining oil and ingredients to pan, stir until hot and then pour over.

Spanish stew with salmon

175g bacon lardons

2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and chopped

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

2 red peppers, chargrilled, peeled and disced

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and diced

grated riind of 1 lemon

150ml dry white wine

500 ml hot vegetable stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

30ml freshly chopped basil

4 skinless salmon fillets

In a large, non-stick frying pan, cook the bacon for 3-5 minutes stirring, until browned. remove and set aside. Add the anchovies, onion and garlic to the pan juices and fry for 2 mins. Stir in the carrots, potatoes, peppers, fennel and lemon rind, then cook for 2 mins. Return the bacon to the pan and add the wine. Boil for 5 mins until most of the alcohol has evaporated. Stir in the stock and season. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in half the chopped basil. Preheat the grill to medium. Transfer the stew to a flameproof dish, place the salmon on top, sprinkle with the remaining salt and season. Grill for 5 mins. Divide to serve, and garnish with basil.

soused mackerel

12 medium mackerel

1 litre white wine

350ml white wine vinegar

28g sea salt

45g sugar

2 medium carrots

3 medium onions

2 bayleaves

a small bushel of thyme

a small bunch of parsley

7 or 8 sage leaves

a blade of mace

6 juniper berries

15 black peppercorns, crushed

Behead, gut and clean the fish and lay them side by side in an ovenproof dish. Peel the carrots and onions, and slice them thinly. Put the vegetables into a steel pot, add the rest of the ingredients, place the pot on the stove and bring to a steady simmer. Leave to cook for 20-25 mins. then taste the liquor and adjust the seasoning. The vinegar should taste sharp and clear, temperred lightly by the sweetness of the sugar, with the whole infused by the herbs and spices. Bring the put to the boil, and then our the liquor over the mackerel. Leave the fish to cool in the liquor, for this is how they will be served. Refrigerate when cool, and serve chilled. Serve with bread and butter.

king sea scallops and tuna ceviche

200g fresh king scallops, cut into thing slices and refrigerated

240g fresh tuna, finely diced

20 ml olive oil

8g shallots, chopped

5g ginger, chopped

10ml Tabasco sauce

15g coriander, chopped

10 ml lime juice

30 ml sour cream

20g tobiko

30g pommery mustard

50 ml corn oil

15ml sherry vinegar

pinch of peppe

160g mixed mesclun salad

Mix tuna with half the lime juice, ginger, Tabasco, shallots and coriander. Adjust seasoning. IN a separate bowl, mix together remaining lime juice, olive oil. salt and pepper. Add scallop slices to it and let it marinate. In a food processor, blend pommery mustard, corn oil. vinegar, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Pour it over mesclun salad.

to plate, arrange sea scallop carpaccio on a plate, fill marinated tuna into a ring mould and ten demould. Spread sour cream on top of the structure, garnish with tobiko and chervil sprigs and serve with salad.

*pastaeggless carbonara

175g bacon

175g onions

60ml dry white wine or vermouth

100ml single cream

500g spaghetti

Slice bacon into small shreds or dice. Chop onions and heat water. Heat a little butter and cook bacon until it releases some fat. Add onions and black pepper, and cook until onions are soft. Put in wine and cook until it has boiled away. Salt the boiling water and start cooking pasta. A few minutes away from it being done, reheat the bacon/onions and pour in the cream. Simmer for 2 mins. Decent pasta and place it in a bowl. Pour on the sauce, add freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan.

fettucine with cream & mushrooms

200g fettucine

150g fresh mushrooms

2 tbsp. oil

1 knob of butter

1 piece garlic

1 glass single cream

grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Clean and slice the mushrooms. Place the garlic in a saucepan with oil and butter. Cook until golden. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and leave to cook for 10 mins at low heat. Add half the cream and leave until cooked. Cook the fettucine. Drain and dress with the remainder of the cream. Add grated cheese and the sauce.

spaghetti con le vongole

2 kg mussels

2 kg clams

1 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

500g ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped

salt to taste

750g spaghetti

3 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

freshly ground pepper

Wash and scrub the mussels. Beard them, ad discard any that are not tightly closed. Heat the oil and gently cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the shellfish and stem gently until they are all open. Lift them out and reserve. To the liquid remaining in the pan, add wine, tomatoes and salt and cook quickly for 20 minutes until tomatoes are pulpy and the sauce reduced and thickened. Add the parsley and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, cook pasta. When cooked, add to sauce and toss well. Serve hot.

spaghettini with anchovy sauce

enough spaghettini for 6

salt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3-4 large anchovy fillets, chopped

4 leaves mint, finely chopped

3 sprigs parsley, finely chopped

4 tbsp. capers

12 black olives, pitted and chopped

While spaghettini is cooking (about 5 mins) heat the oil in a pan. Add the garlic cloves, sauté until brown and discard. Then add the anchovies and cook gently, stirring until they become a paste. Remove pan from heat and add parsley. Drain pasta, pour into a heated pan and add the anchovy flavoured oil, capers and olives. Mix and serve, without cheese.

pasta with fresh tomato sauce

250g fettucine noodles

30g butter

1 onion

1 clove garlic

425g can tomatoes

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 green pepper

125g zucchini

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Melt butter in pan, add peeled and chopped onion and crushed garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Push tomatoes through a sieve into pan and discard seeds. Add wine, tomato paste, oregano and basil to pa, bring to boil for 3 mins, add chopped pepper and thinly sliced zucchini, and cook 1 min more. Add chopped parsley and stir through. Add salt and pepper. Cook pasta and drain, add sauce and mix through, stirring over a low flame until heated.

Russian tagliatele

2 hanks tagliatelle

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. sour cream

1 tbsp. lumpish caviar

1 spring onion, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Cook pasta for about 5-6 minutes. Drain , dress with a little oil, top with soured cream, caviar and chopped spring onion.

spaghetti frittata

500g spaghetti

6 eggs

100g grated parmesan

1 large bunch parsley

olive oil

filling 1 onion

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp. tomato purée

3 courgettes

2 anchovies

1 tbsp. capers

olive oil

Boil the spaghetti until slightly underdone, and drain. Pour a little olive oil over it and set aside to cool down. Chop the onion ad fry it in olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until it turns pale. Add tomatoes and purée. Chop up capers and anchovies and add, stew for a while and set aside. Slice and fry the courgettes in a little butter until the go soft. Place spaghetti in a large bowl, pour in parmesan and mix by hand. Add the finely chopped parsley. Break eggs into a bowl and beat firmly. Add to the spaghetti/parmesan mix. Mix it all together again using your hands. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick pan, turn down the heat and cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of the spaghetti mixture. Cook for a minute or two until it solidifies, spread a layer of filling over the base, and place the courgettes on top of the tomato. Spread the spaghetti over the top of the tomato. Flip over if brave. Otherwise put in a medium oven for 10 minutes.

farfalle with bacon and greens

225g farfalle

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely sliced

1/4 Savoy cabbage, finely shredded and rinsed

knob butter

2 tbsp. fresh breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

grated cheese

Cook for 8-10 minutes. Heat oil and lightly fry the bacon and garlic. Drop in cabbage, season, turn up heat. Shake pan over heat for a few minutes so that the cabbage cooks in its own steam. Evaporate excess liquid. Melt butter in a separate pan and fry breadcrumbs until crisp. Combine together in a warm bowl and season to taste. Top with breadcrumbs.

linguini al limone

225g linguini

1/4 pint double cream

1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest

salt and pepper.

Cook linguini. Heat cream, add juice and season.

creamy kale and tomato tagliatelle

335 g dried tagliatelle

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

200 g kale, trimmed washed and shredded

1 x 400g can tomatoes

1 tbsp. tomato purée

salt and freshly ground black pepper

200 ml cream cheese

75g Stilton, crumbed

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the kale to the pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently until soft and reduced in volume. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée and seasoning, bring to the boil then cover and simmer

gently for 5 minutes. Stir the cream cheese and Stilton into the tomato and kale sauce and heat gently for 3 minutes or until the cheeses have melted. Drain pasta thoroughly, stir into sauce and serve immediately.

fettucine giuliano

700 g fettucine

3 tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 sausages

1 large onion, diced

85 g prosciutto, cut into strips

1 tbsp. chopped, fresh oregano

225 ml red wine

2 tbsp. passata

400 g tin tomatoes

3 large handfuls of leftover cooked vegetables

a little chopped parsley, to garnish

Make the sauce by heating the oil in a large pan and frying the garlic and sausages for 5-6 minutes until brown. Remove the sausages from the pan and slice thinly. Add the onion and prosciutto to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft. Sprinkle over the oregano. Season. Stir in the wine, passata and tomatoes. Mix in the leftover vegetables and return the sausages to the pan. Simmer over a gentle heat, uncovered for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add more wine if necessary. Cook the fettucine in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and mix with the sauce. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

baked gnocchi with baby spinach and bacon

50 g butter

50 g plain flour

600 ml milk

pinch of nutmeg

150 g cheddar

800 g fresh potato gnocchi

2 tsp. olive oil

200 g back bacon, sliced

150 g baby spinach leaves

1 tsp. English mustard

salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Cook for 30 seconds and then whisk in milk to make a smooth sauce. Stir in the nutmeg, mustard and cheese. Season and simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly. remove pan from heat and cover the sauce itself with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the gnocchi for 4 minutes until tender. while the gnocchi is cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon for 3 minutes until crisp. Drain the gnocchih and then return to the same pan and toss with the spinach leaves, bacon pieces and the cheese sauce. serve immediately.

macaroni with meat ragù

6 slices topside beef, about 50 g each

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

120 ml olive oil

6 lamb cutlets

350 g shoulder of pork

6 small pieces spicy cooking sausage

1 large onion

30 ml red wine

2 kg ripe tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and chopped

salt and pepper

cooked macaroni and grated Parmesan, to serve

Sprinkle the beef slices with the parsley, garlic and salt and pepper, then roll up and secure each with a cocktail stick. Heat the oil in a large pan, add all the meat, including the beef rolls and fry until browned on all sides. Add the onion and gently cook until soft. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate a little. Then add the tomatoes. Cover and cook gently for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove the pork and cut into slices. Add the pasta to the pan and toss. Serve with the pork slices on top and a sprinkling of grated cheese.

penne with blue cheese and crispy bacon

300g smoked streaky bacon, rind removed and chopped

335g dried penne

salt and pepper

250g tub marscapoone cheese

150g dolcelatte cheese, cubed

450ml milk

100 salad onions, trimmed and chopped

Place the bacon in a deep, nonstick frying pan and dry fry, stirring frequently over a medium heat until it starts to turn crispy. Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large saucepan of boiling salted water or for 10 mins. Stir the mascarpone and dolcelatte cheeses, milk and salada onions into the bacon and heat gently to make a smooth sauce. Season, then mix again. Drain the penne. Stir into the sauce and gently heat for 1 min. Serve with ciabatta bread and a tomato, onion and olive salad, garnished with basil.

spaghetti with bacon, breadcrumbs and garlic

Crush a clove of garlic per person into the butter before you fry breadcrumbs.

and with chillies

Crushed, dried chillies seem to work better here than fresh. The quantity depends upon your heat threshold but start with a fat pinch of two per person, stiirring them in with the breadcrumbs.

and with lemon and thyme

Remove fine, young thyme leaves from their stalks and add them to the pan with the bacon. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the bowl as you toss everything together.

thin pasta with anchovies and parsley

Chop two or three anchovy fillets per person and cook them in a little olive oil over a low heat with a small handful of chopped parsley and a couple of cloves of finely chopped garlic. When the garlic is soft and pale gold – the anchovies will have almost melted – tip into a warm seving bowl, then continue with the crumbs as above. A pinch or twoo of dried crushed chilies, added with the anchovies goes well here too.

Spaghetti with bacon, breadcrumbs and garlic

Crush a clove of garlic per person into the butter before you fry breadcrumbs.

pasta with roast tomatoes and basil

Toss any thin pasta with some roast tomatoes. Squash the tomatoes a little and include the seedy juices. Basil leaves, torn to shreds, and some black pepper will produce a heady, sweet-sharp supper.

pasta with caviar

pasta

eggs

John West lumpfish caviar

lemons

Return cooked and drained pasta to the still-warm (place over low heat if necessary) saucepan and toss with one raw egg per person. Stir in a jar of lumpfish caviar. Serve with lemon wedges and squeeze lemon juice over before eating.

Puttanesca

Serves 4

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

8 anchovy fillets

4 tbsp olive oil

800g chopped tomatoes

500g dried pasta

100g black olives

1 tbsp capers

Warm 2 thinly sliced cloves of garlic, half a tsp of dried chilli flakes and 8 chopped anchovy fillets in a frying pan with 4 tbsp of olive oil. Stir as it cooks for a couple of minutes until the anchovies start to disintegrate. Turn up the heat and add 800g chopped tomatoes. Leave to cook for 20 minutes or so. Cook 500g of pasta in deep, furiously boiling, generously salted water for about 9 minutes (check the packet). When the sauce is ready, stir in 100g of black olives and 1 tbsp of capers, then toss with the lightly drained pasta.

THE TRICK

Don't be timid: this is a big, gutsy sauce and demands boldness in the cook. Yes, it's a little sharp and hot and salty, and that is exactly how it should be. The best anchovies to use are the salt-packed variety, rinsed and patted dry. The bottled version is a little too mild, though it will, of course, do. You can use canned tomatoes – most Italians do. Go for Napolina. No Parmesan is necessary. It would be an overdose of salty notes.

cabbage with pork sausages

1 large white cabbage

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup fat bacon, diced

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 1/2 tbsp. wine vinegar

salt

6 small Italian pork sausages

Shred the cabbage coarsely and wash it thoroughly. Drain. heat butter and bacon in a large pan and sauté the onion until almost brown. Add the cabbage and stir well. Cook until cabbage begins to brown. Sprinkle with vinegar and salt. Arrange the sausages, pricked all over with a fork, on top of the cabbage, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

double cooked pork

1kg pork belly

1 red capsicum

1 green capsicum

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

60g zaa sai pickles, chopped

2 chillies, chopped

2 tbsp. dry sherry

1 1/2 tsp. shallots, chopped

1 tsp. sesame oil

sauce 1 1/2 tsp. yellow bean paste

2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. tomato purée

1 1/2 tbsp. hoisin sauce

2 tsp. chilli sauce

2 tbsp. stock

Boil pork in water for 35 mins. When cold, drain and cut into 1x6x4cm rectangular slices. Remove seeds from capsicums and cut into 4cm strips. Blend sauce ingredients. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. When hot, add the garlic, pickles and chillies and stir them in the hot oil for 30 sec.. Pour in the sauce and heat until it bubbles. Add the sliced pork and spread out to turn in the sauce. Continue to stir-fry over high heat for 2 mins. Sprinkle with sherry, shallots and sesame oil, stir and serve.

pork fillets with mustard sauce

4 pork fillets

1 1/2 tsp. curry powder

30g butter

1 tbsp. lemon juice

sauce 1 cup water

1 chicken stock cube

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. French mustard

2 tbsp. cream

2 tsp. cornflour

2 tsp. water

salt and pepper

Trim fat from pork. Sprinkle curry powder on sheet of greaseproof paper and roll fillets in it. Melt butter in baking dish and add fillets. Pour lemon juice over. Bake uncovered in moderate oven for 15 mins. Baste frequently. Remove fillets, slice thinly and serve with sauce. For the sauce: Place water in saucepan, add crumbled stock cube, lemon juice, French mustard and cream. Combine cornflour and water, stir into saucepan and stir until sauce thickens, reduce heat, simmer uncovered 3 mins. Season with salt and pepper.

sweet and sour pork

500g pork fillets

salt, to taste

1/2 egg white lightly beaten

1 1/2 tbsp. cornflour

1 medium red pepper

1 medium green pepper

5 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 slice pineapple or mango

sauce 1 tbsp. cornflour

2 tbsp. water

3 1/2 tbsp. wine vinegar

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. orange juice

1 tbsp. tomato purée

For the sauce: Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Cut pork into thick slices, and then roughly into 4 x 2.5cm pieces. Rub with salt, wet with egg white and dredge with cornflour. Cut capsicum into 4cm strips. Heat oil in a wok and when hot, add the pork pieces and stir fry over medium heat for 3 mins. Remove and set aside. Drain away half the remaining oil. Add the onion and stir-fry for 1 min. Add the pineapple and capsicum. Continue to stir-fry for another minute. Pour in the sauce and stir until it thickens. Return the pork to the wok and mix with the sauce over medium heat for 1 1/2 mins until all pork is well coated with the sauce.

pork satay

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. cumin

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 tbsp. soy sauce

3 tbsp. lemon juice

115g creamed coconut dissolved in 3 tbsp. hot water

approx. 350g pork fillet cut into fine strips

6 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter

2 tbsp. hot chilli sauce

225ml cold water

Combine the spices garlic, half of the soy sauce, half of the lemon juice and half the creamed coconut until smooth. Spread over the pork, cover and leave to marinate in fridge overnight. Combine remaining ingredients in pan and heat gently until thickened. Skewer the meat onto satay sticks, and grill for 8-10 mins until cooked. Serve with the sauce.

cassoulet

125g dried haricot beans

125g dried butter beans

4 tsp. polyunsaturated oil

2 onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

175g lean boneless lamb, in 1” cubes

175g lean boneless pork, in 1” cubes

125g gammon, in 1” cubes

1 x 14oz can chopped tomatoes

150ml water

2 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs parsley

pepper

Cover beans with cold water and leave to soak overnight. Drain the beans and place them in a saucepan. Cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook for a further 45 minutes or until the beans are tender. Drain. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a casserole, add the onions and fry until golden. Add garlic and cook for 2 mins. Remove and set aside. Heat the remaining oil, add the meat and cook over until brown. Preheat oven to 160°C. Add onions to the meat in the pan, add the beans, tomatoes, water and season with pepper. Tie the leaves together and add to casserole. Bring to the boil and the n transfer to the oven and cook for 1 1/4 hours. Reduce oven temperature to 150°C and cook for a further 30 minutes. Remove herbs before serving.

pork with prosciutto and mozzarella

4 pork escalope

4 slices prosciutto

150 g mozzarella, drained and cut into 8 slices

knob unsalted butter

1 tsp. olive oil

4 fresh sage leaves

freshly ground black pepper

Beat out the pork escalopes until they are about 5 mm thick. Melt the butter with the oil in a frying pan and brown escalopes on one side. Transfer them to a baking tray and cover the raw side with a slice of prosciutto and 2 slices of mozzarella. Season with black pepper and grill until cheese melts. Top with a sage leaf and return to grill until cheese is brown.

roast loin of pork with renaissance hot chutney

1-1.5 kg boneless loin of pork, neatly tied

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 springs fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

chutney: 2 large eggs, hard boiled

150 ml white wine

4 tbsp. white wine vinegar

4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

120 ml vegetable stock

50 g pine kernels

12 fresh dates, stoned and chopped

75 g sultanas

1 level tsp. freshly grated ginger

1/2 level tsp. cumin

2 large egg yolks

salt

Heat oil in a roasting tin. When hot, add the meat and brown well on all sides. Season and put on spring of rosemary under the joint and the other on top. Cover the tin with foil and bake at 220°C for 40 mins, turning once. Meanwhile, mash the eggs with some of the wine until creamy, then mix in the rest of the wine, vinegar and stock. Toast the pine kernels until golden and add to egg mixture along with dates, sultanas, ginger, cumin and a little salt. Transfer to a pan and cook on low heat for 20 mins. Remove from heat, beat in egg yolks and return to low heat for no more than 30 seconds. When meat is done, cover with foil and allow to relax for 5-7 mins. Cut into 2 cm thick slices and serve with chutney.

Thai red pork curry

15 mk Thai red curry paste

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

300ml chicken stock

450g pork fillets, cut into large chunks

1 red chilli, halved lengthways and cut into strops

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

225g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

75g mangetout, topped and tailed

75g baby sweetcorn, halved lenthways

25g fresh coriander leaves

salt and pepper

175g basmati or jasmine rice, boiled or steamed

Place the curry paste in a large saucepan and blend in the coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 mins. Add the pork to a saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 5 mins. Skim and drain. Stir the chilli, tomato Purée, onion, garlic and pork into the coconut mixture. Simmer uncovered for 20 mins. Add the sweet potatoes and cook gently, stirring frequently for 30 mins or until tender. Stir in the remaining vegetables and half the coriander. Simmer for 5~8 mins and season. Serve with the rice and remaining coriander.

*porkHungarian stirfry

1/2 small cabbage, cut into 4cm squares

8 rashers shoulder bacon, cut into 3-4cm squares

1 medium onion, halved and quartered

4 tbsp. chilli sauce or ayvar

4 tbsp. oil

salt and pepper

Steam cabbage until almost tender. Cook bacon in wok with 1 tbsp. oil. Add remaining oil and onion and cook until onion is browned but not soft. Add cabbage and stir to coat with oil. Add chilli sauce and toss lightly. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Serve with crispy potatoes.

*rice*ricebuttered wine rice

90g butter

1 onion

1 cup long-grain rice

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

Heat butter in pan, add peeled and finely chopped onion. Cook gently until onion is tender and lightly golden. Add washed rice, stir for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot chicken stock to pan and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining stock and wine, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer gently, covered for 10 minutes or so until rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper.

fried rice

1/2 cups rice

1 medium-sized onion

1 red capsicum

1 green capsicum

1 small tin peas

2 eggs

4 rashers streaky bacon

6 tbsp. oil

Cook rice the day before and leave in refrigerator overnight. Dice all vegetables and bacon. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in wok and cook bacon until almost brown but not crispy. Add onion and stir-fry 1 min. Add 2 tbsp. more oil and add capsicum. Cook 1 min. Add remaining oil and rice and stir-fry until rice is broken up and coated with oil. Shift rice to edges of wok. Break the eggs in the centre, breaking the yolks. Allow to set. When cooked, fold into rice and add peas.

risotto Milanese

2 pints chicken stock

1/16-1/8 tsp. saffron

85g butter

60 beef marrow

2 shallots, finely chopped

340g Arborio rice

120ml dry white wine

salt and pepper

60 freshly grated Parmesan

Bring the stock to the boil. Pour 2 tbsp. of the stock over the saffron and leave to steep. Melt 2/3 of the butter, add the marrow and shallot and fry gently until tender, without browning. Add the rice and stir until translucent. Pour in the wine and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the liquid is all but absorbed. Add a generous ladleful of stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until rice is tender but still al dente. Add the saffron and its soaking liquid after the risotto has been simmering for about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining butter, adding more if necessary, the Parmesan, salt and pepper.

congee

250g short or long-grain rice

2.5 lit. water

Add the water and rice to a heavy-based saucepan and bring to boil. Immediately reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 90 mins. Add extra water if too thick and cook for another 30 mins. until there is the consistency of porridge. Serve in bowls plain, or with pieces of fried bacon, onion, asparagus, or beaten egg dropped in during the last stages of cooking.

zucchini rice

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

3 zucchini

2 sticks celery

Cook rice for 12 mins or until tender. Drain. Grate zucchini, chop celery finely. Stir both through rice lightly with a fork.

spiced basmati rice

2 cups basmati rice

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 a fresh, green chilli, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. very finely minced garlic

1/2 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp. salt

2 2/3 cups chicken stock

Wash and drain rice. Pour 5 cups water over rice and let it soak half an hour. Leave to drain for 20 minutes. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the onion. Stir and fry until the onion bits have browned lightly. Add the rice, green chilli, garlic, garam masala and salt. Stir gently for 3-4 minutes until all of the grins are coated with oil. Pour in stock and bring rice to boil. Cover with a very tight fitting lid, turn heat to very, very low and cook for 25 mins.

spinach rice

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

1 bunch spinach

90 butter

1 onion

1 clove garlic

salt, pepper

Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water 12 mins or until tender. Drain. Wash spinach, remove white stems and chop leaves roughly. Put spinach in saucepan with 1/4 cup boiling water. Cover tightly and cook approx. 3 mins until tender. Drain, pressing out all moisture. Heat butter in pan, add peeled and chopped onion and crushed garlic, cook until onion is tender, add rice, spinach, salt and pepper and cook until heated through.

risotto con gamberetti

450g risotto rice

90g unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

175 ml dry white wine

1.5 lit fish or vegetable stock, hot

450g fresh raw prawns

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbs. chopped parsley

Melt butter and fry onion until soft. Tip in all the rice and stir until it is coated in butter and the onion is lightly toasted. Add wine when the rice is very hot. Stir until all the wine is absorbed. Add the hot stock a ladleful at a time. Stir after each addition. After 10 mins add the prawns. Keep stirring and adding liquid until the rice is soft and plump. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and cover. Leave for 10 mins.

risotto balls

25g butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

250g risotto rice

900ml hot vegetable stock

75g fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

75g freshly grated parmesan

2 tbsp. freshly chopped flat-leafed parsley

oil, to deep fry

For the risotto, heat butter and oil, then add onion and cook for 2 mins. Add stock, a ladle at a time until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 mins. Season and then cool overnight. Toast breadcrumbs in a warm oven until dry. Mix egg, parmesan and parsley into the risotto mixture, then, with dampened hands, roll mixture into walnut-sized balls. Roll in breadcrumbs and chill for a 2 hours. Heat oil and deep-fry the balls for about 5 mins, or until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

sweetcorn and bacon risotto

1 chicken carcass

1 1/2 onion

4 sticks of celery

250g arborio rice

1 sweetcorn

6 slices unsmoked bacon

85g salted butter

1 cup white wine

Make stock out of carcass, the half onion and celery sticks and 1 lit. water. Boil 30 mins. Remove outside bits from sweetcorn and add to stock for 20 mins. Remove corn and cut kernel from it. Chop some green herbs. Chop onion and bacon finely and fry in melted butter. Add rice and stir till coated. Add stock a spoonful at a time and reduce. Add the wine instead of stock when the rice is almost cooked.

aubergine pilaf

500g aubergines, cut into 1 cm slices

1 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, chopped

250g easy-cook long-grain brown rice

1 can chopped tomatoes

300ml water

pepper

150g low-fat yoghurt

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the aubergine slices and simmer for 4 minutes. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry over a low heat for 5-10 mins, or until soft. Add the aubergine, rice, tomatoes, mint and water. Season with pepper and cook for 40-45 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove for heat and leave to stand for 10 mins before serving.

prawn risotto scented with oranges

280g arborio risotto rice

150g shelled prawns

1 litre hot fish stock

juice and grated rind of two oranges

1 medium onion, finely chopped

100g butter

1 small glass dry white wine

salt

Melt half the butter in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter until the rice is transparent. Add the white wine and prawns, cook for 1 minute. Add a ladleful of hot stock and the orange juice, and continue to cook for 18-20 mins, adding more stock as necessary. When the rice is cooked, ,remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the grated rind and the remaining butter. Season to taste with salt and serve.

asparagus risotto

75 g risotto rice

450 g fresh asparagus

750 ml vegetable stock

1/2 Spanish onion, peeled

25 g unsalted butter

10 g Parmesan, finely grated

salt and pepper

If necessary, chop base off of asparagus and (if time) add to stock. Chop asparagus into 1 cm pieces, leaving the tips whole. Chop the onion into 5 mm pieces. Melt butter and toss onion in and cook for 5-6 mins until soft. Stir in asparagus and cook for 2 mins, stirring frequently. Pour in half of stock, cover and simmer strongly for 2 mins. Add rice and rest of stock and simmer for another 15 mins or until rice is tender. Remove pan from heat, stir in Parmesan and season well with pepper and some extra salt if needed.

jambalaya

75 ml olive oil

1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced

1 medium clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 small yellow pepper, halved, and cut into chunks

150 g baby button mushrooms

150 g chorizo sausages, cut into 1 cm slices

handful of fresh thyme, leaves removed

50 g red rice

50 g long grain rice

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

200 g fresh tiger prawns

salt and pepper

The day before, heat 25 ml of oil and sauté onion over medium heat for 4-5 mins. Add pepper and cook for another 3 mins. Remove vegetables from pan and place in bowl. Pour remaining oil into pan and sauté mushrooms over a high heat for 2-3 min. until lightly coloured. Lift out and add to mushrooms. Next, sauté chorizo sausage in same pan, over a high heat, for 1 minute, stirring all the time. Add to the vegetables, using a slotted spoon. Cool, cover and chill. Chop the thyme leaves, wrap them in clingfilm and place in the fridge. Next day, shortly before serving, cook both lots of rice separately. (The red rice will take about 30 min. and the long- grain rice about 10-12.) Drain. Put the chicken stock into a large frying pan and bring to boil. Add both lots of rice and stir over high heat for 2 mins. Add all the cooked vegetables and chorizo along with the prawns and thyme, stirring constantly for 6-7 minutes until steaming hot. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with sweet and sour onions and mozzarella salad with anchovy-caper dressing.

prawn, asparagus and saffron risotto with dill and lemon butter

1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

350 g asparagus

50 g butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

3 shallots, finely chopped

300 g risotto rice

150 ml dry white wine

200 g frozen raw prawns

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind

salt and pepper

large pinch of saffron strands

Heat stock in large pan with saffron. Cut asparagus into 1-inch lengths and cook for 4-5 minutes. Refresh. Heat half the butter with oil in a large heavy pan. Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until grains glisten. Add the wine and let bubble, stirring all the time. When absorbed, add stock ladleful by ladleful until the rice is plump (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, shell the prawns. Melt the remaining butter in a pan and toss in the prawns, cooking and stirring until pink. Add asparagus and heat. Add all to the risotto, along with chopped dill and lemon rind. Taste and season if necessary.

leek and blue cheese risotto

2 large leeks

3 tbsp. olive oil

300 g risotto rice

1 litre hot stock

175 g stilton or Danish blue

Trim the leeks and cut down the length to centre. Wash under running cold water and slice thinly into rings. Heat oil in a heavy pan with a lid. Add the leeks and fry until bright green (about 2 minutes). Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes until the grains are glistening. Meanwhile, in another pan, bring the stock to the boil. Add the stock to the rice one ladleful at a time, stirring continuously until rice is cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and some pepper. Taste, add salt if needed. Stir and serve.

broad bean and thyme risotto

350 g young broad beans

1 litre light vegetable stock

85 g unsalted butter

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

285 g arborio rice

150 ml white wine

6 sprigs of thyme

60 g creme fraiche

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the beans for about 6 minutes. Cool under running water, skin, and reserve them. heat stock to simmering. Heat 50 g of butter in a heavy bottomed pan and sweat the onion until translucent and soft. Add the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the thyme sprigs and add the stock as usual. Never flood the rice. It should take about 25 minutes to cook. Stir in the parmesan and the remaining butter. Remove the thyme sprigs and add the beans to heat through.

oven-baked wild risotto

10g dried Porcini mushrooms

225g fresh dark gilled mushrooms

60g butter

1 med onion finely chopped

175g risotto rice

150ml dry madeira

2 tablespoon freshly grated parmigiano reggiano plus 50g extra, shaved into

flakes

salt and pepper

Pre heat oven to 150C. Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 pint boiling water and leave for 30mins. Meanwhile chop the fresh mushrooms into 1cm chunks -not too small as they shrink. Now melt the butter in medium saucepan, add the onion and cook gently for 5 mins, then add the fresh mushrooms, stir well and leave on one side while you deal with the porcini. When they have had their half hour soak, place a sieve over a bowl, line the sieve with a double sheet of kitchen paper and strain the mushrooms reserving the liquid. Squeeze any excess liquid out of them, then chop finely and transfer to the pan to join mushrooms and onions. Keep the heat low and let the mushrooms sweat gently and release their juices which will take about 20 mins. Meanwhile put dish in oven. Now add rice and stir it around to get a good coating of butter, then add the madeira, followed by the strained mushroom-soaking liquid. Add a level teaspoon of salt and some pepper, bring it to simmering point, then transfer to the warmed dish. Stir once then place it on centre shelf of oven without covering and give exactly 20 mins. After that, gently stir in the grated parmasan, turning rice grains over. Now give it a further 15 mins then remove from oven and cover with a teacloth and seat all your lovely guests. Serve p resto pronto on warmed plates and sprinkle with the shavings of parmesan.

chicken liver and red bean risotto

1 tub chicken livers

1 tin red kidney beans

1 onion

1/2 green pepper

3 cloves garlic

1 teacup long grain rice

750ml chicken stock

4 oz Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

butter, red wine

salt and pepper, mixed herbs

Chop the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook the onion in a largish saucepan over a medium heat until golden. Add the rice, green pepper and garlic, sttirring continously so that all the rice gets oiled. To this mixture, add the chicken stock, a pinch of salt, a bit more of black peper and a tablespoon of mixed herbs (and a splash of the wine). Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, then cover and simmer. During the 15 mins. or so that the rice takes to cook, drain the red beans, grate the Parmesan cheese and roughly chop the chicken livers, removing any white bits. In a small pan, gently heat a knob of butter until it melts, then add the chopped livers. Fry until coloured on all sides, but still a bit pink. Turn off the heat. When the rice is cooked, add the beans, livers (and juices) and butter to the rice pan and stir. Cook a further five minutes. Serve with more Parmesan on top.

*saladshot broccoli salad

750g fresh broccoli

1/2 cup canned water chestnuts

3 tbsp. oil

1 cm piece green ginger

3 tbsp. oil

1/4 tsp. grated lemon rind

1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. sherry

1/2 cup water

1 chicken stock cube

Remove stems and leaves from fresh broccoli. Put oil, water chestnuts, peeled and grated ginger and lemon rind into pan; simmer until ginger is sizzling. Add broccoli, toss gently in hot oil for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sherry, water and crumbled stock cube. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 5 minutes or until broccoli is just crisp. Remove vegetables from pan, put into serving dish. Reduce remaining liquid and spoon over broccoli.

bean sprout and spinach salad

1 cup long grain rice

1 small bunch spinach

4 shallots

2 sticks celery

250g bean sprouts

salt and pepper

1/4 cup French dressing

Put rice into boiling water and cook 12 mins. Drain. Remove white stems from spinach and put spinach into water with 1/4 cup boiling water. Cook 1 min. Drain and press dry. Shred finely and put into bowl along with rice, chopped shallots, sliced celery and bean sprouts. Add salt and pepper.

hamburger with horseradish and gherkin

1lb minced beef

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. grated horseradish (root)

1 dsp. English mustard

2 tbsp. crème fraiche

4 tbsp. roughly chopped gherkins

bunch of radishes, trimmed

1 small raddichio, core removed, leaves separated

1 endive, trimmed and leaves

separated bunch of watercress

olive oil

Combine beef with salt and pepper. Mould four hamburgers out of mixture and set aside. Combine horseradish, mustard, and crème fraiche and mix well. In a bowl, combine the gherkins and radishes. Dress with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Preheat grill and cook hamburgers for 3-5 minutes each side until done. Fan endive and raddichio leaves on four plates along with watercress. Place the hamburgers on top of the leaves. Serve with the horseradish sauce and a generous spoonful of the gherkin salad.

herring salad

4 large herrings, cleaned and boned

200 ml red wine vinegar

1 small onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

4 sprigs of dill

sauce 1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. wine vinegar

4 tbsp. water

2 tsp. French mustard

6 sprigs fresh dill

4 tbsp. thick bio yoghurt

freshly ground black pepper

1 crisp lettuce

4 large carrots, grated

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 150°C. Roll each herring and pin it through with a cocktail stick. Put them in a deep dish with the vinegar and water and place the onion slices, cloves, peppercorns and dill on top of the herring slices. Cover with foil for 1 hour. Leave to cool in the liquid. Mix all of the sauce ingredients and season with pepper. Drain herrings and serve with salad and sauce.

rocket, prawn and horseradish salad

300g cooked tiger prawns

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp. horseradish sauce or 1 tsp. wasabi

90-100g rocket, washed

Place prawns in bowl. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice and horseradish. Pour over prawn and leave for at least 1 hour someplace cool. Stir occasionally. Just before serving, place the rocket in a large, shallow salad bowl, pour prawns and their marinade over the top. Toss gently together and serve with warm bread.

daikon salad with soy and sesame dressing

large daikon

juice of half a lemon

3 tbsp. light soy sauce

3 tbsp. sesame oil

3 tbsp. mirin

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, crushed

1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

Wash and peel the radish and cut into fine, matchstick strips approx 3 in. long. Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Combine all the dressing ingredients and toss with the radish.

carrot and watercress salad

75g golden sultanas

juice of a lemon

4 medium carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated

2cm lump of fresh ginger

100g watercress

4tbsp flaked almonds

3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Soak the sultanas in the lemon juice. Put grated carrots in a large bowl. Peel and grate ginger or cut into tiny matchsticks and add to carrots. Cut watercress a little and add along with sultanas, reserving the lemon juice. Toast the almonds under a hot grill. Make a dressing with the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix and toss gently.

escarole, pear and Roquefort salad

1 large head escarole

3 Comice pears

200g Roquefort

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 lemons

1 dsp. white-wine vinegar

4 DSc. olive oil

salt, pepper

Cut away frill of coarse leaves and the harder parts of the stems from escarole. Wash and dry. Squeeze juice from the lemons into a bowl. Peel pears and roll then in the juice. Cut pears in half and cut flesh into long thin slices and place back in juice. Put the cheese on a plate, cover with cling-film and place in freezer for 10 mins. Make dressing by mixing a little salt with some mustard and the vinegar and then whisking in four DSc. of good olive oil. Peel the salad leaves and place in bowl with pears. Slice cheese as thinly as possible and add to bowl. Pour dressing over, sprinkle with coarse black pepper and toss.

chicory salad with bacon and egg

2 heads curly endive

150g smoked bacon

2 cloves garlic

125g butter

2 slices white bread

2 tbsp. sherry vinegar

6 eggs

olive oil, pepper

Prepare chicory and dress with olive oil. Make croutons out of bread, drain and add to salad. Cube bacon cover with cold water, bring to boil and drain. Heat butter and fry bacon in it. Poach the eggs, with the vinegar added to the water. Chop the garlic finely, add to pan and fry without it colouring. Pour in the sherry vinegar, swirl it around and pour over salad. Toss and taste. Top with the poached eggs.

hot and icy salad

1 iceberg lettuce

2 cucumbers

3 small hot chillies

2 limes

5 tbsp. virgin olive oil

Cut lettuce into several large wedges. Quarter cucumber lengthways and pile over lettuce. Cut chillies in half and add to oil along with lime juice. Pour over.

cucumber and sesame seed salad

1 large cucumber, peeled

1 tbsp. mirin

1 tsp. caster sugar

3 radishes, trimmed and cut into matchsticks

1 tsp. finely snipped chives

1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

salt

Cut the cucumber into quarters lengthways and slice it diagonally into pieces less than 1 cm wide. Put the sliced cucumber into a shallow serving dish, add the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and mix well. Allow to stand for 10 mins. To finish, sprinkle the radish strips, chives and toasted sesame seeds.

pawpaw, tiger prawn, cucumber and spinach salad

2 ripe, medium-sized prawns

350 raw tiger prawns

half cucumber

1 x 225g pack young leaf spinach

1 tsp. groundnut oil

1 tsp. dark soy sauce

dressing 1 tbsp. fresh root ginger, grated

3 tbsp. ginger syrup

juice 1 lime

2 tbsp. Thai fish sauce

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

1 tsp. chilli sauce

Blend dressing ingredients together, taking care to catch all the ginger juices. Shell the prawns, leaving their tails intact, and then butterfly them. Heat oil in wok and toss prawns around for 2 mins. Sprinkle soy sauce over prawns, cook them for a few more seconds and then transfer them to a dish. Pour the dressing over the prawns and when they are cool, leave to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours. Prepare the fruits and vegetables. Peel the pawpaws by slicing them in half, removing the seeds and cutting each half into three lengthways, then across into bite-sized chunks. Peel the cucumber, slice in half lengthways and remove seeds. Cut across into 5mm slices. To assemble, spoon off some dressing from the prawns and toss spinach leaves in it. Combine prawns, cucumber, and pawpaw. Toss with hands.

red onion salad

6 red onions

100ml balsamic vinegar

1 small bunch of fresh sage

6 cloves garlic

2 lemons

200ml olive oil

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. milled black pepper

Peel the garlic and chop it finely. Pick the sage leaves, wash them and chop them finely too. Peel onions, quarter them through the root, and put them in a pot of boiling water for four to five minutes, until they have softened a little. Drain the onions and then season them with salt and milled pepper. Grate the zest of the lemons over the onions and then squeeze over the juice. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic. Follow this with the sage, let it cook for less than a minute, then pour over the onions. Mix quickly and leave to macerate for an hour before serving.

green mango salad

1 green mango

1 small green pawpaw

1 bunch spring onions

1/2 bunch coriander, stalks removed

1/2 bunch mint

1/2 bunch chervil or flat leafed parsley

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

50g peanuts, raw

500 ml vegetable or peanut oil

Pick and wash the herbs. Peel the mango, remove from the stone and cut into strips. Peel the pawpaw, remove and cut into strips. Chop the spring onions into 2-inch lengths and place pieces into iced water until they begin to curl. Toss all together and refrigerate. Place oil in pan and heat. Add thinly sliced garlic and cook. Drain garlic. Fry the shallots in the same oil until brown. Drain. Fry peanuts. Toss together and sprinkle with salt. Toss together and sprinkle with salt. Serve with marinated monkfish, lemon sole and scallop salad.

bacon, avocado and papaya salad

1 large bag young leaf spinach

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. orange juice

200 g back bacon

1 large papaya

1 large ripe avocado

Place spinach in bowl. Shake together juices and oil. Season. Grill bacon. Halve papaya, scoop out seeds and dice flesh. Add papaya and avocado dice to spinach. Cut cooked bacon in small pieces and add. Pour dressing over and toss.

marinated monkfish, lemon sole and scallop salad

500g monkfish fillets

4 lemon sole fillets

8 queen scallops marinated in Nam-Jim

Nam-Jim 500ml lime juice

2tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

2 tbsp. fish sauce

1 clove garlic

2 coriander roots

2 small chillies

2 small purple shallots

1/2 stalk lemon grass

Pound marinade ingredients together. Dissolve palm sugar in lime juice and add fish sauce. Infuse and leave for 1 hour. Thinly slice the monkfish and lemon sole and place on flat tray. Shuck scallops, clean and remove roe. Pour marinade over and leave for 1 hour.

white bean, artichoke and raddichio salad

1 tin white beans

1 tin artichoke hearts, quartered

1/2 head raddichio, shredded

1 handful flat-leafed parsley, chopped

dressing: 1 clove garlic, crushed

3 tbsp. virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

salt

black pepper

Combine beans, artichokes, raddichio and parsley together in a bowl. Mix dressing ingredients and pour over.

salad niçoise

3 large eggs

1 packet fine beans, halved

1 can potatoes, drained and halved if large

1 small red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 gem lettuce, separated into leaves

1 x 50 g can anchovy fillets, drained

1 x 200 g can skipjack tuna, drained and flaked

12 black olives

dressing: 4 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

fresh basil leaves, shredded

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put eggs in a saucepan of cold water, bring to boil and simmer for 6 minutes. Cook beans in another pan of boiling salted water for 6 minutes. Mix the dressing ingredients in a salad bowl. Drain the eggs and beans. Toss potatoes and beans in dressing and leave. Add red onion, tomatoes and lettuce. Shell and quarter eggs. Arrange on top with anchovies and tuna. Serve.

carrot & ginger rice salad with grated egg & spinach (all day energy salad)

100 g basmati rice

100 ml vegetable stock

2 carrots, grated

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 eggs, hard boiled for six minutes

a bunch of fresh spinach

juice of half lemon

4 Ryvita crispbreads

1 tbsp. virgin olive oil

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a saucepan and put in the onion, carrot, cumin, turmeric and ginger. Put the lid on for two minutes and let them soften. Add the rice and stir well. Add the stock to the rice, bring to the boil and cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil. Turn the heat down to minimum and leave for ten minutes. Turn off heat and leave to stand with lid on. In a bowl, grate the hard boiled eggs into the spinach with a tablespoon of olive oil and add salt pepper, and lemon juice. Crumble the Ryvita on top of this. Serve the rice with the spinach mix on top. Serve with lime and ginger dressing.

mackerel, spinach & carrot salad

(vitamin-boosting salad)

1 fillet of fresh mackerel

1 tsp. horseradish relish

20g dried apricots, chopped

25g Kellog’s Bran Flakes, crushed

10 g grated Brazil nuts

a bunch of fresh spinach leaves

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 red pepper, sliced

juice of half lemon

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Mix the Brazil nuts, Bran Flakes, apricots and horseradish relish. Spread the topping mix on one side of the fillet, skin side down and grill for five minutes until a crunchy surface forms. In another bowl mix the spinach, grated carrot and sliced red pepper with the lemon juice and olive oil. Add a little salt and black pepper. To serve, place the fish on top of the spinach salad. Serve with honey, mustard and soya dressing and with 100 g wheatgerm bread on the side.

watermelon, chickpea & feta salad (stress-busting salad)

50 g of good-quality smoked ham slices

1 tsp. grainy mustard

4 slices of wholemeal bread

150 g tin of chickpeas

2 large slices watermelon

2 heads of crispy baby gem lettuce

30 g feta cheese

4 celery sticks

juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. olive oil

Pour a little olive oil over the slices of wholemeal bread and toast under a grill. Cut the melon, celery, feta and lettuce into chunks and toss together in a bowl, adding the chickpeas, lemon juice, a little salt and black pepper. Put the ham on top of the toast and spread with the mustard. Arrange the salad on top and serve with mustard and tomato dressing.

roasted bulgur wheat, turkey, sesame seed and chickpea salad (muscle-building salad)

100 g bulgur wheat

300g vegetable stock

25 g sesame seeds

150g chickpeas, tinned and drained

100 g sweetcorn

1 tbsp. olive oil

100g cooked turkey breast, chopped

1 mango peeled and diced

a few leaves of fresh coriander, chopped

a good bunch of spinach leaves, chopped

Heat frying pan and pour in 1 tsp. olive oil. Add the bulgur wheat, sesame seeds and chickpeas. Fry until golden. Turn off heat, add stock, cover and leave for eight to ten minutes to absorb liquid. Add cooked turkey meat to the spinach leaves and mix with the sweetcorn and the fresh mango. Add salt and pepper and a splash of oil. Put the spinach salad around the outside of the plate. Mix the roasted bulgur wheat well and place this in the centre. Place the coriander on top, along with some more sesame seeds. Serve with green olive and basil dressing.

warm Italian salad

130 g cubetti pancetta

250 g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced

225 g baby spinach

200 g Gorgonzola piccante, cubed

1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Sauté panceta over moderate heat for a few minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until done. Place spinach in salad bowl, add pancetta and mushrooms, Gorgonzola and at the last minute, the avocado. Dress, toss and season.

glass noodle salad

200 g dried glass noodles, soaked and drained

1 tomato, halved and sliced

20 g celery stalk, chopped

20 g spring onion, chopped

1 onion, halved and sliced

50 g green pepper, de-seeded and chopped

juice of 2 limes

5 small green chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp. sugar

3 tbsp. crushed roasted peanuts

1 tsp. crushed dried chillies

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. fish sauce or soy sauce

fresh coriander springs, to garnish

Cook the noodles in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to prevent further cooking. Cut noodles into 12 cm lengths. Return to pan and add remaining ingredients. Mix for 2 mins. Serve at room temperature, garnished with coriander.

mango salsa

1 ripe mango

1 medium red onion

3 chillies

2 limes

1 lemon

1 bunch coriander

salt, pepper

Cut open mango, scoop the flesh away and cut around stone. Chop as neatly as possible and scrape into bowl along with juice. Peel and chop onion very finely and add to mango. Add juice of the lemon and a good pinch of salt. Grate zest of the limes finely into bowl and then squeeze in juice. Pick leaves of the coriander, wash them and chop and add to bowl. Slit open the chillies, remove their seeds and chop finely. Add the chopped chilli to the salsa. Mill pepper over, stir well and leave to stand for half an hour.

mozzarella salad with anchovy & caper dressing

1 x 150 g mozzarella

50 g tin anchovy fillets in olive oil

2 rounded tbsp. capers

1 medium clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

handful of flat leafed parsley

freshly ground black pepper

The day before, drain the anchovies, reserving the oil for the dressing, and finely chop them. Mix the anchovies, their oil, capers, garlic and vinegar together. Season with pepper and refrigerate. Chop the parsley, wrap in clingfilm and chill. Thinly slice mozzarella and refrigerate. 30 mins prior to serving stir parsley into dressing. Arrange cheese on dish and spoon dressing over.

warm smoked mackerel salad with horseradish dressing

500 g small new potatoes

115 g green beans

2 peppered mackerel fillets

8 cherry tomatoes

carton of Greek yoghurt

horseradish sauce

1 lemon

olive oil

Quarter the potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes until tender. Halve beans and add to pan for final three minutes. In a bowl, mix together 2 tbsp. of horseradish sauce, 21 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 3 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. Greek yoghurt, salt and pepper until smooth. Drain potatoes and beans and return to pan. Skin the mackerel and separate the fish into strips. Add to the pan with halved cherry tomatoes, halved and give and give a gentle stir. (Wholegrain mustard can replace the horseradish.)

tomato stacks with herb and red-onion salsa

70 g packet mixed salad leaves

1 large red onion, finely chopped

6 tbsp. flat leaved parsley, finely chopped

6 tbsp. coriander leaves, finely chopped

4 large ripe tomatoes

black olives, basil, coriander and flat leaved parsley, snipped chives and 1-1 1/2 small hot red chillis, thinly sliced, to garnish

viniagrette: 150 ml extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 large lime

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

pinch of crushed dried chillies

salt and pepper

Make the viniagrette by whisking together the olive oil, citrus juice, chopped garlic and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and a pinch of dried chillies and set aside. Tear half the salad leaves into small pieces and put them in a bowl, then mix in the red onion, parsley and coriander. Spoon over the viniagrette, toss, cover with clingfilm and chill until ready. Cut a thin slice off of the bottom of each tomato and then cut each tomato into five even slices. (Re-assemble so you know what bits came from which tomato.) Stir the red onion salsa so it is well mixed. Put the bottom slice of one tomato onto a chilled salad plate. Spoon over a little salsa, season with salt and pepper and repeat with other layers until complete. Repeat for the other tomatoes. Arrange a few olives, the rest of the salad leaves, and fresh herb sprigs around each plate. Drizzle any remaining salsa over the salad and sprinkle with chives and chilli slices. Garnish each tomato with one or two parsley leaves and an olive.

pickled herring salad

18 fillets ready-made pickled herrings

3 crisp apples

1 medium onion, peeled

1 small stick celery

1 tbsp chopped chervil

1 tbsp chopped tarragon

1 tbsp chopped chives

200ml thick home-made mayonnaise

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Finely chop the onion, celery and apples and in a large bowl mix them with the chopped herbs. Stir in the mayonnaise, and season as necessary. Cut each herring fillet into two or three pieces, and stir them into the dressing. Put in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Serve with shots of frozen vodka or schnapps, as well as beetroot salad dress in olive oil, red-wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Also serve with rye bread and butter.

potato and anchovy salad

24 small waxy potatoes

6 soft boiled eggs

as many anchovies as you want

100 ml good olive oil

2 dssp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp chopped parsley

freshly ground black pepper

Gently boil the potatoes until they are cooked, and then set aside. Put the eggs into a pan of boiling water and cook the six minutes. Then place the pot under cold water until the eggs have cooled. Rinse the salt off the anchovies and remove the backbones. Peel the potatoes while they are still warm, cut into two or three slices and lay them on a large plate. Mix together the oil, vinegar and pepper and pour this over the potatoes. Leave to stand for 15 minutes and then peel and halve the eggs and place randomly over the potatoes. Lay the anchovies on top, and pour over a little extra olive oil. Strew with parsley and serve.

*saucesthousand island dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chilli sauce

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

8 stuffed olives

1 slice onion, 1/2” thick

1 dill pickle, cut into pieces

2 hard cooked eggs, quartered

Put mayonnaise, chilli sauce and Worcestershire sauce into blender. Blend well. Stop blending and add remaining ingredients. Give two quick cycles.

salsa prezzemolo

3-5 cloves garlic

6 anchovy fillets, well drained

1/2 tsp. salt

3 handfuls fresh flat-leafed parsley

50ml lemon juice

125 ml extra virgin olive oil

Mince the garlic and anchovies with the salt. Mince parsley and add to the mix. Keep the parsley coarse. Finally, add the lemon juice and then the oil Season with black pepper. Serve within 1 hour.

sweet & sour sauce

1 tbsp. cornflour

2 tbsp. water

3 1/2 tbsp. wine vinegar

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. orange juice

1 tbsp. tomato purée

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Add to stir-fried vegetables and meats and cook for about 1 1/2 mins. until thick and all pieces are coated with the sauce.

piedmontese green salsa

2 salted anchovies

1 hard boiled egg yolk

5 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 clove

1 tbsp. capers

4 tsp. fresh breadcrumbs

milk, olive oil, salt and pepper

Fillet and chop anchovies together with egg yolk. Add parsley, garlic, capers and the breadcrumbs which have been soaked in milk and squeezed dry. Pound to a paste. Very gradually, add enough olive oil to make a fairly liquid sauce, beating between each addition. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with boiled meat or fish.

mayonnaise

1 egg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. sugar

dash cayenne pepper

2 tsp. white tarragon vinegar

1 cup salad oil

Place egg, seasonings, vinegar and 1/4 cup of oil in blender and turn on. Immediately pour in rest of oil through centre feed.

blue cheese dressing

1 cup sour cream

2-3 drops hot pepper sauce

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

1/3 cup blue cheese

Place all ingredients except cheese in blender. Blend until well mixed. Add cheese and process until desired consistency is reached.

jicama salsa

1 small jicama, chopped into small pieces (or use apple, mango or papaya)

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, roasted and diced

2 large beef tomatoes, chopped into cubes

1 jalapeno chilli, finely chopped

2 tbsp. coriander, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp. mild white wine vinegar

juice of 1 lime

pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all of the vegetables in a bowl. Beat together the garlic, herbs and vinegar. Pour the dressing over the salsa, season, and leave for at least half and hour. Serve with grilled meat, etc.

bagna cauda #1

285ml extra-virgin olive oil

55g unsalted butter

2 tins anchovy fillets in olive oil

6 large cloves new garlic

Put the oil and butter in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Drain the excess oil from the anchovies and chop very finely. Chop the garlic very finely or use a garlic press. Add the anchovies and garlic to the oil. Simmer while asparagus and artichokes are cooking.

barbeque sauce

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 large piece fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

1-2 chipotle chillies

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. herbs de Provence

30ml soft brown sugar

100ml tomato purée

100ml red wine

50ml red wine vinegar

1 x 400g tin tomatoes, drained and chopped

Put the onion, garlic, ginger and oil in a saucepan and cook gently till contents are fragrant and soft (5 mins). Meanwhile, break the chilli into a few small pieces and add it with the rest of the seasonings and stir for a minute or so. Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute. Add the wine, vinegar and tinned tomatoes. Mix well, season with salt and pepper, and cook very gently for about 30 mins until thick.

bernaise sauce

2 tbsp. tarragon vinegar

2 tbsp. water

6 crushed peppercorns

pinch salt

1 tbsp. chopped shallots

3 egg yolks

125g butter

Combine vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns and shallots in small saucepan. Heat until liquid is reduced to abut 2 tbsp., remove from heat, strain, reserve liquid. In top of double saucepan beat egg yolks lightly, stir in strained liquid. Place over simmering water, gradually beat in the butter, a small piece at a time. Beat until all the butter has been added and the sauce thickens.

tomato and basil sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil (from jar of sun-dried tomatoes)

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

8 large basil leaves

1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

150ml chicken stock

salt and pepper

Heat oil in pan and gently fry the garlic for 2 mins. Top the oil and garlic into a food processor with the chopped tomatoes. Add basil along with the vinegar and stock. Process to sauce consistency and season. Sauce can be covered and kept for 2 hours prior to re-heating until piping hot but not boiling. Serve with chicken breasts stuffed with pesto.

ginger and spring onion dressing

4 spring onions

50g fresh ginger

1 lemon

150 soy sauce

50ml sunflower oil

salt and pepper

wasabi

Cut the peeled ginger into very thin slices and chop into little sticks. Remove any dry outer skin from the spring onions, and slice them into thin rounds. Mix with the ginger, lemon juice, soy sauce and the oil. Stir well with a fork. Arrange the fish skin-side up and season well. Spoon over the sauce and serve with the wasabi on the side.

wasabi dressing

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 inch fresh ginger

1 clove garlic

wasabi

Combine all the liquid ingredients with the ginger and garlic, then add wasabi to taste. Thread grilled peppers and aubergine onto skewers, de-vein and split prawns and roll onto ends of skewers, and then lightly fry the prawns in oil.

pesto

Pound or whiz together 25g fresh basil, 25g toasted pine nuts, 1/2 clove garlic, 2 tbsp. fresh parmesan and 55ml olive oil.

bagna cauda #2

3 medium shallots

12 anchovy fillets

4 cloves garlic

50ml red wine vinegar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. milled black pepper

150ml virgin olive oil

100ml double cream

Blend all the ingredients, except the cream, in a liquidiser. Then stir in the cream. Serve poured over grilled peppers, fennel, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines and sprinkle with shavings of Parmesan or Procaine cheese.

Thai chicken marinade

2 tbsp. sweet soy sauce

2 tsp. fish sauce

200ml tin coconut milk

6 chillies

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp. chopped coriander

1 tsp. ground white pepper

Wearing plastic gloves, split the chillies, remove the seeds and chop finely. Peel and chop the garlic equally fine. Mix with all the ingredients and use as an overnight marinade for chicken or pork.

honey, mustard & soya dressing

2 tsp. English mustard

4 tbsp. light soya sauce

1 tbsp. clear honey

1 tbsp. hot water

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. sunflower oil

Whisk together the mustard, soya sauce, lemon and a little salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly add the honey, hot water and sunflower oil, whisking all the time.

lime and ginger fromage frais dressing

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

50 g low-fat fromage frais

50 ml skimmed milk

pinch of chilli powder

1 tbsp. soya sauce

1 tsp. sugar

Put all ingredients except the milk into a blender. Start to blend and then add the milk slowly.

green curry paste

15 small fresh green chillies

4 garlic cloves, halved

2 lemon grass stalks, finely chopped

2 lime leaves, torn

2 shallots, chopped

50 g fresh coriander leaves, stalks and roots

2.5 cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. black peppercorns

1 tsp. peeled lime rind

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. groundnut oil

Put all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend to a thick paste. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to three weeks in refrigerator.

basil, green olive and lemon dressing

50 g pitted olives

2 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 tsp. capers, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 tbsp. boiling water

1 tbsp. virgin olive oil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

small bunch of green basil leaves, chopped

Put all the ingredients except the water and oil into a blender. Add the water and oil slowly.

three mustard tomato dressing

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp. tomato purée

1 tsp. English mustard

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. French mustard

1 tsp. sugar

12 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. virgin olive oil

100 ml cold water

salt and pepper

Put everything except the oil into a blender. Blend and add the oil slowly. Sieve before serving.

mock mayonnaise

500g carton very low-fat fromage frais

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl, whisk, and refrigerate.

Japanese-style dipping sauce for griddled or grilled vegetables

1 medium clove garlic, peeled

2 tbsp. tahini, preferably light

1 level tbsp. peanut butter, preferably smooth

1 level tbsp. honey

4 tbsp. groundnut or vegetable oil

1 tbsp. sake or dry sherry

1 tbsp. mirin or rice vinegar

1 tbsp. white wine

1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

Peel, crush and finely chop the garlic, and place in blender. Add all other ingredients and blend for 30 seconds. Remove lid. Scrape down sides with spatula and blend for another 15-20 sec.. If preparing in advance, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving and whisk in a little water if it appears too thick.

spicy tomato and mint relish

knob of butter

1 large onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

pinch of mixed spice

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced

2 tbsp. sherry or white wine

1 heaped tsp. demerera sugar

1 tbsp. tomato purée

400 g can chopped tomatoes

1 tsp. chopped fresh mint

dash of Worcestershire sauce

dash of Tabasco

salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a pan, then cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the mixed spice and apple and cook for another minute. Then add the vinegar and sugar. Bring to the boil and reduce until almost dry - about 10 minutes. Add the tomato purée, the diced tomatoes and the mint. Cook for a few minutes and then season with salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Remove from heat and strain over bowl. Put sieved liquid in a small pan and reduce it to a syrupy consistency. Stir back into the relish. Serve warm or cold with lamb dishes.

*seafoodmussels with pasta

1kg mussels

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup water

2 shallots

filling 1/2 cup risoni (rice shaped pasta)

2 rashers bacon

1 stick celery

1/2 red pepper

dressing 1/4 cup oil

2 tsp. lemon juice

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. French mustard

Scrub and clean mussels. Place mussels, wine, water and chopped shallots in a large pan, cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 2 mins. Drain. Discard unopened mussels. Reserve shells. Spoon filling into shells and place a mussel on top of each. For the filling: Bring large pan of salted water to the boil, add risoni and boil rapidly for 12 mins. Chop bacon finely, cook until crisp. Drain. Chop celery and red pepper finely. Combine pasta, bacon, celery, pepper and parsley. Add dressing and mix well. For the dressing: Combine oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar and French mustard and mix together well.

crabcakes with roasted bell pepper aioli

1 cup finely chopped green onions

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 kilo crabmeat, cleaned

3 egg yolks

2 tbsp. breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. chopped basil, parsley, tarragon

2 tbsp. finely chopped chives

1 tbsp. Dijon mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

freshly ground pepper and salt

2 roasted yellow peppers, skinned and seeded

2 egg yolks

4 cleaned garlic cloves

1 cup olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Purée bell pepper aioli ingredients in a blender. Season to taste. Refrigerate. Lightly sauté onions in a tablespoon of olive oil. Allow to cool. In a large bowl combine crabmeat, yolks, breadcrumbs, yolks, breadcrumbs, herbs and condiments. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide mixture into eight equal parts and form into cakes. Lightly sauté cakes in olive oil until golden brown. Place in oven until warmed through. Serve warm with roasted bell pepper aioli.

crab and grapefruit starter

2 pink and 2 yellow grapefruit

100g thin rice noodles

20 crab sticks or 2 cans tinned crabmeat

1 cup of mayonnaise or 1 cup double cream

cayenne pepper

Peel the grapefruit. Take of the white inner skin and separate the grapefruit into segments. Peel the skin off of each segment. Carefully pull apart each segment so that each globule of grapefruit is separated. This will take about 2 hours. Place globules in a colander and rinse off grapefruit juice from broken globules. (Note: This is important to make sure that the grapefruit juice and the cream only come together in your mouth.) Refrigerate overnight to dry. To prepare, cook the rice noodles, rinse and let cool. If using crabsticks, cut the crabsticks into half-inch lengths and shred. Add crab or crabsticks to grapefruit. Add noodles to grapefruit and crab mixture. To serve, stir in the cream or mayonnaise. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper.

prawns with red and green peppers

2 tbsp. oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

150 ml water

1 tsp. cornflour

1 tsp. sugar

4 tbsp. chilli sauce

1 red and 1 green pepper, sliced

350g large peeled, cooked prawns

Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic, peppers and soy sauce and fry for 1 minute. Add the prawns and stir fry for a few minutes to heat through. Add the chilli sauce. Mix the cornflour, sugar and water and add to the pan. Heat, stirring until the sauce thickens.

prawn and vegetable sauté

2 tbsp. oil

1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges

3 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tsp. cornflour

4 tbsp. chilli sauce

2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 carrots, sliced into batons

150g broccoli, cut into tiny florets

350g peeled, cooked prawns

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the ginger, onion, carrot and broccoli for 5 minutes over a high heat. Add the prawns and chilli sauce and stir fry until the prawns are thoroughly heated. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 2 minutes. Garnish and serve hot.

hot chilli prawns

2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. sugar

4 tbsp. water

1 tsp. cornflour

6 tbsp. chilli sauce

350g large shelled prawns

3cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp. sherry

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic, ginger and chilli sauce and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the prawns and sugar and cook for a few minutes to heat the prawns thoroughly. Mix the cornflour with the water and add to the pan. Heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add sherry. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and sliced spring onion and serve. Serve with rice and spinach sautéed in butter.

vinegared oysters

1 small cucumber

2 sheets nori (dried seaweed)

24 oysters

sauce 1/2 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1” piece green ginger

Slice peeled cucumber into wafer thin slices, three quarters of the way through. Soak in salted water for 1 hour. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper. Cut nori into 1” squares. Soak in hot water for 1 min and drain. Place in bowl with cucumber and trimmed and cleaned oysters. For the sauce: Combine vinegar, water and sugar in bowl. Grate ginger and press between fingers to extract juice. Add juice to bowl and discard fibres. Season with salt and mix well. Serve chilled.

prawn and courgette frittata

1 x 15ml tbs. olive oil

1 medium courgette, trimmed & sliced

1 clove garlic, peeled & crushed

2 tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and cut into strips

4 eggs, beaten

2 x 15ml tbs. milk

2 x 15ml tbs. grated Parmesan

salt & pepper

1 x 15ml tbs. chopped fresh dill

150g peeled prawns

Heat oil in small frying pa. Add courgette and sauté for 2-3 mins until tender. Stir in garlic and tomatoes and sauté for another 2 mins. In a jug, beat together eggs, milk, Parmesan, seasoning and dill then stir in the prawns. Pour into the pan and cook over a gentle heat for 8 mins until just set. Place frying pan under preheated grill and cook for 2 mins or until brown.

BBQ prawns (one serve)

1/2 ounce olive oil

5 prawns

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 ounce heavy cream

1/5 tsp garlic, chopped

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1/5 tbs Tabasco sauce

1/8 tps cayenne pepper

1/8 tbs paprika

2 ounces butter

handful of chopped parsley

Cook prawns in oil, one minute per side. Reduce heat.

Add onions, cook for 1 min.

Add garlic, sauces, cayenne and paprika. Shake pan. Cook for 1 min.

Add the rest of the butter. Add cream. (Stir constantly! Watch the heat!)

prawn and papaya cocktail

1 large papaya, halved, seeds removed

1 cup cooked prawns

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. caster sugar

2 tbsp. nampla (Thai fish sauce)

4 tbsp. fresh coriander

1 red chilli, finely chopped

Scoop out most of the flesh of the papaya halves and chop. Combine with the remaining ingredients and pile back into the papaya shells.

curried scallops

750 g raw scallops (or salmon, prawns, or mix)

75 g raisins

50 g butter

2 tbsp. plain flour

75 ml fish stock

1 tbsp. lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp. curry powder

2 tbsp. double cream

2 tbsp. chopped cashew nuts

Pat the scallops dry and clean. Melt butter in a large saucepan. add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 mins. Add the stock, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 mins. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the raisins, garlic, curry powder and raw scallops. Simmer for 3-5 mins or until cooked through. (Just warm through if using fish or prawns.) Stir in cream, simmer one minute and then pour into a serving bowl and toss on cashews.

chilli prawn stir fry with coconut rice

200 g long grain rice

400 ml can coconut milk

250 ml stock or water

1 limie

2 tbsp. cornflour

2 tbsp. clear honey

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. chilli sauce

2 tbsp. sunflower oil

350 g mushrooms, sliced

50 g mange tout, sliced

1 small red pepper, chopped

2 x 190 g packet raw king prawns

Put the rice, milk and stock into a pan with some salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 10-12 mins until the rice is tender. Meanwhile, finely grate the lime rind into a bowl, then squeeze in the juice. Stir in the cornflour, honey, soy sauce and chilli. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan or wok and stir fry the mushrooms for 2 min. then remove from pan. Heat the remaining oil and quickly stir fry the mange tout and red pepper, remove from the pan. Add some garlic butter to the pan and when hot, add the prawns and cook for 3-4 min. until the prawns are pink and firm. Return all vegetables to the pan with the chilli lime mixture and beansprouts. Heat through, stirring, until the sauce is thickened and shiny. Serve with the coconut rice.

prawns on black-eyed bean salsa

20 unshelled king prawns, heads removed

1/2 tsp mild chilli powder

pinch of ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra

coriander sprigs and chilli powder, to garnish

lime wedges, to serve

sauce: 1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

400g can black-eyed beans, drained

handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. clear honey

grated rind and juice if 1 lime +1 small lemon

salt and pepper

Make the salsa by mixing all of the salsa ingredients and season. Set aside. Shell the prawns, leaving the tails on. Toss the prawns with the chilli, cinnamon and oil. Heat a non-stick pan and stir-fry for 2-3 min. Spoon some salsa on to the plates and pile the prawns on top. Drizzle over a little oil, and garnish with coriander and a light dusting of chilli powder.

*snackschicken liver & mushroom pate

125g streaky bacon, chopped

75g butter

750g chicken livers, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

50g onions, chopped

50g button mushrooms, chopped

200g curd cheese

3 tbsp. tarragon

salt and pepper

Fry the bacon until browned. Add 50g butter, the liver and the garlic. Cook for 3 mins or until the liver is evenly browned and tender. Remove with a draining spoon. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until soft. Process or blend the onion and mushroom mixture with the liver and cheese until smooth. Fold in the herbs. Season and place into dish. Melt butter and pour over. Chill for several hours.

guacomole

2 large ripe avocados, peeled and cubed

1 medium tomato, cubed

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 1-inch piece of onion

1-2 jalapaño peppers

Place all ingredients except for 1~2 pieces of avocado into processor bowl and cover. Process until smooth. Add remaining avocado. Chop quickly. refrigerate until serving.

hummus

2 parts chickpeas, skinned and cooked

1 part sesame paste

fistful of parsley, finely chopped

1 green chilli, finely chopped

6-10 garlic cloves

1/2 cup lime juice

1 1/2 cups olive oil

pinch of cumin

Mix chick peas and sesame paste in food processor. Add garlic cloves, chilli and mix again. Add remaining ingredients and combine.

mustard butter

Place three teaspoons full of whole mustard seed in simmering water, and cook for three to four minutes. Drain and dry on Kitchen paper, then set aside. Mix 500g of slightly salted butter with half a jar of whole-grain mustard. Add fresh-chopped herbs and/or garlic. Chill until manageable. Form into a sausage and roll in the mustard seed. Chill until required. Serve as an accompaniment to meat or fish, grilled or roasted.

.

pastry shell

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup butter, frozen, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. ice cold water

Place flour, butter and salt into processor bowl and cover. Process 5 fast pulses or until butter is the size of peas. With motor running pour the water all at once through the centre feed. Turn unit off as soon as dough begins to gather together and before it forms a ball. Remove and knead.

crostini with tomato, cucumber and olives

4 slices bread

1 medium very ripe tomato

1 cucumber

4 black olives

1 clove of garlic

chilli oil

salt and pepper

Chop cucumber and tomato finely. Stone and chop olives and add to bowl. Dribble chilli oil over. Finely diced shallots, chillies, basil, spring onions, tarragon a dash of lemon can be added. Peel garlic and rub it over bread to grate garlic into it. Spool the chopped vegetables onto the bread, sprinkle with salt and leave to sit for five minutes.

caviar in mini salt-baked potatoes

20 small Yukon Gold potatoes

4 cups kosher salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

114g caviar

1 cup clabber cream

2 tbsp. chopped chives

Coat the potatoes lightly with olive oil. Place 2 cups of the salt in a baking pan. Arrange the potatoes on top and cover with remaining salt. Cover pan in foil and bake at 200°C until potatoes are tender (40 mins). Allow potatoes to cool. Cut and X into the top of the potatoes and squeeze open. Place a large teaspoon of cream on each potato, top with caviar and sprinkle with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.

fresh fruit whip

1 cup orange juice

75g blueberries

6 strawberries

1/2 banana

1 tsp. yoghurt

1 tbsp. sesame seeds, crushed

1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

Blend and pour into a tall glass.

prosciutto on parmesan crisps

7 sheets phyllo dough

1 1/2 cups parmesan, grated

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lb. prosciutto, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chives, chopped

5 fresh figs, cut into eighths

salt to taste

Brush a sheet of phyllo lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place another sheet on top and repeat six times. Top the final layer with cheese and a light dusting of salt. Cut round shapes and place on a sheet pan covered with parchment. Bake for 8-10 min. until golden brown. Cool. Twist a piece of prosciutto onto the cracker, top with a piece of fig and garnish with chopped chives.

beef chilli peppers

10 banana peppers

1 bunch chives

1 bunch rocket

1 kg trimmed sirloin

Season sirloin and set aside. Turn oven up high. Rub peppers with oil and cook in oven until skin blisters. Place sirloin in oven for ten minutes, remove and cover. To assemble, slit each pepper down one side and remove seeds. Slice beef thinly and place in pepper with rocket leaves. Tie peppers together with chives and serve with a hot chilli sauce.

corn fritters

batter 2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. sugar

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 cobs corn with kernels removed

1 red pepper, diced

1/2 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, halved

a few rashers of bacon

a handful of rocket

Combine batter ingredients into a stiff dough. Put vegetables into mixing bowl and add enough batter to lightly coat them. Set aside. Roast tomatoes in a hot oven until brown. Fry bacon and set aside, keeping it warm. Heat 2 tbs. oil in a frying pan until sizzling, then drop large spoonfuls of batter into the pan and flatten with the back of a spoon. Reduce heat and cook until the edges of the vegetables are golden. Flip and repeat. Set a fritter on a plate and top with rocket, bacon and tomatoes, then top with a second fritter.

smoked mackerel pâté

250g cooked smoked mackerel fillets

150g skimmed milk soft cheese

juice of 1 lemon

pepper

lemon or parsley t garnish

Remove the skin and any bones from the mackerel. Place the mackerel, cheese and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Season with pepper and blend until smooth. Spoon into ramekins and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

mushroom and bacon bread tartest

1 egg

4 tsp. skimmed milk

1 rasher of bacon, de-ringed

25g polyunsaturated margarine

75g mushrooms, chopped finely

4 slices wholemeal bread

pepper

Whisk together the egg and the milk, and season with pepper. Remove fat from bacon, cut into small pieces and add to the egg mixture. Heat a third of the margarine in a non-stick frying pan and cook mushrooms over a low heat for 10-15 minutes until soft. Leave to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 190°C. Roll out the bread with a rolling pin to make it slightly thinner and larger, remove the crusts and spread the remaining margarine on both sides. Press the bread into four tartly tins. Add the mushrooms and the egg mixture and pour into the cases. Bake for 20-25 mins.

risotto crackers

1 cup risotto

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup onions, diced

1/2 cup dry white wine

10 cups hot water

2 tsp. salt

2 cups parmesan, grated

1 tsp. white pepper, ground

Sauté onions until just cooked. Add risotto and sauté for a minute. Add, rice, wine, water, salt and pepper and simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until rice is very soft. Add parmesan and stir for 2 minutes. Spread mixture thinly over a Teflon baking sheet and bake for 2 hours at 130°C.

pepper pissalatiere tartlets

pastry 225g plain flour

1 tsp. icing sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

150g cold, unsalted butter

1 large egg, separated

1 tsp. lemon juice

2-3 tsp. iced water

filling 4 tbsp. olive oil

450g ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped

1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

1 tsp. caster sugar

3 tbsp. grated parmesan

50g unsalted butter

3 Spanish onions, peeled and chopped

1 x 140g tin tomato purée

1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

black pepper

2 tbsp. grated parmesan

pinch of crushed, dried chillies

garnish 2 small sweet peppers, red and orange

a little olive oil

black olives, cut in half

anchovies, drained

few sprigs oregano or thyme

To make the pastry, combine the diced butter with the flour, icing sugar, and salt mixture, using two knives, in a scissors action. Continue until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Work with fingers until the mixture is the consistency of fine breadcrumbs and then add the egg mixture and combine with a spoon. Roll pastry into a ball, wrap and rest in fridge for at least one hour. For the filling, cook the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée in a large frying pan and then add the oregano, sugar and pepper. Cook over a low heat for 15-20 mins, stir in the parmesan and cool. In another pan cook the onions and thyme for 15 mins until transparent. Remove pasty from fridge and allow it to soften for 15-20 mins. Line small pastry tins, prick with a fork and let chill for 20 mins. Bake in oven for 15 mins. Remove and while still hot, brush each case with egg white. Sprinkle the parmesan and chilli onto the bottom of each case, then add the tomato and onion mixture, spreading it evenly. Garnish each tart with the roasted pepper slices, black olives and strips of anchovy and brush with a little olive oil. Finish with a few sprigs of oregano or thyme and bake in oven for 15 mins. Serve warm.

gnocchi with gorgonzola and sage

500 g gnocchi di patate

50 g creamy gorgonzola in 1 cm chunks

2 level tbsp. roughly chopped sage leaves

2 tbsp. olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Cook gnocchi as required. Drain and return to pan. Carefully stir in chunks of gorgonzola, chopped fresh sage and the olive oil. Place pan over a low flame and heat gently until cheese has melted. Serve with a grinding of black pepper.

cheddar biscuits

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

125 unsalted butter, cubed

125grated mature cheddar

2/3 cup milk

Combine the five dry ingredients, add cold cubed butter and rub into the flour to achieve a coarse breadcrumb texture. Stir in cheese, then make a well in the flour mixture, pour in milk and work gently with a fork until the dough comes together. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently for a couple of minutes. Pat down into a 5 cm thick layer and cut out biscuits with a floured 2-inch cutter. Place on a lightly floured sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes in an oven preheated to 220°C until lightly browned.

frittata

900g peeled and sliced potatoes

1 red onion

1 leek

1 red pepper

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

6 sundried tomatoes, sliced

4 eggs, beaten and seasoned

Simmer potatoes for 7 mins and drain when tender. Slice other ingredients and fry with garlic in the oil. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and fry 1 more min. Add t tbsp. freshly chopped herbs. Arrange a layer of potatoes on base of lightly oiled 1 lit ovenproof dish. Alternate layers of potatoes and vegetables, finishing with potato. Season the eggs and pour over dish. Top with 25g grated cheddar or parmesan. Bake 20-25 mins or until eggs have set. Let stand for 2 mins before serving.

potato pancakes with whitefish roe

potatoes

margarine

4 pieces fresh dill

1 lemon

200g whitefish, salmon or lumpish roe

250ml sour cream

2 small red onions, finely chopped

Coarsely grate potatoes. Place a generous spoonful of margarine in frying pan and wait until it turns golden brown. Form a ball using a quarter of the shredded potatoes, place in the hot pan and flatten with spatula. Fry on a medium-high heat for about 3 mins each side until pancake is golden-brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain . Fry remaining pancakes. Put each pancake onto an plate, garnish with dill and a slice of lemon, and top with dollops of roe. Serve with sour cream and chopped red onions.

Thai fried noodles

3 tbsp. groundnut oil

175 g ready fried tofu, diced

1 tbsp. chopped garlic

125g bean thread noodles (“Thai tagliatelle”)

25 g carrot, grated

2 tbsp. rice vinegar (mirin)

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 eggs

3 tsp. sugar

2 spring onions, sliced

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. crushed roast peanuts

125 g beansprouts

1 spring onion, to garnish

Heat wok and add 2 tbsp. of oil. Add tofu and fry, stirring until brown. Add garlic, noodles, carrot, vinegar, soy sauce and 100 ml water, stirring continuously. Push contents of wok to one side, leaving space to break eggs. Break up the yolks and stir around, gradually incorporating into the noodle mixture. Pour the remaining oil into the wok and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring and shaking all the time. Serve by heaping onto a plate and sprinkling with the peanuts, beansprouts and spring onion.

corseting la Tocsin

400g chicken livers

1/2 lemon, cut into slices

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 small stick celery, trimmed and chopped

3 small shallots, peeled and chopped

8-10 fresh sage leaves

handful fresh parsley, leaves only

1 level tablespoon juniper berries

120 ml dry white wine

a little chicken stock, if needed

4 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

2 level tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

40 g unsalted butter

salt and pepper

corseting: 1 cabana

1 tbsp. Marsala

1 tbsp. chicken stock

1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil with the lemon slices and 1 level tsp. of salt. When boiling, slide in the chicken livers and cook for 2 mins and drain. The water need not boil again. This is just to blanch the livers. Chop livers and set aside. Heat oil in heavy pan and add celery and shallots. Meanwhile, chop herbs, bruise the berries and throw into the pan. Combine and cook for 10 mins. Add the livers, turn over and drown with wine. Cook for 5 mins, adding stock if necessary. Before turning off heat, add anchovies, capers and butter. Cool. Cut cabana into 1 cm slices. Bake for 5 mins each side. Mix Marsala and stock while adding oil gradually. Brush bread and pile on liver mix.

pizza dough

250 ml water, warmed to body temperature

500 g Italian type 00 strong white flour

pinch of sugar

20 g fresh yeast, or 1 sachet dried yeast

50 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. salt

Take the warm water and weigh out the flour. Put three tablespoons of the water and a pinch of sugar in a large bowl and stir in 20 g fresh yeast (but if using dried yeast add to the flour - never to wet ingredients). Add four tablespoons of the flour and mix to a soft dough (*add more flour or water if necessary). Knead for 3 minutes, sprinkle with flour, the cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Measure out 50 ml extra virgin olive oil and gently re-warm the remaining water to blood heat. Tip the remaining flour onto the work surface. Shape into a volcano and put the starter dough in the crater. Pour over a little water and pinch the dough, flour and water together to mix. Gradually add more water, pinching together until all water has been added. Then repeat with oil. When one third of oil has been added and there is a soft dough, make a dip in the top and add the salt and half the remaining oil. Knead everything together so that it is no longer sticky. Toss and stretch the dough into a flat shape, repeating as necessary.

Thai spring rolls with chilli dipping sauce

2 small courgettes

2 tbsp groundnut oil

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced

100g beansprouts

4-6 sprigs of basil, mint, watercress, leaves in slivers

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp Mirin

1 cm piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped

12 spring roll wrappers

1 egg, beaten

oil, for deep frying

slt and pepper

curly endive and coriander springs and black olives, to serve

sauce: 1 tbsp ea. soy sauce, groundnut oil, lime juice

1 small hot chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced

Cut each courgette widthways into eight thick slices, then cut each slice into thin sticks. Heat the ground nut oil in a large frying pan, then cook the courgettes, onions, mushrooms, bean sprouts, basil, mint and watercress with the soy sauce, mirin and ginger until softened slightly. Season to taste. Spoon a tablespoon of the mixture on one end of a spring roll wrapper and roll up, folding in the ends and brushing with beaten egg to help make it stick. Fill a wok one third full with oil and heat until a stale bread cube dropped in turns golden after 15 sec. Deep fry the rolls for about 1-2 min. until brown, turning occasionally. Remove and drain. Mix together dipping ingredients in bowl and garnish rolls with endive and coriander springs and black olives.

baccala mantecato

460g salt cod

1 onion, peeled

1 stick celery

1 leek

1 bayleaf

12 black peppercorns

a sprig of thyme

200ml good olive oil

juice of 1 small lemon

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

freshly ground black pepper

Soak the cod for 3 days. It is ready when the cod when the cod has gone white and the flesh has softened. Chop the vegetables into large pieces, put them in a large pot with the herbs, and cover with cold water (leaving enough room for the fish to be covered as well.) Bring the ot to the boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and set the ot to one side until the cod is cool enough to handle. When the fish is cool, carefully remove any skind and bones, place the flesh in a food processor with the garlic. “Pulse” the fish and garlic into a soft paste and then pour in the olive oil in a thin stream. If the mix is too thick, add a little of the cooking liquid. Finally, add the parsley and pepper.

gravadlax

400g salmon fillet

28.5g sea salt

56.7g caster sugar

1 tsp cracked black peppercorns

a big handful of chopped dill

Remove any excess scales from the fish skin, and any small bones in the flesh of the fillet. Cut the fillet into two equal sized pieces. Mix together the salt, sugar, pepper and dill, and rub it vigourously into the salmon. Lay one of the fish halves on top of the other, flesh to flesh, and weight down lightly in a deep dish. Turn every 12 hours or so for three to four days, then rub off any excess salt mixture and drain off any green liquid before slicing to serve. Lay the slices on a place and serve along with a sweet mustard and dill sauce.

calzoni

1 batch of pizza dough (see page before)

500g spinach (cooked and chopped - use canned spinach, obviously)

2 eggs

250g cream cheese (Philly light works fine)

500g tinned tuna, drained OR 350g chicken livers, chopped and lightly sautéed in butter

I tin tomatoes

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Purée and reduce tomatoes to a paste along with the pepper. Roll pizza dough into four 12" pizza shapes which are about 1/4" thick and spread the tomato mix over. Mix together the other (filling) ingredients, divide into four and place on bases. Fold the dough to make shapes like Cornish pasties, pressing the edges to seal. Brush a baking tray with oil and bake at 275deg. for 15 mins. Serve with tian of tomatoes and aubergines.

shrimp stuffed eggs

1/3 cup medium-sized shrimp, peeled, de-veined and cooked

6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

additional shrimp and chopped dill, optional

Finely chop shrimp and set aside. halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl. Mash yolks with a form and stir in chopped shrimp, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fill egg whites with yolk mixture. Garnish with shrimp and dill.

*SOUPShot and sour soup

8 medium Chinese mushrooms

1.2 lit strong beef stock

4 tablespoons wood ear funghi

2 cakes tofu

120-150g cooked and shredded chicken meat

90g shredded zasai pickles

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp. green peas

1 tbsp. chopped shallots

1 1/4 tbsp. cornflour, blended with 6tbsp water

2 tbsp. soya sauce

ground black pepper

4-6 tbsp. wine vinegar

Soak mushrooms in 5-6 tbsp. of boiling water for 30 mins. Reserve mushroom water. Remove stalks and cut into quarters. Add mushrooms and mushroom water to the stock. Bring to the boil and stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Soak funghi in boiling water for 5 minutes, rinse and drain. Cut tofu into 2 cm cubes. Add tofu cubes chicken, pickles, wood ear funghi, peas and shallots to the mushrooms. Bring to the boil. Pour and trail the beaten egg slowly over the surface of the soup. Stir when the egg has set. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a separate bowl until well mixed. Pour and stream it slowly into the simmering soup, which will thicken it and make it pronouncedly spicy. Serve a separate bowl of spiced mixture, ground black pepper, finely chopped chillies, and sesame oil.

fish chowder

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

110g smoked streaky bacon, sliced into 1cm pieces

2 onions, chopped

450g potatoes, cut into 1cm dice

1.2 lit milk

1 tsp. cornflour

450g skinned fillets of cod or haddock, cut into 1cm pieces

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cream crackers, reduced to powder

dash of Worcestershire sauce

30g butter, cut into tiny pieces

chopped parsley to garnish

Heat oil and fry bacon until fat released. Turn up heat and fry until crisp. Remove half bacon and reserve for garnish. Cook the onion in the remaining fat for 5-10 mins until soft. Add potatoes and stir-fry for 1 min. Dissolve cornflour in a little of the milk. Add remaining milk to the potato mixture, then stir cornflour into this. Bring to the boil and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender. Add the fish and season well with salt and pepper. Then stir in the cracker crumbs. Add Worcestershire sauce to taste. Sprinkle with the butter pieces, bacon and chopped parsley.

gazpacho

1 kg firm ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

2 green cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 green peppers, diced.

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic

3 cups cold water

1 cup white wine

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup olive oil

2 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 hard boiled eggs diced

1 cup croutons

1 tsp. cumin

Combine liquid ingredients, add garlic, season and chill. Serve with cucumber, peppers, croutons, eggs.

watermelon soup

2 kg fresh watermelon

2 cups good, fruity sweet wine

1 tsp. mixed spice

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

grated rind of 1 lemon

1 x 300g carton sour cream

Peel watermelon, cut into cubes and remove seeds. Put watermelon, wine, sugar, spices and lemon rind in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally and simmer for 20 mins. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor. Process well and pour through strainer into a bowl. Allow to cool and stir in sour cream. Chill thoroughly before serving.

green soup

1 medium potato, peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

5 cups chicken stock

one 3/4” cube of fresh ginger, peeled

1/2 tsp. ground coriander seeds

2 tsp. ground cumin seeds

5 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped

1/2 dozen fresh hot chillies

275g frozen peas

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. ground, roasted cumin seeds

2/3 cup heavy cream

Combine the potato, onion, chicken stock, ginger, ground coriander and ground cumin in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 30 mins. Fish out the cube of ginger and discard. Add the fresh coriander, chilli, peas, salt, lemon juice and roasted cumin. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 mins or until the peas are just tender. Empty the soup into the container of a blander in 2 or 3 batches and blend until smooth. Put soup in a clean pot. Add cream and heat through.

cold yoghurt soup with mint

2 2/3 cups plain yoghurt

1 1/4 cups heavy ream

2 cups cold, de-fatted chicken stock

1/2 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt (more if stock is unsalted)

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. very finely chopped fresh mint

2 tsp. lemon juice

Put the yoghurt in a bowl. Beat lightly with a fork or whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour in the cream. Bet gently to mix. Add the chicken stock, cumin, salt, black pepper , lemon juice and mint. Stir to mix and taste for seasoning.

vichysoisse

60 butter

3 small leeks, thinly sliced

1 x 440g can new potatoes, drained, chopped

3 cups milk

1 cup cream

salt and white pepper

3 tbsp. chopped chives

Melt butter in saucepan, add leeks and cook gently for 15 mins until soft. Put the leeks, potatoes and milk in blender and blend until smooth. Stir in cream and season to taste. Chill for at least one hour. Sprinkle with the remaining chives before serving.

avocado soup

1 large avocado

1 cup strong chicken stock

1 small onion, chopped

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

black pepper

1 cup cream

1 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped finely

1 tbsp. chopped chives

2 tbsp. parsley

Peel, stone and dice avocado and combine with chicken stock, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place in a blender and purée until completely smooth. Add cream, tarragon, chives and half the parsley and stir well into the soup. Cover and chill. Serve with remaining parsley and pepper. Serves 2.

tomato soup

4 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. flour

2 oz tomato paste

2 carrots

2 onions

1 clove garlic

1 bunch assorted herbs

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Chop the onions and fry them to a light golden colour in the butter Sprinkle on a tablespoon of flour while stirring. Allow to simmer for 2 mins then add the tomato paste, together with the crushed garlic, herbs, salt pepper and the carrots sliced into discs. Pour in 2 1/2 pints of water and cook for 1 hour.

chilled tomato and dill soup

4 large ripe tomatoes

1 medium onion, sliced

1 clove garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup water

2 sprigs dill

1/2 cup cooked macaroni

1 cup chicken stock

3/4 cup cream

Peel and slice tomatoes and place in a saucepan with onion, garlic, salt, pepper, tomato paste, Tabasco, water and dill. Cover and cook slowly until tomatoes and onions are soft. Place in blender along with the cooked pasta and process until smooth. Chill. Serve with chopped dill and tomato garnish.

spinach and cauliflower soup

white 1/2 small cauliflower

15g butter

1 small onion

3 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. cream

green 250g pack of frozen spinach

1 tbsp. pine nuts

15g butter

1 clove garlic

1 small onion

2 cups chicken stock

few sprigs of parsley

3 tsp. cornflour

1 tbsp. water

salt and pepper

For cauliflower soup: Cut cauliflower into small flowerets. Melt butter in pan, add peeled ad chopped onion, cook until transparent. Add cauliflower, mix well, cook 2 minutes, stir to prevent browning. Add stock, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 20 minutes. Puree soup in blender and push through a sieve. Return soup to pan and season with salt and pepper. When soup re-boils, add cream. Keep warm. For spinach soup: Place pine nuts in pan and stir over low heat until light golden brown. Remove. Add butter, crushed garlic and peeled and chopped onion to pan, cook until onion is transparent. Add unthawed spinach and stock, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer gently, covered for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Pour soup into blender add pine nuts and parsley, blend until pureed. Push through sieve. Return to pan, add combined cornflour and water. Stir over medium heat until boiling. Season with salt and pepper. To serve: Pour each soup into a jug and pour simultaneously from both jugs into bowls. Swirl soups together gently.

carrot soup with ginger and chilli

a thick slice of butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. cumin seeds

2 tsp. coriander seeds

750g carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced

1 stick celery, thinly sliced

4cm knob ginger, peeled and grated

grated zest of small orange

vegetable stock or water

125ml creme fraiche

1 level tsp. chilli paste

chopped coriander leaf

Melt butter and cook onion and garlic until soft. Toast cumin and coriander seeds and grind into paste. Stir into onions. Add celery and carrots, ginger and orange. Pour in stock to cover by 5cm, bring to boil season and simmer 15 mins. Purée the soup until creamy then return to pan. Add cream and chilli paste and heat. Season. Add chopped coriander.

New England cod chowder

1kg cod fillet

250g slab streaky bacon

3 large white onions

3 large potatoes, diced

1 litre milk

30g flour

90g butter

thyme, bay leaf salt, pepper

Melt a third of the butter and stir in the flour to make a roux. Pour in a little milk, make a smooth paste and then whisk in the rest of the milk. Add one finely sliced onion and any fish bones and skin. Add thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper and stew very gently for half an hour. Remove the rind and cut the bacon into very small cubes. Melt the rest of the butter in a big saucepan and gently stew the bacon in it Chop the remaining onions finely and add to the pot. Add the cod, cut into small chunks and five minutes later, the potatoes. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally to break up the cod. Season with pepper.

Manhattan mussel chowder

4kg mussels

250g slab streaky bacon

3 large white onions

3 large potatoes

1 x 800g tin chopped tomatoes

4 cloves garlic

2 red chillies

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

half a bottle dry white wine

fresh basil or oregano

olive oil, salt and pepper

Clean the mussels. In a large pot, stew a slice onion with a little olive oil and add the mussels. Add a glassful of wine and cover with an airtight lid. Shake the pot occasionally and check after five minutes. Drain the mussels, saving the liquor. Cook the bacon an onions as for the cod chowder above, but using olive oil instead of butter. Add the finely chopped garlic and chillies, then the spices. Strain the mussel liquor into the pot, add the rest of he wine, the tomato and the finely-diced potatoes. Pick the mussels from their shells, and add them to the soup when it is cooked. Serve with crusty bread.

minestrone

2 onions

2 cloves of garlic

4 young carrots

1 fennel bulb

4 small young turnips

4 spears of asparagus

1 cup of potted peas

2 cups of potted broad beans

1 cup cooked Borolo beans

1 large potato

1 tablespoon spaghetti (broken)

4 ripe tomatoes

sorrel, thyme

salt, pepper, olive oil

parmesan

Peel and blanch the asparagus. Blanch peas and refresh. Also blanch broad beans, refresh and peel. Core the tomatoes, blanch for 20 sec., refresh and peel. Remove seeds, chop flesh into cubes and drain on paper and sprinkle with salt. Put a couple of tbsp. of olive oil in a heavy casserole and place over a gentle heat. Chop the garlic finely and add. Cut the carrots and turnips into small dice and add them in turn. The vegetables should stew gently without colouring. Slice the asparagus into 1/2cm thick rounds and add to the pot. Peel and dice the potato, and add, along with the peas, beans and pasta. Season well, then add a good sprig of thyme and just enough cold water to cover. Cook over a gentle heat for 12-15 mins, until the pasta and potatoes are tender. Slice sorrel leaves finely and add, along with the tomatoes. Simmer for 4-5 mins. Reheat soup after an hour or two and serve with parmesan.

gazpacho with prawns

750g ripe tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and chopped

1 red pepper, de-seeded, chopped

1 red onion, peeled, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped

1/2 cucumber, peeled, chopped

1 tbsp. basil leaves

1 tbsp. flat parsley

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

200ml passata

2-3 drops Tabasco

extra-virgin olive oil

200g cooked tiger prawns, peeled

basil sprigs, to garnish

Pat the tomatoes dry on kitchen paper, then place in a blender with the next nine ingredients. (Do in two batches). Add 2tbsp olive oil and process until blended but chunky. Season accordingly. Pour into a bowl and chill for at least 6 hours. An hour before serving, toss prawns in some olive oil and some salt and pepper. To serve, place a spoonful of prawns in the middle and a spring of basil on top.

chicken noodle soup with coconut and lime

2 small chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, ,crushed

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. fish sauce

pinch of two of turmeric

juice and zest of lime

2 stalks lemon grass, rough chopped

large handful coriander leaves

500 ml chicken stock

double handful egg noodles

2 spring onions, thickly sliced

lump of ginger (size of walnut), grated

2 small reed chillies, seeded and chopped

groundnut oil

400ml tin coconut milk

Cut chicken into thick slices and place in dish with garlic, soy, fish sauce, turmeric and lime juice. Set aside for half an hour. Finely chop lemon grass, lime zest and most of the coriander into a rough paste. Place chicken stock and paste in a saucepan and bring to boil. Add noodles. Cook for 4 mins or until tender. Lift noodles out of stock and set aside. Turn stock down. Fry the onions, ginger and chillies in a little oil in a shallow pan until they colour. Add the chicken. Tip everything into the chicken stock and simmer for 5 mins. Scrape stuff off of bottom of frying pan and add too. Add rest of coriander.

tomato and vegetable soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

1 carrot, diced

1 large rib celery, diced

1 onion, diced, 1 clove garlic

2 small courgettes, diced

100g green beans, trimmed, in 1/2 inch lengths

200g white beans

700 tomatoes, roughly chopped

30ml chicken stock

2 tsp. sugar

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

Place olive oil and butter in a pot over a medium-low heat; soften carrots, celery, onions and garlic for 5-7 mins. add courgettes and beans and toss in the oil mixture. Add tomatoes, stock sugar and bay leaf and simmer for 30 mins. Season and serve. Serve with cheddar biscuits.

white bean and tomato soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

800 g can plum tomatoes

1 tbsp. tomato purée

600 ml vegetable stock

2 x 420g cans canellini beans, drained and rinsed

15 g pack fresh basil leaves, shredded

1 tsp. caster sugar

6 x 1.5 cm thick slices cabana

15 g Parmesan, grated

seasoning

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and fry for 8-10 minutes until golden. Add garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée and stock. Bring to the boil, stirring to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cannelini beans and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the basil and sugar and season to taste. Meanwhile, grill cabana for 1-2 minutes until golden on both sides. Cut each slice in half and keep warm. To serve, float three slices of bread on top of soup, and sprinkle Parmesan over.

clear chicken broth with lemon and mint

1.5 litres chicken broth

400g warm chicken meat, roughly chopped

the juice of a lemon

30 small mint leaves, chopped

The broth should be really hot. Divide the chicken between four warm bowls. Pour the lemon juice into the hot broth. Stir in the chopped mint, taste and season with salt and black pepper. Now ladle the seasoned broth over the chicken and eat straight away.

*VEGETABLESbraised cabbage with bacon

2 rashers bacon, chopped

1 small white cabbage

1 onion, chopped

6 tablespoon natural yoghurt

6 tablespoons chicken stock

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper

Place a frying pan over moderate heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and add the cabbage and onion. Mix the yoghurt and stock together with the paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the cabbage. Cover and cook at 180°C for 40 mins, stirring halfway during cooking.

coleslaw with boiled dressing

1.25 kg cabbage(s)

50g sugar

1 tbsp. flour

175ml wine vinegar

150ml water

75ml oil

2 eggs

120ml sour cream

Mix sugar and flour over boiling water in a double boiler. Do not let boil. Add vinegar, water and oil and whisk thoroughly until hot. Beat eggs with a little of the mixture, add to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until very thick (10-15 mins). Sieve. Mix the cream in an cool in refrigerator. Grate or chop the cabbage, or shred as fine as possible. Toss with dressing and leave for 30 mins-2 hours.

spinach with potatoes

275ml water

1 pack frozen spinach

1 large onion, peeled

5 tbsp. vegetable oil

pinch of ground astafeida (optional)

2 tsp. whole black mustard seeds

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1” cubes

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. salt

Bring water to boil and put in frozen spinach and cook until almost done. Drain and rinse. Press out most of water. Cut onion in half and then into thin slices. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over a medium flame. Put in astafeida and then mustard seeds. After a few seconds, put in the onions and garlic. Stir and fry for 2 mins. Put in the potatoes and cayenne. Stir fry for another minute. Next put in spinach, salt and 2 tbsp. water. Bring to boil, turn heat to low and cook gently for 40 mins.

leeks with bacon and red wine

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 rashers thick-cut streaky bacon, cut into thin strips

675g leeks, trimmed and cut in half lengthways

175ml red wine

60 ml chicken stock

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to take the leeks in a single layer. Brown the bacon in the oil, then add the leeks and brown them, turning so that they colour evenly. Pour over the wine and the stock, add the sugar and coriander seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and cover. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or so until the leeks are tender. Place leeks in a serving dish, and reduce any liquid to a sauce and cover.

Malay vegetables

2 tbsp. oil

1 onion, sliced

50g cashew nuts

150ml water

4 tbsp. chilli sauce

100g green beans, blanched

150g baby potatoes, cooked and halved

100g cauliflower, cut into small florets

6 tomatoes, peeled and halved

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and cashews until the onion softens. Add the chilli sauce and garlic and heat for 1 minute. Stir in the water and remaining vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped basil leaves just before serving.

tian of tomatoes and aubergines

1 kg plum tomatoes

1 kg aubergines

olive oil

breadcrumbs, garlic, basil, thyme, salt, pepper

Slice the aubergines 1/2 cm thick. Brush them with olive oil and griddle them in a dry heavy pan until golden brown. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 15 seconds, refresh them in cold water and peel. Slice them to the same thickness. Season them and the aubergines very well with salt and pepper. Rub an ovenproof dish very well with a cut clove of garlic. Lay the tomatoes and aubergines in alternating and overlapping slices around the outside and overlapping towards the middle. Slip a leaf of basil in here and there an sprinkle some thyme leaves over the whole thing. Dribble good olive oil all over and scatter some breadcrumbs over the top. Sprinkle with more olive oil and bake at 220°C for 40 minutes.

grilled parsnip kebabs with a honey, ginger and orange glaze

3 large parsnips, peeled and trimmed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 medium-sized green peppers

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

2 tbsp. clear honey

4 tbsp. soy sauce

4 tbsp. light sesame oil or sunflower oil

finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

1 tsp. ground coriander

2 1/2 cm piece of fresh ginger

wedges or orange for garnish

Cook the parsnips in boiling salted water until almost tender. Drain and cool. Cut into 2-2 1/2 cm pieces. De-seed the peppers and cut into 4cm squares. Mix all ingredients for marinade and pour over vegetables in shallow dish. Let sit for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Thread onto skewers and cook under grill for 10-15 mins, turning, until brown and glazed. Brush occasionally with marinade. When cooked, sprinkle with sesame seeds and return to grill to brown. Bring remaining marinade to the boil and serve in a small bowl with the kebabs.

sour chickpeas

2 1/4 cups chickpeas, picked over, washed and drained

7 1/2 cups water

3 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 fresh, hot green chilli, finely chopped

1 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger

4 tbsp. lemon juice

6 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

1 tbsp. ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp. ground cumin seeds

1/2 tsp. turmeric

2 tsp. garam masala

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Soak the chickpeas in 7 1/2 cups of water for 20 hours. Put the chick peas and their soaking liquid into a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer gently for an hour and a half or until chickpeas are tender. Strain the chickpeas and save the cooking liquid. Put 2 tbsp. of the chopped onions, 1/2 tsp. salt, green chilli, ginger and lemon juice into a tea cup. Heat the oil in heavy, wide, casserole type pot over a medium flame. When hot, put in the remaining chopped onions. Stir and fry for 8-10 minutes or until the onion bits develop reddish-brown spots. Add the tomatoes. Continue to stir and fry another 5-6 minutes, mashing the tomato pieces with the back of a slotted spoon. Put in the coriander, cumin and turmeric. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Now put in the drained chickpeas, 1 3/4 cups of their cooking liquid, 2 teaspoons salt, the garam masala and cayenne. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and cook very gently for 20 minutes.

fennel nicoise

4 fennel

2 tbsp. butter

2 medium onions, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

450g red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

150ml white wine

1/2 tsp. finely chopped thyme

salt and ground pepper

black olives for garnish

Trim fennel and cut off stems. Cut bulbs into quarters and sauté in butter until soft. In another pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes, white wine, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover pan and simmer until liquid has jut reduced. Add fennel and cooking juices to tomato mixture and cook for a few more minutes.

black-eyed peas with mushrooms

1 3/4 cups black-eyed peas, picked over, washed and drained

5 cups water

225g fresh mushrooms

6 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. whole cumin seeds

one 1” stick of cinnamon

1 1/2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tsp. ground coriander seeds

1 tsp. ground cumin seeds

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander

If peas are fresh, put the peas and water into a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered and undisturbed for one hour. While the pot is resting, cut the mushrooms through their stems into 1/8” thick slices. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the whole cumin seeds and the cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds. Now put in the onions and garlic. Stir and fry until the mushrooms wilt. Add the tomatoes, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Stir and cook for a minute. Cover, turn heat to low and let this mixture cook in its own juices for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat under the frying pan. Bring peas to a boil again. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until they are tender. To this pea-and-water mixture, add the mushroom mixture, salt, black pepper, and fresh coriander. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered for another 30 minutes. Remove cinnamon before serving.

potatoes with lime leaves

450g new potatoes, well scrubbed

15-30ml olive oil

6-8 Kaffir lime leaves

15-30ml chicken stock or white wine

Heat oil in a large, heavy frying pan with a lid. Add the potatoes and turn to coat with the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium. Meanwhile, remove the central ribs from the lime leaves and cut into shreds. Add to the pan with the stock or wine. Shake the pan for 30 seconds. Serve.

zucchini strips with two sauces

1 kg green, straight zucchini

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. butter

freshly ground pepper

tomato sauce 1 tbsp. butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

a few leaves of oregano

1 tin peeled tomatoes, drained

salt and pepper

leek and fennel 1 tbsp. butter

1 leek, washed and sliced finely

1 bulb fennel, trimmed and chopped

3 tbsp. cream

salt and pepper

Remove ends of zucchini and cut them into fine slices lengthways. Cut each strip into fine slices. Place in a colander, toss with salt and leave for 20 minutes to drain. Rinse. Wash more if still too salty. Melt butter in a pan and gently cook zucchini for about 3 minutes. Toss with freshly ground pepper and serve with the two sauces. Tomato sauce: Melt butter in a frying pan and sweat onion until soft. Add garlic, oregano, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer until onion is cooked and sauce is well blended. Purée in a blender, strain and return mixture to the pan. Reduce and season accordingly. Leek and fennel sauce: Melt butter in frying pan and cook leek and fennel until soft. Add a little water if necessary. Pour in cream and simmer for a few minutes. Purée in a blender and return to pan. Reduce and season.

stewed sweet peppers

1 kg sweet yellow peppers

1 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 kg tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2-3 sprigs parsley, chopped

Wash, peppers and cut them into even strips. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté garlic until it browns. Then discard it. Add the strips of pepper and cook them gently for 15 minutes. Cover with tomatoes, season, and continue cooking until tomatoes are reduced to a thick paste. Serve hot or cold.

vegetables julienne

1 carrot

1 small red pepper

2 sticks celery

15g butter

salt, pepper

Scrape carrot, seed red pepper, string celery. Cut all vegetables into 6cmx5mm strips. Melt butter in pan, add vegetables, stir for 3 minutes, add salt and pepper.

crispy potatoes

3 potatoes

1 onion

1/4 cup oil

salt, pepper

Peel potatoes, cut into 1cm dice. Peel onion, cut into 1cm dice. Heat oil in pan, add potatoes, cook over high heat until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally. Drain away excess oil from pan, add onion and cook until onion is transparent. Toss lightly and add salt and pepper.

green bean and potato casserole

500g green beans

500g potatoes

1 tbsp. cream

3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

125g mushrooms

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

2 rashers bacon

sauce 425g can tomatoes

30g butter

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

Top, tail and string beans, cut in half across. Peel potatoes and slice very thinly. Grease a shallow ovenproof dish, place potatoes evenly over base, sprinkle cream over top. Bake, covered, in moderate oven for 25 mins. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese. Bring pan of salted water to the boil, add beans and cook 3 minutes. Drain. Slice mushrooms and peppers thinly, combine with beans. Arrange bean mixture over potatoes, pour sauce over and bake, uncovered, in moderate oven 15 mins. Chop bacon finely, cook in pan until crisp, drain. Sprinkle bacon over top of casserole. For the sauce: Push undrained tomatoes through sieve into bowl. Melt butter in pan, add peeled and finely chopped onion and crushed garlic, cook until onion is tender. Add tomatoes, water, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 mins. covered. Stir in parsley.

vegetables with basil

1 eggplant

1 knob fennel

1 red pepper

1/4 cup oil

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Cut eggplant into 1cm cubes. Slice fennel. Seed red pepper, then cut into 1cm cubes. Heat oil in pan, add eggplant and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly. Add fennel, cook further 3 mins. Add red pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well.

spinach with onion and bacon

2 tbsp. oil

4 bacon rashers, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed

500g spinach leaves

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the bacon, onion and garlic and fry gently for 5 minutes. Add the spinach, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Fry gently for 3-5 mins, stirring constantly until the spinach is just tender. Serve immediately.

creamed spinach

60g butter

2 small onions

1 clove garlic

2 x 250g frozen chopped spinach

salt and pepper

1/2 cup cream

4 shallots

Heat butter in pan, add peeled and chopped onions and crushed garlic, cook until onions are tender. Add thawed spinach, salt and pepper. Stir until spinach is heated through. Add cream and chopped shallots, cook further 3 mins.

stir-fried Chinese white cabbage

1 medium Chinese white cabbage

2-2 1/2 tsp. Chinese dried prawns

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 slices root ginger, shredded

salt, to taste

1 1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce

Clean and cut cabbage into 5cm slices. Soak prawns in boiling water for 10 mins. Drain. Heat oil in wok and when hot, add the ginger and the dried prawns and stir over medium heat for 1 1/2 mins. Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt, turn and stir for 1 1/2 mins. Add the Soya sauce and stir-fry for another 1 1/2 mins.

black beans and rice

1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 large tomatoes

salt and pepper

1 tsp. flakes of dried red chilli

1 lb. pre-cooked black beans

6 oz long-grain rice

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, pepper and garlic until soft but not brown. Cook until they are mushy (3-4 mins.) Season and add hot pepper flakes. Meanwhile, boil the rice until cooked. Add the rice to the beans and serve.

black-eyed bean stew

450g black-eyed beans, soaked and cooked

1 onion, grated or finely chopped

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. chilli powder

handful chopped fresh coriander

1 tsp. thyme

3 tomatoes, chopped finely

pinch salt

Fry the onion gently in the oil until soft. Add the herbs and spices and tomatoes and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans, mashing them a little with fork, then season. Mix well and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with rice and salad, or on toast.

red-cooked eggplant

2 medium eggplants

1 1/2 tbsp. Chinese dried prawns

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

salt, to taste

2 slices root ginger, shredded

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 green chilli, seeded and chopped

1 red dried chilli, seeded and chopped

3 tbsp. light soy sauce

3 tbsp. stock

2 tbsp. rice wine or sherry

Peel the eggplants and cut into chips. Soak dried prawns in boiling water for 10 mins, drain and chop coarsely. Heat oil in a wok and when hot, add the chopped dried prawns, salt, ginger, garlic and the chillies. Stir over medium heat for 1 min. Add the soy sauce and stock. Stir until the sauce bubbles. Add all the eggplant and stir to coat with sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook slowly or 4-5 mins. Add the wine or sherry and stir. Leave to cook for 3 more mins and serve.

glazed carrots

500g carrots

3tbsp honey

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. soy sauce

Melt the butter, dissolve the sugar and toss the cooked carrots in the honey and soy sauce until dark.

potatoes with black pepper

about 5 medium potatoes

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

3/4 tsp. salt

1-1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. very finely chopped fresh coriander

Boil potatoes in their jackets and allow them to cool completely. Peel them and cut into 2cm dice. Heat the oil over a medium flame. Put in the potatoes and stir around for 1 min. Sprinkle with salt and mix gently. Cover them and let them heat through for about 5 mins. Stir a few times. Now add the black pepper and mix gently. Cook uncovered over a medium flame and allow to brown slightly. Sprinkle in the fresh coriander and serve.

hot-tossed noodles with asparagus

250g Chinese noodles

185g asparagus

150ml strong stock

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. butter

1 1/2 tsp. light soy sauce

Cook the noodles as specified. Remove 2.5cm from the tough end of the asparagus and cut into 5cm lengths. Parboil them for 5-6 mins and drain. Heat the stock in a small saucepan. Add the asparagus to this and simmer for 5 mins. Turn so it cooks evenly. Heat the oil in a wok and add the garlic. Stir fry for 1 min and then add the asparagus, stock and the noodles and mix them for 2 mins.

vegetable platter

2 carrots

250g zucchini

2 large beetroot

250g green beans

4 sticks celery

Scrape carrots, trim zucchini, peel beetroot, top tail and string beans, string celery. Cut carrots, zucchini, beetroot and celery into lengths of 5x1.5cm. Steam or boil vegetables separately and arrange. Serve with sauce from chicken in lemon mustard.

dill pickles with sour cream and honey

2 cups white wine vinegar

3 cups water

1/3 cup salt

12 cloves garlic

2kg small gherkins

2 tbsp. dill seeds

3 peppercorns

1 carton sour cream

honey

To make brine, heat vinegar, water, salt and garlic until boiling. Remove the garlic cloves. Wash gherkins and pack into sterilised jars. Add the dill seeds and peppercorns to the liquid and pour over gherkins to within 1cm of tops of jars. Seal. To serve, spoon sour cream and honey over 2 or 3 pickles as required.

tofu stir fry

1 lb. firm tofu, cut into 1 cm pieces

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 red or yellow pepper and 1 green pepper

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2-3 tsp. vegetable oil

Heat the wok. Fry the tofu in a little of the oil to lightly brown, remove it and reserve. Now add more oil and fry the garlic, ginger and spring onions for a minute before adding all the other vegetables. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked tofu, soy sauce and serve with plain rice.

maple baked beans

500g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight

1 ham knuckle, soaked overnight

2 sprigs thyme

1 large sprig rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, sliced

4 strips lemon zest

150ml maple syrup

1-1 1/2 tbsp. Tabasco or chilli sauce

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

topping 3-4 eating apples, cored and cut into 8

30g butter, softened

Drain beans and cover with fresh water. Boil for 10 mins. Reduce heat and simmer until 45-60 mins. Drain, reserving cooking water. Put half the beans, together with half the onion and garlic, into a large, ovenproof casserole. Add herb bundle. Bury two of the strips of lemon zest. Mix syrup, Tabasco and mustard and pour over. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then pour over just enough of the reserved water to cover. Cover and bake at 300°C for 3 hours. Arrange apple over. Dot with butter.

stir-fried asparagus with garlic

500g asparagus

3 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

salt, to taste

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. light Soya sauce

3 tbsp. vegetable or meat stock

1 tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 tbsp. cornflour blended with 3 tbsp. water

Remove and discard the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut into 5 cm lengths. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. When hot add the garlic, salt and asparagus. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, stock, prawn sauce and hoisin sauce. Stir contents over medium heat for 1 min. Reduce heat and continue to reduce the sauce for a further 1-2 mins. Add the blended cornflour and stir the contents in the wok a few more times.

maple-glazed shallots

600g small, round shallots, peeled

60g butter

3 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. lemon juice

salt and pepper

Leave the shallots whole. Melt butter in a heavy pan large enough to take shallots in a single layer. Fry the shallots until patched with brown - about 5 mins. Drizzle over maple syrup and stir for about 1 min. Now add lemon juice salt and pepper and just enough water to cover. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring every now and then, until shallots are very tender and there is only a thin layer of syrup left in the pan – about 30-40 mins.

provencal tart with tapenade juice

2 large courgettes

1 aubergine

2 plum tomatoes

2 red peppers

1 bunch fresh basil

juice 75g pitted olives

10g garlic purée

1/4 lit olive oil

Slice the courgettes, aubergine and tomatoes. Fry courgette and aubergine until golden. Drain. Grill the red peppers whole until blackened and then peel off skins. Cut them in half and use a pastry cutter to cut four discs from the flesh. Take four deep pastry rings and fill with alternate layers of courgette, aubergine, tomato and basil. Finish with reed pepper. Wrap in foil and place in medium-hot oven for 10 mins. For the tapenade juice, liquidise all of the ingredients but do not make too smooth. Serve with potato dauphinoise and lamb rump seared and roasted for 10 mins in a hot oven.

potato dauphinoise

8 large, white-skinned potatoes

300ml double cream

20g garlic purée

salt

Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Gently warm cream and garlic. Butter a deep ovenproof tray and season with salt. Fill with layers of potato and cream. Cover with greased paper and back for 1 hour. Press with the bottom of a saucepan every 10 mins to compact. When cooked, cool and refrigerate for 30 mins. Then lay another tray on top to compact for another 24 hours.

classic coleslaw

1 fine fresh white cabbage, about 750g

2/3 cup diced celery

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/4 cup diced spring onion

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1 small apple, finely diced

1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced

1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cumin seeds

1/4 tsp. ground bay leaf

1/4 tsp. celery seeds

several grinds of black pepper

1/3 cup sour cream mixed with 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Remove any wilted outside leaves from the cabbage and wash and shred. Put the cabbage into a large mixing bowl and add all the vegetables. Mix in mustard, vinegar, salt and sugar, then add seasonings. Toss several times, tasting and adding a little more salt or vinegar. Leave to stand for 20-30 mins to remove liquids, toss again and drain. Fold in mayo mixture and serve.

turnips and red onions roasted in thyme

1 kg turnips

500g red onions

115g butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

few sprigs of fresh thyme

150ml balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel and cut turnips and red onions into equally sized chunks. (Trim root ends of red onions, leaving enough for the pieces to hold together – cut in half vertically, then into eighths). Melt butter in frying pan and add vegetables, ensuring that all pieces are well coated. Fry gently until turnips have taken on a little colour. Season with salt and pepper and thyme and stir in half the vinegar. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with foil, and bake for 20 mins. Re move foil, stir in remaining vinegar and bake a further 20-30 mins until crispy.

swede and potato mash

500g swedes

500g potatoes

60g butter

6 tbsp. double cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash and peel swedes and potatoes and cut into large pieces. Place each in a separate saucepan and just cover with boiling water. Add a pinch of salt, bring back to the boil and simmer gently for 15-20 mins until soft but not mushy. Drain thoroughly. Return swedes and potatoes to one saucepan and mash to a creamy consistency, adding the cream, butter and black pepper. Reheat gently, season and serve.

rumbledethumps

600g large potatoes, peeled and chopped

400g turnips, peeled and chopped

250g Savoy cabbage

75g unsalted butter

25g grated cheddar

Cook potatoes and turnips together, then drain. Gently cook the cabbage with 50g butter until tender and then tip into the vegetable saucepan with the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper. Place in an ovenproof dish, cover and bake for about 25mins. Then remove cover and cook for another 15-20 mins.

kale with ginger and garlic

2 tbsp. olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

50g unpeeled ginger, grated

375g washed kale

50g large California raisins

Core and chop kale. Heat a wok and add the oil. When hot, add the garlic and ginger. Stir for a few seconds until the aroma is released, then add the kale. Cook over a strong heat until it wilts. Add raisins and serve.

kale with capers and anchovies

450g kale, washed

3 tbsp. olive oil

6 large anchovy fillets

2 cloves garlic, chopped

juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp. capers, rinsed

Roughly chop kale. Put a little water in a heavy pan. When it comes to the boil, throw in kale and cover tightly with a lid. Leave to cook, shaking the pan to stop it sticking. Warm the oil in a wok. Chop the anchovy fillets and toss them in into the hot wok with the garlic. Add the kale after a few seconds. Cook for a few more. Add lemon juice, capers, salt and pepper.

spicy potatoes

900g potatoes

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. chilli powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

30ml vegetable oil

salt

Wash the potatoes and par boil them, unpeeled. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spices and fry until their aromas are released. Add the potatoes and roll them around in the spices. Fry over a low heat for about 10 minutes, until cooked through and browned. Salt.

backed broccoli with anchovies and cream

200g broccoli

30g butter

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 medium carton double cream

parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 200°C. Wash broccoli and trim off tough bits of stalks. Slice florets and stalks in half lengthways and boil for 4-5 mins. Remove and drain. Butter a shallow baking dish and spread garlic around it. Put in anchovies. Lay blanched broccoli in dish and power cream over. Grate parmesan over. Back about 25 mins until cream has thickened.

broccoli and egg noodles for one

2 handfuls thin-stemmed broccoli

couple of handfuls of egg noodles

4cm ginger, shredded and chopped

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 small hot chillies, seeded and chopped

dark soy sauce

oyster sauce

Boil water in wok to cook broccoli. Salt it and add rinsed broccoli and cook until almost tender (about 4 mins). Lift broccoli out and return water to boil Throw in noodles and cook until tender. Empty. Add oil and then add garlic, ginger and chilli, and stir for a minute. Chop up broccoli a bit, and toss in wok with noodles. Stir and then add a couple of tablespoons of soy and the same amount of oyster sauce.

chick peas with spinach and chorizo

250g dried chick peas

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, ,crushed

1 can chopped tomatoes

75g chorizo sausage, sliced

a few strands of saffron375g spinach

pepper

Cover the chick peas with cold water and leave to soak overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly and place in a large saucepan. Cover with fresh water, and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Drain. Heat oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic and paprika, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the chick peas to the onion mixture with the tomatoes, chorizo and saffron. Season with pepper and simmer for 20 mins. Remove and discard the stems from the spinach and tear leaves into large pieces. Add the spinach and simmer for 25 mins or until all the vegetables are soft. Serve with warm crusty bread.

Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and bacon

375g chestnuts

4 lean back bacon rashers, de-ringed

750g Brussels sprouts

Cut crosses in chestnuts, place in a saucepan of cold water, bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly. Remove the out and inner skins. Grill bacon for 10 minutes until crisp. Meanwhile, cook the Brussels sprouts and chestnuts in boiling water for 7-8 minutes. Drain well and place in serving dish. Chop the drained bacon into small pieces and sprinkle over chestnuts and sprouts before serving.

jerseys in cream, garlic, mint and nutmeg

24 jersey royals, scraped and washed

1 pint whipping cream

4 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste, with salt

a grating of nutmeg

1 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

salt and freshly ground white pepper

Preheat oven to 180°C. Simmer potatoes in lightly salted water until half cooked (5-7 mins). Simmer cream in a large pot with garlic until reduced by a quarter. Butter an oval dish that will take potatoes in a single layer and season lightly with salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Strain the cream and stir in the mint. Pour over potatoes and place on middle shelf of oven. Bake for 10 mins and then turn oven down to 150°C and cook another 35-40 mins.

new potatoes baked in foil with salad onions, lemon and sage

24 medium jersey royals, scraped and washed

75g butter, melted

4-5 salad onions, diagonally sliced into 1 cm pieces

zest of 1 small lemon, removed with potato peeler

6-7 fresh sage leaves

sea salt

black pepper

Simmer potatoes in lightly salted water for 3 mins. Take two sheets of foil and fold together to form a double layer. Pull up the sides and place in the blanched potatoes. Drizzle the melted butter over and then add the onions, lemon zest and sage leaves, and season with the salt and pepper. Crimp foil up, place on a wire rack and place on a wire rack. Bake for 45 mins.

aubergine caponata

3 medium aubergines, cubed

6 celery sticks, washed and trimmed

6 tbsp. olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

110g pitted green olives

50g capers, rinsed and dried

2 x 400g tins tomatoes

120ml white wine vinegar

120ml masala

20g caster sugar

salt and black pepper

fresh basil leaves to garnish

Place aubergines in a colander, sprinkle with a tablespoon of sale and leave for an hour. Boil celery for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh, then dry and chop into 1cm pieces. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil land add chopped onions and celery and cook for about 10 mins. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add olives as well as capers and tomatoes. Meanwhile, rinse aubergines and pat dry. Fry aubergines in oil until brown, adding cooked ones to the sauce. Add vinegar, marsala and sugar and cook uncovered over low heat for another 20 minutes. Season to taste and serve warm or cold, garnished with basil leaves.

creamed mushrooms on toast

450g mushrooms

1 thick slice butter, about 50g

2 shallots, finely chopped

a small handful chopped parsley

75ml creme fraiche

4 slices toast

Cut mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Melt butter in a shallow pan and add shallots. Leave to cooks slowly until oft. Add mushrooms and stir until tender. Add parsley, salt and pepper, and the creme fraiche. When cream bubbles, tip over toast and eat immediately.

oyster mushrooms with roasted garlic

1 plump head of garlic

200g oyster mushrooms

75g butter

a few springs of thyme

Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel garlic and bring to boil in a small pan of water. Drain and boil again in fresh water. Simmer for 5 minutes then drain. Place mushrooms in a baking dish and dot with butter. Season. Tuck the boiled garlic cloves around and scatter with thyme. Roast for 20 mins remembering to baste mushrooms. Serve with salad and bread.

tomato and asparagus pasta salsa

4 large plum tomatoes

2 fat cloves garlic

250g asparagus

100ml olive oil

good handful fresh basil, torn

knob of butter

salt and pepper

Quarter tomatoes, core and chop. Peel and crush garlic. Trim asparagus, remove tough skin and cut into 2cm lengths, reserving tips. Heat oil in a saucepan and add tomatoes and garlic. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally until it starts to break down to a purée, then add a small wineglass of water. Stir in asparagus chunks, but not the tips. Season and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Add tips and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, then add torn basil leaves. Stir in butter and check seasoning. Toss into hot pasta and serve immediately, topped with a little parmesan.

roasted ratatouille vinaigrette

400g large courgettes, cut into thick rounds

2 large aubergines, cut into thick rounds

1 large red pepper, de-seeded, cut into thick slivers

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 large reed onion, peeled, cut into eighths

2 large tomatoes, cut into eighths

olive oil

sprigs of thyme, rosemary or oregano

Place the first six ingredients in two oiled roasting tins. Pour over 3tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Strew some herb springs over the top and roast in a preheated oven 240°C oven for about 30-35 mins until golden brown and tender. Make a dressing by shaking together 3tbsp of the olive oil and vinegar and plenty of salt and pepper. Add 1tbsp chopped herbs to the dressing.

Sicilian

150g fresh breadcrumbs

2 onions

6 garlic cloves

9 anchovy fillets

1 tsp. capers

nutmeg, pepper

1 lemon

olive oil

Chop onions and garlic very finely and stew in a little olive oil until transparent. Chop the anchovies and capers equally finely and put in a bowl with the onions, garlic and two thirds of the breadcrumbs. Grate the zest of the lemon and a little nutmeg into the mixture and season well with black pepper. Moisten the stuffing with the juice of the lemon, mix together lightly and stuff between the walls of the tomato. Top with the remaining breadcrumbs and sprinkle a little olive oil over them. Bake at 200°C for 15 mins.

horseradish souflée potato

9 baked potatoes

1/3 cup grated horseradish

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp. chives, minced

2 egg yolks

3 egg whites

salt and pepper

Cut the ends off six potatoes so that they stand to attention on a plate. Scoop insides into a bowl. Peel and mash remaining potatoes and place in the bowl. Add butter and milk and mash until soft. Add horseradish and egg yolks and mix well. Whip egg whites into peaks, fold into mash and add chives. Spoon the egg mixture back into hollowed potatoes. Bake in a hot oven for 20-25 mins.

Green Thai tofu curry

1 packet tofu, diced 2cm x 2cm x 1/2cm

1 onion, halved and sliced

1/2 lime, sliced

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

5 tbsp. green Thai curry paste

200g creamed coconut dissolved in 1/2 litre boiling water

salt and pepper

2 tbsp. coriander leaves, coarsely chopped

Heat oil in large pan, add tofu when hot and fry until golden. Add onion, mix and cook for three minutes. Add curry paste, mix well and fry for one minute. Add dissolved coconut, lime and seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix in the coriander. Serve with Thai fragrant rice.

sweet and sour tofu

1 packet tofu, drained, cut into 1cm x 1cm x 5cm strips

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 spring onions, cut into strips

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks

150g mange tout

1 small tin water chestnuts, drained and sliced

250g bean sprouts

sauce 150ml vegetable stock

2 tbsp. dry sherry

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

2 tbsp. tomato purée

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

salt and pepper

3 1/2 tsp. cornflour

4 tbsp. water

Mix all of the sauce ingredients (except for the cornflour and water) together in a bowl. Heat the oil in a wok. Add half the tofu and cook until golden brown. Remove tofu from pan and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat until all tofu is cooked. Add spring onions and carrots to wok and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the mange tout and water chestnuts and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the tofu and beansprouts and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the water to the cornflour and mix well. Pour the sauce into the wok along with the cornflour and water mix, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 seconds. Serve with rice.

Malay style potatoes and cauliflower

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets

375g new potatoes, scrubbed

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

200ml coconut cream

3 lime leaves

2tsp dried chives

salt, pepper

Cut the potatoes into pieces the same size as the cauliflower and boil for 12 minutes until just cooked. Boil the cauliflower for 2-5 minutes until cooked. Drain. Heat the oil and cook onion until soft. Add coconut cream and lime leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and stir for a few seconds. Add the potato, cauliflower and chives. Stir gently until the vegetables are hot. Reduce the sauce until it coats the vegetables. Serve with chicken or fish.

roasted peppers with dressing

115 ml olive oil

1 tbsp. caster sugar

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/2 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

5 basil leaves, plus extra to garnish

Place whole peppers in a roasting tin and drizzle with the oil so that they are evenly coated. Roast for about 45 minutes, turning once until lightly charred. Transfer cooked peppers to a dish, cover and leave for 15 minutes. Remove the cores and seeds and cut each piece in half again. Trim the quarters into neat shapes and set aside. To make the pepper dressing, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and fry the reserved pepper trimmings with the caster sugar over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar starts to caramelise. Pour in the balsamic and red wine vinegars and allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add garlic, basil leaves and remaining oil. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Serve with herb-stuffed chicken.

marinated mushrooms with tofu

2 garlic cloves, crushed

5 spring onions, chopped

3 tbsp. teriyaki sauce

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

200 g assorted mushrooms, sliced

1 head pak choi, halved

150 g firm tofu, cubed

In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, spring onions, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and oil. Stir in the mushrooms and pak choi. Leave for 5 minutes. Heat a large frying pan to a moderate to high heat. Add the mushroom mixture including the liquid and cook for 5 minutes, turning often until tender.

Transfer to a warmed dish. Add the tofu to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. Spoon the vegetables and tofu onto the freshly cooked noodles and serve immediately.

patatas bravas

12 large new potatoes

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 small dried red chilli

4 tbsp. olive oil

250 g passata

2 tbsp. chopped flatleaf parsley, extra for garnish

seasoning

1/2 tsp. paprika

Cook potatoes for 10 min. Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp. oil and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add chilli, passata, wine, parsley and seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes, until thick. Drain potatoes and cut into wedges. Brush with remaining oil and barbeque until golden. When cooked transfer to dish and pour sauce over.

basic green curry with straw mushrooms

300 ml coconut milk

40 g green curry paste

300 ml vegetable stock

4 small round aubergines, each cut into eight pieces

40 g palm sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fish sauce

25 g ginger, peeled

425 g straw mushrooms, drained

50 g green pepper, thinly sliced

fresh basil leaves, to garnish

2 tbsp. coconut milk, to garnish

Heat coconut milk in saucepan with curry paste. Stir to amalgamate. Add the stock and then the aubergines, sugar, salt, fish or soy sauce, ginger and mushrooms. Bring to the boil and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the green pepper, lower the heat and cook for another minute. Serve, garnished with the basil and coconut milk.

wild mushrooms with pear

400 g mushrooms, preferably mixed and wild, sliced

50 g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked and drained

1 pear, not too ripe, in 1 cm sliced, with skin

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

6 tbsp. olive oil

6 x 3 cm thick slices cabana, cubed and toasted

200 ml dry white wine

15 g fresh mint

salt and pepper

Gently fry the garlic in the olive oil in a deep pan. Add the toasted cabana cubes and fry another minute. Add the wild mushrooms and porcini mushrooms. Sauté for another 5 minutes, then add the pear wedges, wine and about 6 mint leaves, chopped. Season and then continue cooking on medium heat for 10 minutes. Most of the liquid will evaporate. Serve topped with the remaining mint leaves, shredded.

sweet and sour onions

500 g small onions or shallots

150 ml red wine vinegar

120 ml olive oil

2 bay leaves

40 g caster sugar

509 g raisins

fistful of flat-leafed parsley, stalks removed

salt and pepper

Peel and trim base but don’t remove root. Put peeled onions into a medium-sized pan and add the vinegar, oil, sugar, raisins and 175 ml water. Make a bouquet garni out of the bay leaves, parsley and thyme and add to pan with onions. Bring pan to boil, reduce heat and cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onions are tender and the liquid syrupy. Remove herb bag. Season and cool.

zucchini with bacon and crumbs

8 smallish zucchini

olive oil

50 g butter

100 g streaky bacon

2 plump cloves garlic

15 basil leaves

grated zest of one lemon

125g soft white breadcrumbs

Slice each zucchini diagonally into about six pieces. Heat a little olive oil in a shallow pan, enough to cover the bottom, or perhaps a little more. Add the zucchini and cook, covered with a lid, on a moderate heat until they start to brown. Lift the vegetables out and put them in a roasting time or baking dish, toss with salt and black pepper and keep warm. Put the butter in the pan in which you cooked the zucchini and add the bacon and garlic, Fry until the fat is golden and then add the basil, lemon and crumbs, and a little more butter if necessary. Fry until crumbs are crisp and golden.

aubergine madras

3 medium aubergines

30ml sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

15ml Madras curry powder

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tins plum tomatoes

15ml soft brown sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

60ml freshly chopped coriander, plus sprigs to garnish

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced

warm naan, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Brush the aubergines over with half of the oil, then place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 30 mins until they are soft yet still hold their shape. Leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and curry powder, then fry gently for 5 mins, stirring constantly, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. more. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar, being careful not to break up the tomatoes too much. Simmer, uncovered for 40 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced and quite thick. Season to taste. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and cook for 1 min. When the aubergines are cool enough to handle, halve them and cut into 1cm chunks. Stir into the Madras sauce and cook for 15 mins. Stir in the lemon juice. Meanwhile, mix the red onion with the fresh coriander sprigs. To serve, place a warmed naan bread on each of four serving plates and spooon over the curry. Sprinkle with the red onion and coriander mixture and serve at once with a bowl of natural yoghurt.

petits pois a la francaise

400g shelled peas

2 bunches spring onions

1 small lettuce

1 sprig of mint

100 g butter

Peel back the outer skin of the spring onions, trim the bases and cut them into short finger lengths. Reserve the tops for another use. Remove the central stalk and slice the lettuce into very thin ribbons. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan with two tablespoons of water and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Cover completely and cook on a very moderate heat, checking from time to time to make sure that the peas have enough liquid. The water will be absorbed and the peas will swell up, be very tender and be coated in their own liquor.

petits pois a la francaise

800g shelled peas, shelled

2 heads prime, firm lettuce

24 peeled baby onions

sea salt and freshly milled pepper

1 tbsp sugar

Bring a pan of water, sweetened with the sugar to a furious boil and tip in the peas. Return to the boil, simmer for five minutes or so, and then remove from the heat. Leave the peas to cool in the liquor, so that they will not shrivel. Strain off enough pea liquor to allow you to simmer the onions in another pan, and cook for eight to ten minutes. Trim the lettuce. Strain the peas and onions, retaining 150ml of the cooking liquor, and place them in a large pot along with the butter, salt and a little pepper. Pour in the retained liquor, lay in the lettuce, put a lid on the pot and simmer for 15-20 mins. Untie the lettuce and serve at once.

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