penne with peas and beans

How to make penne with peas and beans recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 10–12 minutes

Ingredients:
400 g (13 oz) wholewheat penne
1 tablespoon extra virgin rapeseed oil or olive oil
2 spring onions, finely chopped
250 g (8 oz) reduced-fat mascarpone cheese
4 tablespoons lemon juice
250 g (8 oz) frozen peas, thawed
250 g (8 oz) frozen baby broad beans, thawed
1 small bunch of basil, roughly chopped, a few leaves reserved for garnish
salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the penne in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10–12 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the spring onions and fry for 1–2 minutes or until softened. Stir in the mascarpone, lemon juice, peas, broad beans and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir for 1–2 minutes or until bubbling.

Drain the penne, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water. Stir the pasta and the reserved liquid into the creamy peas and beans. Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil leaves.

For broad bean & pea risotto, melt 25 g (1 oz) butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the spring onions until softened. Add 350 g (11½ oz) risotto rice and stir for 1–2 minutes or until translucent.

Add 200 ml (7 fl oz) white wine, then 1 litre (1¾ pints) boiling vegetable stock, a small ladleful at a time and stirring constantly only adding more once the rice has absorbed the previous ladleful. Continue until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just cooked. This should take about 18 minutes.

Stir in the peas, beans and basil 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Remove from the heat, stir in 125 g (4 oz) mascarpone and serve immediately.

penne with peas and beans

lemony mushroom spaghetti

How to make lemony mushroom spaghetti recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 8 minutes, Cooking time 18–20 minutes

Ingredients:
250 g (8 oz) chestnut mushrooms
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
400 g (13 oz) wholewheat spaghetti
150 g (5 oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Method:
Place the mushrooms, stalk side up, in a large roasting tin. Scatter with the garlic, drizzle with the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 18–20 minutes or until tender and juicy.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10–12 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente.

Put the breadcrumbs, lemon rind, half of the parsley and the chilli flakes, if using, into a large, nonstick frying pan over a medium high heat. Dry-fry for 4–5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy, stirring continuously. Set aside.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven and cool slightly, then roughly chop. Drain the pasta and toss with the mushrooms, lemon juice and remaining parsley.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, then heap into serving bowls. Scatter over the breadcrumbs and serve immediately with Parmesan, if liked.

For wild mushroom pasta, cook the spaghetti as above. Roughly chop 150 g (5 oz) chestnut mushrooms. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for 3–4 minutes until softened.

Roughly chop a drained 280 g (9 oz) jar mixed or wild mushrooms, add to the pan and heat through. Stir in the lemon juice and rind, chopped parsley and chilli flakes, if using. Toss with the drained pasta, season to taste and serve.

lemony mushroom spaghetti

duck, pear and pomegranate salad

How to make duck, pear and pomegranate salad recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time 15–20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 large, lean duck breasts
2 Comice pears, cored and diced
125 g (4 oz) mixed leaf and herb salad
50 g (2 oz) walnut pieces
1 pomegranate, seeds removed

Dressing:
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons raspberry vinegar
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (optional – see right for homemade)
2 tablespoons walnut oil
salt and pepper

Method:
Remove any excess fat from the duck breasts and score the surface using a sharp knife. Heat a ridged griddle pan until hot, then add the duck breasts, skin side down, and cook for 8–10 minutes.

Turn them over and cook for a further 5–10 minutes or until cooked to the pinkness desired. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest.

Mix together the pears and leaf salad in a bowl. Arrange on serving plates and scatter with the walnut pieces.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Drizzle over the salad.

Slice the duck breasts and arrange on the salad. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

For homemade pomegranate molasses, juice 2 large pomegranates with a citrus press or remove the seeds and pulse in a food processor or blender.

Pour the juice into a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer rapidly until reduced to a thick, sticky molasses. Cool and store in an airtight bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

duck, pear and pomegranate salad

asian minced turkey salad

How to make asian minced turkey salad recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 20 minutes, Cooking time 8–10 minutes

Ingredients:
500 g (1 lb) minced turkey
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1½ tablespoons groundnut oil
½ Chinese cabbage, shredded
150 g (5 oz) mangetout, shredded
½ small cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
250 g (8 oz) bean sprouts
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, chopped
chopped coriander

Dressing:
1½ teaspoons peeled and grated fresh root ginger
1½ teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
1½ teaspoons palm sugar

Method:
Mix together the turkey, garlic, shallot and chilli in a bowl. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the turkey mixture and then stir-fry for 8–10 minutes or until the meat is browned and cooked through. Tip into a large bowl.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the cooked turkey. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the Chinese cabbage, mangetout, cucumber, bean sprouts, carrot and spring onions in a bowl. Pile on to serving plates and spoon over the turkey. Sprinkle with the peanuts and coriander and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

For Asian-style pork parcels, replace the turkey with 500 g (1 lb) minced pork. Prepare as above, keeping the Chinese cabbage whole and separate from the salad.

Serve the whole leaves, dressed pork and salad in 3 separate piles. To eat, pile the mixed salad and minced pork into the whole leaves, sprinkle with the coriander and peanuts and fold to create a parcel before eating.

asian minced turkey salad

chicken and pickled walnut pilaf

How to make chicken and pickled walnut pilaf recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 20 minutes, Cooking time about 35 minutes

Ingredients:
400 g (13 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
2 teaspoons Moroccan spice blend (see below for homemade)
4 tablespoons olive oil
50 g (2 oz) pine nuts
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
250 g (8 oz) mixed long-grain and wild rice
300 ml (½ pint) chicken stock
3 pieces of stem ginger, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped mint
50 g (2 oz) pickled walnuts, sliced
salt and pepper

Method:
Mix the chicken with the spice blend and a little salt in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the pine nuts and fry until beginning to colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chicken to the pan and fry gently for 6–8 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and turmeric and fry for a further 1 minute. Add the rice and stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, the rice is tender and the stock absorbed. Add a little water if the liquid has been absorbed before the rice is cooked through.

Stir in the ginger, parsley, mint, walnuts and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and heat through gently for 2 minutes before serving.

For homemade Moroccan spice blend, mix together ½ teaspoon each of crushed fennel, cumin, coriander and mustard seeds with ¼ teaspoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon.

chicken and pickled walnut pilaf

lemony poached chicken

How to make lemony poached chicken recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 1¾–2 hours

Ingredients:
1 whole free-range chicken, about 1.5–2 kg (3–4 lb)
3 shallots, halved
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
1 rosemary sprig
8 black peppercorns
100 ml (3½ fl oz) balsamic vinegar
1 preserved lemon, chopped
1 small bunch of sage, leaves removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin rapeseed oil
salt and pepper

Method:
Place the chicken, shallots, garlic, celery, rosemary and black peppercorns in a large saucepan. Add the balsamic vinegar and pour in enough cold water to almost cover the chicken. Place over a medium heat and bring slowly to the boil, skimming the surface to remove any scummy froth. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.

Add the preserved lemon and half the sage leaves, then simmer gently for a further 15–30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken, until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the leg is pierced with a knife.

Carefully remove from the pan and place in a deep dish, cover with foil and leave to rest.
Increase the heat and boil the stock for 20–25 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Season to taste.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan and shallow-fry the remaining sage leaves for 30 seconds until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Cut the chicken meat from the carcass, discarding the skin, and spoon into shallow bowls with plenty of cooking broth. Garnish with the crisp sage leaves and  serve with steamed asparagus and broccoli.

For lemony chicken breasts, replace the whole chicken with 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Place in a large saucepan with the garlic, rosemary, peppercorns, balsamic vinegar and preserved lemon and just cover with water.

Simmer gently for about 12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Cut the chicken into thick slices and serve in bowls with the chicken broth, garnished with sage leaves as above.

lemony poached chicken

Thai red chicken curry

How to make Thai red chicken curry recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 teaspoons galangal paste
400 ml (14 fl oz) can reduced-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
3 kaffir lime leaves
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
handful of Thai basil leaves (optional)

Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the shallots and garlic and fry for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the curry paste and galangal paste and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves and bring to the boil.

Stir in the chicken, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in the basil leaves, if using, and serve with boiled rice.

For Thai green chicken curry, make the curry as above, adding 2 peeled and finely chopped lemon grass stalks when frying the shallots and garlic.

Replace the red curry paste with 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste and stir in, then continue as above. To finish, stir in the grated rind of 1 lime and lime juice to taste, garnish with chopped coriander and serve immediately.

Thai red chicken curry

chicken and aduki bean salad

How to make chicken and aduki bean salad recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time 2–3 minutes

Ingredients:
1 green pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped
1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
400 g (13 oz) can aduki beans, drained
200 g (7 oz) can sweetcorn, drained
1 small bunch of coriander, chopped
50 g (2 oz) unsweetened coconut chips or flakes
250 g (8 oz) cooked chicken breast, shredded
small handful of alfalfa shoots (optional)
Dressing
3 tablespoons light groundnut oil
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh root ginger
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Method:
Mix together the green and red peppers, onion, aduki beans, sweetcorn and half the coriander in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl, then stir 3 tablespoons into the bean salad. Spoon the salad into serving dishes.

Place the coconut chips or flakes in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry for 2–3 minutes or until lightly golden brown, stirring continuously.

Scatter the shredded chicken and remaining coriander leaves over the bean salad and sprinkle with the toasted coconut and alfalfa shoots, if using. Serve with the remaining dressing.

For prawn, avocado & coconut salad, make as above, replacing the chicken with 250 g (8 oz) cooked, peeled prawns. Dice the flesh of 1 firm, ripe avocado, toss in 1 tablespoon of lime juice and add to the bean salad. Serve as above.

chicken and aduki bean salad

chicken and barley risotto

How to make chicken and barley risotto recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time about 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
200 g (7 oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
250 g (8 oz) pearl barley
200 ml (7 fl oz) red wine
1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken stock
salt and pepper
parsley leaves, to garnish
Parmesan cheese shavings, to serve

Method:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the chicken and onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring until lightly browned.

Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes, then mix in the pearl barley. Add the red wine, half the stock and season with plenty of salt and pepper, then bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, topping up with extra stock as needed, until the chicken is cooked through and the barley is soft.

Spoon into shallow bowls and garnish with the parsley and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve with garlic bread and salad, if liked.

For chicken & red rice risotto, fry the chicken and 1 chopped red onion as above. Add the garlic and 200 g (7 oz) skinned and diced tomatoes, omitting the mushrooms and pearl barley.

Stir in 250 g (8 oz) red Camargue rice, cook for 1 minute, then add the red wine. Gradually add the hot stock a small ladleful at a time and stirring constantly, only adding more once the rice has absorbed the previous ladleful.

Continue until all the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken and rice are tender. This should take about 25 minutes. Crumble 125 g (4 oz) St Agur or Roquefort cheese on top.

chicken and barley risotto

herby chicken and ricotta cannelloni

How to make herby chicken and ricotta cannelloni recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 20 minutes, Cooking time 40–50 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, finely chopped or minced
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and diced
500 ml (17 fl oz) passata
6 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, chives, sage, marjoram and dill
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
250 g (8 oz) ricotta cheese
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
100 g (3½ oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
75 g (3 oz) sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), chopped (optional)
250 g (8 oz) cannelloni tubes
2–3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the chicken and fry for 3–4 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat slightly, add the leeks and cook for a further 3–4 minutes or until the leeks are translucent.

Meanwhile, heat the passata in a saucepan and stir in one-third of the chopped herbs, the fennel seeds and the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the heat and stir in the ricotta, the remaining chopped herbs, the lemon rind, nutmeg, paprika, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, if using. Season to taste. Stand the cannelloni tubes upright and use a narrow spoon to fill them with the ricotta mixture.

Spoon half of the passata over the base of a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the filled pasta tubes, side by side over the tomato sauce, so that they all fit in one closely fitting layer. Pour the remaining passata over the top of the cannelloni, then sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Place in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 35–40 minutes or until cooked through and bubbling. Serve hot with a crisp green salad.

For chicken & ricotta lasagne, replace the chicken thighs with 250 g (8 oz) chopped cooked chicken and omit the leeks. Stir the chicken and fennel seeds into the ricotta mixture as above. Layer lasagne sheets with the chicken mixture and the passata. Sprinkle with Parmesan and cook as above.

herby chicken and ricotta cannelloni