Sherried chicken stroganoff

How to make Sherried chicken stroganoff recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time about 10 minutes

Ingredients:
25 g (1 oz) butter
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 150 g (5 oz) each, cut into long, thin slices
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons mild mustard
6 tablespoons dry or medium dry sherry
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons soured cream
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and onions and fry over a medium heat, stirring, for 6–7 minutes or until the chicken and onions are a deep golden colour.

Stir in the paprika, then add the mustard, sherry, measurement water and salt and pepper.

Cook for 2–3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, then add the cream and swirl together. Spoon on to plates and serve with rice and green beans, if liked.

For chicken & fennel stroganoff, fry the sliced chicken breasts in the butter and oil as above, replacing one of the onions with 1 small, thinly sliced fennel bulb.

When golden, omit the paprika and add the mustard and 6 tablespoons Pernod, instead of the sherry, flaming it with a taper.

Add the measurement water and salt and pepper as above. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, then add 6 tablespoons crème fraîche and stir until just melted. Serve as above.

Sherried chicken stroganoff

Red hot hamburgers

How to make Red hot hamburgers recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 8–16 minutes

Ingredients:
600 g (1¼ lb) minced beef
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
4 baps or wholegrain hamburger buns, split spicy salad leaves, such as rocket or mizuna
1 beef tomato, sliced
salt and pepper

Method:
Put the beef in a large bowl, add the garlic, onion, chilli, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg and a little salt and pepper and mix well.

Heat a ridged griddle pan until smoking hot. Divide the meat mixture into 4 and shape into burgers. Add the burgers to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side for rare, 5 minutes on each side for medium or 7 minutes on each side for well done. Remove from the pan, cover in kitchen foil to keep warm and leave to rest while you griddle the baps or buns.

Wash and dry the pan, then reheat, add the baps or bun halves and cook briefly on each side until lightly charred. Fill each bun with some salad leaves, tomato slices and a burger. Serve immediately with the relish of your choice.

For aromatic spiced burgers, omit the parsley and Worcestershire sauce from the hamburger mix and replace with 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cumin and 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard.

Red hot hamburgers

Duck with honey and lime sauce

How to make Duck with honey and lime sauce recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes
4 duck breasts, about 200 g (7 oz) each
3 tablespoons clear honey
150 ml (¼ pint) white wine
finely grated rind of 1 lime
75 ml (3 fl oz) lime juice
100 ml (3½ fl oz) chicken stock
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh root ginger
½ teaspoon arrowroot (optional)
1 tablespoon water
salt and pepper

Method:
Score the skin of each duck breast through to the flesh 4 times and rub generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based frying pan or ridged griddle pan until hot, add the duck breasts, skin side down, and cook for 3 minutes or until the skin is crispy. Drain off all the fat from the pan.

Transfer the duck to a roasting tin, skin side down, and brush with 1 tablespoon of the honey. Roast in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 5 minutes or until cooked but still slightly pink inside. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 3 minutes, then slice diagonally.

Meanwhile, add the wine, lime rind and juice, stock, ginger and remaining honey to the frying pan, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. If using, blend the arrowroot with the measurement water in a cup and add to the sauce.

Return to the boil, stirring continuously, and cook until thickened. Serve the duck with steamed chantenay carrots, sugar snap peas and asparagus, with the sauce drizzled over the top of the duck.

For French-style duck with orange, prepare the duck breasts as above, then put in a hot frying pan, not a griddle pan, and cook as above. Transfer to a roasting tin, omit the honey and cook as above.

Meanwhile, cut the peel from 2 oranges, slice in rounds and set aside. Put 100 ml (3½ fl oz) orange juice, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon caster sugar and 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with a little water into the frying pan, bring to the boil and stir until thickened, then pour in 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier. Spoon over the sliced duck and serve with the orange slices.

Duck with honey and lime sauce

Thai red pork and bean curry

How to make Thai red pork and bean curry recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
1½ tablespoons Thai red curry paste
375 g (12 oz) lean pork, sliced into thin strips
100 g (3½ oz) green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon caster sugar
Chinese chives or regular chives, to garnish

Method:
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer, add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until it releases its aroma.

Add the pork and beans and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the beans are just tender.

Stir in the fish sauce and sugar and serve, garnished with Chinese chives or regular chives.

For chicken green curry with sugar snap peas, replace the red curry paste with 1½ tablespoons green curry paste, the pork with 375 g (12 oz) sliced chicken breast and the green beans with 100 g (3½ oz) sliced sugar snap peas. Cook as above, adding a dash of lime juice before serving.

Thai red pork and bean curry

Lamb cutlets with mojo sauce

How to make Lamb cutlets with mojo sauce recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
8 small lamb cutlets
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) baby new potatoes, scrubbed and thickly sliced salt and pepper
Sauce
2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
small handful of fresh coriander leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Method:
Trim the lamb cutlets of most of the fat, scraping it away completely from the tips of the bones. Mix together the garlic, thyme, oil and a little salt and pepper in a bowl, then spread over the lamb.

Make the sauce. Put the chillies, garlic, cumin seeds, coriander and oil in a food processor or blender and blend to a thin paste. Stir in the vinegar and season with a little salt.

Cook the baby new potatoes in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, heat a griddle or heavy-based frying pan, add the lamb and fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked but still slightly pink in the centre. Cook for longer if you prefer them cooked through.

Drain the potatoes and tip them back into the pan. Add half the sauce, toss to coat, then transfer the remaining sauce to a small dish. Transfer the potatoes to 4 warmed plates.

Place 2 lamb cutlets on top, and serve the remaining sauce separately for drizzling over the cutlets. For lamb with spring-green sauce, prepare and cook the lamb as above.

Put a handful of watercress, the juice of ½ lemon and 100 g (3½ oz) melted butter in a food processor or blender and whizz until combined. Drizzle the sauce over the cooked lamb and serve immediately.

Lamb cutlets with mojo sauce

Polenta with parma ham and cheese

How to make Polenta with parma ham and cheese recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
900 ml (1½ pints) water
225 g (7½ oz) instant polenta
250 g (8 oz) asparagus spears, trimmed
6 slices of Parma ham
100 g (3½ oz) fontina cheese, sliced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
basil leaves, to garnish (optional)

Method:
Bring the measurement water to the boil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Put the polenta in a jug and pour into the water in a slow but steady stream, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to prevent any lumps forming.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes or until the polenta is thick and comes away from the side of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the polenta into a greased baking dish about 25 x 18 cm (10 x 7 inches). Blanch the asparagus in a saucepan of boiling water for 1–2 minutes or until just tender. Drain well. Top the polenta with a layer of ham, then the asparagus and lastly a layer of fontina and Parmesan.

Cook under a preheated very hot grill, about 7 cm (3 inches) from the heat, until crisp and golden. Scatter basil leaves over the top, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

For polenta with meaty mushrooms, cook the polenta and pour into a baking dish as above. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan, add 300 g (10 oz) sausagemeat and fry until browned.

Add 50 g (2 oz) reconstituted dried porcini mushrooms, 150 g (5 oz) thinly sliced cup mushrooms, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 2 finely chopped sprigs of rosemary. Spread the meaty mushroom mixture over the top of the polenta, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Polenta with parma ham and cheese

Jerk chicken wings

How to make Jerk chicken wings recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, plus marinating, Cooking time 12 minutes

Ingredients:
12 large chicken wings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon jerk seasoning mix
juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon salt
chopped parsley, to garnish
lemon wedges, to serve

Method:
Put the chicken wings in a non-metallic dish. Whisk together the oil, jerk seasoning mix, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl, pour over the wings and stir well until evenly coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Arrange the chicken wings on a grill rack and cook under a preheated grill, basting halfway through cooking with any remaining marinade, for 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through, tender and lightly charred at the edges. Increase or reduce the temperature setting of the grill, if necessary, to make sure that the wings cook through.

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

For jerk lamb kebabs, coat 750 g (1½ lb) boneless lamb, cut into bite-sized pieces, in the jerk marinade as above, leaving to marinate overnight if time allows.

Thread the meat on to 8 skewers and cook under a preheated grill or over a barbecue for 6–8 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking.

Jerk chicken wings

cheats calzone

How to make cheats calzone recipe

Serves 1

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 small soft flour tortillas
2 teaspoons sun-dried tomato paste
1 tomato, sliced
2 bacon rashers, grilled and chopped
4 slices Milano salami, cut into strips
75 g (3 oz) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
a few basil leaves
4–6 baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:
Rinse one side of each tortilla with water to soften, then spread tomato paste over the dampened side and layer the tomato, bacon, salami and mozzarella on top. Add the basil leaves and spinach and a little salt and pepper.

Fold each tortilla over the filling and press the edges together (don’t worry if the edges don’t stick together in places). Brush the dry outsides of the tortillas with oil and cook in a ridged grill pan or frying pan for 1–2 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut in half and serve immediately.

For cheese & ham calzone, prepare the tortillas as above and spread with 2 teaspoons pesto instead of the tomato paste.

Layer 2 slices of ham, chopped, 50 g (2 oz) thinly sliced mushrooms and 75 g (3 oz) grated or sliced Cheddar cheese on top and season with salt and pepper. Fold over and cook the tortillas as above.

cheats calzone

Beef strips with radicchio

How to make Beef strips with radicchio recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 5 minutes

Ingredients:
3 sirloin steaks, about 300 g (10 oz) each
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
150 g (5 oz) radicchio, sliced into 2.5 cm (1 inch) strips
salt

Method:
Trim the fat from the steaks and slice the meat into very thin strips.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat, add the garlic and steak strips, season with salt and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the steak strips are golden brown.

Add the radicchio and stir-fry until the leaves are just beginning to wilt. Serve immediately.

For beef & caramelized onion couscous salad, brush 750 g (1½ lb) beef fillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle well with pepper. Heat a nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the beef for 4 minutes on each side or until seared all over but still rare inside.

Remove from the pan and leave to rest. To make the onion couscous, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan over a medium heat, add 4 sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until softened.

Meanwhile, put 375 g (12 oz) couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour over 600 ml (1 pint) boiling chicken or beef stock. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes or according to the packet instructions, until the stock has been absorbed, then fluff up with a fork.

Mix together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, a little olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon and salt and pepper and toss with the couscous and onions. Slice the beef and place on top of the couscous. Serve with some rocket leaves on the side.

Beef strips with radicchio

Lamb with tangy butter beans

How to make Lamb with tangy butter beans recipe

Serves 2

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
½ tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
4 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
4 lamb cutlets, about 125 g (4 oz) each
Tangy butter beans
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato purée
50 ml (2 fl oz) pineapple juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
250 g (8 oz) canned butter beans, drained
pepper

Method:
Mix together all the chopped herbs on a plate. Spread mustard on both sides of each noisette, then press into the herb mixture to coat evenly.

Make the tangy butter beans. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, secure the thin end of the lamb around the base with a cocktail stick. Place on a foil-lined grill pan and cook under a preheated hot grill for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked but still slightly pink in the centre. Serve immediately, surrounded by the tangy butter beans and accompanied by mixed salad leaves, if liked.

For lamb noisettes wrapped in prosciutto, mix together 1 tablespoon finely chopped drained capers, 1 crushed garlic clove, ½ tablespoon chopped rosemary, the grated rind of ½ lemon and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a non-metallic shallow dish. Add the lamb noisettes and toss to coat in the marinade.

Season well, cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Fold 4 slices of prosciutto lengthways, then wrap around the edge of each of the noisettes.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in an ovenproof frying pan and brown the prosciutto edges of the noisettes, then seal each side of the lamb briefly.

Cook in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 12–15 minutes or until cooked but still slightly pink in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to rest. Serve with wilted spinach and crushed garlicky potatoes.

Lamb with tangy butter beans

Chicken with orange and mint

How to make Chicken with orange and mint recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 15–20 minutes

Ingredients:
salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 200 g (7 oz) each
3 tablespoons olive oil
150 ml (¼ pint) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 small orange, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon butter

Method:
Season the chicken breasts to taste with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan, add the chicken breasts and cook over a medium heat, turning once, for 4–5 minutes or until golden all over.

Pour in the orange juice, add the orange slices, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 8–10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the chopped mint and butter and stir to mix well. Cook over a high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

For chicken with rosemary & lemon, bruise 4 sprigs of rosemary in a pestle and mortar, then chop finely. Put the grated rind and juice of 2 lemons, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 4 tablespoons olive oil and the rosemary in a non-metallic dish.

Add the chicken breasts and mix to coat thoroughly. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator until required. Cook the chicken breasts in a preheated hot ridged griddle pan for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Chicken with orange and mint

Spicy pork patties

How to make Spicy pork patties recipe

Makes 12

Preparation time 10 minutes, plus chilling, Cooking time 6–8 minutes

Ingredients:
450 g (14½ oz) minced pork
3 teaspoons hot curry paste
3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
sunflower oil, for frying
salt and pepper
To serve
150 ml (5 fl oz) natural yogurt
3 tablspoons chopped fresh coriander

Method:
Put the pork, curry paste, breadcrumbs, onion, lime juice, coriander, chilli and sugar into a large bowl and, using your hands, mix until thoroughly blended. Season with salt and pepper, cover and chill for 30 minutes or until ready to cook.

Divide the mixture into 12 portions and shape each one into a flat, round patty.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan and cook the patties over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Mix the yogurt with the chopped coriander and serve in a small dish alongside the patties, with rice and a salad.

For herby lamb patties, put 500 g (1 lb) lean minced lamb, 3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs, 4 teaspoons dried mint, 4 teaspoons dried oregano, the grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 crushed garlic clove in a large bowl. Make, chill and cook the patties as above, then serve stuffed into pittas with hummus and a Greek salad.

Spicy pork patties

Thai monkfish and prawn curry

How to make Thai monkfish and prawn curry recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 8 minutes

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
400 ml (14 fl oz) can coconut milk
1 lemon grass stalk (optional), halved lengthwise
2 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or dried, optional)
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
300 g (10 oz) monkfish or cod loins, cubed
50 g (2 oz) green beans, trimmed
12 raw peeled tiger prawns
2–3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
To garnish
fresh coriander sprigs
sliced green chillies

Method:
Put the curry paste and coconut milk in a saucepan. Bruise the lemon grass stalk, by bashing with a rolling pin, and add it to the pan with lime leaves, if using, and sugar. Bring to the boil, then add the monkfish. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, then add the beans and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.

Stir in the prawns, fish sauce and lime juice and cook for 2–5 minutes until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through.

Transfer the curry to a warm serving dish and top with coriander sprigs and chilli slices. Serve with plain boiled rice.

For Malaysian monkfish & prawn curry, heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil in a saucepan, add 2 thinly sliced onions and fry gently until softened.

Replace the curry paste with 2 tablespoons lemon grass paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 deseeded and diced red chilli, 4 cm (1¾ inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 star anise and add to the onions with the coconut milk, lemon grass and lime leaves, if using, sugar and salt. Continue as above.

Thai monkfish and prawn curry

Cambodian fish hotpot

How to make Cambodian fish hotpot recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, halved and sliced
600 ml (1 pint) canned coconut milk
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 lemon grass stalk, chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves
3–6 red bird’s eye chillies, halved and seeds removed
300 ml (½ pint) fish stock
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon tomato purée
175 g (6 oz) live clams, cleaned 375 g (12 oz) raw peeled tiger prawns
125 g (4 oz) squid, cleaned and cut into rings
400 g (13 oz) can straw mushrooms, drained
20 holy basil leaves, optional

Method:
Heat the sesame and vegetable oils together in a large flameproof casserole, add the shallots and garlic and fry gently for 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.

Add the onion, coconut water, rice wine vinegar, lemon grass, lime leaves, chillies, stock and sugar to the casserole and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, fish sauce and tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes.

Discard any clams that don’t shut when tapped, then add them with the prawns, squid rings and mushrooms to the casserole and simmer gently for 5–6 minutes or until the prawns turn pink, the squid are cooked through and the clams have opened. Discard any clams that remain closed. Stir in the basil leaves if liked.

Serve the hotpot immediately with rice noodles.

For traditional fisherman’s stew, replace the sesame and vegetable oils with olive oil and fry the garlic and shallots as above. When adding the onion, replace the coconut milk, rice wine vinegar, lemon grass, lime leaves, chillies, stock and sugar with 2 x 400 g (13 oz) cans chopped tomatoes, 1 pinch saffron threads, 300 ml (½ pint) white wine and 600 g (1¼ lb) white fish fillets, skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks.

Continue as above, adding the tomatoes, fish sauce and tomato purée, then the prawns, squid rings, and mushrooms, but replace the basil leaves with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread instead of the noodles, dipping sauce and fresh coriander.

Cambodian fish hotpot

Thai chicken curry

How to make Thai chicken curry recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste (see below)
6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon soft light brown sugar
200 ml (7 fl oz) chicken stock
400 ml (14 fl oz) can coconut milk
500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, diced
125 g (4 oz) can bamboo shoots, drained
125 g (4 oz) can baby sweetcorn, drained
large handful of Thai basil leaves or fresh coriander leaves, plus extra to garnish
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced, to garnish

Method:
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the curry paste and lime leaves and stir-fry over a low heat for 1–2 minutes or until fragrant.

Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots and baby sweetcorn and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Stir through the basil or coriander leaves and lime juice, then serve garnished with the extra leaves and chilli.

For homemade Thai green curry paste, put 15 small green chillies, 4 halved garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped lemon grass stalks, 2 torn Kaffir lime leaves, 2 chopped shallots, 2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped, 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon pared lime rind, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon groundnut oil in a food processor or blender and blend to a thick paste.

Transfer to a screw-top jar. This makes about 150 ml (¼ pint) of paste, which can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Thai chicken curry

spinach and gorgonzola gnocchi

How to make spinach and gorgonzola gnocchi recipe

Serves 3–4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
300 ml (½ pint) vegetable stock
500 g (1 lb) potato gnocchi
150 g (5 oz) Gorgonzola cheese, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons double cream
plenty of freshly grated nutmeg
250 g (8 oz) baby leaf spinach
pepper

Method:
Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Tip in the gnocchi and return to the boil. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until plumped up and tender.

Stir in the cheese, cream and nutmeg and heat until the cheese melts to make a creamy sauce.

Add the spinach to the pan and cook gently for 1–2 minutes, turning the spinach with the gnocchi and sauce until wilted. Pile on to serving plates and season with plenty of pepper.

For sage & Parmesan gnocchi, cook the gnocchi in the vegetable stock as above. Meanwhile, heat 100 g (3½ oz) butter in a frying pan, add 2 crushed garlic cloves and fry over a low heat for 1 minute or until the garlic turns nut brown.

Add 16 sage leaves and allow the butter to froth while the sage crisps. Drain the gnocchi, return to the pan and stir in the sage butter. Serve with grated Parmesan and a mixed green salad.

spinach and gorgonzola gnocchi

Tomato rice

How to make Tomato rice recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, plus soaking and standing, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
225 g (7½ oz) basmati rice
25 g (1 oz) butter
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4–6 black peppercorns
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
50 g (2 oz) frozen peas
200 g (7 oz) can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato purée
475 ml (16 fl oz) boiling water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
salt and pepper

Method:
Rinse the basmati rice under cold running water, put it in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain well.

Heat the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan, add the onion, garlic, cumin, peppercorns, clove and cinnamon and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Add the peas, tomatoes, tomato purée and drained rice and stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes.

Add the boiling water and coriander, season with salt and pepper and bring back to the boil. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Do not lift the lid because the steam is required for the cooking process.

Remove the pan from the heat and leave the rice to stand, covered and undisturbed, for 8–10 minutes. To serve, fluff up the grains of rice with a fork.

For quick paella-style rice, soak the rice as above. Stir-fry the onion and garlic as above, omitting the cumin, clove and cinnamon. Add 1 cored, deseeded and chopped yellow pepper and 150 g (5 oz) diced chorizo with the peas, tomatoes and rice, omitting the tomato purée, and stir-fry as above.

Add the boiling water, 1 teaspoon saffron threads and 1 teaspoon paprika, season with salt and pepper and cook as above. Midway through the steaming process, add 200 g (7 oz) cooked frozen large prawns, then continue cooking with the lid on for 3 minutes until the prawns are piping hot. Serve as above.

Tomato rice

Chickpeas with chorizo

How to make Chickpeas with chorizo recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time about 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200 g (7 oz) chorizo sausage, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) dice
2 ripe tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 x 400 g (13 oz) cans chickpeas, drained
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan, add the onion, garlic and chorizo and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, parsley and chickpeas to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes or until heated through.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately or leave to cool to room temperature. Serve with crusty bread.

For harissa-spiced chickpeas with haloumi & spinach, heat the oil in a large saucepan, add 2 chopped onions and the garlic, omitting the chorizo, and cook over a low heat until softened. Omit the fresh tomatoes and parsley and add 2 tablespoons harissa paste, the chickpeas and 2 x 400 g (13 oz) cans chopped tomatoes to the pan.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add 250 g (8 oz) cubed haloumi cheese and 200 g (7 oz) baby leaf spinach and cook over a low heat for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the juice of 1 lemon. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and warm crusty bread.

Chickpeas with chorizo

Spicy fried rice with spinach

How to make Spicy fried rice with spinach recipe

Serves 3–4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 bunch of spring onions
4 tablespoons groundnut oil
75 g (3 oz) unsalted cashew nuts
1 green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
250 g (8 oz) ready-cooked long-grain rice
150 g (5 oz) baby leaf spinach
100 g (3½ oz) sprouted mung beans or 50 g (2 oz) pea shoots
salt and pepper

Method:
Beat the eggs with the sherry and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce in a small bowl. Cut 2 of the spring onions into 7 cm (3 inch) lengths, then cut these lengthways into fine shreds.

Leave in a bowl of very cold water to curl up slightly. Finely chop the remaining spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.

Heat half the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the cashew nuts and green parts of the spring onions and fry, turning in the oil, until the cashew nuts are lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Add the white parts of the spring onions to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring continuously, until the egg begins to scramble into small pieces rather than one omelette.

Stir in the green pepper and five-spice powder with the remaining oil and cook for 1 minute, then tip in the cooked rice and spinach with the remaining soy sauce, mixing the ingredients together well until thoroughly combined and the spinach has wilted.

Return the cashew nuts and spring onions to the pan with the mung beans or pea shoots and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pile on to serving plates, scatter with the drained spring onion curls and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

For spicy fried rice with baby corn, replace the spinach with ½ small shredded Chinese cabbage and 200 g (7 oz) sliced baby corn and add to the pan with the green pepper.

Spicy fried rice with spinach

mushrooms à la greque

How to make mushrooms à la greque recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, plus standing, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
600 g (1¼ lb) button mushrooms, halved
8 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped or 400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
100 g (3½ oz) pitted black olives
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
chopped parsley, to garnish

Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and fry until softened and beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, for 4–5 minutes, then add the olives.

Whisk the remaining oil with the vinegar in a small bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle over the salad.

Garnish with the chopped parsley, cover and leave to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to mingle before serving.

For mushroom pasta salad, prepare the mushroom mixture as above. Cook 200 g (7 oz) dried pennette or farfalle in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, cook 125 g (4 oz) trimmed green beans in a saucepan of salted boiling water until just tender. Drain the beans, refresh under cold running water and drain again. Drain the pasta well and toss into the mushroom mixture with the beans and 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves. Serve at room temperature.

mushrooms à la greque

Green bean, miso and noodle soup

How to make Green bean, miso and noodle soup recipe

Serves 2

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons brown miso paste
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock
25 g (1 oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small hot red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
100 g (3½ oz) dried soba, wholemeal or plain noodles
1 bunch of spring onions, finely shredded
100 g (3½ oz) fresh or frozen peas
250 g (8 oz) runner beans, trimmed and shredded
3 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Method:
Blend the miso paste with a little of the stock in a saucepan to make a thick, smooth paste. Add a little more stock to thin the paste and then pour in the remainder.

Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and bring almost to the boil.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, add the noodles, stirring until they have softened into the stock, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the noodles are just tender.

Add the spring onions, peas, runner beans, mirin, sugar and vinegar and stir well.

Cook gently for 1–2 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

For miso soup with tofu, make dashi stock by boiling 15 g (½ oz) kombu seaweed in 1.8 litres (3 pints) water in a large saucepan, skimming any scum. Add 1½ tablespoons dried bonito flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Strain the stock and return to the pan with 2 tablespoons red or white miso, stirring until dissolved. Cut 1 small leek into fine julienne strips and 125 g (4 oz) firm tofu into small squares and add to the warm soup with 1 tablespoon wakame seaweed. Garnish with chopped chives.

Green bean, miso and noodle soup

15-minute soup

How to make 15-minute soup recipe

Serves 4–6

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time about 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 thick slices of day-old bread, crusts removed, broken into pieces
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock
200 g (7 oz) frozen peas
1 teaspoon pimentón dulce (mild paprika)
100 ml (3½ fl oz) fino sherry
250 g (8 oz) raw tiger prawns, peeled
1 hard-boiled egg, shelled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, garlic and bread and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, stock, peas, pimentón and sherry and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes.

Add the prawns and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes or until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into warmed shallow bowls, scatter over the egg and parsley and serve immediately.

For Indian chicken & chickpea soup, put 400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes and 400 ml (14 fl oz) water in a saucepan, stir together and warm through over a gentle heat. Meanwhile, chop 4 cooked chicken breasts into chunky pieces, removing any skin, and shred 150 g (5 oz) Savoy cabbage.

Stir the chicken, cabbage, 2 teaspoons curry paste, a drained 400 g (13 oz) can chickpeas and 1 crumbled chicken or vegetable stock cube into the tomatoes. Stir well, cover and cook over a high heat for 6 minutes or until the soup is piping hot and the cabbage is just tender. Serve with warm garlic naan bread.

15-minute soup

Chinese stir fry noodles

How to make chinese stir fry noodles recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
150 g (5 oz) frozen peas
175 g (6 oz) dried egg noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
300 g (10 oz) pack mixed stirfry vegetables (shredded cabbage, baby corn, bean sprouts, peppers etc.)
300 g (10 oz) firm tofu, cubed
150 ml (¼ pint) hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons orange juice
salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well. Cook or soak the noodles according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the spring onions and ready-prepared vegetables and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes or until softened. Add the tofu, peas, hoisin sauce and orange juice and stir for 1 minute.

Drain the noodles, add to the pan, toss everything together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

For Chinese lamb & broccoli stir-fry, replace the tofu with 400 g (13 oz) lamb leg steak, fat removed and cut into 2.5 cm x 5 mm (1 x ¼ inch) strips and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Cut 200 g (7 oz) broccoli into florets and blanche for 2 minutes. Drain and add to the stir-fried vegetables. Mix with the hoisin sauce and noodles as above, omitting the orange juice.

Chinese stir fry noodles

Speck, spinach and taleggio fusilli

How to make Speck, spinach and taleggio fusilli recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
375 g (12 oz) dried fusilli
100 g (3½ oz) speck slices
150 g (5 oz) Taleggio cheese, derinded and cut into small cubes
150 ml (¼ pint) double cream
125 g (4 oz) baby leaf spinach, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, cut the speck into wide strips.

Drain the pasta, return it to the pan and place over a low heat. Add the speck, Taleggio, cream and spinach and stir until most of the cheese has melted. Season with a generous grinding of pepper and serve immediately with a scattering of grated Parmesan, if liked.

For mozzarella & ham fusilli, use 150 g (5 oz) mozzarella instead of the Taleggio and replace the speck with 100 g (3½ oz) Black Forest ham. Mozzarella will give a milder flavour than Taleggio.

Speck, spinach and taleggio fusilli

Rice noodles with lemon chicken

How to make Rice noodles with lemon chicken recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on, each 150 g (5 oz)
juice of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
250 g (8 oz) dried rice noodles
small bunch of parsley, chopped
small bunch of coriander, chopped
½ cucumber, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
salt and pepper
finely chopped red chilli, to garnish

Method:
Lay a chicken breast between 2 sheets of clingfilm and flatten with a rolling pin or meat mallet. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

Mix the chicken with half the lemon juice and the sweet chilli sauce in a large non-metallic dish and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the chicken breasts on a grill rack in a single layer. Cook under a preheated grill for 4–5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Finish on the skin side so that it is crisp.

Meanwhile, put the noodles in a large heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water to cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes or according to the packet instructions, until tender, then drain. Return to the bowl, add the remaining lemon juice, herbs and cucumber to the noodles and toss well to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Top the noodles with the cooked chicken and serve immediately, garnished with the chopped red chilli.

For stir-fried ginger broccoli, to serve as an accompaniment, trim 500 g (1 lb) broccoli. Divide the heads into florets, then diagonally slice the stalks. Blanch the florets and stalks in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 30 seconds.

Drain, refresh under cold running water and drain again thoroughly. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large frying pan, add 1 thinly sliced garlic clove and 2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped, and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and fry for a further 30 seconds.

Rice noodles with lemon chicken

Linguine with ham and eggs

How to make Linguine with ham and eggs recipe

Serves 2

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
150 g (5 oz) dried linguine
2 eggs
75 g (3 oz) thinly sliced ham
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Mustard dressing
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
good pinch of caster sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, put the eggs in a small saucepan and just cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 minutes (once the water boils the eggs will usually start to move around).

Roll up the ham and slice it as thinly as possible. Meanwhile, make the mustard dressing. Mix together the parsley, mustard, lemon juice, sugar, oil and a little salt and pepper in a bowl.

Drain the eggs, rinse in cold water, then crack the shells and peel away once cool enough to handle.

Add the spring onions to the pan of pasta 30 seconds before the end of the cooking time, then drain and return to the pan. Stir in the ham and the mustard dressing and pile on to warm serving plates. Shell and halve the eggs and serve on top.

For linguine with lemon cream, cook the pasta as above, adding 450 g (14½ oz) trimmed asparagus spears to the pan 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Meanwhile, put the grated rind of ½ lemon, 300 ml (½ pint) chicken stock and 300 ml (½ pint) crème fraîche into a saucepan and heat through gently.

Add the juice of 1 lemon and 75 g (3 oz) grated Parmesan cheese and cook until the sauce has thickened. Drain the pasta and asparagus, stir in the lemon cream and some chopped parsley and season with pepper. Serve immediately.

Linguine with ham and eggs

Tuna, spinach and tomato penne

How to make tuna, spinach and tomato penne recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
350 g (11½ oz) dried penne
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 onion, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
500 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes, halved
pinch of sugar (optional)
250 g (8 oz) baby leaf spinach
2 x 185 g (6½ oz) cans tuna steak in olive oil, drained
salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry gently until softened. Add the garlic and tomatoes and fry for a further 3–4 minutes or until the tomatoes just begin to break up. Season with salt and pepper and a little sugar if needed.

Stir in the spinach, then gently stir in the tuna, trying not to break it up too much.

Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and toss well. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the pasta before serving.

For creamy penne pasta with mussels & white wine, cook the penne as above. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a saucepan and add 1 finely chopped garlic clove, 150 ml (¼ pint) white wine and 1.5 kg (3 lb) scrubbed and debearded mussels to the pan (first discarding any that don’t shut when tapped). Cover and cook until the mussels have opened.

Discard any that remain closed. Strain the mussels through a sieve, reserving the liquid. Pour the liquid back into a clean saucepan and add 200 ml (7 fl oz) double cream.

Simmer until it reaches a creamy consistency. Drain the pasta. Pick the mussels from their shells and add to the sauce along with the pasta. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuna, spinach and tomato penne

Tagliatelle with crab sauce

How to make Tagliatelle with crab sauce recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
300 g (10 oz) fresh or dried tagliatelle
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
200 g (7 oz) fresh crab meat
1–2 pinches of crushed dried chillies
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
200 ml (7 fl oz) double cream
handful of chives, snipped salt and pepper
75 g (3 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water or according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the shallots and fry gently until softened but not browned. Add the crab meat, chillies, lemon rind and juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cream to the crab mixture and bring to the boil, then stir in the chives.

Drain the pasta well and return to the pan. Stir in the crab sauce, toss well and serve immediately with a bowl of grated Parmesan.

For creamy tagliatelle with crabsticks & dill sauce, cook the pasta as above. Meanwhile, add 2 large crushed garlic cloves with the shallots and fry as above.

Add 150 ml (¼ pint) white wine, 4 tablespoons double cream and a handful of fresh chopped dill. Finally, mix the drained pasta and 250g (8oz) shredded crabsticks into the creamy sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Tagliatelle with crab sauce

creamy blue cheese pasta

How to make creamy blue cheese pasta recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
375 g (12 oz) dried pasta shells
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
150 g (5 oz) dolcelatte cheese, diced
200 g (7 oz) cream cheese salt and pepper
3 tablespoons chopped chives, to garnish

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the spring onions and cook over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the cheeses and stir while they blend into a smooth sauce.

Drain the pasta and transfer to a warmed serving bowl. Stir in the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the chives and serve immediately.

For cheese & leek filo parcels, fry 3 thinly sliced leeks in the oil until softened and beginning to brown, then leave to cool. Mix with the cheeses as above and 3 tablespoons chopped chives.

Melt 75 g (3 oz) butter in a saucepan. Put 8 sheets of filo pastry on a plate and cover with a damp tea towel. Working with 1 pastry sheet at a time, cut into 3 equal strips and brush well with melted butter.

Put a teaspoon of the cheese mixture at one end of each strip. Fold one corner diagonally over to enclose and continue folding to the end of the strip to make a triangular parcel.

Brush with melted butter and lay on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture and pastry to make about 24 small parcels. Bake in a preheated oven, 220°C (425°F), Gas Mark 7, for 8–10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

creamy blue cheese pasta

Thai chicken noodle salad

How to make Thai chicken noodle salad recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
250 g (8 oz) dried thin rice noodles
6 tablespoons Thai sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
juice of 2 limes
2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cucumber, cut into ribbons
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
small handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method:
Put the noodles in a large heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water to cover and leave to stand for 6–8 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until tender.

Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Whisk together the sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce and lime juice in a large bowl. Shred the chicken breasts and toss with the dressing to coat.

Add the noodles, cucumber and chilli to the chicken mixture and toss gently to combine. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve immediately.

For seafood noodle salad, cook the noodles as above. Prepare the dressing but replace the chicken with 500 g (1 lb) cooked peeled prawns and 200 g (7 oz) cooked shelled mussels. Scatter over a small handful of basil leaves instead of coriander leaves.

Thai chicken noodle salad

veggie carbonara

How to make veggie carbonara recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
400 g (13 oz) dried penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 courgettes, thinly sliced
6 spring onions, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) lengths
4 egg yolks
100 ml (3½ fl oz) crème fraîche
75 g (3 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the garlic, courgettes and spring onions and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes or until the courgettes are tender. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a bowl and season with salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Mix together with a fork.

Just before the pasta is ready, return the pan with the courgette mixture to the heat. Stir in the crème fraîche and bring to the boil.

Drain the pasta well, return to the pan and immediately stir in the egg mixture, Parmesan and the creamy courgette mixture. Stir vigorously and serve immediately with a scattering of extra grated Parmesan.

For asparagus carbonara, replace the courgettes with 250 g (8 oz) asparagus spears. Cut the spears into 2.5 cm (1 inch) lengths and cook in exactly the same way as the courgettes.

veggie carbonara

Tuna layered lasagne with rocket

How to make tuna layered lasagne with rocket recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
8 dried lasagne sheets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
2 courgettes, diced
500 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 x 200 g (7 oz) cans tuna in water, drained
65 g (2½ oz) wild rocket
4 teaspoons pesto pepper
basil leaves, to garnish

Method:
Cook the pasta sheets, in batches, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain and return to the pan to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the spring onions and courgettes and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the tomatoes, tuna and rocket and gently toss everything together.

Place a little of the tuna mixture on 4 serving plates and top each with a pasta sheet. Spoon over the remaining tuna mixture, then top with the remaining pasta sheets.

Season with plenty of pepper and top each with a spoonful of pesto and some basil leaves before serving.

For salmon lasagne, use 400 g (14 oz) salmon fillets. Pan-fry the fillets for 2–3 minutes on each side or until cooked through, remove the bones and skin, then flake and use in place of the tuna.

Tuna layered lasagne with rocket

Prosciutto and porcini pappardelle

How to make prosciutto and porcini pappardelle recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time about 10 minutes

Ingredients:
400 g (13 oz) fresh or dried pappardelle
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
250 g (8 oz) fresh porcini mushrooms, sliced
250 g (8 oz) prosciutto slices
150 ml (¼ pint) whipping cream
handful of parsley, chopped
75 g (3 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the garlic and porcini and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Cut the prosciutto into strips, trying to keep them separate.

Add to the porcini mixture with the cream and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and toss well. Scatter with the Parmesan, toss well and serve immediately.

For spaghetti with dried porcini & pine nuts, soak 125 g (4 oz) dried porcini in enough hot water to cover them for 15 minutes to rehydrate them. Drain, reserving the water, and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Cook 400 g (13 oz) dried spaghetti as above. Meanwhile, fry the porcini as above, then add the reserved soaking water to the pan and boil until the liquid has almost evaporated. Stir in the prosciutto and cream as above.

Briefly toast 2 tablespoons pine nuts in a frying pan and add to the sauce. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and toss well. Serve immediately.

Prosciutto and porcini pappardelle

pesto alla genovese

How to make pesto alla genovese recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
75 g (3 oz) basil leaves
25 g (1 oz) pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 tablespoon grated pecorino cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
250 g (8 oz) baby new potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
400 g (13 oz) dried trenette or linguine
150 g (5 oz) green beans, trimmed

Method:
Grind the basil, pine nuts and garlic in a mortar with a pestle until the mixture forms a paste. Stir in the cheeses, then slowly add the oil, a little at a time, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.

Alternatively, blend the basil, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor until the mixture forms a paste. Add the cheeses and process briefly, then, with the motor still running, pour in the oil through the feed tube in a thin, steady stream.

Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Add the beans 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Drain the pasta and vegetables, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return the cooked pasta and vegetables to the pan and stir in the pesto sauce, adding the reserved water to loosen the mixture. Serve immediately, with some extra grated Parmesan.

For pesto penne with sun-dried tomatoes & feta, make the pesto as above. Cook 400 g (13 oz) penne in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, toast a handful of pine nuts in a frying pan until golden, being careful not to let them burn, and chop 8 sun-dried tomatoes and set aside. Drain the pasta, stir through the pesto and sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle with the pine nuts and 100 g (3½ oz) crumbled feta. Serve immediately with a green salad.

pesto alla genovese

Fried rice with beans and tofu

How to make Fried rice with beans and tofu recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
about 750 ml (1¼ pints) sunflower oil, for deep-frying
½ x 250 g (8 oz) block ready-fried tofu, cubed
2 eggs
250 g (8 oz) cold cooked rice
1½–2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons crushed dried chillies
1 teaspoon fish sauce or salt
125 g (4 oz) green beans, trimmed and finely chopped mint leaves, to garnish

Method:
Heat the oil in a deep heatproof saucepan and deep-fry the tofu over a medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Spoon 2 tablespoonfuls of the hot oil into a wok. Heat the oil until hot, then break the eggs into it, breaking the yolks and stirring them around.

Add the rice, 1½ tablespoons of the soy sauce, chillies, fish sauce or salt and green beans and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes. Stir in the tofu and warm through with the rice for another 2–3 minutes. Add the remaining soy sauce to taste if liked.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with mint leaves scattered on top.

For quick prawn fried rice, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan over a very high heat, add 250 g (8 oz) cold cooked rice, 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh root ginger, 3 small deseeded and chopped red chillies, 4 sliced spring onions and 500 g (1 lb) small raw peeled prawns and cook for 5 minutes or until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and serve.

Fried rice with beans and tofu

Noodles with prawns and pak choi

How to make noodles with prawns and pak choi recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 5 minutes, Cooking time 12 minutes

Ingredients:
250 g (8 oz) dried medium egg noodles
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
20 raw peeled king prawns
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2 heads of pak choi, leaves separated
4 spring onions, finely sliced
handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Method:
Cook or soak the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan and add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. When really hot, add the noodles, flattening them down so that they cover the bottom of the pan.

Cook over a high heat for 3–4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Once they have coloured on the first side, turn the noodles over and brown on the other side. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until turning pink.

Add the soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1–2 minutes or until the prawns are pink and firm. Finally, add the pak choi and stir until the leaves begin to wilt.

Place the noodles on a large plate and top with the prawns and pak choi. Sprinkle with the spring onions and coriander and drizzle with the sesame oil.

For prawn & lemon grass stir-fry, heat a little vegetable oil in a wok, add 2 finely chopped shallots, 2 finely chopped lemon grass stalks, 1 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli, 1 crushed garlic clove and a 1.5 cm (¾ inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add 20 raw peeled king prawns and stir-fry until pink. Add 6 tablespoons light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil and the juice of 1 lime. Finally, add 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander.

Noodles with prawns and pak choi