A tasty one pot dish, which is very rich and slightly smoky from the paprika. It’s delicious served with mash or rice – a swirl of sour cream does not go amiss either!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large chicken, jointed (or use large chicken legs, thighs and breasts, halved)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp hot paprika
1 tbsp flour
½ pint chicken stock
3 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 red peppers, de-seeded and cut into ½ inch strips, or miniature peppers halved and deseeded
4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped, or whole baby cherry tomatoes
8 oz sour cream

METHOD:

Rub the chicken pieces with the salt. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan and brown the chicken all over for a few minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set to one side.

To the same pan, add the onions and garlic and sweat for about five minutes. Add the sweet and hot paprika, then the flour, and stir until combined - take care not to burn it.

Add the stock and stir. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, adding a bit more stock if the mixtures seems too dry.

Add half of the chopped parsley and bring to the boil. Add the red pepper strips, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and simmer gently for about one hour.

When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and the remaining parsley. Check the seasoning and serve.

Another easy to make brunch or snack dish – the baguette can be a day old, or you can prepare up to cooking, one day in advance. A hot dish, but just as good on a summer day, served with a crisp salad.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes, or until set

INGREDIENTS:

1 baguette (approximately 18-20 inches)
8 oz baby spinach
8 oz thick cream
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced or crushed
Zest of 1½ lemons
2 tsp English mustard
3½ oz strong cheese or gruyere (makes it nice and gooey!)
Seasoning to taste

METHOD:

Heat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas mark 4.

Cut the baguette in half (across the width), and remove most of the soft breadcrumbs inside. You can keep these breadcrumbs in the freezer for use on another dish.

Blanch the spinach in piping hot water and drain thoroughly. Leave to cool.

Mix the cream, eggs, garlic, mustard and lemon zest together. Make sure the spinach is as dry as possible and chop finely before adding to the mixture. Mix in half the cheese and thoroughly combine.

Spoon the filling into each baguette ‘shell’, sprinkle over the last of the cheese.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the filling has ‘set’.

Serve with your choice of salad. If you have any mix left over, you can make mini crustless quiches in a muffin tin.

Some classic Italian ingredients make this a delightful supper dish. A bit of a ‘cheat’s’ version, but hey – does it matter! By all means make your own pasta if you have time, but fresh lasagne sheets will suffice.

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

4 sheets fresh lasagne
9 oz fresh baby spinach
9 oz tub ricotta cheese
2 small handfuls pine nuts
8 baby cherry tomatoes
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
Seasoning

METHOD:

If the lasagne sheets seem a little tough, by all mean soak them in warm water for a few minutes, then drain.

Wilt half of the spinach leaves for 2 minutes with a little water in a covered pan. Drain thoroughly and finely chop.

Mix the spinach with the ricotta, nutmeg and plenty of seasoning. Put a dollop of the mix evenly on 2 of the lasagne sheets, (you should get 4 dollops per sheet). Use the beaten egg around the rim of the lasagne sheet, and place the other sheet on top of each of the spinach sheets. Stick down firmly.

Using a sharp knife or cutter, cut each parcel into 4 pieces, so that you have large ravioli. Set aside.

If you want toasted pine nuts, toast them now and set aside, otherwise just leave until the end.

In another pan, place a little olive oil and soften the cherry tomatoes. Drop in the remaining spinach, stir and let wilt a little so that both vegetables are slightly soft.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the ravioli for 4-5 minutes, until ‘al dente’. Drain and place on a plate.

Top with the spinach and tomato mix and scatter over the pine nuts and parmesan. Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Use chunks of stewing beef in your chili con carne for a more hearty and filling dish. Serve with rice and coriander, or crispy potato.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours or until meat is tender

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
14 oz diced stewing beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ tsp ground cumin
1-2 tbsp chipotle paste (or gluten-free alternative), depending on how spicy you like it
14 oz can kidney beans in chili sauce
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 lime, zested and cut into wedges
Handful coriander, leaves only, chopped

METHOD:

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the beef chunks for a few minutes on each side until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan, with extra oil if needed, and cook until softened.

Stir in the garlic, cumin and chipotle paste, and cook for 1 minute. Use a sieve or strainer for the kidney beans, reserving the sauce. Add this sauce, along with the chopped tomatoes and a can full of water, to the pan.

Stir well, then put the meat back into the pan. Bring up to a simmer, then cook, covered, for 2 hrs or until the beef is tender (or cook in the oven for 3 hours at 325°F/160°C/Gas mark 3).

Add the reserved kidney beans and lime zest, season and warm through. Serve with a scattering of coriander leaves, the lime wedges to squeeze over, and your choice of rice, wedges, or bread.

A delicious ‘no cook’ supper for 2, or an entrée for 4 – whichever way it is a really tasty beef dish!

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: No Cooking Time

INGREDIENTS:

For the carpaccio
11 oz good-quality rib-eye or fillet steak
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried chili flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 oz fresh broad beans, podded, blanched
1 lime, juice only
2 handfuls rocket leaves/arugula/mixed leaves
Parmesan shavings - optional

METHOD:

For the carpaccio, begin by placing the steak between two sheets of silicone paper and flattening it out with a meat mallet or rolling pin. This helps to tenderize the beef. Place the beef onto a baking tray and place in the freezer to firm up but not freeze completely, about 30 minutes. This makes it so much easier to slice!

In a bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and chili flakes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, remove the steak from the freezer and slice thinly with a very sharp knife. Arrange the slices on a plate, drizzle over the chili dressing. Place on a bed of rocket/arugula and garnish with broad beans, coriander and lime.

If you are using parmesan, sprinkle the shavings over the top – delicious!

Make sure the steak is fully defrosted before serving!

A really easy but delicious warm and comforting pudding for the winter months. If you don’t like cherries (the very first clafoutis was made with cherries) you can substitute for other soft fruit.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: Less than 30 minutes
Cook Time: Approx  30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 free-range eggs
2¾ oz caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
1½ oz plain flour
3½ oz double cream or crème fraîche
3½ oz milk
Butter, for greasing
8 oz cherries, stoned
9 inch sweet pastry case

METHOD:

For the clafoutis, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk together. Sift over the flour and whisk well then stir in cream or crème fraîche and milk. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Lightly butter a round baking dish (the size of the pastry case or thereabouts) and sprinkle with a light dusting of sugar to coat.

Place the pastry case inside the dish. Scatter the cherries in the dish and gently pour over the clafoutis batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the batter is just firm to the touch. If it is too soft in the center, bake for a further five minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before serving.

For a sweet and lovely accompaniment, whip together cream,  a little icing sugar and vanilla seeds to soft peaks and spoon over the clafoutis.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 1 hr

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs short ribs (6-8 three inch pieces)
1½ cups pitted dark cherries (fresh or dried)
1 cup bone broth (make your own or buy natural from the supermarket)
2 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil

METHOD:

In a cast iron skillet, add 1tbsp olive oil and brown all sides of the short ribs. Remove and set aside.

In a skillet or frying pan sauté the onions and garlic until softened. Add cherries, zest thyme, lemon juice and broth.
Cook for 5 minutes then add the short ribs. Stir and continue to cook for about 10 minutes.

Transfer everything to a baking dish, cover and cook on a low heat (300°F) for approx 1 and half hours.  Test that the ribs are tender – if not return to the oven for a further half an hour. Continue until ribs are meltingly tender (ovens vary, so persevere!)

This dish is so tasty with either roasted vegetables, or go really oriental and serve with bok-choi and green onion stir fry.

A good summery salad as a light lunch or early supper, but still delicious in the winter months. You can serve this salad warm or cold.

Serves:  4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes (for the potatoes)

INGREDIENTS:

4 cooked smoked trout fillets (approx. 4 oz each)
1 lb baby ‘new’ potatoes, cooked for 15-20 minutes
8 green onions or scallions, cleaned and chopped at an angle
4 tbsp mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
Plenty of freshly milled black pepper
A few sprigs of mint, finely chopped

METHOD:

Cook the potatoes until tender, but try not to split them.

In a bowl, flake the smoked trout, add the green onions, pepper, mayonnaise, lemon juice and chopped mint.

Add the potatoes whilst still warm, or wait until they are cold. Mix everything thoroughly.

Place on one large plate or separate plates, season and serve with a little more salad.

Lovely melting fishcakes with a soft cheesy center and quick to make and cook and a big favorite, particularly with the children. A warm minted pea and potato salad is a great accompaniment and a change from chips or fries.

Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 x 6 oz cod loins, skinned, boned and cut into cubes
4 spring onions, finely sliced
12 oz floury potatoes, cooked and mashed
2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
Flour for dusting
4 oz garlic and herb cream cheese, or cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp sunflower oil
For the minted pea and potato salad
6 oz baby potatoes, skin on, boiled and cut into small pieces
8 oz frozen peas, defrosted and warmed through in the microwave
½ red onion, finely chopped
8-10 mint leaves, finely chopped
2 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
6 cornichons (gherkins) finely chopped

METHOD:

Pre-heat grill.

In a large bowl, mix together the fish, cooked potatoes, spring onions and parsley.

Dust hands with flour and divide the mix into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a ‘burger’ or patty, flattening slightly.

Place a spoonful of cheese in the middle of 6 of the patties, top with another patty and mould together. Repeat the process until you have 6 fishcakes.

Coat the fishcakes in beaten egg and then breadcrumbs, and place on a foil lined baking tray. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, turning once and brushing with oil.

Meanwhile, crush the peas and mix with the potatoes, cornichons, red onion, chopped mint and mayo, serving slightly warm.

Place fishcakes and potato salad mix on each plate and serve.

Lovely way to start the day if combined with bacon or fresh fruit, or you can eat this as a delicious but filling dessert!

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 10-12 minutes
Cook Time: 5-8 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2½ oz whole wheat flour
2½ oz almond flour (you can mix plain flour with ground almonds)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 egg
3 tsp maple syrup
3½ oz buttermilk
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ oz pecans, chopped reasonably small
2 oz dried raisins or sultanas
Butter or oil, as needed (for cooking)

METHOD:

Sift flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a mixing bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk one egg. Whisk in the maple syrup, buttermilk, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour mix. Fold in the pecans and the raisins. Do not overwork the batter. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to allow batter to settle.

Heat non-stick griddle or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with butter or oil. Measure one half cup of batter and pour into hot pan and let cook until bubbles appear. Flip pancake and cook until brown.

Serve stack of pancakes with pecans, raspberries or blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey if you prefer.

Makes 5 or 6 pancakes depending how big you like them! You could also serve with crispy bacon and a little more maple syrup for breakfast – yummy!