We love this fairly classic recipe, it is simple and tasty, and can be served at any time of the year, including summer barbecues.

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes (in the oven), 15 minutes pan frying

INGREDIENTS:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, approx 6 oz each
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz fresh orange juice
Grated rind of 1 large orange
1 tsp honey
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

METHOD:

Heat oven to 340°F/170°C/Gas Mark 4.

Make sure the chicken breasts are no more than about ¾ inch thick. If you need to, gently ‘bash’ them with a rolling pin to get required thickness.

In a saucepan, gently soften the garlic in olive oil. On a low heat to start with, add the orange juice, zest, honey, rosemary and tomato puree, stirring to combine. Heat through for a few moments, then turn off the heat.

Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking tray and pour over the sauce. Bake for 15 minutes and test the center of the chicken. If cooked, remove from the baking tray. If still slightly pink, cook for a further 5 minutes until ready. The sauce will have reduced and thickened.

Remove the chicken and place onto a warm plate, and pour over the remaining sauce. Serve with braised leeks and fennel for a light aniseed taste, sweet corn or your own choice of vegetables or salad.

Alternatively, finely shred a little red chili and sprinkle over the top.

A version of the traditional British dish known as ‘rarebit’, where a combination of cheese, Worcestershire sauce and mustard are combined and grilled on top of toast for a quick supper (we have added chutney as an experiment and wow!). Why restrict this delicious topping to only toast! Try it on pork, it tastes really delicious – you can also substitute cheddar for blue cheese for an extra taste kick.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

4 x 5 oz pork steaks
½ tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp onion jam/chutney (you can buy this most supermarkets)
2 oz mild cheddar cheese or equivalent hard cheese, grated
2 or 3 stalks of fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
A sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp yellow mustard

METHOD:

Mix together the cheese, onion jam, thyme, mustard and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.

Lightly ‘bash’ the pork steaks, just to break up the muscle slightly and tenderize.

Heat the grill to high. While the grill is coming up to capacity, place the pork on to a flat baking tray (you can line it with foil if you want) and top evenly with the cheese mixture.

Grill until bubbling and almost forming a crust. Serve with broccoli, mixed greens or a tossed salad.

This healthy, main course uses lean pork fillets and takes only 30 minutes from start to finish! You can accompany it with rice or lovely creamy and buttery mashed potatoes and a few green beans – absolutely delicious. Alternatively, it is great for a brunch or lunch served in a long roll with crisp lettuce.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1¼ lb pork fillets, cut into approx 1½ inch thick slices
2 tbsp coarse black pepper (freshly ground)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken stock cube
1 large red onion, halved and sliced
5 oz cider vinegar
2½ oz maple syrup
Small bunch parsley, chopped

METHOD:

Season the meat on all sides with the black pepper and some salt.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Sear the meat on both sides until nicely browned. Remove from the pan and leave to rest.

Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan and caramelize. Cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the vinegar and let reduce for 1 min. Stir in the maple syrup, crumble in the stock cube, stir then return the pork to the pan and heat for 5 minutes until cooked through. Serve the pork and sauce with the creamy potato or rice and beans. Add some fresh chopped parsley over the potato.

Tip: Add either Dijon mustard (2 tsp) or apple sauce (2 tbsp) to the mash to give it an extra lift and a different taste!

Delicious breaded pork steaks are accompanied by a delightful pasta, comprising red onions, baby tomatoes, herbs and cornichons, the latter of which adds a little acidity to the dish.  Quick to make, an easy weekday or weekend supper dish.

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

INGREDIENTS:

For the pork
2 x 6 oz or 7oz  pork steaks
6 oz  breadcrumbs
1 tbsp dried parmesan cheese
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten
1½ tbsp olive oil for frying

For the pasta
6 oz  rigatoni, penne or other pasta that you like
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
10 baby tomatoes, preferably red and yellow
1 red onion, very finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Handful parsley, finely chopped or basil or rosemary if you prefer
2 tsp capers, chopped or 2 tsp cornichons, chopped
½ tsp sugar

METHOD:

Mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan and black pepper in a large flat bowl.

In a separate flat bowl, pour in the egg mix.

Prepare your pasta dressing by heating the olive oil in a pan and gently softening the onion and garlic – do not burn. Add the tomatoes and continue to soften until they still have a slight bite to them.

Add the white wine vinegar, capers and chopped parsley, and leave to simmer for one minute. Season with ground black pepper.

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions, or to your own taste. While the pasta is cooking, dip the pork steaks first in the egg, and then completely coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Pan fry for 6-7 minutes on one side, flip over and cook for 4-5 minutes on the other side. Keep warm.

Finish your dish by draining the pasta, adding 1 tbsp olive oil and the pasta dressing. Top with some ground black pepper.

Place the pork steaks on top or to one side of the pasta. Serve with a tossed green salad or green beans.

A delicious dish to have as a change to potatoes, a great accompaniment to a rich stew or casserole once the autumn and winter evenings start to draw in. Use your own selection of herbs, but woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme tend to work the best.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

10 oz double cream
3½ oz full fat milk
2 bay leaves
4 or 5 thyme sprigs
2 or 3 rosemary sprigs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
1 tbsp salted butter, for greasing
1 large butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced. If you have a mandolin or similar slicer, it is much quicker!
3½ oz mature Cheddar or other hard cheese

METHOD:

Heat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Put the cream, milk, bay leaf, sprig of thyme, the garlic and ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg in a saucepan, and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for 15 mins.

Grease a large baking dish with the butter, then layer up the butternut squash, adding seasoning and a few thyme leaves and rosemary leaves in between. Pour over the infused cream, leaving the bay and thyme on the top.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 mins. Uncover then scatter with the cheese. Leave uncovered and bake for 30 mins or until the squash is tender and the whole dish is bubbling and golden (test the center with a knife). Leave to cool slightly as this dish will be extremely hot.

If you have a vegetable slicer, use this for the smaller shreds of veg, or a grater. Combine with small diced vegetables to fill sweet and juicy big beef tomatoes for baking in the oven. This is a lovely and simple to prepare dish for vegetarians or as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time:  25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

4 large (beef) tomatoes
1small red onion, diced
1 small zucchini, sliced with your slicer (thin end) or grated
¼ celeriac, sliced with slicer (thin end) or grated
¼ eggplant, finely diced
4 baby (cherry) tomatoes, halved
A little chili powder to taste
1½ tbsp olive oil
Sprinkling of dried mixed herbs

METHOD:

Heat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Gently soften the onion and celeriac in the olive oil. When softened, add the eggplant and continue to soften. Add sliced zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Mix in the chili power to taste. Leave to one side.

Cut the large tomatoes in half and slice a little off each round end so that they will stand up on a baking tray. Remove the inner core and seeds. Turn upside down on some kitchen paper to drain.

When drained, season the insides with a little salt and pepper, and pile in the vegetable mixture, leaving a little of the celeriac for topping. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

These are delicious little pasties, ideal for a light lunch, served with salad, or even an accompaniment to a curry or as part of a buffet party. Try serving with a little chutney or relish.

Makes: 16
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

4 sheets filo pastry
12 oz strong flavored mushrooms, such as field or porcini
2 oz butter, melted
Extra butter for frying
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or minced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz feta or goats cheese (omit this if you are serving with a curry)

METHOD:

Heat oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Cook the mushrooms, shallot and garlic in butter over a low heat until tender. Add the thyme and cook for a further 2 minutes. (add cheese at this point, if required).

You can either place this mix in a liquidizer and pulse until fine, or chop the mix yourself so that there is still texture, and not almost liquidized.

Lay a sheet of filo on the work surface and brush with the melted butter. Make sure you keep the other sheets covered with a wet tea towel. Cut into 4 strips.

Place 1 tbsp of the mushroom mix about ½ inch in from the corner and fold over to a triangle shape. Continue folding up and down, keeping the triangle shape. Place on the baking tray.

Repeat the process until you have made all 16 triangles. Brush each triangle liberally with melted butter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve on a platter garnished with leaves and chopped herbs, or with a salad for a light meal.

A delicious, warming and traditional dessert that is quite filling. The addition of mango slices to the top adds another texture and compliments the rice pudding really well. One of the children’s favorites.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hr

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz short-grain rice
8 oz coconut milk
4 oz milk
2 tsp orange zest
4 tsp caster sugar
1½ tsp vanilla essence
4 oz cream
2 medium sized mangos, stone removed, peeled and sliced
Sprinkling brown sugar or cinnamon

METHOD:

Place the rice, coconut milk, milk, zest, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over a low/medium heat and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and leave to cool with the lid on. If you don’t have a pan with a suitable lid, cover with aluminum foil.

When the mixture is cold, stir in the cream. Pour into a serving bowl, top with mango and a sprinkling of brown sugar or cinnamon.

The Sicilians claim that arancini originated on their island, but other Italian regions totally disagree! Whoever invented it did a great job with these little morsels of risotto rice and a variety of fillings. We have kept the simple version, but you can stuff the balls with meat, bolognaise, ham and cheese, mushroom, almost anything! If you have made a risotto, this is a great way to use up any leftovers.

Makes: 16-20 balls
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

9 oz risotto or arborio rice
1 onion, very finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed
1 oz fresh Parmesan, grated
5 oz white wine
20 oz Vegetable Stock
16-20 tiny mozzarella balls (sometimes called Mozzarella Pearls)
5 oz all purpose flour
2 medium eggs, beaten
4 oz dried breadcrumbs (we actually used panko)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 small jar of sundried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

METHOD:

Using a little olive oil, add the chopped onion and crushed garlic to a pan and cook for 2 minutes or so until soft.

Put the risotto rice into the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes to coat the grains before adding the white wine.

Wait until the wine has been absorbed by the rice then add some of the stock. Stir to distribute, then repeat the process every time the wine is absorbed.

Once the risotto has achieved the right level of tenderness (you don’t want it to be slushy) put to one side to allow it to cool.

Heat a deep-fat fryer to 340°F/170°C/Gas Mark 4 (or whatever temperature you normally use).

In the meantime, take a palmful of the rice and gently place some chopped sundried tomatoes and the mozzarella pearl into the center. Roll into a ball. Repeat this with the remaining risotto.

Roll the balls in flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs, until all balls are coated.

Drop into the hot oil in batches. Make sure you have kitchen paper to hand to drain the balls of excess oil.

Serve with a side salad or leaf salad and a tomato dip.

You guests will think you are so clever and creative when you serve these delicious paella baskets. The lovely tortilla ‘basket’ is made so easily and resembles an open shell from the beach and is filled with a mouthwatering selection of fish and/or seafood. You can also make this basket with chicken and chorizo, if  you have guests who are allergic to fish. The baskets can be made the day before, as can the fish stew part of the recipe, as long as you reheat to the correct temperature. You will need a large dutch oven or casserole dish to prepare the fish, one with a lid that can be put on top of the stove.

Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

6 tortillas
1 lb mixed fish such as cod, haddock, salmon or any firm white fish
8 oz large raw prawns/shrimp
A few mussels (say 2 per basket) or clams (4 per basket)
2 pints fresh fish stock
1 large glass dry white wine
4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
Large bunch parsley, very finely chopped
8 oz cooked saffron rice (cook rice as per packet instructions but add saffron in at the beginning of the cooking process)
Seasoning to taste

METHOD:

Heat oven to 180°C.

First prepare your baskets, by greasing/oiling the outsides of 6 coffee mugs. Wrap the tortilla around each mug (upside down). They should stick to the mug, but if you are struggling, you can always use a piece of string to tie each one.

Place the tortilla baskets onto a tray and into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing string if you have used it.

In a large dutch oven/casserole dish, pour in the white wine and fish stock, and scatter in the garlic. Bring to the boil and then turn to a simmer. Add the fish pieces first. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, and then add the prawns/shrimp and half the parsley. Place the lid on to allow the fish to steam. After 5 minutes, add the mussels or clams, ensuring they are completely clean, and none are ‘open’. Replace the lid and steam for a further minute until the mussels open.

Line the bottom of each basket with the cooked rice, then ladle on the seafood mixture and some of the poaching liquid. Scatter with remaining parsley and serve.