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Parmesan Crusted Plaice and Salad

A Jamie Oliver Recipe from App Store
Made this in London

For 2 people

4 x 100g plaice fillets skinned (mine weren't skinned but I can see the benefit) for how to skin fish look up youtube or get fishmonger to do it. you will need a sharp and thinnish knife.

1 med avocado ( I used two)
100g watercress
1 punnet cress (I used rocket)
1 lemon
half a fresh red chilli
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 medium egg (this was touch and go, might need two)
50g parmesan cheese ( i think we used half one of those blocks of parmesan)
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil

pre heat oven to a low setting, warm plates if you want.

Stone and peel avocado , this is how: first cut into avocado lengthwise until you can feel stone, and roll knife all the way around the fruit, then do the same thing lengthwise so that you have quarters segmented. Hold the fruit and twist like taking a top off a jar. and the flesh should come away from the stone. Throw away stone and hold the skin and peel off flesh, should come away easily. Flesh is a bit soft but you should be able to chop it into bite size pieces.

Put avocado pieces into a bowl
Take stalks off watercress and add to bowl also put in snipped cress or rocket.

Make the vinaigrette:
Finely grate the zest of the lemon into a small bowl then squeeze lemon juice into same bowl. Add three times as much extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper- put to one side.

De-seed and finely chop chilli

Coating the Plaice, Ideally you need three plates one of which should hold a lightly whisked egg (bowl?)

First plate put flour with salt and pepper
Second plate put whisked egg
Third plate grated parmesan

get a frying pan with a bit of oil hot.
Place the fish fillets on the plate with the flour and turn so that they are coated with flour, then dip the fillets into the egg and then into the cheese so that they now have a cheese coating. I find it easiest to put them straight into the frying pan.

They dont need much cooking, fry until golden brown underneath and then turn over add the chopped chilli for the last minute. Toss the salad in the dressing and serve with the fish.

Spicy Parsnip Soup

Just thought I would add this one as its and all time favourite of mine and cheap.

serves 2

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
1 med potato peeled and chopped
250g parsnips (2 parsnips?) peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp of curry powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ground cardomen
3/4 litre of veg stock
salt and pepper
double cream/creme fraiche

Melt the butter, cook onion and potato 3 to 4 mins until softened add parsnips and mix well. Stir in ground spices and cook for another minute. Should smell nice.. Pour in stock and bring to the boil. Lower heat and cover pan , simmer for 20mins until parnips are soft. ( all depending on how small you cut them) . Remove from heat and use blender to process until smooth , season and serve with a swirl of cream.

menu for the week

Tues: Potato and Fennel Soup (Hugh FW)

Wed: Full English Breakfast (Ainsley Friends and Family)

Thu: Gills Poached Leek and Dorset Blue Vinny Tart (Hugh FW)

Fri: French Bread Pizza Toasts (Ainsley FF)

Sat: Baked Chicken/Quorn Curry (Hugh FW)

Sun: Caremelized Leek and Bacon Pilaff (Ainsley FF)

Mon: Pizza (Hugh FW)

Suprise Tatin

This is a very tasty recipe, best to use ready rolled pastry, we used a rectangular baking dish to bake it in and then turn it upside down to serve.

serves 4
200g cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g baby potatoes
1 large onion
40g sugar
10g butter
2 tsp oregano
150g hard goats cheese
1 sheet of puff pastry
salt and pepper
parchment paper
oven 130C

First the Tomatoes

Cut them in half on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and salt and pepper. place in oven for 45mins to dry.

Then potatoes

Boil for 25mins in salted water, cut into 1 to 2cm discs.

Then onions

Fry the onion with the oil and some salt for 10mins until golden brown.

Brush the baking dish with oil (we used a rectangular dish but the recipe says 22cm round cake tin)
cut parchment paper to line the bottom. In a small pan cook the sugar and butter on a high heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to get a semi dark caramel. Pour the caramel evenly over the bottom scatter the oregano.

Lay the potato slices close toggehter, cut side down on the bottom of the tin Gently press onion and tomatoes into the gaps and sprinkle gently with salt and pepper. Spread the slice of goats cheese evenly over the potatoes . Cut puff pastry to fit and put on the top, gently tucking the edges in.

Pre heat oven to 200C and bake the tart for 25mins turn it down and bake for 15mins , though we found it took a lot less time say 20 mins.
Turn it upside down to serve, yes you can, be careful its very hot.

Menu for the week

Tue: Suprise Tatin (Ottolenghi)

Wed: Hot Smoked Trout Pate (Hugh FW)

Thu: Seasonal Tempura vegetables (Ottolenghi)

Fri: Fried Fish Fillet in Herbs and Lemon (Hugh FW)

Sat: Black Pepper Tofu (Ottolenghi)

Sun: Tartiflette toastie (Hugh FW)

Mon: Very Full Tart (Ottolenghi)

Menu for the week

Tues: Cheese topped trout (Trout Book)

Wed: Vindaloo (Jamie MOF)

Thur: Carrot and Dill Soup (Rose Elliot)

Fri: Sticky Chicken (Jamie at Home)

Sat: Toasted Cheese sandwich and Slaw (Nigella)

Sun: Bruschetta(Ainsley F&F)

Mon: Stuffed peppers(Jamie at Home)

Pomegranite ice cream

2 pomegranates
1 lime
175g icing sugar
500ml double cream

Press the juice out of the pomegranates and the lime
Add the icing sugar and whisk to dissolve
Whisk in the cream until it is thick and forms peaks
Spoon into an airtight container and freeze.

chicken dauphinoise

Of course you can use quorn fillets instead but I think if they are fried (from frozen) in a little olive oil and butter until they are slightly charred around the edges the flavour improves! I would do this first.

Serves 4
3 leeks
280 g small waxy potatoes sliced as thin as possible
1tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove peeled and chopped
200g of soft cheese with garlic and herbs
125ml white wine
175ml stock
2 tsp cornflour
4 chicken breasts/quorn fillets
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley to garnish

Oven 180C
clean and thickly slice leeks
heat olive oil in frying panand cook the leeks and garlic for3-4mins remove from heat and put in baking dish.
place the cheese, wine and stock and cornflour in a bowl and use a blender to process until smooth. Arrange the chicken / quorn on top of the leeks and season well pour over the sauce. Layer the potatoes on top and brush with melted butter . Cook for about and hour. until the potatoes are well cooked. If you use quorn the dish will require less cooking, say 20mins. Serve with parsley on top.

Chicken Korma

This was very good it is quick and has that initial creamy taste and then the heat hits the back of your mouth! And no coconut milk!
Its from Ainsley Harriots Meals in Minutes (I replaced the chicken with 4 quorn fillets for two.)
Serves 4 (or two large portions)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 onion chopped
350ml yog
200ml double cream
25g butter
half tsp salt
1tsp turmeric
2 tsp hot chilli powder
3 garlic cloves crushed
3 tablespoons ground almonds
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts each cut into six pieces
flaked almonds to garnish (toasted) i forgot these
naan breads or rice to go with
also if you can a cucumber and red onion salad (just thinly sliced and mixed with a mix of olive oil and vinegar (3:1)


If you are doing quorn best to fry the quorn until golden in some olive oil.

then make the rest:
Heat the oil and cook onion for 5 mins until softened. Place onion in a food processor (like a small one or a blender would do) with the yoghurt, cream, butter , salt , turmeric, chilli, garlic and almonds and whizz until blended. Arrange the chicken in a greased casserole dish and pour over sauce. Bake for 30mins at 200C. Of course you won't need as long if you have pre-cooked chicken or quorn. say 10mins? Garnish with almonds and or coriander if you wish and serve with naan or rice.

menu for the week

Tues: Sweet cherry tomato and sausage bake (Jamie at home)good old standby!

Wed:Full English Breakfast (Ainsley Friends and Family)

Thu: Scrambled Eggs with Anchovies and Asparagus (Ramsay Healthy)

Fri: Stuffed Trout with Tarragon sauce (Trout Book)

Sat: Borscht (Ramsay Healthy)

Sun: Crunch Brunch Mushrooms (Ainsley FF)

Mon: Tomato and Pesto Tart (Ramsay Fast)

Baked Fruit

You can use different fruits for this recipe, if they are small like strawberries , leave them whole, if larger cut into slices. If you don't like peel, take it off.
Good fruits to use are, apples, pears, peaches,apricots,plums,damsons, strawberries, etc, grapes?
So slice up what you have and put in a shallow baking dish. Cover with sugar, quite heavily, and drizzle over some water or wine or vermouth or brandy! Not a lot of that. Bake for 10 to 15 mins. Serve with creme fraiche or cream. Mmmmmm. It's nice if the sugar has had a vanilla pod in it but this requires some planning, a special sugar pot and it is expensive!

Spicy wedges

4 baking potatoes
2tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cajun seasoning

Half the scrubbed potatoes and then cut each half unto slim wedges. Pat them dry with kitchen roll and tip them into a baking tray. Cover th wedges with the oil and then the seasoning and Cajun spice. Cook for about half an hour at 200C.

menu for the week

Tues: Pancakes

Wed: Smoked mackerel , new potatoes and feta , mint and green leaf salad. (taste)

Thu: Leek Fritters (Otto Plenty)

Fri: Chicken Korma (Ainsley Meals in Minutes)

Sat: Zippy Zappy Baked Potatoes (Ainsley)

Sun: Salmon Fillet with a Horseradish Crust (Ainsley )

Mon: Butternut Squash and Parmesan soup(Taste)

Sausage and Garlic Mash with Onion, Red Wine and Rosemary Jus

Use organic sausages! I use Linda McCartney sausages of course.

Serves 2

however many sausages you want
oil for cooking

For the Garlic Mash

450g ? potatoes such as maris piper
25g butter
1 garlic clove

For the Jus

20g butter
1 onion ( i used red onion)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
150ml red wine
teaspoon of cornflour mixed with cold water for thickening
1/2 pint of stock from stock cube, beef or vegetable
1 stalk of rosemary
salt and pepper

Cook the sausages in a frying pan or in the oven.
JUS
melt the butter in a large frying pan and add chopped onions and sugar. Fry on a lowish heat for 20mins until soft and sticky.
MASH
Peel the potatoes and put them in a pan of boiling salted water until cooked (20 mins).
BACK TO JUS
When onion is cooked add red wine increase the heat and simmer rapidly until wine disappears. Stir in cornflour and stock and rosemary and salt and pepper and simmer until the rest is ready.

BACK TO MASH
Mash the potatoes when soft and then melt butter in a frying pan and fry chopped garlic for a little while. Stir into the mash and serve.
Serve sausages with mash and jus over the top.

(Ainsley Friends and Family recipe)

Menu for the week

Tues: Quesidillas (Ottolenghi)

Wed: Herb Stuffed Tomatoes (Ottolenghi)

Thu: Bruschetta Cherry Tomatoes Mozzarella and basil (Ainsley)

Fri: Leek Fritters (Ottolenghi)

Sat: Fishcakes with lemon Creme Fraiche (Ainsley)

Sun: Trout in Wine Sauce (Trout Book)

Mon: Sausage and Garlic Mash (Ainsley)

Bruschetta

This is about two large slices of bread or ciabatta rolls so would be enough for two people.

Cherry tomato, mozzarella and basil

Mix 1teaspoon balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons extra virgin oil and season to taste.
Add 150g mozzarella and 150g halved cherry tomatoes and a handful of basil
Mix.
Toast the rolls lightly on one side and rub a clove of garlic over them. Pile the mixture on the top and put a bit of rocket on it.

Vegetable Flan with Cheese Pastry

Serves 6! (but it will keep)

4 small carrots
1 bunch spring onions
8 sun-dried tomatoes (in oil is best, if dried you can soak them in water to revive them)
1 fresh tomato
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (any)
salt and pepper
300ml sour cream or single cream
2 eggs
50g of cheddar cheese grated or a bit less of parmesan

CHEESE PASTRY
175g plain flour
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
75g cold butter
50g of cheddar (or a bit less parmesan)

Make the pastry first and put it in the fridge to rest. Either mix it all in a food processor and add a small amount (dessert spoonful)
of cold water OR rub fat into flour and add cheese and pepper, then add small amount of water until it all sticks together in a ball, not too much water, just enough. Then put in fridge for 10mins. Roll out pastry and put it in a loose bottomed flan tin (mine is eleven inches diameter).

Doesn't matter if its a bit scruffy prick the bottom with a fork and put back in fridge to rest while the oven heats up.

Put oven on to 200C and bake the pastry for 10 mins until golden - to stop it rising up you can put some greaseproof paper and a crust of bread on the pastry to weight it slightly.(Take the paper and bread out after a while to allow pastry to brown)

FILLING
Scrub or peel carrots and cut into small slices and boil for 2 mins and then drain. Slice the spring onions, the sun-dried tomatoes and the fresh tomato.

Assemble all above and arrange on the cooked pastry base. Sprinkle with the herbs. and salt and pepper.

Get a bowl and put in eggs , cream and cheese and whip up together with a fork and pour on the top of the vegetables. Bake for 20 mins or until egg mixture is set on the top and browned.

menu for the week

Tues: Grandmothers Chicken Fried Rice (Ching-He)

Wed: Sweet and Sour Chicken (Taste)

Thu: Tofu Stir Fry with Halloumi(Rose Elliot)

Fri: Pakoras with Mint Chutney(Taste)

Sat: Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables(Rose Elliot)

Sun:Gorditas and Salsa (Jamie's America)

Mon: Gruyere Cheese Roulade (Rose Elliot)

Snappy Zappy Stuffed Tatties

Serves 4

4 x baking potatoes

8 rashers streaky bacon

2 leeks

6 spring onions

100g full fat soft cheese

salt and pepper

4 tablespoons of sour cream and cayenne pepper to serve

Scrub potatoes put in oven for 50min 220C . Fry bacon until crisp, add chopped leeks and spring onions and stir fry for a few mins. I cooked this slowly for about 10-15 mins, very low. Then add soft cheese and stir until it melts. remove from heat and season.

When potatoes are ready cut a cross in the top and fill with stuffing.

Top with filling and serve with tomato mothership from Jamie at home and green leaves.

Trout with Orange Sauce

Serves 2

4 fillets of trout

2 tsp butter

1 small onion chopped

50g button mushrooms chopped

25g white breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 egg beaten

juice of two oranges

salt and pepper

Dill sprigs to garnish (optional)

Orange Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

pinch of caster sugar

1 orange thinly sliced

juice of one orange

juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Preheat oven 190C gas 5. Melt butter in a smally pan and fry the onion for 5mins

2. Add the mushrooms and fry for a minute remove from heat and stir in breadcrumbs, parsley and egg and season.

3.Put trout in an oven dish and mixture on the top of each fish fillet.

4. season and pour over orange juice. Cover dish with foil and cook for 20mins in oven. Take off the foil halfway if you like, I do.

5.Sauce, melt butter add sugar add orange slices to the pan and brown on both sides add the orange and lemon juice and stir well cook for 2-3mins and remove from heat.

6 Carefully serve trout with sauce over top. garnish with orange slices

Menu for the week

Part week:

Wed: Trout in Orange

Thu: Cheese and Onion Tart Tatin

Fri: Snappy Zappy Stuffed Tatties

Sat: Tabbouleh with Roasted Salmon

Sun: Quorn Parmegiana

Mon: Pancakes

Jamie's sauce - Tomato, olive, basil and chilli

You can have this with cooked Chicken , Fish or Quorn etc.

2 cloves garlic

a small handful of black olives

a few sprigs of basil

1 fresh red chilli

olive oil

1 tin chopped tomatoes

salt and pepper

Peel and finely slice garlic Squash the olives to remove the stones and chop. Pick the leaves of the basil. Deseed and finely slice chilli. In a frying pan on a high heat with oil in put in garlic olives and chilli. When the garlic is lightly golden add basil and give pan a shake. Add tomatoes , stir and bring to the boil. Season and serve with cooked chicken, quorn or fish etc.

Carrot and Orange Soup

As below but when you puree the soup add the grated rind and freshly squeezed juice of one orange. ( I suppose you would leave the coriander out).

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Cheap soups here we go...

25g butter

1 onion chopped

450g carrots scraped and sliced

225g potatoes peeled and diced

900ml vegetable stock or water

salt and pepper

5 fl oz single cream

1 tsp ground coriander

Heat butter in large saucepan then add onion , fry for 5 min on a low heat. Add the carrots and potatoes and coriander, cover and cook gently for 10 mins. Add the stock bring to the boil then simmer for 15 mins until carrots are tender. Blend with blender. Add cream and salt and pepper to taste , sprinkle with chopped coriander if you have some.

Tomato and Pesto Tart

Wow this is great - you could cut it up small and use it as party food or as a starter.. We had it as a main meal with a green salad mmmm.

serves 4

250g puff pastry (we used ready rolled jus rol puff pastry and it just fitted on to a baking tray.)

plain flour to dust

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbspn water to glaze

2-3 tablespoons pesto

100g cherry tomatoes halved

1 small rosemary sprig

few thyme sprigs

2 spring onions finely sliced

2 tablespoons grated parmesan

3-4 basil leaves roughly chopped

olive oil to drizzle

heat oven to 220 C roll out pastry or if ready rolled put on greased baking tray

spread pesto over pastry

arrange tomatoes over pesto

scatter rosemary thyme , onions and parmesan and bake for 20mins. until pastry is golden brown,

scatter with basil and drizzle with olive oil. serve.

Green Thai Curry

It's so easy!!!!!

serves 4

200ml coconut milk

3 tablespoons Thai curry paste

2 tablespoons runny honey

1 lime

450g chicken breast

fresh coriander

1 red chilli

1. Pour the coconut cream into a shallow non-metallic dish. Add the curry paste, runny honey and lime juice and mix well. Add the chicken, toss well and set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Transfer to a saucepan and gently simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the coriander.

3. Garnish with coriander and the chilli, if you like, and serve with cooked basmati rice.

check out my recipe for rice below to go with it.

Soba noodles with aubergine and mango and halloumi

OMG this is amazing... really fine combination of flavours, worth saying that I couldn't find a good picture, this is just noodles, imagine big blobs of yellow mango in it and purple aubergine and green herbs, it is eaten cold as a salad but fantastic with fried thick slices of halloumi cheese which is available at a supermarket in a packet.

You cook the aubergine and then the noodles and then leave them in the dressing for an hour , then serve.

serves 4 (you will need a sieve and or colander)

Make the dressing first:

120ml rice vinegar

40g caster sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 garlic cloves crushed

1/2 red chilli finely chopped

1 tsp sesame oil

grated zest and juice of one lime

in a small saucepan heat the vinegar sugar and salt until dissolved. Take off heat and add garlic chilli sesame oil and leave to cool. Then add zest and juice of lime. Put to one side.

Then cook the aubergines and noodles:

220ml sunflower oil

2 aubergines diced into 1 cm cubes (i'd like them bigger)

250g soba noodles

1 large ripe mango (diced into small cubes)

40g basil leaves (chopped)

1/2 red onion finely chopped

40g coriander leaves chopped

heat the sunflower oil and fry the aubergine until golden, then drain and sprinkle with salt. Leave to drain.

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for about 5mins until tender. Drain and rinse well in cold water. Shake off as much water as possible.

In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing , mango, aubergine. Leave for an hour. (i only left it for 1/2 hour)

When ready to serve mix in herbs and onion. Fry the thick slices of halloumi until golden.

serve together. Absolutely amazing. Worth buying the obscure (some would say) ingredients!

menu for the week

Tues: Butternut squash and Parmesan soup (taste)

Wed: Soba noodles with aubergine and mango and halloumi (Otto plenty)

Thu: Chilli cheese omellette (taste)

Fri: Quesadillas (Otto plenty)

Sat: Feta, mina and green leaf salad (taste)

Sun: White bean soup (tast)

Mon: Tomato and pesto tart (ramsays fast food)

Green pancakes and lime butter

serves 3 - 4

Lime butter (do this first and put it in the fridge)

100g butter (you can do less, I found this quite a lot)

grated zest of 1 lime

1 and half tablespoons lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

1/2 garlic clove chopped

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Beat butter until soft and add in all ingredients, wrap up in foil or greaseproof paper and put in fridge.

Now the pancakes

250g spinach

110g self raising flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 egg

50g butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

150ml milk

6 spring onions finely sliced

1 egg white

olive oil for frying

Wilt the spinach in a pan with a splash of water. Drain in a sieve and when cool chop up (its a bit squidgy but chop it up roughly) put it to one side.

pancake batter:

put the flour, baking powder, whole egg, melted butter, salt, cumin and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the spring onions, chillies and spinach and mix. Whisk the egg whites up to form peaks and then fold into the mixture gently.

To fry in a small amount of olive oil:

spoon some mixture into the frying pan, about the size of pancake you want (2 desertspoons?) and cook for 2mins on each side. Until golden.

Serve with the butter.

Butternut squash and parmesan soup

serves 3

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1/4 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 butternut squash

1/2 litre stock

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs parsley

35g of parmesan cheese rind

2 fl oz of creme fraiche

salt and pepper

grated parmesan to serve

gently fry the onions garlic and chilli flakes in olive oil for about 10 mins.

Peel the butternut squash and chop in half and take out the seeds, then chop it up . Doesn't matter how big.

Stir pieces into onion.

Continue to cook until squash softens. Add stock herbs and parmesan rind , simmer for 45 mins. Discard the herbs and parmesan rind (only there to flavour). and liquidize the soup, add the creme fraiche and season to taste.

Steamed Jasmine Rice

Easy rice recipe, when cooked in correct quantities all water will be soaked up and no sieve required.

350g Jasmin rice

1 pint water

Put rice in a pan add the water and bring to the boil. Cover pan with lid and reduce to a low heat , leave for 15 - 20 mins. Fluff up the rice and serve.

Menu for the week

Tues: Lemon paprika and honey glazed chicken (Taste)

Wed: Fried butterbeans with feta and spinach and sumac (Ottolenghi)

Thu: Spiced trout salad (Trout book)

Fri: Spiced parsnip soup (Taste)

Sat: Pepperonata with bubbling goats cheese (Ainsley)

Sun: Chicken parmegiana (Ainsley)

Mon: Hot Trout with red vegetables (trout book)

menu for the week

Tue: Mushroom tart (Rose Elliot)

Wed: Butternut squash and parmesan soup (Taste)

Thu: Grilled asparagus, courgettes and halloumi (Ottolenghi)

Fri: Grilled chicken (quorn) with tomato, basil and olive oil (Taste)

Sat: Crispy parmesan coated aubergine (Taste)

Sun: Roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes with caper vinaigrette (Ottolenghi, Plenty)

Mon: Green pancakes with lime butter (Ottolenghi, Plenty)

Cauliflower and cumin fritters

serves 4

1 small cauliflower 320g

120g plain flour

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 crushed garlic clove

2 shallots finely chopped

4 eggs

1 and a half tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

500ml sunflower oil for frying

menu for the week

Tue: Field mushrooms with Spinach, blue cheese and pine nuts (Ainsley)

Wed: Mozzarella, mushroom and tomato pizza (Kenwood)

Thu: American sweetcorn pancakes with tomatoes and scrambled egg and bacon (Ainsley

Fri: Cauliflower and cumin fritters with lime yoghurt (Ottolenghi)

Sat: Baked potatoes with caremelized onion, cherry tomatoes and feta (Ainsley)

Sun: Couscous with dried apricots and butternut squash (Ottolenghi)

Mon: Fried English breakfast

Spicy Chickpea, cumin and coriander soup

A really nice , really cheap and easy to make soup.

serves 4 (makes way too much I know but you'll have to halve or quarter it. I made the full quantity and it does serve four with a bowl and a half each!)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsps ground cumin

2 x 400g tins of chickpeas

1 and a half pints of veg stock

20g pack of fresh coriander chopped

juice of half a lemon

a few drops of tabasco sauce (i suppose a hot sauce would do)

salt and pepper

heat the oil in a pan and add onion and garlic, slow fry for 10mins without burning. stir in the cumin and leave cooking for a minute. Add the chickpeas and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10mins.

Add the coriander and use blender. Before serving add lemon juice and tabasco. Season and serve swirled with olive oil.

menu for the week

Tues: Fishcakes with anchovy dressing (Ramsay)

Wed: Jazz and Spice Shepherds Pie (Ainsley)

Thu: Glazed Salmon with pak choi and shiitake mushrooms

Fri: Cha cha cha chimichangas (Ainsley)

Sat: Hummus roasted red pepper and spinach wraps

Sun: Cawleys Fish and Chips

Mon: Spicy Chick pea, cumin and coriander soup

Menu for the week

Tue: Grilled cheese sandwich and slaw

Wed: Citrus crusted cod with cajun spuds

Thu: Finger licking chicken

Fri: Wan Kai Thai Style red curry

Sat: Mirin glazed salmon

Sun: Ciabatta Sandwich of grilled vegetables

Mon: Butternut Squash with pecans and blue cheese.

menu for the week

I'm a bit behind with putting the menus up so if there are any recipes required let me know.

Tue: Garlic mushroom parcels

Wed: Sundried tomato and two cheese flan

Thu: Fried mushrooms tomatoes, potatoes and poached egg

Fri: Stuffed tomato tortillas

Sat: Barbeque

Sun: Poached Egg , hash browns and roasted tomatoes

Mon: Smoked Trout Horseradish and New Potato salad

Cheese 'n' Onion Tarte Tatin

Serves 2

2 large red onions finely sliced

2 oz cheddar cheese grated

shortcrust pastry (4 oz)

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

2 tbs soft dark brown sugar

fry the onion slowly in a tbs olive oil and knob of butter about 10mins. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook for another 2mins. Put onion into a pie dish and cover with most of the grated cheese. Cover with pastry and tuck in the edges. Pierce the pastry with a fork

and cook for 20mins at 200C . When brown on top let it settle a little and then turn it out upside down so that the pastry is on the bottom.

Menu for the week

Tues: Cheese n Onion Tarte Tatin

Wed: Sticky Chicken

Thur: Creamy Cheese grilled smoked haddock

Fri: Stuffed Peppers

Sat: Oven Fried Chilli chicken

Sun: Hash Browns Poached eggs and roasted tomatoes

Mon: Chilli cheese toast

Hash Browns

serves 4

1 egg beaten

4 medium potatoes peeled

1 medium onion

salt and pepper

oil

Coarsly grate the potatoes and onion into a clean tea towel and then squeeze out the excess liquid by twisting the towel.

Add the egg a good couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Mix ingredients.

Heat oil in a frying pan add spoonfuls of the potato and flatten into patties. Flip over once browned and crispy.

Menu for the week

TUE: Acapulco chicken

WED: Fried bacon, poached egg, tomato, mushroom and hash browns

THU: Chilli con carne

FRI: Jazz and Spice Shepherds Pie

SAT: Trout with Roasted Asparagus

SUN: Awesome Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

MON: Summer Tray baked Salmon

Not your everyday sandwich

a pack of part cooked ciabetta or slices of bread

one pack of halloumi cheese

half a cucumber

tub of hummus

lemon

jar of roasted peppers

olive oil

rocket

started with a part cooked ciabetta(these are the small ones that look like rolls) and put it in the oven for 5/6 mins. While this is cooking fry a fairly thick slice of halloumi cheese in a bit of olive oil until golden on both sides. When the bread is ready cut it in half and spread it with houmous or hummus. Peel a cucumber and put a wedge on the bread. Get a roasted pepper from a jar and put a quarter on the bread. Put on the halloumi cheese and some rocket. mmmmm oh yeah and a a squeeze of lemon over it.

You could use toast instead of the ciabetta and you could roast your own pepper if you wanted.

Grandmother's Chicken Fried Rice

Serves 2

1 tablespoon ground nut oil

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 shallots finely chopped

2 dried chinese mushrooms (pre-soaked in hot water for 20mins)

100g skinless chicken breast finely diced

1 tablespoon of shaohsing rice wine

1 tsp five spice powder

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

25g dry roasted peanuts

150g cooked jasmine rice

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

ground white pepper

1 spring onion

Heat a wok or pan over a high heat add the ground nut oil. Add the ginger, shallots and mushrooms and cook for a few seconds

Add the chicken and cook for a minute or two then and the rice wine followed by five spice powder. As the chicken starts to turn white add the dark soy sauce. Add the peanuts and then the rice , mix well and stir-fry for 1 minute. Season lightly with light soy sauce , sesame oil and pepper to taste and stir to mix. finally stir in the spring onion, transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

menu for the week

Tues: Quorn Vindaloo (Jamie MOF)

Wed: Not Your Everyday Sandwich (Bill Grainger)

Thurs: Silvana's Pan Fried Pizza (

Fri: Grandmother's Chicken Fried Rice (Ching-He)

Sat: Trout in a Bag

Sun: Caramel Salmon (Bill Grainger)

Mon: Valentine's welsh rarebit

Menu for the week

Tues: Welsh Rarebit

Wed: Spanakopita

Thu: Caramelized onion and bacon fritata

Fri: Spicy potato pasties

Sat: Cavalero nero bruschetta

Sun: Cauliflower quiche

Mon: Hash browns with soft poached eggs and roasted cherry tomatoes

Granola bars (from Ottolenghi book)

Oh these are good, you make them in a similar way to the granola, you mix all the dry ingredients together and then add the melted butter, sugar etc to bind together. I changed some of the ingredients ; for example I didn't have dried cherries so I put in californian raisins, I think I might try dates next time, also I didn't have enough sesame seeds so I put some poppy seeds in.

I also used a mix of honey and maple syrup, same reason. You need to bake it in the same way as flapjack, low heat 150C in the middle of the oven for about 20 mins and gently mark it into bars when hot and then WAIT until it is cold and separate into bars.

45g Pecan nuts

45g dried apricots roughly chopped

45g dried cherries

45g pumpkin seeds

30g sesame seeds

30g ground almonds

190g rolled oats

one and a quarter teaspoons Cinnamon

pinch of salt

95g unsalted butter

85g honey

95g demerara sugar ( I used soft brown)

Line /grease baking tray with parchment so it doesn't stick

oven 150C and roast pecan nuts for 8 mins. Soften and rehydrate apricots and cherries by soaking in hot water for a few mins. Chop apricots.

Mix all ingredients except for butter honey and sugar into a big bowl ( I broke up the nuts a bit)

Put honey , sugar and butter into a small pan and cook , simmer until golden brown, don't burn it. Mix this together with dry ingredients and press into the baking tin.

Just like flapjack really.

Bake until coloured on top, experience will guide you here because all cookers seem to be different.

Menu for the week

Tues: Pancakes

Wed: Chargrilled asparagus, courgettes and Halloumi cheese

Thur: Cawleys classic Fish and Chips

Fri: Roasted Haddock on Chickpea and Chorizo Saute

Sat: Spinach and blue cheese tart

Sun: Hint of mint garden pea soup

Mon: Peppy's posh potato salad and chorizo with garlic bread

Coleslaw type salad

Goes with sandwich , toasted or other and burgers

serves 2

1 apple cored and chopped into sticks

1 carrot cut into matchsticks

75g of lettuce (romaine or chinese leaf or iceburg, anything crisp) finely sliced

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

1 tablespoon mango chutney

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

Put apple, carrot and lettuce into a bowl and mix in the dressing made of the chutney , mayo and lemon juice and salt and caraway seeds if you have them.

Beanburgers

Usually vegeburgers fall apart when I try to fry or grill them. These do not and taste great. I think maybe if they were not in burger buns they would taste great with the spicy tomato sauce of the kosheri recipe. Or maybe hot chilli sauce or chutney etc. I did them with sliced tomatoes and a few chips.

Due to great demand the recipe is as follows:

Serves two (makes four burgers)

1 tablespoon of veg oil/ ground nut oil

1 small onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 small red chilli finely chopped and de seeded

1oog chopped frozen spinach (defrosted) I think this binds it together

400g tin of cannelini beans drained , rinsed and mashed

50g of white breadcrumbs (2 slices of bread)

1 tsp cumin

1 tablespoon of fresh coriander chopped

salt and pepper

burger buns , relish and salad to serve

Heat the oil and cook onion, garlic and chilli for 5 mins until softened - this has to be low heat so onions don't burn they just go sweet.

Squeeze the excess moisture from the spinach and put in a bowl.

Mash the beans and mix with spinach, breadcrumbs, cumin and coriander. Add the fried onion mixture and stir together. Season and shape into 4 round burgers. I put mine in the fridge at this point and made salad etc. Grill or fry ( I think fry is best) for a few minutes on either side until golden. Serve in buns with relish.

Kosheri

I'm halving the original recipe - so if you want a lot of sauce , double it up.

serves 2

Spicy tomato sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove crushed

1 hot red chilli seeded and finely diced

tin of chopped tomatoes ( whole tin? not sure, see what you think)

100 ml water

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

coriander leaves

main

150g green lentils (tinned to save time?)

100g basmati rice

20g unsalted butter

25g thin noodles broken into 4cm pieces

200ml stock

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion finely sliced

Part one (make tomato sauce)

I make this in a frying pan , heat olive oil and fry garlic and chilli for 2 mins. Add tomatoes, water, vinegar, salt and cumin. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20mins until slightly thickened. Put to one side and add chopped coriander.

Part two (put lentils on)

If using dried lentils you will need to rinse and boil them in water for 25 mins until tender. If using tinned rinse and boil in clean water for ? 5 mins until soft

Part three ( rice)

Melt the butter in a pan add the noodles and fry until golden, then soak the basmati rice in cold water for a minute and drain and fry with the noodles for a few seconds -stir coating the rice. Add the stock , nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12 mins. Stock should be absorbed and rice tender. Leave lid on to steam if not ready. Heat the oil in a fry pan and fry onions slowly until caramelized.

To serve. Break up the rice add the lentils, and top with onions , pour sauce over the top.

Menu for the week

Tue: Paprika Halloumi with roasted Lemon Peppers and Pitta

Wed: Butternut Squash soup

Thu: Spicy Beanburgers

Fri: Jamie's toasted sandwich

Sat: Mushroom and spinach Pizza

Sun: Roasted Peppers with Chillies and Tomatoes

Mon: Chicken Satay

menu for the week

Tues: Lemon and Thyme chicken with mustard butter and bash

Wed: Roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup

Thu: Scrambled egg on toast with chilli, tomatoes and coriander

Fri: Vegetable flan with cheese pastry

Sat: Kosheri

Sun: Spanakopita

Mon: Roasted Vegetables with Chick peas Feta, cumin and lemon

Chicken Parmigiana

Serves 4 if cooking for less adjust the amount of chicken but the rest of the ingredients could remain the same as they are just sauces and coatings.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove crushed

1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

20g packet basil leaves (chopped)

50g parmesan cheese grated

4 skinned and bone breast of chicken or fillets of quorn

For coating the chicken /quorn

25g seasoned flour in a flat bowl

1 egg beaten in another flat bowl

For putting on top of the chicken

150g of mozzarella sliced

basil to garnish, salt and pepper

oven 200C

-Put olive oil and garlic into a pan, as soon as it starts to sizzle add the tomatoes and tomato puree. Simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in the basil and some seasoning to taste. Set the sauce to one side.

Mix half the parmesan with the flour in the shallow bowl.

Melt the butter in a med frying pan. Dip the chicken breasts into the egg and then into the flour mixture until coated. Add them to the pan and fry for 3 mins on each side, not so hot as the butter burns. Chicken should now be lightly golden.

Transfer the chicken to a shallow oven proof dish. Pour over the tomato sauce you made earlier. Put on top of that the slices of mozzarella and rest of parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake in oven for 15 mins or until lightly browned.

Granola

200g Rolled Oats

150g mixed nuts (chopped)

50g mixed seeds

50g dessicated coconut

1 teaspoon cinnamon

150g dried fruit

5 tablespoons of maple syrup or runny honey or maple flavour syrup

5 tablespoons of olive oil

Put all dry ingredients on a baking tray inc. cinnamon and coconut but not dried fruit.Drizzle with the syrup or honey and a little olive oil then stir around. Place in the oven 180 C for 20mins . Every 5 mins check it and give it a stir around. When it is toasted let it cool down and add the fruit. Keeps for about 2 weeks.

Menu for the week

Tues- Chicken Parmigiana

Wed- Crunch brunch mushrooms

Thurs- Fishcakes with lemon creme fraiche

Fri- Pain Bagnat

Sat- Thai Curry

Sun - Spanish Tortilla with Parma ham and caramelized red onion

Mon- Hot smoked salmon and egg kedgeree

Chicken Tikka Wraps

Makes 8 wraps

500g skinned chicken breast cut into 2.5cm cubes (or I use 4 quorn fillets)

veg oil

8 tortillas

half onion, 2 tomatoes, lettuce - all finely sliced

Marinade

150ml yoghurt

1tbsp veg oil

ginger peeled and grated

8 garlic cloves

half tsp red chilli powder

3/4 tsp garam masala

pinch of cardomen seeds and fennel seeds ground together

1tsp salt

30g grated cheese

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 egg

2tbsp cornflour

Make the marinade up early so that the chicken or quorn can be marinaded for a few hours.

Grill the chicken, (I have fried it in a wok) . When burnt at the edges . Warm the tortillas and assemble the tomatoes , lettuce and onion in the tortilla with chicken on top and then fold the wrap and eat.

Chicken Tikka Wraps

l love these wraps, I don't grill the quorn but fry it in the wok.

Menu for the week

Tues: Superb squash soup

Wed: Chicken Tikka wraps

Thurs: Double Tomato Bruschetta

Frid: Paneer and Vegetable Skewers

Sat: Potato and Mushroom Soup

Sun: Chicken in Creamy Yoghurt

Mon: Potatoes with a spicy filling

Trout in a bag

You need a piece of foil 4 x bigger than the fish.

serves one

Either two fillets of trout or one whole trout

salt and pepper

2 bay leaves

1 red onion

Basil

any other herbs you like

For trivet for fish to sit on : fennel chopped or 1 carrot chopped or celery sticks

Olive oil, slices of lemon, knob of butter

Fold foil in half and assemble on the foil.

Lay out fennel or other veg and put seasoned fish on top. If fish is whole you can score the skin and rub salt and pepper in.

Peel and slice thinly the onion put on the fish with basil, if whole stuff cavity with basil including stalks. Also put bay leaves on fish and olive oil over the top. Dot with little bit of butter and sliced lemon.

Fold over the foil and seal the 3 sides by folding a seam twice if possible.

Put on a baking tray and bake at 220 for about 10mins maybe 15 depending on size of fish and whether whole or not.

Pan fried cod

This was supposed to be plaice but use whatever is filleted and flat rather than a thick slice. It could be haddock, cod, plaice, sea bass...

serves 2

6 thin slices of parma ham or proscuitto

25g season flour to coat the fish

2x 150g fillet of fish

knob butter

1 tbs mixed herbs

half a lemon

Coat the fish in the flour and heat a frying pan with oil and butter. Fry the fish in the pan and cook the bacon in the oven until crisp (or in the pan). 2min on either side. When fish is done put on a plate with crumbled bacon over it and make a sauce from the herbs lemon and butter in the fry pan , spoon over the fish.

Minestrone soup

Mmm one of the greats:

serves 2

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 carrot sliced

1 celery stick chopped

salt and pepper

a few thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

40g bacon

1 tbs tomato puree

1 x 400g tin of borlotti beans

75g cherry tomatoes halved

300-400ml stock

30g spaghetti or noodles broken into small pieces

large handful of basil finely chopped

parmesan for grating

heat olive oil in a pan and add onions, carrots, celery and some seasoning. Stir over a med heat for 6-8 mins until they begin to soften. Add herbs and bacon (can be cooked and added at end) increase heat and cook for 2mins stir in tomato puree and cook for 1 min. Tip in the beans and tomatoes and then ppur in the stock or water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer and add spaghetti and cook for 10 mins . Season. Serve with basil and parmesan.

Bruschetta with Cavelo nero and Parma ham

Serves 2

Chop 150 - 200g of Cavelo nero. Fry 4 slices of Parma ham until crispy. Put on a plate. 1 tbs of oil in the pan and 2 cloves unpeeled garlic . Fry for 2 mins to flavour oil then add Cavelo nero until the leaves are tender and the water has cooked off. Cut ciabetta in half and toast, put ham and cavalo nero onto ciabetta and top with garlic.

Baked Potatoes

This was great ! potatoes baked (large) for an hour on 220. The filling was green pesto and mozzarella cut into cubes 1tbs of pesto for 50g of cheese. Also did a carrot salad with it. Grated carrot (1) and chopped coriander and mint then put in a dressing of e v olive oil and lemon. Also a mothership would be good with this.

Peperonata with Bubbling Goats Cheese

Heat 4 TBS of chilli infused oil in a frying pan. Thinly slice 2 red peppers and 2 yellow peppers and place in the pan with 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds. Fry over a high heat for 2-3 mins then season , reduce the heat and stir in 1 large crushed garlic clove. Cook for another 10mins stirring occasionally until the peppers have caramelized around the edges. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Cut a thin slice of goats cheese or mozzarella and cut a ciabetta in half and to the size you want - spoon on the peppers and then the cheese and grill , sprinkle with chopped basil.

serves 4 but can be adjusted for less

Menu for the week

MON: Ciabatta Peperonata with goats cheese

TUE: Baked potatoes with a carrot salad

WED: Minestrone soup

THUR: Pan Fried Plaice and Bacon

FRI:Trout in a bag , Kale crisps

SAT:Chicken and Broccoli Gratin

SUN: Pancakes

MON:Tabbouleh with Roast Spiced Salmon

Roasted Vegetables in Cumin Dressing with Feta

450 gram butternut squash, cut into small chunky pieces

1 red pepper, cut into small chunky pieces

1 courgette, cut

1 fennel bulb, outer layer removed

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1 tin chick peas, drained and rinsed

100 grams feta cheese, crumbled into pieces

25 grams rocket

salt and pepper

foccaccia bread to serve

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees C , gas mark 7. Put chunks of butternut, red pepper cougette and fennel into a large roasting tin with the onion, oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.

Cut asparagus stalks through the centre lengthwise to enable them to cook evenly. and make the cumin and lemon dressing by toasting the cumin seeds and then crushing them add lemon juice and oil.
season dressing and put aside

Add asparagus to roastng tin and turn everything over and roast for another 20 mins until all are slightly caramelised at the tips.

just before everything is ready boil some salted water and put chick peas in to warm up 5 mins.

Drain chick peas and put dressing over them. Put roasted veg on a plate and put dressing and chick peas over the top. Crumble feta cheese over that and rocket over that. serve with bread.

Flapjack

225g / 8oz butter

225g / 8oz soft brown sugar

85g golden syrup ( I think that's about 4 tbs)

450g /1lb porridge oats

20cm x 30cm baking tin (deep one)

oven 180C

Melt butter slowly in a pan and mix in sugar. Put oats in a bowl and pour in melted butter and sugar, add golden syrup , mix together. Press into a greased baking tin and bake for about 20mins?

When cooked browned at edges take out of the oven and gently mark into pieces in the tin. Let it cool down properly before breaking into pieces.

Deep Fried Mozzarella

A cross between eggy bread and a toasted sandwich. Too many of these wouldn't be good for you!!

Make a sandwich from slices of mozzarella, basil , and a few chopped olives, recipe also said anchovies but I didn't have any. Then press sandwich together and soak in egg , then fry.

Menu for the week

Mon: Deep Fried Mozzarella

Tues: Goujons and Chips

Wed: Pumpkin Ravioli

Thu: Vegetable soup

Fri: Vindaloo

Sat: Roast Provencale vegetables

Sun: Pizza Margherita

Pan Fried Citrus Trout with basil

Wow this was really good, it had a kind of caramelised orange/lemon on top of the trout. A bit like marmalade!

Painted Hills Potatoes

Served this with a salad, it reminded me of a hotpot, layers of peppers , sliced potatoes and sliced onions , also herbs : rosemary and oregano and some grated cheese. Would go well with sausages?

Wild West Rice

Great rice dish, reminded me of Kosheri from the Ottolenghi cookbook.

Excellent with hot chilli sauce!

Crispy Salmon Fingers with Dipping Sauce

Very good - like large goujons, used salmon but it could be any fish. Fish needs to be skinned so best to get fishmonger to do this or watch youtube to see how to do it! Want the recipe?

Dipping sauce was creme fraiche based with chives.

Menu for the week

Mon: Crispy Salmon Fingers with Dipping Sauce

Tues: Wild West Rice

Wed: Root Vegetable and nut Crumble

Thurs: Painted Hills Potatoes

Fri: Trout with Basil (Pan fried)

Sat: Cornish Cowboy Pasties

Sun: Bocconcini di pollo pistellati