Recipes

Sourdough with Poached Eggs and Smashed Avocado

Ingredients

1 x Sourdough Loaf
2 x Eggs
1 x Avocado
1 x tsp Table Vinegar
1 x Lemon or Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 x tsp Olive Oil
1 x Portion of Caviar

Method

Cut 2 medium thick slices of bread from the sourdough loaf.
Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil; add a teaspoon of table vinegar.
Cut the avocado in half, discard the stone, and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add half the juice from the lemon or lime, some black pepper and a pinch of salt. Using the back of a spoon, roughly smash the avocado, until chunky but spreadable.
Preheat the grill. Brush the sourdough slices with the oil on both sides and toast for 1 – 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly charred.
Poach the eggs in the pan of boiling water for 2 – 3 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper
Spread the sourdough toast with the smashed avocado and place a poached egg on top of each slice. Tap a teaspoon of caviar on top of the egg if you are feeling decadent!

Fragrant Jerk Mussels

Ingredients

2 x shallots finely sliced
4 x cloves of garlic crushed
1 x small piece of ginger grated
1 x red chilli deseeded and finely diced
1 tbsp jerk paste
300ml coconut milk
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
3 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
Lime wedges
Juice of 1 lime
1kg live mussels cleaned
and debearded
1 x Sourdough Loaf

Method

Pre-heat a large heavy based pan then fry the shallots, garlic, chilli and ginger for 2 – 3 minutes in a splash of oil.
Add the jerk paste and continue cooking for a further minute before pouring in the coconut milk.
Bring to a boil, add in the mussels then cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 4-5 minutes.
Remove the mussels from the pan with a slotted spoon then transfer into serving bowls, discard any that aren’t open.
Stir in the honey, lime juice and coriander then pour over the mussels.
Garnish with some more coriander and a wedge of lime.
Serve with sourdough bread.

Lamb Curry in Bread Bowl (Bunny chow)

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
2.5cm / 1″ stick of cinnamon
2 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp South African
curry powder
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped
fresh ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
10 – 12 curry leaves
2 large potatoes, cut in cubes the same size as the meat
Salt
2 tbsp finely chopped
coriander leaves
2 tbsp lime juice
Coriander cress or sprigs, to garnish
1 x small sourdough loaf

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the whole spices and bay leaf until the spices sizzle.
Add the onion and cook for 5 – 7 minutes until translucent.
Stir in the curry powder and sauté for one minute, then add the tomatoes and stir to mix.
Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until you get a sauce-like consistency.
Add the meat, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and 300ml / 11fl oz water, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40-50 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Add the potatoes, salt to taste and 200ml / 7fl oz water. Continue simmering until the meat and potatoes are perfectly cooked (about 15 minutes).
Whilst the curry is simmering cut the loaf across in half in the middle and remove most of the crumbs in the centre ready for serving.
Now stir the chopped coriander and lime juice into the curry.
To serve, spoon into the hollow in the bread and garnish with coriander cress

Bobotie

Ingredients

500g lamb or beef mince
2 slices white bread
1 onion, peeled and
finely chopped
1 tbsp brown sugar
Few cloves garlic crushed
1 small cup black tea
1 small cup fresh
orange juice
1 tsp curry powder,
turmeric, ground cumin
and ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sultanas
½ cup spicy fruit-style chutney
1 tsp vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Oil for frying
1½ cups milk
1 egg
Topping
1½ cups milk
2 eggs
1 bay leaf

Method

Heat oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / gas 4. Beat the eggs and the milk to make a custard and pour the milk over the bread and set aside to soak.
Fry the onions in the butter, stirring regularly for 10 mins until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and beef and stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in the sugar, spices, chutney, sultanas, orange juice, black tea, Worcestershire sauce and 2 of the bay leaves with 1 tsp salt and plenty of ground black pepper.
Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Squeeze the egg mixture from the bread, then beat the bread into the meat mixture until well blended. Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5 – 6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.
For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35 – 40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.

Malva Pudding

Ingredients

200ml white sugar
150gm cake flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp apricot jam
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
Pinch salt
80ml milk
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sauce for Malva pudding
200ml fresh cream
100gm butter
100gm sugar
90ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the apricot jam.
Melt butter in a small pot on medium heat and add the vinegar and milk. Sift the flour, bicarb and salt together and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Pour into a deep round dish or an ovenproof casserole dish that takes about 2 litres.
Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
Sauce: Bring the butter, cream, sugar and milk to the boil and simmer, add the vanilla essence and stir all the time for 5 minutes. Remove from the stove. Pour over the hot baked pudding

Albanian Chicken Soup

Ingredients

500g of chicken thighs
100ml of yogurt
1 egg
2 tablespoons of flour
Salt & pepper
Parsley

Method

Place the chicken into a large pot, cover with hot water add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.
Mix the flour with some water in a bowl.
Mix the egg with the yoghurt in another bowl.
Then mix the ingredients from both bowls
together.
After the chicken has boiled drain off the stock
and pour into another pot.
Add the flour, yoghurt and egg mixture to the stock and stir continuously so there are no lumps.
Meanwhile bake the chicken and then add to pot.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add parsley if desired.
Serve with pispili

Baby Potatoes

Ingredients

Baby potatoes
Water
Oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Cut the potatoes in half
Add to the boiling water and cook until soft.
Drain the water and leave for 5 minutes to cool.
Heat some oil and add the potatoes. When they brown take them out and add salt and pepper.

Boulangère Potatoes or Potatoes from the Baker

Ingredients

So called because people used to take their Sunday roasts and potatoes (in a separate dish) to be cooked in the village baker’s oven after all the bread was done. What a good use of energy resources! This delicious recipe should feed 6-8 people and can be served with meat, fish or poached eggs.

1 kilo of potatoes (not the small waxy kind but the
bigger ‘floury’ ones)
2 white onions – peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic – peeled and sliced
A moistening glug of olive oil for softening the onion and garlic
Vegetable stock or meat stock if preferred (i.e.: one vegetable or chicken/beef stock cube dissolved in 500ml water)
6 Sprigs of thyme to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°.
Peel and slice the potatoes as thinly as possible
Soak for a short time in the water to take the starch out, then drain and allow to dry either in a colander or if you can be bothered lay the slices out on some clean kitchen roll.
Gently soften the peeled and sliced onion and garlic, which you have also peeled and sliced, in a slightly warmed glug of olive oil in an ovenproof pan.
Once they have got some colour, add in the potato, the stock, sprigs of thyme, salt and pepper.
Bake in a medium hot oven (180°) until the potatoes begin to colour on the top.
Always check you are happy with your seasoning before serving.

Bruschetta

Ingredients

Bruschetta is great on its own as a quick snack or

as a starter for barbecues.

French loaf bread/Italian sliced bread
Olive oil
Clove of garlic
1/4 cup diced onion
1 large tomato diced
8 small basil leaves chopped
Salt and pepper
Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method

In a large bowl, combine oil, basil, garlic, onion and season carefully with salt and pepper.
You can add a slug of balsamic vinegar (optional).
Add tomatoes and toss gently.
Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Bring to room temperature before serving. – Cut bread into 24 slices.
Toast until lightly brown.
Top with tomato mixture and serve immediately

Couscous, wild rocket salad

Ingredients

For the salad:

1 teacup couscous
150g pack mozzarella torn into pieces
10 sun dried tomatoes
1 red pepper, 5 – 8 cherry tomatoes, 20 green and black olives all chopped

For the dressing:

4 tbsp olive oil
Juice 1 lemon
1 tablepoon honey
1 stock cube

Method

Tip the couscous & stock cube into a large bowl.
Pour over two teacups boiling water and give it a good stir to dissolve the stock.
Cover with cling film and leave to stand for 10 mins until all the water has been absorbed.
To make the dressing mix together the olive oil, honey and lemon juice.
When the couscous has swelled up, pour the dressing over and flake through with a fork, breaking up any clumps.
Toss in the mozzarella, tomato, olives and rocket, then serve.

Spinach and Watercress Soup

Ingredients

Olive oil
15g unsalted butter
1 onion
2 medium potatoes
500ml chicken/vegetable stock
240g baby spinach
85g Water Cress
Salt and pepper
Wholemeal bread to dip

Method

Dice onion
Peel, rinse and cut the potatoes into small cubes
Boil kettle and make 500 ml stock
Remove all tough stalks from spinach and watercress
Put the oil & butter in a large saucepan and fry onions over low heat until translucent
Add potatoes and stock, bring back to the boil, then simmer with lid on for 10-15mins or until potatoes are soft.
Add the spinach and watercress for another few minutes until the leaves have wilted.
Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5mins before blending to a smooth consistency
Season to taste.

Tips:

Cut the onion in half, slice lengthways, keeping the root intact, then again across to create small diced pieces.
Adding butter gives the soup a rich and silky texture
You may want to add another bag of watercress or spinach
You may also want to add extra stock or water depending on the consistency you prefer. The recipe makes a slightly thicker soup.
A dollop of crème fraiche to serve delicious.

Pispili with Leeks

Ingredients

3 leeks 15g unsalted butter
500g of corn flour
300g of white cheese
3 eggs
1 cup of yoghurt
1 tablespoon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Slice the leeks into small bits.
Fry for a few minutes in a pan with oil, salt & pepper and set aside.
In a medium bowl add the eggs and beat them with a whisk
Add 1 cup of yogurt, salt ,olive oil, teaspoon of sour cream, flour and mix well to make a dough.
Combine yogurt with white cheese
Put half of the dough into an oiled casserole.
Spread over the fried leeks and the white cheese
Shape the remaining dough and cover the leek and cheese mixture
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 30mins.
Place pieces on serving dish and decorate with parsley.

Bulgarian potatoes and mushrooms with salad

Ingredients

Oil
Salt
Potato
Mushrooms
Double cream
Cheese
Herbs
Tomato
Cucumber
Spring onions
Lemon

Method

Chop the potatoes in small squares and boil them
Cut the mushrooms and fry in a saucepan with some oil
When the potatoes are soft but still firm and mushrooms are fried, mix them in a big tray.
Add double cream and grate some cheese on the top.
Put it in the oven for 20 min and is ready to be served.
Prepare the salad in different bowl and serve together.

Bulgarian Vegetables with meat balls and salad

Ingredients

Oil
Salt
Mincemeat
Different vegetables
Herbs
Tomatoes
Salad
Lemon

Method

Cut the vegetables and put them in a big tray.
Marinate the vegetables with oil and salt.
Put the mincemeat in a bowl, grate onions add some herbs, salt and mix them all together
After mixing all together make them in small balls and add to the vegetables.
After we have put the meat balls in the tray with vegetables put them in the oven and check regularly until they are done.
While we wait for the vegetables to be done, prepare the salad and serve them together when the vegetables are cooked.

Caribbean Salad - Serves 4

Ingredients

A tasty vegan recipe, perfect for Summer. You could add smoked tofu to make it more substantial. You will need some foil and a large salad bowl.

2 corn on the cobs
3 red, orange or yellow peppers (finely chopped)
1 cucumber (chopped)
1 red onion (chopped)
1 x 400g tin of black beans
1 red chilli (finely sliced)
3 spring onions (chopped)
Generous bunch of fresh coriander (chopped apart from a few sprigs to garnish with at the end)
2 limes
Drizzle of Olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°/Gas Mark 6Marinate the vegetables with oil and salt.
Wrap each corn of the cob tightly in foil place on a baking sheet and pop in the hot oven for 30 minutes
Finely chop the peppers, cucumber and spring onion. Place in a large salad bowl.
Once the corn on the cob is cooked, remove from the oven and slice off the corn kennels. Add to the salad bowl along with the black beans.
Carefully slice up the chilli and add it to the bowl, together with a large handful of chopped coriander.
Add the juice of 2 limes and a drizzle of olive oil.
Mix it all together.
Garnish with the sprigs of coriander and serve.

Chick Pea Curry

Ingredients

For the paste:

2 tbsp oil
1 onion
1 tsp fresh or dried chilli
9 garlic cloves (approx 1 small bulb of garlic)
Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp tomato purée

For the curry:

2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained
400g chopped tomatoes
Coriander, chopped, plus 100g spinach

Method

To make the paste, heat a little of the oil in a frying pan, add 1 diced onion and 1 tsp fresh or dried chilli, and cook until softened, about 8 mins
Combine 9 crushed garlic cloves, a thumb-sized piece of peeled, chopped ginger and the remaining oil, then add 1 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tbsp tomato purée, ½ tsp salt and the fried onion.
Cook the paste in a medium saucepan for 2 mins over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
Tip in two 400g cans drained chickpeas and 400g chopped tomatoes, and simmer for 5 mins until reduced down.
Add chopped coriander and spinach, and cook until wilted.
Garnish with extra coriander and serve with rice or dhal (or both).

Courgette with Bechamel (Kousa Bil Bechamel)

Ingredients

1 kg courgette (cut slice)
½ kg mincemeat (cooked)
2 table spoons oil
1 table spoon curry powder (to taste)
1 table spoon paprika powder (to taste)
1 tablespoon salt & pepper (to taste)
2 spoons butter
2 ½ spoons flour
1 Litre milk
1 spoon creamy cheese

Method

Cook Bechamel, heat butter and add flour, cook for 2 minutes stirring, add the milk and creamy cheese and all the herbs – stirring continuously until the sauce is thick. Remove from heat.
Grease a tray with butter or oil and sprinkle first layer of courgettes and then mincemeat to cover and then the second layer again.
Pour the bechamel over and spread some cheese on the top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown on top.
Serve with rice and salad.

Eritrean rice and vegetables cooked with almond milk

Ingredients

Oil
Salt
Onion
Different vegetables
Herbs
Garlic
Ginger
Almond milk

Method

Cut the vegetables and put them in a big tray
Fry the onion until it gets soft and brown
Add garlic, ginger, and herbs and stir.
Add the vegetables and mix them until vegetables are soft
Finally add the almond milk and let them simmer for few minutes
Cook the rice separately and serve them together.

Eritrean Rice with Vegetables

Ingredients

Oil
Onion
Peppers
Courgette
Carrots
Broccoli
Garlic
Coriander clove
Cinnamon
Vegetable stock
Red kidney beans
Canella rice

Method

Preparing the rice: in a saucepan put some oil and then add some small chopped garlic, mix for few seconds and then add the rice and mix it, add some cinnamon pieces, some cloves and mix them, add vegetable stock and mix.
Finally add water salt if needed and let it boil in low heat. Just before the rice is fully cooked add the red kidney beans and let it boil together for few minutes.
Preparing Vegetables: In saucepan add some oil, then add chopped onions and fry until they turn brown, then chop all the vegetables and add them one by one, fry the vegetables for few minutes
Mix vegetable stock with water in a cup, then add it to the vegetables, add some chopped garlic, leave them to boil until vegetables are soft and then serve them with the rice.

Guyana Fish Stew and Rice

Ingredients

Oil
Fish
Onion
Spring onion
Red peppers
Tomato
Carrots
Stock fish cube
Stock herb cube
Garlic
Ginger
Rice

Method

Put the fish in flour and then fry it in oil.
In a saucepan fry the onion until gets brown add garlic and ginger and mix it together, then add spring onions carrots, red peppers tomato and fish and herb stock cubes.
Leave to boil in slow heat until the stew is ready.
Put the fish in just before turning off the stew.
Prepare the rice in different saucepan and serve them together.

Jamaican Chicken & Jollof Rice

Ingredients

Oil
Chicken
Onion
Red peppers
Tomato
Mixed herbs
Rice
Romaine lettuce
Carrots

Method

Marinate the chicken with oil salt and herbs and put it in the oven to cook.
Blend tomato, red peppers and onion together
Fry one small onion until gets brown, add blended sauce
When it starts boiling add the rice and mix it until the rice is properly cooked.
Make the salad with carrots and romaine lettuce and serve them together.

Kookoo Sabzi (herb omelette)

Ingredients

Herbs – 2 bunches of parsley. 2 bunches of coriander, 1 bunch of chives, 1 bunch fresh dill
½ pack of spinach
2 bunches of spring onions
Garlic
4 eggs
Turmeric
Salt & pepper
Romaine lettuce
Carrots
Pinch of baking powder
Oil

Method

Soak herbs in water, rinse well & chop finely.
Put herbs, garlic, turmeric, a little salt & pepper, baking powder and eggs in a bowl and mix.
In frying pan pour a good amount of oil and heat when hot add the mixture and spread evenly around the pan and cover after a few minutes.
After about 15mins cut the omelette into 4 pieces and flip over to fry for another 15-20 minutes. Cover the pan again.
Serve and enjoy.

Moroccan Garden salad

Ingredients

110g of rice.
1 can of sweet corn
1 can of tuna in oil
1 small tin of pineapple
3 carrots
3 medium potatoes
3 medium beetroot
100g of green beans
1 cucumber
3 mixed peppers
1 ripe avocado
3 hard boiled eggs
Salad leaves to garnish
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Dressing:

Teaspoon of vinegar
Tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and black olives to decorate

Method

Cook rice
Add mayonnaise, tuna, sweet corn, olive oil and pineapple (chopped small)
Cook all vegetables and add to salad
Plate up in a decorative way.

Pasta with mince

Ingredients

Pasta
Onion
Tomatoes
Salt & black pepper
Red pepper
Meat

Method

Chop onion and fry with mince in pan with a little bit of oil
Add the red pepper and black pepper, salt.
Add the tomatoes. Stir and let it cook.
Add pasta to pan of boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes
When the pasta is cooked, drain and serve with the sauce

Moussaka

Ingredients

Ingredients for the base:

4-5 x large aubergines Approx 1.2kg
7 x large green courgettes Approx 1.2kg
6-7 large to medium potatoes Approx 1.2kg
Extra virgin Olive oil
Sea Salt preferably

Ingredients for the mince beef sauce:

1KG of minced beef of lamb.
Bunch of parsley
Salt and black ground pepper
A pinch of oregano
Two large onions
Standard 200gr tube of tomato paste
Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the Béchamel crème (white sauce):

1/5litre of milk
Teaspoon of salt
100gr butter unsalted
Pinch of black ground pepper
150gr feta cheese.
10-12 full table spoons of fine plain white corn flour (the one you use to thicken sauces)

Method

Preparation/Execution:
Wash and trim the edges of courgettes and aubergines, peel potatoes.
Slice aubergines longwise into equal slices aprox. 1/3 of an inch or about a cm thick
Slice courgettes longwise into equal slices at thickness approx half a cm or ⅕ or ¼ of an inch
Slice potatoes at approx ¼ of an inch thick longwise slices
Brush with extra virgin olive oil both sides of the aubergine slices generously and season with salt while you have pre heated the oven at 190C for 15 minutes. Place as many aubergine slices as you can fit on a cooking tray and roast for at least 40 minutes until it gets golden brown and soft. While in cooking 20 minutes then turn slices on the other side and continue for another 20 minutes.
At the same time as cooking the aubergines do exactly the same for the courgettes as you did for the aubergines in a separate baking tray.
Cook for approx 40-45 minutes, it will be ready when golden brown and soft.
Use a deep pan about 4 inch or approx. 10 cm deep. Dimensions as the width of your oven.
Brush potatoes generously with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt well, then place in the deep pan, make sure you cover the whole area of the pan, then bake along at the same time with the other vegetables for about 35-40 mins.
While the veg is roasting cook the sauce

Mince Beef:
Chop the onions very fine, heat up the oil 180C no. 6 and in goes the onions 3-4 minutes later in goes the mince meat of your choice and cook for at least 30 to 35 minutes while stirring and breaking down the mince in to fine pieces, do not let it get lumpy, then reduce cooking temp to about 140c or No. 3-4.

After 15 minutes add all the herbs, spices, salt and fresh parsley
About 15-20 minutes before end of cooking the meat sauce add ⅔ of the tomato paste and mix, stirring because it can burn, as the tomato paste will absorb all the liquids from the meat then adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding tomato puree so it looks and feels quite thick at the end of cooking time.
The vegetables should be cooked at about the same time the mincemeat sauce is ready.
In the deep pan where the potatoes are cooked lay the courgettes on the top of the potatoes, cover evenly. Pour the mince meat sauce on top and spread evenly, then place the aubergines on the top of the mince meat sauce evenly.

White sauce:
Use 200ml of cold milk to add the corn flour and dissolve stirring until it feels thick.
In the same pot where you cooked the mince meat sauce (allow space as you need to whisk the cream so it won’t spill out) slowly bring to the boil 1300ml of the milk and add the butter, salt and pepper
While the milk is coming up to the boil add the milky mix of corn flour and whisk constantly, at the same time reduce the cooking temperature to a lower point about to No2 of 70 to 80c by the time you add the corn flour mix the crème de béchamel will thicken instantly, keep stirring otherwise it will burn.
When thick pour on top of the aubergines and then crumble the feta cheese on the top of the crème, finally drip a few drops of oil on top of dish, it will give it a nice golden brown colour.
Cook for approx 40-45 minutes at 180c at a heated oven (the oven will be hot from cooking the vegetables). Once cooked, let it cool down for at least an hour then slice and serve.

No Cook Pizza Sauce for Pasta

Ingredients

Approx 500g Cherry/small tomatoes
5 tablespoons Olive oil
2 teaspoons Oregano
1 small ball of mozzarella per person
2 large cloves Garlic
1 teaspoon of salt for sauce and extra for the pasta water
115g pasta per person

Method

Put the water for the pasta on
Chop the tomatoes into quarters
Put the tomato quarters into a bowl big enough for the sauce and pasta
Peel the garlic cloves and crush using a garlic press into the bowl. Pick out the bits of crushed garlic from inside the press and add these to the bowl too.
Mix the Oregano, salt and olive oil with the tomato mixture
Leave the tomato mixture to one side for 30 – 40 minutes – it tastes better the longer you leave it
. When the water for the pasta is boiling add the salt
Add the pasta to the water and cook for the time on the packet, use a timer
While the pasta is cooking chop up the mozzarella in small squares and add to the sauce
When the pasta is cooked drain it and add immediately to the tomato sauce. Serve while the pasta is still a bit hot.

Pepperinata

Ingredients

3 aubergines
4/5 mixed peppers
2 onions
1 tomato
2 carrots
Salt & pepper
Chilli (optional)
Vegetable stock
Basil
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Method

Cut all vegetables into batons.
Add oil to pan and add all ingredients except cheese
Cover & cook for ten minutes.
Uncover and continue to cook for ten minutes.
Serve with grated parmesan and pitta bread.

Tuna Insalatona

Ingredients

1 medium pudding basin
3 new potatoes boiled for 20 minutes and chopped into 1 cm rings
⅓ Iceburg lettuce chopped
⅓ small tin sweetcorn
80g tinned tuna
⅓ red pepper chopped
1 tomato chopped.
1 stick celery
1 grated carrot

For the dressing

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Make layers of the ingredients in the order above and pour over dressing when ready to serve.

Pilau Rice with Wada and Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

Rice:

3 cups of rice
200g of frozen peas
Handful of cumin seeds
Ghee
Salt & pepper to taste

Wada:

500g chick pea dahl
Handful of finely chopped green chillies
4/5 chopped onions

Curry:

1 cauliflower
3/4 potatoes
2/3 carrots
Small packet of peas
Garlic & ginger
1 tin of coconut milk
Natural yoghurt to garnish

Method

Wash rice well. Add all other ingredients. Put all ingredients into rice cooker.
Add water two inches above level of rice.
Cook as per instructions of rice cooker.

Wada:

Soak chick peas overnight. Wash well and crush in a blender.
Mix in all ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Form into disks 3 cm in diameter
Fry small in batches until golden brown.

Curry:

Chop all ingredients.
Fry ginger & garlic add the onion, then carrot, followed by the rest of the vegetables.
Add a tin of coconut milk
Cook until soft.
Serve curry, wada and rice together on plate
Use natural yogurt & black pepper for garnish.

Spanish Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken fillets cut into pieces
2 celery sticks
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 handful button mushroom
2 cloves garlic or 2 tsp easy chopped garlic
Half chorizo
2 tsp paprika
Half tsp dried chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
tin butter beans
Handful of pickled jalapeno to taste
1 x tin chopped tomatoes
Chicken stock cube
Tbsp tomato puree
Glass red wine (optional)

Method

Cut peppers and celery up into 2cm pieces
Cut chorizo into small rounds, then halve again
Spray fry light into non stick pan
Add garlic and fry on medium heat whilst stirring for 20 secs
Add chorizo stir until juices appear 20 secs
Add chicken and cook for 2 mins
Add peppers, mushroom and celery and paprika and chilli flakes
Stir for 3 mins
Add butter beans/tomatoes/jalapenos
Refill tomato tin with water and add to mix with stock cube. Add wine if wanted.
Stir and bring sauce to the boil
Reduce heat to low and cook for 8 to 10 mins
Add a little water if more juice required
Serve with rice, jacket potato or fries

Roasted Red Pepper

Ingredients

Red, yellow or orange peppers (allow one per person)
Tomatoes. Red/orange cherry tomatoes work well but any will do.
Finely chopped garlic.
Optional – Tinned anchovies (finely chopped into almost a paste) or black olives (stones removed and roughly chopped) if preferred.
A little salt (use particularly sparingly if using anchovies)
Drizzle of oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Cut the peppers in half lengthways, leaving the stalk on. (The stalk is not edible but looks pretty). Remove the seeds. Arrange the halved peppers in a roasting dish.
Sprinkle in the chopped garlic and chopped anchovies and or/olives.
Arrange the halved tomatoes inside the halved peppers on top of garlic etc
Sprinkle over some salt and drizzle over some olive oil
Roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until the edges of the peppers begin to colour
The peppers can be served on their own, with bread or as an accompaniment to meat or fish.

Stuffed peppers with halloumi and cous cous

Ingredients

4 large red peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
50g couscous
Salt and pepper
100ml hot vegetable stock
250g halloumi cheese, cut into cubes
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Mixed salad leaves to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F /Gas mark 6.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside
Cut the peppers in half through the stalks and scoop out the seeds.
Put the peppers in one layer on the baking tray.
Drizzle the olive oil over the peppers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the peppers are just tender
Tip the cous cous into a bowl and pour in the hot stock
Leave for 5 minutes to soak, then fluff up with a fork and stir in, halloumi and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper and spoon into the pepper halves
Return to the oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden.
Serve the peppers warm with a mixed salad.

Traditional Eritrean Rice with Mince & vegetable sauce. Yoghurt salad.

Ingredients

Mincemeat
Rice
Onion
Chopped tomatoes/passata
Courgette
Carrots
Potato
Cucumber
Garlic
Ginger
Spice powder

Method

Grate the onions and fry them until they get brown, add the mincemeat and fry together with onions for few minutes.
Add tomatoes and leave to boil for few minutes.
Add chopped potato, courgette, garlic, ginger and some spice powder. Leave them to boil in slow heat until vegetables are soft.
Boil the rice separately and when is ready serve them together.
Preparing the yoghurt salad; Grate carrots and cucumber, add salt and yoghurt, mix them together and is ready to eat it.

Traditional Moroccan Couscous

Ingredients

Couscous
Onion
Lamb
Tomato
Chickpeas
Carrots
Green chili
Cabbage
Turnip
White pepper
Ginger powder
Parsley
Turmeric powder
Vegeta seasoning

Method

Fry the onion until gets brown, then add chopped lamb and fry with onions, add chickpeas, turmeric powder, ginger, white pepper and vegeta seasoning.
Add water and leave it to boil for few minutes.
Clean and cut the vegetables in big pieces and add them to boil as well, leave them to boil in a slow heat until the vegetables become soft.
Preparing the Couscous; Put the couscous in a big container, add one small cup with water, some olive oil and mix it.
Then put the couscous in the steam until it becomes soft.
When the Couscous is ready put it in the big container and add the sauce you prepared with lamb and vegetables on top.

Turkish pasta with broccoli and vegetables

Ingredients

Oil
Pasta
Onion
Carrots
Peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Double cream
Turmeric powder

Method

Boil the pasta together with broccoli, when they are done add some double cream.
Fry the onion until they are brown, add carrots and other vegetables and fry them in slow heat.
Add turmeric powder and mix them together, when the vegetables are soft add some double cream before you take them off the heat.
Serve them together with the pasta.

Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients

1 bag pasta
1 onion
4-5 fresh tomatoes
1 courgette
Garlic
Chorizo
Salt
Olive oil
1 litre water
Thyme

Method

Wash and chop all vegetables ready to cook.
Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped onions, cook til soft
Add chopped chorizo and courgette, cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and garlic, cook for a further 5 minutes then add hot water, thyme and salt. Leave to simmer.
Boil the water add the pasta, cook.
Combine pasta and sauce when cooked.

Vegetable Rice with Tuna Salad

Ingredients

Rice:

4 carrots
1 pack of green beans
1 head of broccoli
1 small pack of peas
1 yellow pepper
3 cups of rice
Cardamom
1 red onion
Olive oil

Tuna salad:

1 red onion
1 lemon
3 large tomatoes
Green chilli
Pinch of salt
1 tin of tuna

Method

Cook rice and allow to cool
Chop and fry red onion in olive oil
Add all chopped vegetables when soft add rice.
Add salt and pepper.
Chop red onion, green chilli, 3 large tomatoes.
Add juice of a lemon and pinch of salt
Add tin of tuna and mix together
Serve salad and rice together

Cha Han

Ingredients

Brown rice
Prawns
Eggs beaten
Mangetout
Sweetcorn
Spring onions
Mushrooms sliced
Boneless chicken thighs
Coriander or parsley
Pickles

Method

Cook the rice following the instructions on the packet, when cooked set to one side
Slice the chicken thighs into strips and fry in a large pan
When the chicken start to brown slightly throw in the prawns, mushrooms, mangetout, sweetcorn, spring onions and cooked rice and stir fry until everything is cooked.
Just before serving stir in the eggs and allow them to thicken before garnishing with parsley or coriander and serving with pickles

Corn on the cob with Elota

Ingredients

4 corn on the cob
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup parmesan or feta cheese grated
Juice of 2 limes/lemons
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
Salt

Method

Cook corn on the cob for 7 minutes in boiling water or griddle until golden
Meanwhile mix the other ingredients
Pour sauce over corn before serving

Spaghetti garlic chilli and oil

Ingredients

115 g pasta per person spaghetti or linguine
8 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 – 4 garlic cloves depending on size
1 hot chilli (birds eye or similarly hot)
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
60g cheese: (pecorino romano/grana
Padana/parmesan)
Salt

Method

Fill a large saucepan with enough water to cover your pasta and put on to boil. Get out a large bowl for serving the pasta in. You will also need a small frying pan and a lid to cover it.
While it is boiling prepare the ingredients
Weigh out the pasta
Measure out the olive oil into a frying pan
Crush, peel, and roughly chop the garlic cloves
Cut a slice in the side of the chilli so the flavour can come out without being too strong (If everyone likes spicy food just chop it up even adding two)
Remove the stalks of the parsley and chop roughly
Grate the cheese
When the water is boiling add a couple of pinches of salt to the pasta water and add the pasta stirring occasionally. Time the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking put the frying pan with the oil on at the highest heat
Add the garlic and the chilli to the oil when the oil is hot. (you can tell if it is hot by holding your hand above the pan, you know it is hot enough when you can feel heat coming from the surface)
Stir the garlic while it is cooking until it is a golden colour all over. Be careful not to burn it.
When the garlic is golden add the parsley. Be careful, the oil will spit and make a bit of noise. Immediately take off the heat and put a lid on it while it is spitting. When it stops making a noise remove the lid.
When the pasta is cooked, drain making sure you keep a little of the water. Put the pasta in the serving bowl and pour over the oil mixture, cheese and 2 tablespoons of the cooking water.
Serve immediately.

Fruit Salad

Ingredients

Strawberry
Banana
Grapes
Blue berries
Kiwi
Orange
1 spoon of honey
Some nuts
A little water

Method

Cut all the fruit and mix with the nuts and mix the honey with the water and add to the fruits – give to your kids and they will like it

Healthy banana berry "ice cream”

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
1 small basket blueberries or raspberries
1 pot of greek yoghurt or crème fraiche or labne or think coconut milk
Honey (optional)

Method

Peel the banana and freeze
Freeze the berries
When they are frozen put in blender or food processor with the yoghurt or crème fraiche or labne nor thick coconut milk. Blend.
Taste and add some honey if you want it sweeter
Pour into small cups or glasses and put into the freezer for about half an hour before serving.
If you like this, it is great way of using up bananas before they are too ripe to eat.

No bake mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

120g Sugar free biscuits
150g Honey
250g Cream Cheese
250g Fruits (pineapple, strawberry, mango etc)

Method

Cut fruits to small pieces
Crush the biscuits in a bowl with back of spoon,
Mix crushed biscuits with Honey
Put in cups: first layer – 3 spoonfuls of biscuit mix, second layer 2 spoonfuls of cheese mix 3rd layer fruit pieces
Chill and serve

Rhubarb Crumble

Ingredients

Rhubarb
lemon
ginger
oranges
Water
Flour
Butter
Caster sugar (100 grams)

Method

Pre heat oven to 180c/160c or gas 4.
Cut rhubarb into 7 1/2 cm, 3 1/2 inch long sticks
Place chopped rhubarb in a medium sized saucepan with juice from the orange, lemon zest, 100 grams castor sugar, 2 tablespoons of water and ginger
Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes until rhubarb is soft but still holds its shape
Fill an ovenproof dish about 4 cm / 1inch deep with the rhubarb
To make crumble: sift flour into a bowl, add sugar, cut cold butter into chunks. Mix with your hands until you get a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs.
Put the crumble on top of the cooked rhubarb and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of water and caster sugar.
Cook in oven for approximately 55 minutes.
Delicious with cream or ice cream!
You can use apples instead of rhubarb.