Chicken Noodle Soup

• 900ml chicken or vegetable stock (or Miso soup mix)
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, about 175g/6oz
• 1 tsp chopped fresh root ginger
• 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
• 50g rice or wheat noodles
• 2 tbsp sweetcorn , canned or frozen
• 2-3 mushrooms , thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions , shredded
• 2 tsp soy sauce , plus extra for serving
• mint or basil leaves and a little shredded chilli (optional), to serve 

1. Pour the stock into a pan and add the chicken, ginger and garlic. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer for 20 mins, until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a board and shred into bite-size pieces using a couple of forks.
2. Return the chicken to the stock with the noodles, corn, mushrooms, half the spring onions and the soy sauce. Simmer for 3-4 mins until the noodles are tender. Ladle into two bowls and scatter over the remaining spring onions, herbs and chilli shreds if using. Serve with extra soy sauce for sprinkling.

Pan fried chicken in Mushroom sauce

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 6 large, free-range chicken legs , halved at the joint so you have 6 thighs and 6 drumsticks
• 700ml/1¼ pts chicken stock (or water)
• 50g butter
• 1 onion , finely diced
• 400g mixed wild mushrooms
• 300ml/½ pt dry white wine
• 284ml pot double cream 

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the thighs for 8-10 mins, skin side only, until golden brown, then transfer to a casserole dish. Fry the drumsticks for about 5 mins each side and add them to the thighs.
2. Pour the stock over the chicken legs in the casserole. There should be enough stock to just cover the chicken, if not add a little water. Bring stock to the boil and cover, leaving lid slightly ajar. Cook at just below simmering point for 30-35 mins until chicken is cooked.
3. While chicken is simmering, drain oil from the pan. Heat the butter in pan and add onion. Sweat onion for 5 mins until soft, but not coloured. Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms, then fry for 3 mins until they soften and start to smell wonderful. Pour over the white wine, raise the heat to maximum and boil rapidly for 6-8 mins until reduced by two-thirds. Turn off the heat and leave until chicken has cooked.
4. Once chicken legs are cooked, strain stock into pan with the onion, mushrooms and white wine, bring back to the boil and reduce again by two-thirds until it is thick and syrupy. Pour in double cream, bring it to the boil, season if you want, then pour it over chicken. Heat chicken through in the sauce for 2-3 mins then turn off the heat and leave for a few mins before serving. This is such an aromatic and beautiful looking dish you should serve it straight from the casserole with the lid on.

Salt and pepper chicken

• 1 chicken breast, about 8-10 oz, cut into bite-size cubes/pieces
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs 5-spice powder (炸盐酥鸡粉)
• 1/2 tbs rice wine or sake
• 1/8 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• A bunch of Thai basil leaves
• 1 cup potato starch or corn flour
• Oil for deep-frying

Marinate the chicken with the seasonings including the egg yolk for 2 hours in the fridge.
When ready to deep-fry, put 1 cup of potato starch or corn flour on a flat plate. Add the chicken to the flour and coat evenly.
Heat up a wok or deep-fryer with oil and deep fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown.
Transfer the fried chicken out on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Shami Kebab

• 500g Extra lean minced beef or lamb
• 1 medium Onion (chopped extra fine)
• 1 medium Red capsicum/pepper
• 1 large tsp Garlic (minced)
• 1 large tsp Ginger (minced)
• 1 Tbsp Fresh coriander leaves (chopped fine)
• 1 tsp Butter/margarine
• Pinch dried Methi leaves
• Oil for frying

Spices

• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a frying pan lightly fry the onions for s few minutes.
Add the peppers, garlic and ginger stir and cook for a few more minutes.
Switch off the heat and add the butter and spices and half a teaspoon of salt, stir well then place in a dish to cool.  
Spreading the onion mixture on a flat plate helps it to cool down much quicker.

In a mixing bowl mix together 1/2 teaspoon of salt, methi leaves and minced meat.
Add the cooled down onions and fresh coriander, mix well.
The shami kebab mixture can be covered and placed in the fridge for a few hours or used right away. 
Mould into patty shapes ready to cook, or mould into patty shapes and leave in the fridge for a few hours.
Heat up a large frying pan on a medium/high heat and pour in some vegetable oil. Place the shami kebabs into the pan and cook for a few minutes.

Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100g boneless, skinless Chicken breast
• 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cm piece Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 600ml hot chicken stock
• 100g Sweetcorn
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• shredded Spring onions, shredded, to garnish
• dark Soy sauce
• toasted Sesame seeds, to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan and gently cook the chicken, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes without colouring
2. Blend the cornflour with a little stock and add to the soup pan with the remaining stock and the sweetcorn. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously and simmer gently for 5-7 minutes
3. eat together the egg and lemon juice and slowly trickle into the soup pan, stirring with a chopstick or fork to form egg strands. Season to taste, garnish with salad onions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve with a drizzle of soy sauce and some prawn crackers.

spanish potatoes

gredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 800g potatoes , cut into small chunks
• 4 garlic cloves
• juice ½ lemon
• handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped 

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Mix the oil, tomato purée and paprika together, then coat the potatoes thoroughly in it. Squash the garlic in its skin with the flat of a knife and place on a baking tray with the potatoes.
2. Season well with salt and pepper, then roast for 40 mins, turning halfway through, until the potatoes have crisped up and are fluffy inside. Five mins before the end of cooking, sprinkle over the lemon juice and return to the oven. Serve with the parsley scattered over.

Garlicky potatoes

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 50g butter
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 2 x 750g bags Charlotte potatoes , cut in half if large
• 1l hot vegetable stock
• 2 sprigs thyme , leaves only 

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the oil and butter in a large roasting tin. Add the garlic and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins. Tip in the potatoes and toss to coat in the garlic butter and oil.
2. Pour the stock over the potatoes and season with pepper and a little salt. Bring to the boil then transfer to the oven. Cook for 40-45 mins or until tender.
3. Transfer to the stove-top and toss over a medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed and turned to a shiny glaze - about 15 mins. Tip potatoes into a warm serving dish and scatter over the thyme and serve.

Singapore curried noodles

• 340g/12oz packet of rice flour noodles
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 raw tiger prawns, peeled and each cut into 3 pieces
• 1 x 150g chicken breast, cut into thin slices
• 2 small onions, thinly sliced
• 2 slices smoked bacon loin, cut into matchsticks
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 ½ tbsp curry powder
• 5 tbsp chicken stock
• 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 2 big handfuls of beansprouts
• 1 red pepper cored and thinly sliced
• Pinch of sesame seeds to serve

1. Soak noodles in boiling water for 8 minutes and drain thoroughly in cold water. Heat the oil in a wok. When hot and shimmering throw in the chicken and prawns and cook for 1 minute or until they are golden and just cooked. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add onions, bacon and garlic and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Add salt and 2 tablespoons curry powder, and stir-fry for a further minute. Add stock and soy sauce and stir to form a bubbling sauce. Add the noodles and stir to coat with the sauce.
2. Add the beansprouts and spring onions, turn the heat up high and stir-fry all the ingredients together for just over a minute. Add the prawns and chicken back to the pan and combine. Serve straight away.

Beef and Vegetable stir fry

• 250g dried medium egg noodles
• vegetable oil
• 350g steak, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
• 1–2 large fresh red chillies, finely sliced
• 200g peanut shoots or beansprouts
• soy sauce
• sesame oil
• juice of ½ a lime
• 1 large red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
• a handful of mangetout, finely sliced
• a handful of baby corn, quartered lengthways
• 6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• a bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• cos lettuce leaves, to serve

Cook the egg noodles in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, place in a bowl and set aside.

Heat a large wok or a heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Add a splash of vegetable oil then stir fry the beef slices with the sliced garlic, ginger and chillies until just cooked. Add the shoots or beansprouts, a good splash of soy sauce and sesame oil and the lime juice for the last 30 seconds of cooking.

Tip the contents of the wok into a large bowl, including all the lovely juices. Put the wok back on the heat, add a splash more vegetable oil and all the vegetables. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the cooked noodles and toss well over the heat.

Divide the fried vegetables and noodles between 4 plates. Return the beef and juices to the wok and stir fry until heated through. Add the coriander and toss until well mixed with the beef. Arrange on top of the noodles and garnish with a cos lettuce leaf.

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat and in half
• 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
• Dried thyme to taste
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 40 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 2/3 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tbsp 2% milk (I ended up using about 1/4 cup)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Separate the cloves of garlic and peel. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place trimmed and halved chicken breast in a large zip lock bag. Pound the chicken breasts flat with a mallet until 1/2 inch thick. Season with sea salt, black pepper and thyme to taste.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. In batches, saute the chicken smooth side down first, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the breasts and cook for 45 seconds then remove to a baking dish. Once all the chicken has been removed, add the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 3-4 minutes, turning often; add the chicken stock, making sure to scrape all the brown goodies off the bottom of the pan. Season with sea salt, pepper and thyme if needed. Pour sauce over the chicken in the baking dish. Cover with a lid or tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes.
Once the chicken has baked, carefully remove the chicken and garlic cloves to a platter and cover with an aluminum foil tent to stay warm. Place the sauce in the large skillet that you cooked the meat in or a saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and milk with a little bit of the sauce. Once it's thoroughly mixed, slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the rest of the sauce. Add the butter to the sauce, raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes or until it's nice and thick. Taste and re-season if needed. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy

Fish fry

• Fish : 500 gm ( any fish, I’ve used tilapia)
• Breadcrumbs : 1 cup
• Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder : 2 tbsp
• Salt : according to taste
• Ginger and Garlic Paste : 1/2 tbsp
• Fish masala powder : 2 tbsp (instead of red chili powder and ginger & garlic paste)

1. Wash and clean the fish.
2. Marinate them with red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and ginger & garlic paste for an hour and so. (you can vary the marinating time based on your convenience)
3. After that just roll the fish in bread crumbs one by one and deep/shallow fry them till it becomes golden brown on both sides.

Mexican meatballs (Albondigas)

For the meatballs

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 225 g minced pork
• 225 g lean minced beef
• 50 g fresh breadcrumbs, toasted
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 egg, beaten
• oil, for frying

For the sauce

• 1 chipotle chilli, seeds removed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 175 ml beef stock
• 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
• 7 tbsp passata

 1. For the sauce: soak the chipotle in a little warm water for 15 minutes while you prepare the meatballs.

2. For the meatballs: combine the onion, pork and beef in a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, oregano, cumin and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into balls about 4cm in diameter.

4. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Set aside.

5. Finely chop or purée the chilli in its soaking water. (If you want less heat, purée the chipotle with the soaking water and then use just half of the resulting purée.)

6. Combine the oil, chipotle, onion, garlic, stock, tomatoes, passata, and some salt and pepper in a large pan or flameproof casserole. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes to heat through.

potato salad

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 3kg desiree potatoes
• 250g (1 cup) sour cream
• 190g (1 cup) good-quality whole-egg mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbs finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced

1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Cut into halves or quarters.
2. Use a fork to whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, garlic, mint, mustard and lemon juice in a large bowl until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the potatoes and green shallot in a large serving bowl. Spoon dressing over the potato mixture and gently toss until potatoes are well coated in dressing. Serve immediately.

Fried pizza recipe

• 1 x basic pizza dough
• flour, for dusting vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 x 150g balls of buffalo mozzarella
optional: 5 teaspoons dried oregano

for the tomato sauce
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced a bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked
• 1 x 400g tin of good-quality plum tomatoes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, make your basic pizza dough. Now make your tomato sauce. Heat a saucepan, add a splash of oil and the sliced garlic and cook gently. When the garlic has turned light golden, add half the basil, the tomatoes and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 20 minutes, mashing the tomatoes until smooth, then taste, season again and put to one side.

Preheat your grill to its highest temperature. Divide the dough into 10 pieces and press them flat on to a floured work surface. Roll them out to about 0.5cm/¼ inch thick and allow them to rest for 10 minutes or so. Heat a frying pan over a high heat, add about 2cm of vegetable oil and fry each pizza for 30 seconds or so on each side. Remove with tongs and place on a baking tray.

Once all the bases are fried, smear each one with a spoonful of the tomato sauce and tear over some mozzarella and a leaf or two of basil or dried oregano. Drizzle with olive oil and grill until the cheese is bubbling and the dough is light brown and cooked through.

Mushroom soup

• a small handful of dried porcini
• olive oil
• 600g mixed fresh wild mushrooms (chanterelles, girolles, trompettes de mort, shitake, oyster), cleaned and sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• a knob of butter
• a handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock, preferably organic
• a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• 1 lemon
optional: truffle oil

Place the porcini in a small dish, add boiling water just to cover, and leave to soak. Get a large casserole-type pan nice and hot, then add a good couple of lugs of olive oil and your fresh mushrooms. Stir around very quickly for a minute, then add your garlic, onion, butter and thyme and a small amount of seasoning. After about a minute you'll probably notice moisture cooking out of the mushrooms and at this point add half of your porcini, chopped up, and the rest left whole. Strain the soaking liquid to remove any grit, and add it to the pan. Carry on cooking for about 20 minutes until most of the moisture disappears.

Season to taste, and add your stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes. I usually remove half the soup from the pan and whiz it up to a purée at this point, then pour it back in, adding the parsley and mascarpone, and seasoning carefully to taste.

You can serve this soup as you like, but there are a few things to remember when finishing it off. Mix together a pinch of salt and pepper with the zest of one lemon and the juice of half of it, then spoon a little of this into the middle of the soup. When you go to eat it, stir it in and it gives a wonderful flavour. Other things you can consider are little slices of grilled crostini put into the bottom of the bowls before the soup is poured over. Or you could even quickly fry some nice-looking mushrooms – like girolles, chanterelles or oysters – and sprinkle these on top of the soup. If I was going to use truffle oil, then I would use it on its own – a few drips on the top just before serving.

Creamy mushrooms

• a small rustic loaf of bread, to serve
• 350g chanterelles
• a small bunch of fresh curly parsley
• 30g butter
• olive oil
• ½ a red onion, peeled and finely sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150ml single cream
• 1 lemon

Preheat your oven to its lowest setting and pop the loaf of bread in to warm through. Spend a few minutes gently brushing along the underside of the mushrooms to get rid of any bugs and dirt that might be hiding there. This is well worth the effort. Finely chop your parsley, stalks and all, reserving a few of the leaves.

Put the butter into a large hot pan and as soon as it starts to melt add a drizzle of olive oil, the mushrooms, sliced onion and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything around and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the onions have softened and the mushrooms are starting to caramelize and take on colour.

Add the chopped parsley, then pour in the cream. Continue to stir and cook for another minute, until the cream has come to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for a minute before removing from the heat. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice, have a taste, and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if it needs it. Take your bread out of the oven and tear it into big chunks. Divide the mushrooms between your plates and scatter over the reserved parsley leaves. Serve with your chunks of bread on the side to mop up all the creamy mushroomy juices, and tuck in!

mango drink

• 2 large mangoes, as ripe as possible
• 150ml semi-skimmed milk
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• a handful of ice cubes
• a handful of fresh mint leaves, plus extra to serve
• brown sugar or honey, to taste

dressings / sauces | serves 4
Remove the skin and cut the juicy flesh off the mangoes. Place the fruit in a blender or food processor, along with any juice left on the chopping board. Add the milk, lime juice and zest, ice and mint leaves and give it all a good whiz until smooth. Taste, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, add a sprinkling of brown sugar or honey and give it another quick whiz. Chill in the fridge before serving, then garnish with a few mint leaves.