Gingerbread biscuits



 Mix 350g plain flour, 2 ts ground ginger, half tsp each mixed spice and cinnamon, 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda.


Rub in 125g butter until it resembles breadcumbs texture. Add 100g brown sugar, 1 beaten egg, 3tbsp golden syrup and 1tbsp black treacle mixing to a stiff dough.

Roll out to 3mm thick. Cut into even rectangles. Line 2 baking tins with parchment and lay the biscuits with room to spread on it. Bake 180 fan for 15 minutes. Allow 10 minutes cooling time before removing from tins.

Duck in orange sauce stir-fry



Serves 1


Prepare all ingredients before starting the dish.

Make orane sauce marinade by mixing the juice and zest of 1 orange, 1tbsp roasted garlic prepared as above (or just finely chop 3 garlic cloves), 1 tsp runny honey, 2tsp chilli flakes, pinch salt, 1 tsp cornflour, 1 tsp freshly grated ginger. Place half a duck breast with fat intact into the marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Place a handful of medium egg noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water.

Slice half a carrot to resemble matchsticks.

Slice longways and thinly 6" piece of aubergine.

3 brocolli florets sliced longways and thinly.

1 shallot diced.

3 savoy cabbage leaves sliced into thin 2" pieces.

2 tbsp cut green beans and snap peas.

Put a wok on the hob using high heat for 3 minutes. Remove the duck breast and put it fat side down into the wok, leave 4 minutes to cook. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Remove the duck and set aside. The fat will render down, swirl it around the wok leaving a fine coating and drain off the residue (this can be used to cook roast potatoes at a later date giving a marvellous flavour).

Put the carrots, shallots and brocolli in the wok and stir and turn to cook for around 1 minute. Add aubergine, cabbage, green beans and snap peas and cook in the same way for 1 minute. Place the lid on the wok and leave 2 minutes.

Add the marinade and stir the veg to coat well for 1 minute. If you wish trim any remaining fat from the duck, I prefer to leave mine on as the flavour is great.

Slice the duck into half inch wide and long pieces and return to the wok stir-frying another 1 minute.

Drain the noodles using a sieve, put them into the wok again stir frying to coat with the orange sauce. Turn off the heat and replace the lid on the wok. Leave for 2 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.



Baked rosti

Simple and filling. I used up my remaining 3 eggs which were coming near use by date, I always buy too many then have to think what to do with them.

Serves 4

600g Carrots

200g savoy cabbage shredded

1 x Large Onion

3 x Medium Eggs

120g Crème Fraiche

70g Medium Cheddar Cheese grated

1 x Vegetable Stock Cube

3 heaped tsps of freshly chopped Coriander

300ml Boiling Water,

Salt and Black Pepper

30ml Sunflower Oil

20 x 20cm Shallow Baking Dish

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160 fan/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Peel and finely chop the onion, and peel and grate the carrots.

Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water.

Sauté the chopped onions in the oil in a large frying pan on a gentle heat for 5 minutes.

Add the grated carrot, shredded cabbage and the stock to the pan, season with salt and black pepper. Keep stirring until all the liquid has gone and the carrots are dry.

Transfer to a bowl to cool. Meanwhile beat the eggs with the crème fraiche and the grated cheese.

Pour over the carrot mix, add the chopped coriander, then transfer into an ovenproof dish. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Poached smoked haddock with new potatoes

This is one of the simplest but tastiest dishes that is so easy and cheap to make.

One knob of butter and 1tsp rapeseed in a deep frying pan using moderate heat. Add fine diced half an onion and a 3 inch piece of leek turning whilst cooking for 2 mins. Finely dice 6 new baby potatoes and add to the onion mixture with freshly ground black pepper and pinch salt cooking for 2 mins with a lid on.

Add just enough milk to cover the food in the frying pan then place a smoked haddock fillet skin side down in the middle of the frying pan turning the heat down to simmer level. Place 2 tbsp frozen peas and green beans around the fish and add 2tbsp fresh chopped parsley. Lid on and simmer for 10mins. Serve with a sprinkling of finely chopped spring onions.

Three onion roasted red pepper sauce with sausage and pasta

Serves 4

The sauce, sausage and pasta all take 10 minutes to cook so prepare in advance then have them cooking simultaneously to have this quick meal in no time.

Rough chop and first blitz the following in a blender:

400g jarred roasted red peppers (rinse well in water first), 1 red chilli, 1 large tomato, 3" leek, 1 shallot, one quarter white onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1tsp runny honey, 1 tbsp red pesto, half tsp each oregano, rosemary, basil.

Place the blitz sauce in a deep pan, bring to boil and simmer 10 minutes.

Bring 600ml vegetable stock to boil, add 4 handfuls of pasta bows and boil for 10 minutes.

Slice 4 sausages lengthways and grill 10 minutes on a George Foreman grill.

Divide the sauce evenly between each of the 4 serving dishes.

Cut the sausage into bite sized pieces then add a portion to each dish.

Add a portion of pasta to each dish, stirring well to coat the pasta with the sauce.

Serve with a sprinkling of dried basil and handful of grated cheese.

Mackeral and quinoa spiced kedgeree



Serve 1 large or 2 smaller portions

Brush a deep frying pan with 1tsp oil, heat then finely chop half an onion and 3" sliced leek and fry turning for 1 min. Add 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 finely diced red chilli, 1tbsp mild curry powder and 1tsp dried chilli flakes; fry for 1 min.

Add 120ml hot stock and 50g quinoa, bring to the boil, add a handful of washed spinach leaves cover and simmer for 12 minutes.

Add evely over the top - 1 tin mackeral in tomato sauce, 50g sugarsnap peas, frozen garden peas and frozen green beans, 1 tomato thinly sliced and 1 soft boiled egg halved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over half tbsp flaked toasted almonds to serve.

Salmon chilli quinoa

 

Serves 1

Place 70g quinoa, half a diced onion, 1tbsp diced sweet potato and carrot, 2 chopped garlic cloves and half a chopped red chilli into a saucepan with 120ml vegetable stock and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to low and add a quarter tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp fresh ground black pepper, half tsp oregano and lemon juice, 2tbsp each of tinned butter beans, chopped green beans and frozen peas.

Cut a salmon portion into 4 bite size cubes and place skin side down on top of the mix.

Lid on and simmer for 20 minutes until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid.