Egg Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

8 eggs, hard-boiled and
chopped
50g/2oz butter
4 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons small capers,
rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons grain mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh
tarragon
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Preparation:

• In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients thoroughly, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve on a bed of crisp lettuce.

Medium Balti Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
900g/2lb skinless chicken breast
fillets, cubed
1 onion, sliced
225g/8oz green beans, cut into
5cm/2in lengths
350g/12oz tomatoes, chopped
15g/1⁄2oz fresh basil, roughly torn
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
For the sauce
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh
root ginger
4 fresh green chillies, chopped
15 cloves
seeds from 10 green
cardamom pods
1 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon mustard powder
400g/14oz tinned chopped
plum tomatoes
600ml/1pt vegetable stock
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed
lemon juice
pared zest of 1 lemon

Preparation:

• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy pan, and fry the onions,
garlic and ginger for 2 minutes. Add the chillies and cook for a further
2 minutes. Add the spices and stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add
the tomatoes, stock, lemon juice and lemon zest. Bring to the boil and
simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Discard the lemon zest.
• Heat the oil in a large balti pan or wok, and stir-fry the chicken for
5 minutes until golden. Add the onion and green beans, and continue to
stir-fry for 1 minute.
• Pour in the sauce and simmer gently for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the tomatoes and basil, and cook for a further 2 minutes or until
the chicken is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Catalan Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
900g/2lb beef mince
2 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
25g/1oz plain flour
1.2 litres/2pt hot vegetable stock

Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Sauté the beef until it is just cooked, then remove and keep to one side. Sauté the carrots, onions and tomatoes in the same pan for a few minutes, stirring continuously to prevent sticking.
• Blend in the flour using a wooden spoon, and cook for a few more minutes. Return the cooked mince
to the casserole.
• Cover the mixture with the hot stock, and simmer the soup gently for about 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Chicken with Ciabatta & Parma Ham Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
800g/1lb 12oz leeks, trimmed and
cut into 1cm/1⁄2in slices
150ml/5fl oz dry sherry
200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
400ml/14fl oz cr?me fra?che
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
700g/11⁄2lb skinless chicken breast
fillets, cut into 1cm/1⁄2in strips
100g/4oz Gruy?re cheese, finely
grated
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
For the topping
200g/7oz ciabatta breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
75g/3oz Parma ham, roughly torn
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the leeks and cook over
a gentle heat for 15–20 minutes until softened. Remove with a slotted
spoon and put to one side. Add the sherry and stock, bring to the boil
and bubble until reduced by about a quarter. Allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.
• In a bowl, mix the crème fraîche, flour, mustard, sage and parsley
together with some salt and pepper,. Mix in the reduced stock and leeks.
• Put the chicken into a 2.3 litre/4pt ovenproof dish, and pour the sauce
mixture over. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
• To make the topping, put the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the oil, ham
and parsley. Toss together and sprinkle over the chicken.
• Cook the chicken in the oven for 50–60 minutes or until bubbling at the
sides. Serve hot.

Khara Masala Balti Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

3 curry leaves
1⁄4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1⁄4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1⁄4 teaspoon onion seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed dried red
chillies
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed pomegranate
seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon shredded fresh
root ginger
3 garlic cloves, sliced
50ml/2fl oz corn oil
4 fresh green chillies, slit
lengthways
1 large onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
700g/11⁄2lb skinless chicken breast
fillets, cubed

Preparation:

• In a large bowl, mix together the curry leaves, mustard seeds, fennel
seeds, onion seeds, crushed red chillies, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds
and crushed pomegranate seeds. Add the salt, ginger and garlic.
• Heat a wok until very hot. Add the oil and, when the oil is hot, add the
spice mixture, then the green chillies. Stir-fry for a minute or so. Add the
onion to the wok and stir-fry over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes.
• Add the tomato and chicken pieces to the wok and cook over a medium
heat for 7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce
has reduced slightly.
• Stir the mixture over the heat for a further 3–5 minutes, then serve hot.

Crispy Cheese Balls Recipe

Ingredients:

250ml/8fl oz milk
250g/9oz plain flour
75g/3oz butter
250g/9oz Cheddar cheese,
grated
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 eggs, beaten
salt
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Preparation:

• Warm the milk in a large heavy saucepan over a medium heat,stirring constantly while gradually adding the flour.
• Add the butter and, once the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and mix in the cheese.
• Add salt to taste, the cayenne and the beaten eggs.
• Allow the mixture to cool. It should now be thick enough to shape into
about 24 balls.
• Heat the oil in a deep heavy saucepan until very hot. Deep-fry the balls in batches of about six until they are golden brown.
• Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and
serve immediately.

Carrot & Coriander Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

175g/6oz onion, diced
50g/2oz butter
500g/1lb 2oz carrots, sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1.2 litres/2pt vegetable stock
2 teaspoons caster sugar
150ml/5fl oz whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
coriander leaves
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Preparation:

• In a heavy saucepan, gently sweat the onion in the butter until soft and translucent. Add the carrots to the
pan, and cook, stirring from time to time, for a further 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and stock. Season with salt and pepper and the sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Pour the contents of the pan into a blender or food processor, and blitz to a purée. Pour back into a clean pan, and add the cream and coriander. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then heat the soup through gently, stirring. Serve hot.

Garlic and Nut Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

225g/8oz roasted salted mixed nuts,
roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
450g/1lb butter, softened
4 tablespoons chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
2 lemons
225g/8oz puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
12 small skinless chicken breast fillets
900ml/11⁄2pt hot chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

• Combine the nuts and garlic with the butter, parsley and 2 tablespoons
of lemon juice, and season well with pepper. Cover and chill.
• Roll out the puff pastry thinly. Prick well and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Brush the pastry with
beaten egg and, using a small cutter, stamp out shapes. Sprinkle with
the poppy and caraway seeds, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Arrange the chicken breasts in a roasting tin, and half-cover with the hot
stock. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
• To serve, melt the nut butter mixture. Drain the cooked chicken breasts
from the stock, and put on a heated serving dish. Spoon the melted
butter over, and garnish with the pastry shapes.

Vietnamese Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

450g/1lb sweet potato, peeled and
cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks
4 tablespoons groundnut oil
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes
450g/1lb skinless chicken breast
fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
150ml/5fl oz coconut milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the paste
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lemon grass stalk, tough outer
layer removed, finely chopped

Preparation:

• Put all the ingredients for the paste in a blender or food processor, and
purée to produce a thick paste. Set aside.
• Cook the potato in a pan of boiling salted water for 8–10 minutes until
tender. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok. Add the paste and fry over a gentle heat, stirring,
for about 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the curry
powder, turmeric and chilli flakes, and fry for 30 seconds until aromatic.
• Add the chicken to the wok, stir to coat it evenly in the spice mixture and
fry, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce
the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until most of the stock has
evaporated. Stir in the coconut milk, then season with salt and pepper.
Cook the curry gently, stirring occasionally, for a further 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cooked sweet potato, and heat through for 3–4 minutes. Taste
and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with rice.

Boston Bean Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

850g/13⁄4lb canned cooked pinto
beans, drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 celery stick, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
450ml/3⁄4pt beef stock
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Preparation:

• Put the beans, tomatoes, celery,onion, bay leaf and stock in a medium saucepan. Cover the pan, and bring the mixture to the boil over a medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are quite soft. Leave the soup to sit, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
• Pureé half the soup in a blender or food processor. Mix into the remaining soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve