photo credit: Lori_NY

Mexican Salsa is spectacular with tortilla chips and it is a great topping for most Mexican dishes.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10
Cooking time: none

Ingredients:

1lb / 500g ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch / 6mm pieces
1/3 cup / 2oz / 60g finely chopped white onion
1/4 cup / 1/3 oz / 10g chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
2 tsps fresh lime juice
sea salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, add the tomatoes, onion, cilantro (fresh coriander), chiles and lime juice. Sprinkle salt and mix ingredients.
2. If the salsa is too dry add some water. Cover the salsa and let it sit for 10 minutes so the flavors combine.

photo credit: blmurch

A delicious salsa that compliments almost every Mexican dish. Great for dipping with tortilla chips!

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: none

Ingredients:

1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely minced white onion
3 serrano chiles, finely chopped
½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
3 large avocados, preferable Haas
2 tbsp finely minced fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, add the tomato, onion, chiles and ½ teaspoon of salt. Slice the avocados in half and remove the pit. Scoop the avocado flesh from the skin and add into the tomato mixture. Add the cilantro and mix and mash leaving some lumps. Add more salt for taste if necessary.
2. Guacamole is best served immediately otherwise it starts turning brown. If you want to keep it at room temperature for an hour, add some plastic wrap and be sure to lightly press on the surface of the guacamole. To keep it for longer than 3 hours do not add the cilantro until just before serving, cover and refrigerate.

photo credit: Laurel Fan

Fresh flavors that go well as a side dish.

Serves: 4

Prep time: less than 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1lb / 500g asparagus
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
juice of half a lemon
pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Rinse the asparagus and snap off the hard ends. Snap off the end by hand, each spear will break off at about half an inch to an inch from the end.
2. In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt
3. Place the asparagus spears in a roasting tin and cover with the oil mixture, turn to coat.
4. Place in the oven at 400F / 200C for 15-20 minutes depending on how soft/crunchy you prefer your asparagus.

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients:

3 lb / 1.4 kg Cherry tomatoes (or larger if preferred)
3 Large cloves of garlic, quartered lengthwise
3 Red onions, 2 finely sliced, 1 chopped
1 Large handful Basil leaves
Approx. 4 tbsp Olive oil
1 oz / 28 gm Butter
2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
2 heaped tblsp Dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper
11 fl oz Boiling water
To garnish: Hard Cherry tomatoes, basil leaves or pesto crouton

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/274°F/Gas Mark 5

Place cherry tomatoes on a shallow roasting tin, (if using larger tomatoes cut into generous ½” thick slices), with the garlic cloves and chopped onion. Scatter over half a dozen torn basil leaves, add salt and pepper and coat well with 3 tblsp of the olive oil. Place in the pre-heated oven for 50 – 60 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and starting to brown.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and gently cook the sliced onions over a very low heat until tender and starting to caramelise, (about 30 – 45 minutes). Add the Balsamic vinegar and sugar and cook for another 10 minutes.

Puree the roast tomatoes, onions and garlic with a little water and pass through a fine sieve. Add the puree and any remaining water to the caramelised sliced onion mixture and check the seasoning.

Tear remaining Basil leaves and stir into the soup.

Reheat and serve, garnishing with Cherry tomatoes, more Basil leaves or pesto croutons to taste.

Ingredients:

1 cup of strawberries

1/2 cup of grapes

5 fl oz orange juice

3 fl oz apple juice

5 fl oz milk

Preparation:

In a blender (I use a small hand blender) combine all ingredients, blend. Done.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Hard-boiled eggs, cut lengthwise into halves
12 Large prawns, cooked
1 tsp Salt
4 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Onions, finely chopped
2 Green chillies, cut thinly lengthways
1 tsp Curry powder
1 dsp Tomato paste
1 Juice of lemon
1 oz Thick coconut milk, (creamed coconut block can be used)

Preparation:

Fry onions, garlic and chilli lightly in fat for 4 minutes.

Add curry powder and tomato paste.

Stir thoroughly and cook slowly for six minutes more.

Thin this mixture down to a thickish gravy by adding a little water; then simmer gently, add salt and lemon juice, the coconut milk, and finally, the eggs and prawns.

The gravy must be thick enough to adhere to the eggs.

The coconut milk (or ‘coconut cream’ as it is called in the shops that sell curry ingredients) is most necessary, as it makes all the difference in the world to the flavour.

A light wholemeal loaf which is easy and quick to prepare, especially with a food processor.

Serves: makes a 2lb loaf
Preparation time: 10 mins plus 1 – 2 hours rising, depending on
temperature
Cooking time: 25 – 30 mins

Ingredients:

300g/10.5oz Strong white bread flour
200g/7oz Strong wholemeal bread flour
1 tblsp Olive oil
1tsp Salt
1 tsp Doves Quick Dried Yeast
300ml/10.5floz Cold water

Preparation:

Weigh the flours into a mixing bowl (I use a food processor with chopping blade or dough hook).

Add the olive oil, salt and dried yeast.

If using the food processor (it’s so much easier on the arms) start the motor and add the water, use the processor to blend/knead the bread for about five minutes (or until the thermal cutout kicks in like mine does!)

If doing it by hand, add the water and mix the dough until smooth and elastic, continue kneading until your arms are worn to the elbows or about 10 mins, whichever is first.

Slap the dough into an oiled 2lb loaf tin and cover with oiled cling-file (saran wrap) until it’s risen and looks as if it’s going to start collapsing over the sides.

Place into a cold over and bake at 230c/450f for 27mins. This sounds precise but that’s what suits our oven, you’ll have to experiment with yours.

Check the loaf by tipping it out of the loaf tin onto an over glove and rapping the base of the loaf, it will sound hollow if cooked.

If it’s not cooked, pop it back into the oven at the same temperature without the tin for a couple more mins, this gives a better crust if you’re like me and like your crusts!

Place on a cooling rack until cool enough to slice and spread with butter (in takes longer than you think/want!)