Food

Food | Drink

Starters | Desserts

Main Meals

PASTA IN TOMATO & GARLIC SAUCE
Ingredients
Oil, tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped onion, 1 garlic clove chopped, about a tbsp of tomato puree, salt and pepper a good pinch of mixed herbs, any pasta shapes (penne or spirals work well) courgette diced, sliced mushrooms , yellow pepper diced, grated cheese.
Put a little bit of oil in a saucepan and fry the onions and garlic. Then add the tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, salt & pepper, simmer for about 20mins.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta to the directions on the packet (I put it in a deep dish in the microwave) with the vegetables.
Drain the pasta when cooked, add the sauce and some ground black peppercorns, mix in and top with grated cheese (I put everything back in the microwave dish and put back in the mircowave for a minute or 2 to melt the cheese) put under the grill to melt if you don't have a microwave.
Delicous served with garlic bread or crusty bread.

CHEESY PASTA WITH MIXED VEG & BROCCOLI
Ingredients
Spaghetti or tagliatelle, packet or homemade cheese sauce , chopped garlic, chopped onion,
broccoli and frozen mixed veg salt & black pepper
You could experiment with different veg for this dish. I like the frozen mix veg containing peas, sweetcorn, & carrots
I put everything apart from the cheese sauce in a deep dish, with water, covered, in the microwave and cook for about 12-15 minutes, drain and then add the cheese sauce and some more black pepper.


PAPRIKA & VEGETABLE STEW
Ingredients
Diced potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, chopped onion, garlic clove chopped, oil, paprika, cornflour boiled water soya sauce, salt & white pepper.
In a big saucepan boil the veg except the onion and garlic, drain but keep the stock. Put a little bit of oil in the saucepan, fry the onion & garlic until soft, add corn flower, (about a tbsp) and some of the stock, keep stirring and adding the stock until the right consistency. Add soya sauce, seasoning and paprika and the veg. If not enough gravy make up using more cornflower and stock. Nice on its own with crusty bread or rice.


CHEESY BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER
Ingredients
Broccoli and cauliflower florets, 2oz butter, 3 salad onions, trimmed & sliced, 2oz plain flour, 1pt warm milk, 2oz grated mature cheddar cheese.
Preheat oven to 200oc/400of/gasmark 6. Cook the broccoli & cauliflower in a pan of boiling water for 3mins, drain and rinse in cold running water. Transfer to an ovenproof dish. In a saucepan, heat the butter until melted & foaming. Stir in the salad onions and flour to make a paste. Cook for 4 mins, stirring continuously. Add the milk gradually and stir or whisk until the mixture boils and thickens, season. Pour the sauce over the florets and sprinkle evenly with grated cheese. Bake for 15 mins or until golden. Serve with sauteed potatoes.


SAUTEED POTATOES
Ingredients
4 large potatoes, peeled & sliced, oil, 1 onion sliced, 1 garlic crushed, 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish, few drops tabasco sauce.
Cook potatoes in large pan of boiling water for 1 minute, drain. Heat oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the potato slices, onion and garlic, cook for 7-10 mins or until golden underneath. Turn the slices and cook for a further 6-7 mins, until crisp but tender. Add the parsley and tabasco sauce to taste. season with salt & freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with more chopped parsley to garnish.


BAKED FENNEL WITH WHITE WINE
Ingredients
3 fennel bulbs trimmed and cut into wedges, 1oz butter, 3 1/2 fl oz white wine
1 pkt fresh thyme broken into small sprigs.
Preheat oven 200oc/400f/gas mark 6. Put fennel in an ovenproof dish, dot with butter and pour over wine. Scatter the sprigs of thyme on top and season generously with salt & freshly ground black pepper. Cover dish with kitchen foil and bake for 15-20 mins or until fennel is just tender. Serve with a gravy dinner


ONION GRAVY DINNER
Ingredients
Potatoes peeled and cut into quarters for roasting, and extra, peeled and cut up for mash, swede cut same size as the potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, julienne carrots, peas, onion chopped, yorkshire puddings, oil for roasting, seasoning, soya sauce, cornflour
In a big pan put all the veg except the peas and onions and bring to the boil.(put salt in water) After 5 mins take out the potatoes for roasting. When everything is nearly tender add the peas. When cooked drain but keep the stock. Meanwhile cook the roast potatoes. I prefer mine done in the deep fat fryer, for about 8 mins on 170oc then turn it up for the last minute to crisp them. They are also nice done in the oven with a little bit of oil and chopped garlic, sprinkle salt on the potatoes , then coat with the garlic and oil, cook for about 30-40 mins 200oc/400f/gas mark 6. Cook yorkshire puds, for quickness I buy yorkshire puddings that only take 4 mins to cook.
In another pan heat a little bit of oil and cook the onions, when soft add the cornflour, stir and keep stirring while you add the stock, when the right thickness add seasoning and soya sauce. Put the swede and potato back in the big pan and mash with butter, milk and seasoning. Serve. I like to do extra veg so I have enough for 2 days. On the second day I do baked potatoes instead of swede and mash and the roasts because they don't keep so well. I cook them in the microwave, then put everything on a plate except the gravy and reheat . Put left over gravy in jug and heat for about 2 mins. Try this dish with the fennel.


BAKED BEANS AND POTATO PIE
Ingredients

Peel & cut up about 5 or 6 good sized potatoes, 1 or 2 tins of baked beans (1 tin for 2 people)about 1/2 a pot (large) low fat natural yoghurt, chopped onion,
mature cheddar grated, seasoning,
Boil the potatoes until tender. Meanwhile put the beans in a large dish. Drain the potatoes and mash with the yoghurt (add enough to give a creamy texture but not to much to make it sloppy) add the chopped onion, seasoning and a couple of handfuls of cheese. Mix well then put on top of the beans and top with a sprinkling of cheese.(can be made in advanced) Bake for about 20 mins 200oc/400f/gas mark 6 or put in the microwave for about 10 mins.

SPICY PIZZA
Ingredients
Cheese & tomato pizza, sliced spanish or red onion, sliced mushrooms,
diced green pepper, cayenne pepper.
Top the pizza with the onion, mushrooms, peppers and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Cook according to pizza instructions.


PINEAPPLE & HERB PIZZA
Ingredients
Cheese & tomato pizza, sliced red or spanish onion, red pepper diced, sliced tomato, pineapple chunks, a good pinch of mixed herbs.
Put the ingredients on the pizza the order they appear, finishing with the mixed herbs.(experiment with other herbs) cook according to pizza instructions.


VEGETABLE COTTAGE PIE
Ingredients
Diced carrots, chopped onion, crushed garlic, sliced mushrooms, 1/2 aubergine, small diced courgette, tin of baked beans, tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, oil, paprika, salt & pepper, butter, potatoes cooked and mashed.
Slice the aubergine put in a colander and sprinkle with salt, leave for about 30-40 mins (this gets the bitterness out.) Rinse with cold water and pat dry, dice. Put oil in a pan and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add paprika, diced aubergine, and the rest of the ingredients, except the mash potato. Cook for about 15-20 mins until tender, put in a dish and top with the mash potato and dot with butter. This dish can be made in advanced and warmed up in the microwave for about 8-10 mins, or heat in the oven 200oc/400of/gas mark 6 for 20 mins. If eating straight away place under grill to brown.


CHEESE & ONION ROLLS
Ingredients
Puff pastry, (I buy ready made for quickness) grated potatoes, chopped onion,
grated cheese, seasoning
Preheat oven 190oc/375 f/gas mark 5. In a dish mix the cheese, potatoes, onion, salt & pepper. Cut the pastry into rectangles, about 2" wide, put the mixture towards one edge, cover over, brush with milk and put slits on the top, bake for 15 mins. Cut into required portions.


ORIENTAL VEGETABLE COUSCOUS
Ingredients
9oz cous cous, sweet & sour vetetables, fine grated zest and juice 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve, jar red thai curry sauce, 3oz chopped peanuts, 2tbsp freshly chopped coriander.
Put cous cous in a bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover it. Set aside for 10 mins to soak. Meanwhile, cook the vegetables in boiling water for 3-4 mins until just tender, drain. Fluff cous cous with a fork and mix in the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste. Heat the sauce in a pan for 1-2 mins until hot. Spoon couscous onto plates, top with vegetables, drizzle with sauce. Garnish with peanuts, coriander and lemon wedges.


GOATS CHEESE ASPARAGUS SALAD
Ingredients
Asparagus, new potatoes, salsa verde, goats cheese, mixed salad leaves inc fresh basil leaves 1-2 tbsp freshly shaved parmesan
Trim and steam the asparagus for 8-10 mins or until tender. Leave to cool. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain and mix with the salsa verde while still warm. Cut the cheese into 8 slices. Arrange the asapagus, potatoes and cheese on a bed of mixed salad leaves. Garnish with parmesan shavings and serve immediately with crusty granary or sunflower-seed bread and butter.
SALSA VERDE
1/4 pt olive oil, finely chop 2oz of herbs (basil, oregano, marjoram or parsley) and add to the oil. mix in some lemon juice, a crushed or chopped garlic, and season well. For quickness you can make this in a food processor or blender.

ROAST VEGETABLES WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients
6 tbsp olive oil, salt & pepper, 1 med aubergine de-seeded & cubed, 6 oz baby sweetcorn, 4 courgettes sliced, 12 oz plum tomatoes halved, 2 oz pine kernels, garlic cloved peeled, 1 tsp fresh thyme or marjoram
Preheat oven 200oc/400of/gas 6. Season 4 tbsp of the olive oil, toss with the vegetables so they are lightly coated. Spread the aubergine, courgettes and sweetcorn on a baking sheet and the tomato halves on a separate baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20-25 mins, until soft and well browned. Roast the pine kernels on a baking sheet for 2-3 mins or until just beginning to brown. Set aside. Put all the roast tomatoes in a blender and add the rest of the olive oil, garlic and herbs. Blend until smooth. Season to taste. Arrange the aubergines courgettes and sweetcorn on a platter or individual plates and pour over some of the tomato sauce. Scatter the pine kernels on top. Serve immediately.


COUSCOUS WITH VEGETABLES AND PESTO SAUCE
Ingredients
5oz couscous salt & pepper, olive oil, red onion peeled and chopped, red pepper de-seeded and cut into thin slices, 2 courgettes sliced, 3oz pine kernels,
6oz mushrooms sliced 1-2 tsp pesto sauce.
Put couscous in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and cover with 7 fl oz boiling water. Leave to soak for 5 mins while you prepare the stir- fry. Heat some oil in a wok or large frying pan and stir-fry the red onion over a high heat. Add the pepper, courgettes and pine kernels and stir-fry for about 3 mins. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until quite soft. Stir in the pesto sauce and season to taste. Fluff up the couscous with a fork, add some oil. Pile onto plates and top with stir-fry vegetables.


PASTA WITH SAUTE SPINACH AND SHALLOTS
Ingredients
2oz butter, 2oz breadcrumbs, 10-12oz wholemeal pasta spirals, 2 shallots peeled and finely chopped, 1-2 tsp dijon mustard, 1lb spinach rinsed and dried.
Melt half the butter in a frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs until crisp. Set aside. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until just tender. Meanwhile melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan and cook the shallots for 3 mins until just soft. Add the mustard and mix in well. Tear or snip the spinach leaves into small pieces and drop them into the pan. Keep the heat high and continue cooking until spinach is just wilted. Drain the pasta and toss it with the spinach and shallot mixture, then quickly mix in the breadcrumbs and serve immediately.


MUSHROOM AND ALMOND RICE WITH CHILLI
Ingredients
1-2 large fresh mild green chillies, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion very finely chopped, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 4oz button mushrooms finely chopped, 4oz long-grain brown rice, 4oz wild rice 2oz blanched almonds toasted and chopped, 1 pint boiling vegetable stock or water, 2-3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, plus whole leaves to garnish, salt & pepper.
Preheat the oven to 200oc/400f/gas 6. Roast the chillies in the oven for 10 mins. Leave to cool, then remove the skin and seeds and chop the flesh. Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion and garlic until very soft. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, then add the chopped chillies, the brown and wild rice and the almonds. Stir well so the rice grains are coated with the oil and cook for 2 mins. Pour over the boiling stock or water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 25-30 mins or until cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. Check on the liquid towards the end of cooking and add more if necessary. Stir in the parsley and seasoning, garnish with whole parsley leaves and serve immediately.

WINTER VEGETABLE HOTPOT WITH HERBS
Ingredients
Sunflower oil, finely chopped onion, 2 leeks chopped, 4 sticks celery diced, 4 carrots chopped, 2 chopped parsnips, 8oz swede chopped, 1oz red lentils or yellow split peas, 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme, 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, 1 bay leaf, 300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock, 500 ml (16 fl oz) passata, salt & pepper.
Heat the oil oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion until soft but not colored. Add the other vegetables and `sweat` for 10 mins by cooking them very gently over a low heat, with the lid on and stirring occasionally. Add the lentils, herbs and stock and stir to mix. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 45-50 mins or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste.


THREE BEAN CHILLI
Ingredients
Olive oil, 2 onions roughly chopped, 2 garlic cloves crushed, 1-2 fresh chillies de-seeded and chopped, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2" stick cinnamon, 2 sticks celery sliced, 3 carrots chopped, 1 red pepper de-seeded and chopped, 14oz tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 14oz tin blackeye or pinto beans, drained and rinsed, 2oz green lentils, 16 (fl oz) 500 ml passata, 300 ml (1/2 pt) vegetable stock,
salt & pepper.
Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onions and garlic until soft but not brown. Add the chillies, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick and fry for 2 mins, stirring. Add the celery, carrots and red pepper and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and lentils and mix well. Pour on the passata and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 50-60 mins. Remove the cinnamon stick, season well and serve hot.