CHEESY CORN FRITTERS

1 large tin of sweetcorn
1 oz (25 g) hard cheese
3 tbsp flour
1 egg
1⁄2 cup of milk (approx)
1⁄2 tsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp cumin
1⁄2 tsp coriander
Oil
Method
1. Sift the flour and spices into a mixing bowl then make a well in
the centre, add the egg and half of the milk and beat it all
together with a fork or small hand whisk to make a thick,
smooth batter. (Add the rest of the milk if the batter’s too
stodgy.)
2. Grate the cheese, drain the tin of sweetcorn and mix both with
the batter while you warm about 1⁄2 in (1.25 cm) of oil in a
large pan.
3. Drop tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil and cook for
about 5 minutes, turning once.
4. Drain the fritters on kitchen roll and serve with burgers or
chicken and salad, or with ketchup or a salsa dip.

FISH FINGER PIE

Fish fingers (2–4 per person, depending on size of person)
Spinach
Tomatoes
Grated cheese
Method
1. Place fish fingers side by side in batches of 2–4 and grill on
high for about 10 minutes.
2. Wash and slice the tomatoes, finely shred the spinach and grate
the cheese.
3. Turn the fish fingers over and grill on the second side for no
more than 2 minutes.
4. Cover each batch of fish fingers with a layer of spinach and top
with the slices of tomato and grated cheese.
5. Grill for a few more minutes until the cheese is brown and
bubbling.
6. Serve with chips.

CRAB CAKES

One small tin of crabmeat makes about 8 little crab cakes.
11⁄2 oz (40 g) gram flour
2 oz butter or margarine
1⁄2 mug of milk
1 small (7 oz/170 g) tin of crabmeat
2 tsp 5 Spice
Chives
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 egg
Lemon juice
Black pepper
Method
1. Drain the tin of crabmeat and season with 5 Spice, lemon juice,
black pepper and chives.
2. Melt the butter or margarine in a small saucepan, beat in the
sifted flour and cook for a minute, stirring continuously, then
add the milk and whisk for a couple more minutes to make a
very thick sauce.
3. Take the pan off the heat and add the crabmeat, sesame seeds
and more lemon juice, then stir everything together and shape
the mixture into small cakes with your hands.
4. Place on an oiled baking tray and bake in a hot oven, Gas Mark
6 (200ºC) for 20–25 minutes and serve with a sweet chilli
sauce, oven chips and salad.
Tip
Gram flour (chickpea flour) mixed to a paste with sugar
or salt and lemon juice makes a good, cheap exfoliator and
skin softener, as do porridge oats mixed with a little warm
water. If you’re addicted to brand name beauty products
these home-made versions won’t impress you much, but
they do exactly the same job for a lot less money.

Perfect French Pressed Coffee with Frothed Milk

Yield > 1

Ingredients :
2 tbl coarse-ground French roast
coffee for every
3/4 cup hot water
Hot milk, preferably 2%, as
needed
EQUIPMENT
French coffee press Method :
• Remove the plunger from the coffee press and put the
coffee in the bottom. Pour in the water, leaving about 1 inch of
space at the top and stir with a small wooden spoon. Rest the
plunger on top of the glass pot and let the coffee steep for
about 4 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the hot milk into the frother, insert the
plunger, and pump until the milk is frothy.
• Using slight pressure, slowly push the plunger down on
the coffee press. Divide the coffee among cups and spoon over
the frothed milk. Serve immediately.
• This recipe yields 1 serving.

Pecan-Orange French Toast

Yield > 5
Ingredients :
4 x Eggs lightly beaten
1/4 cup Orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Finely-ground pecans
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1 pch Nutmeg
10 slc French bread - ( ea 1" thick)
GARNISH
Unsalted butter
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Cooked sausage links
Method :
• In a shallow bowl beat together eggs, orange juice
concentrate, milk, pecans, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dip
bread into egg mixture, coating both sides. (Soak for 30
seconds on each side.)
• In a skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter and cook the bread
on both sides over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each
side or until golden. Serve with butter, syrup, powdered sugar
and sausage.
• This recipe yields 5 servings.

CHILLI DOGS

In America, Chilli Dogs are made with a ground beef sauce, very
similar to Chilli con Carne, so this is a lightweight version of the
real thing; much less calorific and easier to eat with your hands.
Hot dog rolls
Jumbo frankfurters or large sausages
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3–4 tbsp tomato purée
2 onions
1 clove of garlic
3–4 medium mixed red and green chillies
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1⁄2 tsp salt
Method
1. De-seed and thoroughly rinse the chillies in cold water.
2. Roughly chop the chillies and onions, crush the garlic and put
into a large saucepan with the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée,
vinegar, sugar and salt.
3. Bring the sauce to the boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer
for about 20 minutes.
4. Allow the sauce to cool slightly then whiz it in a blender or
food processor.
5. Keep the sauce warm, or cool completely and refrigerate for
later on. (Reheat in the microwave when needed.)
6. Cook the sausages or warm the frankfurters according to the
instructions on the packet, then make several deep cuts along
the length of each one with a sharp knife.
7. Put the sausages or frankfurters into rolls and spoon the sauce
over the meat. (Spread the rolls with a little French or
wholegrain mustard for extra flavour.)

Peaches 'Au Gratin'

Yield > 4
people
Ingredients :
6 x peaches
2 tbl sugar (caster)
2 tbl butter
6 x macaroons
1 tbl coconut, dessicated
2 x egg yolks
2 tbl cream
1 tbl brandy
Method :
• Pre-heat oven to 350F/190C degrees.
• Butter a baking dish.
• Peel 2 peaches. Cut flesh in pieces.
• Cut remaining peaches in half. Remove pits and scoop
out a bit of the pulp from each half.
• Combine pulp with cutup peach and mash well with a
fork. Add butter and crushed macaroons, coconut, egg yolk,
cream and brandy and mix well.
• Fill each peach half with mixture, mounding it slightly.
Arrange in baking dish and bake 30 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold.
• Macaroons are crisp coconut biscuits available from
supermarket.

Pate De Campagne (Country Pork Pate)

Yield > 8
Servings
Ingredients :
1 tbl Butter
1 x Onion, chopped
1/2 lb Ground lean pork
1/2 lb Ground pork fat
1/2 lb Ground veal
1/2 lb Pork or chicken liver, finel y
chopped
2 x Cloves garlic, peeled
Pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp Ground allspice
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 x Eggs, beaten to mix
2 tbl Brandy
Salt
Pepper
1/2 lb Bacon slices
Method :
• Melt butter in a small saute pan and cook onion over low
heat until soft but not brown, 10-15 minutes. Leave to cool. In
a food processor, puree the pork, pork fat, veal, pork or
chicken liver, garlic, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, eggs, cooked
onion, brandy, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture in half if it
does not all fit comfortably in the machine. Saute a small piece
of mixture and taste for seasoning. It should be highly
seasoned. If not, add more salt and pepper. Set oven at 350F.
Line the sides and base of a 1-quart terrine mold with bacon,
reserving 2 slices. Pack pork mixture in the mold and smooth
the top. Cut remaining bacon in thin strips and arrange in a
lattice on top of the pate. Cook the pate, uncovered, ion a
water bath until done when tested with a skewer, 1.1/4 to
1.1/2 hours. Let pate cool to tepid. Insert a board that fits
inside the rim of the terrine.
• Distribute weights on top and chill. Serve pate from the
mold, and cut in slices at the table. The pate should be made
at least 48 hours ahead so that the flavours mellow. It can be
kept up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
• Variations: Pate de porc solgnote (Pork pate with
Hazelnuts) Add 1 cup toasted peeled hazelnuts to the pork
mixture. Pate de Pork Marbree (Marbled Pork Pate) Roll each
chicken liver in very thinly sliced pork fat or fat bacon. Make
pate mixture without livers. Pack half of the mixture into the
mold and place livers down the center. Cover with remaining
mixture and bake. When sliced, the pate is marbled with liver
outlined in fat.
• Classic french Cooking

Paupiettes De Saumon Fume – France

Yield > 6
servings
Ingredients :
6 slc Smoked salmon
250 gm Fresh or frozen crab meat
6 x Spring onions
1 x Apple
1 x Green chilli
1 tbl Chopped coriander
5 tbl Mayonnaise
1/2 x Lemon
6 x Oysters
1/2 tsp Curry mix
1 bn Chives
3 tbl Olive oil
Method :
• Place 4 spoons of mayonnaise in a bowl with the crab,
chopped spring onions, coriander, chilli and apple. Season with
salt and pepper, then mix well.
• Place the salmon slices over cling film and top each of
them with a share of the crab mixture. Wrap the cling film
around and form 6 small balls.
• Place in the fridge.
• Heat the curry mix in a pan with olive oil and stir for 3
minutes. Put the oysters in the liquidiser with 1 spoon of
mayonnaise, lemon juice and the curry oil. Process until
smooth.
• To dress, place a ball on the middle of each plate. Spoon
some sauce around and sprinkle the chives over.

Pastel De Manzana - Apple Mint Crisp

Yield > 6
Servings
Ingredients :
1 tbl Butter, softened
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 x Egg
1 tbl Dried mint leaves
1 tbl Ground cinnamon
4 med Cooking apples, peeled,
cored and cut into 1/4"
slices
1 cup Heavy cream, whipped
Method :
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom and
sides of an 8'x8"x2" baking dish with the butter. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, flour, and baking powder - sifting them
together into a bowel. Make a well in the center and drop in
the egg. Mix together until the egg is absorbed into the flour.
In a large bowel, mix together the mint and the cinnamon. Add
the apples and toss until the apples are coated. Arrange the
slices in the baking dish and scatter the flour mixture over
them, spreading and pressing gently to cover the apples
completely. Bake in the oven center for 45 minutes, or until
the top is crusty. Serve at room temperature accompanied

Pain Perdu (French Toast) with Bananas Foster

Yield > 1
Ingredients :
1 stk butter
3 x eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tbl grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbl sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
8 slc French Bread about 1" thick
powdered sugar for dusting
Bananas Foster
2 tbl butter
2 x bananas peeled and sliced,
1/4" thick
1 cup pecan pieces
2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup rum
Method :
• Pain Perdu:
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, orange zest, orange
juice, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, to dissolve the sugar.
• 2. In a nonstick sauta pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter.
Dip 2 slices of the bread into the egg-milk mixture, coating
evenly. Fry in the butter until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on
each side.
• 3. Repeat until all the butter and bread is used.
• 4. Lay the pain perdu on a platter. Add the bananas to
the pecan mixture and warm slightly. Spoon the warm sauce
over the pain perdu. Dust the entire plate with powdered
sugar.
• Yields: 6 servings.
• Bananas Foster:
1. In a sauta pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
• 2. Add the pecans and sauta for 4-5 minutes, stirring
constantly.
• 3. Stir in the maple syrup and bring the liquid up to a
simmer.
• 4. Remove the pan from the stove and add the rum.
Carefully place the pan back on the stove and flame the sauce.
Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.
• Gary Says: I love this dish. it is elegant and reminds me
so of my visits to New Orleans.

Oysters Belle Rive

Yield > 6
Servings
Ingredients :
Garlic butter
Vienne sauce
Artichoke sauce
3 doz oysters, shucked, 6 per person
Method :
• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Reheat the GARLIC BUTTER,
VIENNE SAUCE, and ARTICHOKE SAUCE. Per person, place 2
oysters each in the bottoms of 3 small ramekins. Fill one
ramekin to the top with GARLIC BUTTER, one with VIENNE
SAUCE, and one with ARTICHOKE SAUCE. Bake the ramekins
for 10 minutes at 400 F. Serve immediately. F. Serve
immediately.
• WINE: CHALONE PINOT BLANC

Ox Tongue, Braised

Yield > 1
Ingredients :
1 x Boiled ox tongue * see note
2 slc Bacon cut 1" long pieces
2 x Carrots sliced
2 med Onions sliced
1/3 cup Dry white wine
2 cup Consomme
Method :
• In Dutch oven or large, heavy saucepan, place bacon,
carrots, and onions. Cook over low flame for 5 minutes. Add
wine and 1/2 cup consomme. Bring to boil, and simmer for 20
minutes, or until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add tongue
and remaining consomme. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for
30 minutes. Remove tongue and cut into thin slices. Serve
sauce in sauceboat. Serve hot.
• Serve with noodles.
• Suggested Wine: A light red wine; chilled dry white wine;
or a rose wine.

Ostrich Steaks Au Poivre

Yield > 2
servings
Ingredients :
1 tbl Mixed peppercorns, coarsely
crushed
1/2 oz Plain flour
2 x 5 oz ostrich steaks
1 oz Butter
1 tbl Sunflower oil
4 oz Shallots, halved
8 oz Button mushrooms, halved
2 x Cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbl Brandy, (2 to 3)
3 tbl Creme fraiche
1 tbl Wholegrain mustard
2 tbl Freshly chopped flat leaf
parsley
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
Method :
• 1. Mix the peppercorns, salt and flour together. Use this
to pat on both sides of the steaks.
• 2. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan, add the steaks
and fry the steaks for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove and
keep warm.
• 3. Add the shallots to the pan and fry until golden. Stir in
the mushrooms and fry until browned. Stir in the garlic and fry
for a further minute.
• 4. Pour in the brandy and cook for 1 minute. Remove the
pan from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche and mustard
with the parsley and seasoning.
• NOTES : Ostrich is becoming a lower in fat alternative to
other meats and it is delicious too. This traditional French
recipe is an ideal dinner for two.

SAUSAGE & EGG MUFFINS

These are less greasy, and must be better for you than the obvious
alternative, providing you make them with good-quality sausages
(minimum 70% meat) and poached eggs instead of fried. I’m sure
the original McMuffins had sliced tomato in them anyway, so put
some in, with or instead of the cheese.
Cook the eggs in a proper poacher if you have one, to get that
perfectly round shape, and make this a real weekend breakfast with
the addition of home-made hash browns (see Chapter 3, under
‘Potatoes’).
6 muffins
6 eggs
6 sausages
1 tomato
3 slices of Emmental
Method
1. Carefully squeeze the sausages out of their skins and make each
one into a flattened out round patty with your hands. (Use a
very little flour if it helps, or just wet your hands with cold
water.)
2. Bake the sausage patties in the oven on Gas Mark 6 (200ºC)
for about 20 minutes or until you can see they’re obviously
cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, cut the muffins in half and lightly toast the inside.
Thinly slice the tomato and cheese.
4. When the sausages are almost done, poach the eggs in a large
shallow pan of boiling water for about 5 minutes, until the
yolks are firm.
5. Serve with tomato ketchup.

Olive Pate

Yield > 6
Servings
Ingredients :
18 slc French bread, round, 1/2-
inch thick
1 can Small can Pate de Foie
Strasbourg
1/2 lb Butter, room temperature
1/4 tsp White pepper
1/2 x Jigger Brandy
1/2 cup Black olives, chopped fine
Method :
• Make the French bread croutons by toasting the round
slices of bread in the oven until golden. In a mixer, whip the
pate, butter, white pepper, and brandy until completely
blended and smooth. By hand, fold the black olives into this
mixture until distributed evenly. Allow flavors to set overnight.
• To serve, scoop the pate with a small ice cream scoop, 3
scoops per person on a small plate. Serve along with 3
croutons for each person.
• WINE:MONTAGNY, LOUIS LATOUR,1982

Original Beef Stroganoff

Yield > 1
Recipe
Ingredients :
3 tsp Butter
3 tsp Chopped onion
1 tsp Flour
1 1/2 cup Clearn beef soup or
consomme
1 cup Sour buttermilk
2 lb Lean stew meat or shoulder
Roast.
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
Method :
• "Beef Stroganoff was invented by Serge Stroganoff, a
court dook in the riegn of Catherine the Great of Russia.
Catherine was the daughter of the Duke of Anholt-zervst of
Prussia, born in 1729. She was a cruel despot and full of
personal vices but did a great deal to help Russian scientists,
writers and philopophers and to westernize Russia as much as
possible. She also encouraged Russain cooks such as
Stroganoff to adapt French cooking methods and also to create
new Russian dishes. She was a great woman for romancing
and during her more youthful days would have a different lover
every night or so.
• She had them killed for some trumped-up charge as she
tired of them.
• She died of heart failure in 1796 in the arms of her young
lover, Prince Platow Louboff at the age of 67. She certainly was
quite a woman."
• Take the beef stew meat or the roast and sice it up into
pieces as thin as you can or about 1/4" thick, ath the thickest.
The thinner the better. The pieces should not be more than
about 2" square. Salt and pepper the meat to taste. Put 3 level
T. of butter into a frying pan and 3 level T. of chopped onion.
Add the meat. Over a medium heat cook until the meat is
done.
• Make a sauce or gravy as follows. Put 2 level T. of butter
into a large frying pan and melt the butter until it just barely
starts to turn borown.
• Take off from the stove. Now add 1 3/4 level T. of flour
into the hot butter until the mixture forms a medium syrupy
consistency, not a thick paste. Remember not a thick paste.
Add more butter if necessary. Now add 1 1/2 c. of cold clear
beef soup or consumme and stir in well. Now place back onto
the stove and over a medium heat bring to a slow boil. Stir
continually. Now add one cup of sour buttermilk and stir in wel.
Be sure to use sour buttermilk not sour cream. Now pour the
meat, onion and butter sauce into the gravy and gently
simmer just enough so that it is well heated. Serve with
mashed potatoes or boiled white rice and dark bread.
• Note: To sour buttermilk simply cover a bowl of
buttermilk and let stand until it thickens.
• This recipe was often used with venison and bear meat as
well as beef. This meat must be sliced as thin as possible.

BURGERS WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Mix in a tablespoon of dried mint if you’re using lamb and 1⁄2
teaspoon of cayenne pepper to either beef or lamb. Ideally, make
the dressing a few hours before you need it to give the flavours a
chance to develop.
To make 6 good-sized burgers
2 lb (1 kg) minced lamb or beefsteak
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 egg to bind
Seasoning
For the blue cheese dressing
3 oz (75 g) blue cheese
1⁄2 small jar of mayonnaise
1 small carton of natural yoghurt
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vinegar
Method
1. Squish everything together in a large bowl and pat the mixture
into burger shapes with your hands, making them as large and
thin as you can without tearing. (Don’t use flour; wet your
hands with cold water to make it easier.)
2. For best results put the burgers under the grill on the highest
setting and cook on both sides for a few minutes until they’re
brown on the outside and just done in the middle.
3. Serve (with or without buns) with chips and relish.
To make the blue cheese dressing
1. Crumble the cheese into a bowl and add the mayonnaise,
yoghurt and crushed garlic.
2. Mix the ingredients together before adding the lemon juice and
vinegar. Stir well then taste the dressing before adjusting the
flavour with a very little more lemon or vinegar, or a bit of both.

JAMAICA PATTIES

You should get about a dozen patties out of the quantities below,
depending on the size of the plate you use to cut out the pastry.
Like most other pies and pasties these make a great alternative
to sandwiches for a packed lunch – that is, until primary schools
with ‘healthy schools status’ decide to ban pastry from the
children’s lunch boxes on the grounds that it contains more calories
than wholemeal bread. (Well it wouldn’t surprise me. That’s how
daft some of these new rules and regulations are.)
For the pastry
1 lb (500 g) plain flour
1 tbsp turmeric (or 1 sachet from a refill box)
1⁄2 lb (225 g) butter
3⁄4 mug ice-cold water
1 beaten egg (plus water)
For the filling
1 lb (500 g) beef mince
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 heaped tsp chilli powder (or less!)
2 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 beef stock cube
Method
1. Sift the flour and turmeric into a large mixing bowl and slightly
soften the butter in the microwave (on defrost for about 30
seconds) then add the butter to the bowl in small pieces and
rub the fat into the flour until it resembles medium-fine
breadcrumbs.
2. Add about half the cold water to the mixture in the bowl and
pinch the mixture together with your hands to make a fairly
stiff dough, adding a little more water if necessary.
3. Put the dough in a polythene food bag or wrap it in cling film
and leave it to rest in the fridge while you get on with the
filling.
4. Dry fry the mince in a large pan while you finely chop the
onions, then add them to the pan and cook for a few minutes
until the meat is brown and the onions have softened.
5. Strain all the fat out of the pan and dissolve the stock cube in
a mug of boiling water, then add the stock to the meat followed
by the chilli powder, curry powder, crushed garlic and tomato
purée.
6. Stir well and allow the meat to simmer for at least 20 minutes
until the sauce thickens nicely. (Adjust the sauce by adding a
little more water and/or more tomato purée if you like.)
7. Allow the meat sauce to cool while you preheat the oven to
Gas Mark 6 (200ºC) and lightly grease two large baking
sheets. Beat the egg in a mug with 3 or 4 tablespoons of cold
water.
8. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each half out, one at
a time, cutting around a small side plate or saucer to make the
patties and re-rolling the trimmings to make more as necessary.
9. Put roughly 1 tbsp of meat in the centre of each pastry round
and use the egg/water mixture to wet the edges of the pastry.
10. Fold each pastry in half over its filling to make a semi-circular
patty, pressing the edges down with a fork and piercing fork
holes in the centre of each patty two or three times.
11. Glaze the patties with more of the egg/water mixture, place
on the greased baking trays and cook in the oven for about 20
minutes until the pastry is firm and golden.
12. Serve hot or cold, on their own or with Cheesy Corn Fritters

STICKY RIBS

This should be enough for two large packets of small pork ribs.
You can also use this marinade to coat chicken drumsticks and
sausages.
Pork ribs
1⁄2 pint (300 ml) tomato juice
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp paprika
Method
1. Mix the tomato juice, vinegar, honey and paprika together using
all the marinade to coat the ribs then cover and keep in the
fridge for at least two hours.
2. Cook the ribs under a high, preheated grill for about 20
minutes, turning once or twice and re-coating the meat with
the marinade each time.
3. Serve with new potatoes or rice and salad.

TANDOORI CHICKEN

This is enough for at least eight large chicken joints; more if you’re
using thighs and drumsticks.
Chicken pieces
1⁄2 large pot (500 g) of natural yoghurt
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp chilli powder
Lemon or lime juice to taste
Salt & pepper
Method
1. Wash chicken, remove skin and score several deep cuts in each
piece of meat.
2. Mix all ingredients together and coat the chicken pieces
thoroughly then cover and keep in the fridge to marinate for at
least 4 hours, or even overnight.
3. Transfer the chicken to a clean ovenproof dish and bake in the
oven on Gas Mark 5 (190ºC) for about half an hour, turning
once.
4. Serve with rice.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

This is the seasoning the way I like it but you can make it hotter
or milder by adjusting the amount of spices and herbs any way
you like.
Southern fried chicken the way they make it in America would
be double-dipped in buttermilk, beaten egg and two coatings of
seasoned breadcrumbs, but either one of the following methods
works well: either dunk the chicken in a mixture of beaten egg and
milk before coating with the breadcrumbs, or dip the chicken in a
thin batter made with plain flour, beaten egg and milk, then coat
with breadcrumbs. (I prefer the latter because the breadcrumbs
stick better this way.)
The quantities below are enough for 12 pieces of chicken.
Chicken pieces (12)
For the seasoning
1 tbsp paprika
1 teaspoon each of: cayenne pepper, onion salt, garlic salt, celery
salt, allspice, chilli powder, black pepper, basil, thyme, marjoram
4 oz (100 g) breadcrumbs
4 tbsp cornmeal or yellow maize flour
For the batter
3 tbsp plain flour
1 egg
1 mug of milk (approximately)
(Plus more flour for dusting)
Oil for frying
Method
1. Remove all chicken skin, trim any fatty pieces, rinse chicken in
cold water and dry the meat thoroughly.
2. Mix all the spices and herbs with the breadcrumbs and
cornmeal in a large deep-sided dish or tray and dust the dry
chicken pieces with a little flour.
3. Make a thin batter with plain flour, egg and milk by making a
well in the flour then beating in the egg with about half the
milk and gradually adding more milk to get the right
consistency.
4. Warm enough oil in a very large pan to completely cover the
chicken (or use an electric deep-fat fryer) and preheat the oven
to Gas Mark 5 (190ºC).
5. Dip the chicken pieces in the thin batter then cover completely
with the breadcrumb mixture.
6. Fry the chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time for a couple of minutes
until the coating is crisp and golden, then finish in the oven for
about 15 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.
7. Serve with chips or rice and salad.

CHICKEN NUGGETS

Most kids seem to love chicken nuggets and they’re a brilliant way
of making a little good-quality meat go a very long way. You can
expect to make at least a couple of dozen nuggets with the
quantities given here.
2 chicken fillets
2 carrots
2 apples
1 onion
1 lb (450 g) breadcrumbs
Tarragon
Salt & pepper
1 egg
Splash of milk
Method
1. Wash and roughly chop the carrots and onion, peel and core
the apples, remove the skin from the chicken and cut the meat
into large pieces.
2. Put carrots, onion, apples and chicken into a large (4 pint/2
litre) blender or food processor with the tarragon, salt and
pepper – or whatever seasoning you prefer.
3. If you’re using the above quantities, blend the whole lot in one go
on the slowest setting to the consistency you want – anything from
coarse and chunky to a smooth paste – and if you’ve got a smaller
food processor or you’re making twice as many nuggets, blend the
chicken first, followed by the fruit and vegetables. (If you haven’t got
a mixer you can always grate the fruit and vegetables by hand and
snip the chicken into tiny pieces with kitchen scissors.)
4. Put the blended ingredients into a large bowl and squish it all
together with your hands, adding a handful of breadcrumbs if
you think the mixture’s a bit wet.
5. Spread the breadcrumbs across a large, shallow dish or tray and
beat the egg with a big splash of milk.
6. Now shape the nuggets with your hands, dipping each one into
the egg mixture first, and working with only a small amount of
breadcrumbs at a time to avoid making a mess of the whole
tray and creating too much waste.
7. In a large pan warm enough oil to completely submerge the
nuggets (about 2 inches/5 cm) and test if it’s hot enough by
dropping a small chunk of bread into the pan; it should go
brown in a matter of seconds. If the oil is too cool the nuggets
will break up and go soggy; if it’s just right they should turn
crisp and golden in about a minute.
8. Fry the nuggets for a couple of minutes then place on a baking
tray and finish them off in the oven on Gas Mark 5 (190ºC) for
about 15 minutes to cook through.
To freeze chicken nuggets
1. Place uncooked chicken nuggets on a small tray, cover with foil
and seal in a freezer bag, or layer with greaseproof paper in a
plastic container with a tight lid.
2. To cook them from frozen, first allow the nuggets to thaw
slightly for a few minutes so they’re easier to separate, then
remove excess moisture with kitchen roll and, for best results,
follow the cooking instructions above.
Tip
Foil takeaway cartons (as long as they’re really clean) can
be reused for freezing and cooking smaller portions of
food in the oven, as can ‘disposable’ roasting trays.

Pasta with Home-made Pesto

Obviously you can use whichever type of pasta you like, but fresh
tagliatelli or those super-sized dried white pasta shells are a bit
more impressive than a packet of value twists if you’re making this
for friends.
Method
1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil then
add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the
packet.
2. Drain the cooked pasta, leaving a very little of the water in the
pan, then add a couple of tablespoons of pesto and warm
through for a minute over a very low heat.
3. Serve the pasta and pesto with more finely grated fresh
Parmesan cheese and lots of salad.

CHICKEN CURRY

This is a really good little curry for young children. Mild, creamy
and made only with vegetables in child-friendly colours it also
includes sweetcorn, which is one of the few foods (like pasta,
potatoes and yoghurt) that almost all children seem to eat without
question.
Once your kids are hooked on this you can start sneaking in the
spinach. (Don’t add extra sugar if you don’t want to, especially if
the orange juice is a sweet one.)
2–4 chicken fillets
1 onion
4 carrots
1 large sweet potato
1 tin of sweetcorn
1 small carton of natural yoghurt (or 4 tbsp from a big carton)
1 sachet of coconut or 1⁄2 tin of coconut milk
1 mug of orange juice
1 big tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp mild curry powder (or 1 tsp medium)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1⁄4 tsp ginger
1 tsp sugar
Method
1. Wash and finely slice the carrots; peel the sweet potato, cut into
largish chunks and grate the onion.
2. Cut the chicken into thin strips while you warm some oil in a
large pan.
3. Cook the chicken strips a few at a time unless the pan is big
enough to take the whole lot, in which case, cook all the chicken
in one go. (The meat won’t brown if the pan is full, but it
doesn’t matter with this recipe.)
4. Add the grated onion, sugar and spices to the pan and cook for
a couple more minutes, making sure the chicken is well coated.
5. Add the carrot slices and sweet potato chunks followed by the
orange juice, yoghurt, coconut milk and tomato purée; stir well,
cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for about 40 minutes,
or until the vegetables are just soft.
6. Adjust the seasoning and consistency and serve with couscous,
rice, chips or mashed potatoes (yes, really).

Aubergine Pesto

This is one recipe with aubergines where you don’t have to worry
about how much oil they absorb in the cooking process because
the pesto incorporates the same oil you’ve used for frying.
3 oz (75 g) mixed nuts and seeds
1 oz (25 g) flax seeds
1 small aubergine
2 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of rosemary
1⁄2 packet of fresh mint
1 oz (25 g) grated Parmesan
1 tbsp tomato purée
Black pepper
1⁄4 pint (125 ml) olive oil
Method
1. Cut the aubergine into fairly thick slices and soak in a bowl of
very salty water for about 20 minutes, then drain, rinse well
and dry with kitchen paper.
2. Heat half the quantity of oil in a large frying pan and preheat
the oven to Gas Mark 6 (200ºC).
3. Fry half the aubergine slices in the hot oil for a few minutes,
turning once, then transfer to a small roasting tin. Add the
remaining oil to the pan and fry the rest of the aubergine, again
transferring the cooked aubergine to the roasting tin.
4. Snip the rosemary up and sprinkle over the aubergine then add
the crushed garlic to the roasting tin and put it in the oven for
20–25 minutes until the aubergines are completely soft and
cooked through. All the oil that was soaked up during frying
should now be swimming around in the tin.
5. Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool for a few
minutes while you get the rest of the ingredients ready then
put the aubergines and all the oil into a blender or food
processor with everything else and blend or pulse to make a
coarse paste, scraping the pesto down from the sides every few
seconds.
6. Pack the pesto into a clean jar and pour another 2 tsp of olive
oil on top.
7. Store in the fridge for a week.

Red Pepper & Onion Pesto

4 oz (100 g) pine nuts
1 red pepper
1 red onion
1 packet (30 g) of fresh basil
1 oz (25 g) Parmesan
2 tbsp tomato purée
1⁄2 tbsp garlic purée
Black pepper
1⁄4 pint (125 ml) of olive oil
Method
1. Peel and chop the red onion; remove the stalk and seeds from
the red pepper and cut into rough chunks.
2. Rinse the fresh basil and put the herbs in the food processor
with the pine nuts, red pepper, onion, grated Parmesan and
tomato and garlic purées.
3. Season with black pepper then whiz for a minute, stopping to
scrape the food away from the sides every few seconds.
4. Add the olive oil gradually through the funnel with the food
processor on pulse or the slowest setting, until it looks right to
you.
5. Pack the pesto into a clean jam jar and pour another 2 tsp of
olive oil on top.
8. Store in the fridge for a week.

Olive & Parsley Seed Pesto

4 oz (100 g) mixed seeds
1⁄2 small tub of mixed pitted olives
1 packet (30 g) of fresh, flat leaf parsley
1 oz (25 g) Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp tomato purée
1⁄2 tbsp garlic purée
Lemon juice
Black pepper
1⁄4 pint (125 ml) olive oil
Method
1. Wash the fresh parsley, cut the stalks off, then tear up and put
in the food processor with the seeds, olives, grated Parmesan,
tomato and garlic purées.
2. Season with black pepper and a little lemon juice then whiz for
a minute, stopping to scrape the food away from the sides every
few seconds.
3. Add the olive oil gradually through the funnel with the food
processor on pulse or the slowest setting, until it looks right to
you.
4. Pack the pesto into a clean jar and pour another 2 tsp of olive
oil on top.
5. Store in the fridge for a week.

Oeufs Brouilles a La Michel Guerard - (French Scrambled ...

Yield > 4
Ingredients :
6 lrg eggs
1 tbl butter
2 tbl creme fraiche
6 tbl finely-chopped shallots
1 tbl finely-chopped chives
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper
to taste
3 oz caviar
12 piece toasted bread - (long and
thin)
Method :
• With a serrated knife, cut each egg shell about 1/2-inch
from the pointed end. Empty the raw eggs into a bowl and
reserve. Wash the egg shells (tops and bottoms) in warm
water, then turn them upside down on a towel to dry
completely.
• Over very low heat melt the butter in a saucepan just
large enough to hold the eggs. Beat the eggs with a whisk,
pour through a sieve into the warm butter, and return to the
very low heat. Beat constantly with the whisk, gradually
increasing the heat, until the eggs are thick and creamy, not
solid.
• Remove the eggs immediately from the heat and
continue whisking while adding the cream, shallots, chives, salt
and pepper.
• Place the dried eggshells in egg cups. Using a teaspoon,
carefully fill each shell 3/4 full with the creamed eggs, then
finish filling each shell with 1 tablespoon of caviar. The caviar
should be slightly domed on top. Place the little top of each
shell on the caviar. Serve with toast.
• This recipe yields 4 servings.
• Comments: The full recipe title as lisred is "Oeufs
Brouilles a la Michel Guerard - (French Scrambled Eggs with
Caviar)".

Oignons Confiture (Red Onion Relish)

Yield > 4
Servings
Ingredients :
1 tbl Olive oil
1 x Red onions, sliced very thin
1 tbl Sugar
2 tbl Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tbl Dried fruit: raisins, apricots,
prunes), chopped
1/2 cup Red wine
Method :
• Heat oil in noncorrosive saucepan over medium heat. Add
onions. Let sweat gently until onions start to give off their
juices.
• Stir in sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper until the mixture
starts to melt.
• Add dried fruit and wine, then cover and reduce heat to
lowest setting. Use a heat diffuser on the burner, if necessary.
Watch and stir often, adding more wine or water as needed.
• When the onions and fruit have melded and cooked down
to a jamlike consistency, taste and adjust seasoning. Add more
vinegar if needed to balance the fruit.
• Note: I stuff a tablespoon of this onion "jam" in small
hollow parboiled onions and roast them in the oven. -Kate
Ratliffe, author
• NOTES : Intensely flavored vegetable side dish, a favorite
served with grilled chicken or lamb chops. This confit may ber
served hot or
• at room temperature as a relish with roasts and fowl. It
will
• keep refrigerated for several days.