Ingredients 85g pine nuts 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges 1 tsp turmeric 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs 350g long grain rice 85g sultanas 850ml chicken stock handful fresh coriander leaves, to serve Method Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. On the hob, toast the pine nuts in a flameproof casserole dish, remove and set aside. Heat the oil in the casserole and soften the onion with the turmeric for 3 mins. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 3-4 mins until browned all over. Tip in the rice, sultanas and 700ml stock, then bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 20 mins, checking halfway and adding more stock if needed. Cook until the chicken is done and the rice tender. Season to taste, then stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve sprinkled with fresh coriander.
Ingredients 85g pine nuts 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges 1 tsp turmeric 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs 350g long grain rice 85g sultanas 850ml chicken stock handful fresh coriander leaves, to serve Method Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. On the hob, toast the pine nuts in a flameproof casserole dish, remove and set aside. Heat the oil in the casserole and soften the onion with the turmeric for 3 mins. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 3-4 mins until browned all over. Tip in the rice, sultanas and 700ml stock, then bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 20 mins, checking halfway and adding more stock if needed. Cook until the chicken is done and the rice tender. Season to taste, then stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve sprinkled with fresh coriander.
Ingredients 1 tsp garlic salt 2 tbsp smoked paprika good pinch of sugar 500g salmon fillets 200ml fat-free yogurt 1 tbsp chipotle paste or hot chilli sauce juice 1 lime To serve 8 small soft flour tortillas, warmed ¼ small green cabbage, finely shredded small bunch coriander, picked into sprigs few pickled jalapeno chillies, sliced lime wedges, to serve hot chilli sauce to serve, (optional) Method Rub the garlic salt, paprika, sugar and some seasoning into the flesh of the salmon fillet. Heat grill to high. Mix the yogurt, chipotle paste or hot sauce and lime juice together in a bowl with some seasoning, and set aside. Place the salmon on a baking tray lined with foil and grill, skin-side down, for 7-8 mins until cooked through. Remove from the grill and carefully peel off and discard the skin. Flake the salmon into large chunks and serve with the warmed tortillas, chipotle yogurt, shredded cabbage, coriander, jalapeños and lime wedges. Add a shake of hot sauce, if you like it spicy.
Bursting at the seams with berries! These bananas came to party and they brought all of their friends. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberry sherbet take this smoothie to the next level. Maximum volume isn’t good enough; this smoothie turns it up to 1
Beat the heat, the island way. Get whisked away to a lush tropical island by a blend of strawberries, peaches, passion fruit-mango juice and orange sherbet. Are you being serenaded by birds of paradise? No, that’s a car horn; you’re daydreaming in the parking lot again.
Ingredients 250g butter, softened 250g caster sugar 4 large eggs 1 tsp almond extract (if you have a nut allergy, use vanilla extract instead) 200g self-raising flour 50g ground almonds (if you have a nut allergy, use 50g plain flour instead) 2 tbsp milk For the icing and decoration 150g butter, softened 300g icing sugar, sieved 500g ready-to-roll icing, coloured red 250g ready-to-roll icing, coloured grey 200g royal icing, made from packet royal icing sugar (use 200g sugar) red food colouring 4 liquorice Catherine wheels 25g white ready-to-roll icing 2 iced party ring biscuits 25g ready-to-roll icing, coloured yellow 8-10 chocolate coated biscuit sticks (e.g Mikado) or mint sticks (e.g Matchmakers) 6 dolly mixture sweets blue food colouring black food colouring Lego firemen (optional) Method Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, almond extract, flour, ground almonds and milk and beat very well until light and pale in colour. Spread into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 35–40 mins. Remove and allow to become completely cold before cutting and icing. To make the butter icing, put the butter into a bowl and beat well. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Cut the cake in half to make two rectangles each 10x20cm. Take one half and cut into two pieces measuring 10x14cm and 10x6cm. Using a little butter icing, attach the 10x6cm piece to one end of the 10x20cm piece. This is the cab part of the engine. Take the 10x14cm piece and slice in half horizontally. Spread a little butter icing on the main part of the fire engine (behind the cab) and stick on one of the 10x14cm pieces. The remaining piece of cake is not required. Using a sharp knife, slice the front of the cab at an angle where the windows will be placed. Spread the whole cake with butter icing. Roll out the red fondant and use to cover the fire engine. Trim around the base. Roll out all but 50g of the grey icing to an irregular strip and place on a 30cm cake board. Carefully lift the fire engine onto the board. Unroll about half the liquorice from each of the four wheels. Attach the strips, using a little of the red icing, to make a double border around the base of the cake. Again using the icing, attach the four wheels. Use leftover liquorice to make strips to mark the centre of the road. Roll out the reserved grey icing and cut out 6 shutters and two wing mirrors. Attach to the cake using red icing. Use the white icing to make two front and two side windows for the cab. Attach with red royal icing and pipe around each window and pipe the cab doors. Stick on dolly mixtures to represent headlights, roof lights and ladder supports. Make a ladder from the chocolate covered biscuit or mint sticks, chopping and sticking with icing. Attach to the top of the engine with icing. Stick together the two party rings and attach to the side of the fire engine. Roll the yellow fondant icing into a long sausage and wrap around the biscuits to represent the hose, snake out onto the board and then make a small circle of yellow icing and stick on the end for the nozzle. Colour the remaining royal icing a pale blue colour. Thin with a little water if necessary and drizzle onto the cake board to represent water flowing from the hose. Using a little blue colouring thinned with water, paint the windows with a fine paint brush. Using black colouring, paint windscreen wipers on the front windows.
Ingredients 50g chorizo, diced 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed small bunch flat-leaf parsley, ½ finely chopped, ½ roughly chopped 200ml hot stock, fish or vegetable 400g can chopped tomatoes 400g can butter beans or white beans, rinsed and drained 1 tsp sherry vinegar 600g clams, cleaned crusty bread, to serve Method Fry the chorizo in a large frying pan with a lid, over a medium heat until it is starting to crisp up and release its oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins until starting to soften. Then add the garlic and finely chopped parsley, and fry for 1 min more. Pour on the stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then add the beans and sherry vinegar. Simmer for 10 mins until the liquid is slightly reduced. Scatter over the clams, cover with the lid and steam for 2-4 mins, shaking the pan occasionally until the clams are open. Have a little taste before seasoning, as the clams can be quite salty. Then scatter over the chopped parsley. Eat with lots of crusty bread.
Ingredients 1.6kg ducks 2 sprigs thyme 2 bay leaves 4 tbsp honey 2 bunches watercress For the creamed cauliflower 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets 2 shallots, finely sliced knob of butter 4 tbsp double cream For the garlic crisps 6 garlic cloves 300ml milk vegetable oil, for frying Method Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Dry the duck with kitchen paper and liberally season all over with coarse salt. Put the thyme and bay leaves inside the cavity, then place the duck on a rack over a roasting tray. Cook for 10 mins or until the skin begins to turn golden, then reduce the heat to 180C/fan 160C/ gas 4. Cook for a further 45 mins, basting the bird with honey every 5 mins or so for the final 20 mins of cooking. Your bird will now be roasted to medium – cook 10 mins more, if you like your duck well done. Set aside to rest, uncovered, for 10 mins. Meanwhile, make the creamed cauliflower. In a pan, cook the caulifl ower and shallots in the butter over a low heat for 20 mins until softened and any liquid has evaporated. Spoon into a liquidiser with the cream and whizz to a purée. Season and keep warm. For the garlic crisps, thinly slice the garlic cloves using a really sharp knife or a mandolin. Place the slices in a pan along with the milk and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and strain the garlic slices, discarding the milk (or save it for mashed potato). Leave the garlic to drain on kitchen paper. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with the oil and heat. Fry the slices, a couple at a time, until golden and crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon. To serve, carve the duck and serve alongside the creamed caulifl ower and sprigs of watercress, sprinkled with the crisp garlic slices.
Ingredients 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon 140g salted butter, softened 400g kale or other winter greens Heat grill to a medium-high setting. Cook the bacon under the grill until really crisp, turning halfway through cooking. Remove, drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool. Put the bacon in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Add the butter and some black pepper, and blend again until combined. Transfer to a dish, or roll in cling film and chill for up to 3 days, or freeze for 2 months. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the kale and cook for 3-4 mins until tender. Drain well, then top with half the butter (see tip, below), and toss to help it melt and coat the kale.
TOTAL TIME:10 hr 10 min Prep: 10 min Inactive Prep:-- Cook:10 hr YIELD:8 servings LEVEL:Easy INGREDIENTS 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 3 tablespoons chili powder 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 (3-pound) pork shoulder (or butt), trimmed of excess fat Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 5 cloves garlic, minced or grated 2 yellow onions, diced 1/4 cup fresh lime juice DIRECTIONS Combine the tomato sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, coriander and cumin in the base of your slow cooker. Stir to combine and distribute the spices evenly. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper and place it in the slow cooker. Using tongs, turn the pork to coat it evenly in the sauce. Add in the garlic and onions, stir again. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook until the pork is tender and beginning to fall apart, on low 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours. Transfer the pork to a serving bowl. Allow to cool slightly, and then shred using 2 forks, removing any excess fat. Skim any excess fat off of the sauce remaining in the slow cooker. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded pork back into the slow cooker and mix it with the sauce that was created during the cooking. You can store the pork in its sauce for 3 to 4 days. Per serving: Calories 280; Total Fat 10 grams; Saturated Fat 3 grams; Protein 33 grams; Total Carbohydrate 13 grams; Sugar: 7 grams; Fiber 3 grams; Cholesterol 101 milligrams; Sodium 567 milligrams
Ingredients 100g dripping or butter 900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks 3 lamb kidneys, sliced, fat removed 2 medium onions, chopped 4 carrots, peeled and sliced 25g plain flour 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 500ml lamb or chicken stock 2 bay leaves 900g potatoes, peeled and sliced Method Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat some dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish, brown the lamb in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with the kidneys. Fry the onions and carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden. Sprinkle over the flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over the Worcestershire sauce, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Stir in the meat and bay leaves, then turn off the heat. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping. Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked. Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.
Bursting at the seams with berries! These bananas came to party and they brought all of their friends. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberry sherbet take this smoothie to the next level. Maximum volume isn’t good enough; this smoothie turns it up to 1
Beat the heat, the island way. Get whisked away to a lush tropical island by a blend of strawberries, peaches, passion fruit-mango juice and orange sherbet. Are you being serenaded by birds of paradise? No, that’s a car horn; you’re daydreaming in the parking lot again.
Ingredients 2 dried ancho or guajillo chillies 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp chipotle paste or 1 tsp smoked hot paprika (pimentón) 1 tsp ground cumin 700ml chicken stock 250g chopped tomatoes, from a can 200g large peeled raw prawns 300g halibut or other firm white fish fillets, cut into 2½ cm pieces 300g clams 500g small new potatoes, halved and boiled juice 2 limes To serve lime wedges 1 avocado, chopped handful coriander leaves 1 small red onion, finely diced corn tortillas, sliced and baked Method Toast the chillies in a hot dry frying pan for a few moments (they will puff up a bit), then remove. Deseed and stem chillies, and soak in boiling water for 15 mins. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, season and cook for about 5 mins or until softened. Add the chipotle paste, reconstituted chillies, cumin, stock and tomatoes. Sauté for 5 mins, then purée until very fine in a blender. Pour back into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins. When close to eating, add the prawns, fish fillets, clams and potatoes. Place a lid on top and cook for 5 mins over a medium-high heat. Add the lime juice and serve with lime wedges, avocado, coriander, red onion and tortilla chips for sprinkling over.
Ingredients 50g soft dried apricots 100g soft dried dates 50g dried cherries 2 tsp coconut oil 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed Method Whizz apricots with dates and cherries in a food processor until very finely chopped. Tip into a bowl and use your hands to work in coconut oil. Shape the mix into walnut-sized balls, then roll in sesame seeds. Store in an airtight container until you need a quick energy fix.
Ingredients small knob butter 2 carrots, cut into batons 1 Savoy cabbage, cut into 8 wedges attached at the core 100ml chicken stock Method Heat the butter in a pan, then add the carrots and sizzle for 1 min until glossy and coated. Nestle the cabbage wedges snugly in the pan and pour over the stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 mins until the cabbage has wilted and the carrots are tender.
Ingredients 250g butter, softened 250g caster sugar 4 large eggs 1 tsp almond extract (if you have a nut allergy, use vanilla extract instead) 200g self-raising flour 50g ground almonds (if you have a nut allergy, use 50g plain flour instead) 2 tbsp milk For the icing and decoration 150g butter, softened 300g icing sugar, sieved 500g ready-to-roll icing, coloured red 250g ready-to-roll icing, coloured grey 200g royal icing, made from packet royal icing sugar (use 200g sugar) red food colouring 4 liquorice Catherine wheels 25g white ready-to-roll icing 2 iced party ring biscuits 25g ready-to-roll icing, coloured yellow 8-10 chocolate coated biscuit sticks (e.g Mikado) or mint sticks (e.g Matchmakers) 6 dolly mixture sweets blue food colouring black food colouring Lego firemen (optional) Method Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, almond extract, flour, ground almonds and milk and beat very well until light and pale in colour. Spread into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 35–40 mins. Remove and allow to become completely cold before cutting and icing. To make the butter icing, put the butter into a bowl and beat well. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Cut the cake in half to make two rectangles each 10x20cm. Take one half and cut into two pieces measuring 10x14cm and 10x6cm. Using a little butter icing, attach the 10x6cm piece to one end of the 10x20cm piece. This is the cab part of the engine. Take the 10x14cm piece and slice in half horizontally. Spread a little butter icing on the main part of the fire engine (behind the cab) and stick on one of the 10x14cm pieces. The remaining piece of cake is not required. Using a sharp knife, slice the front of the cab at an angle where the windows will be placed. Spread the whole cake with butter icing. Roll out the red fondant and use to cover the fire engine. Trim around the base. Roll out all but 50g of the grey icing to an irregular strip and place on a 30cm cake board. Carefully lift the fire engine onto the board. Unroll about half the liquorice from each of the four wheels. Attach the strips, using a little of the red icing, to make a double border around the base of the cake. Again using the icing, attach the four wheels. Use leftover liquorice to make strips to mark the centre of the road. Roll out the reserved grey icing and cut out 6 shutters and two wing mirrors. Attach to the cake using red icing. Use the white icing to make two front and two side windows for the cab. Attach with red royal icing and pipe around each window and pipe the cab doors. Stick on dolly mixtures to represent headlights, roof lights and ladder supports. Make a ladder from the chocolate covered biscuit or mint sticks, chopping and sticking with icing. Attach to the top of the engine with icing. Stick together the two party rings and attach to the side of the fire engine. Roll the yellow fondant icing into a long sausage and wrap around the biscuits to represent the hose, snake out onto the board and then make a small circle of yellow icing and stick on the end for the nozzle. Colour the remaining royal icing a pale blue colour. Thin with a little water if necessary and drizzle onto the cake board to represent water flowing from the hose. Using a little blue colouring thinned with water, paint the windows with a fine paint brush. Using black colouring, paint windscreen wipers on the front windows.
This slow-cooked curry improves if made up to two days ahead, perfect for relaxed entertainingIngredients 6 duck legs 2 tbsp light brown sugar 4 tbsp red Thai curry paste 1 can coconut milk 2 tbsp fish sauce 6 kaffir lime leaves 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced, to serve (optional) Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dry-fry the duck legs in an ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish on a low heat for a good 10-15 mins, turning once, until coloured all over. Remove from the pan. Add the sugar to the fat in the pan and cook until caramelised, then add the curry paste and cook for few mins until fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk and half a can of water. Simmer and stir until everything is combined, then add the fish sauce and lime leaves. Slip in the duck legs, cover the pan and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs until the duck is really tender. Lift the duck legs into a serving dish and remove fat from the sauce, if you like. The curry can be prepared to this stage up to 2 days ahead and left in the fridge, in which case it will be easier to remove the fat. Place the pan back on the heat, add the pineapple and simmer for 2 mins. Adjust the seasoning, adding more fish sauce for salt, and more sugar for sweetness. At the last moment, stir through half the chilli and half the Thai basil leaves, if using, pour over the duck, then scatter with the rest of the chilli and basil. Serve with jasmine rice
Savory is here to save you. Don’t let hungry turn into hangry. Rescue yourself with a soft twist of warm bread and tomato sauce topped with delicious cheddar cheese.No need to thank us, we’re just doing our job. But you’re welcome.
Ingredients 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon 140g salted butter, softened 400g kale or other winter greens method Heat grill to a medium-high setting. Cook the bacon under the grill until really crisp, turning halfway through cooking. Remove, drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool. Put the bacon in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Add the butter and some black pepper, and blend again until combined. Transfer to a dish, or roll in cling film and chill for up to 3 days, or freeze for 2 months. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the kale and cook for 3-4 mins until tender. Drain well, then top with half the butter (see tip, below), and toss to help it melt and coat the kale.
Ingredients 50g soft dried apricots 100g soft dried dates 50g dried cherries 2 tsp coconut oil 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed Method Whizz apricots with dates and cherries in a food processor until very finely chopped. Tip into a bowl and use your hands to work in coconut oil. Shape the mix into walnut-sized balls, then roll in sesame seeds. Store in an airtight container until you need a quick energy fix.
Ingredients 2 bunches leafy breakfast radishes 1 unwaxed lemon 2 shallots, finely sliced into rings 2 fennel bulbs 5 tbsp olive oil Method Separate the leaves from the radishes, wash and dry them, then set aside. Finely grate the zest of half the lemon, then juice all of it. Tip the zest into a salad bowl and toss through the shallots. Leave to macerate while you prepare the rest of the salad. Trim the fennel and slice it as finely as possible, then quarter the radishes. Just before serving, toss all the ingredients, including the radish leaves, with the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, then serve. This salad is great with grilled fish or chicken.
Bursting at the seams with berries! These bananas came to party and they brought all of their friends. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberry sherbet take this smoothie to the next level. Maximum volume isn’t good enough; this smoothie turns it up to 1