Carrot, coriander and orange soup

Ingredients

2 medium large carrots (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 small potato (chopped)
1 tblsp chopped fresh coriander
½ tsp dried coriander
Pinch nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium orange, zest and juice
More orange juice to taste (from a carton)
½ vegetable stock cube to make 300ml (½ pt) stock
2 tblsp single cream
Knob of butter + 1 tblsp oil

Method

Melt butter and oil and fry onion until transparent. Add carrots and potato and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add dried coriander, pepper and nutmeg, then orange zest and juice followed by the stock. Simmer on a gentle heat for 40-50 minutes until all vegetables are cooked. Mash or purée to preferred consistency before adding fresh coriander and cream. Mix well and leave to stand a few minutes before serving. NB there is no salt but add it if you wish.

Ingredients:

2 mackerel (cleaned and without head)
2 tbls cooking oil
2 tbls dry fennel seeds
10 pieces of feathery fennel leaves (if available)
1 tsp black peppercorns; pinch salt (optional)

You will require a ridged grill pan, wiped with a piece of oil-greased kitchen paper.

Dressing

2 tsp salad dressing (Heinz or equivalent)
2 tsp horseradish sauce
2 tsp lemon juice (can use Jif or equivalent)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
8 gherkins (chopped)
10 capers (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and leave until required to eat with the fish.

Method

For the marinade-Grind the fennel and black peppercorns using a mortar and pestle (alternatively, using a rolling pin and plastic bag) to release the flavours. Mix in a bowl with the oil and a pinch of salt. With a sharp knife, make three deep slashes on each side of the fish. Place the fish in an oval dish and coat with the herb-oil mix on each side and rub into the slashes as well. Tuck the fresh fennel fronds inside the fish and inside the slashes. Leave the marinate for at least an hour.

Heat the grill pan thoroughly before grilling the fish. Cook it for 4 minutes each side using a pair of wooden spatulas to turn. Eat with steamed green beans and broccoli and boiled new potatoes dusted with melted butter and fresh or dried mint.

This recipe, a centuries-old fish and herb combination, also works well with herring or trout.

CRISPY CHEESE AND HERBED POTATO CAKES (Vegetarian)

Ingredients (for 2)

1 medium cooked potato-mashed
1 spring onion-finely chopped
1-2 oz grated cheese
1 egg-beaten
30-55 g (1-2 oz) wholemeal flour
1 tsp fresh parsley-chopped
Freshly ground black pepper; salt (optional)

Method

Mix together and form into cakes and fry in half oil and half butter until crisp
and golden on both sides.

Delicious with salad. These freeze well.

Bakewell Tart

Ingredients

115g (4 oz) short crust pastry
57g (2 oz) soft margarine
57g (2 oz) caster sugar
57g (2 oz) ground rice
29g (1 oz) ground almonds
A few drops of almond essence
1egg
1 small cooking apple stewed with sugar to purée
A handful of blackberries, fresh or frozen.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to180°/350°/Gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm (8 inch) flan tin, preferably with a loose bottom. Roll out the pastry and line the tin, trimming the edges neatly. Lay foil and dried peas/beans inside over pastry base and bake blind for 10 mins, until the pastry is just beginning to cook. Cover the base of the semi-cooked pastry with a thin layer of apple purée. Beat together the 6 ingredients for main sponge and spread over the apple. Arrange blackberries over the surface or scatter randomly. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked and golden brown. You can freeze any sections you do not wish to eat.

Earl Grey Steamed Chicken with herbs and spices (1-2)

You will require steaming equipment. I use a metal colander which sits in an appropriately sized saucepan with a lid. The edge of the colander needs to sit on the pan so that the lid can go over the top of it.

Ingredients

1-2 boneless chicken thighs
2-4 spring onions, finely sliced and chopped
1-2 thin slices of fresh or frozen ginger root (if more, it adds more fire to the chilli)
1-2 pinches of salt and white pepper
450 mls (¾ pt) freshly brewed Earl Grey tea with 3 teabags (more hot water
available to top up)
1 slice of lemon (in with the tea)
115-225g (¼-½lb) broccoli with a few baby corn cobs
1-2 tbsp light soy sauce
1-2 squeezes of lemon juice
Boiled rice to serve

Method

In a small bowl, mix together spring onion, ginger, salt and ground white pepper. Lay the chicken pieces flat and coat with the mixture. Roll up and seal with a cocktail stick or skewer, or simply tie with fine cord. Place the stuffed chicken pieces in the colander. Make the tea and pour it with the lemon slice into the saucepan. Bring to the boil and fit the colander in place above the tea. Cover with the lid and steam for 10 minutes. Top up with more tea as necessary. After 10 minutes, place the vegetables around the chicken pieces and replace the lid. Steam for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables and steam for a further 5 minutes (20 altogether for the chicken).

Whilst the steaming is continuing, cook the rice you require (55-170g or 2-5 ozs). In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, sesame seeds, chopped coriander, soy sauce, lemon juice and chillies (if this is your first enounter with red chillies, try no more than half, and freeze the rest). Toss the cooked chicken pieces in this sesame oil dressing, then place in a serving dish. Serve with the rice and vegetables. The original recipe used bok choy as vegetable and the authentic Chinese green tea, but since I do not have bok choy I used the vegetables we like. Moreover I love the flavour of Earl Grey: that is what I used and the result was delicious. Even my husband agreed, and he won't drink Earl Grey as tea.

Banana and Rhubarb Delight

Ingredients (for 1-2)

2-3 medium sticks rhubarb
Sugar and sweeteners-sweeten to taste
1-2 tbsp orange juice
Grated rind ½-1 orange
¼-½ tsp ground ginger
1-2 large bananas
1-2 tbsp crème fraîche, whipped cream or yoghurt
2-4 tsp gran. Sugar
1-2 glacé cherries
A few chopped nuts

Method

Wash and chop the rhubarb. Stew together with the sugar, ginger, grated orange rind and juice. Mash half the banana(s) with sugar to a nearly smooth consistency. When the rhubarb is cooked, serve it in 1-2 dishes. Spoon the mashed banana on top of the rhubarb. Top that with the crème fraîche or equivalent and a scattering of mixed nuts and half a cherry in the middle. Slice the remaining banana into fine rounds and arrange around the inner edge of the dishes. Serve immediately.

Did you know that rhubarb was introduced into Britain from the Volga region of Russia in 1573, but was regarded merely as a gardener's curiosity until the late 18th century?

Ingredients (for 2)

150ml/5fl oz long grain or Basmati rice, measured in a measuring jug
300ml/10fl oz water
(Aga: 115g/4oz, dry weight, long grain of Basmati rice, 180ml/6fl oz water)
1 small onion (can be a mixture of red/white and/or spring onion)
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 strips of cinnamon stick or bark (from Booth's-Island Spices)
4 black peppercorns
4 cloves
Pinch oregano
½ tsp salt
½ tsp mixed spice (my variation)
Oil or butter for frying
Frozen peas and corn to accompany (my variation)

Method

Chop onion small and fry until transparent with crushed garlic in a saucepan (Aga: on hot plate). Add spices, seasoning and herbs. Stir and continue to fry gently for 2-3 mins. Add rice, stir and fry gently for 2-3 mins till rice turns soft and transparent. Add water and bring to boil. Replace lid and simmer at just boiling point for around 15 mins, or until all water absorbed. (Aga: put lid on pan and place well back, on the floor of the simmering oven for 20 mins).

Meantime cook corn and peas. Drain and mix with spicy rice when ready. This is an excellent accompaniment to a quiche or a meat pie. Together they make a good main meal.

Celery, leek and broccoli mini quiches (for 2-4)

You will need a 4-compartment Yorkshire pudding tin (alternatively 2-4 small shallow pie dishes), or, for 1 single, larger amount, 1 x 10 cm (8") loose bottomed flan tin. Grease the containers before use

Ingredients

(42g/l.5 oz), 85g/3 ozs celery sticks and leaves, finely chopped
(25g/1 oz), 55g/2 oz broccoli florets, finely chopped
(25g/1 oz), 55g/2 oz leek, washed and finely chopped
(25g/1 oz), 55g/2 oz short crust pastry, rolled out fairly thinly, can be thicker for the flan tin
(25g/1 oz), 55g/2 oz mixed grated cheese (Cheddar + Red Leicester, for good
texture + attractive marbled appearance when cooked*)
(25g/1 oz), 55g/2 oz finely chopped onion (can be red + white mixed)
(1) 2 large, beaten eggs
Cooking oil for frying onion
(1) 2 pinches of oregano
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Cook the chopped celery, broccoli and leek for 3 mins in the microwave, or steam to half cook. Drain and leave. Fry the onions gently for 2-3 minutes. Roll out the pastry. Use a small plate template or similar, for the 2 or 4 small pastry cases. Line the tins and place a little onion in the bottom of each. Next add the other vegetables, beaten egg, oregano, seasoning and cheese. Cook for 25-30 mins at 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Aga: above middle shelf in the roasting oven; turn after 10 mins. Freeze when cold any portions not required. Eat with salad or with Omani Spicy Rice (recipe next time).

(* Other successful cheese mixes, but with stronger flavour-half Cheddar with Ribblesdale Goat's, or Wensleydale Blue)

Ingredients

(6oz/170g) 12oz/240g pork leg steak (or lean chop, boneless equivalent)
(½) 1 medium sized onion
1 - 2 cloves garlic
(1 small) 1 large eating apple (sharp-sweet variety)
(175 ml/6 fl oz) 350ml/12 fl oz sweet cider or apple juice
cooking oil (olive oil preferably)
(¼) ½ pork stock cube
(1) 2 tbsp cashew nuts (optional)

For the marinade

(½) 1 tsp mild curry powder (Rajah or Morrison's, both more
fragrant than hot)
(½) 1 tsp ground ginger powder
(1tsp) 2 tsp rosemary (dried if no fresh)
(1tbsp) 2tbsp cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
(1tbsp) 2tbsp cooking oil (olive preferably)
(1 tsp) 2 tsp demerara sugar (or brown)
freshly ground salt and black pepper (to taste)

Method

Mix the marinade in a shallow dish. Coat the pork on both sides and leave for at least ½ hour. Turn pieces after ¼ hour.

Chop the onion and crush the garlic. In a cooking pot, braise the pork on both sides. Lift out when brown on to a plate. Sweat the onions and garlic in pot. Add the washed, chopped, unpeeled apple just before returning meat to the pot. Stir-fry together for 2-3 minutes. Add the cider/apple juice and bring to the boil. Stir in crushed pork stock cube. If the gravy is too thin, mix 1-2 tsps cornflour in a little cider/apple juice and stir into the contents of the pot. Add cashew nuts (optional). Transfer to an oven proof casserole (if necessary). Cook in oven for around (1) 1¼ hour on 170°C/ 325°F or Gas 3.
Aga - Cook in simmering oven for (1) 1½ hours.