Salmon and Asparagus Wraps with Rocket Pesto
Farmed salmon has become much better quality over the years and in my opinion some of the best available comes from Ireland, where the sea is always freezing cold and for the most part is unpolluted, with strong tidal flows. Make sure your salmon fillets are all even-sized and about 2.5cm (1in) thick to ensure even cooking. They also work well on the barbecue and can be made up to 12 hours in advance, covered with clingfilm and chilled until needed – just don't add the squeeze of lemon juice until you’re ready to cook them.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
4 x 175g (6oz) skinless organic salmon fillets
4 fresh dill sprigs
4 slices Parma ham
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
25g (1oz) butter
lightly dressed mixed salad, to serve
lemon wedges, to garnish
Rocket pesto:
25g (1oz) pine nuts
50g (2oz) rocket leaves
25g (1oz) freshly grated Parmesan
100ml (3 ½fl oz) rapeseed oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the BBQ
To make the rocket pesto, place the pine nuts in a baking tin and roast for a few minutes, until golden brown, keeping a close eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. Leave to cool. Place the rocket in a food processor with the toasted pine nuts, Parmesan and oil. Season with salt
and pepper and blitz to a smooth purée. Place in a small bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill until ready to use (this can be made up to 4 days in advance). Blanch the asparagus spears in a pan of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain and quickly refresh under cold running water, then tip into a bowl of ice-cold water to cool completely. Drain well and pat dry on kitchen paper. Season each salmon fillet with pepper and arrange 3 asparagus spears, trimming them down as necessary, and a dill sprig on top of each fillet. Lightly wrap a slice of Parma ham around each
bundle and place in a shallow non-metallic dish, then add a squeeze of lemon juice. Brush the salmon with the olive oil and place on a pre heated BBQ cook the salmon for approx 6 mins each side until the ham is crispy and the salmon cooked through.
To serve, arrange the salmon wraps on warmed serving plates and spoon some of the rocket pesto to one side. Add some mixed salad to each plate and place the rest of the rocket pesto on the table. Have a separate dish of lemon wedges. And baked potatoes.
STICKY BEEF SKEWERS
These delicious little skewers will have your taste buds singing! You can marinate them overnight, making them a very quick lunch to prepare. They are also quite delicious served at room temperature from a lunchbox that has separate compartments for each component of the dish.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
225g (8oz) sirloin steak
1 garlic clove
1 x 2cm (¾in) piece of fresh root ginger
1 tsp garam masala
4 mini cucumbers
1 tsp sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 large tortilla wraps
2 heaped tbsp thick Greek-style yoghurt
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Trim the steak of any fat and cut into thin strips, then place in a bowl. Grate in the garlic and ginger. Stir in the garam masala and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
2 Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to pare the cucumbers into ribbons and put in a bowl. Add the sesame seeds, vinegar and half of the honey and season with salt and pepper. Gently fold together to combine.
3 Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Thread the beef onto 6 x 16cm (6¼in) skewers and brush with the oil. Cook for 5–6 minutes, until just tender, turning once. Transfer to a plate, then brush with the remaining honey. Cover with foil to rest.
4 Add the wraps to the griddle pan for about 30 seconds on each side to warm through. Put on plates and smear the yoghurt on top. Add the skewers to one side and the drained cucumber salad to the other to serve.
BEEF SATAY WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER
Another one of my family favourites. I have my eldest brother Kenneth to thank for this recipe, which he always makes for a family gathering. It works equally well with chicken or pork and is great cooked on the barbecue.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tbsp pineapple juice
4 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp Chinese five spice
550g (1lb 4oz) rump or sirloin steak, cut lengthways into thin strips (each about 2.5cm (1in) long)
pickled cucumber, to serve (page 000)
fresh micro coriander, to garnish
FOR THE SATAY SAUCE:
1/2 carrot, grated
2 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 red pepper, cored and cut into strips
1/2 green pepper, cored and cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp freshly grated root ginger
200g can of coconut milk
100g (4oz) crunchy peanut butter
50ml (2fl oz) sweet chilli sauce
50ml (2fl oz) dark soy sauce
2 tsp tomato purée
25g (1oz) cashew nuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the garlic, pineapple juice, soy sauce, sugar and five spice in a shallow non-metallic dish and mix until well combined. Tip in the steak and using your hands, rub in the marinade. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 3–4 hours, though overnight is best.
To make the satay sauce, place the carrot in a small bowl with the white wine vinegar. Set aside to soak for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, peppers, garlic and ginger. Sweat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, chilli sauce, soy sauce, tomato purée and 3 tablespoons water to the pepper mixture. Stir well, then bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened.
Remove the satay sauce from the heat, then stir in the soaked carrot mixture along with the cashew nuts, if using. Season to taste and transfer to a bowl. Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed.
To cook the beef satay, preheat a charcoal grill or griddle pan. Thread the marinated steak onto 18 x 15cm (6in) soaked bamboo skewers. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until slightly charred and cooked through. Brush the rest of the marinade over the skewers to help keep them moist while they are cooking.
Arrange the beef satay on warmed plates with small dishes of the pickled cucumber and satay sauce to the side of each one. Garnish with the micro coriander to serve.
COOK AHEAD
The marinated steak can be left in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Piri Piri Prawn and Chorizo Skewers with Chargrilled Little Gem Wedges
Choose wild Atlantic jumbo prawns for this recipe, as they need to be large enough to wrap around the slices of chorizo. Of course you could also cook this on the barbecue if the weather is fine.
Serves 4–6
Prep 15 MINS
Cook 15 MINS
Ingredients:
FREEZER FRIENDLY (SKEWERS)
4 Little Gem lettuces, each one
trimmed and cut into 6 wedges
2 uncooked chorizo sausages (each about 100g (4oz))
2 × 200g (7oz) packets of wild
Atlantic jumbo prawns, peeled and with tails still intact
FOR THE PIRI PIRI SAUCE
2 long fresh red chillies, deseeded
and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
6 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus a little
extra for brushing
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper
TO SERVE
2 lemons, cut into wedges
To make the piri piri sauce, place the chillies, garlic, lemon juice, rapeseed oil, sugar, paprika and cayenne pepper in a small food processor and season generously with salt and pepper. Blitz until you have achieved a coarse paste. using a spatula, transfer to a bowl. Set aside until needed. Heat a griddle pan over a medium to high heat. Brush the Little Gem lettuce wedges lightly with rapeseed oil and quickly chargrill. Arrange the wedges on plates and add a small dipping bowl of the piri piri sauce. cut the chorizo sausages into 24 even-sized slices, discarding the ends. Wrap each prawn around a slice of chorizo and thread two prawns onto each skewer. Brush all over with the remaining piri piri sauce and cook the skewers on the griddle pan in batches over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side, until the prawns and chorizo are cooked through and tender. Add the prawn and chorizo skewers to the plates with the Little Gem wedges and lemon wedges to serve.
Tangy barbecue beef burgers
What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with a barbecue, whether it’s just with the family or you invite a group of friends over? This recipe is for a beef burger that’s just a little bit different than the regular burgers you expect to be served up and it isn’t going to cost too much if you’re catering for large numbers.
SERVES 4
Ingredients:
75g (3oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp buttermilk
500g (1lb 2oz) minced beef
1 tbsp apple barbecue sauce
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 ciabatta bread rolls, split in half
4 large slices of vintage
Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 Little Gem lettuce leaves
1 large ripe tomato, sliced
4 heaped tbsp red onion marmalade
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
roasted sweet potato wedges
to serve
1 Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl, sprinkle over the buttermilk and leave to stand for 5 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed.
2 Add the minced beef to the breadcrumb mixture with the barbecue sauce, thyme and seasoning. Mix well to combine, then divide into 4 even pieces and shape into patties. Put on a flat plate and chill until needed.
3 Heat the coals of the barbecue to medium-hot. Cook the beef burgers for 4–5 minutes on each side, until cooked through and lightly golden. Add the split ciabatta rolls for the last minute or so to toast. Once the beef burgers are cooked, transfer them to a warm part of the barbecue to rest and lay a slice of the vintage Cheddar cheese on each one so that it starts to melt.
4 Mix the mayonnaise with the mustard, then season to taste. Place the bottom of the toasted ciabatta rolls on warmed plates and add a good smear of the mustard mayonnaise to each one, then add a small pile of the lettuce leaves and a couple tomato slices. Top each one with a beef burger topped with the melted vintage Cheddar cheese and add a dollop of the red onion marmalade. Finally, cover with the ciabatta roll top. Serve at once with the sweet potato wedges alongside
Butterflied leg of lamb with spiced yogurt and mint
This butterflied leg of lamb is the perfect choice for the barbecue, but it also works wonderfully in the oven. Your butcher will bone and butterfly it for you so that there is no waste at all.
SERVES 4–6
Ingredients:
1 x 3kg (6½lb) leg of lamb, boned and well trimmed, roughly 5cm (2in) thick
25g (1oz) fresh mint, chopped
juice of 2 lemons
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp mild chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper sea salt
lightly dressed green salad, to serve
1 Place the lamb in a shallow non-metallic dish. Put the mint in a food processor with the lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, olive oil, ground coriander, chilli powder, ground cumin and coarsely ground black pepper, then blitz until smooth. Rub all over the meat, then cover with cling film and chill overnight or leave to stand at room temperature for 2–3 hours if time is short.
2 Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F/gas mark 8) or light a barbecue.
3 If the lamb has been chilled overnight, bring it back to room temperature. If cooking in the oven, place the lamb on a rack in a large roasting tin, cut side up, and season with salt. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn over and roast for another 10 minutes for rare. Barbecue over medium-hot coals for about 50 minutes for medium-rare lamb, turning occasionally. Remove the lamb from the oven or barbecue and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. If you don’t like your lamb too pink, you can cover it with foil at this point and it will continue to cook.
4 To serve, carve the lamb into slices and arrange on plates with some lightly dressed salad.
Grilled chicken salad with roasted red pepper dressing
This is a great main course salad. The simple marinade for the chicken does everything you could wish for and helps to keep it moist during cooking. If you want to cook the chicken on a charcoal barbecue, light it 30 minutes before you want to star t cooking. If using a gas barbecue, light it 10 minutes beforehand.
SERVES 4
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast fillets, skin on
2 heads of romaine lettuce, separated
into leaves and roughly cut or torn
FOR THE MARINADE:
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
FOR THE ROASTED RED PEPPER DRESSING:
1 tbsp lemon rapeseed oil
(preferably Donegal Rapeseed Oil)
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 small roasted red pepper, finely
diced (from a jar is fine)
5 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
finely grated rind of ½ lemon
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp snipped fresh chives
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper
1 To make the marinade, place the soy sauce in a shallow non-metallic dish with the honey, sweet chilli sauce and garlic and mix well to combine. Make 3 shallow diagonal slashes into each chicken breast and place them in the dish, turning to coat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight is perfect if time allows.
2 When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces and cook under the grill for 7–8 minutes on each side, until cooked through, brushing regularly with any remaining excess marinade. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then cut into slices.
3 To prepare the roasted red pepper dressing, warm the lemon rapeseed oil in a small pan. Gently fry the onion and roasted pepper for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the extra virgin rapeseed oil and vinegar, then add the lemon rind and sugar. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until bubbling and warmed through. Season to taste and stir in the herbs. Keep warm.
4 To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves around large bowls or plates, scatter the chicken over the salad and drizzle with enough of the roasted red pepper dressing to nicely coat. Any remaining dressing can be served in a small bowl at the table.
Chicken satay with pickled cucumber salad
My brother, Kenneth, loves Asian food and he is in no doubt that he is far better than me at cooking it! I don’t disagree. He is proud of this chicken satay dish and often makes it for the family. This dipping sauce also works well with pork, prawns, beef strips or turkey. And remember, kids just love anything on sticks!
SERVES 4
Ingredients:
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp clear honey
2 tsp medium curry powder
450g (1lb) skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into long strips
FOR THE PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD:
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
½ small cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light brown sugar
juice of ½ lime
1 x 160ml (5½fl oz) tin of coconut milk (Thai Gold, if possible)
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 To make the dipping sauce, place the peanut butter in a small pan and stir in the soy sauce, light brown sugar and lime juice. Gradually whisk in the coconut milk and heat gently until you have achieved a smooth sauce. Stir in the chilli and coriander, then leave to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
2 Soak 8 x 15cm (6in) bamboo skewers in a shallow dish of cold water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat a griddle pan until it’s smoking hot or light a barbecue.
3 Whisk together the soy sauce, honey and curry powder. Season with pepper and stir in the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate for 2 minutes, then thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked bamboo skewers and arrange on the barbecue. Cook the chicken skewers over medium-hot coals for 4–6 minutes, turning once or twice, until completely tender and cooked through. If using a griddle pan, reduce the heat to medium as soon as you’ve put the skewers on.
4 Meanwhile, to prepare the pickled cucumber salad, place the vinegar in a bowl and stir in the sugar and a good pinch of salt until both have dissolved. Tip in the cucumber, stirring to combine, and set aside to allow the flavours to develop. 5 To serve, arrange 2 chicken satay skewers on each warmed plate. Divide the dipping sauce among individual bowls and place to the side of the skewers. Add the pickled cucumber salad, leaving behind any excess liquid, to serve.
Veggie mushroom burgers with spinach and goat’s cheese
Low in fat and packed full of goodness, these mushroom burgers are a great vegetarian option. The mushrooms are so wonderfully meaty that you’ll find lots of your guests tucking in to them as a lighter, healthier option to a traditional burger. Make them up to 24 hours in advance and keep them covered in the fridge, then put on the grill for a final time but give them an extra 6–8 minutes, turning them regularly to ensure that they are completely heated through.
SERVES 4
Ingredients:
about 4 tbsp olive oil
450g (1lb) spinach, washed and
stalks removed
2 red onions, finely diced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
8 flat mushrooms about 6cm
(2½in) wide
200g (7oz) soft goat’s cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
sweet potato wedges,
to serve
1 Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan, add the spinach and stir-fry over a high heat until just wilted. Tip out onto a layer of kitchen paper to absorb the excess liquid, then place the spinach
on a chopping board and roughly chop.
2 Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then add the red onions. Cook for 10–15 minutes over a medium heat, until softened and caramelised, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar
and sugar and allow it to bubble down until syrupy, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
3 Light a barbecue or heat a griddle pan until it’s smoking hot. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and trim to uniform shapes. Brush with some of the olive oil and place on the barbecue
or griddle pan, gill side down. Cook over medium-hot coals for about 5 minutes, until the insides are just tender, but do not turn. If using a griddle pan, reduce the heat to medium.
4 Combine the goat’s cheese, garlic and thyme in a bowl, then season generously.
5 When the insides of the mushrooms are just tender, remove from the heat and brush both sides with the remaining oil. Fill half of the mushrooms with the goat’s cheese mixture, then cover with
the spinach, followed by the caramelised onions. Place the other mushrooms on top to form sandwiches. Place the mushroom 'burgers’ back on the barbecue over medium coals or the griddle
pan over a medium heat and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the cheese starts to melt and the filling is heated through.
6 To serve, arrange the mushroom burgers on plates with the sweet potato wedges alongside.
Aubergine Moussaka with Tahini Dressing
Serves 4–6
Prep 25 MINS
Cook1 HR 20 MINS
LOADS OF VEG
FREEZER FRIENDLY
Ingredients:
2 aubergines
2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil, plus
extra for brushing and drizzling
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 × 400g (14oz) tin of Italian chopped
tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 × 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas,
drained and rinsed
6 ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper
FOR THE TAHINI DRESSING
150g (5oz) natural yoghurt
50g (2oz) tahini (sesame seed paste)
juice of ½ lemon
50ml (2fl oz) water
good pinch of za’atar
This vegetarian version of moussaka is much lighter than its traditional Greek counterpart, as the key flavour is an intense tomato sauce. Don’t skip the tahini dressing – the flavour of the sesame seeds and cooling yoghurt is a fabulous contrast to the dish itself and rounds it off perfectly. chop one aubergine into bite-size cubes, place on a plate and cover with salt. Slice the other aubergine into rounds, place on a separate plate and also cover with salt. Set aside for 15 minutes to draw out all the bitter juices. rinse the aubergine slices and dry well with kitchen paper. Brush each one with oil and sauté in batches in an ovenproof frying pan that is approximately 25cm (10in) in diameter. cook each batch for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and golden brown. transfer to a plate and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, then add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened. rinse the cubed aubergines and pat dry with kitchen paper, then add to the pan with another tablespoon of oil. cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes have softened and turned golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. pour in the tinned tomatoes and tomato purée, season with salt and pepper and bring everything to a simmer. cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°c (400°F/gas mark 6). once the sauce is done, cover with the chickpeas, sliced ripe tomatoes and finally the sautéed aubergine slices, then drizzle with a little extra oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top. to make the dressing, stir together the yoghurt, tahini and lemon juice with the water and season with za’atar to taste. Scatter the parsley over the moussaka and divide into portions, then arrange on warmed plates. drizzle over the tahini dressing to serve.
Lemon Posset with Passion Fruit
This is probably the simplest dessert you’ll ever make – yet, it can look really elegant, and packs a big citrus punch with a passion fruit kick. It’s divine, and it will become your go-to, quick-but impressive way to end a meal – it certainly is in our house …
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 vanilla pod
600ml cream
90g caster sugar
finely grated rind and juice of 1
lemon
1 large passion fruit
thin shortbread biscuits, to serve
Cut the vanilla pod in half and, using a teaspoon, scrape out the seeds into a heavy-based pan. Pour in the cream, then add the sugar with the lemon juice and rind. Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop in the seeds, reserving some for decorating, then heat gently, stirring until the sugar has melted. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the lemon mixture from the heat and pour into stemmed glasses or pots. Chill for at least 2–3 hours, though overnight is best. Decorate with the rest of the passion fruit seeds and serve set on a plate alongside some thin shortbread biscuits.
KEYLIME PIE WITH PASSION FRUIT & MARINATED PINEAPPLE
Serves approximately 12 or Makes 1 tart
Ingredients:
For the Keylime Pie with Passion Fruit
150g hobnob biscuits (approximately 10 biscuits)
150g digestive biscuits (approximately 10 biscuits)
150g butter, melted
1 x 397g can condensed milk
3 medium egg yolks
3 passion fruit, seeds only
1 vanilla pod seeds only
finely grated zest and juice of 5 limes
300ml whipped cream to serve
extra lime zest, to decorate
For the Marinated Pineapple
50g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds only
1 lemon grass stalk, cut in half
1 star anise
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 passion fruit, seeds only
1 large ripe pineapple, peeled and diced
2 tbsp finely shredded mint leaves
Method:
For the Keylime Pie with Passion Fruit
1. Heat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3.
2. Whizz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor & transfer to a large bowl
3. Mix in the melted butter and press into the base and up the sides of a 10 inch loose-based tart tin.
4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
5. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk for 1 minute with balloon whisk
6. Add a can of condensed milk and whisk again until combined
7. Add the finely grated zest and juice of the 5 limes, vanilla seeds, passion fruit seeds and whisk again.
8. Pass the filling through a sieve to remove the lime zest & seeds for aextra smooth texture (optional step)
9. Pour the filling into the cooled base then put back in the oven for 10 minutes.
10. Cool then chill for at least 3 hours in the fridge or overnight is fine
11. When ready to serve, carefully remove the pie from the tin and put on a serving plate.
12. To decorate, softly whip together the cream and icing sugar
13. Dollop or pipe the cream onto the top of the pie and finish with extra lime zest
For the Pineapple Carpaccio
1. Pour 120ml water into a small heavy-based pan.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla seeds, lemongrass, star anise and lime juice and bring to the boil stirring until the sugar has dissolved
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the passion fruit seeds
4. Allow to cool
5. Slice the top and bottom off the pineapple, sit it upright on a board and slice away the skin and all the little brown ‘eyes’.
6. Using an apple corer, remove the core and then using a very sharp knife, slice the pineapple as thinly as possible.
7. When the sugar syrup has cooled, stir in the lime zest and mint
8. Add the pineapple to the cooled sugar syrup and allow to infuse for 1-2 hours or overnight is perfect.
SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO
Makes about 400ml (14fl oz)
Ingredients:
- 175g semi sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 8 large fresh basil leaves
- 1 garlic cloves, peeled
- 200ml olive or rapeseed oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Tomato Purée
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
Method:
- Place the semi sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic. Oil, tomato puree and smoked paprika in a food processor
- Blitz to desired consistency
- Transfer to a bowl with a spatula and season to taste
PREPARE AHEAD This can be made up to 3–4 days in advance and kept covered with clingfilm in the fridge.
Basil Pesto
Makes about 250ml (9fl oz)
Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch of fresh basil leaves (at least 60g)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 25g toasted pine nuts
- 175ml olive or rapeseed oil
- 50g freshly grated Parmesan
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Place the basil in a food processor with the garlic, pine nuts, parmesan and oil.
- Blend to a light paste,
- Transfer to a bowl and season to taste or transfer to a glass jar
- Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed.
PREPARE AHEAD
This will keep happily in the fridge for up to 2 week – just top it up with a little extra olive oil to keep it tasting lovely and fresh. It can also be frozen.
Garlic and parsley butter
This classic butter is superb with any grilled meats, especially steaks.
MAKES ABOUT 300G (11OZ)
Ingredients:
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp rinsed capers, finely chopped
½ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Soften the butter in a bowl, then add the garlic, parsley, capers, salt and pepper. Shape and roll the butter in non-stick baking paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up, then cut into rounds to use.
Chilli and orange butter
MAKES ABOUT 300G (11OZ)
Full of tempting flavours ready to ooze out into succulent chicken or fish.
Ingredients:
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, softened
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
grated rind of 1 large orange
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Soften the butter in a bowl, then add the chillies, orange rind, oil, salt and pepper. Place in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm up a little, as the oil makes it quite runny, then shape and roll in non-stick baking paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up completely, then cut into rounds to use.