Method

If you are like me, peel the skin off the cucumber with a vegetable parer. There is, of course, nothing wrong with leaving the skin on if you prefer. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, then cut it into modestly sized dice.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice and dill. Let this infuse for a while.

Just before you are ready to eat, add the cucumber dice to the dressing and stir well. Don’t do this too far ahead of sitting down to eat.

Method

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, spices and some salt and pepper. Put the chicken in a glass bowl and pour over the marinade. Let the chicken marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge.

When ready to eat, heat a griddle or frying pan until very hot. Shake off excess marinade from the chicken and add to the pan. Cook on a high heat to get a good colour, then reduce the heat and flip the chicken pieces over. Cook them until cooked through with no pink juices running when pierced.

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan.

Place the cauliflower florets into a large glass bowl and pour over about 4 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well to coat the florets. Sprinkle over half the za’atar and mix again to distibute it over the cauliflower. Sprinkle in the remaining za’atar and mix again. (You could, of course, do it all in one go but I find it mixes more evenly in two additions.)

Put the florets into a roasting tray and pop it in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes before removing the tray, stirring the florets and returning it to roast for another 10 minutes.

Ovens vary; you are looking for the florets to tinge a little.

This goes well as a vegetable accompaniment to Poulet aux Poivrons Rouges.

Method

Fresh pasta takes 3 – 4 minutes to cook. Have your salted pasta water ready to receive the pasta before you finish the sauce.

Using a wide based sauté pan, starting over a high heat, add a good amount of olive oil and then add the diced fish. Roast for 2 to 3 minutes allowing the fish to break down. Add the fennel seeds and star anise. Season with salt and pepper. Add the saffron threads and allow to bleed for 1 minute before adding the orange zest, fennel, shallots and chilli. Keep the heat fairly high so it fries rather than boiling.

Deglaze the pan with orange juice and reduce by half. Add the Pastis and reduce by half then turn off the heat. The residual liquid will release the crusted bits on the pan base.

While the sauce is sitting, remove the orange peel and star anise, then boil the pasta.

Add the cooked pasta and some of the pasta cooking water to the sauce in the sauté pan. Finish with finely cut parsley.

Method

I’ve given up salting aubergines to draw out liquid so just put the cubed aubergines in a large steamer and steam them (covered, of course) for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour half the groundnut oil into a large sauté pan on high heat. Add the spring onions, ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for 5 minutes or so until the garlic begins to colour. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Pour the remaining groundnut oil into the sauté pan and add the pork mince. Whilst it is frying, stir it around to break it up. Mine gave out some watery liquid which I had ot drive off before proper frying commenced. The original recipe suggests three minutes but mine took longer. Add the mirin, soy, kecap manis, sesame oil and rice vinegar with ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for a further two minutes before returning the spring onion mixture to the pan. Cook for a minute and remove from the heat.

Stir through half the fresh coriander and peanuts (if using). Serve over the aubergines with the sesame seeds and remaining coriander.

Method

Sweat the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt for about 8 minutes, ’til soft and turning golden. Add the capers and cook for 2 minutes more.

Stir in the spinach in batches to wilt. Stir in the beans with a couple of tablespoons of bean liquid. Stir in the lemon zest and crème fraîche.

Nestle the fish fillets into the pan, cover and simmer gently for about 8 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 6

Put the cauliflower, onion and cherry tomatoes in a roasting tray. Mix these as evenly as possible.

Make the spice mixture in a small bowl: add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Add 3 tablespoons water and mix thoroughly. Pour this spice mixture over the vegetables on the tray and mix around until coated.

In a small pan, add 3-4 tblsp flavourless oil and set over medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, turn off the heat and add the finely cut ginger. Stir well. As evenly as possible, pour the contents of the pan over the vegetables and stir around until they’re all coated.

Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes before getting the tray out and gently stirring everything around. Return it to the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through and is starting to go crispy in places and the onions are golden. (I needed five minutes longer.)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/180°C fan/gas 5.

Brown the sausages in a little olive oil until they begin to get some colour on as many sides as possible. [See comment about misbehaving sausages.]

Transfer the sausages to a roasting tin and add the red onion wedges. Add the pear wedges so that everything lies in a single layer. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and turn everything over with your hands. Sprinkle the soft brown sugar over the pears, then add the rosemary and white balsamic. Pop the roasting tray into the oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Turn the oven up to 200°C/190°C fan/gas 6, then add the gorgonzola and walnut pieces to the tin. Cook for another 10 minutes. The sausages and pears should be golden and the gorgonzola melting.

Method

If you are using butter, over gentle heat warm it in a small pan together with the remaining ingredients, stirring as it melts. Butter is very good at absorbing flavours. Once it is melted, remove it from the heat but keep it warm.

If you’re going for the oil approach, just whisk the oil and flavourings together in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt since the butter version uses salted butter.

For grilled lettuce, split your choice of firm lettuces in half lengthwise. brush both sides with a little more olive oil (maybe the oil from the can of anchovies). Grill them on a preheated griddle for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas 7.

Mix the aubergine in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Transfer to two large, parchment-lined baking trays and then brush with 70ml of oil: you want it on both sides of the discs. Bake for 35 minutes, or until dark golden-brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl whisk together the anchovies, vinegar and garlic with some salt and pepper to taste. Slowly pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, whisking continuously, until combined.

When ready to serve, finely chop the oregano and place in a large bowl along with the aubergine and parsley. Pour over the anchovy dressing, gently mix and transfer to a platter or bowl.