Baked Gnocchi with Mushroom and Spinach

Ingredients
300g Mushrooms (sliced)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (thinly chopped)
200g Spinach
2 Tablespoons Creme Fraiche
75g Cheddar Cheese (grated)
A Splash of Oil
1 Portion of Gnocchi (check the 20th June this year for how to make and only use 3/4's of the amounts used)

Equipment
1 Large Pan Boiling Salted Water
1 Frying Pan
1 Spatula
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Ovenproof Dish

The Good Bit

1. Preheat your oven too 180c 350f gas 4, Fry Your onion and garlic together in your frying pan in a splash of oil for about 5 minutes then add in the mushrooms and fry for another 2minutes, next toss in the gnocchi, spinach, creme fraiche and half of the grated cheese and stir well.
2. Pour this into your ovenproof dish and top with the remaining cheese, then place in the oven for about 17 minutes, remove and serve.

Serves 4

Rabbit in Cider (rabbit is traditional at easter)

Ingredients
900g Rabbit Joints (or 1 medium rabbit jointed)
25g Butter
2 Onions (chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
225g Bacon (cut into chunks)
225g Mushrooms (sliced, you can grill them first for extra flavour but that is optional)
1 Tablespoon Plain Flour
275ml Cider (dry not sweet)
275ml Stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 Sprig Thyme
6 Juniper Berries (optional but add a nice tanginess)
A Splash of Oil
Salt and Pepper for Seasoning

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Large Casserole

The Good Bit

1. Start by heating the butter and oil in a flameproof casserole and frying the rabbit joints quickly to brown them all over. Now remove them to one side and fry the onions, garlic and bacon for about 10 minutes.
   
2. Next sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook for a minute before gradually stirring in the cider and the stock, at this stage add the rabbit joints, together with the thyme and crushed juniper berries and bring to simmering point.
3. Then add the sliced mushrooms and a seasoning of salt and freshly milled black pepper. Cover and simmer the rabbit very gently for about an hour, or until it's tender.

Serves 4

Red Wine Risotto

Ingredients
300g Risotto Rice (long grain will do)
450ml Red Wine
600ml Chicken Stock
125g Butter
250g Mushrooms (sliced)
175g Parmesan (grated)
2 Red Onions (thinly chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (thinly chopped)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Spatula

The Good Bit

1. Pour the red wine and stock in your pan and bring to a gentle simmer, in the frying pan, heat up a little oil and add half the butter, gently cook the onions and garlic until they are soft (don't brown them)
2. Add the rice to the frying pan and stir well, now add the stock from the other pan until you just cover the rice, keep the liquid simmering and keep stirring, as the liquid soaks up, add a little more stock and keep stirring, keep this up, adding a little stock at a time until all the stock has been absorbed.
3. When you've got the point when you are half way through your stock, add in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper, finally add in the butter when all the stock is gone and most of the parmesan, stir in and serve. sprinkle over the remaining parmesan.

Serves 4

Steaks en Crout

Ingredients
4 Fillet Steaks (trim the fat off)
2 Small Onions (finely chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
125g Mushrooms (finely chopped)
250g Ready Rolled Frozen Puff Pastry (defrosted obviously)
1 Egg (beaten)
4 Slices Ham
40g Butter
Oil
Pinch of Ground Nutmeg

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Frying Pan
1 Bowl
1 Pastry Cutter
1 Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 220c 425f gas 7. Heat 2/3rds of the butter in the frying pan along with a splash of oil, then cook the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes until soft, add in the mushrooms and the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper, cook over a nice gentle heat until the mushrooms are cooked and there is no more liquid left in your pan, remove from the pan and place in a bowl.
2. Heat the last of the butter in the frying pan then quickly sear the steaks on both sides and then remove them from the heat too.
3. Flour your work surface lightly then spread out the puff pastry, cut out 8 rounds that are slightly larger than the steaks, now go round the outside inch of the rounds with the pastry brush well dipped in the beaten egg.
4. Cut the ham into 8 rounds about the same size as the steaks. Place 4 ham rounds onto 4 pastry rounds then use half the mushroom mixture to cover these four servings, now top with a steak each, then divide the last of the mushroom mixture onto the top of that, finally add the remaining 4 ham rounds and then the four pastry rounds. Press the edges of the pastry together to make nice neat parcels and stick a fork in top to air to escape, using some more of the beaten egg, brush the tops of each a little then stick them in the oven for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
   

Serves 4

Grilled Mushrooms in Garlic Oil

Ingredients
12 Giant Mushrooms (portabello)
75ml Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
1/2 Lime (juiced and zested)
1 Red Chilli (de seeded and chopped as thin as you can)
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Tin Foil Line Grill Pan

The Good Bit

1. In the mixing bowl, combine al your ingredients except the mushrooms, season well with salt and pepper.
2. Place the mushrooms (stalk side facing down) on the lined grill pan and grill under a fairly high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the juices start to flow onto the tin foil, then turn over and grill for another 4-5 minutes.
3. Serve with a drizzle of the dressing.
   

Serves 4

Haddock With Soured Cream and Mushrooms

Ingredients
600g Haddock Fillets
60g Butter
8 Tablespoons Water
100g Button Mushrooms (sliced)
300ml Soured Cream
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
Handful Fresh parsley (chopped)
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Ovenproof Dish
Tin Foil
1 Medium Sauce Pan

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven too 160c 325f gas 3. place the haddock in the ovenproof dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and taking half of the bitter, dot it over the fish, cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
2. In the sauce pan, melt the remaining butter and then add the mushrooms and fry for about 1 minute, add in the sour cream and paprika, heat through and season to taste.
3. drain the fish, place on a serving plate and pour over the sauce, garnish with the parsley.
   

Serves 4

Beef Stew With a Healthy Twist

Ingredients
500g Beef (cut into chunks)
750ml Chicken Stock
120ml White Wine
1 Carrot (halved lengthways then sliced)
1 Clove Garlic (finely chopped)
1 Stick Celery (finely sliced)
300g Baby Onions (peeled, if using shallots 1/4 them)
180g Button Mushrooms (quartered)
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Cornflour
125g Natural Yoghurt
Knob of Butter
Splash of Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan
2 Small Frying Pans
1 Large Bowl
1 Slotted Spoon
1 Spatula

The Good Bit

1. In the pan, heat a little oil then cook the meat until it is evenly browned on all sides, add 500ml of stock, the wine, carrot, celery, thyme, garlic and bay leaf, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In the frying pan, pour in the rest of the stock and drop in the onions, cooking until all the stock has gone, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In the other frying pan, heat another splash of oil and drop in the knob of butter, went it is bubbling add in the mushrooms and cook until they are soft then stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat then set that aside too.
4. With the slotted spoon, remove the meat and vegetables from the broth and place in the large bowl, remove the bay leaf and throw away, blend a the cornflour in a cup with a little of the broth then tip it back into the pan, simmer away until the broth has thickened, reduce the heat again now and stir in the yoghurt, finally add all the other ingredients and the teaspoon of parsley, heat through then serve.
   

Serves 4

Beef and Pasta Bows

Ingredients
300g Pasta Bows
350g Minced Beef
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
1 Courgette (chopped into chunks)
1 Carrot (diced)
1 Red Pepper (cored de seeded and chopped into chunks)
125g Button Mushrooms (quartered)
250ml Red Wine
1x400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley (roughly chopped)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil (roughly chopped)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan (2/3 rds full with boiling salted water)
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Spatula
1 Colander

The Good Bit

1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions (usually about 10 minutes) when the pasta is just beginning to go soft, drain the in the colander and set aside.
2. In the frying pan stir fry the beef and onion until the meat is browned (about 8 minutes) then add in the rest of the vegetables and cook until they are soft and tender (about 6 minutes) then add in the red wine and cook until all the liquid has gone.
3. Add in the tomatoes (and a few chopped ones to if you want to fill the meal out a little) and simmer for 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning then add in the herbs and pasta, reheat quickly and serve.
   

Serves 4

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients
500g Steak (cut into strips)
1 Tablespoon Margarine
3 Shallots (chopped)
250g Mushrooms (sliced)
250ml Beef Stock
1 Tablespoon Tomato Purée
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
150g Low Fat Natural Yoghurt
A Splash of Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Fork

The Good Bit

1. Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan and cook the strips of steak until they are evenly browned all over, remove and set aside. Now melt the butter in the frying pan and add the shallots and cook until they start to soften (2 minutes or so) then add the mushrooms and cook until all the juice from the mushrooms has gone (a good 8 minutes)
2. In the mixing bowl, mix together what's left apart from the yoghurt, pour into the frying pan and add in the steak strips, bring to a simmer and leave for 12 minutes, turn down the heat to a very low setting then add in the yoghurt, stirring all the time (you may want to leave this step for a couple of minutes until the pan is cooler so you don't risk curdling the yoghurt) once the meal is warm throughout season and serve.
   

Serves 4

Oyster Sauce Beef

Ingredients
300g Beef (cut into strips)
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sherry
1 Teaspoon Cornflour (mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons cold water)
1 Carrot
60g Mangetout
60g Bamboo Shoots (canned will do fine)
60g Straw Mushrooms (any mushroom will do)
1 Spring Onion (cut into bite size strips)
2 Small Slices Root Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
3 Tablespoons Chinese Stock (or water)
60ml Vegetable Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wok
1 Slotted Spoon
1 Spatula

The Good Bit

1. place the meat in the mixing bowl along with the sugar, soy sauce, sherry and cornflour (and water) mixture, set aside and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in the wok and add the beef slices for about 1 minute, remove and keep warm.
3. Pour off the oil leaving about 1 tablespoon in the wok, add all the vegetables and the ginger and stir fry for about 2 minutes, then add the salt, beef, oyster sauce and stock (or water) mix really well and serve when piping hot through out.
   

Serves 4

Chicken and Mushroom

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts
50g Mushrooms (sliced/quartered, whatever you want)
50g Plain Flour
50g Butter
1 Small Onion (thinly chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (thinly chopped)
125ml White Wine
125 Mascarpone Cheese
A Handful Fresh Chives (chopped)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Large Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. In the bowl, season the flour with the salt and pepper, then chuck in the chicken and make sure it's fully coated all over, Heat the oil in the frying pan and add the butter, when the butter begins to bubble add the chicken.
2. Cook the chicken rapidly so its brown and both sides (4 minutes) then take out and set aside keeping warm. Throw the onion and garlic into the pan now and cook for 5 minutes until going soft, then pour in the wine, give this a good mix and scrape any brown burnt bits off the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the mascarpone and mushrooms to the pan and stir well making sure the mascarpone is melted, keep an eye on the thickness of the sauce, heat rapidly if it is too runny, add a little more wine if it is to thick, just remember that the mushrooms will release a lot of liquid as they cook so only adjust the thickness of the sauce when you are ready to serve.
4. Return the chicken to the pan for the 10 minutes and finally add the snipped chives, season and serve.

Serves 4

Mushroom Crepes

Ingredients
300g Mixed Mushrooms (chopped)
1 Bunch Salad Onions (finely chopped)
1 Clove Garlic
1 Can Chopped Tomatoes (drained)
2 Tablespoons Oregano (chopped or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 Egg
65g Plain Flour
150ml Milk
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
Pinch of Salt
Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Bowl
2 Frying Pans (or wash the first and use again)
1 Ladle
1 Sieve
1 Balloon Whisk
Greaseproof Paper
1 Oven proof Dish

The Good Bit

1. Sieve the flower into the bowl and make a well in the middle, crack in the egg then add the milk and butter and a pinch of salt, whisk with the balloon whisk, then leave to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat your oven to 180c 350f or gas 4. Heat the frying pan and add a small splash of oil, drop in 1 ladle of the batter and cook for 1 minute then flip and carefully cook the other side, slide out onto the greaseproof paper, make another 3 crepes, adding a little oil between each frying, and placing greaseproof paper between each as you stack.
3. To make the filling whack all the other ingredients in the frying pan with another splash of oil and fry for about 5 minutes. When this is done you can spoon the mushroom mix onto the crepes and roll, save a little of the mixture to top off. Place the filled crepes on the oven proof dish and put in the oven for 20 minutes then serve hot with the remainder of the mushroom mix poured over the top, garnish with a little parsley if you want to be fancy.

Serves 4

Nuts About Noodles

Ingredients
170g Noodles (cooked to packet instructions in vegetable stock or vegetable flavoured noodles)
2 Tablespoons Clear Honey
2 Tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
1inch Piece Ginger (grated)
4 Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
4 Carrots (julienne the best you can)
1 Red Pepper+ 1 Yellow Pepper (seeded and sliced)
350g Broccoli Florets (small is better)
200g Mushrooms (sliced)
12 Spring Onions (roughly shredded)
100g Cashew Nuts
A Good Splash of Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Bowl
1 Cup
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok

The Good Bit

1. Cook the noodles in a bowl of vegetable stock (yes, i cheat here, whack the noodles in a bowl, add a couple of crumbled stock cubes and then cover with boiling water, they will cook like this or you can help them on their way in a microwave for a minute)
2. Drain the water keeping a little back in a cup and add the honey and soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of hot vegetable stock. Meanwhile heat the oil in your frying pan and cook all the ingredients except the spring onions and nuts for 4 minutes, then toss in the onions and cook for another minute until they are just softened.
3. Throw in the noodles and sauce and give a good stir, serve topped with a sprinkling of the cashew nuts.

Serves 4

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients
500g Mixed Mushrooms
30g Dried Cep or Porcini Mushrooms
300ml Boiling Water
1 Onion (finely chopped)
4 Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
1.2l Vegetable Stock (you should be able to make your own now!)
250g Rice (long grain or risotto)
Parmesan (grated with a cheese grate or sliced with a knife)
A Good Knob of Butter
A Splash of Oil
Handful of Parsley (chopped)
A Little Extra Bonus Topping
4 Cloves Garlic
500g Spinach or 200g Lettuce Leaves (mixed leaves gives even more flavour) (shredded)
Another Good Splash of Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Medium Pan/Bowl
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Medium Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. In your bowl pour the boiling water and place in the dried mushrooms, in the frying pan add a splash of oil and cook the onion and garlic until the onion is soft then add the rice and stir in for about a minute.
2. Pour in all the stock next and keep over a fairly high heat, drain the dried mushrooms and add them to the frying pan.
3. In the other frying pan, add another splash of oil and a knob of butter (as much as you would put on a slice of toast), melt the butter then add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms to the risotto once all the liquid has almost been absorbed and chuck in the parsley, add 2 knobs of butter and stir in well (at this stage you can for added flavour grate in a little of the parmesan)
5. Serve topped with a couple of slices of grated parmesan, if you want the bonus bit, in the smaller frying pan add another splash of oil, cook the garlic for 1 minute, chuck in the greens and cook until wilted, stirring to cover with the garlicky oil. Serve on top of the risotto then top with the grated slices of parmesan.

Serves 4

Peppered Steak

Ingredients
4 Beef Steaks (a serving each)
4 Tablespoons Pepper corns
200g Mushrooms (button, chestnut, sliced)
4 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Red Wine (something good but not your best from the wine cellar that you've been saving for the last 5 years)
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
2 Tablespoons Redcurrant Jelly (Cranberry will also do)
450g Potatoes (grated with the largest grating holes)
A Splash of Oil
Flour
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Chives or Fresh Thyme to Garnish

Equipment
2 Frying Pans (1 large 1 small)
2 Spatulas
1 Sharp Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Grater
Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Food Bag
Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

1. In the food bag crack the pepper corns with the rolling pin or your heavy item, then sprinkle this onto your steaks when all the pepper is used, push the cracked corns into the meat with your fingers. Now Brush each steak with a little oil and fry in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes on both sides until its well browned on both sides.
2. Split the grated potato into four even amounts and add a tablespoon of flour to each, your going to have to fry each portion off separately. With a little oil in the other frying pan you need to pat the grated the potato down and fry on both sides until golden (3-4 minutes) then repeat for the other 3 portions.
3. If your steaks are looking done whilst you are doing this, take them out of the pan and place on a plate and cover to keep warm (they'll be nice and juicy like this) Add the mushrooms to the steak frying pan and fry for a minute until beginning to brown.
4. The add the brandy and ignite (be careful) once the flames have gone add the red wine, redcurrant jelly and thyme and boil until the redcurrant has dissolved, season to taste.
5. Place a golden potato pancake on each plate, top with a steak then spoon around the mushrooms and red wine sauce, garnish with fresh thyme or chives (ladies if you serve this to any man, he'll be yours! and men if you serve it to a lady, she'll think your a genius in the kitchen!)

Serves 4 (half the ingredients for a cosy but luxury meal for 2)

Chicken and Mushroom Noodles

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts (cut into bite size chunks)
1 Handful Spring/Salad Onions (sliced into 1cm strips)
200g Mushrooms (sliced)
1 Bottle Oyster Sauce
200ml Chicken Stock
200g Spinach Leaves (150g Salad Leaves if spinach is not available)
400g Egg Noodles
Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Corns (crushed)

Equipment
1 Wok
1 Large Pan (2/3rds full with salted boiling water)
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
Something to crush your pepper corns with (i use a piece of kitchen paper and the blade of my knife)

The Good Bit

1. Begin to cook the noodles to packet instructions (3-4 minutes) and meanwhile heat a little oil in the wok and cook the chicken until browned on all sides.
2. Add the mushrooms, onion and pepper corns and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the oyster sauce, the stock and the spinach (or salad leaves) and cook for 2 minutes or until the leaves have wilted. (Don't cook for too long at this stage)
   
3. Whilst this is cooking, your noodles should be done, take them off the heat and drain (i use a colander for this but it's not necessary if you have lids for your pans)
4. Divide the noodles between 4 plates and dollop on some of the chicken mixture!

Serves 4

Lasagne

Ingredients
100g Minced Beef
1 Large Onion (finely diced)
1 Pepper (finely diced)
100g Button Mushrooms (quartered)
Tomato Purée
8 Lasagne Sheets
1 Jar Red Sauce
1 Jar White Sauce
100g Grated Cheddar (or parmesan)
A Splash of Olive Oil
Chips, Salad Leaves or Garlic Bread to Serve

Equipment
1 Deep Square Oven Proof Dish
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Frying Pan/Wok
1 Spatula
1 Big Spoon
1 Dessert Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Preheat your oven to 210c, heat the oil in the pan and fry the onion and pepper until the onion is soft and beginning to go golden, add the meat and cook until brown, add the red sauce and muchrooms along with a good squeeze of tomato purée and simmer for a couple of minutes.
2. In your oven proof dish, lay 2 slices of lasagne next to each other (remembering which way they point) then spoon over 1/3rd of your meat mixture with the big spoon, and 1/4 of the white sauce with the dessert spoon.
   
3. Add your next 2 sheets of lasagne in the same direction (make sure all sheets go in the same direction, Makes it easier to cut into 1/4rs later) and follow the same measurements of mince and white sauce, then repeat a third time. You should still have 2 sheets left which you need to place on top, the last 1/4 of white sauce then sprinkle over the grated cheese and place in the oven for 30-40mins (you can even sprinkle paprika on here at this stage to add a bit of kick to this meal.
   
4. Cut into 1/4rs serve with whatever takes your fancy, garlic bread (insert peter kay garlic bread joke here) or chips, hell even salad leaves and tomatoes for the healthy option.

Serves 4 or 2 if you serve on its own.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients
500g Mixed Mushrooms (button, shiitake, oyster, chestnut, any you want)
1 Large Onion
1l Vegetable stock (2 stock cubes usually will make this amount)
250g Risotto Rice (again, long grain will do)
200g Fresh Salad Leaves (or 500g fresh spinach)
Olive Oil
A Knob of Butter
Garlic (if you are safe to use it)
Parmesan for decoration
Salt and Pepper for serving

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Small Frying Pan

The Good Bit

1. Chop the onion finely (and a couple of cloves of garlic if using) and fry in the pan until golden and soft, add a knob of butter and the rice and fry over a high heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the vegetable stock and mushrooms (sliced, halved or quartered its up to you) and cook over a medium heat until the rice has soaked up all the stock, then just before serving stir in a good knob of butter.
   
3. Meanwhile in the small frying pan, over a low heat with a good splash of olive oil, wilt the salad leaves and get them coated in the oil, this takes only a short while (seconds in most cases) so do not do this stage until you are nearly ready to serve (again add a couple of cloves of chopped garlic if you are allowed)
4. Serve up onto plates with the wilted greens on top of the risotto and shave a few bits of parmesan over the top for that extra bit of class.

Serves 4

Pizza (toppings up to you)

Ingredients
For The Dough
450g Self Raising Flour
4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan
300ml Warm Water
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Or Buy A Packet of Ready Made Bases
For The Sauce
A Splash of Olive Oil
1 Small Onion (Chopped as fine as you can)
1 400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
A Handful of Fresh Basil (chopped)
For The Toppings
More Olive Oil
100g Cheese (sliced mozzarella is best but grated cheddar works fine)
2 Tomatoes (sliced)
100g Button Mushrooms (quartered or sliced)
1 Small Red Onion
Anything Else You Fancy
Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
2 Mixing Bowls
2 Wooden Spoons
A Sieve
Rolling Pin
A Pizza Size Oven Dish (10inch)

The Good Bit

1. If you are making your own dough (well done!) Sieve the flour into a large bowl and stir in the cheese, make a well and add the water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mix together well into a nice dough ball, split into 2 and roll out into 2 10inch circles, cooking 1 at a time under a medium grill until golden on one side (5-6 minutes) (or both at once if your grill is big enough)
2. To make the sauce fry the onion in a splash of oil until soft then add the can of tomatoes and the chopped basil and simmer for 10mins until a good thick sauce is attained.
3. Flip your bases over so you have the uncooked side facing up and cover with the sauce, then fry off the mushrooms for a minute or two in a dab more oil along with anything else that may need partial cooking (peppers for instance)
4. Top your pizza with your cheese, veg (I like the red onion to be a little raw so I don't fry it at stage 3) and anything else you like, drizzle over a little olive oil (that's how the Italians do it) and whack back under the grill for 3-4 minutes.
5. If you are using ready made bases follow the packet instructions for cooking and just experiment with what toppings you like, come on, who'd have thought cheese, pineapple and ham would go together! and what about anchovies!!

Serves 4

Coq Au Vin

Ingredients
750g Potato (cubed)
A Good Splash of Olive Oil
4 Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon of Flour
1 Large Onion (chopped into cm chunks)
4 Rashers Bacon (smoked or unsmoked)
100g Button Mushrooms (cut into 4)
2 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Red Wine (don't use your best but again don't go for 1 that tastes like vinegar)
Fresh or Dried Thyme
Fresh Parsley
Tomato Puree
2 Teaspoons Cornflour

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Large Pan
A Cup

The Good Bit

1. Heat your potatoes in the large pan with boiling salted water, dust your chicken with 1 tablespoon of seasoned flour and fry in the frying pan with a small splash of oil for 2 minutes each side.
2. Add the onion and bacon and cook for another 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms, cook until everything begins to brown stirring continuously then add the brandy, heat for a short while (seconds not minutes) then ignite!!
3. Once the flames have died add in the red wine and bring to the boil, add a good squeeze of tomato purée and either 2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, leave to simmer for 15 minutes, and cool.
4. Mix the cornflour in the cup with a little cold water (little at a time again it's harder to take out than add more), chuck this in with the chicken and stir bringing the pan back to the boil again until the sauce has thickened. (a minute or so)
5. In the meantime drain your potatoes, add a splash of oil, some chopped parsley and mash well. Serve onto your plates then top with coq au vin

Serves 4