Tomato Salsa

Ingredients
6 Tomatoes (skinned, seeded and diced)
1 Handful Fresh Basil (shredded finely, no stalks)
25g Black Olives (thinly sliced)
3 Shallots (thinly sliced)
2 Cloves Garlic (very finely sliced)
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Mix together all your ingredients and serve immediately.

Jazzy Butter Sauce

Ingredients
3 Shallots (chopped as fine as you can)
100g Butter (softened)
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper (freshly ground is best)
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Pinch Of Salt
A Splash of Oil

Equipment
1 Frying Pan
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Fry off the shallots slowly for 6-8 minutes until they are soft and golden brown, leave them to cool for a couple of minutes.
2. Now gently warm up or beat your butter in the bowl to get it soft and add the shallots pepper, salt and mustard, blend in well then roll out on a piece of cling film and place in the fridge until firm and needed. Goes REALLY well with steak!!
   

Christmas Turkey

Ingredients
3-4Kg Turkey (oven ready with giblets)
4 Shallots
4 Cloves
25g Butter (diced)
40ml Water
80ml White Wine
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper
Herb Sprigs
15g Cranberries
15g Chopped Walnuts
1 Orange (juiced and zested)
1 lemon (juiced and zested)
1 Egg Yolk

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Zester
1 Large Roasting Dish
1 Sauce Pan
Tin Foil
1 Skewer
1 Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven to 190c 375f gas 5. Start by removing the giblets from the turkey, then spike each of the shallots with a clove, now season the cavity of your bird with salt and pepper, then drop in the spiked shallots and half of the butter cubes, rub the rest of the butter over the skin of the bird.
2. Now chop the giblets into small chunks and place in the roasting tin along with the water, white wine and the bay leaf, cover with tin foil and cook for 15 minutes per every 1/2Kg then remove the tin foil and cook for a further 30 minutes. Prick deeply with a skewer to make sure the juices are clear (not pink with blood) Set aside and keep warm reserving the juice.
3. In your sauce pan drop in the berries, walnuts, orange and lemon juice and zest and enough of the reserved turkey juices to make up to 150ml and simmer gently. Whisk the egg yolk and mix with 1 tablespoon of your cranberry sauce, then remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the egg mixture.
4. Garnish the turkey with sprigs, serve a shallot to each person and hand out the sauce separately.
   

Serves 4

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Ingredients
1 Cucumber (chopped into slices, reserve 8 thin slices)
2 Shallots (chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
250g Cooked Peeled Prawns (reserve 8 for garnishing)
300ml Single Cream
300ml Milk
25g Butter
1 Bay Leaf
Fresh Mint (reserve 4 sprigs to garnish and use 1 tablespoon of chopped)
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Chives
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan
1 Blender
1 Large Serving Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Start by melting the butter in the pan then cooking the shallots and cucumber for 5 minutes over a low heat until it begins to soften (use a lid on the pan to help with this) do not colour! Next add in the milk and bay then season to taste and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Take out the bay leaf on pour the soup into the blender, blend well for a few seconds. Now pour into the serving bowl and stir in the herbs, prawns and cream and chill for 2 hours.
   
3. Serve garnished with a sprig of mint and the reserved prawns and cucumber slices.
   

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

Beef Pepperpot

Ingredients
750g Beef (cubed)
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Teaspoon Paprika
12 Shallots
125g Button Mushrooms
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
200g Can Chopped Tomatoes
450ml Beef Stock
1 Red Pepper (de seeded and chopped into 1 cm strips)
1 Green Pepper (de seeded and chopped into 1 cm strips)
Salt and Pepper
Rice to serve (cooked according to instructions)
Splash of Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Casserole Dish
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Garlic Press
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Spatula

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven to 160c 325f or gas 3. Mix together the flour, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper, drop in the beef and make sure it is well coated.
2. Fry the shallots, garlic and mushrooms in a little oil in the frying pan until the onions just begin to colour, remove and set aside. Quickly fry off the meat until it has browned on all sides, then add back in the shallots, garlic and mushrooms.
3. Any seasoned flour that you have left, chuck that in to, stirring well for 1 minute before adding in the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and transfer to your casserole dish.
4. Cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours then add in the peppers and cook for a further 30 minutes, serve with the rice.
   

Serves 4-6

Thai Green Curry Paste

Ingredients
15 Green Chillies (small, chopped, de-seeded if you like a milder curry)
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Lemon Grass Stalks
2 Lime Leaves (torn or zest of 1 Lime)
1 Inch Ginger (finely chopped, 1/2 teaspoon Dried)
2 Shallots (chopped)
Handful Coriander Leaves
2 Teaspoons Black Peppercorns
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil (groundnut is best but olive will do)

Equipment
1 Blender (or Pestle and mortar)

The Good Bit

1. Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend into a smooth thick paste. If doing by hand, Crush the chillies, then add the garlic then all the other ingredients 1 at a time with the oil last.
2. Put in an airtight jar and refrigerate, it'll last about 3 weeks.

Makes 1 Jar

Thai Red Curry Paste

Ingredients
10 Red Chillies (large, seeded if you want a cooler curry, i leave em in, i love a hot curry)
2 Teaspoons Coriander Seeds
1 Lemon Grass Stalk (finely chopped)
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Shallot (chopped)
2inch Fresh Ginger (finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 Lime (juiced, 1 teaspoon needed)
2 Tablespoons Oil (groundnut is best but olive will do)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Blender

The Good Bit

1. whack all the ingredients into the blender and blend until you have a smooth paste, you can use a pestle and mortar for this but it's a bit more hard work)
2. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge, will last about 3 week.

Makes 1 jar

Thai Fish Stock

Ingredients
500g Heads and Bones of Raw White Fish and Heads and Shells of Prawns (if available)
3 Shallots
1 Celery Stick (including leaves, chopped)
1 Lime Leaf (or zest of 1 lime if you cant get the leaf)
1/2 Lemon Grass Stalk
2 Cloves Garlic
25g Fresh Coriander (with stalks)
2.4l Water

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan
1 Sieve
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Add the water and fish bits to the pan and bring to the boil, skim off any scum, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 50mins.
2. Strain the stock and freeze what you don't use immediately

Makes 2l

Thai Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts (if you are doing these on a barbecue why not go for 8 chicken wings or a few legs)
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Ginger
4 Shallots (finely chopped)
A Handful of Coriander Leaves (chopped)
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/4 of a Can of Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (optional, but authentic)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
6 Garlic Cloves (if you are allowed)
2 Stalks of Lemon Grass (chopped, if you cant get this, a dash of lemon juice will do, fresh of bottled will do)

Equipment
1 Sharp Knife
A Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Oven Proof Dish
1 Chefs Brush

The Good Bit

1. Preheat your oven to 200c 400f or gas mark 6, mix together all the ingredients in the bowl (including the chicken) and leave for at least 4hours so if you can do this before you go out to work or the day before your BBQ that'd be better) (obviously don't preheat the oven until you are ready!!!)
   
2. Cook in the oven for 20-30mins or until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown (similar time on the BBQ, skewer it to make sure the juices are clear and not red) turn over occasionally and brush with the marinade.
3. Serve with the rest of your BBQ or a dish of rice, add on slices of lime for looks if you want to impress.

Serves 4