Prawn Cocktail

Ingredients
2 Egg Yolks
1 Teaspoon English Mustard
1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
250ml Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
A Splash of Tabasco Sauce
50g Ready to Eat Prawns
1 Few Lettuce Leaves
2 Avocados

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Metal Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Drop your egg yolks, mustard and mustard powder into your bowl and begin to whisk, slowly drizzle the oil in and whisk at the same time, you should get to a consistency similar to that of shop bought mayo then add in the tomato and tabasco sauce. (do not add all the oil in one go, it will spoil the mayonnaise)
2. Line 4 glasses with your lettuce leaves, then drop in the avocado, add on top a dollop of your seafood sauce and then arrange a few prawns on top and serve.

Serves 4

Prawn Cocktail (my fave version)

Ingredients
2 Egg Yolks
1 Teaspoon English Mustard
1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
250ml Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
A Splash of Tabasco Sauce
50g Ready to Eat Prawns (chopped to same size as peas/sweetcorn just reserve a few whole for decoration)
1-2 Tablespoons Sweetcorn
1-2 Tablespoons Peas
1-2 Tablespoons Carrots (chopped to same size as peas/sweetcorn)
1-2 Tablespoons Red Pepper (chopped to same size as peas/sweetcorn)

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Metal Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Drop your egg yolks, mustard and mustard powder into your bowl and begin to whisk, slowly drizzle the oil in and whisk at the same time, you should get to a consistency similar to that of shop bought mayo then add in the tomato and tabasco sauce. (do not add all the oil in one go, it will spoil the mayonnaise)
2. Now stir in the prawns, peas, sweetcorn, carrot and pepper then spoon into glasses and decorate with the reserved whole prawns and serve (or have as a side in a salad)

Serves 4

My Favourite Lamb Shanks

Ingredients
4 Lamb Shanks
4 Small Aubergines (halved lengthways and sliced thickly)
4 Large Onions (Sliced)
8 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2x400g Cans Chopped Tomatoes
2 Cinnamon Sticks
4 Tablespoons Tomato Purée
A Splash of Tabasco Sauce
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 Garlic Press
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan/Casserole Dish
1 Slotted Spoon

The Good Bit

1. In your large pan, add a dash of oil, drop in the lamb shanks and brown evenly all over, the remove with the slotted spoon, next drop in your aubergine slices in batches and brown them too, add more oil if you need to (which you probably will straight after the lamb, just keep an eye on the pan getting dry)
2. Once all the aubergine is done and removed it's time to lower the heat and do the onion and garlic, again until brown, then add both cans of tomatoes, the purée, the cinnamon sticks and a splash of tabasco, now drop the lamb and aubergine back in and bring to a simmer, add water (or chicken stock) if needed to make sure the shanks are almost covered, cover the pan and simmer for 1hour and 45 minutes.
3. Lift the lamb onto serving plates then scoop off as much fat as you can from the top of your pan, then heat the pan rapidly to reduce to a thick sauce, season and drizzle around the outside of your lamb.
   

Serves 4

Crispy Prawns

Ingredients
16 Tiger Prawns (cooked and defrosted)
125g Plain Flour
150ml Beer
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Eggs (whites only)
Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil (for the batter)
Oil (for deep Frying)
8Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 Tablespoons Chopped Thyme
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Rind
Tabasco Sauce (optional but lovely)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
2 Mixing Bowls
1 Garlic Press
1 Wok
1 Slotted Metal Spoon
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Fork
Kitchen Paper

The Good Bit

1. In one mixing bowl, put the flour along with a pinch of salt and beat in the beer and oil with a fork, whisk the egg whites with the balloon whisk until they are very stiff then gently fold them into the batter with the fork along with the parsley, when you have an even mixture, drop in the prawns and get them coated evenly all over.
2. Heat half a wok of oil up to 190c 375f and fry the prawns in batches for 2-3 minutes until they are a lovely golden colour, remove them with the slotted spoon, leave to stand on the kitchen paper.
3. Mix all of the remaining ingredients together from the mayonnaise down and use as a dip, or you could use one of the other sauces suggested in the links section on the front page, such as the sweet and sour dip.
   

Serves 4

Chicken Wings

Ingredients
8 Chicken Wings (with the tips removed)
1 Small Onion (chopped as fine as you can)
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 Tablespoons Honey (clear)
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
4 Tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
2 Teaspoons English Mustard
2 Teaspoons Tabasco Sauce
2 Tablespoons Flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Frying Pan
1 Baking Tray (covered with grease proof paper)
1 Garlic Press
Napkins

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven to 200c 400f gas mark 6. Start by frying the onion and garlic until soft in a splash of oil, then add in the sauces, honey and mustard and simmer for about 2 minutes.
2. Next you want to dust the chicken wings in the seasoned flour then brush with the sauce and place on the baking tray. cook for 30 minutes until they are well browned (even a little burned isn't bad, adds to the flavour) Serve, with napkins!!
   

Serves 4

Timbals of Salmon

Ingredients
350g Smoked Salmon (sliced thinly)
4 Ripe Tomatoes (peeled and de seeded and chopped thinly)
100ml Crème Fraiche
2 Tablespoons Cod/Salmon Roe (canned is fine, if you can get hold of red caviar use that instead)
Cayenne Pepper (or Tabasco sauce)
Handful Fresh Chives
Salt and Pepper to Season

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
4 Soufflé Dishes (lined with clingfilm)
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Fork
1 Sieve

The Good Bit

1. Layer about 75g of salmon slices into each dish allowing the slices to overlap the sides (the overlap will be the lid) Chop the remaining salmon up finely. Now beat your crème fraiche in the mixing bowl until you get soft peaks then fold in the salmon, cod/salmon roe, and a pinch of cayenne or dash of tabasco with a fork.
2. Fill each of the salmon moulds with the mixture then fold over the salmon to give a lid, now cover and chill over night. To skin the tomatoes cut a little x lightly in the top, then dunk in boiling water for about 1 minute, you should see the skin begin to peel, remove and peel the rest off, if it is still hard dunk for another 10 seconds.
3. Rub the chopped tomato through the sieve and collect the sauce and season, chill this too.
4. To serve Remove the salmon from their moulds and place in the centre of each plate, drizzle a circle around each one with the tomato sauce then place a couple of lengths of chopped dill on top of each timbal
   

Serves 4

Oysters in a Cream Sauce

Ingredients
12 Oysters (opened, rinsed, liquor strained and reserved)
White Wine
2 Tablespoons Butter (unsalted if possible)
2 Spring Onions (chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 Egg (yolk only)
50ml Double Cream
25g Button Mushrooms (finely chopped)
75g Prawns (peeled and cooked, finely chopped)
15g Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Fine Fresh Breadcrumbs
Tabasco Sauce
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Oven Proof Dish
Tin Foil
Blender
1 Pot Washing Brush
1 Saucepan
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Small Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Start by topping up the reserved liquor with white wine, make up 250ml and set aside, then with the brush scrub the inside of the deeper shells and then place an oyster in each. Now arrange the shells on crumpled tin foil in the oven proof dish, Pre heat your oven to 200c 400f gas mark 6.
   
2. OK now melt the butter in the saucepan and cook the onion and garlic until soft but not coloured then stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute stirring all the time, now pour in the liquor, keep stirring whilst doing this and bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, keep stirring, season and add Tabasco if wanted.
3. In the small mixing bowl, mix the cream with the egg yolk and add 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce then pour this back into the hot sauce and continue to stir until you have a thick sauce, now remove from the heat and add the mushrooms and prawns then spoon over the oysters.
4. Finally mix the breadcrumbs (these should be done in the blender to make them really fine) with the parmesan, sprinkle over the oysters and then whack the dish in the oven, cook for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden and the edges of the oysters begin to curl.
   

Serves 4

Chicken Satay

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts
1 400g Can Coconut Milk
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
8 Tablespoons Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 Lemons
2 Carrots (cut into ribbons using a potato peeler)
1/2 Cucumber (cut into ribbons using a potato peeler)
50g Dry Roasted Peanuts
4 Warm Nan Breads
Tabasco Sauce (optional)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Potato Peeler
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Plastic Food Bag
1 Shallow Dish
8 Bamboo Skewers

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your grill to high. Place each of the breasts in the food bag and bat them out as thin as possible with the rolling pin, take out and cut in half lengthways.
2. In the mixing bowl, mix together the coconut, peanut butter and Worcestershire sauce (Tabasco as well if using) then pour into the shallow dish. Toss in the chicken strips, coating well them thread each one onto a skewer and cook under the grill until well browned all over.
3. Heat the remaining satay sauce with a dash of water and squeeze in the juice from 1 of the lemons. Warm your nans to the packet instructions.
4. To serve, on each nan pile some of the carrot and cucumber ribbons with a splash of lemon juice from the other lemon, place on top 2 chicken skewers and drizzle over some of the peanut sauce.
   

Serves 4

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Oil (sunflower is best)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
1 200g Can Chopped Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Tomato Purée
2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
A Dash of Tabasco Sauce

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Medium Frying Pan
Blender (optional for a smooth sauce)

The Good Bit

1. Fry off the onion and garlic with the oil until the onion is brown and soft, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. If you want to blend for a smooth sauce you can.

Makes 450ml

Lamb Hot Pot

Ingredients
4 Lamb Steaks (100g each or just over the palm of your hand in size)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 400g Can Chopped Tomatoes
120ml Mixed Stock (1 chicken and 1 veg cube)
100g Green beans (sliced in half, not length ways!!)
Tabasco Sauce
500g Potatoes
A Splash of Oil
A Knob of Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Mixed Herbs (you should always have this in your stock cupboard)

Equipment
2 SHARP Knifes
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Pan (2/3rds full boiling salted water)
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok (with a lid)

The Good Bit

1. Put The potatoes whole (or Halved if they are very large) in the pan of boiling water and cook for 10mins. Meanwhile cut each of the lamb steaks into 4 strips then place in the frying pan with the onion and a splash of oil and cover and cook for 4 minutes until well browned.
2. Pour in the tomatoes, the stock, the green beans and sprinkle over the herbs, add a dash of tabasco (only if you like a little bite to the meal) and bring to the boil then turn down the heat to a low simmer whilst you do the next bit.
3. Drain the potatoes and slice as thin as possible (you may want to run them under a little cold water to allow you to handle them, then arrange the slices in overlapping layers on top of the lamb, cover the frying pan turn up the heat a little and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. The icing on the cake if you can do it, is to dot butter on to the potatoes at this stage and whack under a high grill for a couple of minutes to crispen those tatties off.

Serves 4