Poached eggs

Ingredients
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 free-range eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Fill a small pan just over one third full with cold water and bring it to the boil.
2. Add the vinegar and turn down to simmer.
3. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and gently tip into the simmering water.
4. Lightly poach for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels.
5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately

Spaghetti carbonara

Ingredients

200g spaghetti

1 tbsp olive oil

8 rashers bacon chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 eggs

150ml double cream
100g grated Parmesan cheese to serve
handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the Bacon and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and browned. Reduce the heat to low.
3. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the cream and most of the grated cheese, salt, pepper,  reserving a little cheese for the garnish.
4.Tip the spaghetti into the pan with the bacon and pour in the cream and egg mixture. Mix well over a very low heat.(Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy if needed) Serve with extra cheese and  sprinkle with  parsley .

Spaghetti with Bacon and Cabbage

Ingredients

6  rashers bacon chopped

180g spaghetti

1/4 small head Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons olive oil

handful chopped fresh parsley

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Method

1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions

2. Cook bacon until crispy. Add the savoy cabbage and fry for 3-4 mins

3. Process garlic cloves through a garlic press, and combine with olive oil. Toss garlic oil, bacon and cabbage with spaghetti, Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with  parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and mushroom pie

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
150g button mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
50g butter
50g plain flour
200ml milk
200ml chicken stock
3 tbsp white wine
150ml double cream
pinch salt, ground white pepper
500g ready-made short-crust pastry
1 free-range egg, beaten

Method
1.Preheat the oven to 180C.
2.Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to turn white.
3.Add the mushrooms and continue to fry until the chicken is golden-brown.
4.Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside with the chicken and mushrooms.
5.Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly until it has formed a thick smooth paste.
6.Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
7.Mix the milk and stock together in a jug, white pepper and salt, to taste. Pour the liquid slowly into the flour mixture, whisking all the time until smooth. Simmer over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
8.Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mushroom mixture. Mix well, then spoon into a pie dish and leave until completely cool.
9.Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is the thickness of a pound coin. Brush the edges of the pie dish with beaten egg, lay the pastry on top, press down the edges and trim. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg and cut some leaf shapes out of the left-over pastry to decorate the top of the pie.
10.Make a small hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape and then bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden-brown on top.

Creamy Chicken Tagliatelle

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 chicken fillet

2 small onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

180 g dried tagliatelle

150 ml chicken stock

200 ml cream

salt, pepper

grated parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese to taste

Method

1. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

2. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chicken and stir fry for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked. . Add the chicken stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced.

3. Cook the tagliatelle according to instructions on the pack. When the chicken stock is reduced, lower the heat and add the cream. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring until thickened. Add the tagliatelle to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Fish Pie

I
ngredients

1 x pack fish pie mix
1 small onion, quartered
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
400ml milk
25g butter
25g flour
salt, pepper
A handful of grated cheddar
800 g Mashed potato

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Poach the fish. Put the fish in the frying pan and pour over 400ml of the milk. Stud each onion quarter with a clove, then add to the milk, with the bay leaves. Bring the milk just to the boil – you will see a few small bubbles. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins. Lift the fish onto a plate and strain the milk into a jug to cool. Flake the fish into large pieces in the baking dish.
3. Put the butter, flour in the pan and heat gently until the butter has melted, stirring regularly. Cook for 2 mins. Gradually whisk in the milk using a balloon whisk if you have one. Bring to the boil, stirring to avoid any lumps and sticking at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes until thickened.
4. Take off the heat and stir in the cheese , fish, salt, pepper . Spoon into an baking dish.
5. Spoon the Mash potato on top. Pop in the oven for 20 - 25 mins or until golden and bubbling at the edges.

Pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 chicken breasts, butterflied

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

100g white mushrooms, sliced

150ml chicken stock
salt and pepper

80 ml half-fat crème fraiche
New potatoes

Method

1.Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chicken breasts and fry for about 10 minutes, or until well browned on both sides. Set aside.

2.In the same pan, add a little more oil and fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry until golden-brown. If they start to stick, add a little stock to the pan.

3.Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the stock. Bring to the boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid, lower the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir the crème fraîche and parsley into the sauce and serve immediately with the new potatoes

.

Plaice with a creamy prawn and lemon sauce

Ingredients

2 whole Plaice

A handful of cooked prawns

50g unsalted butter

1/2 lemon, juice only

1/2 cup of  double cream

1 tbsp of dry white wine

1 shallot, finely chopped

ground white pepper

Method

1. Over a gentle heat melt the butter in an oven proof frying pan. Place the fish in the pan skin side down for 2-3 minutes. Using a fish slice, turn the fish over carefully and fry gently for another couple of minutes. Bake at 180 c for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Check to see that they are cooked through. Reserve the fish in a warm place.

2.Heat the butter in a separate frying pan, add the shallots and fry for a few minutes. Add the cream to the pan it will initially become thinner but will gradually thicken over a low heat (keep stirring )
3.Add the prawns, add the lemon juice, a pinch ground white pepper and the wine. It is ready when the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon.

4.Pour the sauce over the fish. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with new potatoes.

Creamy linguine with prawns

Ingredients

160 g linguine

120g raw peeled prawns (or Mixed Seafood)

2 tsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely sliced

100ml white wine

2 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraiche

salt and black pepper

juice of lemon (or to taste)

1 chilli finely chopped

small parsley , finely chopped

Method

1. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the garlic for 2 mins. Tip in the wine and bubble over a high heat for 1 min, then lower the heat and stir in the crème fraîche and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper. Simmer for 1 min to reduce a little, then add the prawns and simmer in the sauce until just pink.

2. Drain the pasta and tip into the sauce with chilli and half the parsley . Use tongs to mix everything together. Divide between 2 shallow bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Potato Cheese Herb Scones

Ingredients

200 g self-raising flour

50 g wholemeal flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp mustard powder

2 tsp mixed herbs

1 tsp baking powder

40 g butter, cut into small pieces

150 ml semi-skimmed milk, or more as needed

170 g (6 oz) cold mashed potato (without any milk or butter added)

100 g cheddar cheese

To finish

milk or beaten egg to glaze

1 tsp paprika

50 g cheddar cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC . Sift the flour, salt, mustard powder and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2.In another bowl, stir the milk into the mashed potato, mixing well. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with a fork to mix, adding another 1–2 tbsp milk, if needed, to make a soft dough.

3.Lightly knead the dough on a floured surface for a few seconds or until smooth, then roll out to a 15 cm (6 in) round about 2 cm ( 3/4 in) thick. Place on a greased baking sheet. Mark the scone round into 8 wedges with a sharp knife.

4.Brush with milk or beaten egg, then sprinkle with the paprika and cheese . Bake for 15–20 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.

5.Transfer to a wire rack and break into wedges. Serve warm or leave to cool. The scones can be kept in an airtight tin for up to 3 days. If liked, reheat them for serving: set on a baking sheet, cover with foil and warm in a low oven for about 4-5 minutes.

Cajun Chicken

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken breast fillets

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

Method

1. Dry chicken with kitchen paper, then butterfly.

2. Mix spices with seasoning, then tip onto a plate

3. Brush the chicken on both sides with the oil.then coat all over with the spice mix.

4. Cover, and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

5. Heat a frying pan then cook the chicken for 5-6 mins on each side until cooked through. Served with chips and a side salad.