Leek and Potato Soup
Ingredients
50g butter
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 leek
1 medium potato
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
300 ml boiling water
Pepper to season
Variations
Add in a carrot or some celery to make
a vegetable soup.
For a luxurious finish swirl in some
single cream when serving.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh chives
METHOD
1. Peel and dice the onion.
2. Peel and crush the garlic
3. Top and tail the leek, then slice and wash thouroughly.
4. Wash, peel and cube the potato.
5. Dissolve the stock cube in the hot water
6. Heat the butter in a saucepan and fry all the vegetables, except the
potatoes, for 5 minutes.
7. Add the stock and potatoes to the saucepan and bring to the boil.
8. Simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Season with black pepper
10. The soup may be blended to make it smooth or left whole.
Pour into container, allow to cool and then keep chilled in fridge for up to 3 days.
11. Reheat thoroughly
Carrot and Coriander Soup
Ingredients
500g carrots
1 medium sized potato
1 onion
1 tsp dried coriander
Or small bunch of fresh coriander
1 tbsp oil
1 litre of water
1 vegetable stock cube
Seasoning
Sealable container
Method
1.Peel and finely chop the potato, carrots and onion.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the carrots and onion
for 5 minutes.
3. Add the potato, tsp of coriander and seasoning.
4. Add the water and vegetable stock cube.
5. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
6. Blend the soup until smooth. Add the finely chopped fresh coriander
before serving.
To reheat at home: Simmer until piping hot
Fajitas
Ingredients
1/2 lime
1 clove garlic
1/2 green chilli
Small bunch coriander
1 x 10ml spoon oil
1 small chicken breast (or 3-4 thighs)
1/2 onion
1/2 green pepper
1 tomato
25g Cheddar cheese
2 tortillas
1 x 15ml spoon guacamole (or salsa), optional
Method
1. In a small bowl prepare the marinade. Peel and crush the garlic.
2. Use a juicer to juice the lime, add this to the bowl.
3. De-seed and crush the chilli, add this to the bowl.
4. Wash and finely chop the coriander. Add this to the bowl.
5. Add the oil and stir well.
6. Chop the chicken into thin strips. Add to the marinade.
7. WASH THE CHOPPING BOARD TO AVOID CROSS-CONTAMINATION
8. Slice the onion and pepper into thin strips
9. Chop the tomato
10. Grate the cheese
11. Add the marinated chicken to the wok and fry until chicken is white throughout
12. Add the onion and green pepper and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
13. Place the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm them up.
14. Spread a little chicken in the centre of the tortilla, add some tomato, cheese and guacamole,
then roll
Thai Green Curry
Ingredients
1 x 10ml spoon oil
3 spring onions
1 clove of garlic
80g sugar snap peas or mange tout or green beans
1 small chicken breast OR Tofu
2 x 15ml Thai green curry paste
200ml coconut milk (reduced fat)
1/2 lime
Small bunch of coriander if liked
Use a range of different vegetables, such as broccoli,
spinach or courgette.
Use frozen vegetables, like peas, runner beans or soy
beans. Serve with boiled rice – why not go for a mix
of white, brown and wild?
Method
1. Prepare the vegetables: slice the spring onions; cut the sugar snap peas/beans/mange tout in half;
crush the garlic.
2. On a chopping board, using scissors, cut the chicken into small chunks.
3. Fry the spring onions, garlic and chicken in the oil for 3-4 minutes.
4. When the chicken has turned ‘white’, stir in the green curry paste, followed by the sugar snap peas
/beans/mange tout.
5. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Squeeze the lime and pour over the curry.
7. Tear the coriander and add to the curry.
To Cook Rice
Allow 50g rice per person.
Place rice into pan of boiling water & cook for 10-15minutes (check the packet instructions!).
Drain through a sieve.
Like it hot?
Thai green curry is the least spicy Thai curry.
Find out how you can vary the recipe to make it more spicy!
ANZAC BISCUITS
Ingredients
85g porridge oats
85g desiccated coconut (Optional)
100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
100g margarine
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method:
1.
Light oven 180C Gas mark No 5.
2.
Put coconut, flour, sugar and oats in a bowl
3.
Half melt margarine in a pan. Allow to melt off the heat.
4.
Add syrup to pan.
5.
Measure 2 tbsp boiling water into a jug. Add bicarb.
Pour into pan.
6.
Mix the melted mixture with the dry ingredients.
7.
Place in spoonfuls (approx. 20) on a tray. Cook 15 - 20 mins.
8.
Cool
Vegetarian Low Fat – Recipe Idea
Roasted Red Pepper Spicy Houmous
Ingredients
1 (400g) tin chickpeas, drained
110g (4 oz) roasted red peppers from a jar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small handful chopped fresh parsley
Method
1.In an electric blender or food processor, purée the chickpeas, red peppers,
lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, cayenne and salt.
2. Process, using long pulses, until the mixture is fairly smooth, and slightly
fluffy.
3. Make sure to scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor or
blender in between pulses.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The houmous
can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
5. Return to room temperature before serving.) Sprinkle the hummus with the
chopped parsley before serving.
6. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.
Cornish Pasties
Ingredients
Pastry
1 x packet of shortcrust or puff pastry
Filling
 100g braising steak, finely
chopped
 2 medium potatoes, finely
chopped
 1 Carrot
 1 small onion, finely chopped
 ½ tsp spoon salt
 Freshly ground black pepper
 Milk or egg to glaze
Method
1. Heat oven to 220°C or Gas Mark 7.
2. Mix flour and salt in basin, rub in the fat.
3. Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form stiff dough.
4. Turn dough on a floured surface and knead lightly.
5. Leave in a bowl with cling film and put in cooler to prove.
6. Peel, and dice the potato, carrot and onion.
7. Fry in a little oil for 3 to 4 mins until golden brown.
8. Add the mice and cook for 5 mins. Remove from the heat.
9. Divide the pastry into 4; roll out each piece about ½ cm thick keeping a round
shape. Trim if necessary.
10.
Divide the filling between the rounds of pastry, dampen the edges and draw
up the sides so they meet in the middle.
11.
Firmly press edges together, flute with the fingers and brush with beaten egg
or milk.
12. Bake for about 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 180°C or Gas Mark 4 and
bake for another 10 minutes.
Pesto Pizza
Ingredients - Pizza dough:1 packet of puff pastry
Ingredients - Topping
Small jar pesto or pizza sauce topping Mozzarella cheese
Handful fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried herbs
4 slices pepperoni
Try different combinations of toppings, including plenty of vegetables, e.g. spinach, peppers,
tomatoes, mushrooms, onion.
1. Preheat oven to 200 DegC or gas mark 6.
Grease 2 baking trays.
2. Sieve together the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
3. Stir in the yeast.
4. Add the oil and enough warm water to mix into a soft dough.
5. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
6. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and allow to prove for 15 minutes.
7. Whilst proving, prepare the topping- Slice the mozzarella cheese and prepare any
vegetables.
8. Roll out and shape the dough into a circle on a floured table.
9. Place the dough bases onto the baking tray.
10.Spread the pesto or pizza sauce over the base.
11.Arrange the slices of cheese over the tomato sauce.
12. Place the pepperoni over the cheese.
13.Sprinkle chopped basil over the pizza.
14.Place in the oven and bake for 10- 15 minutes
Challenge yourself……..
To make a calzone (folded pizza)- shape dough into a circle, place on greased baking tray,
Place sauce, toppings & cheese on half of base, brush water around edge of the circle. Fold
over remaining half to form a semi-circle. Fold back the edges with your fingers and place in a
pre-heated oven.
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Base
225g digestive biscuits (crushed at home)
100g butter
Topping
225g cream cheese
125g condensed milk
1 small tub of double cream (not Elmlea)
3-4 limes
Decoration
50g - grated chocolate
2 kiwi fruit
1 flan dish
Method
1. In a saucepan melt the butter.
2. Remove from the heat and add the crushed biscuits.
3. Mix together.
4. Press into a lightly oiled flan dish.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk the cream, cream cheese and condensed milk together
until smooth and thickened.
6. Add the rind of the limes and 6 tablespoons of limejuice.
7. Spoon onto biscuit base.
8. Decorate with grated chocolate and kiwi fruit.
9. Chill in fridge until served.
Vegetable Chow Mein
Ingredients
Equipment
1 carrot
vegetable peeler
1 red pepper
chopping board
75g / 3oz mange tout or green beans
vegetable knife
100g / 4 oz egg noodles
saucepan
1 tablespoon of oil
wok
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
wooden spoon
1 tablespoon rice wine (optional)
colander
Method
1. Cook the noodles (if necessary) in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.
Drain in a colander and rinse under the hot tap. Leave to drain
over the saucepan on the sink.
2. Peel and slice the carrot into matchsticks. De-seed and finely
slice the pepper.
3. Heat the oil in the wok and stir fry the vegetables for 5
minutes, stirring all the time.
4. Stir in the soy sauce and rice wine.
5. Add the noodles and stir well to blend the flavours for no more
than 2 minutes.
6. Serve straight away.
N.B. You can add chicken, pork or prawns to the recipe. For a
vegetarian option add cashew nuts, tofu or Quorn.
TECHNICAL CHALLENGE
SWISS ROLL - Whisked sponge
Ingredients
3 eggs
75g caster sugar
75g self-raising flour
1 tspVanilla essence
Filling
3 tablespoons jam/lemon curd
Method
1.
Set the oven at 200C, Gas Mark 6
2. Grease and line a swiss roll tin.
3. Sieve the flour onto a plate.
4. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a glass bowl until really thick and
creamy. Remember that it should leave a trail on the top of the
mixture for 5 seconds if it is ready..
5. Using a METAL spoon carefully fold in the flour a quarter at a
time. DO NOT BEAT THE MIXTURE.
6. Add the vanilla essence and fold in
7. Pour into the cake tins and bake for 6 - 10 minutes until golden
brown and set – TAKE CARE NOT TO OVER COOK.
8. Turn out onto a cooling wire and cover with a damp tea towel.
Carefully peel off the paper.
9. Flip the sponge over so that the pattern is on the bottom.
10. Trim the edges with a sharp knife. Score the end.
11. Roll the sponge in a tea towel. Leave for 5/10 mins.
12. Unroll and spread the jam evenly over the sponge and roll
13. Dust the top of the roll with icing sugar/sugar.
14. Eat!
Chicken Caesar Salad
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp sunflower oil
1 romaine lettuce hear
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 slices of ciabatta bread, each about
1.5cm thick (15g a slice)
flaked sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Dressing:
Get creative – Choose a suitable dressing – you could even have a go at making it!
1. Place a chicken breast between 2 sheets of cling film and bash it with a rolling
pin until the chicken is about 1cm thick.
2. Bash the other chicken breast in the same way, then season the breasts on
both sides with a little salt and plenty of black pepper.
3. Dip a pastry brush in the oil and brush over the base of a large nonstick frying
pan.
4. Place the pan over a medium heat, add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Turn the breasts over and cook for 2–3 minutes on the other side until nicely
browned and cooked through.
6. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken in the warm pan to rest.
7. While the chicken is cooking, make the salad.
8. Separate the lettuce leaves and wash and drain them well.
9. Tear any large leaves into smaller pieces.
10. Arrange the lettuce in a large serving dish and scatter over the tomatoes.
11. Toast the slices of ciabatta in the grill and tear them into bite-sized pieces.
Put the cooked chicken breasts on a board and cut them into thick strips.
12. Scatter these over the lettuce and tomatoes and toss everything together
lightly.
13. Spoon over half the dressing and serve while the chicken is warm. Fantastic!
Tuna Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
2 eggs
500g broad bean pods or 50g French beans
4 ripe tomatoes
¼ cucumber
For the dressing:
1 small clove of garlic
Pinch of coarse salt
Small handful of basil leaves, torn
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tbsp red wine vinegar
Black pepper
2 spring onions, finely chopped
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
50g small black olives, pitted
1 tbsp capers (optional)
4 anchovies, cut into slivers (optional)
A few basil leaves, roughly torn
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Put the eggs in a pan of cold water and bring slowly to the boil.
Simmer for 7½ minutes, then place into a bowl of iced water.
Meanwhile, pod and then peel the broad beans
Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 15 seconds, then peel, slice and deseed them.
Peel the cucumber in stripes, then deseed and cut into half moons.
Make the dressing by pounding the garlic (use a pestle and mortar or a rolling pin)to a
paste in a pestle and mortar along with a pinch of coarse salt.
7. Add the anchovies (optional) and then the basil, and pound to a paste, adding the olive
oil and the vinegar as you go. Season with black pepper.
8. To put the salad together, toss the beans, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion and red
pepper together with two-thirds of the dressing and decant on to a plate.
9. Peel and quarter the eggs and arrange on top, along with the olives, capers, anchovy
strips and basil leaves.
10. Spoon the remaining dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
Lentil tabbouleh
Ingredients
200 g puy lentils
1 bunch of spring onions
200 g ripe cherry tomatoes
1 large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large bunch of fresh mint
extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
Method
1.Rinse the lentils in a sieve under a tap, then cook in plenty of salted
water until tender.
2. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Trim and finely slice the spring onions
4. Halve the tomatoes, then pick and finely chop the herb leaves.
5. Mix the cooled lentils with the spring onions, tomatoes, herbs and 4
tablespoons of oil.
6. Add the lemon juice to taste, season with sea salt and black pepper,
then serve.
Jools’s chopped Summer salad
Ingredients
6 small carrots, mixed colours if possible
2 sticks of celery
1 handful of ripe cherry tomatoes, mixed colours if possible
2 little gem lettuces
100 g feta cheese
a few sprigs of fresh mint , leaves picked
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 x SOURCE OF CARBOHYDRATES
Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
On a large board, trim and finely chop the carrots and celery,
Finely chop the tomatoes
Separate and finely chop the lettuce leaves.
Once everything is fairly fine, start mixing it up and chopping some more.
Crumble over the feta
Pick and roll the mint leaves like a cigar and chop into the salad.
Combine the balsamic vinegar, oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper in a jam jar or small
pot
8. Drizzle over and serve
Marble Pear/Apple Tray Bake
Ingredients
100g caster sugar
100g soft margarine
2 eggs
100g self raising flour
1 x 15ml spoon cocoa powder
1 x 5ml spoon baking powder
1 pear OR 1 apple
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC or gas mark 4.
2. Grease the baking tin or foil tray.
3. Cream the sugar and margarine together, ideally using an electric hand whisk, until light and fluffy.
4. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork.
5. Add the beaten egg, a little at a time, to the margarine and sugar.
6. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
7. Fold the flour and baking powder into the mixture, a spoonful at a time.
8. Core and chop the pear into small pieces. Scatter pieces of pear into the lined cake tin.
9. Spoon half of the plain cake mixture into the tin.
10. Stir-in the cocoa to the remaining cake mixture.
11. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the baking tin and then swirl the two mixtures together to create a
marble effect.
12. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch.
13. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Top tips
When lining the baking tin it is only necessary to line the bottom. The sides can be greased with
oil.
Instead of chocolate, use other spices and fresh fruit, e.g. mixed spice, apricots.
Finnish fruit plait
http://stem.org.uk/rx9k5
Ingredients
250g strong white flour
1 x 15ml spoon mixed spice or cinnamon
½ x 5 ml spoon salt
75g currants
25g mixed peel
1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast
25g caster sugar
15g margarine
125ml lukewarm milk
1 egg (medium)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C or gas mark 6.
2. Grease or line the baking tray.
3. Sift the flour, spice and salt into the mixing bowl.
4. Stir in the currants, mixed peel and yeast.
5. Stir the sugar into the milk in the measuring jug. Stir until the sugar has
dissolved.
6. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the milk.
7. Melt the margarine and add to the flour.
8. Break the egg into the small bowl and beat with the fork.
9. Add half the beaten egg.
10. Mix to a soft dough using the palette knife.
11. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
12. With lightly floured hands, divide the mixture into three portions and roll into sausage shapes
the length of the baking tray.
13. Place the lengths onto the baking tray and neatly plait together, tucking in the ends.
14. Cover the plait with cling film and leave in a warm place to prove until doubled in size.
15. Brush with the remaining egg.
16. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C or gas 4, and bake for a
further 10 - 15 minutes.
17. Remove the plait and transfer to the cooling wire.