Recipes: Main Courses enhanced with Herbs

Fish skewers


Fish skewers

Unusual to serve on a barbeque and are bound to be popular.

Make a marinade of 2 tbsp each of olive oil and lemon juice, season with black pepper and a couple of cloves of chopped garlic and add a handful each of chopped fennel and parsley.

Marinate 400g each of salmon and cod in large cubes with 16 large prawns and 8 bay leaves for an hour.

Thread onto skewers, with peppers and cherry tomatoes if you wish, before grilling.


Hot and Herby BBQ rub


Hot and Herby BBQ rub is great with chicken, turkey, salmon, aubergine and other substantial vegetables.

Grind or blend together:

  • 1 tbsp chopped thyme
  • 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
  • 1 chopped garlic clove
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • enough olive oil to give a thin paste.

This is enough for 4 chicken thighs or the equivalent and will keep in the fridge for up to a week.


Baked feta with lavender, thyme and honey

  • 200g block of feta
  • Leaves from 4 sprigs broad leaf thyme
  • About 10 English lavender heads
  • 4 tbsp runny honey
  • Salt and black pepper
  • More lavender heads to garnish

If you have time, wrap the feta in kitchen paper for up to an hour to draw out any excess moisture.

Pre-heat your grill to high.

Choose a small oven proof dish which will just hold the feta block and sprinkle the thyme and lavender on top of the cheese. Season with pepper and a little salt — remember feta is quite salty already.

Drizzle over the honey and grill the dish for about 5 minutes until golden and bubbling. All grills are different so keep and eye on it so it doesn't overcook.

Leave for a couple of minutes before serving, garnished with the extra lavender flowers.

This is a really easy recipe to double or even triple depending on your number of guests.


Courgettes sautéed with lemon and mint

Slice about 500g courgettes about as thick as a pound coin.

Heat a wide frying pan and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Sauté the courgettes with the zest of a lemon, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and ¼ tsp turmeric until they are tender and golden.

Toss in 1 tbsp each of finely chopped apple mint and garlic chives just before serving.


Stir Fry Carrots with Fenugreek

Serves 2–3
A quick and healthy side dish.

Stir Fry Carrots with Fenugreek
  • 3 medium carrots — peeled and cubed
  • Large bunch of fenugreek leaves
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp amchur — mango powder — if available
  • Pinch of salt

Chop the fenugreek coarsely just before you need it. If you chop it up in advance it tends to be bitter.

In a wok, stir fry the mustard and cumin seeds, when they start to pop add the fenugreek and stir fry for about 5 minutes until the water evaporates. Add the carrots, spices and salt and continue to stir fry until the carrots are cooked but still with a little bite.

This is a quick and tasty side dish to serve with virtually anything!


One Pot Autumn Herby Chicken with Butter Toasted Rice

Serves 3 – 4

One pot dishes with herbs are great: all the herby flavours have time to infuse through the dish.

Try this full flavoured chicken dish — for a veggie option replace the chicken with wedges of butternut squash.

One Pot Autumn Herby Chicken with Butter Toasted Rice
  • 6 – 8 chicken thighs (with or without bone)
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 tbs chopped thyme
  • 2 tbs chopped rosemary
  • 1 tbs brown sugar
  • 50g butter
  • 150g orzo pasta
  • 270g basmati and wild rice mix
  • 250 g button mushrooms, halved if large
  • 3 carrots, in 1cm cubes
  • 625ml chicken stock
  • 250ml white wine
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 2 tbs chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 6 large sage leaves, rolled and finely sliced
  • 2 onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

Method:

  • Put the chicken in a large bowl and sprinkle over 1 tbs of the olive oil, plus the thyme, rosemary, brown sugar and some salt and pepper. Toss together well.
  • In a large ovenproof pan, with a lid, heat the remaining oil over a high heat and brown the chicken pieces well on both sides. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low and melt the butter.
  • Add the orzo and stir fry until just starting to become golden brown, then add the rice and continue stirring for another 2 minutes.
  • Add the carrots and mushrooms and stir fry for a further 2 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and add the wine, hot stock and a little more salt and pepper, using a spatula to stir up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
  • Place the chicken on top of the rice and sprinkle over the lemon juice. Scatter over the parsley, sage and garlic and arrange the onion pieces on top.
  • Cover and bake at 180ºC / Gas mark 5 for 45 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven. The stock should all have been absorbed.
  • Add another 75 ml of stock and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, uncovered to allow the chicken to crisp up.
  • Serve with a fresh green vegetable like sprouting broccoli or a crisp green salad.

Minestrone soup / stew

This is always good time to start increasing the amount of vegetables which we eat.

A satisfying Minestrone soup / stew can help boost your 5 a day and also use up all those odds and ends that accumulate in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

The ingredients can vary depending on what you have to hand — this is just a guide.

Minestrone soup / stew
  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 leek finely sliced
  • 5 small carrots finely chopped
  • 6 small potatoes peeled and quartered
  • ¼ cauliflower as small florets
  • 6 – 8 mushrooms quartered
  • 1 carton chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre stock of choice (veg, chicken or bacon)
  • A good bunch of herbs — Bay leaves, Thyme and oregano
  • Can of cannellini beans (or you can soak and cook your own)
  • Handful of green beans cut into 2cm lengths
  • A good handful of soup pasta (or rice)
  • Seasoning and grated parmesan to serve

Method:

  • Heat a glug of olive oil in a heavy based pan and fry the onion and leek gently until they
    just start to soften.
  • Stir in the carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and mushrooms.
  • Add the tomatoes, stock and herbs and leave to simmer very gently for about an hour.
  • Add both sorts of beans and simmer for another 15 minutes then add the soup pasta or rice.

At this point you can add some pieces of cooked chicken, gammon or slices of cooked smoked sausage, but meat isn't necessary if you want a vegetarian feast.

When the pasta is cooked in about 10 minutes, taste and add pepper and salt to taste.

Some stock is quite salty so you may not need much salt.
Serve ladled into bowls with grated cheese to hand around and some nice crusty bread.


Traditional Turkish pide

If you have made your own dough why not try your hand at making Traditional Turkish pide.

These boat shaped pizzas originate from the Samsun area of the Black Sea and have been around for a long time — going back to the Ottoman era.

Traditional Turkish pide

The dough should be rolled into thin rectangles 30cm x 10cm.
Put your chosen topping onto each piece of dough leaving a 2cm border all around the edge.
Fold the 2 long borders over onto the topping to make a rim, then squeeze and twist each end together, so the pide looks a bit like a rather long canoe.
Traditionally the pide is brushed with melted butter before baking in a very hot oven for 5 – 8 minutes, but you can use an egg wash if you prefer.

Classic Turkish pide toppings include Halloumi cheese, feta, peppers, chilli, olives, red onions and sliced sucuk (a type of turkish sausage) — usually there are 2 or 3 different toppings per pide seasoned with sumac or lemon juice, salt and black pepper and of course herbs of your choice — mint, parsley or winter savory are all great.

Served of course with a suitable salad, try our Middle Eastern diced salad or look through our recipe selection online.


Red Onion Pizza

Red Onion Pizza is a colourful vegetarian option and a and popular mid week supper. Divided into 3 stages you can take short cuts or go for the full home-made recipe if you have a bit more time.

Red Onion Pizza

Stage 1: Pizza base.
There are lots of good shop bought bases readily available for those days when you are in a hurry. Alternatively a bread machine makes a great dough ready to roll out.

Use the recipe in your instruction booklet and try adding 2 tbsp of finely chopped rosemary to the dough to give a herby flavour.
450g of bread flour makes enough dough for 4 good sized pizzas.

Stage 2: The tomato sauce.
Short on time — there are lots of brands of pizza sauce on the market. However whilst you are preparing the toppings it's quick and easy to make your own with a few store cupboard ingredients.

  • In a glug of olive oil over a low heat sauté together an onion, a carrot, a clove of garlic and 6 mushrooms — all finely chopped.
  • When they are soft but not brown add 2 cartons of chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato puree, a bay leaf and a handful of basil if available.
  • Season to taste and simmer very gently for 30 minutes.
  • Cool before topping the pizzas.

Stage 3: The toppings.

  • 150g grated mozzarella/cheddar
  • 6 large red onions – finely sliced into rings
  • 100g grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 tbsp thyme leaves – broad leaf thyme is easy to use
  • Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation and baking:

  • Preheat the oven to 220°C or Gas mark 9 and lightly oil your baking sheets.
  • If you have home-made dough divide into 4 pieces.
  • Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 20 – 25cm diameter.
  • Transfer the bases to the prepared trays.
  • Top each base with 2 tbsp of tomato sauce [don't spread it right to the edge].
  • Then sprinkle over the grated mozzarella/cheddar and top with the onions rings.
  • Drizzle with a little olive oil and transfer in batches to the oven.

Cooking times vary tremendously depending on the ferocity of your oven — anything from 5 to 10 minutes.
Keep a close eye on them and, when the crust is just starting to go golden, remove from the oven and
add the parmesan.

Carry on baking for just a couple of minutes more to melt the parmesan and finish the crust.
Serve with some ground black pepper, sea salt and freshly picked wild rocket leaves.


Pizza with Homemade Tomato Sauce

In summer it's good to have a repertoire of quick cooking meals so we can make the most of being outdoors.

Pizza tops the bill and is universally popular in most households. It's quick and easy to make your own rather than buy the ready made supermarket varieties.

You can buy ready made pizza bases to speed things along or use our recipe for flatbread which is ideal to use as a pizza base either with or without the herbs and garlic.

Homemade tomato sauce is a 10 minute task. This makes enough to top 2 medium sized pizzas.

Pizza with Homemade Tomato Sauce
  • 250g fresh tomatoes
  • 40ml olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves — finely chopped
  • Handful of fresh basil leaves — torn into strips
  • Salt, black pepper and ½ tsp sugar to season
  • Cut the tomatoes roughly into 2cm pieces, cherry tomatoes just need to be halved.
  • Drizzle some of the oil into a large pan, just enough to cover the base and place over a high heat.
  • Toss in the tomatoes and stir fry until they collapse.
  • Add the rest of the oil, garlic, basil and seasoning and stir for just one minute.
  • Scrape into a medium bowl and flatten the tomatoes with a fork to make a rough puree ready to put onto your pizza bases.

Pizza Toppings — everyone has their favourites: sometimes it's good to try something different!

Shredded parma ham goes well with crumbled goats cheese and greek basil.

Spinach, feta and mint:

  • Wilt and squeeze dry 400g spinach.
  • Finely chop along with a small onion, a clove of garlic and a handful of mint.
  • Stir in 100g crumbled feta, a couple of spoonfuls of crème fraiche and some seasoning.

Lamb and chilli is a traditional turkish topping:

  • Spread 200g minced lamb on a large chopping board along with 1 red chilli, 1 diced onion, 1 diced tomato and about 50g french parsley.
  • Chop this all finely until it is very smooth.
  • Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 tsp each of smoked paprika and olive oil with some seasoning.
  • Spread thinly onto your pizza base before baking then top with some plain yogurt, red pepper flakes
    and rocket leaves to serve.

Pizzas need to be baked in the hottest oven you can manage. They take 5 – 8 minutes depending a lot on your oven, fan ovens are fastest. Just keep an eye on them every minute or so.


Spiced Rosemary Pears

Spiced Rosemary Pears

Serves 3 – 4 as a side dish

  • 4 ripe round Comice pears
  • 1½ tbs lemon juice
  • ½ tbs demerara sugar
  • 2 tsp very finely chopped rosemary leaves
  • ¼ – ½ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (or to taste)
  • Olive oil to drizzle

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 180º Fan / Gas mark 6.
  • Quarter the pears and carefully remove the core with a small sharp knife.
  • Put them in a bowl with the lemon juice and toss to coat, being careful not to damage the pears.
  • Transfer to a medium sized roasting tin which will just hold them in a single layer — not too spread out.
  • Sprinkle over the sugar and toss gently to coat.
  • Drizzle over the olive oil.
  • Sprinkle on the rosemary and chilli flakes. (If you don’t have chilli flakes you can use a tiny amount of chilli powder but not too much as the powder is much hotter)
  • Bake the pears for 20 – 30 minutes until they are just starting to brown at the edges.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

Not only do these pears taste great with the roasts mentioned above but they also go well with cold cuts or rissoles made with the left overs.


Scrambled eggs with mixed soft herbs

Scrambled eggs with mixed soft herbs make a quick and tasty addition to Sunday Brunch or as a light lunch, serve with slices of good bread.

For 2 people — beat 4 eggs in a bowl with a whisk until light and fluffy.

Beat in 25ml milk, 1 tbsp cream or crème fraiche, some salt and pepper and 1 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs — your choice, we like the combination of garlic chives and parsley.

Melt a small knob of butter in a medium pan and cook the egg mixture stirring constantly until lightly scrambled. Serve with toast and sprinkle over more chopped herbs if you like.

For a more substantial brunch or a light supper try our Turkish Eggs.


Turkish Eggs


Turkish Eggs

Serves 2

For a more substantial brunch or a light supper try our Turkish Eggs.

Inspired by similar dishes in the Eastern Mediterranean, this tasty dish makes the most of fresh herbs.

The ingredients in this dish can vary depending on what ingredients to hand. We have been served it made with watercress and even lettuce instead of the classic spinach, although the rocket is an important ingredient because of its peppery taste.

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 50g Chorizo (or smoked bacon) — finely diced
  • 200g spinach
  • 100g wild rocket
  • 2 Tbsp crème fraiche (or cream)
  • 4 eggs
  • Snipped chives and chilli flakes to garnish

Method:

  • Heat the oil in a medium pan and fry the chorizo until just starting to crisp.
  • Add the spinach leaves, but not any tough stems, and the rocket to the pan.
  • Cook over a low heat until the leaves are just wilted.
  • Stir through the crème fraiche and remove from the heat.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 150 ºC / 300ºF / Gas mark 2.
  • Arrange the mixture in an oven proof dish with 4 egg shaped depressions.
  • Carefully crack an egg into each hollow.
  • Bake in the oven until the whites of the eggs are just set, 10 – 15 minutes, or for 5 minutes longer if you prefer well done yolks.
  • Sprinkle over the snipped chives and red pepper flakes to taste before serving.

Basil and Strawberry risotto

Serves 4

Whilst this sounds rather sweet and pudding-like it is actually an Italian speciality.
The addition of lots of onion and balsamic vinegar makes it totally savoury.

Basil and Strawberry risotto
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 500g strawberries
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 2 large onions — finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli (optional) — finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 450g risotto rice
  • 250ml rosé wine
  • 25g butter
  • 25g basil leaves — shredded
  • Grated parmesan

About half an hour before you want to start cooking, quarter the strawberries and mix with
the balsamic vinegar to infuse. Reserve a few for garnish.

  • In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over a low heat and add the onions, salt and chilli if using.
  • Cook very gently until soft but not at all brown.
  • Stir in the rice and turn to coat all the grains in oil.
  • Turn up the heat a little and add the wine.
  • Once absorbed stir in the strawberries with any juices.
  • Have a jug of 1 litre of boiling water to hand and add enough to just cover the rice.
  • Cook, stirring gently every few minutes, and adding more water as needed until the rice is cooked to
    'al dente'. All rice is different — you may not need all of the water, or you may need a little more!
  • Stir in the basil, butter and 30g parmesan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Serve with extra parmesan and halved strawberries to garnish.

This is great served with a plain green salad with the addition of plenty of green herbs like flat leaf parsley, garlic chives and some shredded sorrel leaves.


Honeyed Carrots with Hyssop

  • 500 g small carrots — thinly sliced
  • 200 ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 tbsp chopped hyssop

In a small pan combine all the ingredients except the hyssop and simmer gently over a low heat until the carrots are tender. Remove the lid after 10 minutes so that the liquid reduces to a syrupy glaze. Add the finely chopped hyssop leaves and toss together before serving.


Chimichurri

Typical Chimichurri contains parsley, oregano and lots of garlic. Borage, and indeed mint leaves, can replace some or all of the parsley to make a delicious alternative to serve with chicken and fish.

  • 30 g roughly chopped parsley and young borage leaves mixed
  • 15 g oregano leaves (or 2 tbs dried herb)
  • 1 heaped tsp red pepper flakes
  • 60 ml wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 60 ml water
  • 120 ml olive oil

Add everything to the food processor except the oil and turn on to chop the herbs. Keep the motor running and slowly pour in the olive oil until it is all combined, a bit like making mayonnaise. The best taste develops if you make this a few hours before serving.


Golden Cauliflower Salad with Winter Savory and Chickpeas

Golden Cauliflower Salad with Winter Savory and Chickpeas

This serves 4 people and can also be part of a Boxing Day buffet.

A brilliant way to cook cauliflower, crunchy and concentrated in flavour — a far cry from boiled and watery offerings!

Use either tinned chickpeas — drained and rinsed, or soak and cook some dried ones.

For the cauliflower:

  • A large cauliflower
  • 3 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic chopped

For the chickpeas:

  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbs winter savory leaves — finely chopped
  • 250 g chickpeas
  • Seasoning to taste

To serve:

  • Lemon juice
  • Greek yoghurt
  • Shredded crisp lettuce
  • Anchovy fillets – optional
  • Chopped coriander, chervil or parsley — whatever you have to hand.

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6.

Cut the cauliflower florets from the main stem so that they are each no larger than 2cm,
any bigger ones can be halved. In a baking tray toss them with the oil, coriander and garlic.
Spread out and cook for 30 minutes until golden.

To prepare the chickpeas – sauté the garlic, cumin seeds, paprika and winter savory for a few moments
before stirring in the chickpeas. Just cover the chick peas with water and cook uncovered until
the water has nearly evaporated, this should take 10 – 20 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve: Make a bed of shredded lettuce and spread the roasted cauliflower on top.
Sprinkle the chickpeas with lemon juice and spoon over the cauliflower.

Top with tablespoons of thick Greek yoghurt, and anchovy fillets if you wish, then sprinkle over
your chosen green herb.


Creamy lemony beans with savory

Creamy lemony beans with savory

Using dried beans in this recipe is it much more economical
and the taste and texture are so much better than the tinned variety.

This warm and creamy dish is great with salmon or any other fish.

Serves 2 – 3

  • 250 g white beans – haricot, butter, cannellini
             whichever you prefer
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 large onion – finely chopped
  • 2 sticks of celery — finely chopped
  • 4 sprigs winter savory — finely chopped
  • 450 ml vegetable stock
  • 3 tbs lemon juice
  • 2 tbs crème fraiche
  • 50 g grated cheese

To garnish:

  • Chopped parsley
  • Grated or shaved cheese

Plan ahead and put the beans to soak the night before in plenty of cold water.

When you are ready to cook, drain the beans, cover with fresh water and bring to the boil.
After 10 minutes boiling turn down to a low simmer for 20 minutes then drain well.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a medium sized pan and sauté the onion and celery until softened but not brown.
Stir in the savory and beans with enough of the stock to just cover.
Cover the pan and simmer until the beans are nice and soft, this can take from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the type and age of the beans that you used.

Keep an eye on the beans, if they absorb all of the stock add a little more.
There should not be much liquid left in the pan when the beans are cooked,
if it is still a bit too moist then cook for another 15 minutes with the lid off of the pan.

Stir in the lemon juice, crème fraiche and grated cheese, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with more cheese and the chopped parsley before serving.

If you forget to soak the beans then use 2 x 400 g cans of pre-cooked ones, just rinse them well to freshen them up and reduce the amount of stock to 150 ml. The cooking time after adding the beans will only be 15 minutes, just enough for the flavours to mingle.


Wine, Bread and Cheese pie

Makes a quick and economical lunch or supper dish, served with a green leafy salad.
Serves 4 - 6

  • 8 slices of stale white bread
  • 50 g butter
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • 300 ml dry white wine
  • 100 ml chicken stock
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 tbls garlic chives, chopped
  • ½ tsp each of french mustard, tabasco sauce and paprika
  • 12 oz grated cheese - a mix of strong cheddar and gruyere is good
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F or Gas mark 4.
Crush the garlic cloves and then chop finely, mix into the softened butter.
Cut the crusts from the bread and spread the garlic butter onto the slices, then cut each slice into quarters.
Use the bread pieces, butter side down, to line a shallow ovenproof dish (25 x 20 cm or similar).
Sprinkle over the garlic chives.
Beat all the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl with an electric whisk until well mixed.
Pour over the bread and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with a green salad.


Basmati Rice with Summer Herbs and Golden Onions

This serves 4 - 6 people, depending on appetite.

Adding the herbs at the end of cooking preserves all their lovely flavours and fragrance.
You can of course vary the herbs depending on those which you have available.
Basil, chives and garlic chives and oregano are all lovely substitutes - anything with a soft leaf.

  • 50 g butter
  • 2 large finely chopped onions
  • 285 g basmati rice
  • 570 ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbls parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 tbls tarragon, finely chopped
  • 3 tbls mint, finely chopped

Melt the butter in a large heavy based saucepan and gently sauté the onions until golden and soft but not too brown. Meanwhile rinse the rice well under cold water, leave to soak for 5 minutes and then drain well. Add the rice to the onions and stir gently until all of the grains are coated in butter. Pour in the stock and salt. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to as low as possible. Cover and cook for 15 minutes when all of the stock will have been absorbed.

Remove from the heat, place a clean tea towel or sheets of kitchen paper over the pan and replace the lid on top. Leave to stand for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the herbs. Gently loosen the rice with a fork and add the herbs and some black pepper to season before serving.


Courgettes, Mushrooms and Cheese baked with Couscous

Serves 6 as a side dish, or 2 - 3 as a main course.

  • 425 ml vegetable stock
  • 130 g couscous
  • 1 courgette ( or 2 small ones) thinly sliced
  • 125 g sliced mushrooms
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbls basil chopped
  • 2 tbls oregano chopped - Hot and Spicy oregano is nice in this
  • 120 g grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 beaten egg
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400F, 200C or Gas mark 6.
Bring 250 ml of the stock to the boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the couscous, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes, then fluff up with a fork.
Meanwhile sauté the onions and courgettes in a little bit of oil in a medium sized pan for 5 minutes until they soften. Add the mushrooms, herbs and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes more.
Combine this vegetable mixture with the couscous, and half of the grated cheese. Mix in the remaining stock, egg and seasoning.
Spoon into a greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown.


Butter with a Bite!

Mix together 150 g softened butter with 1 tablespoon each of French mustard and grated horseradish, season with salt and black pepper and use with sweet corn cobs, grilled fish and to liven up winter vegetables.


Baked fragrant chicken

Serves 4

  • 4 skinless chicken breast fillets
  • 8 rashers of bacon
  • 12 sprigs of young lavender
  • seasoning of salt, pepper and chilli flakes (optional)
  • 120 g cheddar cheese - grated

Preheat the oven to 400F, Gas Mark 6 or 200C (180C fan).

Place each chicken breast in a plastic bag and flatten slightly by bashing with a rolling pin.
This helps it cook more evenly.

Place 3 sprigs of lavender on top of each breast and wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each one to enclose the lavender.

Transfer to a shallow oven proof dish so that the side of the chicken with the lavender on is uppermost and season well with ground black pepper and salt, and the chilli flakes if you decide to use them.

Bake for 20 minutes and then sprinkle on the cheese. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with new potatoes dressed with minty butter and sautéed courgettes.


Lavender and peppercorn rub for roasted meat

  • 3 tsp mixed peppercorns
  • 1 tsp fennel seed
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp dried lavender heads.

Combine all the ingredients and crush coarsely in a mortar and pestle, or in a strong plastic bag with a rolling pin. Store in a small jar to rub onto your roasts or barbecue meat.


Barbecue Fish flavoured with Fennel

Fennel enhances the flavour of oily fish, cooked whole either on the BBQ or under the grill.

Wash and dry whole cleaned fish such as mackerel or red mullet and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Fill the inside of each fish with as many fennel leaves as possible. Brush with oil and grill or BBQ for 10 – 12 minutes until brown on both sides.

Arrange more fennel stalks on a serving dish and lay the fish on top of them to serve, garnished with lemon wedges.


Fennel Rice stuffing for fish, chicken or courgettes

This stuffing can be used to fill 4 fish prior to grilling, a large roasting chicken or courgette halves with the seeds hollowed out, stuffed and baked in the oven until tender.

  • 1 large onion
  • 50 g butter
  • 2 tbs chopped fennel leaves
  • 1 tbs chopped lovage leaves
  • 125 g brown rice - cooked until just tender
  • 1 large egg - beaten
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a small pan over a gentle heat and soften the finely chopped onion for about 10 minutes but do not allow to brown. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix gently, season to taste.


Grilled Halloumi Cheese

An unusual recipe for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The cheese can be either grilled or cooked on a barbecue. Halloumi cheese stays solid when heated unlike most other cheeses that melt and drip.

  • 2 packs of Halloumi cheese
  • 6 tbs olive oil
  • 3 tbs orange juice
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves of garlic – crushed
  • 1 heaped tsp each finely chopped rosemary and oregano
  • 2 heaped tsp each finely chopped lemon thyme and parsley

Dry the halloumi and cut into slices about 2 cm thick and place in a wide shallow dish. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the cheese slices, turning them so that they are well coated with the marinade.

Cover and place in the fridge, leave to marinate for as long as possible up to a maximum of 24 hours.

Grill or barbecue the halloumi slices, turning frequently, for 10 minutes until they are brown on the edges.

The grilled halloumi is particularly nice served with the red rice salad recipe.


Rich Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce can be used as a base for pizzas or pasta dishes. It freezes well and can be made in bulk. In summer, if there is a glut, fresh peeled tomatoes can be substituted for the tinned ones.

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
  • 4 tbs tomato puree
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tbs fresh herb)
  • bay leaf

Heat the oil and gently fry the onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add the rest of the ingredients and season to taste. Simmer on a low heat in the covered pan for 30 minutes then remove the lid and simmer a little longer until the sauce has thickened.


Salad Burnet Sauce

The sauce maybe served hot or cold, with chicken, poached or hard-boiled eggs and seasonal vegetables such as asparagus.

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 300ml crème fraiche
  • 1 onion – finely chopped
  • 4 tbs chopped salad burnet
  • 3 tbs flour
  • seasoning
  • 300 ml good stock (either chicken or vegetable)

Fry the onion in the oil until it is just starting to brown. Lower the heat, stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Gradually add the stock and bring to the boil stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened.

Add the salad burnet leaves and the crème fraiche and mix the sauce well.

Reheat before serving if required hot.


Swede and Thyme Topping for Cottage Pie

  • a large swede – peeled and diced
  • 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves – use lemon, common or even caraway thyme
  • a clove of garlic – well crushed
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 75 ml milk

Add the swede to a large pan of boiling water and simmer for about 15 minutes until very tender.
Drain very well and mash with the rest of the ingredients

Use this instead of the usual mashed potato to top your favourite cottage or shepherds pie base, three large peeled and chopped carrots can be substituted for half of the swede for change.


Chive flavour new potatoes with olives and peppers

A recipe to use all those chives!

  • 1 kg new potatoes – sliced
  • 1 tbs olive oil and 25g butter
  • 2 onions – peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves – crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 green pepper – diced
  • 1 red or yellow pepper – diced
  • 50 g stoned olives (green or black or a mixture) – halved
  • a large bunch of fresh chives.

In a wide sauté pan or frying pan melt the butter with the oil and sauté the potatoes, onions, garlic and seasoning over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to go golden brown.

Add the diced peppers and cook again for another 5 or 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Add the olives and snip in the chives using a pair of scissors, heat through for a couple of minutes and serve straight away from the pan.


Potato and spicy Sausage Salad

Excellent with grilled meats, BBQs and cold meat and any other well flavoured dish, or on its own as a light lunch.

  • 500 g salad potatoes
  • 100 g spicy sausage - pepperoni, chorizo or similar
  • 3 spring onions
  • 2 heaped tbs each mayonnaise and natural yoghurt
  • Ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbs chopped English mace leaves

Method:

  • Cook the potatoes until just tender and when cool dice into bite sized pieces.
  • Add the sausage in similar sized chunks.
  • Thinly slice the spring onion discarding the coarser parts of the green tops and add to the potatoes and sausage.
  • In a small bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients to make dressing, reserving a little mace.
  • Spoon the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix gently.
  • Serve sprinkled with the remaining mace.

Couscous with Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

This recipe is a quick lunch for 3-4 or can be served as part of a main meal with chicken kebabs or other grilled meat.

  • 1 small butternut squash – peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
  • 1 courgette – diced into 3 cm cubes
  • 1 red pepper – halved, deseeded and cut into 2cm strips
  • 2 tbs fresh rosemary leaves – roughly chopped
  • 6 tbs olive oil
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 50 g butter
  • 250 g couscous
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • salt and black pepper

Preheat your oven to 200C, 400F or Gas Mark 6.

Mix the prepared vegetables with the rosemary and half of the olive oil in a small roasting tin and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the tomatoes, stir gently and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes

Meanwhile prepare the couscous as per the instructions on the pack and whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey with the remaining oil in a small bowl to make the dressing, season to taste.

When the vegetables are nearly ready, melt the butter in a large pan and gently sauté; the couscous for 3 – 4 minutes. Divide the couscous between individual plates and top with the roasted vegetables.

Drizzle over the dressing to taste.


Rosemary infused green beans

Rosemary infused green beans (Serves 2 – 3)

  • 250 g pack of green beans – topped and tailed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small red onion – finely chopped
  • 100 g chopped bacon (or cubed halloumi if you prefer)
  • 2 cloves of garlic – peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp mild chilli flakes (optional)
  • 3 young sprigs rosemary leaves – chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes – cut into chunky pieces
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • seasoning to taste

First blanch the beans in a pan of boiling salted water for just 3 minutes. Drain and put straight into a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking further and retain their bright green colour. When cool drain well in a sieve.

In a medium sized pan heat the oil and gently fry the bacon and onion until soft. If using halloumi add this when the onion is nearly done.

Add the garlic, chilli flakes and rosemary, stir to mix all the ingredients together then add the drained beans.

Cook stirring gently so that the beans don't break up for 3 minutes, then add the tomato pieces and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the tomatoes start to soften but still retain their shape.


Mole Pollo

(Chicken with a chocolate sauce – serves 4)

  • 8 chicken thighs – skinned
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp ground cumin

For the sauce:

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 red chillies, chopped
  • 125 g ground almonds
  •   (adjust quantity to taste)
  • 3 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 500 ml chicken stock
  • 2 small tortillas, crumbled finely
  • 75 g high cocoa plain chocolate
  • 50 g sultanas
  • 2 heaped tbs chocolate peppermint  – finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F or Gas Mark 4.

Place the chicken thighs into a baking dish and drizzle with the oil, sprinkle over the cumin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, cover with a little foil for the first 30 minutes to keep the chicken from becoming too brown.

Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium pan and soften the onion. Add the almonds, tomatoes, sultanas, tortillas, cinnamon and chillies and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes more. Using a blender, puree to give a smooth sauce.

Return the sauce to the heat, stir in the chocolate and 1½ tbs of the mint, and stir until the sauce is thick.

Pour a little of the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the remaining mint. Serve with brown rice and the rest of the sauce.


Lemon verbena marinated salmon

  • 325ml boiling water
  • 100g salt
  • 100g white sugar
  • 3 tbs roughly chopped lemon verbena leaves
  • 500g salmon fillet pieces
  • 1 tbs olive oil

In a bowl dissolve the salt and sugar in the boiling water, stir in the lemon verbena leaves and allow to cool completely.

Choose a flat dish just large enough to hold the fillets of salmon in a single layer.

Arrange the salmon skin side uppermost in the bottom and pour over the marinade.

Refrigerate whilst the salmon marinates, allow 30 – 40 minutes for thin fillets — the tail end, and 50 – 60 minutes for the marinade to penetrate a thicker fillet.

Rinse and dry the salmon, brush with the olive oil, and either grill or fry.


Roasted root vegetables

Choose a mix of veggies - carrots, swede, parsnips, squash and sweet potato all work well.

Peel and cut 500g into 2cm cubes and parboil for 5 minutes.

Drain and add to a roasting dish and toss with a large knob of butter, some ground black pepper and 2 tbs of chopped orange thyme leaves.

Sprinkle over 3 tbs orange juice and roast at 180°C for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown.