Kitchen Hero

STICKY MARMALADE ROAST CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

This marinade also works well with duck or even a whole roasted chicken. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

SERVES 4

2 TBSP MARMALADE

1 TBSP WHITE WINE VINEGAR

1 TBSP WHOLEGRAIN MUSTARD

1 TBSP OLIVE OIL

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

10 CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS, WITH SKIN ON

QUICK BULGUR WHEAT, TO SERVE (SEE MEALS IN MINUTES)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

Put the marmalade, vinegar, mustard, oil and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a large roasting tray and whisk to combine. Add the chicken drumsticks to the tray and toss until the chicken is completely covered in the sauce.

Roast in the oven for 40 minutes until the chicken drumsticks are cooked through, basting halfway through the cooking time.

When cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and place on a plate with any leftover sticky juices spooned over. Serve with the bulgur wheat.

Simple Pasta Carbonara

My previous carbonara recipe had an ingredients list that included onions, garlic and crème fraîche. However, my eyes have now been opened. This recipe is so much closer to what a true Italian would cook, and the good news is that it’s also much easier. It makes a really quick little supper.

SERVES 4

400G (14OZ) SPAGHETTI

1 TBSP OLIVE OIL

225G (8OZ) PANCETTA OR BACON BITS

50G (2OZ) PARMESAN CHEESE, GRATED

4 EGG YOLKS

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan according to the instructions on the packet.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the pancetta and fry for 2–3 minutes until crisp. If the pancetta is quite fatty, you won’t need the oil, as it will release its own fat.

Drain the spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the saucepan and, while it is still steaming hot, add the Parmesan cheese, egg yolks and cooked pancetta and season with salt and black pepper. Quickly stir everything together to give a creamy coating to the pasta.

Serve straightaway, as the pasta can become a bit stodgy if left in the pan for too long. All the more reason to get it out of the pan and into your belly!

HEALTHY SINGAPORE NOODLES

Singapore noodles are a standard Chinese-restaurant dish, but making them at home is so easy. It also means you can monitor what’s going into them, adding whatever healthy vegetables you feel like. The addition of curry powder not only brings a new flavour, but it also coats the noodles and gives a great texture to every bite.

SERVES 2

3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 THUMB-SIZED PIECE OF FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED AND GRATED

2 TBSP SOY SAUCE

1 TBSP OYSTER SAUCE

2 SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS, SLICED INTO THIN STRIPS

100G (3½OZ) RICE VERMICELLI NOODLES

2 TBSP SUNFLOWER OIL

2 CELERY STICKS, FINELY SLICED

1 CARROT, PEELED AND FINELY SLICED

4 SPRING ONIONS, THINLY SLICED

1 TBSP ASIAN CURRY POWDER

A GOOD HANDFUL OF BEAN SPROUTS

1 TSP SESAME OIL, TO TASTE

In a large, shallow non-metallic dish, combine the garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and the oyster sauce. Add the chicken and toss until coated, then cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 6 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until soft. Drain and set aside.

Heat a wok or frying pan over a high heat, pour in the sunflower oil and swirl the pan to coat the sides. Add the chicken, including the marinade, and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes. Add the celery, carrot and spring onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the curry powder and toss through for a further 2 minutes.

Add the noodles, bean sprouts and sesame oil to the wok and, using kitchen tongs, toss everything together until well combined. Serve straightaway.

Chilli, Garlic and Lemon Mackerel

I have some amazing childhood memories of sunny, mackerel-filled summers with my grandad Do, out on his boat, my cousins and me racing to pull in the fishing rods with their heavy lines and a fish on each hook. My grandad would gut them and fillet them like the pro that he was, belly-laughing at the fact that we were all too squeamish to take them off the lines ourselves (and that still hasn‘t changed). For me, mackerel dishes should always be simple with really fresh flavours, so I love this quick and simple lunch which also has a great kick of heat thanks to the chilli.

SERVES 4

4 LARGE MACKEREL, GUTTED

OLIVE OIL, FOR DRIZZLING

2 LEMONS, CUT INTO SLICES

3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 RED CHILLI, FINELY CHOPPED

SMOKED SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

A SQUEEZE OF LEMON JUICE, TO SERVE

Preheat the grill to high or light a barbecue.

Place the mackerel on a plate, drizzle each one with olive oil inside and out then stuff with the lemon slices, garlic and chilli. Season with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.

Cook the mackerel under the hot grill for 4–5 minutes on each side or place in a fish basket and cook on the barbecue for the same amount of time.

Place the fish on a large serving dish, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and season with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Serve straightaway.

BAKED TERIYAKI SALMON

This is a perfect little dish for entertaining. I used to cook it in a frying pan, but came up with this much better method when I had a group of friends over for dinner and discovered that cooking the salmon in the oven makes it far easier to serve up in one piece. Make sure to use dark soy sauce here as it gives the salmon a great deep colour. It’s definitely best to marinate the fish for some time, but if you’re in a rush, just toss in the marinade and cook straightaway.

SERVES 6

2 TBSP DARK SOY SAUCE

1 TBSP CHINESE RICE WINE

1 TBSP HONEY

1 TBSP SOFT DARK BROWN SUGAR

JUICE OF 1 LIME

1 TSP SESAME OIL

1 LARGE RED CHILLI, FINELY CHOPPED

2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND MINCED

6 SKINLESS SALMON FILLETS

A HANDFUL OF SESAME SEEDS, TOASTED IN A DRY FRYING PAN (SEE PARTY FOOD & DRINKS)

6 SPRING ONIONS, THINLY SLICED

In a non-metallic high-sided dish, whisk the soy sauce, rice wine, honey, sugar, lime juice, sesame oil, chilli and garlic together until combined. Add the salmon and toss in the marinade to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour (if you have time).

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

Arrange the salmon in a roasting tray and pour over the remaining marinade. Bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes until cooked through. Serve the salmon sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and spring onions sprinkled on top.

ASIAN PORK AND VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

Pork loin normally comes in a long vacuum-pack and is great to pick up from the supermarket when it’s on special offer and pop in the freezer until you need it. It’s a really handy cut of meat as it’s incredibly versatile and is quite easy to work with. Sometimes you may need to trim the fat off the sides, but don’t worry too much about it if you are pushed for time.

SERVES 4

1 THUMB-SIZED PIECE OF FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 RED CHILLI, DESEEDED AND FINELY CHOPPED

2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 PORK LOIN FILLET (ABOUT 500G/1LB 2OZ), VERY THINLY SLICED

2 TBSP DARK SOY SAUCE

1 TBSP OYSTER SAUCE

1 TBSP HONEY

1 TSP FISH SAUCE (NAM PLA)

JUICE OF ½ LIME

2 CARROTS, PEELED AND FINELY SLICED

3 RED PEPPERS, FINELY SLICED

150G (5OZ) SUGAR SNAP PEAS, SLICED ON THE DIAGONAL

6 SPRING ONIONS, CUT INTO FAT SLICES ON THE DIAGONAL

1–2 TBSP SUNFLOWER OIL

FRESHLY COOKED RICE OR NOODLES, TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

Divide the ginger, chilli and garlic evenly between two bowls.

Add the pork slices and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce to the first bowl, tossing to combine.

Add the oyster sauce, honey, fish sauce, lime juice and remaining soy sauce to the second bowl and whisk to combine. Add the carrots, peppers, sugar snap peas and spring onions, tossing in the dressing until thoroughly coated.

Heat a little sunflower oil in a large wok or frying pan over a high heat, add the pork and the marinade and fry for 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside.

You may want to add another drop of oil to the pan at this point. Add the dressed vegetables and fry for 3–4 minutes until tender but with still a bit of bite to them. When the veggies are ready, throw the pork back into the wok and toss to combine.

Serve straightaway as it is or with some rice or noodles.

BAKED TRAY OF SHELLFISH WITH LEMON, CHILLI AND GARLIC

I created this simple but, let me tell you, highly impressive little dish for a romantic New Year’s Eve dinner a few years back, and it went down a storm. It does of course help if your partner loves shellfish. If you haven’t cooked shellfish before, don’t be scared to have a go, as this dish is a great way to try it for the first time, alongside the more familiar flavours of garlic, chilli and lemon. You can use any shellfish you want, so feel free to experiment and don’t panic if you can’t get them all.

SERVES 2

250G (9OZ) LIVE MUSSELS (ABOUT A HANDFUL)

250G (9OZ) LIVE CLAMS (ABOUT A HANDFUL)

4 TBSP BUTTER, SOFTENED

6 TBSP OLIVE OIL

A FEW FRESH THYME SPRIGS

4 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

1 RED CHILLI, FINELY CHOPPED

6 CRAB CLAWS

4 SHELLED SCALLOPS

6 LARGE RAW PRAWNS, UNPEELED

SEA SALT

JUICE OF 1 LEMON, PLUS EXTRA TO SERVE

LEMON WEDGES, TO SERVE

CHOPPED FRESH FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY, TO SERVE

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

Place the mussels and clams in a sink filled with cold water and scrub away any dirt or beards. Discard any shells which are open at this point and which don’t close when tapped on a hard surface.

Place the butter, olive oil, thyme, garlic and chilli on a plate and mash together with the back of a fork.

Arrange the shellfish on a large baking tray and coat with the butter mixture as well as you can. Sprinkle with a little salt and the lemon juice. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until all the shellfish are cooked. Discard any shells that are still closed.

Serve with an extra squeeze of lemon juice, lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Roast Peppers

This is one of my mum’s specialities. She is the queen of the quick dinner and, despite working full time while we were kids, she always managed to have a hot tasty meal on the table in 30 minutes, come hell or high water. ‘So you’d better bloody eat it!’

SERVES 4

110G (4OZ) FRESH WHITE BREADCRUMBS

50G (2OZ) READY-TO-USE SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

3 TBSP PESTO (SEE STRETCH YOUR MEALS)

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

4 LARGE CHICKEN BREASTS, WITH SKIN AND ON THE BONE

2 LARGE RED PEPPERS, CUT INTO SLICES

1–2 TBSP BALSAMIC VINEGAR

3 TBSP OLIVE OIL

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

Combine the breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto in a bowl then season with a generous amount of salt and black pepper.

Arrange the chicken breasts in a roasting tray and, using a sharp knife, make a slit lengthways along the side of each breast, but don’t cut the whole way through. Stuff the inside of the chicken pocket with a heaped tablespoon of the stuffing mix.

Toss the pepper slices in a little balsamic vinegar and half the olive oil and arrange around the chicken breasts. Finally drizzle the chicken with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Roast in the oven for 20–30 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Serve with a few of the caramelised pepper slices on top.

HERBY SPAGHETTI AMATRICIANA

Pasta is a great store-cupboard ingredient that can easily be transformed into a super little supper. This is a really easy recipe, packed with flavour from the delicious ingredients.

SERVES 4

300G (11OZ) SPAGHETTI

2 TBSP OLIVE OIL

1 ONION, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

2 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED

250G (9OZ) PANCETTA OR BACON BITS

1 TSP DRIED CHILLI FLAKES

2 X 400G TINS CHOPPED TOMATOES

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

A HANDFUL OF FRESH FLAT LEAF PARSLEY, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

A HANDFUL OF FRESH BASIL, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

A SMALL HANDFUL OF FRESHLY GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE, TO SERVE

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan according to the instructions on the packet.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in another large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and fry slowly until soft. Add the pancetta and chilli flakes and fry until crisp. Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced by half. Season with a good pinch of salt and black pepper and stir through the parsley and basil.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and add it to the spicy tomato sauce. Toss until the pasta is coated. Serve straightaway with a little grated Parmesan.

OATS AND SEEDS CRUSTED FISH WITH LEMON

This is a great twist on homemade fish fingers and is a super way to pack even more nutrients into kids’ dinners without them even realising.

SERVES 4

3 TBSP WHOLEMEAL FLOUR

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

3 TBSP ROLLED OATS

3 TBSP MIXED SEEDS

1 LARGE EGG

4 SKINLESS WHITE FISH FILLETS, SUCH AS HADDOCK OR COD (150–200G/5–7OZ EACH), SLICED INTO ROUGH CHUNKS

SUNFLOWER OIL, FOR SHALLOW-FRYING

TO SERVE

MIXED LEAF SALAD

LEMON WEDGES

Combine the flour and a generous amount of salt and black pepper on one plate and the oats and seeds on another. Beat the egg in a shallow dish.

Dip a piece of fish first in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the beaten egg and lastly in the oats and seeds mix. Place on a plate and repeat with the rest of the fish.

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan until it is about 1cm (½in) deep and heat over a high heat. Fry the fish for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove with a fish slice and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper

Serve with a mixed leaf salad and wedges of lemon.

QUICK AND SIMPLE BEEF IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

A fairly classic dish, but you can really pump up the flavours when making it at home. It takes just minutes to prepare and gives you delicious results.

SERVES 4

400G (14OZ) WHOLEWHEAT NOODLES

400G (14OZ) RUMP STEAK, THINLY SLICED

1 LARGE THUMB-SIZED PIECE OF FRESH ROOT GINGER, PEELED AND CRUSHED

3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND CRUSHED

1 RED CHILLI, FINELY CHOPPED

5–6 SPRING ONIONS, THINLY SLICED

3 TBSP SESAME OIL

SUNFLOWER OIL, FOR FRYING

1 TSP SOFT DARK BROWN SUGAR

1 TBSP CHINESE RICE WINE

3 TBSP DARK SOY SAUCE

5 TBSP BLACK BEAN SAUCE

JUICE OF 1 LIME

A GOOD HANDFUL OF FRESH CORIANDER, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, drain and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the beef, ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onions with the sesame oil.

Heat a large wok or frying pan over a high heat, add a little sunflower oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the beef mixture and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the beef is tender. Add the sugar, rice wine, soy sauce and black bean sauce and stir to combine. Cook for a further minute and add the lime juice.

Transfer the beef mixture to a large serving dish, leaving a little of the sauce in the wok. Throw the cooked noodles and the coriander into the wok and toss together. Serve the noodles and beef in the same dish and bring to the table.

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Sage Pork Chops with Quick Bulgur Wheat

This is one of my super-speedy suppers which can easily be thrown together the minute you come in the door. Bulgur wheat is my little superhero store-cupboard ingredient. It’s a wheat grain that has already been cooked, dried and cracked so it has a short cooking time. It is like a very nutty couscous, doesn’t take long to prepare and is packed with health benefits. It’s also cheap as chips.