1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp whole grain mustard
450g (1lb) sirloin steak, trimmed of any fat and cut into thin strips
Garlic and Chive Mayonnaise, to serve (see page 209)
Place the garlic in a large, shallow non-metallic dish and add the honey, sweet chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and mustard. Mix until well combined. Thread the sirloin strips on to twenty 10cm (4in) soaked bamboo skewers and add the marinade, turning to coat. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or for up to 24 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium. Drain the beef skewers, reserving any remaining marinade, and arrange on a grill rack. Cook for 5-6 minutes until cooked through and well caramelised, turning once.
Meanwhile, place the reserved marinade in a small pan and allow it to simmer over a medium heat until it is thick and syrupy and reduced by half. Stir in any cooking juices from the grill pan and then brush the sauce over the cooked beef skewers.
Arrange the sticky beef skewers on a large warmed platter around a bowl of Garlic and Chive Mayonnaise, for dipping.
Sausage Rolls with Sesame Seeds
25g(1oz) butter
2 tbsp finely diced onion
3 eggs
450g (1 lb) good-quality sausage meat
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp double cream
500g (1lb 2oz) ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
plain flour, for dusting
2 tbsp sesame seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
This is classic party food! These are ideal to prepare in advance as they can be frozen uncooked for up to one month. Layer between sheets of non-stick baking paper in a plastic rigid container and secure with a lid before freezing. Even more convenient, they can be cooked straight from frozen – simply increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), gas mark 7. Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the onion over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Break two eggs into a food processor or liquidiser and add the sausage meat, sweet chilli sauce, basil and cream. Blend for 2 minutes until smooth, then scrape out into a bowl and stir in the cooked onions. Season with salt and pepper and spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm (¾in) plain nozzle. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up a little.
Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and set aside to use for glazing. Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a 40 x 30cm (16 x 12in) rectangle and then cut into four strips, each measuring 30 x 10cm (12 x 4in). Pipe the sausage meat mixture in a fairly thick line down the centre of each pastry strip and brush along one long edge of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg. Roll up to enclose and press down the edges firmly to seal.
Brush the four large sausage rolls with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with the sesame seeds. Cut each roll into 2.5cm (1in) lengths, wiping the knife each time to clean off the sausage meat and arrange on two large baking sheets lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Arrange on a warmed platter to serve.
Sesame Prawn Toasts
A Chinese takeaway favourite, these are shown in the picture on page 58. They are so easy to make – simply whiz the prawn mixture in a food processor before spreading on the bread. It is best to use bread that is a couple of days old, so that it has dried out slightly and is not too doughy. I like to serve these with a dipping sauce, but they are also great with just a squeeze of lime.
For the prawn toasts
225g (8oz) peeled raw prawns, cleaned
1 egg white
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
½ tsp freshly grated root ginger
1 tsp Dijon mustard
6 slices of 1-2 day-old white bread (see recipe introduction)
4 tbsp sesame seeds
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
For the dipping sauce
6 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
To make the dipping sauce, place the soy sauce in a small bowl and stir in the honey, sesame oil and sweet chilli sauce. Cover with cling film. This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Place the prawns in a food processor or blender with the egg white, cornflour, lemon juice, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, garlic, ginger and mustard. Blend to form a smooth paste. This can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
Spread the prawn paste over the bread slices (avoiding the edges as the crusts will be trimmed off later) and sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over each slice, pressing them down gently with your fingertips. Arrange the slices of prawn-topped bread on a baking sheet or plastic tray, then cover with cling film and chill for up to 1 hour.
Preheat the vegetable oil to 180°C (350°F) in a deep-fat fryer or a large, deep-sided saucepan. Deep-fry the toasts in batches for about minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and then cut off the crusts and cut each slice into four triangles. Cover loosely with foil, to keep warm, while the remaining toasts are being cooked.
Arrange the sesame prawn toasts on warmed plates or on one large serving platter with small bowls of the dipping sauce to serve.
Salt Cod Fritters
Salt cod is available from fishmongers, large supermarkets and some ethnic shops and needs to be soaked in cold water before use. Anhour or two should suffice if only lightly salted, or up to 24 hours if very dried out. If in doubt, check with your fishmonger or follow the packet instructions. The fritters are shown with the canapés on page 58, and are also delicious as part of a smoked fish platter.
450g (1 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
150g (5oz) salt cod, soaked (see recipe introduction)
olive oil, for cooking
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
plain flour, for dusting
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Aïoli, to serve (see page 209)
Cook the potatoes, covered, in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain well, mash until smooth and set aside.
Poach the soaked salt cod in a small pan, with just enough water to cover, for about 10 minutes, then drain and roughly flake the flesh, removing all the skin and bones. Place in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Stir the cooked onion and garlic, the flaked salt cod, parsley and egg into the mashed potatoes, mix to combine and season with black pepper. Taste the mixture at this stage to see if you need to season it with salt – you may not need any depending on how salty the fish is.
With floured hands, shape the mixture into twenty small balls. Flatten the balls slightly into 5cm (2in) round patties about 1cm (½in) thick. Arrange the patties on a large flat plate and cover with cling film. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up a little.
Heat a thin film of olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the fritters in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp and golden brown. Drain the fritters briefly on kitchen paper and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you cook the remainder.
Serve the fritters with a bowl of Aïoli on a large, warmed platter.
Spanakopita
These tasty morsels remind me of holidays on the Greek islands. Look out for authentic Greek filo pastry, a far superior product to the regular filo that you get in most supermarkets.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
250g (9oz) spinach, thick stalks removed and leaves finely shredded
75g (3oz) feta cheese
1 small egg
1 tsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp chopped mint
75g (3oz) unsalted butter
275g (10oz) filo pastry, thawed if frozen (about 6 sheets in total)
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, then cook gently for 2-3 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring constantly, until it has all wilted down. Tip into a sieve and drain well, pressing out all the excess liquid with a wooden spoon. Allow to cool.
Crumble the feta cheese into a bowl and then mix in the egg, Parmesan, cooled spinach mixture, nutmeg and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Melt the butter in a small pan and allow to cool a little.
Unroll the sheets of pastry and cut the stack lengthways into strips about 6cm (2½ in) wide. Brush the top layer with melted butter. Place a heaped teaspoonful of the filling in the centre of one strip, at the nearest end to you, and fold one bottom corner of the top layer of pastry diagonally over the filling, so that the corner touches the opposite side to make a triangle. Then fold over the filled triangular corner, and continue folding it along the whole strip into a triangular parcel. Repeat to use all the pastry and filling – you should end up with 24 parcels in total.
Brush the underside of each spanakopita with a little of the melted butter and place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Brush the tops with the rest of the melted butter and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before arranging on plates or a large platter to serve.
Sang Choy Bow
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
175ml (6fl oz) chicken stock (see page 219)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced, green separated from white
450g (1 lb) minced chicken
225g tin of water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
3 tbsp chopped coriander
4 little gem lettuces, broken into individual leaves (see recipe introduction)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sang Choy Bow are bite-sized pieces of food wrapped in lettuce before eating. Variations can be found in most Chinese restaurants. The secret to making them is to prepare all of the ingredients well in advance. I normally use the smaller inner crisp leaves of little gem lettuce but you could use iceberg lettuce or chicory leaves. Break the leaves into similar sizes, place in a plastic bag and keep in the fridge until you need them.
Place the sherry in a small bowl and stir in the cornflour to form a smooth paste. Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar and chicken stock until well combined. This sauce can be made in advance and chilled for up to 24 hours until needed.
Heat the sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Stir-fry the garlic and the whites of the spring onions for 2-3 minutes until softened and just turning golden. Increase the heat to high, add the minced chicken and fry for about 5 minutes until just cooked through and beginning to brown, breaking up the chicken using the back of a spoon to ensure there are no big lumps. Add the water chestnuts and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
Push the mixture to one side and then pour the prepared sauce into the wok, stirring until it boils and thickens. This will take 1-2 minutes. When the liquid is bubbling and thickened stir in the chicken mixture and mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the green of the spring onions along with the coriander.
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Spoon a small amount of the warm chicken mixture on to each lettuce leaf. Wrap up and eat with your hands.
Black Pudding Croûtes with Red Onion Marmalade
This canapé is not as unusual as it sounds! Black pudding is often served as a tapas dish in Spain, where it is known as morcilla, and is usually homemade from a family recipe that has been passed down over many generations. Don’t be tempted to make these too far in advance or the croûtes will go soggy.
1 French stick, cut on the diagonal into 30 evenly sized slices (ends discarded)
4 tbsp olive oil
450g (1 lb) black pudding, cut on the diagonal into 30 evenly sized slices
100g (4oz) Red Onion Marmalade (see page 209)
flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6. Arrange the French bread slices on large baking sheets in a single layer. Brush 2 tablespoons of the oil on the bread slices and bake for 6-8 minutes until the bread is pale golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the black pudding slices over a medium heat for 1 minute on each side until cooked through. You may need to do this in batches. Drain on kitchen paper.
Place a piece of black pudding on each croûte and top with a small spoonful of Red Onion Marmalade. Arrange on a large platter, garnish each canapé with a little parsley and serve at once.
Parma Ham & Rocket Rolls
150g (5oz) ricotta cheese
2 tbsp Pesto (see page 208)
10 slices of Parma ham
50g (2oz) wild rocket, stalks removed
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shown on page 59, these are very simple but look and taste quite special. They can be made an hour in advance and kept in the fridge until you are ready to eat them. When cutting the Parma ham, don’t worry if each slice is not perfect, you can neaten them up as you roll them. A great alternative to Parma ham is bresaola – very thin slices of air-dried, salted beef.
Mix the ricotta with the pesto in a small bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.
Carefully cut each slice of Parma ham in half across the width and arrange on a clean work surface. Spread a heaped teaspoon of the ricotta mixture in a thin even layer over each one, then lay a few sprigs of rocket lengthways across each slice, leaving the sprig ends hanging over the edges.
Roll each one up and arrange on a serving platter. Cover loosely with cling film and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Pumpkin & Haricot Bean Soup
Haricot or cannellini beans work best for this – use the freshest you can find or they can take an age to cook. As this recipe makes such a large quantity you may wish to freeze some. Allow the soup to cool and then pour into freezer bags or containers with lids (leave enough space for expansion). To thaw the soup, leave overnight at room temperature and reheat until piping hot.
Vegetarian (if vegetable stock is used)
275g(10oz) dried white haricot beans, soaked overnight in cold water
2 tbsp finely chopped sage
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
2kg (4½lb) pumpkin or butternut squash
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
3 litres (5 pints) vegetable or chicken stock (see pages 218— 19)
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pesto, to garnish (see page 208)
rustic crusty bread, to serve
Drain the soaked beans and place in a large saucepan with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and boil fast for 15 minutes.
Drain the beans and rinse thoroughly in cold running water. Return the beans to the saucepan and cover them with 5cm (2in) of fresh water. Add half the sage, half the garlic, the bay leaves and thyme sprigs to the pan and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender, topping up with boiling water if necessary. Drain and rinse briefly, discarding the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F), gas mark 8. Cut the pumpkin or squash into wedges, not more than 7.5cm (3in) thick and scoop out the seeds using a large spoon. Brush all over using 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, place them in a large roasting tin and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast on a high shelf in the oven, for about 45 minutes or until softened and caramelised, turning once.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the remaining sage and garlic, the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are completely tender and softened. »
Allow the roasted pumpkin or squash to cool, then scoop away the flesh and discard the skin – you should have about 1kg (2lb 2oz) in total. Add to the saucepan and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and has started to break down. Whiz the soup to a purée with a hand-held blender or in batches in a food processor, then add the cooked beans, season with salt and pepper to taste and reheat gently.
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each serving with a teaspoonful of pesto. Serve hot with some crusty bread.
Carrot, Ginger & Honey Soup
I love everything about this soup – it’s really simple to make, the ingredients cost very little, the flavours are gorgeous and it ends up the most fantastic vibrant orange colour.
Vegetarian
75g (3oz) unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
20g (¾oz) root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
700g (1½lb) carrots, grated
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
lightly whipped cream and snipped chives, to garnish
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in the grated carrots, honey and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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