Hot and Sour Beef

For 2

250 Tender Steak
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
1 Shallot finely chopped
1 Teaspoon of Sugar
Dried Red Chilli seed, crushed (Quantity up to you...)

Optional for the sour - 2 Tablespoons of Lime Juice (1 fresh lime)

1] Grill the Steak, on a non stick griddle would be good, to your preference (it really should be rare, but each to your own on that one).

2] When the Steak is cooked, let it rest on a board and pour the juices from the pan into a bowl.

3] Mix the Fish Sauce, Shallot, Sugar and Chilli seeds into the bowl and stir/mash well.

4] Slice the Steak into really thin strips and mix into the bowl... It should still be warm at this point.

Serve on a bed of Rice, or Spicy Fried Cabbage etc

Curried Roast Chicken, Durban Style

I think this is a Madhur Jaffey.
Serves 3 to 4

1 whole chicken (1.75kg), skinned
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
5 cm piece peeled ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 small fresh green chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Freshly ground black pepper

1] Cut two deep diagonal slits, down to the bone, in each chicken breast and one in each leg and thigh. Place chicken, breast side up, on a sheet of heavy-duty foil large enough to enclose it. Place in a roasting pan.
2] Place lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chilies, salt, oil, cumin and coriander in a blender and process to a thick puree. Rub puree over chicken, inside and out, and into slits. Set chicken aside for 30 minutes.
3] Heat oven to 200c/Gas Mark 6. Dust chicken with chili powder and black pepper, enclose in foil and crimp to seal. Roast for 1 hour.
4] Open foil and baste chicken. Return, uncovered, to oven for 15 minutes, basting twice more. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Pour juices from foil into a small dish and serve alongside chicken.

Chicken and Sweetcorn Potato Cakes

Makes 4-6

100 ml milk
1 egg
35 g plain flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
225 g potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
110 g onion, skinned and thinly sliced
110 g cooked chicken, finely chopped
3 oz sweetcorn
butter and vegetable oil for frying

1] Whisk the milk and eggs together, then beat in the flour and a pinch of salt, until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.

2] Blanch the potato and onion together in a pan of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain well and press out as much liquid as possible using a clean tea towel. Let the potato and onion cool.

3] Stir the chicken into the batter with the sweetcorn, potato and onion, and add seasoning to taste. (I like to add a bit of smoked paprika)

4] Heat 0.5 cm butter and oil in a frying pan. Spoon heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, flatten and fry for about 4 minutes on each side.

5] Drain well and keep warm, uncovered, in a low oven. Repeat until all the mixture is used.

Potato and Leek Soup with Blue Cheese

2 Medium leeks, washed and sliced
200g Potatoes, peeled and diced
25g Butter
Olive Oil
25g Plain Flour
500ml Stock, either chicken or vegetable
Ground black pepper
2 Bay leaves
50g Blue cheese

1] Saute the leeks for 4 minutes in the butter and a little oil.

2] Add the flour, stir and cook for a few minutes.

3] Add the stock, bay leaves and potatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potato is cooked.

4] Season the mixture with black pepper.

5] Remove the bay leaves , add half the cheese and blitz the soup till smooth.

6] Return the soup to the pan and bring back to the boil, adding any extra water as necessary to thin the soup.

7] Serve the soup in warm bowls and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

You can use any cheese you like.
Garlic croutons are good on top as well.

Potato Leek Cheese Soup

SERVES 4

* olive oil
* 200 ml leeks, white and green tender parts diced
* 100 ml celery, diced
* 200 g potatoes, peeled and diced
* 400 ml water
* 100 ml milk
* 100 ml cream
* 50 ml parmesan cheese
* 6 ml flour
* salt and pepper

1. In a dutch oven or soup pot, add oil and cook leeks and celery for 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 5 more minutes
3. Add potatoes and water; bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat, cook for 15 mins then stir in milk and cream, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer 10 more minutes.
6. Just before serving, add cheese and cook 1 min more.

Roast Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary Roast Potatoes

Rub the chicken inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and sit in the fridge for an hour plus. Remove from the fridge half an hour before cooking.

Preheat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil.

Put the potatoes into the water with the whole lemon and the garlic cloves. Cook for 12 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for 1 minute. Remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot so their outsides get fluffy.

While the lemon is still hot, stab it about all over with a knife tip.

Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Push the garlic cloves, the whole lemon and the thyme into the cavity, then put the chicken into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a plate. Some fat should have cooked out of it into the roasting tray, so toss the potatoes into this with the rosemary leaves. Shake the tray around, then make a gap in the centre of the potatoes and put the chicken back in.

Cook for a further 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are nice and golden.

Roasted beetroot and carrots with goats' cheese

by Antony Worrall Thompson
from Saturday Kitchen

Serves 4

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour

200g/7oz baby beetroot
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
230g/8oz carrots, cut into 3cm chunks
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g/8oz young goats' cheese
a few sprigs fresh thyme
200g/7oz salad leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Place the beetroot onto a roasting tray and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place into the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Add the carrots and garlic and toss to coat with the oil before returning to the oven for a further 15 minutes until tender.
5. Remove beetroot from the tray and allow to cool slightly before squeezing the beetroot out of their skins.
6. Place in a bowl along with the roasted carrots.
7. Meanwhile to make the dressing, add the sherry vinegar to the pan to deglaze.
8. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl, then whisk in the olive oil.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Add the goats' cheese, salad leaves and leaves from the thyme sprigs to the beetroot and carrots.
11. Add the warm dressing to the salad and toss to combine.
12. Serve immediately.

Honey roasted Beetroot

670g large cooked beetroot, unvinegared
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp clear honey

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut each beetroot into 4-6 wedges and arrange in a large roasting tin. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the beetroot. Season well, and toss together so all the beetroot is thoroughly coated in the dressing. Roast for 25 mins until the beetroot is sticky and glazed.