Asparagus, Red Pepper and Halloumi Salad

Serves: 4; Takes: 25 mins plus marinating; Calories/Fat: 304 cals /22g; Sodium/Added sugar: 1.2g/0.4g

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 2 sprigs of fresh thyme; 3 red peppers, deseeded and quartered; 400g (14oz) asparagus, trimmed; 1 x 250g Halloumi cheese, thickly sliced; 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce; Salt

Method:

Mix the oil, garlic and thyme and marinade the vegetables and cheese, reserving a little, for at least 15 mins or in the fridge overnight.
Barbecue the peppers first (they can take up to 10 mins), turning occasionally. When the peppers are almost ready, add the asparagus for one min and then the Halloumi for 30 seconds on each side.
Skin the peppers and mix with the cheese and asparagus. Season with salt. Stir the chilli sauce into the remaining marinade and drizzle over the warm salad.

Mozzarella and Tomato Bruschetta

Serves: 6; Prep: 10 mins; Cost: £5.35; Cals per portion: 250

Ingredients: 3 beef tomatoes, sliced; 3 x 100g pkts mozzarella di bufala; extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle over ingredients; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 18 fresh basil leaves; 6 slices olive Ciabatta bread; 2 cloves of garlic, peeled

Arrange the tomatoes and sliced mozzarella on a platter then drizzle with olive oil. Season and scatter over the basil leaves and olives. Set aside in a cool place until ready to serve.
Just before you are ready to eat, toast the slices of Ciabatta until golden, then rub the surface of each with the garlic. Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread and serve warm with the salad.

Menu idea: Chicken with sage and prosciutto; Garlic and herb roast potatoes; Peppers with fennel; Mascarpone and chocolate cassata

Brie with Redcurrant Sauce

Serves: 4; Cals per portion: 328; Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 8oz/225g Brie; 1 egg, size 3, beaten; 2oz/50g dried wholemeal breadcrumbs; 1oz/25g mixed chopped nuts; oil for deep frying; lambs lettuce to garnish.

For the sauce: 4 tblsp redcurrant jelly; 2 tblsp ruby port

Trim the brie into four equal triangles. Place the egg in a shallow dish and mix the breadcrumbs and nuts in another.
Dip the Brie into the egg to coat, then into crumb and nut mixture, making sure all the sides are well coated. Shake off any excess.
Heat the oil for deep-frying to 350oF / 180oC. Fry the Brie in two batches for 2-3 mins, or until the coating is golden. Drain well.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the redcurrant jelly and port in a pan until the jelly is melted.
Place the fried Brie on a serving plate, spoon a little sauce around it and garnish with lambs lettuce.
Serve with the remaining sauce.

Sticky Chicken Wings

Even a complete beginner can make these – they’re so easy and delicious.

Serves: 8; Prep: 5 mins; Cook: 25 mins; Cals per portion: 218

Ingredients: 16 large chicken wings; 8 tblsp runny honey; 1 tsp English mustard powder; 8 tblsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven to Mark 6/400oF/200oC. Arrange chicken wings in a large roasting tin. Season them generously with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Brush chicken wings with honey to coat them, then sprinkle them with mustard powder and sesame seeds.
Bake wings for 25 mins, turning and basting once until golden and tender..

Black Pudding Fritters

A Gary Rhodes recipe.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients: Oil for deep-frying; 8oz (225g) self-raising flour; salt and pepper; 5 fl oz (150ml) lager or beer; 1 black pudding; flour for dusting; lemon quarters and fresh parsley to garnish.
Tartare Sauce: 4-6 tblsp shop brought mayonnaise; 1 tblsp finely chopped onion or shallot; 1 tsp chopped parsley; 2 tsp chopped capers; 2 tsp chopped gherkin

Preheat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 150oC/300oF. If you don’t have a fat fryer, the fritters can be cooked in 1 in (2.5cm) of fat in a deep frying pan. Do take care not to overheat the oil.
To make the batter, sieve the self-raising flour into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper then whisk in the lager or beer. You should have a batter with a thick consistency. Cut the black pudding into ½ in (1cm) slices.
Lightly dust the black pudding slices with flour, dip them in the batter and deep-fry until golden. They should take about 4-5 minutes in total. Halfway through the cooking time, turn the fritters. Remove them from the fryer and place them on kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat. Garnish with lemon quarters and fresh parsley.
To make the tartare sauce, spoon the mayonnaise into a bowl. Add the chopped onion or shallot, parsley, capers and gherkin and mix thoroughly. Serve with the black pudding fritters.
There are plenty of optional extras to sharpen and lift the flavour of the sauce. A teaspoon of horseradish cream, mustard or cayenne pepper will fire it up a treat.