Bread

Chicken schnitzel strips with tomato spaghetti

First, make the tomato sauce. Tip the tomatoes into a medium saucepan and add 1 /2 a can of water. Stir in the tomato purée, season and simmer for 15 mins. Keep warm while you make the chicken.

Put the eggs in a shallow dish. Lightly season the flour and tip it into another shallow dish. Mix the Parmesan, lemon zest and breadcrumbs together and tip onto a plate.

Place each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film on a chopping board. Ask your child to help bash them gently with a rolling pin until they are about 2cm thick. Cut each flattened chicken breast into five or six strips.

Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-12 mins or following pack instructions. Get your child to help you coat the chicken strips in the flour and shake off any excess. Dip them in the beaten egg, letting any excess drip off, then finally coat them well in the breadcrumbs and put on a plate. Once all the chicken strips are coated, heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot.

Add the chicken strips to the pan in batches and fry for 2-3 mins each side until cooked through – you may need to wipe out the pan in between batches. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper.

Drain the spaghetti, then mix with the tomato sauce. Serve alongside the chicken strips and some rocket leaves or a crisp green salad.

Chicken wings with cumin, lemon & garlic

Using a pair of sharp kitchen scissors, cut each wing at the knuckle into two pieces. Mix the garlic, lemon zest and juice, cumin and oil with plenty of seasoning, then tip into a dish with the chicken wings and toss to coat. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hr, or overnight if you have time. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, or heat an outdoor barbecue. Bake the chicken wings on an oven tray for 45-50 mins until crisp, or barbecue for 20 mins, drizzling over the honey for the final 10 mins of each method. Serve on a platter with plenty of paper napkins. Fill small bowls with olives, pistachios or almonds, dates and pickled chillies and flatbreads to serve alongside, along with the dishes below.

Slow-roasted pork shoulder with leeks, apricots & thyme

A few hours before you want to cook the pork, remove it from the fridge and dry the skin thoroughly. Leave unwrapped in a cool place to slowly come to room temperature while you make the stuffing.

Put a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. When it begins to sizzle, add the leeks and cook until they are soft and most of their liquid has evaporated. Stir in the apricots and thyme, season well and transfer to a bowl to cool. When the mixture is cold, stir in the breadcrumbs. Taste and season again if required.

When you are ready to cook the pork, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Spoon the stuffing into the pocket your butcher has left for you. Wipe any stuffing from the skin, put the pork in a roasting tin and season the skin well with salt. Put the celery, onion and carrot in the tin around the pork, place in the oven and cook for 30 mins.

Reduce heat to 140C/120C fan/ gas 1 and cook the pork for a further 2 hrs 30 mins. Transfer the pork to a warm serving dish to rest while you finish the gravy.

Tip out any fat from the roasting tin and reserve for another dish. Put the roasting tin on a medium heat, add the white wine or cider and, using a wooden spatula, scrape the caramelised juices from the bottom of the pan and allow them to dissolve. Let the juices reduce by half.

Add the stock and simmer for 5 mins. Add the flour and butter, mashed together, and whisk them into the gravy. Taste for seasoning, then strain into a warmed jug. If your pork skin has not crackled, put under a hot grill for a few mins, turning every 30 secs or so, until bubbled and crackling.

Lemon, Parmesan & pine nut crumbed pork escalopes

Trim the fat from the steaks, then place, one at a time, between 2 pieces of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin or meat mallet until about 5mm thick. Set aside.

Put the bread, lemon zest, Parmesan, pine nuts and rosemary leaves in the bowl of a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Transfer to a shallow bowl.

Spread the flour onto a plate and put the egg in a shallow bowl. Season the pork, then dust in flour. Dip each steak into the egg, then press into the crumbs, coating evenly. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the pork for 2-3 mins each side until golden and crunchy. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Katsu pork with sticky rice

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, carrot and apples. Cover and cook gently for 10 mins until softened, stirring a couple of times. Uncover the pan, turn up the heat, add the garlic and cook for 1 min.

Stir in the curry powder and ginger. Cook for 1 min more, then stir in the tomato purée, honey, soy and cornflour. Gradually stir in the stock and simmer for 5 mins until the vegetables are totally soft and the sauce has thickened. Blitz with a blender or in a liquidiser until smooth, then season to taste with the sesame oil, salt and pepper. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead.

While the sauce is cooking, put the pork between 2 sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until the meat is about 1cm thick. In a shallow bowl, rub together the crumbs, turmeric and oil with some seasoning. Beat the egg white with a fork until a little frothy and have a non-stick baking tray ready.

Put the rice in a saucepan with 400ml cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, cover, then simmer for 10 mins. Take off the heat and set aside until ready to serve the pork.

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Dip each piece of pork into the egg, then the crumbs, pressing them onto the surface before transferring the meat to the tray. Bake the pork for 10-15 mins or until golden and crisp, turning once if needed. Serve with the rice and katsu sauce, garnished with coriander, if using, plus pickled ginger, if you like.

Roast turkey with pecan, sausage & chestnut stuffing & roast shallots

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Rinse the turkey inside and out, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Weigh it to calculate the cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for each 1kg over that weight. Finely grate 1 tsp zest from the lemon and set aside for the stuffing. Cut the lemon into 4-6 wedges and tuck into the turkey cavity with the shallots and herb sprigs. Rub the turkey all over with the butter, then season with salt and pepper. Put the onion wedges in the middle of a large roasting tin and sit the turkey on top. Cover with a loose tent of foil, then roast following your calculated time.

Make the stuffing. Chop just over half the pecans and reserve the remaining. Line the base of a baking tray or sheet (big enough to take 16 stuffing balls) with baking parchment. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, tip in the shallots and garlic, and fry for a few mins until softened. Stir in the chestnuts and chopped pecans, then tip into a large bowl and cool. Squeeze the sausages from their casings and add to the bowl with the nut mixture. Add the remaining stuffing ingredients, including the reserved lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Shape the stuffing mixture into 16 balls. Break the remaining pecans into big pieces and press a piece into top of each ball. Arrange balls on the prepared tray, cover with buttered baking parchment and chill until ready to cook. Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

Make the glaze. Mix the honey, mustard, remaining 1 tbsp butter and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Thirty mins before the end of the cooking time, remove the turkey and increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the foil, then return the bird to the oven for a further 10 mins. Remove again, brush the turkey with the glaze, then roast for another 20 mins until golden. If you are roasting potatoes, put them in now. To test if the turkey is cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer – the juices should run clear, not pink. If they are pink, continue to roast, checking at 10 min intervals.

Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a warm serving platter and rest, covered loosely with foil so it doesn’t stick to the glaze, for up to 1 hr before carving. Meanwhile, cook the stuffing balls and shallots. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake stuffing balls in the oven for 25-30 mins, removing the paper for the last 5 mins if they need browning.

Make the shallots. Put the shallots in a small roasting tin, toss in the oil, scatter over a few thyme and sage sprigs, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 mins, turning half way, until shallots are nicely caramelised.

Make the gravy. Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tin but leave the juices and onions. Sprinkle in the flour, set tin over a medium heat and cook, stirring for a couple of mins to cook the flour, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the tin. Gradually pour in the stock, along with any resting juices from the turkey, and continue to stir until slightly thickened. Simmer gently for about 10-15 mins or until reduced to your liking. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Strain gravy into a pan, warm through, pour into a jug and serve with the turkey. Serve the turkey surrounded with stuffing balls, roasted shallots, and thyme and sage sprigs.

Slow-cooked celeriac with pork & orange

Preheat the oven to fan 120C/conventional 140C/gas 1. Cut each leek into about five pieces, chop the carrots into pieces the same size as the leeks. Heat a large, lidded, flameproof casserole dish on the hob until it’s very hot. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, then carefully tip the pork into the casserole and leave it for a couple of minutes to brown. Stir once, then leave for another couple of minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate. Pour the rest of the oil into the dish, tip in the leeks, carrots and celeriac and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until they start to brown. Add the garlic and fry for a minute more.

Stir the pork and any juices into the vegetables, then pour in the wine, stock, orange juice and soy sauce. Throw in the rosemary and orange zest, season with salt and pepper, give it a stir, then bring everything to the boil.

Cover the dish, transfer it to the oven and cook for 2 hours, stirring after an hour. Cook until the pork is very tender and the leeks fall apart when prodded with a spoon. (It can now be left to cool and then frozen for up to 1 month.) Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes, then spoon into bowls. Serve with crusty bread to soak up all those juices.

Cumin chicken & avocado salad

Mix the oil and spices in a large bowl, then use the mixture to coat the chicken. Pan-fry the chicken (without extra oil) in a large non-stick frying pan for a few mins each side. Toss the tomatoes into any spiced oil left in the bowl, then add them to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 mins more until the chicken is cooked and the tomatoes are warm and starting to soften. Meanwhile, toss the onion, lettuce, coriander and avocados in the Caesar dressing and pile onto a large platter. Top with small handfuls of the beans and scatter with the tomatoes. Slice the warm chicken and pile on top. Serve with crusty bread or crunchy tortilla chips.

Chicken & stuffing picnic pie

Season the chicken breasts. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and brown the chicken very quickly on each side – you might need to fry these in batches. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through. Set aside.

Set aside 2 tbsp of the stuffing mixture. Make up the rest using half the amount of water that the packet says.

Make the pastry by tipping the flour into a food processor with 1 tsp salt. Add the butter and suet, and whizz to fine crumbs (or rub in with your fingers if you don’t have a food processor). With the motor running (or stir with a fork), dribble in 150ml cold water until the pastry just comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a dough. Cover one-third while you roll out the rest to line an oiled, 20cm round springform or loose-bottomed tin.

Spoon the stuffing into the base of the pie, packing down well and smoothing the top. Arrange the chicken pieces over, cutting to fit like a jigsaw puzzle to fill in any gaps. Squeeze sausagemeat from skins and press evenly over the top, then scatter over the reserved dry stuffing. Roll out the reserved pastry until big enough to cover the pie with an overlap. Brush the edge of the pie with egg, then lift on the pastry lid and press edges to seal before trimming and rolling down excess to thoroughly seal.

Decorate by crimping the edges or pressing them with the prongs of a fork, then cut a little hole in the middle of the pastry to let steam escape. Brush all over with more egg (don’t throw the leftover egg away).

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 50 mins. Brush all over again with egg and cook for another 10 mins. Cool in the tin, then thickly slice for a picnic or lunch. Or wrap well in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months.

Pick & mix noodle plate

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Dip the meat strips into the beaten egg, drain off the excess, then roll in breadcrumbs to coat. (I like to use ciabatta as there’s already olive oil in it, so you don’t need to add any.) Place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins or until crisp and cooked through. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to pack instructions. Drain and toss with olive oil and spring onions. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the cucumber and the carrot into ribbons. Pile the noodles onto serving plates along with the carrot and cucumber. Put a few chicken or pork strips alongside, and serve with a little pot of hoisin, plum or barbecue sauce for dipping.

Pork loin roast with fig & apple stuffing

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. In a non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tsp of the oil and brown the pork fillet for 4-5 mins, turning once to cook evenly. Rub with another 1 tsp of oil and season. Transfer to a roasting tin and bake for 40 mins or until the juices run clear when you skewer the thickest part of the loin. (Timings will vary depending on thickness of the meat.)

Using the same frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil, add the onions and cook for about 10 mins until soft. Add the apples and figs and cook for another 5 mins. Tip into a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, sage, egg, lemon zest and 2 tbsp of the chicken stock. Add seasoning, then roll into 12 balls. Put the stuffing balls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, then bake for 20-25 mins.

When the pork is cooked, remove from the roasting tin and allow to rest for 10 mins. Deglaze the roasting tin with the remaining chicken stock, scraping any of the brown bits off the bottom, then add the vinegar, quince paste and resting juices. If your roasting tin isn’t flameproof, transfer to a saucepan and bubble down until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of double cream. Season, slice the pork and serve with stuffing, sauce and vegetables.

Crackle roast pork with sausage-stuffed apples & onions

The day before, sit the pork on a wire rack over a dish and put in the fridge, uncovered, so the skin has time to dry out.

Using a sharp knife, cut a roughly 3cm-wide ‘core’ from all the apples and onions. Coarsely grate as much apple flesh as you can from their ‘cores’ before you hit the seeds. Put the grated apple in a mixing bowl, snip the skins of the sausages and squeeze the meat out into the bowl too. Add the breadcrumbs, fennel seeds, mace and walnuts. Mix well with a little seasoning. Push some of the stuffing mixture into every onion and apple, packing it tightly and mounding the top as it will shrink a little during cooking (any extra stuffing can be rolled into the size of golf balls and roasted alongside).

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub the pork with 1 tbsp of the oil and plenty of sea salt. Break up the onion cores and reserved skins to build a trivet in the middle of your largest roasting tin, then sit the pork joint on top. Roast for 1 hr, then lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and roast for another hour.

Rub the outsides of the apples and onions with another 1 tbsp of oil, then sit just the onions around the pork, loosely covered with some foil. Roast for a further 35 mins, then add the apples to the tin too, removing the foil from the onions. Bake for a further 25 mins until all the stuffing is cooked through, and the onions and apples are tender but the apples are still holding their shape. Lift the pork, apples and onions onto a serving platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. If the onions aren’t soft enough for your liking, re-cover with foil and keep baking in the oven while you make the gravy.

Pour any juices from the roasting tin into a jug. When the fat has separated, discard it and pour the meaty juices back into the tin. Put the tin on the hob and stir in the flour to a smooth paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 min, then gradually whisk in the cider, followed by the stock. Bring to the boil and bubble until the gravy has reduced a little and is of a good consistency. Sieve into another pan or gravy jug to get rid of all the onion bits and season well – if it needs sweetening, add some honey to taste.

Thickly slice the rested pork at the table, making sure everyone gets a good portion of crunchy crackling, then share out the sausage-stuffed apples and onions. Add roasties, some green veg, and a generous glug of the cider gravy.

Pepper, pesto & sweetcorn calzones

Make up the bread mix to pack instructions, reserving a little of the flour for dusting, and leave to prove for 30 mins.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and cut into quarters. Roll each ball of dough to a circle, roughly 20cm wide. Spread a little passata over each base, leaving a border of about 1cm around the edge. Season well.

Top with the peppers, sweetcorn, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil and blobs of pesto. Fold each base in half, to make a half-moon shape, then squeeze the edges together, rolling them a little to stick and create a seal. Cover the tray with cling film and leave for 10 mins. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Brush the calzones all over with beaten egg, then bake for 25-30 mins or until puffed and golden brown. Serve with dressed salad leaves.

Pot-roast pheasant with pearl barley & stuffed onions

First, start to make the stuffed onions. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Lay the whole onions on a large sheet of foil and wrap up to make a parcel. Cook for 1 hr 30 mins or until soft, then remove and leave to cool. Turn up the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4.

While the onions are roasting, heat a medium flameproof casserole dish and add 1 tbsp oil. When the dish is hot, add the pheasant crown and brown on the skin side, then set aside. Add the remaining oil and the onion and fry for 10 mins until soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and parsnip, cook for a few mins, then add the pearl barley and cider. Simmer until the cider has reduced by half, then pour in the chicken stock and keep on a low simmer for 15-20 mins.

Remove and discard the core from the baked onions using a teaspoon, making them hollow but still keeping them intact. In a mixing bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients and season. Spoon the stuffing into the hollow onions, making sure that they are full. Roll any extra stuffing into small balls.

Add the pheasant crown and any balls to the simmering barley and sprinkle with a little salt, then add the stuffed onions and thyme. Cover with a lid and put in the oven for 20 mins.

To make the salsa, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the sprout tops until they are just soft, then plunge them into a bowl of iced water. Drain the leaves and squeeze out any excess water, then chop roughly. Add them to the small bowl of a food processor, along with the mace, chestnuts, garlic, rapeseed oil and lemon zest, and blitz until it becomes a rough salsa texture. Add a little seasoning to taste.

Once the pheasant is cooked, remove the dish from the oven and transfer the pheasant to a plate to rest. Cover loosely with foil. Return the barley to the heat and stir in the mushrooms, apple and parsley – using the mixture to baste the stuffed onions. When it becomes a rich and reasonably thick stew, remove from the heat.

Remove the breasts from the crown with a sharp knife and trim a little to neaten them. Spoon the pearl barley onto a large serving bowl or plate, put the pheasant breast on top and serve with the braised onions and extra meatballs. To finish the dish, add a large spoonful of the salsa and sprinkle over the crispy sage leaves.

Spiced chicken, spinach & sweet potato stew

Put the sweet potato in a large, deep saucepan over a high heat. Cover with boiling water and boil for 10 mins. Meanwhile, put all the paste ingredients in a food processor and blend until very finely chopped. Set aside until needed.

Put the spinach in a large colander in the sink and pour the sweet potatoes and their cooking water over it to drain the potatoes and wilt the spinach at the same time. Leave to steam-dry.

Return the saucepan to the heat (no need to wash it first), then add the oil, followed by the spice paste. Fry the paste for about 5 mins until thickened, then add the chicken. Fry for 8-10 mins until the chicken starts to colour. Pour over the stock, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.

Check the chicken is cooked by cutting into one of the thighs and making sure it’s white throughout with no signs of pink. Season with black pepper, then add the sweet potato. Leave to simmer for a further 5 mins. Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach and add to the stew. At this point you can leave the stew to cool and freeze for up to 3 months, if you like.

Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and preserved lemons, and serve with warm naan bread on the side.

Spring vegetable broth with shredded chicken

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a pan, brown the chicken, then remove. Bring the stock to the boil in the same pan, add the chicken and cook for 5 mins. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and leave to stand for 30 mins.

Put the bread cubes on a baking tray. Drizzle with the remaining oil, some salt and the Parmesan. Bake for 6 mins until crunchy and golden. Remove and scrape off the tray onto a plate.

Remove the chicken from the pan and slice it. Bring the stock to the boil again and add the greens, asparagus and peas. Cook for 1 min, then add the beans and chicken. Heat everything through, then pour into bowls and top with the Parmesan toast to serve.

Fried egg Milanese

Cook the escalopes following pack instructions. When they are nearly done, fry the eggs in a large frying pan. Serve the chicken on a bed of watercress, topped with a fried egg and a drizzle of chilli oil.

Chicken soup

Wipe the chicken with kitchen paper and put in a large saucepan with the giblets. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Skim away any scum with a large spoon or ladle every few mins for about 30 mins until no more comes to the surface. Crumble in the stock cubes and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and vegetables.

Bring to the boil again, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover and simmer gently for 3-3 1 /2 hrs.

Leave the soup to cool a little, then transfer to the fridge overnight.

Once chilled, the fat from the soup will rise to the top. Save 11 /2 tbsp for the matzo balls and set aside, then use a large spoon to remove as much as you can. Remove the chicken, shred all the meat, then add it back to the pan. Put the soup back on the heat and skim away any remaining fat while you bring it to the boil.

Meanwhile, make the matzo balls by combining the fat, egg, matzo meal and 1/2 tbsp warm water. Stir into a paste, adding a little more water if needed, then chill for 10-15 mins. Roll into about 12 small balls. Dampen your hands if the mixture is too sticky.

Drop the matzo balls into the soup for a few mins. Scatter with parsley and serve with challah bread, if you like.

Chicken katsu curry burger

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the brine with 1 tsp salt. Put the chicken in the brine, cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hrs.

To make the mayo, combine all the ingredients and stir until smooth.

Half an hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge. Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk with 2 tbsp of the brine. Mix the rice flour and panko, and spread out in a layer on a plate. Remove one chicken breast from the brine, shake off the excess, dip into the egg mix, then coat in the panko mix. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the other chicken breast.

Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan until it reaches 180C, or a piece of bread browns in 30 secs. Fry for 10-12 mins until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper, then slice each breast into 4-5 pieces.

Split and toast the buns, then spread with the mayo. Add a layer of lettuce, spring onions and radishes, then top with the chicken and more mayo.

Coxinhas

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Poach the chicken very gently for 10 mins. Remove from the heat, cover and cook for 10-15 mins more until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken and leave to cool. Reserve the poaching liquid.

Bring the liquid to the boil, add the potatoes and simmer for 15-20 mins until just tender. Drain, then leave to dry out before mashing and seasoning.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion and stir over a medium-low heat for 8-10 mins. To assemble, shred the chicken in a bowl, mix in the mash, onions and marinade, then taste and season. With damp hands, shape about 50g of mixture into a teardrop shape. Set it upright on a plate and repeat with the rest of the mixture. Coat each in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 1 hr.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 170C or until a piece of bread browns in 30 secs. Fry in batches for 3-4 mins until golden, turning once or twice. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm with the parsley scattered over.

Sweetcorn beignets

First, make the salsa. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the courgettes for about 3 mins until lightly coloured. Remove from the pan and mix with the chilli, garlic, tomato and coriander while the courgettes are still hot. Leave to cool, then finish with the lime juice and some seasoning. Set aside.

In a food processor, whizz a third of the corn kernels to a purée. Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the tapioca, polenta, bicarb, spices and some seasoning, then whisk in the cider. Tip in the remaining sweetcorn and give everything a stir to make a batter.

Heat a deep-fat fryer to 180C or until a piece of bread browns in 20 secs, or fill a large, heavy-based saucepan with oil. Working in batches, deep-fry large spoonfuls of the batter for 1-2 mins or until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon onto a baking tray lined with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve with the salsa. For more info on deep-frying safely, see our guide.

Fig & pancetta American stuffing

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and grease a large baking tray. Fry the pancetta in a large, dry frying pan until crisp and golden, then transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. In the same pan, fry the sausages until lightly browned, then add to bowl with the pancetta. Melt all the butter in the same pan and fry the onion, celery, rosemary and garlic for about 15 mins until very soft

Meanwhile, put the cubes of bread on a baking tray and toast in the oven until pale golden. Cool, then blitz half the cubes in a food processor. Beat the eggs with the chicken stock.

Add the figs, parsley and chestnuts to the pan with the onion mixture. Stir for a few mins, then transfer to the bowl with the pancetta and sausage. Add all the bread and a really generous sprinkling of seasoning. Using your hands, toss all the ingredients gently together, then add the egg and stock mixture.

Divide the mixture into 16 balls and place on the prepared baking tray. Bake, covered with some greased foil, for 30 mins, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 mins until golden and crispy. Once you’ve taken the stuffing out of the oven, season again and serve.

Chicken & kumquat salad

Bring two pans of water to the boil. Add the chicken breasts to one and cook for 2 mins. Turn off the heat, put a lid on top and leave to sit for 30 mins. Put the broccoli pieces in the other pan, cook for 2 mins, then drain and transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water. This will help it to retain its colour and bite.

While the chicken is poaching, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the bread cubes on a baking tray and cook for 10-12 mins until golden, then remove and leave to cool. Can be made a day ahead and stored in a container.

Put the dressing ingredients with 1 tsp salt in a jar with a lid. Shake well and set aside. Can be made a day ahead. Put the kumquats, broccoli, radishes, onion, feta, almonds and chives into a serving bowl.

When the chicken is done, remove from the water, leave to cool for 5 mins, then shred into chunky pieces and add to the salad. Just before serving, pour the dressing over and mix well.

Chicken gyros

Tip the chicken into a large bowl and add the marinade ingredients, along with 1 tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix well, ensuring each thigh is well coated. Cover and chill for at least 3 hrs, or up to 48 hrs if you have time.

A few hours before you want to eat, make the pitta. In a bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and 1/ 2 tsp salt with your fingertips. Add 150ml lukewarm water and 2 tsp olive oil, and combine to a dough. Tip onto a work surface and knead for 8-10 mins (or use a tabletop mixer for 5 mins). Clean, then lightly oil your bowl, return the dough and cover loosely with cling film. Leave to rise for 1 hr or until nearly doubled in size.

Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll out to circles, as thin as you can. Cover with sheets of oiled cling film and leave to rise for 15-20 mins.

To make the tzatziki, halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Finely chop, then combine with the remaining ingredients, along with a pinch of salt. Chill until ready to serve.

Heat the grill to its highest setting. Line a roasting tin with foil and find 4 metal skewers long enough to sit across the top with a little space underneath. Remove the chicken from the fridge, take one thigh and thread it over 2 skewers, so it has a skewer through either side. Thread another piece of chicken on top, leaving a slight gap between each piece; you should fit 6 thighs on each pair of skewers. Position the skewers on top of the roasting tin and set aside while you finish the pittas.

Heat a large frying pan (or two if you have them) over a medium-high heat and brush the breads with oil. Gently lift one into the pan. It should sizzle, and bubbles should appear on the surface after 1-2 mins. When the underside is golden, flip it and cook for another 2-3 mins. Continue until all the breads are cooked, wrapping them in foil as you go. Keep the bread warm in the bottom of the oven while you cook the chicken. Alternatively, cook on the barbecue for 5-8 mins, turning occasionally.

Put the chicken under the hot grill and cook for 15-20 mins, brushing with oil and any juices from the bottom of the tin regularly, and turning halfway through cooking. Once cooked, remove from the oven and rest for 5 mins.

Cut through each pair of skewers to make four kebabs and serve in the warm bread, with lettuce, tomato, red onion, lemon wedges and tzatziki.

Easy butter chicken

In a medium bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients with some seasoning. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with the marinade. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hr or overnight.

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, green chilli, ginger and some seasoning. Fry on a medium heat for 10 mins or until soft.

Add the spices with the tomato purée, cook for a further 2 mins until fragrant, then add the stock and marinated chicken. Cook for 15 mins, then add any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Simmer for 5 mins, then sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Serve with rice, naan bread, chutney, coriander and lime wedges, if you like.

Turkish kebabs with tomato chilli sauce

Crush 1 garlic clove and mix with 3 tbsp yogurt, the lemon juice, 1 tsp tomato purée, half the spices, and some seasoning in a medium bowl. Add the chicken, toss, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr or overnight.

Make the chilli sauce. Put 100g of the tomatoes, the whole red chilli, the remaining spices, garlic clove and tomato purée, plus 1 tbsp olive oil, half the red onion and the pomegranate molasses in a food processor. Add some seasoning and pulse until puréed, then set aside.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, and heat a griddle pan. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers or wooden ones that have been soaked, then wipe off the excess marinade. Skewer the remaining tomatoes on a separate skewer. Lightly oil the griddle with the remaining olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides, then transfer to a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 mins, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, griddle the tomatoes for 1-2 mins, turning halfway through so they have griddle marks on both sides.

Serve the chicken and tomatoes on flatbreads with the remaining red onion, pickled chillis, the remaining Greek yogurt, parsley and coriander with the chilli sauce spooned over.

Spanish chicken stew

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil. Season the chicken and brown on both sides for 7-8 mins until golden, then set aside on a plate. Put the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the pan with the pepper, onion and garlic. Fry on a medium heat for 8 mins or until slightly golden. Add the vinegar and cook for 1 min. Return the chicken to the pan with the paprika and stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for 25 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Add the olives and almonds, and serve with rice or crusty bread.

Roast chicken pie

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 5. Season the chicken and roast for 1 hr 30 mins until the juices run clear when you cut into the leg.

To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then grate in the butter and lard. Rub the mixture with your fingers into breadcrumbs, then add 2 tbsp cold water. Continue to add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture binds together. Be careful not to add too much. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest while you make the filling. (Alternatively you can use ready-rolled shortcrust pastry).

In a large, non-stick frying pan, heat the oil, then fry the bacon. Once browned, reduce the heat, add the leeks and cook until they have softened. Mix the butter and flour into a paste and add to the pan, stirring to coat the bacon and leeks. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to ensure the mixture doesn’t get lumpy. Add the chicken stock and petit pois, cook for 2 mins, then add the mustard and remove from the heat. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven, leave to rest briefly and carve the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Add this to the pan along with the parsley.

Turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use to line a 25cm pie dish. Spoon your filling on top, then roll out the remaining pastry for the pie topping. Brush the edges of the pastry in the pie dish with water, then lay the top over it. Crimp and seal the edges and use any off-cuts for decoration. Brush with the beaten egg, then make an X-shaped cut in the middle for steam to escape. Bake for 45 mins until golden.

Herby chicken gyros

Cut the chicken breast in half lengthways, then cover with cling film and bash with a rolling pin to flatten it. Brush with some oil, then cover with the garlic, oregano and some pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for a few mins each side. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt, cucumber and mint to make tzatziki. Cut the tops from the pittas along their longest side and stuff with the chicken, tomato, pepper and tzatziki. Poke in a few mint leaves to serve. If taking to the office for lunch, pack the tzatziki in a separate pot and add just before eating to prevent the pitta going soggy before lunchtime.

Chicken schnitzel Caesar

Place a chicken breast between two sheets of cling film. Using a rolling pin or meat tenderiser, bash it gently until about 1cm thick and evenly flattened. Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three shallow bowls. Season the flour and mix well. Dip one of the chicken breasts into the flour, then the egg, making sure it’s fully coated, then finally into the breadcrumbs. Set aside, then repeat with the other chicken breast.

To make the Caesar dressing, tip the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar and garlic into a mixing bowl. Whisk together, then slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, until you have a loose mayonnaise. Fold in the anchovies and grated parmesan, give it a good stir, then set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry for 3-4 mins until golden. Turn over and cook for a further 3 mins, then remove from the pan. Tip the lemon juice into the pan, sizzle, then spoon over the schnitzels. Leave to rest for 4 mins.

Put the schnitzels on plates with some lettuce on the side, then scatter over the shaved parmesan and cured anchovies, if using, and spoon over some dressing. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Curried cashew dip

Tip all the ingredients, except the Bombay mix, into a food processor. Blend until smooth, then season to taste. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more lime juice or a splash of cold water. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle over the Bombay mix before serving with chicken skewers, carrot sticks and naan bread.

BBQ tandoori chicken shawarma

Tip all the ingredients, except the chicken and lemon wedges, into a blender or a smoothie bullet with 1 tsp sea salt and whizz to a smooth paste. Pile the chicken into a bowl or large plastic container, pour over the paste and mix through so the chicken is completely coated. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hrs or up to 48 hrs – the longer, the better.

Light a lidded barbecue, and let the flames die down. Once the coals have turned ashen, pile them up on one side with a few coals scattered around the other. Starting and ending with half a baking potato, thread all the chicken onto two long metal skewers – so that both skewers go through each piece of meat – packing the thighs down between the potato halves so that they are really compact. Place the large chicken kebab to the side of the barbecue with only a few coals underneath. Pop the lid down and cook for 45-50 mins, turning every 15 mins, or until cooked through – prise the chicken pieces apart in the centre to check, or use a digital cooking thermometer; it should read 70C or more. Leave to rest for 5 mins. If cooking in the oven, heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Sit the kebab across a roasting tin so it is suspended, or rest a wire rack over a roasting tin and place the chicken on top. Cook for 45-55 mins or until cooked through. Warm the naan on the barbecue or in the oven.

Bring the kebab to the table to carve, wrap with warm naans, and serve with the other salads and lemon wedges for squeezing over.