Cabbage

Ginger noodles with chicken & hoisin aubergines

Heat a griddle pan. Rub 1 tsp of oil onto the chicken breasts and season. Griddle for around 4 mins on each side or until cooked through. Set aside. Toss the aubergine in the remaining oil and griddle for 5 mins on all sides, including the skin side, until tender. You may need to turn down the heat and keep turning the aubergine, as it will take some time to become totally soft. Brush with the hoisin sauce and cook for another 1-2 mins. Meanwhile, cook the noodles following pack instructions, adding the beansprouts for the last 30 secs of cooking. Drain thoroughly. Mix with the remaining ingredients, saving a handful of spring onions. Season and put on plates or in bowls. Lay the chicken and grilled aubergine on top. Scatter over the remaining spring onions and serve.

Lemony chicken skewers, herbed new potatoes & apple coleslaw

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 mins. Heat the grill to high and place a non-stick baking tray beneath it. In a large bowl, mix the marinade ingredients, then add the chicken, turning it to ensure it is thoroughly coated. Cover and set aside. Put the potatoes in a large pan of boiling water and cook until a fork easily pierces them – about 12 mins. Meanwhile, mix the oil and herbs in a small bowl. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing for the coleslaw. Mix together the crème fraiche, mustard and lemon in a large bowl. Add all the vegetables and the apple, and stir well. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Pour the herb mixture over them, stir gently to mix, cover to keep warm and set aside. Finally, divide the chicken between 4 skewers and place on the hot baking tray, spooning excess marinade over the chicken. Put the tray under the grill and cook for 6-8 mins, turning the skewers every 2 mins or so to ensure even cooking. Cut open a piece of chicken to ensure it’s cooked through. Serve with the potatoes and coleslaw, reserving half the coleslaw for Smoked mackerel platter (see ‘goes well with’).

Sticky sesame chicken & corn with slaw

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the chicken and frozen corn cobs on a large baking tray, drizzle with oil, season and bake for 20 mins. Meanwhile, combine the cabbage, onion, carrots, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and some seasoning in a bowl. Set aside until ready to serve. In another bowl, mix the honey, peanut butter and sesame seeds with a pinch of salt. Remove the tray from the oven and brush or drizzle the sauce over the chicken and corn, then toss everything together to coat. Return to the oven and roast for a further 15-20 mins until sticky and caramelised. Serve with the coleslaw.

Chicken schnitzel with coleslaw

For the coleslaw, get your child to mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Season a little and set aside. Place a layer of cling film on your work surface and pop the chicken fillets on top. Cover with another piece of cling film and, using a rolling pin, ask your child to bash the chicken until it is 2-3mm thick. Put the flour on a plate and season, then put the egg on another plate. Get your child to dip the chicken in the flour to coat, then into the egg. Mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a shallow bowl, then ask your child to toss the chicken in the mixture to completely coat in the crumbs. Put the chicken on a plate and chill in the fridge until ready to eat if you’re not cooking them straight away. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a fairly high heat and cook the chicken schnitzels two at a time. Sizzle them for 2-3 mins each side until completely golden, then lift out onto kitchen paper to drain. You can keep them warm in a low oven while you cook the rest. Serve with the coleslaw.

Warm chicken & ciabatta salad

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the chicken pieces with 1 tbsp of the oil, season and arrange on a baking tray. Roast for 10 mins. Toss the torn ciabatta with the chopped garlic, a little seasoning and the remaining oil. Add this to the chicken and cook for another 10 mins. Toss together the red cabbage and red onion. Once the chicken is cooked, cool for a couple of mins, then add to the cabbage mix. Stir together, then toss with the pickling juices from the cabbage, and the salad leaves. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds.

Turkey Bánh mì

To make the pickled slaw, tip the carrots and cabbage into a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the ginger, rice vinegar, sugar and a few pinches of salt. Pour over the vegetables and toss together. Set aside for at least 15 mins. Halve the baguettes lengthways and spread the pâté over the bottom half. Top with the pickled slaw, cucumber and turkey. Mix the mayonnaise with the chopped chilli and dollop over the top. Scatter over the mint leaves and sliced chilli. Sandwich together and dig in.

mustard sage chicken celeriac mash scaled

Mustard & sage chicken with celeriac mash

Put the celeriac in a bowl, add a splash of water and cover with cling film. Pierce the cling film and microwave on High for 10 mins or until really tender. Meanwhile, put the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of cling film and lightly bash with rolling pin until they are an even thickness. Dust with the mustard powder. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides. Add the garlic and sage to the pan, stirring in the gaps between the chicken, for 30 secs- 1 min, then crumble in the stock cube. Pour in 100ml hot water and add 100g crème fraîche. Stir the sauce around the chicken, then cover the pan with a lid and cook over a medium heat for 8 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir through the mustard and season with plenty of black pepper. While the chicken cooks, drain any liquid from the celeriac, season, add the remaining 2 tbsp crème fraîche and mash (or blitz to a purée in a food processor). Serve with the chicken and some green veg.

Chipolatas in apple gravy with parsnip colcannon

Put the potato and parsnips in a very large pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins or until the veg is tender. Meanwhile, cook the chipolatas in a large frying pan. When brown on all sides, transfer to a plate and add 25g butter to the pan. Add the apples and white part of the spring onions. Fry for 5-10 mins until softened and starting to caramelise. Add the kale to the boiling veg for the final few mins, before the potatoes and parsnips are completely soft. When the kale has wilted, drain the veg and leave to steam-dry in the colander. Heat the remaining butter in the same pan – don’t worry about washing it out. Add the green parts of the spring onions and sizzle for a few mins to soften. Add the flour and stock cube to the apples and spring onions, stir for 1-2 mins, then add 400ml water, mixing to a smooth gravy. Return the sausages to the pan and bubble in the gravy for a few mins until heated through. Meanwhile, add the veg to the buttery spring onions, along with the milk and plenty of seasoning, and mash until the potato and parsnips are smooth. Serve the colcannon with the chipolatas and the gravy spooned over the top.

Cabbage & red rice salad with tahini dressing

Cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, put the cabbage and spring onions in a large bowl with the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, 1 tbsp oil and a good pinch of seasoning. Massage it all into the cabbage and set aside. Whisk together the rest of the lemon juice and oil plus the honey, tahini, yogurt and garlic, then loosen with 2 tbsp water. Season to taste. When the rice is tender, drain in a sieve, rinse briefly under the cold tap, then let it drain well. Tip the just-warm rice into the cabbage, adding most of the cranberries, nuts and herbs too. Now pour in most of the tahini dressing and mix. Pile onto a serving plate, then sprinkle with the remaining ingredients and drizzle with the final few spoonfuls of dressing and a slug more oil, if you like.

Chorizo & cabbage stew

Put the chorizo, onion and potatoes in a large non-stick pan. Leave to fry in the oil that comes from the chorizo, stirring occasionally for about 5 mins. Tip in the tomatoes with 2 cans of water, add the stock cube, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add the cabbage, then cover and cook 3-5 mins more until it is just tender. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Cheat’s katsu curry

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the chicken following pack instructions. Meanwhile, to make the katsu sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onion and carrots for around 8–10 mins or until soft, but not golden. Transfer the onion and carrot to a blender. Add the gravy, curry powder, peanut butter and soy sauce, then whizz until very smooth. Pour the sauce mixture back into the pan and heat until simmering hot, stirring frequently. Slice the chicken into strips, divide between 4 plates, then pour the katsu sauce over. Add a spoonful of pickled red cabbage to each portion and serve with cooked rice and salad leaves.

Ultimate toad in the hole

Preheat the oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7. Sift the flour and a make a well in the centre and crack in the egg. Beat lightly,then gradually pour in half the milk and water, beating all the time to form a smooth,thick batter. Continue for 2 minutes,then stir in the remaining liquid. (The batter can be made several hours ahead of time, although contrary to popular opinion it is not improved by standing.)

Wrap a bacon rasher around each sausage then put them, spaced apart, in a large roasting tin (preferably metal). Scatter over the onion and drizzle with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bacon and sausages are starting to colour and the onion is tinged brown at the edges.

Remove from the oven and quickly pour the batter over the sausages. Return to the oven for a further 35-40 minutes until the batter is crisp and well risen.

Meanwhile,make the gravy. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened and lightly coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard, Worcestershire or soy sauce and stock and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer for 15 minutes, then taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the toad with cabbage or broccoli and lashings of gravy.

Aromatic soy pork

Slice the pork into long thin strips. Put the stock, soy sauce, sherry, 5-spice powder (or paste), ginger, garlic and spring onions into a small saucepan with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer. After about 2 minutes, when the stock ingredients have got to know each other, stir in the pork, cover and let it simmer away, but not boil. It will take about 5 minutes for the pork to change colour and become firm, then you know it is cooked.

Put the noodles in a bowl with boiling water and soak for 4 minutes. Cut the bok choi or leaves, widthways, into 2.5cm/1in slices. Drain the noodles and toss with oil and sesame seeds.

When the pork is ready, stir in the bok choi, simmer for 1 minute. To serve, pile the noodles into a bowl, spoon pork and other bits on top, pour the broth around and scatter coriander leaves over. And don’t forget to keep paper napkins handy for those noodle slurps.

Irish coddled pork with cider

Heat the butter in a casserole dish until sizzling, then fry the pork for 2-3 mins on each side until browned. Remove from the pan.

Tip the bacon, carrot, potatoes and swede into the pan, then gently fry until slightly coloured. Stir in the cabbage, sit the chops back on top, add the bay leaf, then pour over the cider and stock. Cover the pan, then leave everything to gently simmer for 20 mins until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Serve at the table spooned straight from the dish.

Crisp cider-braised pork belly

Day 1: Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Place all the ingredients except the pork and sunflower oil in a flameproof pan that will fit the pork snugly – a casserole dish is ideal. Season, bring everything to the boil then turn down the heat and slide the pork into the pan. The pork should be totally submerged – if it isn’t, top up with water. Cover the dish with a lid or tight tent of foil and place it in the oven for 3 hrs undisturbed.

When the pork is cooked, leave it to cool slightly in the stock. Line a flat baking tray with cling film. Carefully lift the pork into the tray and make sure you get rid of any bits of vegetables or herbs as they will end up pressed into the pork. Cover the pork with another sheet of cling film and cover with a flat tray or dish – the tray must be completely flat as any indentations will be pressed into the pork. Weigh the pork down with another dish or some cans and leave to cool in the fridge overnight. Strain the juices into a jug or small saucepan, cover and chill.

Day 2: Unwrap the pork and place on a board. Trim the uneven edges so that you have a neat sheet of meat. Cut the meat into 4 equal pieces and set aside until ready to cook. Lift off any bits of fat from the braising juices and tip what will now be jelly into a saucepan, then bubble down by about two-thirds until starting to become slightly syrupy. Add a few more drops of vinegar, to taste.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot, then turn the heat down. Add the pork to the pan, skin-side down – be careful as it has a tendency to spit. Sizzle the pork as you would bacon for 5 mins until the skin is crisp. Flip it over and cook for 3-4 mins until browned. Place a small pile of cabbage on the side of each plate and sit a piece of pork on top. Place a spoonful of mash on the other side of the plate, drizzle over the sauce and serve.

Mary’s paprika pork in a pot

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan add the onions and fry for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly coloured.

Cut the pork into sizeable chunks, then add to the pan and stir over a fairly high heat to seal and brown them all over. Stir in the paprika, cook briefly, then add the stock and bring to the boil.

Cover and cook for 30-35 minutes, until the pork is tender. Stir in the crème fraîche and simmer for a further 2 minutes. (You can prepare the dish to this point up to 2 days ahead or freeze for up to 3 months.) If you have a few chives or a bit of parsley handy, snip this over the pork before serving with rice and a green vegetable – broccoli or stir-fried cabbage make the perfect accompaniment to this simple but delicious dish.

Roast pork with cider gravy

Heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7. Score the skin of the pork and rub with olive oil and sea salt. Put the pork, leeks, carrots, turnip and herbs in large high-sided roasting pan and pour in the cider and stock. Roast for 30 minutes, then take the roasting tray out of the oven and cover tightly with foil. Return to the oven and turn the heat to 150C/ 130C fan/ gas 2.

After 4 hours, remove the foil, turn the oven back up again to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7 and roast for another 30 minutes.

Take the pork out of the oven, remove the meat, cover and set aside to rest. Drain the cooking liquid, pouring off any excess fat. Either serve or discard the cooking vegetables.

To make the gravy, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour, cook for 2 minutes then whisk in the cooking liquid. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve alongside the meat. Delicious with braised red cabbage and roast potatoes.

Herb roast pork with vegetable roasties & apple gravy

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut all the rind and fat off the pork and discard so that you are left with a lean chunk of meat. Spread with the mustard, scatter with the chopped herbs and season with black pepper. Place the prosciutto slices on top of the pork to protect the meat where the fat has been removed.

Spray a large roasting tin with oil and put the pork in the centre. Surround with all the vegetables, scatter with the thyme sprigs, then spray again and cover with foil. Roast for 1 hr, then turn the heat up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Uncover, spray again and roast for 20 mins more.

Meanwhile, make the gravy. Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a wet paste, heat the stock in a pan, stir in the cornflour mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add the apple and cook for 5 mins until it’s softened but still holds its shape.

Remove the meat from the tin and pour any juices from the tin into the gravy. Spray the veg with oil and roast for 20 mins more (while the meat rests) to brown them. Serve the pork with the roasted and fresh vegetables, and the apple gravy.

Gyoza

Put the spring onions, cabbage, ginger and garlic in a food processor, and whizz to a fine mix (or finely chop by hand).

Add the water chestnuts and pulse to chop, but not too finely – these will add a nice crunchy texture. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sake, sesame oil and a pinch of salt, and whizz again.

Tip the ingredients into a bowl and add the minced pork or chicken. Mix by hand until well combined. Chill until ready to use.

Have a pot of water to hand. Sprinkle the cornflour onto a plate. To assemble the gyoza, hold the dumpling skin in the palm of one hand and put a heaped teaspoon of the filling onto the centre of the skin.

Dip your finger in the water and wipe around the edge of the skin – this will moisten it and help the edges stick together.

Bring the edges of the skin together. Pinch pleats along one side, then press each pleat against the opposite flat side of the skin. With each pinch make sure that you are sealing the parcel and keeping the filling in the centre. Put each gyoza onto the plate dusted with cornflour. Can be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 8 hrs.

Cook the gyoza in batches. Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Brush off any excess cornflour from the bases of the dumplings. Fry the gyoza on one side only – don’t turn them over, you just want one crispy side. They should be golden brown after about 2 mins.

Add a good splash of water to the pan and cover with a steaming lid or a large sheet of foil with a few holes poked in the top. Cook over a medium heat for 3-5 mins until the water has evaporated and the gyoza filling is cooked through. Set aside while you cook the rest.

Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients and serve alongside the dumplings in dipping bowls. You can serve with both or just one dipping sauce.

sausages with braised cabbage and caraway 1

Sausages with braised cabbage & caraway

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the sausages and fry them over a medium-high heat for 10 mins, turning as they take on colour. Remove from the pan, then wipe out the pan with kitchen paper.

Melt the butter in the pan and tip in the onions. Season, cover and cook for 10 mins, stirring a few times during cooking, until the onions are softening and dark golden here and there.

Sprinkle the caraway seeds into the onions, fry for 2 mins more, then nestle the cabbage wedges into the pan. Pour in the stock, pop on the lid and simmer for 5 mins. Add the sausages to the pan and cook for 10 mins more until the cabbage is tender but still holding some of its green colour, and the sausages are cooked through. Spoon in the crème fraîche and shake the pan a few times to help it mix into the rich onion sauce below. Serve in wide bowls with mashed potatoes and mustard.

Korean fried chicken burgers

Make the slaw by combining all the ingredients together. Taste and add more chilli powder, if you like. Chill in the fridge.

To make the sauce, put all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently until syrupy. Take off the heat and set aside.

Cut away any fatty excess from the chicken thighs, then season with salt, pepper and the grated ginger. Toss the chicken with the cornflour until completely coated.

Heat about 2cm of vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken thighs for 4-5 mins each side until crisp. Remove from the oil onto kitchen paper and leave to cool slightly for 2 mins. Then re-fry in the hot oil until ultra-crisp and you can hear it crackle. Remove to kitchen paper to drain.

Reheat the sauce. Build your burgers by placing some lettuce and kimchi slaw on the base of a bun, top with the crispy chicken and drizzle over the sticky sauce.

Braised cabbage with pork

Finely slice the onion and put it and the dripping in a heavy-based, flameproof casserole dish. Fry the onion over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 mins.

Cut the core from the cabbage and finely slice the leaves. Add this to the dish and toss everything together, cooking over a low heat while you peel and slice the apple.

Crush the juniper and caraway seeds together and add these and the apple slices to the pan. Season and pour in the cider. Stir well and bring to a simmer, cover the dish and cook for 20 mins.

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Season the chops on both sides. Heat a heavy-based frying pan on a medium-high heat with the oil and brown the chops on both sides. Remove from the pan and place in the casserole dish on top of the cabbage, adding the stock cube, crumbling it over. Put the lid back on and cook in the oven for a further 30 mins. If there is a lot of liquid in the dish, place on the hob and simmer until it evaporates a little. Check the seasoning and serve with mashed potato.

Steam-fried bao buns (Sheng jian bao)

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast and 1/ 4 tsp salt with 180ml lukewarm water. Knead the mixture for 10 mins or until elastic. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/ 2 hrs.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the seasoning ingredients and 1/ 4 tsp salt. In a separate small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water and set aside.

In a wok over a medium heat, fry the ginger with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil for 30 secs. Add the mushrooms and the seasoning mixture and stir-fry for 1 min. Pour the cornflour paste into the wok and stir-fry for 1 min more, or until the sauce thickens.

Add the Chinese cabbage and fry briefly, then remove the wok from the heat. Add the noodles, tofu, spring onions, sweetcorn and sesame oil. Gently fold everything together so that the filling is evenly mixed, then leave to cool.

Punch the air out of the dough and divide into 20 small balls about the size of a golf ball, each weighing roughly 25g. Put them in a roasting tin and re-cover with the tea towel. Leave in a warm place to prove for a further 20 mins.

Flatten the dough balls with your hands. Use the tip of a rolling pin to roll around the edge of the dough ball a few times to flatten it, then gently work around the edges using your fingertips. The aim is to achieve a round sheet of dough with a thicker bump in the middle on which you can place the filling. Repeat until all of the balls have been rolled. Cover them again with the damp tea towel as you go so they don’t dry out.

Taking a dough sheet in the palm of your hand, put 2 tsp of the filling in the middle. Cup your palm so the filling remains in the middle, then gently gather up the edges into the middle and twist to seal. Continue until all the buns are filled. Put them back in the roasting tin and re-cover with the tea towel again

Add 1 tbsp rapeseed oil to a frying pan over a medium heat. Arrange half the buns in the pan, leaving 1/ 2 cm between them so they have enough room to rise during cooking. Fry for 1-2 mins, sprinkling with a little water, then pour 100ml water into the pan and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Cook for 2-3 mins until all the water has evaporated and the buns have doubled in size. They should become very white and the bottom should be crispy and golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and the rest of the buns. Mix the sriracha and oyster sauce together in a small dish and serve with the buns.

Slow-cooked goose with cranberry salsa

Take the goose out of the fridge 1 hr before cooking. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. In a frying pan, toast the whole spices over a medium heat until aromatic. Use a pestle and mortar (or spice grinder) to grind to a fine powder. Mix in the crumbled stock cubes, orange zest, 1 tsp salt and cinnamon.

Lay the goose in a high-sided roasting tin, score the skin all over with a sharp knife and rub in the spice mix, making sure you press into all the cut marks. Loosely cover the tin with foil and roast for 2 hrs, then remove the foil and roast for a further 2 hrs. Once cooked, rest for at least 20 mins, loosely covered with foil. Reserving the fat to roast your cabbage (see goes well with).

While the goose cooks, make the salsa. Fry the onions in the oil over a medium heat for 10-15 mins until golden brown. Add the cranberries, cook for a few more mins, then remove from the heat. Mix in the remaining salsa ingredients and keep in a warm place to allow the flavours to infuse. Carve the goose and serve with the salsa.

Easy Christmas turkey

Take your turkey out of the fridge at least 1 hr before you cook it. Heat oven to 200 C/180 C fan/ gas 6 and beat the butter with the rosemary. Starting from the neck of the turkey, carefully push your fingers underneath the skin until you can get your whole hand between the skin and the breast meat. Trying not to tear the skin as you go, spread the butter inside the pocket, squishing some into the crevice between the thigh and breast meat.

Put the garlic, lemon and bay leaves inside the turkey, then season liberally all over. Put the shallots in your largest flameproof roasting tin and put the turkey on top, breast-side up. Roast for 1 hr, then give it a good baste, pour in the wine and nestle the cabbage wedges in the tin (or underneath the turkey if they won’t fit). Return to the oven for another 30 mins – covered with foil if the turkey is looking too brown. The juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh, or a thermometer should read 75 C. If not done, carry on cooking for a further 5-10 mins.

Set aside the turkey on a board to rest for 1 hr, transferring the garlic and bay to the roasting tin for the gravy. If you want crispy skin, don’t cover the turkey. Wrap the cabbage wedges in two parcels of foil, with a spoonful of the turkey juices, season liberally and return to the bottom of the oven to carry on cooking while the turkey rests.

Spoon away most of the turkey fat, then put the tin on the hob over a medium heat. Mash the veg with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible , then pour in the stock and reduce the gravy by half. If you want to thicken it, stir in the cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water. Once happy with the consistency, strain and keep warm until ready to eat.

Lamb scouse

Toss the lamb pieces in flour and season well. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides, adding more oil if needed, then set aside on a plate.

Turn down the heat to medium and pour in 2 tbsp oil, tip in the onion, carrots and turnips, add a pinch of salt and cook for 8 mins until softened and coloured. Return the meat to the dish along with the ale, stock and herbs. Crumble in the stock cubes and season well.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, sitting the potatoes on the top of the stew. Cook for 2 hrs until the meat is tender and the potatoes are soft. Serve with pickled cabbage or beetroot, if you like.

Japanese okonomiyaki

Combine the flour, baking powder, egg and stock. Mix until smooth, whisking out any lumps without overmixing. Add the potato, season with a little salt and white pepper, cover and rest for at least 2 hrs.

While the mix is resting, combine the ingredients for the sauce, stirring until it’s smooth. Set aside.

Remove the batter from the fridge and add the cabbage, spring onion, ginger, soy, mirin and chosen seafood. Stir to thoroughly coat the mix in the batter.

Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Pour the mixture into the pan, keeping it as circular as possible. Fry for 3-5 mins. Use a palette knife to help you flip it over and cook for a further 3-5 mins, using a lid at intervals to trap the heat so it cooks through. Test to see if it’s ready by sticking a chopstick into the middle. If it comes out dry, it’s ready.

Flip onto a board and serve with the sauce and garnishes to taste. Eat straight away.

Korean chicken wings with sesame slaw

In a large bowl, mix together the gochujang, honey, soy, juice of 1 lime and sesame oil. Toss in the chicken wings and leave to marinate for a couple of hours, or if you have time, overnight.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Transfer the wings to a large roasting tin, or two smaller ones, spreading out in a single layer so that they cook evenly. Roast for 50–55 mins, basting regularly until sticky and caramelized and the meat is starting to fall away from the bone.

While the wings are roasting, prepare the slaw. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl with a little sea salt and black pepper. Just before serving, drizzle over a little sesame oil and eat with the wings. Kitchen paper recommended.

roast chicken with rosemary and garlic root veg

Roast chicken with garlic & rosemary root veg

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spread the onion and half the garlic cloves around the base of a large roasting tin. Pick the tops off all the rosemary sprigs and set them aside, then stuff the remaining stalks into the chicken cavity and sit it on top of the onions. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil and season well. Cover with foil and roast in the oven for 1 hr 20 mins, removing the foil for the last 20 mins.

Just after the chicken goes in, put the vegetables in a second roasting tin along with the remaining garlic and the rosemary tops. Drizzle with the remaining oil, season and put in the oven underneath the chicken for 1 hr-1 hr 10 mins or until soft and lightly browned.

Check the chicken is cooked by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer – the juices should run clear; if not, put it back in the oven and test again after another 10 mins. Carefully remove the chicken from the roasting tin and rest it on a board 15-20 mins.

As the chicken rests, keep the vegetables warm and make the gravy. Put the roasting tin with the onions on a hob over a low heat, add the flour, mix well until it forms a paste, then pour in the stock, stirring constantly until thickened. Simmer for 5 mins, then season to taste. Strain into a gravy boat or heatproof jug and serve with the chicken, vegetables, cabbage and roast potatoes.

Chicken & lemon skewers

Chop half the mint and put in a bowl with the yogurt, half the lemon juice, all the lemon zest, spices and ginger. Mix well and season with lots of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Add the chicken pieces, mix well and put in the fridge for 20-30 mins. Meanwhile, soak 4 large wooden skewers in water for at least 20 mins (or use metal ones).

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat your grill to a medium heat and line the grill tray with foil. Thread the chicken onto the soaked wooden or metal skewers and grill for 15-20 mins, turning halfway through, until browned and cooked through.

Warm the flatbreads under the grill for a couple of seconds, then serve them topped with the lettuce, chicken, red onion, remaining lemon juice and mint, and any optional extras such as extra yogurt or pickled cabbage, chilli sauce and hummus.

Chicken & leek filo pie

Heat a third of the butter in a large saucepan, cook the leeks for 10 mins or until softened, then tip onto a plate and repeat with another third of the butter and the mushrooms. Heat the remaining butter in the same saucepan and, once melted, stir in the flour and cook the sandy paste for 1 min, then stir in the chicken stock a ladleful at a time. Leave on a low heat to simmer for 5 mins, then stir the chicken, leek, mushrooms, cream and mustard into the sauce, add the parsley and season with salt and cracked black pepper. Spoon into a 20cm pie dish and leave to cool. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Lay a sheet of filo on a chopping board and brush with olive oil, then place on top of the pie with the corners resting on the sides of the dish, then repeat the process, placing the next sheet slightly off-centre – the idea is to fan the sheets of filo. Brush every layer with oil, and on the last layer sprinkle over salt, thyme leaves and nigella seeds. Press the pastry gently into the edge of the dish. Bake for about 1 hr until the pastry is deep golden, then remove from the oven and serve with buttered cabbage and mashed potato, if you like.

One-pot Chinese chicken noodle soup

Drizzle the honey over the base of a large saucepan and bubble briefly to a caramel, then splash in the soy, bubble, add half the chilli and the chicken stock and simmer for 5 mins. Add the chicken, if using, and ginger, and simmer for another 5 mins. Stir in the cabbage and noodles and cook until just wilted and the noodles have heated through. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle over the remaining chilli and the spring onions.

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