Papaya & Pineapple Crumble Recipe

Ingredients:

1½ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
6 tbsp butter, diced
¼ cup castor (superfine) sugar
½ cup mixed chopped nuts

For the filling:

1 medium-ripe pineapple
1 large ripe papaya
1 tbsp castor (superfine) sugar
1 tsp mixed (apple pie) spice
Grated rind of 1 lime
Natural (plain) yogurt, to serve

Cooking instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

To make the topping, sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the castor sugar and mixed chopped nuts.

To make the filling, peel the pineapple, remove the eyes, and then cut in half. Cut away the core and cut the flesh into bite size chunks. Halve the papaya and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Peel, then cut the flesh into similar size pieces.

Put the pineapple and papaya chunks into a large ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the sugar, mixed spice and lime rind and toss gently to mix.

Spoon the crumble topping over the fruit and spread out evenly with a fork, but don’t press it down. Bake in the oven until golden brown for about 45 minutes.

Serve the crumble hot or warm with natural yogurt.

Chinese Potatoes with Chili Beans Recipe

Ingredients:

4 potatoes cut into thick chunks
2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut (peanut) oil
3 spring onions (scallions), sliced
1 large chili, seeded and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400 gram canned red kidney beans, drained
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp sesame seeds, to sprinkle
Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley, to garnish

Cooking instructions:

Put the potatoes in a pan, add cold water to cover and bring to the boil. Cover and cook until they are just tender but still firm for about 15 minutes. Take care not to overcook them. Drain well and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or large, heavy frying pan. Add the spring onions and chili and stir-fry over a medium heat for about a minute, then add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds longer.

Rinse and drain the kidney beans, then add them to the pan with the potatoes, stirring well. Finally, stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil.

Add salt and pepper to season and cook the vegetables until they are well heated through. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve immediately, garnished with the chopped fresh coriander or parsley.

Cowboy Hot-pot Recipe

Ingredients:

3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red (bell) pepper, seeded and sliced
1 sweet potato or
2 carrots, chopped
½ cup chopped green beans
400 gram baked beans (canned)
200 gram canned corn
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
1 tsp barbecue spice seasoning
115 gram cheese (preferably smoked), diced
450 gram potatoes, thinly sliced
25 gram butter, melted salt and ground black pepper


Cooking instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add the onion, red pepper and sweet potato or carrots and cook, stirring occasionally until softened but not colored for about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and stir in the green beans, baked beans, corn and liquid, tomato purée and barbecue spice seasoning. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Transfer the vegetable mixture to an ovenproof dish and stir in the diced cheese.

Cover the vegetable and cheese mixture with the potato slices, brush generously with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake the hot-pot until golden brown on top and the potato is cooked for about 35 minutes.

Serve immediately straight from the dish.

Spinach & Potato Galette Recipe

Ingredients:

900 gram large potatoes
4 cups spinach
1 ¾ cups low-fat cream cheese
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 eggs
50 gram mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, chervil or sorrel
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cooking instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Base-line a deep 9 inch round cake tin (pan) with baking parchment.

Place the potatoes in a large pan and add cold water to coven Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Drain well and leave to cool slightly before slicing thinly.

Wash the spinach and place in another large pan with only the water that is clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach has just wilted. Drain well in a sieve (strainer) and squeeze out the excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Chop the spinach finely.

Beat together the cream cheese, mustard and eggs in a bowl, then stir in the chopped spinach and fresh herbs.

Place a layer of the sliced potatoes in the lined tin, arranging them in concentric circles. Top with a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture and spread out. Continue layering, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go, until all the potatoes and the cream cheese mixture are used up.

Cover the tin with a piece of foil, scrunched around the edge, and place in a roasting pan.

Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides and cook the galette in the oven for about 40 minutes. Turn out on to a plate and serve immediately or leave to cool completely and serve cold.

Barley & Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup pearl barley
8 cups beef stock or water, or a combination of both
3 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 large potato, finely chopped
½ cup diced beef
1 bay leaf
43 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 small fresh rosemary sprig
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Cooking instructions:

Pick over the barley and discard any stones or other particles. Wash the barley in cold water, then place it in a bowl, add cold water to cover and leave to soak for at least 3 hours.

Drain the barley and place it in a large pan with the stock or water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for an hour. Skim off any scum.

Stir in the oil, carrots, celery, leek, potato and beef and add the bay leaf, parsley and rosemary. If necessary, add more water; the ingredients should be covered by at least 1 inch. Bring to the boil, and then simmer for until the vegetables and barley are very tender

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling.