When your family or friends come knocking it’s all about great conversation, good company and delicious food.
We’ve got three of our favourite recipes here for you to prepare and enjoy at home
Pasta Pesto with Garlic and Rosemary Chicken
Chicken Ingredients: Pesto Ingredients:
2 x 200 g skinless free-range chicken breasts 50 g blanched almonds
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary 50 g Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic 1 lemon
1-2 fresh red chillies 1 clove of garlic
8 ripe cherry tomatoes 300 g fresh lasagne sheets
250 g green beans 200 g baby spinach
Preparation:
- Start with a large sheet of greaseproof paper, then sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, fennel seeds and the rosemary leaves
- Fold the sheet over the chicken, then flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin or bottle
- Put ingredients into a frying pan with the rapeseed oil, the bashed unpeeled garlic cloves and the halved chillies, turning after about 3 or 4 minutes, until cooked through and golden
- Cut the stalks from the beans, place into a casserole pan, cover with boiling salted water and cook for 6 minutes with the lid on
- Take some basil leaves for the garnish, then remove the stalks and put the rest of the bunch into a food processor along with the almonds, Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice
- Add in the unpeeled garlic using a garlic crusher
- Blitz until smooth, adding a spoon or two of water from the beans to loosen, then season to taste
- Slice the lasagne sheets up into random handkerchief shapes and add to the beans to cook for a couple of minutes
- Halve or quarter the tomatoes, add to the chicken and give the pan a shake
- Stir the spinach into the pasta pan, then drain, reserving a cupful of the starchy cooking water
- Return the pasta, beans and spinach to the pan, pour in the pesto from the processor and stir together, loosening with splashes of cooking water until silky
- Cut the chicken breasts in half and serve with the tomatoes and chilli served over the top
- Grate some more Parmesan over the pasta, then sprinkle everything with basil leaves
Lamb Boti Kabab
Marinade Ingredients: Lamb Ingredients:
5 cloves of garlic 1 kg boneless leg lamb
3cm piece of ginger Unsalted butter
½ a lime
150 g Greek yoghurt
50 ml sunflower oil
35 g papaya paste (see tip)
20 g deggi mirch (see tip)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 pinch of cumin seeds
1 pinch of ground cumin
Preparation:
- Remove the fat from the lamb, then cut into 2.5cm cubes. Prick the meat all over with a fork, then squeeze out any moisture and dry down with a cloth.
- Grate the garlic and ginger, then mix with 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and the rest of the marinade ingredients.
- Place the lamb chunks into the marinade and cover, then store in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
- Once the meat is ready, preheat the grill to high. Thread the meat through skewers, keeping the chunks 2.5cm apart.
- Grill the kebabs for 5 minutes, then turn and cook them for another 2 minutes.
- Melt the butter, then use it to baste the kebabs and grill for a final 5 minutes.
- Serve straight away.
Salmon & pesto-dressed veg
Salmon Ingredients: Pesto Ingredients:
600 g new potatoes 25 g pine nuts
200 g fine green beans ½ a small clove of garlic
200 g tenderstem broccoli 50 g fresh basil
4 x 120 g salmon fillets extra virgin olive oil
olive oil 15 g Parmesan cheese
1 lemon
Preparation:
- For the pesto, put a small frying pan over a medium heat, add in the pine nuts and toast until lightly golden
- Peel the garlic, then place inside a pestle and mortar with a dash of sea salt and basil leaves
- Bash the mixture to a paste, then add the pine nuts and pound again, leaving a bit of texture. Place the mixture into the small bowl.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil then grate and stir through the Parmesan.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Have a taste and season with a pinch of black pepper
- Wash the potatoes well, then trim the beans and broccoli.
- Fill a large pan three quarters of the way up with boiling water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, carefully add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, adding the beans and the broccoli for the final 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat.
- Rub the salmon fillets all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place in the hot pan, skin-side down, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 4 minutes, or until golden underneath.
- Use a fish slice to turn them over, then cook the fillets for a further 2 to 3 minutes, or until just cooked through.
- Remove the pan from the heat, rest for 30 seconds, then add a good squeeze of lemon juice and give the pan a good shake.
- Drain the vegetables well, then tip into to a large bowl. Add the pesto, then use tongs to coat everything nicely.
- Divide the fish fillets and vegetables between your plates, drizzle over the juices from the pan, then serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
