Risotto is simple yet comforting, you just need a good home made stock and not a stock cube or powder.

Make your own and freeze what you don’t need for another day.

Chicken carcass, bones and wings

Carrot x2

Celery stick x2

Onion x1

Bay leaf x3

Black pepper corns 6

Tomato x1

Leek x1

Fresh parsley and thyme (big handfuls)

3 ltr water

Roughly chop the vegetables and place in a large pan with the chicken, water and remaining ingredients. Gently bring up to boiling point then reduce to a gentle simmer .

Simmer for 3 hours skimming off any scum.

Strain through a fine sieve squeezing every last drop of liquid and loveliness from the soft vegetables.

For an ‘oriental’ stock add garlic and a couple of chilles (with or without seeds). 

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I haven’t had much by way of meat lately but a pork chop loitering in my freezer grabbed my attention.

And whilst it was defrosting my subconscious was working overtime to come up with a recipe to do justice to my sage plant and a bottle of French cider acquired recently during a reconnoitre to Granada.

I used to live in France so I know this is my made up version but at least the cider is from Normandy. The pork is Andalucian and the shallots are from France. The sage is from my Andaluz patio.

Using a suitable casserole dish this is cooking for one…

Brown a pork chop in a little oil

Sauté shallots, sliced carrot and a few cauliflower florets

Add a garlic clove

Add a splodge tomato purée

Add bay leaf, ground black pepper

Add peeled and sliced apple

Add a couple of slugs of cider

Then a ladle of hot stock to cover the ingredients

Sprinkle with dried or fresh sage

Layer with thinly sliced potatoes and a few dots of butter

Place in a preheated oven at 190°C for 35 minutes or until the top layer of potatoes have started to brown and crisp up. 

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The star of this show is the marmalade, so easy to make and lasts for a few weeks in the fridge in an airtight jar.

A knob grated fresh ginger

2 medium onions

A large glug of olive oil

3 rosemary sprigs

225 ml dry white wine

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soft dark brown sugar

Seasoning

Slice the onions then add to a frying pan with hot oil throwing in the rosemary. Stir and toss until the edges have browned.

Pour in the white wine, white wine vinegar, sugar, ginger and bring things up to a boil. Season then reduce to a simmer for 1½ hours or until the liquid has virtually disappeared.

When done remove the rosemary and pour into a bowl allowing it to cool – tastes good when served at room temperature with hot bean cakes.

As for the bean cakes I used pre-cooked kidney beans, boiled pardina lentils, sautéed red onion, carrot, red pepper, chilli, garlic and lots of flat leaf parsley and black pepper.

The presentation works really well with lambs lettuce or watercress but when needs must I used iceberg lettuce with Rosa’s tomatoes. 

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After making Mulligatawny Soup all evening this was supper.

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, melba toast, beetroot, cornichons (baby gherkins), fresh thyme, black pepper, squeeze of lemon

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, melba toast, capers, paprika, black pepper, squeeze of lemon

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, melba toast, grated carrot, fresh parsley, black pepper, squeeze of lemon

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, melba toast, boiled egg, fresh basil, black pepper, squeeze of lemon

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, melba toast, stegte løg (deep fried onions), remoulade, fresh mint, black pepper, squeeze of lemon

Works really well with a chilled dry white wine, the last of the evening sunshine and a roof terrace.

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When I was a young man of 17, just starting out in my working life in the big city, I discovered The Taj Mahal in Streatham, south London. At this Indian restaurant, just off Streatham High Road, was an experience that 4½ decades later I would still hanker after. Mulligatawny  Soup – a bowl of green, wonderful liquid with a slice of lemon and a few grains of rice floating near the bottom of the ample bowl. I loved Mulligatawny Soup produced by this delightful kitchen.

In 1972 I left London for sunnier climes… well, Lancashire. It was actually dark, dismal and it rained a lot and despite its quite high Asian population their restaurants were a pretty poor show. And as time went by and things improved considerably (not the weather I may add) I could never, never ever find a Mulligatawny Soup that didn’t consist of something resembling a bowl of curry with some rice throw in as an afterthought. Mulligatawny is GREEN! Mind you, no sleight on Lancashire as I have never experienced The Taj Mahal’s Mulligatawny Soup anywhere, and I mean anywhere other than in Streatham.

Around 2005 I found myself in Streatham. It didn’t take long before I strolled along the High Road and there on Leigham Court Road was The bloody Taj Mahal – just as I remembered it! But surely after 33 years they couldn’t still be serving up the same soup, no not possible but just maybe, maybe. My heart raced and that usually only happens when I am watching Chelsea play or a pretty woman smiles at me.

I didn’t recognise the interior nor the menu which reflected dishes served up in 90% of the UK’s curry houses.

Downhearted I reluctantly ordered Mulligatawny Soup and Chicken Dupiaza…

It was early evening, I couldn’t stand the anticipation and decided to eat at 6pm. And whilst nibbling a poppadum or two I engaged the waiter who turned out to be the manager. I told him I frequented the establishment in the late sixties and early seventies and I asked who the owner was today and he told me that he was, having bought the business from the original owner, Mr Khan. He further explained that it opened in 1961 – one of the first in south London and after selling up Mr Khan returned to India having purchased a tea plantation with his profits.  

The soup arrived – a bowl of curry with a slice of lemon. It was disappointing, the chicken with pillau rice was OK.

The owner did ask me how the soup fared, he could tell by my dejected reaction and I think he felt a little sorry for me.

Anyway, if you don’t mind fast forwarding to 2013 I’ll continue.

One evening in July I found Rick Stein’s India on BBC’s iPlayer. I like Rick, India and Mulligatawny Soup of course so I watched it knowing that the TV series is to sell a book. I have them all (I know, I know)… and blimey, in one of the episode he visits The Madras Club and they cook Mulligatawny Soup and it is GREEN!

Now, I have bought cookery books on the strength that one of the recipes is my much longed for but never forgotten soup. And since 1995 I have scoured the internet but to no avail. I have never found a recipe that produces GREEN Mulligatawny. I even badgered my Indian friend, Amit who works and lives in Pune – his wife was bound to know?

Books, the internet and Amit’s wife drew a blank but thanks to Rick things have changed.

So this evening instead of sitting on my roof terrace enjoying the sunshine and a glass of something chilled in heat of 40°C I tried to recreate, the real, proper and pukka Mulligatawny Soup – the GREEN version.

It wasn’t such a bad attempt and over the months I am going to tweak it until it becomes Streatham’s finest, Andaluz style.

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Lurking at the back of my fridge was a chicken leg. Not quite what I fancied but it needed using or freezing so I opted to jazz it up a bit by boning the leg, then stuffing it.

If you cannot get your butcher to do it then it is not so difficult to bone a leg yourself just make sure you have a sharp knife.

Stuffed chicken leg with goat’s cheese and thyme

Mix goat’s cheese with chopped fresh thyme, pepper and a little finely chopped garlic. There’s your stuffing which can be set aside.

Take a boned leg of chicken and flatten it a little then place the stuffing along the length rolling up tightly in food grade cling film sealing the end with a knot or string.

Poach the leg in a pain of boiling water for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool a little so that you can remove the cling film.

Heat a pan with a little oil then gently sauté the leg for a few minutes until it has taken on colour.

Serve with roasted tomatoes and shallots, garlic and thyme.

It is best served on your roof terrace around 10 pm with a glass of something of your choice. 

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The last ripe tomato sitting in my kitchen winked at me saying, ‘use me or lose me…’ the bunch were ripe when I bought them anyway so the last chance to use it inspired this.

Baked aubergine and mozzarella tower with tomato, ginger and mint salsa. A starter for one. 

Somebody has just asked me for the recipe, I thought you'd get it from the picture but here it is anyway. 

Slice aubergine then griddle. Slice mozzarella and place between the aubergine slices making a tower. Place in the oven on high for 10 minutes or so. 

For the salsa:

Dice a ripe tomato discarding the seeds. Place in a ramekin and add finely chopped garlic, white pepper, cayenne pepper, shredded mint, grated ginger and a glug of extra virgin olive. Allow time to marry - 5 minutes will be enough. 


When the tower is ready drizzle with the salsa and serve immediately. 

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Griddle sliced aubergine. Chop a ripe tomato, finely slice some red onion and chop some feta into small blocks. 

Chop a garlic clove, some flat leaf parsley, mint and basil then mix with a good squeeze of lemon juice and a glug of extra virgin olive oil. Allow 5 minutes for the flavours to mix and marry.

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Just what you need on a baking hot Andalucían day I hear you say. But if you wait until the late evening (9.30pm in my case) and leave your bake to rest until it reaches room temperature (which is still quite warm) it is absolutely delicious.

This is a great way to use up vegetables and mine consisted of:

Aubergine

Leek

Carrot

Tomatoes

Red pepper

Green beans

Brown rice

Red chilli

Garlic

Black pepper

Turmeric powder

2 cubes red pepper coulis (see previous post)

And for the crust:

Breadcrumbs

Garlic

Poppy seeds

Toasted pine nuts

Parmesan

Fresh herbs (parsley, basil & thyme)

White pepper

Boil the rice then fry off the vegetables in batches (except the tomatoes). Whiz the crust ingredients together.

When done add the rice to the vegetables and mix together so that the rice takes on the yellow pigment of the turmeric .

Place the vegetable mix in an oven proof dish, slice the tomato over then sprinkle with the crust mixture, drizzle over a little olive oil. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden.

This goes very well with a glass of something chilled whilst sitting on a roof terrace taking in the view of the olive groves as the sun goes down. 

And by 10pm

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Broad bean, griddled courgette, lentil and marinated feta salad with a tangy sun-dried tomato dressing

This is one for my veggie friends although I suspect my feta was made with animal rennet.

Firstly, cut up a piece of a block of feta and place in a jar together with a handful of toasted fennel seeds, juniper berries and some torn basil leaves. Pour over olive oil and screw the jar top tightly down and place in the fridge to marinate (preferably overnight).

Now make the dressing and use a little imagination if you do not have all of the ingredients.

A few sun dried tomatoes in oil

One lemon grass stalk (dried if you cannot obtain fresh)

Small knob of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

Splash soy sauce

Glug rice wine vinegar (use white or cider if you haven’t got rice wine)

Big squeeze lemon juice

Extra virgin olive oil

Whizz all of the ingredients slowly adding olive oil as you blend. When done pass through a fine sieve squeezing as much juice out of the pulp as possible. Add salt to taste.

When you are ready to eat boil some Pardina lentils as per instructions on the packet then griddle some sliced courgette and blanch a handful of broad beans.

Mix the marinated feta, cooked vegetables and lentils with chopped parsley and mint then layer up on a platter with a good slosh of the dressing.

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Sometimes I crave the heat and taste of curry, cooked from scratch. This recipe of cubed shoulder of lamb and butternut squash contains just about everything in my spice cupboard. The spices need to be dry fried (don’t let them burn) in order to bring out the oils and aromas.

I know that the cooking process kills off a lot of the benefits in fresh and dried herbs and spices but try eating a raw curry. My ‘healthy’ version contained:

Cinnamon/Casia bark

Cinnamon has antifungal properties, and it's been said that candida cannot live in a cinnamon environment. 

Turmeric powder

Is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

Black pepper

Black pepper stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion.

Cumin seeds

Antioxidant content of cumin seeds has been found to be 'potent'...

Coriander seeds

In the US, coriander has recently been studied for its cholesterol-lowering effects.

Fenugreek seeds

Several human intervention trials demonstrated that the anti-diabetic effects of fenugreek seeds ameliorate most metabolic symptoms associated with type-1 and type-2 diabetes in humans.

Cardamom pods

These aromatic pods are rich in many vital vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health.

Bay leaves

Arthritis, osteoporosis and rheumatism symptoms can be eased by adding bay leaves to your diet. 

Garlic

Garlic promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation. 

Ginger

Ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body.

Parsley

A rich source of anti-oxidant nutrients.

Onions

Flavonoids promote a healthy heart; Onions are rich in flavonoids which help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Butternut squash

Butternut squash delivers an ample dose of dietary fibre, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems.

Cloves

The active principles in the clove are known to have antioxidant, anti-septic, local anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory, carminative and anti-flatulent properties.

Cayenne pepper
Cayenne is a well-known digestive aid. It stimulates the digestive tract, increasing the flow of enzyme production and gastric juices.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are widely known for their outstanding antioxidant content, including, of course, their rich concentration of lycopene.

Red lentils

A fibre all-star.

Lemon

Being rich in Vitamin C, it is also essential for maintaining a fully functional immune system, aiding digestion, fighting cancer, helping wounds to heal faster and can even help to prevent heart failure.

Lamb

Grass-fed lamb is a significant source of omega-3 fats.

Now, who is for a BIG curry? I know this contains a lot of ingredients but you cannot hurry a curry - it needs time and love. 

P.S. It ALWAYS taste better the following day when things have had a chance to marry and mingle.

P.P.S. This is cooking for ONE so I shall be freezing the rest, obviously. 

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This is easy to make even if you do not have a jar of red Thai curry paste to hand. And assuming you have the ingredients, of course.

For the curry:

First, par boil cubes of butternut squash (or sweet potato).

Lightly fry a sliced spring onion in oil for a minute or so. At this point I add a piece of cinnamon or cassia bark because we all know how good that is for us, don’t we? I also add a sprinkling of turmeric powder because I know that my mind will thank me for it one day although it may not remember why.

 

Now add a tablespoon or two of red Thai curry paste. Let it simmer away for a minute or two as the paste releases its wonderful fragrance.

Now whisk in some coconut milk (full fat, not light version), a little chicken stock a good shake of fish sauce (soy sauce at a push), throw in some kaffir lime leaves (or bay leaves) stir and slowly bring to the boil. Add the par boiled butternut squash.

Add prawns, a good squeeze of lime juice some diced mango and continue to cook until the prawns are cooked through.

Sprinkle some fresh coriander over and serve with steamed plain rice.

For the paste place the following ingredients into a blender then whiz until smooth adding coconut milk until you have a paste to your liking. It always tastes better if made in advance (the flavours have a chance to mingle and mellow).

¼ red onion

1 stalk fresh lemongrass (I cannot source it here so I have no choice but to use dried)

A couple of red chillies (up to you how many seeds you leave in)

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 knob fresh ginger

1 dollop of tomato puree

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

A good shake white pepper

1 Tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce)

½ teaspoon brown sugar

Coconut milk (a couple of tablespoons should do it)

Squeeze lime juice

You can of course make a larger batch then place in a sterilised airtight jar with a slick of olive oil over and it will keep for some while at the back of your fridge.

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A non meat Thursday using up the last of my courgettes, aubergine and fresh coriander. 

Mackerel fish cakes with Courgette, Sweetcorn and Coriander served with Bengali Beguni (fried Aubergine fritters). 

It is quick and easy to knock something together especially when using tinned fish - think oily fish, omegas and all.  

And the aubergine fritters are so easy. Make a batter with gram flour, baking soda, nigella seeds, cayenne pepper... and I think this can be classed as a healthy option, much better than a takeaway.

P.S. A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice will finish it off nicely.  Learn more »

We would all love to have a good supply of wild salmon but I suppose those days are long gone.  Farmed salmon is as good as it is going to get as it is expected that the last fish pulled from our seas will be in a couple of decades.

Salmon with lime, coriander, garlic, chilli and ginger crust served with Sweetcorn, courgette & coriander fritters…

Zest one lime and finely chop 2 garlic cloves, 2 red chillies (leave the seeds out unless you like it hot), a small bunch of fresh coriander and a knob of ginger. Mix these in a bowl with lime juice and olive oil until you have a rough paste. Season. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge which will allow the mixture to mingle and marinate.

Go and have a drink on your roof terrace.

When you are ready remove the mixture and the salmon steak from the fridge to come up to room temperature.

Turn your oven onto high, 200°C will do nicely.  

Place the fish on a greased baking sheet and spoon the mixture over the top then place in the hot oven to bake for 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of your steaks).

To make the fritters grate a courgette and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can. Sift some gram* or plain white flour into a bowl and crack a small egg into the middle and mix, adding a little milk until you have a thick-ish mixture then set aside for 30 minutes.

Add the grated courgette, a couple of spoonfuls of sweetcorn, chopped coriander, sliced red chilli, salt and pepper and gently mix.

Heat a pan with oil of your choice (I used sunflower) and place a spoonful of the mixture into the oil turning after a minute or two, they won’t take long.

*Gram flour is easy to make at home, it is just ground dried chick peas, you need to use a fine sieve to remove the lumps and bits. 

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Fresh, clean, simple and oh so tasty. Healthy option too.  Learn more »

200ml chicken stock

Small glass dry white wine

½  small onion, peeled & sliced

A few  fennel seeds

One lemon

Bunch flat-leaf parsley

Extra virgin olive oil

One skinless chicken supreme  (breasts with the little wing bone attached)

Frozen spinach, enough for one

Several capers

3 cloves garlic

Lemon for zesting 

Few grates nutmeg

Seasoning

Place chicken stock, wine, onions and fennel seeds into a pan and bring up to a simmer

Zest the lemon and finely chop half of the parsley and 2 cloves of garlic mixing together in a bowl with salt and pepper, mushing things up…  set aside for a bit.

Butterfly the supreme and open like a book, spooning  in half of the parsley mixture over each.

Close the supreme and wrap tightly in cling film before placing it in the simmering stock – it should be submerged - keep simmering…  and trust me that despite being wrapped in film simmering in stock works, try it with water, it is not the same.

Chop the rest of the parsley and capers together with the remaining garlic, lemon juice and some extra virgin olive oil - taste and adjust as necessary, add this to the spinach and celery leaves - sauté for a while.

The poached chicken should be ready after 15 minutes but if it is still pink at the thick end then re-wrap and throw it back in the pan.

This is simple, fresh, moist and delicious. 

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And please buy fresh carrots with the tops on, they are perfectly edible and can be used to make:

Carrot Green Pesto

Place a large bunch of washed greens in a whizzer together with a smaller bunch of flat leaf parsley. Combine extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin rapeseed works well, clove or two of garlic, a knob of Parmesan (no need for salt) and some fresh lemon juice. Blitz until smooth, adding a little more oil if necessary.

Spread on toasted bread for another version of bruschetta or run some through freshly cooked pasta of your choice. 

Put excess pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze, it will come in handy to liven up a grilled pork chop for example. 

Pasta with chicken and pesto

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