Artichoke & Lemon Dip

Good with breadsticks, or try this with grilled lamb or as a topping for crostini

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8, with other dishes

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  138

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  1g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.47g

Ingredients

• 280g jar marinated artichokes, drained
• 1 garlic clove
• 50g pine nuts, toasted, plus extra
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
• 20g pack flatleaf parsley, a few leaves reserved
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, then season with salt and pepper. Purée until fine, then scrape into a bowl. Sprinkle with extra pine nuts and the reserved parsley leaves to serve.

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Chilli Nuts

A little kick of chilli does wonders with nuts

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  425

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  8g

• Fat

  42g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.13g

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened
• 25g sugar
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 300g pecan nuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Mix together the butter, sugar and cayenne, then toss through the pecans, and season with salt if you like. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread out the nuts in a single layer. Cook in the oven for 5 mins. Give the nuts a good stir and cook for another 5 mins or until they are crisp. Remove and leave to cool. You can store the nuts in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Roasted Salt & Paprika Almonds

These nuts have a great kick of spice and can be whipped up quickly ahead of entertaining

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 17 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  240

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  3g

• Fat

  22g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  0.7g

Ingredients

• 2 x 150g packs whole almonds (skins on are fine)
• good knob of butter
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Spread the nuts on a baking tray and roast for 15 mins. Tip the hot nuts into a bowl and toss with the butter, salt and paprika to taste, until coated. Tip the nuts back onto the tray and roast for 2 mins more to dry the coating onto them. Cool and store in an airtight container. The nuts will keep for 3 days.

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Sweet & Spicy Nuts

Roast almonds, Brazil nuts and cashews with spiced flavours then pack up into bags as a homemade gift

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  449

• Protein

  12g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  40g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.02g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 400g mixed nuts, try almonds, Brazil nuts and cashews
• 2 tbsp honey

Directions

1. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Mix the oil with the spices, then stir in the nuts and drizzle over half the honey. Spread over a baking sheet and cook for 10 mins.
2. Remove from the oven and drizzle over the remaining honey, then return to the oven and cook for a further 10 mins. Allow to cool completely.

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Quick Cheese Straws

Delicious cheesy sticks, perfect for dipping, just as good on their own - ready in under 20 minutes.

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 12 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  75

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  7g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  0.18g

Ingredients

• 350g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
• four handfuls grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
• handful flour, to roll pastry on

Directions

1. heat oven to 220c/fan 200c/gas 7. Unroll a puff pastry, scatter over a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan, then fold in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut into 1cm strips, then twist the strips 3-4 times. Lay on a baking sheet, scatter over more cheese and bake for 12 mins, or until golden. Leave to cool, then keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. As these cheese straws are very delicate, roll them in kitchen paper before packing into a plastic container.

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Easy Cheese & Onion Slice

This cheesy dish is a great buffet recipe for guests to just help themselves to

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 8-10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  467

• Protein

  16g

• Carbs

  35g

• Fat

  31g

• Saturates

  19g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  1.37g

Ingredients

• 600g baking potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 300g mature cheddar, 200g grated, 100g cubed
• pinch cayenne pepper
• large bunch spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 500g pack all-butter puff pastry
• jar caramelised red onions (we used English Provender Company), to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Boil potatoes for 15 mins until tender, then drain well and smash a little. Cool slightly.
2. Mix the cheese, cayenne and onions with the smashed potatoes and stir to make a mouldable filling. Roll out the pastry to a rectangle about 25 x 35cm. Carefully lift onto a baking sheet and brush all over with beaten egg.
3. Press the cheese mix along one of the long sides of the pastry, leaving 2cm pastry free on one side for sealing, and half of the pastry empty on the other side for folding over later. Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together, before trimming with a knife and sealing well by pressing the edges with a fork.
4. Brush with egg and bake for 30 mins. Cool, then slice and serve with caramelised red onions. Can be made 1 day ahead

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Gordons Christmas Roast Goose

Gordon Ramsay shows you how to cook the chefs' choice of Christmas main courses - a golden goose. Keep the fat to use through the winter months

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins. cook: 1 hr 20 mins - 3 hrs 30 mins
• Skill Level For the keen cook
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  800

• Protein

  72g

• Carbs

  4g

• Fat

  55g

• Saturates

  18g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  1.7g

Ingredients

• 4-5½ kg fresh goose
• 4 lemons
• 3 limes
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• small handful each of parsley sprigs, thyme and sage, plus extra for garnishing
• a little olive oil, for browning, optional
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp thyme leaf

Directions

1. Calculate the cooking time (see tips, below). If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little-this helps the bird cook better. Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.
2. Grate the zest from the lemons and limes. Mix with 2 tsp fine sea salt, the five-spice powder and pepper to taste. Season the cavity of the goose generously with salt, then rub the citrus mix well into the skin and sprinkle some inside the cavity.
3. Stuff the zested fruit and the herb sprigs inside the bird and set aside for at least 15 mins. Can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.
4. Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. If you want to give the bird a nice golden skin, brown in a large frying pan (or a heavy-based roasting tin), using a couple of tbsp of oil. Holding the bird by the legs (you may like to use an oven glove), press it down on the breasts to brown.
5. Once browned, place the bird in the roasting tin. Drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roast for the calculated time, turning the heat down after 10 mins to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.
6. Every 30 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl . You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat-save this for the potatoes and other veg. At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 mins, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.

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Thai Chicken Skewers

Grilled chicken kebab skewers marinated in fragrant Asian spices make the perfect easy canap

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8 as a starter, 16 as a canapé

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  153

• Protein

  30.3g

• Carbs

  1.4g

• Fat

  2.9g

• Saturates

  0.5g

• Fibre

  0.1g

• Sugar

  1.2g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 4 limes, juice, plus zest of 1
• 1 bunch coriander, stalks and leaves chopped separately
• 1½ tsp sugar
• ¾ tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1½ tsp Thai curry paste
• 8 skinless chicken breasts
• sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the lime juice, zest, coriander stalks, sugar, fish sauce, oil, garlic, ginger and curry paste together.
2. Slice each chicken breasts into 4 strips lengthways and coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to half a day. Soak 32 wooden brochette sticks in water for at least half an hour.
3. Thread each strip onto a wooden brochette stick, weaving in and out as if you're sewing.
4. Preheat the grill or barbecue and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through, in batches.
5. Arrange on a platter. Serve with a pot of sweet chilli sauce and a sprinkling of coriander leaves.

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Home-Style Chicken Curry

A rustic and authentic quick Indian one-pot packed with tonnes of hot Asian spices and fragrant coriander

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  382

• Protein

  46.8g

• Carbs

  10.7g

• Fat

  17.7g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  2.1g

• Sugar

  7.4g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 50g ginger, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 5cm cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 8 chicken thighs, skinned, boneless (about 800g)
• 250ml hot chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander

Directions

1. Roughly chop the onion, transfer to a small food processor, and add 3 tablespoons of water-process to a slack paste. You could use a stick blender for this or coarsely grate the onion into a bowl-there's no need to add any water if you are grating the onion. Tip into a small bowl and leave on one side.
2. Put the chopped garlic and ginger into the same food processor and add 4 tbsp water-process until smooth and spoon into another small bowl. Alternatively, crush the garlic to a paste with a knife or garlic press and finely grate the ginger.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or sturdy pan set over a medium heat. Combine the cumin and fennel seeds with the cinnamon and chilli flakes and add to the pan in one go. Swirl everything around for about 30 secs until the spices release a fragrant aroma.
4. Add the onion paste-it will splutter in the beginning. Fry until the water evaporates and the onions turn a lovely dark golden-this should take about 7-8 mins. Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for another 2 mins-stirring all the time.
5. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, and sugar and continue cooking for 20 secs before tipping in the tomatoes. Continue cooking on a medium heat for about 10 mins without a lid until the tomatoes reduce and darken.
6. Cut the chicken thighs into 3cm chunks and add to the pan once the tomatoes have thickened to a paste. Cook for 5 mins to coat the chicken in the masala and seal in the juices, and then pour over the hot chicken stock. Simmer for 8-10 mins without a lid until the chicken is tender and the masala lightly thickened-you might need to add an extra ladleful of stock or water if the curry needs it. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with Indian flatbreads or fluffy basmati rice and a pot of yogurt on the side.

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Stickiest-Ever Bbq Ribs With Chive Dip

Slow cook these American-style pork ribs so they're really tender then coat in an irresistibly sweet, sticky sauce

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 3 hrs - 4 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4 or 8 with other bbq food

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  450

• Protein

  25g

• Carbs

  37g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  35g

• Salt

  2g

Ingredients

• 2 racks baby back pork ribs
• 2 cans cola
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• For the sauce
• 8 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 8 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tsp paprika
• For the chive dip
• 300ml pot half-fat soured cream
• 2 tbsp salad cream
• small bunch chive, snipped
• 6 spring onions, sliced

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and snugly fit the ribs into a roasting tin. Pour over the cola and enough water to cover the ribs, then cover the tin tightly with foil. Roast for 2-3 hrs, turning halfway through, until the ribs are really tender but not falling apart.
2. Meanwhile, put all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Gently heat, then bubble for about 2 mins, stirring.
3. When the ribs are done, carefully lift each out of the tin and sit on kitchen paper to dry. Tip away the liquid and wipe out the tin. Put the dry ribs back in the tin and coat all over with the sticky sauce. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr to marinate, but better still up to 24 hrs. Can be frozen at this stage.
4. Mix the dip ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.
5. Heat the barbecue and wait for the flames to die down, or heat oven to 220C/200C/gas 7. Add the ribs (in a roasting tin, if using the oven) and cook for 20 mins, turning occasionally, and basting often with remaining sauce. When ribs are sticky, hot through and crisping on the outside, slice to serve. Scatter with sesame seeds, if you like, and plate up with any remaining sticky sauce, warmed, and the chive dip.

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