Red Braised Ginger Pork Belly With Pickled Chillies

Malty Chinese black vinegar makes a great base for a slow-cooked one-pot with ginger, chilli and a thrifty cut of meat

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 2 hrs, 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  695

• Protein

  52g

• Carbs

  20g

• Fat

  46g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  19g

• Salt

  1.6g

Ingredients

• 2½ kg pork belly, rind removed, cut into 5cm pieces
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 200ml Shaohsing rice wine
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks
• pinch of chilli flakes
• 100ml Chinese black vinegar (available from Waitrose)
• 140g soft brown sugar
• 700ml vegetable stock
• To serve
• toasted sesame seeds
• sliced spring onions
• 2 red chillies, sliced and soaked in rice wine vinegar for 1 hr, then drained
• steamed white rice

Directions

1. Toss the pork with the soy and 1 tbsp of the rice wine. Leave for 1 hr or, even better, overnight in the fridge.
2. Heat some of the oil in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Brown the meat, in batches, on both sides and set aside. Add a little more oil and cook the garlic, ginger and chilli for 2-3 mins until golden.
3. Pour the vinegar, remaining rice wine, sugar and stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Add the pork, then turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hrs or until the meat is tender. For the final 30 mins, remove the lid, increase the heat and let the liquid reduce until thick and syrupy. Serve scattered with the sesame seeds, spring onions and sliced chillies, with rice.

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Braised Pork With Plums

Meltingly tender meat in a spicy, fruity sauce, this meal is guaranteed to impress

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 2 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  530

• Protein

  40g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  36g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  10g

• Salt

  2.87g

Ingredients

• about 1.6kg/3lb 8oz pork shoulder
• 5 tbsp rice wine
• 5 tbsp light soy sauce for flavour, 1 tbsp dark for colour
• generous thumb-size piece fresh root ginger
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• bunch spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 star anise
• 1 ½ tsp five-spice powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp sugar, any type
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 500ml chicken stock
• 6 ripe plums, halved and stoned

Directions

1. Cut the pork into big pieces about the length of your thumb and twice as wide. Put into a bowl or food bag, and add the wine, soy sauces, half the ginger, half the garlic and half the chilli. Marinate for at least 1 hr or up to 24 hrs.
2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3, then heat the oil in a large casserole. Tip in half the spring onions, remaining ginger and garlic, the star anise, five-spice powder and cinnamon. Fry gently until fragrant and soft. Stir in the sugar, turn up the heat, then lift the pork from the marinade and turn in the oniony mix for about 3 mins until the meat is just sealed but not browned. Tip in the marinade, tomato purée and stock, give it a stir, cover, then braise in the oven for 2 hrs.
3. After the first hr is up, add the plums to the pan. Take the lid off and carry on the cooking, uncovered. The meat should be completely tender, turning golden brown where it breaks the surface of the sauce. Spoon off any excess fat from the surface, then scoop the meat and plums carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon. Turn up the heat and boil the sauce for 5-10 mins until reduced and slightly syrupy. Return everything to the pan, gently warm through, then scatter the rest of the spring onions over the top to serve.

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Chinese Braised Pork With Double Spring Onions

Use spring onions as a vegetable in their own right in this slow-cooked pork dish

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 2 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  392

• Protein

  38g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  2g

Ingredients

• 4 pieces pork osso buco (about 850kg/1lb 14oz) or the equivalent of pork shoulder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 250ml Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
• 100g ginger, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 12 spring onions, 8 fat ones and 4 thinner ones
• 1 dried red chilli (look for Kashmiri chillies for a good flavour)
• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp miso paste (optional)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• steamed rice and bok choi, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Brown the pork on both sides in the oil, then transfer it to a large casserole dish. Deglaze the pan you used for browning with the rice wine or Sherry and add it to the casserole. Add the ginger and garlic. Trim the ends off the 8 fat spring onions and add these to the pan whole along with the chilli, stock, miso paste (if using) and soy sauce. Bring everything to a simmer, then cover and put the casserole in the oven for 2 hrs.
2. Remove the lid from the casserole and cook for a further 20 mins. Chop the 4 thinner spring onions and add them to the casserole just before serving with steamed rice and bok choi.

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Prawn Chow Mein

This low-fat stir-fry recipe is packed with crunchy vegetables and tangy oyster sauce

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  271

• Protein

  25g

• Carbs

  34g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  2.98g

Ingredients

• 3 nests medium egg noodles
• 140g broccoli, chopped into small florets
• 140g baby corn, halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 300g prawns
• For the sauce
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce

Directions

1. Cook the noodles, broccoli and corn in boiling water for 3-4 mins, or until tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the pepper for 3 mins, until starting to soften.
2. Tip in the noodles and vegetables along with the prawns and toss together. Add the sauce ingredients and heat everything through for 2-3 mins, until piping hot.

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Chinese Braised Beef With Ginger

Slow cooking beef shin or brisket in Asian aromatic spices gives a melt-in-the-mouth main course that's delicious with steamed rice and crisp stir-fried vegetables

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 3 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  405

• Protein

  51g

• Carbs

  26g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  23g

• Salt

  3.96g

Ingredients

• 2 - 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1¼kg beef shin or brisket, cut into very large chunks
• 2 onions
• 50g ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• small bunch coriander
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 6 whole star anise
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 100g dark brown muscovado sugar
• 50ml light soy sauce
• 50ml dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• beef stock
• To serve
• thumb-sized chunk ginger, shredded into matchsticks
• 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
• cooked jasmine rice

Directions

1. Heat a little of the oil in a large flameproof dish. Add the beef chunks, in batches, and fry until browned. When each batch is browned, transfer the beef to another dish. Very roughly chop the onions, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks. Put in a food processor and whizz to a paste.
2. Wipe any oil out of the dish you browned the beef in. Add the paste with a good splash of water and gently fry, scraping up any beef bits, until the paste is fragrant and softened (add more water if the paste sticks). Stir in the five-spice, star anise and peppercorns, cook for 1 min, then add the sugar, soy sauces and tomato purée. Return the beef and any juices to the dish, then stir in enough stock to just about cover. Bring to a gentle simmer. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Cover the dish, put in the oven and cook for 21?2 hrs until the beef is really tender.
3. Lift the beef out of the sauce into a dish, to keep warm. Boil the sauce until reduced by about half and thickened. Meanwhile, fry the ginger in the oil until golden and crispy. Return the beef to the sauce. serve the beef spooned over rice and scattered with the crispy ginger.

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Oriental Pork Balls In Hoisin Broth

Low in calories and cheap to make, these Chinese flavoured meatballs are served in a clear and nourishing broth with plenty of veg

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  366

• Protein

  32g

• Carbs

  29g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  11g

• Salt

  2.5g

Ingredients

• 500g pack lean pork mince
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 225g can water chestnuts, drained, half finely chopped, half sliced
• 500ml chicken stock
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• thumb-sized piece ginger, shredded
• 2 large carrots, shaved into strips with a potato peeler
• 8 Chinese leaves, thick part sliced, leaves shredded
• 300g pack beansprouts
• bunch spring onions, cut into lengths, plus a few tops chopped to serve

Directions

1. Tip the mince into a bowl with the soy, cornflour, five-spice, chopped water chestnuts and some black pepper. Work everything together, then shape into 12 meatballs.
2. Pour the stock into a wide, deep pan and stir in the hoisin and ginger. Add the meatballs, then cover and poach for 5 mins. Drop in the carrots, Chinese leaves, beansprouts, spring onions and sliced chestnuts, then put on the lid and simmer for 5 mins. Ladle into bowls, then serve scattered with spring onion tops.

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Special Fried Rice With Prawns & Chorizo

A fusion dish that merges Spanish paella with Asian egg fried rice - a great way to get kids to eat vegetables

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 18 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Easily doubled

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  404

• Protein

  19g

• Carbs

  45g

• Fat

  15g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  1.3g

Ingredients

• 100g basmati rice or long-grain rice
• 85g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50g finely diced chorizo, bacon or ham
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 3 spring onions, sliced on an angle
• ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• good pinch five spice powder
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 100g beansprouts (optional)
• 50g peeled prawns

Directions

1. Boil the rice following pack instructions, adding the peas for the final min. Drain.
2. Heat half the oil in a wok. Pour in the egg and stir-fry until scrambled. Tip onto a plate and set aside.
3. Wipe the wok with kitchen paper, then heat the remaining oil. Toss in the meat, garlic, spring onions and pepper, and stir-fry until the pepper starts to soften. Add the five-spice, rice, peas and soy, then stir-fry for 5 mins more. Finally add the beansprouts, if using, the egg and prawns, and stir-fry to heat through.

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Sweet & Sour Chicken

This homemade sweet and sour sauce is so much better than a takeaway. Great with rice or noodles

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins - 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  522

• Protein

  27g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  2.9g

Ingredients

• 2-3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, (about 400g/14oz total weight)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• groundnut or sunflower oil, for deep frying, plus extra for stir-frying
• tempura batter (see below)
• 1 small red pepper, cored, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 2 fat garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
• For the sauce
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp sherry
• 1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour

Directions

1. Cut the chicken into small chunks and mix with the soy sauce and sesame oil. In a jug or bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients with 100ml cold water. Line a large plate with kitchen paper.
2. Heat the groundnut oil in a deep-fat fryer to about 180C. Then dip a few chunks of chicken at a time into the batter, then place in the hot oil using tongs or a slotted spoon, but don't crowd the pan. Fry until crisp and golden-about 2 mins. You may need to do this in batches, so reheat the oil each time. As the chunks cook, lift out with tongs/spoon to the paper-lined plate to drain.
3. Heat a wok to hot, add about 3 tbsp oil and stir-fry the vegetables with the garlic and ginger for about 3 mins. Give the sauce a quick final stir and pour into the wok, mixing as it cooks to a light glossy sauce. Bubble for 1 min, then spoon over the chicken and serve.

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Crisp Chinese Pork

Belly is the cheapest pork roasting joint and, as it's rich, a little goes a long way, making it perfect for Sundays and dinner parties

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  696

• Protein

  59g

• Carbs

  3g

• Fat

  50g

• Saturates

  19g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  5.83g

Ingredients

• 1.3kg piece boned pork belly, skin on and scored, ask the butcher for the thin end
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• For the dipping sauce
• 4 tbsp soy sauce (we used Kikkoman)
• small knob fresh root ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped

Directions

1. Rub the pork with the five-spice and 2 tsp sea salt then leave, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 2 hrs, but preferably overnight. When ready to cook, heat oven to its maximum setting. Lay the pork on a rack over a roasting tin, making sure the skin is exposed. Roast for 10 mins before turning down the heat to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, then leave to cook for a further 1½ hrs. Have a look at the pork-if the skin isn't crisp, turn up the heat to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7, then cook for another 30 mins until crisp. Leave to rest on a board for at least 10 mins.
2. To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients together with 2 tbsp water. Cut the pork into small pieces, then serve with the sauce, plus boiled rice and steamed greens, if you like.

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Chinese-Style Braised Beef One-Pot

Great for casual entertaining, when you fancy a warming beef stew but with some more vibrant flavours

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 2 hrs - 2 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  513

• Protein

  54g

• Carbs

  9g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  2.39g

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• good thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, peeled and shredded
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 1½ kg braising beef, cut into large pieces (we used ox cheek)
• 2 tbsp plain flour, well seasoned
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 star anise (optional)
• 2 tsp light muscovado sugar (or use whatever you've got)
• 3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus more to serve
• 500ml beef stock (we used Knorr Touch of Taste)
• steamed bok choi and steamed basmati rice, to serve

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, shallow casserole. Fry the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Tip onto a plate. Toss the beef in the flour, add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding the final tbsp oil if you need to. It should take about 5 mins to brown each batch properly.
2. Add the five-spice and star anise (if using) to the pan, tip in the gingery mix, then fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant. Add the sugar, then the beef and stir until combined. Keep the heat high, then splash in the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
3. Pour in the soy and stock (it won't cover the meat completely), bring to a simmer, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 1½-2 hrs, stirring the meat halfway through. The meat should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away. Season with more soy. This can now be chilled and frozen for up to 1 month.
4. Nestle the cooked bok choi into the pan, then bring to the table with the basmati rice straight away and tuck in.

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Lancashire Hotpot

This famous lamb stew topped with sliced potatoes should be on the menu at every British pub

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  993

• Protein

  70g

• Carbs

  56g

• Fat

  56g

• Saturates

  26g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  12g

• Salt

  1.43g

Ingredients

• 100g dripping or butter
• 900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
• 3 lamb kidneys, sliced, fat removed
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 25g plain flour
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml lamb or chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 900g potatoes, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat some dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish, brown the lamb in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with the kidneys.
2. Fry the onions and carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden. Sprinkle over the flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over the Worcestershire sauce, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Stir in the meat and bay leaves, then turn off the heat. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping. Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked.
3. Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

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Scampi With Tartare Sauce

Crispy beer battered langoustine or prawn tails with a mayo-based dip of gherkins, capers and herbs

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  991

• Protein

  36g

• Carbs

  116g

• Fat

  40g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  1.5g

Ingredients

• 15-20 langoustine or Dublin Bay prawn tails
• vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
• 140g plain flour
• 85g cornflour
• 150ml beer
• 100ml sparkling water
• lemon wedges and chips, to serve
• For the tartare sauce
• 6 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 gherkin or 6 cornichons, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp caper, rinsed and chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tsp chopped tarragon

Directions

1. To prepare the langoustines, pull off the head and pincers. Lay the tail flat on a chopping board and use a sharp pair of scissors to cut a line straight down the back of the shell. Carefully peel the langoustine, score down the back, then remove the grit sac.
2. Get the oil heating in a large saucepan or wok-you will need enough to come 2-3in up the side of the pan. For the tartare sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl and season.
3. Place the flours in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the beer and sparkling water, and whisk to a smooth batter.
4. To test if the oil is hot enough, put a drop of batter into the pan-it should crisp and brown within 30 secs. Dip each langoustine or prawn tail into the batter, then carefully drop it into the oil. Drizzle a little extra batter over each one while they are cooking-this will give you a really crispy coating. Cook them in batches, making sure you don't overcrowd the pan. When golden and floating to the surface, scoop out and drain well on kitchen paper. Sprinkle the scampi with salt and serve with the tartare sauce, lemon wedges and chips.

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Classic Summer Pudding

Celebrate gorgeous seasonal strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants with this set basin brioche pud

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  369

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  68g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  43g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 300g raspberries, plus a few extra to serve
• 225g blackberries, plus a few extra to serve
• 100g redcurrants, plus a few extra to serve
• 400g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 140g golden caster sugar, plus a bit extra (optional)
• 400g brioche loaf
• clotted cream, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Wash the fruit and place it all (except the strawberries) in a large pan with the caster sugar and 3 tbsp water. Gently heat for 3 mins until the juice from the fruit starts to seep out. Add the strawberries and cook for 2 mins more. Drain the juice from the fruit through a sieve set over a large bowl. Taste the juice and add a little more sugar if necessary.
2. Line a 1.2-litre pudding basin with a double layer of cling film, leaving an overlap around the top. Remove the crusts from the brioche and slice the loaf into 1cm-thick slices along the length of the loaf. Cut 1 slice in half widthways and trim the corners to fit into the base of the bowl-you may need to use both squares, trimmed to fit.
3. Trim the slices to the correct length to line the sides of the bowl. To assemble the pudding, dip the slices of brioche into the fruit juice, then use them to line the basin. Start with the bottom pieces, then lay soaked rectangles of brioche along the sides of the bowl. If you have any gaps left at the end, patch these up with any remaining brioche, but make sure you save some for the base.
4. Tip the fruit into the lined basin. Finish the pudding with a layer of brioche to make a base, then pour over any remaining liquid. Wrap the overhanging cling film over the top.
5. Place a small plate, which will fit snugly on top of the basin, over the cling film and weigh down with 2 x 400g cans of tomatoes or beans. Leave the pudding weighed down in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, or overnight if possible.
6. To serve, unwrap the cling film and place a serving plate over the pudding. Flip it over, remove the basin and carefully peel away the cling film. Serve in slices with clotted cream, if you like.

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Herby Toad In The Hole

This family favourite marries meaty sausages with robust herbs and traditional, comforting Yorkshire pudding

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  552

• Protein

  28g

• Carbs

  40g

• Fat

  32g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  1.9g

Ingredients

• 140g plain flour
• 3 eggs
• 300ml milk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 Cumberland sausages
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 rosemary sprigs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. In a food processor, combine the flour, eggs, milk, mustard and some salt and pepper, blitz until smooth, then leave to rest for 30 mins.
2. Pour the oil into a metal roasting tin about 30 x 23cm and 7.5cm deep. Brush the oil all over the sides and bottom, then place in the oven. When the roasting tin is very hot and smoking, place the sausages inside, evenly spread out, and cook for 5 mins.
3. Give the rested batter a stir and pour into the really hot tin-take care as it may spit. Quickly sprinkle over the sage leaves and rosemary, then place in the middle of the oven. Do not open the door for 25 mins, then check-if needed, cook for a further 5-10 mins. Cook until puffed up and brown and the batter is completely cooked through. Serve straight from the dish.

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Buffalo Wings With Blue Cheese Dip

These American-style crisp chicken pieces are the perfect laid-back food to share, great for a movie night

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  411

• Protein

  18g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  36g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  1.26g

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp hot sauce such as Tabasco sauce or Crystal
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 900g/2lb - 1kg/2lb 4oz chicken wings
• ¼ tsp celery salt (optional)
• flour, for dusting
• sunflower oil, for frying
• celery sticks, to serve
• For the blue cheese dip
• 150ml buttermilk
• 150ml soured cream
• 85g blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ¼ tsp sweet paprika

Directions

1. Slowly melt the butter, hot sauce and vinegar in a medium saucepan, then pour into a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients for the blue cheese dip together with a pinch of salt. Cover and chill until needed.
2. Trim the end off each chicken wing, then cut each in half through the joint. Tip the wings into a bowl. Add the celery salt (if using), seasoning and enough flour so they're all evenly coated.
3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the wings (do this in 2 batches if your pan isn't big enough). Fry them, stirring frequently, until they are cooked through and browned all over, about 10 mins for each batch. As soon as they are cooked, transfer them to the bowl of butter sauce and stir well. Repeat with the second batch. Serve the wings on a platter with any extra buttery sauce poured over and the blue cheese dip and celery sticks on the side

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Simple Seafood Chowder

A chunky, creamy soup with salmon and smoked haddock, mixed shellfish and potatoes - a hearty meal

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  422

• Protein

  41g

• Carbs

  21g

• Fat

  19g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  2.3g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 100g streaky bacon, chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 600ml fish stock, made from 1 fish stock cube
• 225g new potatoes, halved
• pinch mace
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 300ml milk
• 320g pack fish pie mix (salmon, haddock and smoked haddock)
• 4 tbsp single cream
• 250g pack cooked mixed shellfish
• small bunch parsley, chopped
• crusty bread, to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion and bacon. Cook for 8-10 mins until the onion is soft and the bacon is cooked. Stir in the flour, then cook for a further 2 mins.
2. Pour in the fish stock and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Add the potatoes, cover, then simmer for 10-12 mins until the potatoes are cooked through.
3. Add the mace, cayenne pepper and some seasoning, then stir in the milk.
4. Tip the fish pie mix into the pan, gently simmer for 4 mins. Add the cream and shellfish, then simmer for 1 min more. Check the seasoning. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with some crusty bread.

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Ultimate Apple Pie

A traditional, comforting dish where simplicity is the key to success - one for all the family

• Cooking Time Ready in 2½ hours
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  695

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  95g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  20g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  32g

• Salt

  0.79g

Ingredients

• For the filling
• 1kg Bramley apples
• 140g golden caster sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp flour
• For the pastry
• 225g butter, room temperature
• 50g golden caster sugar, plus extra
• 2 eggs
• 350g plain flour, preferably organic
• softly whipped cream, to serve

Directions

1. Put a layer of paper towels on a large baking sheet. Quarter, core, peel and slice the apples about 5mm thick and lay evenly on the baking sheet. Put paper towels on top and set aside while you make and chill the pastry.
2. For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until just mixed. Break in a whole egg and a yolk (keep the white for glazing later). Beat together for just under 1 min-it will look a bit like scrambled egg. Now work in the flour with a wooden spoon, a third at a time, until it's beginning to clump up, then finish gathering it together with your hands. Gently work the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 45 mins. Now mix the 140g/5oz sugar, the cinnamon and flour for the filling in a bowl that is large enough to take the apples later.
3. After the pastry has chilled, heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Cut off a third of the pastry and keep it wrapped while you roll out the rest, and use this to line a pie tin-20-22cm round and 4cm deep-leaving a slight overhang. Roll the remaining third to a circle about 28cm in diameter. Pat the apples dry with kitchen paper, and tip them into the bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Give a quick mix with your hands and immediately pile high into the pastry-lined tin.
4. Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the pastry lid over the apples pressing the edges together to seal. Trim the edge with a sharp knife and make 5 little slashes on top of the lid for the steam to escape. (Can be frozen at this stage.) Brush it all with the egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 40-45 mins, until golden, then remove and let it sit for 5-10 mins. Sprinkle with more sugar and serve while still warm from the oven with softly whipped cream.

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Pear & Chocolate Pudding

A comforting and seasonal pudding for autumn, perfect with a spot of vanilla ice cream

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 25 mins - 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  557

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  83g

• Fat

  25g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  65g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• 100g dried breadcrumbs
• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 100g demerara sugar
• 85g butter
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Mix the crumbs, chocolate and sugar. Melt the butter with the maple syrup, then stir into the dry ingredients.
2. Put the chopped pears in a 1-litre shallow ovenproof dish. Spoon over the chocolate mixture, then roughly spread to cover the pears. Bake for 25-30 mins. Cool for 10 mins, then serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

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Schooldays Treacle Sponge

A syrupy basin pudding with a moist sponge and sticky sauce- a Great British tradition with retro charm

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4 generously

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  763

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  90g

• Fat

  43g

• Saturates

  25g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  56g

• Salt

  0.71g

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 3 tbsp golden syrup, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs
• splash brandy (optional but delicious)
• 175g golden caster sugar
• zest 1 lemon
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 175g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp milk
• clotted cream, to serve

Directions

1. Use a small knob of butter to heavily grease a 1-litre pudding basin. In a small bowl, mix the golden syrup with the breadcrumbs and brandy, if using, then tip into the pudding basin.
2. Beat butter with sugar and zest until light and fluffy, then add eggs gradually. Fold in the flour, then finally add the milk.
3. Spoon the mix into the pudding basin. Cover with a double layer of buttered foil and baking paper, making a pleat in the centre to allow the pudding to rise. Tie the foil securely with string, then place in a steamer or large pan containing enough gently simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Steam for 1½ hrs. Turn out onto a serving dish. Serve with lashings of clotted cream and a little extra golden syrup drizzled over if you wish.

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One-Pot Chicken Chasseur

This French bistro classic is easy to make at home and fabulous with creamy mash or crusty bread

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  439

• Protein

  35g

• Carbs

  7g

• Fat

  28g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  1.11g

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 4 chicken legs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g pack small button or chestnut mushrooms
• 225ml red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 500ml chicken stock

Directions

1. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large lidded casserole. Season the chicken, then fry for about 5 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan. Add the onion, then fry for about 5 mins until soft. Add garlic, cook for about 1 min, add the mushrooms, cook for 2 mins, then add the wine. Stir in the tomato purée, let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 5 mins, then stir in the thyme and pour over the stock. Slip the chicken back into the pan, then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 1 hr until the chicken is very tender.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm. Rapidly boil down the sauce for 10 mins or so until it is syrupy and the flavour has concentrated. Put the chicken legs back into the sauce and serve.

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