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  • Baked Tofu and Green Beans

    Serves 2/3

    You will need:

    • 1 block of extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry
    • Oil or cooking spray
    • 2 tbsps reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
    • 3 cloves garlic grated
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
    • 300g green beans, trimmed (a good handful of beans for each person)
    • 2 tbsps olive oil
    • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
    • Salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 medium spring onion, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 tsp sesame seeds

    Line a plate with paper towels, and place the tofu on top. Cover with more paper towels and place a heavy item on top, pressing down on the tofu. Set aside for 10 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 180°C. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with cooking spray. Whisk the soy sauce or tamari, garlic, honey, ginger, and sesame oil together in a large bowl; set aside.

    Cut the tofu into triangles about 1-1.5cm thick and place in a single layer on one half of the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the soy sauce mixture. Bake until golden-brown on the bottom, 12 to 13 minutes.

    Flip the tofu. Place the green beans in a single layer on the other half of the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper.

    Return to the oven and bake until the tofu is golden-brown on the second side, 10 to 12 minutes more. Sprinkle with the spring onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

    TIP: Be careful to not overcook the tofu. It can go from ‘uncooked’ to ‘dry’ in a very short length of time.

    TIP: Can be served alongside egg fried rice. This will make the meal serve more people.

    Original recipe: The Kitchn

  • Halloumi Souvlaki

    Serves 2

    You will need:

    • 1 block of halloumi (225-250g)
      For the marinade
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • ½ tsp dried mint
    • ½ tsp ground cumin
    • ½ tsp coriander
    • ½ tsp sweet paprika
    • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
    • zest and juice ½ lemon, plus ½ lemon cut into wedges to serve
    • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
      For the pitta wraps
    • 250g strong white bread flour
    • 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
    • 1 tsp golden caster sugar
    • 2 tsp olive oil, plus a little for greasing
      For the tzatziki
    • ¼ cucumber
    • 100g Greek yogurt
    • small bunch mint, finely chopped
    • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
    • juice ¼ lemon
      To serve
    • 1 butter or round lettuce
    • 4 large tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped
    • 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

    Halloumi prep: Cut the halloumi into cubes, roughly 2cm. Tip the halloumi into a bowl and add the marinade ingredients, along with plenty of black pepper. The marinade does not need salt as the halloumi is already salty. Mix well, ensuring each cube is well coated. Cover and chill for at least 3 hrs, or overnight if you have time.

    Pitta wraps prep: A few hours before you want to eat, make the pitta. In a bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and 1/ 2 tsp salt with your fingertips. Add 150ml lukewarm water and 2 tsp olive oil, and combine to a dough. Tip onto a work surface and knead for 8-10 mins (or use a tabletop mixer for 5 mins). Clean, then lightly oil your bowl, return the dough and cover loosely with cling film. Leave to rise for 1 hr or until nearly doubled in size.

    Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll out to circles, as thin as you can. Cover with sheets of oiled cling film and leave to rise for 15-20 mins.

    Tzatziki prep: To make the tzatziki, halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Finely chop, then combine with the remaining ingredients, along with a pinch of salt. Chill until ready to serve.

    Meal cooking: Heat a large non-stick frying pan (or two if you have them) over a medium-high heat and brush the breads with oil. Gently lift one into the pan. It should sizzle, and bubbles should appear on the surface after 1-2 mins. When the underside is golden, flip it and cook for another 2-3 mins. Continue until all the breads are cooked, wrapping them in foil as you go. Keep the bread warm in the bottom of the oven while you cook the halloumi. Alternatively, cook on the barbecue for 5-8 mins, turning occasionally.

    Heat the halloumi and the remaining marinade in a non-stick pan on a low heat while regularly turning for around 20 minutes until golden on all sides. You do not need any oil for this.

    Take the halloumi out of the pan and serve in the warm bread, with lettuce, tomato, red onion, lemon wedges and tzatziki.

    TIP: Can use fresh herbs instead of dried if you have them, just double the amount stated in the recipe.

    Original recipe: Cassie Best – BBC Good Food

  • Red Velvet Cookies

    Makes 16 – 18 cookies

    You will need:

    • 175g soft salted butter
    • 200g light brown soft sugar
    • 100g caster sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • ½-1 tbsp red food colouring gel, depending on strength
    • 225g plain flour
    • 25g cocoa powder
    • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
    • 150g white chocolate chips or chunks
      For the drizzle:
    • 2 tbsp soft cheese
    • 6 tbsp icing sugar

    Beat the butter and sugars together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and food colouring until you have a bright red batter. Sieve over the flour, cocoa and bicarb. Fold everything together to make a stiff evenly-coloured dough, then fold in the chocolate chips.

    Put the dough on a sheet of baking parchment, fold the parchment over the dough and mould into a sausage shape about 6cm wide. Chill until ready to bake. Will keep for a week in the fridge or one month in the freezer.

    Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cut the cookie dough into 1cm thick slices using a sharp knife and arrange on two large baking sheets lined with baking parchment well-spaced apart so they have room to spread in the oven. Bake in batches, keeping the unbaked cookies on the sheet in the fridge while the rest are baking.

    Bake in the middle of the oven for 13-15 mins until the cookies are crisp at the edges, but still soft in the centre. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Beat the soft cheese in a small bowl to a loose consistency, then stir in the icing sugar. Use a piping bag or spoon to drizzle the icing over the cookies. Un-iced cookies keep for five days in an airtight container, or two days iced.

    TIP: Be careful not to overcook these. If the edges feel crispy in the oven, you have cooked them too much. You should take them out then the edges look bubbly and the middle is still soft. The cookies firm up a lot once they cool (like flapjack!).

    Original recipe: Anna Glover – BBC Good Food

  • Lemon Drizzle Cake

    Makes 1 cake

    You will need:

    • 100g/4oz soft margarine
    • 175g/6oz caster sugar
    • 175g/6oz self-raising flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 2 large eggs
    • 4tbsp milk
    • finely grated rind of 1 lemon
      For the drizzle:
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • 100g/4oz caster or granulated sugar

    Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lightly grease and base line a 18cm/7in deep round cake tin with greased greaseproof paper.

    Measure all the ingredients for the cake into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes until smooth and well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

    Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the cake has shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin and springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.

    Whilst the cake is baking, make the crunchy topping. Measure the lemon juice and sugar into a bowl and stir until blended. When the cake comes out of the oven, spread the lemon paste over the top whilst the cake is still hot. Leave in a tin until cold, then turn out and remove the paper.

    TIP: If you don’t have a 18cm/7in tin, a 20cm/8in tin will also work. You just may not get the height you would get using a 7cm tin

    Original recipe: Mary Berry – Baking Bible

  • Negroni

    Makes 1 drink

    You will need:

    • 1 part gin
    • 2/3 part sweet vermouth
    • 1/2 part Campari
    • ice
    • slice of orange to garnish

    Pour the gin, vermouth and Campari into a mixing glass or jug with ice. Stir well until the outside of the glass feels cold.

    Strain into a tumbler and add 1 large ice sphere or some fresh ice, and garnish with an orange slice, using a blood orange when in season.

    TIP: If Campari is unavailable, Aperol is just as good (if not preferable!)

    TIP: To make 1 serving, 1 part is equal to 1 shot.

    TIP: For an ‘authentic’ Negroni, equal parts of all alcohol should be used.

    Original recipe: BBC GoodFood

  • Baked Falafel

    Makes around 8 (serves 2/3)

    You will need:

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 small onion finely chopped
    • 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
    • 1 handful flatleaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
    • 1 egg
    • freshly ground black pepper
    • olive oil spray (or some gram flour to sprinkle)
    • 200ml (1 small pot) sour cream
    • bunch of chives

    For the sour cream and chives, finely chop the chives and mix in with the sour cream. This is best done a couple of hours before serving to let the flavours sit, although it is fine to be served straight away.

    When you are ready to make the falafel, preheat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

    Heat the olive oil in small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

    Put the chickpeas, garlic, spices, salt, egg, chopped parsley and some pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is fairly smooth, stopping every so often to scrape down the sides with a spatula. You want to retain some texture but the paste should be able to hold together. Add the onions after the mixture has reached the consistency you want in the processor.

    Divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces and shape into patties. Place on the prepared baking tray and spray the patties with 10 sprays of oil (or dust the baking sheet and falafel with gram flour). Cook on the top shelf of the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until golden-brown. The falafel will need turning about halfway through cooking once they have set.

    Serve with the sour cream and chive dip, along with wraps and salad and a little bit of hot sauce!

    TIP: Can be made without the egg if you want, just add a little olive oil in the mix instead to prevent it from becoming too dry.

    Original recipe: Tom Kerridge

  • Cosmopolitan

    Makes 1 drink

    You will need:

    • 1 part vodka (a citrus flavoured vodka is best)
    • ½ part Cointreau liqueur
    • 1 parts cranberry juice
    • ½ part fresh lime juice
    • Cubed ice
    • To garnish: orange or lime zest

    Chill your cocktail glass (the easiest way is to fill it with ice)

    Put plenty of ice and all of the ingredients into your shaker or stirring glass and shake or stir vigorously for about 20 seconds

    Strain the mix into a cocktail glass

    Cut a piece of orange peel about the size of your thumb (be careful not to bend it). Hold the piece of orange peel between finger and thumb over the glass, and use a match to gently warm it for about 20 seconds

    Then bend the peel so it releases oil onto the lighted match, igniting a flame that will settle on the surface of the drink

    TIP: If 1 part is roughly 1oz/ 1 shot, you will make 1 serving

    TIP: If instead of filling the shaker with ice, you can put 3 cubes per serving in the mix and shake/stir until dissolved

    Original recipe: Jamie Oliver or for a giant Cosmo: Barefoot Contessa

  • Shrewsbury Biscuits

    Makes about 24 biscuits

    You will need:

    • 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened
    • 75g/2¾oz caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
    • 1 free-range egg, separated
    • 1 small unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
    • 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
    • 50g/1¾oz currants
    • 1–2 tbsp milk

    Preheat the oven 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line three baking trays with baking paper.

    Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until well combined and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and lemon zest. Sift in the flour and mix well. Stir in the currants and enough milk to make a fairly soft dough.

    Knead the dough on a floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until 5mm/¼in thick. Using a 6cm/2½in fluted cutter, cut out 24 rounds. Transfer to the baking trays using a palette knife and bake for 8 minutes.

    Lightly beat the egg white using a fork.

    Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush the tops with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle over caster sugar and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until pale golden brown and cooked though. Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes, then carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool completely.

    TIP: These biscuits don’t spread very much while baking, so you don’t need to leave the usual ‘extra space’ as with other biscuits. I can normally get 12 on one tray!

    TIP: As these have a buttery taste, you really do need to use nice tasting butter for these. You will be able to taste old butter if used…

    TIP: You can replace the milk with a milk alternative (like oat milk) quite successfully.

    Original recipe: Mary Berry – Baking Bible

  • Red Pepper Ketchup

    Makes around 700ml

    You will need:

    • 4 large red peppers, quartered and deseeded
    • 350ml (12fl oz) red wine vinegar
    • 2 onions, peeled and chopped
    • 2 cooking apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
    • 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
    • 1 bay leaf
    • Sprig of thyme
    • 8 level tablespoons granulated sugar
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Spread the red pepper quarters out on a grill pan, skin-side up, and cook them under a hot grill until the skins char. Remove peppers from the grill and place them in a freezer bag and leave them to cool. It should then be easy to peel off the skins. Discard the skins and roughly chop the pepper flesh.

    Place the red pepper flesh in a large pan with the vinegar, onion, apple, chillies (add chilli seeds if you prefer a spicier ketchup), bay leaf and thyme. Pour 600ml (1 pint) water into the pan. Place it over a moderate heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 mins until the vegetables have softened.

    Remove the bay leaf and thyme from the pan and then purée the vegetables, or whizz them using a stick blender. Press the mixture through a sieve and discard the pulp.

    Return the purée to a clean pan and add the granulated sugar and seasoning. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 45-60 mins, over a gentle heat until the ketchup has thickened.

    Remove the pan from the heat and use a funnel to fill warm bottles. Leave ketchup to cool before sealing bottles. It may be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months. Once opened, keep the bottles in the fridge.

    TIP: Sterilise the bottles by boiling completely covered in water for at least 30 minutes. This is the best way to sterilise. Baking jars/bottles in the oven runs the risk of contamination from oven dirt.

    Original recipe: GoodtoKnow

  • Scotch Pancakes

    Recipe makes around 14 pancakes.
    Serves 3 (or 2 hungry people!)

    You will need:

    • 175g/6oz self-raising flour
    • 1tsp baking powder
    • 30g/1oz caster sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 210ml/7fl oz milk
    • oil for greasing

    Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and then add the egg and half of the milk. Beat well with a whisk until you have a smooth, thick batter. Beat in enough of the milk to make a batter the consistency of thick pouring cream – you may not need all the milk.

    Heat a large non-stick frying pan and grease with a little oil. Drop the mixture in dessertspoonfuls onto the hot pan, spacing the mixture well apart to allow for them to spread. When bubbles appear on the surface, turn the scones over with a palette knife or spatula and cook on the other side for a further 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they are lightly golden brown.

    Lift the pancakes on to a pan in a very low but warm oven keep them warm. Continue cooking the batter in the same way.

    Serve at once with butter, maple syrup or honey, yogurt, blueberries, raspberries or other seasonal fruits

    TIP: You can add additional flavour to the batter by grating in the zest of an orange or lemon.

    Original recipe: Mary Berry – Baking Bible