40. Chicken and almond stir fry

Ingredients

3 x 125g skinless chicken breasts, without bones
2 tsp cornflour
2 egg whites
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp groundnut oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x 5 cm fresh root ginger, peeled, finely chopped or grated
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp demerara sugar, or light brown sugar
2 Carrots, cut into thin strips
6 Spring onions, shredded
250g bean sprouts
2 tbsp shredded almonds


Method

1. Thinly slice the chicken breasts.

2. Combine the cornflour, egg whites, soy sauce and pepper. Stir until smooth before mixing with the chicken strips.

3. Heat a wok or large frying pan, and add the oil, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 20-30 seconds, until you catch a whiff of toasted ginger and garlic.

4. Add the chicken to the pan and stir-fry for a further 3 minutes.

5. Stir in the oyster sauce, sherry and sugar, and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the carrots and spring onions and cook briskly for another 2 minutes.

6. Scatter over the bean sprouts, reheat and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with almond slivers and serve straight away.

41. Chilli beef and pepper stir fry

Ingredients

200g Beef fillet, sliced
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp freshly grated Ginger
1 medium red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
1 tsp dark Soy sauce
1 tbsp light Soy sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp hot vegetable stock


Method

1. Toss the beef slices in the corn flour and set aside.

2. Heat a wok over high heat and add the groundnut oil until it's smoking then add the garlic, ginger and red chili and stir quickly for a few seconds so they do not burn, add the beef slices and stir fry until browned.

3. Add the red pepper and a little freshly ground black pepper and stir fry until slightly softened. Finally pour in both soy sauces, the sesame oil and vegetable stock and heat until bubbling, if the sauce needs thickening then mix some cornflour with a little cold water and stir in to the sauce.

Cook's Notes:

Prepare all the ingredients first because once the cooking has started on the wok, you won't have time.

Do not cook with sesame oil - it burns very easily and should only be used for seasoning.

Heat the oil until smoking, then add the herbs - fresh garlic, ginger - and stir very quickly so that they don't burn.

Usual rules for adding to the wok are: herbs first, then protein (prawns, beef, chicken etc), finally the vegetables, seasoning and then lastly cooked noodles or cooked rice, delicate herbs (coriander and spring onion last).

If making a saucy stir fry, after adding the vegetables, add some stock and then finally thicken with cornflour and water mixture when the stock has come to the boil, seasoned with delicate herbs like coriander or spring onion.

For the perfectionist stir fry, heat the oil, add the garlic etc, cook the protein then scoop out onto a plate. Return to the wok, some oil, then cook the vegetables and then finally return the meat to the dish and then season together.

The best wok I now use is non stick carbon steel with one handle (allows you to pick it up in one hand and then the other is free to manoeuvre the food) - you can get the cast iron woks and then season yourself but when washing do not use a metal scourer or you will take the seasoning off. Just wash with warm water and use a soft sponge.

To season, use some tongs, add oil in the wok and then hold some paper towels using the tongs and then "burn the paper" and rub this over the wok to blacken it.

Woks are great for all steaming, deep frying, shallow frying and braising.

42. Clams in sherry sauce

Ingredients

1kg fresh clams
4 tbsp Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced lengthways
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small dried chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1-2 Bay leaves
250ml Manzanilla sherry
1/2 tsp ground paprika
Parsley, chopped, for sprinkling
4 lemon wedges.

Method

1. Soak the clams in cold water for an hour to help remove any sand or grit inside them.

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized, heavy-based saucepan until hot but not smoking hot.

3. Add the garlic and onion and reduce the heat. Fry, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the chilli and bay leaves and fry, stirring now and then, for a further 2-3 minutes, until the onion has softened.

5. Drain the soaking clams and add to the saucepan. Increase the heat to high and pour in the sherry.

6. Cover the pot and cook, covered, for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice.

7. Uncover the saucepan, check that the clams have opened and, using a slotted spoon, remove the clams from the pot. Place the clams in a warm serving bowl, cover and set aside.

8. Meanwhile, briskly cook the sherry in the saucepan until reduced by a third. Stir in the paprika.

9. Pour the sherry sauce over the clams, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once with lemon wedges.

43. Artichokes with jamon serrano

Ingredients

6 Globe artichokes
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
200g jamon Serrano, diced
50ml Manzanilla sherry


Method

1. Prepare the artichokes by chopping off the stalks close to the leaves and cutting away the tough outer leaves and trimming off the tips of the remaining leaves. Place the trimmed artichokes in water acidulated with vinegar or lemon juice to prevent them discolouring.

2. Bring a large saucepan of salted acidulated water to the boil. Add the trimmed artichokes and cook until tender, around 30 minutes.

3. Drain the artichokes, quarter and scrape out the prickly choke inside.

4. Heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy-based frying pan. Add the garlic and jamon Serrano and fry, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.

5. Add the artichoke quarters and fry, stirring now and then, for 5 minutes.

6. Pour in the sherry and cook briskly for 5 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve at once.

44. Prawns in garlic sauce

Ingredients

4-5 tbsp Olive oil
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
half a dried red chilli
1kg cooked peeled prawns
Salt


Method

1. Pour the olive oil into a heatproof earthenware ramekin. Heat the ramekin on a hob until hot.

2. Add the garlic and chilli and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant. Take care not to let the garlic burn,

3. Add the prawns, mixing in well, and season with salt.

4. Cover the ramekin, cook for half a minute then remove from the heat.

5. Serve at once.

45. Venison stew

Ingredients

1 leek, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 Carrots, thinly sliced
small handful Rosemary
small handful Thyme
2 Bay leaves
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 bottle Red wine
100ml sherry vinegar
400g Venison, cut into bite-sized cubes
6 tbsp Olive oil
100g dark chocolate

Method

1. Place the venison in a large non-reactive bowl. Mix together the leeks, carrots, onion, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, coriander seeds, red wine and sherry vinegar.

2. Pour over the venison and leave to marinade for 12 hours in the fridge.

3. Remove the meat and vegetables separately from the marinade using a slotted spoon and reserve the marinade. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the venison for 3-4 minutes, until nicely browned all over.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a separate pan and fry the vegetables lightly for 3-4 minutes. Add the meat to the vegetables.

5. Stir in the marinade and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and stir in the grated chocolate. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook over a low heat for 3 hours. Serve immediately.

46. Turkey mole

Ingredients

For the sauce:
1 guajillo chilli
1 ancho chilli
300ml hot water
115g Sesame seeds
50g whole almonds, blanched
50g shelled peanuts, unsalted
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
25g lard, or 2 tbsp vegetable oil
50g canned Tomatoes
1 ripe plantain
50g raisins
75g ready to eat prunes
1 tsp dried oregano
0.25 tsp ground cloves
0.25 crushed allspice berries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g dark Mexican chocolate, approximate quantity
200ml chicken stock

For the turkey:
4 x 200g turkey breasts, boneless
25g lard, or 2 tbsp vegetable oil
oregano leaves, to garnish
warm flour tortillas, or steamed rice.

Method

1. Put the whole chillies into a heatproof bowl and pour over 300ml hot water. Leave on one side to soak for 20 minutes. Reserve the soaking water and roughly chop the softened chillies.

2. Toast the sesame seeds in a hot pan until golden - stirring all the time, taking care not to let them catch on the bottom of the pan. Set aside 3 tablespoons of toasted seeds for garnish and tip the rest into a mixing bowl. Toast the almonds and peanuts in the same way and add them to the same bowl. Leave on one side.

3. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped chillies and tomatoes, and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Peel the plantain, slice into thin diagonal slices, and add to the onion mixture in the pan. Tip in the raisins, prunes, dried oregano, spices and chocolate. Stir in the soaking water from the chillies.

5. Add the sesame seeds, almonds and peanuts and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

6. Blend the sauce in a food processor or liquidiser until smooth. The sauce should be thickish - but if it's too thick, add a splash of chicken stock.

7. Heat the lard or oil in a casserole pan. Add the turkey breasts and brown over a moderate heat - this should take 3-4 minutes. Pour the sauce over the breasts and cover tightly with a lid.

8. Simmer for 20-25 minutes - until the turkey is tender and the sauce thickened. Add more chicken stock to let the consistency down if it looks a tad thick.

9. Sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds and scatter over fresh oregano leaves. Serve with steamed rice and warm tortillas.

47. Sausage and bean stew

Ingredients

1 rosemary sprig
10-12 fresh bay leaves
1 small bunch sage
1 celery stalk
125g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight
5 garlic clove, 2 left whole, 3 finely chopped
450g Italian pork sausage
2-3 tbsp Olive oil
50ml White wine
200g tin tinned chopped tomatoes


Method

1. Make a bouquet garni with the rosemary, one of the bay leaves and half the sage - wrap them round the celery stalk and tie with string.

2. Drain the beans and put in a saucepan with the two whole garlic cloves and the bouquet garni. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to a brisk simmer and cook for another 30-45 minutes until the beans are 'al dente'. Remove from the heat and leave in the pan.

3. Cut the central stalks from the remaining bay leaves. Take a sausage and wrap it around a bay leaf, securing it with a wooden cocktail stick. Repeat this with the rest of the sausages, leaving a couple of leaves aside to add separately to the pan.

4. Pierce the sausage skins to allow the fat to be released into the pan.

5. Heat the olive oil in a large high-sided frying panover medium heat. Add the sausages and gently fry, turning them frequently so that they brown evenly and cook all the way through.

6. Remove the sausages from the pan. Set aside and keep warm.

7. Chop the remaining sage. Add this and the chopped garlic to the pan in which you fried the sausages.

8. Raise the heat and add the white wine. Cook briefly, stirring, to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

9. Put the sausages back in the pan, along with the tomato and the reserved bay leaves.

10. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Add them to the pan with enough liquid to moisten. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

11. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

48. Red lamb or beef stew

Ingredients

2 x 2.5 cm ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tbsp water, plus 300-450ml
10 tbsp vegetable oil
900g boned shoulder or leg of lamb, or stewing beef (chuck) cut into 2.5cm cubes
10 cardamom pods
2 Bay leaves
6 Cloves
10 peppercorns
2.5 cm cinnamon stick
200g Onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp bright red Paprika, mixed with 0.25-1 tsp cayenne pepper
1.25 tsp Salt
6 tbsp natural yogurt
0.25 tsp Garam masala
freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the ginger, garlic and 4 tbsp water into the container of an electric blender. Blend well until you have a smooth paste.

2. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the meat cubes in several batches and set to one side. Put the cardamom pods, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon into the same hot oil. Stir once and wait until the cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on colour. This just takes a few seconds. Now put in the onions. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onion turn a medium-brown colour. Put in the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds. Then add the coriander, cumin, paprika-cayenne and salt. Stir and fry for another 30 seconds. Add the fried meat cubes and juices, Stir for 30 seconds. Now put in 1 tbsp of the yogurt. Stir and fry for about 30 seconds or until the yogurt is well blended. Add the remaining yogurt, a tablespoon at a time as before. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes.

3. Now add 300ml water if you are cooking lamb and 450ml if you are cooking beef. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil, scraping in all browned spices on the sides and bottom of the pan. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour for the lamb and 2 hours for beef, or until the meat is tender. (It could be baked, covered, in a pre-heated 180C/gas 4 oven for the same length of time or until tender.) Every 10 minutes or so, give the meat a good stir. When the meat is tender, take off the lid, turn the heat up to medium and boil away some of the liquid. You should end up with tender meat in a think, reddish-brown sauce. Spoon off the fat. Sprinkle garam masala and black pepper over the meat before you serve and mix them in.

49. Lamb and red pepper stew

Ingredients

5 tbsp Olive oil
2 Onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
700g boneless lamb, trimmed of fat, cut in 7cm chunks
3 tbsp Flour
300ml Red wine
300ml chicken stock
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 3cm squares
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into 3cm squares
salt and fresh ground black pepper


Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large high-sided frying pan over medium heat. Add about three quarters of the onion and all of the garlic. Gently fry for about 5 minutes until soft.

2. Meanwhile, lightly dust the lamb with flour. Heat a little more olive oil in another pan over high heat. Add the lamb chunks in batches and cook, turning, until evenly browned. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Using the pan in which you ve just cooked the lamb, turn up the heat, add one third of the wine, stirring and scraping the meat residue from the bottom of the pan. Allow to reduce for a minute or two.

4. Stir the lamb and the reduced wine into the onions. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

5. Add the remaining wine to the lamb pan and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

6. Cover the pan and gently braise the lamb over very low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

7. When the lamb has been cooking for about an hour, heat a little more oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the peppers and the remaining onion. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes until soft.

8. Check the lamb seasoning before serving.

9. Place the peppers on individual serving plates and spoon the lamb on top. Finish with the cooking sauce and a touch of olive oil.