Cappuccino creams

Ingredients

550g/11⁄4lb fromage frais

2 tablespoons finely ground espresso coffee

1 tablespoon icing sugar

17g/6oz dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids), grated

Ways of Working

1. Mix the fromage frais with the coffee and icing sugar. Spoon half of the mixture into eight individual ramekins or glass dishes.

2. Sprinkle over most of the grated chocolate, and top with the remaining fromage frais mixture, sprinkling the last of the grated chocolate over the top. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 8

Orange ice cream

Ingredients

8 oranges

1 lemon

200g/7oz caster sugar

500ml/18fl oz double cream

4 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Ways of Working

1. Finely grate the zest of the oranges and the lemon, and put in a bowl. Add the juice of 2 oranges, and leave to steep while preparing the other ingredients.

2. Squeeze the juice of the remaining oranges, combine with the sugar and cook to reduce to a thick syrup.

3. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir the steeped juice and zest into the syrup. Add the juice of the lemon, then stir the syrup into the cream, which will immediately thicken. Add the Grand Marnier.

4. Freeze in a shallow container, stirring every 30 minutes for 4 hours, then leave overnight to freeze before serving.

Serves 4

Crab & ginger soup

Ingredients

1 carrot, chopped

1 leek, chopped

1 bay leaf

900ml/11⁄2pt fish stock

2 medium cooked crabs

2.5cm/1in piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1⁄2 teaspoon ground star anise

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ways of Working

1. Put the carrot and leek in a large heavy saucepan with the bay leaf and the fish stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are nearly tender.

2. Remove all of the meat from the crabs. Break off and reserve the claws; break the joints and remove the meat using a fork.

3. Add the crabmeat to the pan together with the ginger, soy sauce and star anise, and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the crab is heated through.

4. Season the soup with salt and pepper, then ladle into warm individual serving bowls and garnish with the crab claws. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Mini mushroom quiches

Ingredients

4 slices wholewheat bread, crusts removed

2 teaspoons butter

225g/8oz mushrooms, wiped with damp kitchen paper and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

4 eggs

100g/4oz Emmental cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ways of Working

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.

2. Roll each slice of bread with a rolling pin until flat, halve each slice and arrange in a greased muffin tray, pressing each slice into the cake mould. While the oven warms, bake the bread cups at a low heat until crisp and dry. Remove from the oven and set aside.

3. In a small frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté, stirring regularly, for 3–5 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Break the eggs in a bowl, piercing the yolks with a small sharp knife. Pour the eggs over the bread cups, dividing the mixture evenly. Top with the mushroom mixture, and sprinkle with the cheese.

5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the eggs are just set.

Serves 6

Sticky toffee pudding

Ingredients

100g/4oz butter

50g/2oz caster sugar

150ml/5fl oz double cream

100g/4oz muscovado sugar

4 eggs, separated

150g/5oz plain flour

11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

Ways of Working

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Grease four moulds measuring 300ml/10fl oz.

2. In a saucepan, dissolve the caster sugar in 2 tablespoons water over a low heat. Warm the double cream in another pan. When the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat under that pan, and boil until golden brown. Remove from the heat and add the hot cream, stirring. Pour equally between the moulds.

3. Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and muscovado sugar until off-white, then whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time.

4. In a glass bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and reserve.

5. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then whisk into the butter cream. Fold the whisked egg whites into the mixture.

6. Spoon into the moulds, and cover the tops with buttered rounds of baking parchment. Put into a roasting tin, and pour in enough hot water from the kettle to come halfway up the moulds. Bake in the oven for 40–50 minutes. Serve hot on their own, or with cream or ice cream.

Serves 4

Yogurt Flapjacks

Ingredients

700g/11⁄2lb vanilla yogurt

50g/2oz maple syrup

1 egg

350g/12oz pancake mix

450g/1lb chopped fresh fruit such as strawberries, grapes, blueberries, peaches, etc

Ways of Working

1. Combine 350g/12oz yogurt with the maple syrup and set aside.

2. Combine the remaining yogurt with the egg, and beat well. Add the pancake mix and blend to combine.

3. Heat a greased 20cm/8in frying pan over a medium heat. Spoon 50ml/2floz of the batter into the hot pan, and gently spread out. Cook until the edges are firm and the underside is golden. Flip over using a spatula or palette knife, and cook on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

4. Serve warm with the chopped fruit and maple yogurt sauce.

Serves 4

Simple bean salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 x 400g/14oz cans flageolet beans, drained and rinsed

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

2 tablespoons basil pesto

freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

small handful of fresh basil leaves

Ways of Working

1. Heat the oil in a small heavy pan. Sauté the garlic until golden but not scorched. Stir in the beans, then leave to marinate in the oil for 10–15 minutes.

2. When ready to serve, drizzle a little oil over until the beans are generously coated, then add the pesto sauce and lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the basil leaves. Serve straight away.

Serves 6

Oriental Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1.8 litres/3pt beef stock

1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon grass

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

175g/6oz vermicelli, broken into small pieces

Ways of Working

1. Bring the stock to the boil with the lemon grass and soy sauce.

2. Add the vermicelli and simmer for 6 minutes or until the noodles are just tender. Serve hot.

Serves 5

Tiramisu

Ingredients

500ml/18fl oz strong espresso coffee, cooled

50ml/2fl oz Marsala wine

2 eggs, separated

50g/2oz caster sugar

225g/oz mascarpone cheese

225ml/8fl oz double cream

16 large savoiardi (sponge finger biscuits)

2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

Ways of Working

1. Combine the coffee and Marsala in a bowl, and set aside. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until thick and pale. Add the mascarpone and mix. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk the cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, then fold into the mascarpone mixture.

2. Whisk the egg whites in a small clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Fold quickly and lightly into the cream mixture.

3. Dip half of the biscuits into the coffee mixture, drain off any excess and arrange in a large glass serving dish. Spread half of the mascarpone cream mixture over the biscuits.

4. Dip the remaining biscuits into the remaining coffee mixture, and repeat layering. Smooth the surface, and dust liberally with the cocoa powder. Chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving. cold desserts

Serves 6

Poppy seed custard

Ingredients

600ml/1pt skimmed milk

2 eggs

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

100g/4oz strawberries

100g/4oz raspberries

100g/4oz blackberries

1 tablespoon Demerara sugar

60ml/21/2fl oz red grape juice

Ways of Working

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 2. Grease a soufflé dish very lightly with low-fat spread.

2. Heat the milk until just below boiling point, but do not boil.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the caster sugar and poppy seeds until creamy. Whisk the milk into the egg mixture until very well mixed.

4. Stand the prepared soufflé dish in a shallow roasting tin. Pour in enough hot water from the kettle to come halfway up the sides of the dish.

5. Pour the custard into the soufflé dish, and bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes until the custard is just set and golden on top.

6. While the custard is baking, mix the fruit with the sugar and fruit juice. Chill until ready to serve with the warm baked custard.

Serves 6

Spinach, feta & pear salad

Ingredients

2 dessert pears such as Comice, peeled, cored and sliced

4 tablespoons walnut oil

100g/4oz baby spinach leaves

175g/6oz feta cheese, diced

75g/3oz walnut pieces

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

Ways of Working

1. Toss the pears in a little of the oil.

2. In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, feta cheese and walnut pieces. Gently stir in the pears.

3. Whisk together the lemon juice and remaining oil, and season with pepper. Drizzle over the salad.

4. Refrigerate, covered, until required.

Serves 4

Oyako Donburi

Ingredients
1/2 lb raw chicken cut from bone (1 large breast)
5 eggs
flour
1 cc water
3 dried mushrooms
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c Japanese-type soy sauce
2 scallions, cut diagonally or one onion, sliced
2 c chopped fresh spinach



Ways of Working

Cut chicken into small pieces. Beat in a bowl the eggs. Dust chicken pieces with flour, dip in eaten egg (reserve extra), and fry on both sides in hot oil until brown. Combine in saucepan the water and mushrooms. Simmer 10 minutes, remove mushrooms, and cut fine.

Drain any excess oil from skillet. Add to skillet the mushrooms and liquid, sugar and soy. Simmer 15 minutes. Add scallions. Simmer 10 more minutes.

Add spinach. While spinach is still bright green, add reserved beaten eggs to skillet and cover.

Cook briefly, just until set. Ladle over individual rice servings in bowls and top with chopped parsley.

Shumai

Ingredients

24 wonton skins
300 g lean ground beef
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp sugar
1½ tbsp sesame oil
2½ tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp green peas


Ways of Working :

Mix ginger root, onion, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and corn starch and add the mix to the lean ground beef. Stir and mix well until the mixture becomes sticky. Divide into 22- 24 fillings and place on the center of the wonton skins. Forn the wonton skins into "bowls" with flat bottoms.

Place a geen pea on the center of the filling. Steam 12-14 minutes over high heat. The skins may also be seald in shaped into "half moons". Deep-fry in oil (180°C) until golden.

Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients
115g Butter
115g Plain chocolate, broken
300g Caster sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon
Vanilla essence
115g Plain flour
2 tablespoons Cocoa powder
Pinch Salt
100g White chocolate chips



Ways of Serving
Preheat oven to 180C, 350F, gas mark 4. Grease 7 inch square cake tin with butter and line with baking paper. Place the chocolate and butter in a small heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of gentle simmering water until melted. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Stir in the sugar, salt and vanilla essence. Add the eggs one at a time, stiring until blended. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into tin and bake for 35-40 minutes. Leave to cool before serving the chocolate chip brownies.

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

225g soft margarine
100g walnut pieces
110g plain chocolate
170g plain flour
400g caster sugar
4 eggs
2.5ml salt
10ml vanilla essence
2.5ml baking powder
100g chocolate chip


Ways of Working

1. Melt the margarine and chocolate together.
2. Remove heat add sugar mix well
3. Add the vannilla eggs and chocolate chips
4. Sift the baking powder with flour and salt
5. Fold the flour into the chocolate mixture
6. Pour into lightly greased 23cm square or circle pan
7. Bake at 160c for fifty minutes
8. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 12 hours

Bruschetta

Ingredients

8 slices ciabatta bread

2 garlic cloves, halved

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

8 ripe tomatoes, sliced

8 fresh basil leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ways of Working

1. Toast the bread lightly. Rub with the garlic, cut side down, while still hot. Season with salt and lots of pepper, and drizzle enough oil on each slice to soak thoroughly.

2. Divide the tomato slices evenly between the slices of bread.

3. Top each bruschetta with a fresh basil leaf. Serve immediately

Serves 4

Fish: Good fat vs. bad

In seafood, it's key to know which fat can help your heart -- and which can hurt it. The fat in seafood is the kind you want to eat -- even in a low-fat diet. A "fatty" fish still has less fat than the "leanest" red meat. Better yet, the fat in fish helps prevent heart attacks. For maximum benefit, resist the urge to cook your seafood in butter, or ordering it fried out -- almost all oils used for commercial frying contain artery-clogging fats. Cook seafood at home with small amounts of canola or olive oil -- or no added fat.

Eat more to Weight Less

If you want to lose weight permanently, eating several small meals throughout the day to help you with this. Try to eat a small meal consisting of protein, fat, and complex carbohydrate. An example would be; for breakfast 1 hard boiled egg, and an orange, at 10am have a can of tuna on toast, for lunch a Chicken breast and any vegetable, at 2pm have a protein shake, for dinner a chicken breast and vegetable, in the evening have some celery and peanut butter. You get the idea. Avoid sugar, bread, pasta, salt, but not fat.

Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 rashers back bacon

200g/7oz onion, chopped

450g/1lb potatoes, cubed

275g/10oz canned condensed chicken soup

600ml/1pt milk

1 teaspoon dried dill

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ways of Working

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sauté the onions in the bacon fat over a medium heat until soft and golden.

2. Add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Cover the pan, and cook for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

3. Stir together the condensed soup and milk until smooth, and add to potato mixture. Heat but do not allow to boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the dill.

4. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle on top to garnish. Serve hot.

Serves 5

Lobster rolls

Ingredients

450g/1lb lobster meat (fresh or canned)

2 celery sticks

250ml/9fl oz lemon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

6 small flatbreads such as pitta

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Ways of Working

1. Cube the lobster meat and the celery, and put in a bowl. Stir in three-quarters of the mayonnaise and all of the tarragon.

2. Warm the flatbreads under the grill. When warm but not toasted, spread with the extra mayonnaise, and scoop in the lobster mixture.

3. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and serve straight away.

Serves 6