recipes

Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until just tender.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the spring onions and garlic and sauté gently for 1 minute.

Add the red chilli, fresh ginger, black bean sauce and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Stir in the pak choi or spring greens, soy sauce, caster sugar and peanuts; reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 4 minutes.

Drain the noodles and pile into serving bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles and serve immediately.

Cut the tomatoes in half, place them cut-side down in a foil-lined grill pan and drizzle with some oil. Grill for 4–5 minutes until the skins have split and blackened. Meanwhile, fry the onion, potato and garlic in the remaining oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and turning golden around the edges.

Peel and roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the onion and potato with the pan juices, then stir in the stock, tomato purée, sugar and vinegar. Add half the basil, season and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Purée half the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to the saucepan with the rest of the soup and reheat. Season to taste, then ladle into bowls, garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve with Parmesan twists.

Put the fish trimmings in a large sieve, rinse with cold water, drain and then put them into a large saucepan with all the remaining ingredients.

Bring slowly to the boil. Skim off any scum with a slotted spoon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve, return it to the saucepan and then simmer it, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until reduced by half. Cool then chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

If you are adding fish heads, don’t cook them for longer than 30 minutes before straining, or they will begin to add a bitter taste.

Put the bones and bacon into a large saucepan and heat gently for 10 minutes until the marrow begins to run from the centre of the bones. Turn the bones occasionally.

Add the vegetables and fry for 10 more minutes, stirring the vegetables and turning the bones until browned.

Add the herbs, salt and peppercorns then pour in the water and bring slowly to the boil. Skim off any scum with a slotted spoon, then reduce the heat, half cover with a lid and simmer gently for 4–5 hours until the liquid has reduced by half.

Strain through a large sieve into a jug. Cool then chill in the refrigerator overnight. Skim off any fat and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

If you’re not in the habit of roasting large beef joints on the bone, you can obtain the beef bones from your local butcher; he may even give them to you for free. Use the bones raw when preparing your stock. Lamb stock can be made in the same way from cooked or uncooked lamb bones.

Put the chicken carcass and vegetables into a large saucepan. Add the herbs, salt and peppercorns.

Pour over the water and bring slowly just to the boil. Skim off any scum with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then half cover with a lid and cook for 2–2½ hours until reduced by about half.

Strain the stock through a large sieve into a jug. Remove any chicken pieces still on the carcass, pick out the meat pieces from the sieve and reserve for the soup, but discard the vegetables. Chill the stock for several hours or overnight Skim off the thin layer of fat on the top of the chilled and now jellied stock with a dessertspoon. Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

A duck, pheasant, or guinea fowl carcass or a ham knuckle can also be made into stock in just the same way. If you have a turkey carcass then double up the vegetable and water quantities specified above.

If you have a chicken carcass but don’t have time to make it into stock straightaway, you can freeze it for up to 3 months closely wrapped in clingfilm, then packed into a plastic bag. Defrost it at room temperature then make into stock as above.

Step One Scrub the potatoes and put them in a saucepan. Cover with water to come about 2.5cm (1in) above the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the water and bring to a boil. Cover. Boil until the potatoes are just tender. Drain and peel.

Step Two Put the oil in a large frying pan and set over medium–high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds. Let the seeds sizzle for a few seconds. Now add the potatoes. Turn the heat down to medium. Brown the potatoes lightly on all sides. Turn the heat to low and add ¼ teaspoon salt and the ground cumin, garam masala and chilli powder. Cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the green coriander just before serving and toss to mix.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 2-quart square baking dish with cooking spray.

Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish.

Sprinkle with cheese, ham, and green onion.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper, and salt.

Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in the dish.

(The dish may be covered and refrigerated at this point for several hours or overnight.)

Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes (or 55 to 60 minutes if made ahead and chilled) or until the center appears set.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Heat oven to 400°F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar with an electric mixer.

Add the cold butter and mix just until the butter is coated with flour (butter chunks should remain fairly large).

Add cranberries and white chocolate.

Stir gently. Add in 2/3 cup of the buttermilk.

Stop mixing when dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Quickly shape dough into a ball and pat into a circle about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut into 8 pie-shaped wedges.

Place wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush tops with remaining buttermilk and sprinkle generously with the 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake 15–20 minutes.

Slice brats (if not pre-sliced) and brown in apple juice in a large frying pan.

Add apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar.

Cook together until meat is done and apples are soft.

Serve hot over pancakes.