Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and stir with a large spoon to create a swirl.
Break 2 eggs into the water and cook for 3–4 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Meanwhile, snap the woody ends off the asparagus spears and discard.
Heat a griddle pan until very hot and sprinkle it with the oil, then add the asparagus and cook, turning frequently, until slightly charred and just tender.
Divide the asparagus on to 4 plates and top with the poached eggs.
Sprinkle over the Parmesan shavings and serve.
For asparagus omelette, heat the oil in a frying pan, add 6 trimmed and chopped asparagus spears, 2 sliced spring onions and 3–4 sliced chestnut mushrooms and cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
Whisk together 5 eggs and 4 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk in a jug, then pour into the pan, tipping the pan and moving the egg with a spatula to ensure it cooks evenly.
Sprinkle with 25 g (1 oz) grated Parmesan, then place under a preheated hot grill for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Cut into quarters and serve with a green salad and new potatoes, if liked
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
Add the potato, milk and measurement water and season to taste.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5–6 minutes.
Stir in the kale and cook for a further 10–12 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the haddock and simmer for 2 minutes, or until cooked through.
Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and serve immediately.
For smoked haddock fishcakes with kale, cook 400 g (13 oz) smoked haddock under a preheated hot grill for 4 minutes on each side, then skin and flake into a large bowl.
Mix in 625 g (1¼ lb) mashed potatoes, 1 tablespoon chopped rinsed and drained capers, the grated rind of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 1 beaten egg.
Mix well, then shape into 8 fishcakes and dust with a little flour.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan and cook the fishcakes for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate pan, add 250 g (8 oz) chopped kale and cook for 3–4 minutes until wilted.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
Stir in the red pepper, celery and tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the stock, add the sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée and a little salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Leave the soup to cool slightly, then purée in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Sieve, if liked, then pour back into the saucepan.
Add the vodka and Tabasco to taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Chill well.
Ladle the soup into 6 small glasses or bowls, add tiny celery sticks, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with a little extra pepper.
For Virgin Mary & pesto soup, fry the onion in the oil as for Bloody mary soup, add the red pepper, celery and tomatoes, then simmer in 900 ml (1½ pints) gluten-free stock mixed with 4 teaspoons sun-dried tomato paste and 2 teaspoons caster sugar for 15 minutes.
Purée with 1 tablespoon pesto.
Chill and serve with a little extra pesto added to each bowl and garnished with a few tiny basil leaves.
Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Add the carrots and cook for 3–4 minutes, then add the lamb and peas and cook for a further 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the spring onions and mint, then season to taste.
Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and serve.
For minted spring lamb salad, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon clear honey and salt and pepper in a bowl.
Place 50g (2 oz) baby spinach leaves, 50 g (2 oz) watercress and 2 sliced roasted peppers in a salad bowl with the seeds of 1 pomegranate, 75 g (3 oz) crumbled feta cheese and 300 g (10 oz) shredded cooked lamb.
625g1¼ lb tomatoes, skinned if liked, roughly chopped
2teaspoonsharissa paste
3teaspoonstomato purée
400g13 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
900ml1½ pints gluten-free vegetable or chicken stock
salt and pepper
Instructies
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and fry over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown around the edges.
Stir in the garlic and sugar and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring more frequently as the onions begin to caramelize.
Stir in the tomatoes and harissa paste and fry for 5 minutes.
Mix in the tomato purée, chickpeas, stock and salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes until the tomatoes and onion are very soft.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Ladle into 6 bowls and serve with warm gluten-free tomato ciabatta, if liked.
For chillied red onion & bean soup, make the soup as for Onion, tomato & chickpea soup but omit the harissa and add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1 split dried red chilli when frying the tomatoes.
Replace the chickpeas with a rinsed and drained 400 g (13 oz) can red kidney beans.
Place the cauliflower in a steamer and steam for 3 minutes until just tender.
Place in a serving dish.
Meanwhile, heat a nonstick frying pan and dry-fry the mustard seeds until they start to pop.
Set aside.
Mix together the chopped coriander, lime juice, honey and olive oil in a small bowl.
Add the dressing, toasted mustard seeds, sesame seeds and peanuts to the cauliflower and toss together, then serve.
For spicy cauliflower soup, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan, add 1 chopped onion and fry for 2–3 minutes until softened, then add 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander and 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
Stir in the florets of 1 cauliflower and mix well to coat with all the spices.
Pour in 1.5 litres (2½ pints) hot gluten-free vegetable stock and simmer for 25–30 minutes until tender.
Using a hand-held blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Ladle into 4 bowls and serve sprinkled with 1 tablespoon chopped coriander.
Divide the tomato slices and mozzarella slices between 4 plates, layering them alternately.
Sprinkle with the basil leaves, pepper, vinegar and olive oil and serve.
For tomato & basil soup, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan, add 1 finely chopped onion and fry for 2–3 minutes, then add 1 crushed garlic clove and cook for a further 1 minute until softened.
Add 3 x 400 g (13 oz) cans chopped tomatoes, 50 g (2 oz) chopped basil, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon tomato purée.
Mix well, then pour in 400 ml (14 fl oz) boiling water and mix again.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Using a hand-hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Ladle into 4 bowls and serve sprinkled with pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and a few basil leaves.
Add watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and mint in a large bowl.
Stir together lime juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl then pour over fruit and berries.
Gently toss with a spatula then let sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 before serving to allow the natural juices in the fruit to start coming out.
