rapscalli

# Classic potato salad | BBC Good Food ## Ingredients - 800g small new potatoes - 3 shallots, finely chopped - 1 tbsp small capers (optional) - 2 tbsp cornichons, finely chopped (optional) - 3 tbsp mayonnaise, or to taste - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar - small handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped This salad and can be made the day before, chilled and then pulled out a few hours before serving 1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 mins until just cooked, drain, then cool. 1. Cut the potatoes into chunks, then throw into a bowl with the shallots, capers and cornichons, if using. 1. Add enough mayonnaise to bind, then mix together the olive oil and vinegar and add just enough to give a little sharpness to the salad. 1. Stir in the finely chopped parsley and serve. From <http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/75604/classic-potato-salad>:

# Pork and fennel casserole  Unwind with a Mediterranean-flavoured casserole of pork, chorizo and fennel. - Less than 30 mins preparation time - Over 2 hours cooking time - Serves 4     ## Ingredients - 2 tsp olive oil - 1kg/2lbs 2oz pork shoulder, cut into large cubes - 200g/7oz chorizo, cut into chunks - 1 onion, sliced - 1 fennel bulb, finely sliced - 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock - 2 lemons, zest and juice - 1 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas - 100g/3½oz large pitted green olives - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley ## To serve - wilted spinach ## Preparation method 1. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork shoulder until golden-brown on all sides. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside. 1. Add the chorizo to the pan and fry until crisp around the edges, remove from the pan and set aside. 1. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the onion and fennel fo

# Beetroot risotto With its shocking colour and sound flavour, this dish is quite the exhibitionist. Keep it simple if that's how you like it, but the optional toppings add layers of flavour. Serve as a main course, a starter, or as a lovely little extra alongside a bit of beef or oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel. ### Serves 2 - 250g fresh beetroot - 2 shallots, peeled - 2 garlic cloves, peeled - 850ml chicken or vegetable stock - 35g butter, plus a knob for later - A splash of olive oil - 175g risotto rice (i used 140 and that was more than enough) - 80ml white wine - A little fresh thyme (optional) - Juice of ½ lemon - 50g parmesan, freshly grated - Salt and black pepper ## Optional toppings - 50g blue cheese, crumbled - 1 tbsp mascarpone, cream or creme fraiche - A few baby spinach or rocket leaves - A handful of parmesan, goat's or Lancashire cheese, crumbled - 2 tbsp sour cream or natural yoghurt - A few walnuts, toasted - ½ tbsp horseradish cream ## Method 1. After d

# Warm pasta salad with olive dressing ## Ingredients ### For the olive dressing - 1 garlic clove, finely chopped - 1 spring onion, finely chopped - 8-10 green olives, stones removed, finely chopped - 2 lemons, juice only - handful fresh basil, chopped - ¼ ball mozzarella, cut into cubes - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar - salt and freshly ground black pepper ### For the pasta 110g/4oz spaghetti, cooked according to packet instructions, drained and kept warm 1 tbsp olive oil Less than 30 mins preparation time Less than 10 mins cooking time ## Preparation method - For the olive dressing, place all the ingredients into a bowl, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. - For the pasta, place the cooked spaghetti into a bowl and stir in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the pasta and stir well. - To serve, place the pasta salad into a serving bowl.   From <http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/warmpastasaladwithol_85422>:

# Herby couscous with citrus & pomegranate dressing Serves 4 ## Ingredients - 200g couscous - 150g pack pomegranates seeds - handful chopped herbs (we used mint and coriander) - juice 1 orange - 2 tbsp each white wine vinegar and olive oil ### Method 1. Place the couscous in a shallow bowl, then pour over 200ml boiling water. 1. Cover the bowl with cling film, then leave for 5 mins until the couscous has swelled up and absorbed all of the water. 1. Ruffle with a fork to separate the grains, then stir through the pomegranate seeds and herbs. 1. Make a dressing by mixing together the orange juice, white wine vinegar and olive oil, then stir into the couscous. 1. Season well with salt and serve.   http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9841/herby-couscous-with-citrus-and-pomegranate-dressin

# Delia - How to make vinaigrette     When you begin to make salad dressings, it's you who should taste and you who should decide just how much acidity you like and what your preferences are as to flavourings and so on. I seem to suffer from some kind of mental handicap with dressings, which roughly means that other people's salad dressings always seem to taste better than my own – my husband's particularly. I have set out my favourite version of vinaigrette, but it's adaptable: you can use red or white wine vinegar, a different mustard or no mustard; if you like it sharper, use a higher ratio of vinegar, and if you want it less sharp use a higher ratio of oil. The following combination is my own personal favourite. 1 rounded teaspoon of Maldon sea salt 1 level teaspoon of whole black peppercorns 1 peeled clove of garlic 1 rounded teaspoon of mustard powder 1 tablespoon of the vinegar of your choice (balsamic, sherry, cider) possible lemon or lime juice instead of vineg

# stir fried tofu from The After-work Thai Cookbook ## Ingredients - 250g tofu - 2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil - 1 tbsp Thai green curry paste - 2 tbsp light soy sauce - 2 kaffir lime leaves, rolled into cylinders and thinly sliced - 2 tbsp granulated sugar - 150ml vegetable stock - 250g Asian asparagus, trimmed - 2 tbsp roasted peanuts Substitute slim carrot sticks or broccoli florets for the asparagus ## Method - cube and fry the tofu till golden brown - Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, add 2 tbsp curry paste, cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 mins, until it gives off its aroma - Stir in 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 lime leaves, 2 tbsp sugar and 150ml veg stock and mix well. bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer. - add 250g asparagus and simmer gently for 5 minutes - add the tofu and peanuts to the pan, mix. - serve

Recipe - A couple of pilau (pulao) rice http://www.jamieoliver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23361&p=2 A couple of pilau (pulao) rice dises to go with curry Rajasthani Pilau (Rajasthan) Ingredients: Serves: 4-6 2 1/2 cups long grain rice 3 tablespoons ghee or oil 2 medium onions, finely sliced 2 sticks cinnamon 6 cardamom pods, bruised 6 whole cloves 10 whole black pepper 4 cups hot stock or water Salt to taste Method: If the rice needs washing, wash well in several changes of cold water and leave to soak for 1 hour. Then drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes. Heat ghee or oil in a large, heavy saucepan and fry the sliced onion with the cinnamon, cardamoms, black pepper and cloves until the onions are golden, stirring frequently so that they brown evenly. Add the rice and fry for about 3 minutes, then pour in the stock or water. Add the salt and stir well while bringing quickly to the boil. Turn heat very low, cover tightly and cook without lifting lid for 25 minutes. Uncove

# Home-style chicken curry BBC Good Food ## Ingredients - 1 large onion - 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped - 50g ginger, roughly chopped - 4 tbsp vegetable oil - 2 tsp cumin seeds - 1 tsp fennel seed - 5cm cinnamon stick - 1 tsp chilli flakes - 1 tsp garam masala - 1 tsp turmeric - 1 tsp caster sugar - 400g can chopped tomatoes - 8 chicken thighs, skinned, boneless (about 800g) - 250ml hot chicken stock - 2 tbsp chopped coriander # Method - Roughly chop the onion (1 large), transfer to a small food processor, and add 3 tablespoons of water. Process to a slack paste. You could use a stick blender for this or coarsely grate the onion into a bowl – there’s no need to add any water if you are grating the onion. Tip into a small bowl and leave on one side. - Put the chopped garlic (6 cloves) 3 tbsp and ginger (50g) 2 tbsp into the same food processor and add 4 tbsp water – process until smooth and spoon into another small bowl. Alternatively, crush the garlic to a paste with

# Braised Beef Goulash with Smoked Pimenton - deliaonline I've always loved goulash and would definitely list it among my top casserole recipes, but now, since the advent of the spicy, deep-flavoured smoked pimentón from southern Spain, goulash has an even greater appeal. I love this served with whole-grain brown rice cooked with onion, and some buttered green cabbage or spicy red cabbage. Note: If you prefer a milder goulash, use two tablespoons of sweet, mild, smoked pimentón. If you have trouble tracking down smoked pimentón, try [www.brindisa.com](http://www.brindisa.com) Serves 6 **You will also need a lidded, flameproof casserole with a capacity of 6 pints (3.5 litres).** ## Ingredients - 2 lb 8 oz (1.15 kg) British chuck steak (braising steak), trimmed and cut into 1½ inch (4 cm) cubes - 1 level tablespoon hot smoked pimentón - 1 level tablespoon sweet, mild smoked pimentón, plus a little extra to sprinkle - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 3 large onions, peeled and chopp

# Pasta Primavera ### Serves 4 ## Ingredients - 2 cloves garlic crushed - 1 tbsp olive oil - 50g butter - 50g mascarpone cheese - Splash dry white wine - Juice and grated zest 1 lemon - Salt and pepper - 300g pasta of your choice - About 500g of green vegetables, I’ve used - 100g frozen peas - 100g frozen broad beans - 75g asparagu - 75g courgettes - 75g green beans - 75g mange tout - About 2 tbsp of fresh chopped herbs, i’ve used - Parsley - Mint - Basil - Chives ## Method - Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. - Cook the vegetables for 2 minutes in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water. - Meanwhile gently fry garlic in the olive oil for 2 minutes then add the butter, wine and mascarpone and melt down, season with some salt and pepper, then add a ladle of the pasta cooking water and simmer. - Drain the vegetables and add them to the pan and mix well - now drain the pasta and add it to the pan, mixing well and addin

#pasta salad primavera ## Serves: 8 This recipe does involve a lot of fiddly preparation, but what it creates is addictive; every mouthful repays the effort a hundredfold. What's more, you can stash it in a Tupperware or similar and leave it in the fridge for easy pickings for a good few days. This salad is eating proof that you can't have too much of a good thing.   ## Ingredients - 500 grams orzo pasta (or puntarelle pasta) - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - 500 grams fresh green asparagus - 150 grams broad beans (podded) - 250 grams green peas (podded) - 125 grams mangetout - 125 grams fine green beans - 1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil - zest and juice of 1 lemon - 5 tablespoons chopped chives ##other possible ingredients - use any other pasta, - small broccoli florets - sugar snap peas - finely chopped shallots - gently fried spring onions - carrots - courgettes - spinach - parmesan - mascarpone - creme fraiche - sun dried tomatoes - us

# Crispy-skin chicken thighs | BBC Good Food ## Ingredients - 8 plump chicken thighs, skin on - 2 lemons - 2 tbsp chopped tarragon - 2 tbsp olive oil - 750g new potatoes - 2 tsp paprika, sweet or smoked   Other herbs, such as thyme or marjoram, can be used instead of tarragon. And you can add some whole, unpeeled cloves of garlic, or trimmed spring onions to the dish of potatoes. ## Method 1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200/gas 7. 1. Wipe the chicken thighs with kitchen paper. 1. Finely grate the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze the juice from both. 1. Mix in a shallow dish with the tarragon, 1 tbsp of the oil, and some salt and pepper. 1. Slash the skin of each chicken thigh three times, then turn in the marinade. (The chicken pieces can be cooked immediately or left in the fridge for up to a day.) 1. Cut the potatoes into wedges and spread over a roasting tin. 1. Toss in the remaining oil and sprinkle with paprika. 1. Set a rack on top and arrange the chicken pieces on the rack. 1. Bake for

## Ingredients - 1 loaf crusty baguette - 8 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped and drained - Half a small red onion, finely chopped - 2 to 3 cloves of crushed garlic - 6 to 8 leaves of fresh basil, finely chopped or chiffonade - 30ml balsamic vinegar - 60ml to 80ml extra virgin olive oil - Salt and pepper to taste ## Method - In a large bowl, mix the onions, tomatoes, garlic and basil using a large metal spoon, taking care not to mash or break up the tomatoes too much. - Add the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. - Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix the contents again. - Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. This will allow the flavours to soak and blend together. - Slice the baguette loaf diagonally, into thick slices and lightly toast the slices until they are light brown on both sides. - Serve the mixture on the warm slices of bread. If you prefer the mixture at room temperature, remove from the fridge half an hour before serving. From <http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/re

# Avocado, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad Recipe Avocado, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad Recipe. If you like traditional Italian insalata caprese, try this similar salad with fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and the addition of avocados for extra flavor. Mozzarella and avocado salad recipe courtesy of Avocados from Mexico. ## Ingredients - 2 avocados, sliced - 2 ripe tomatoes - 500g mozzarella - bunch fresh basil leaves - 3 tbsp olive oil - 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar - salt and pepper to taste   ## Method - With a small knife, cut the little stem end out of the tomato, and using a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into 1/3 inch slices. - Slice the mozzarella 1/4 inch thick. - Alternate slices of Avocado, tomato, mozzarella and basil leaves like playing cards on individual plates. - Drizzle on the olive oil and vinegar. - Season with salt and pepper. - Serve with Italian bread or baguette (French bread).   ## Alternate dressing:- - 3 tbsp balsamic - 3 tbsp red wine vinegar - 1 tsp white su

# Pea & new potato curry ## Ingredients - 1 tbsp vegetable oil - 2 onions, sliced - 3 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced - thumb-sized piece ginger, grated - 2 tsp cumin seeds - 1 tsp Madras curry powder - ½ tsp turmeric - 750g new potatoes, halved - juice 1 lime - 500ml pot natural yogurt - small bunch coriander, stalks and leaves finely chopped - 200-300ml vegetable stock, or pea stock (see tip, below) - 300g podded fresh peas (or use frozen and cook brifly) - lime wedges, to serve - 2 naan bread, to serve ## Method - parboil potatoes - Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. - Add the onions and cook over a low heat for 10-15 mins until soft. - Throw in the chillies, ginger and spices, and cook for a few mins. - Stir in the potatoes and lime juice, coating in the spice mix. - Add the coriander stalks and the stock. - Simmer slowly for 35-40 mins until the potatoes are soft and the sauce has reduced. - Stir through the peas and cook for anoth

# How to cook perfect dal Dals should be cooked long and slow for maximum creaminess, and left relatively plain, the better to set off the spicy, aromatic tarka which makes such a sizzling garnish. Endlessly versatile, they can be as thin as soup, or as thick as porridge, and will take on just about any spice you throw at them, so next time you're feeling in need of cheering up, raid the rack and get cooking. Serves 4 ## Ingredients ### Dal - 400g mung dal (skinned yellow split mung beans) - 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed - 4cm piece of root ginger, peeled and cut into 4 - 1 tbsp turmeric - 4 small green chillies, 2 finely chopped, 2 left whole ### Tarka - 2 tbsp ghee or groundnut oil - 2 shallots, finely sliced - 1 tbsp cumin seeds - 1 tsp mustard seeds - 1 tsp crushed chilli - Fresh coriander, chopped to serve ### Dal 1. Wash the dal until the water runs clear, then drain and put in a large pan and cover with 2 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum th

potato - BBC Good Food # Gujarati cabbage with coconut & potato * 500g Charlotte or other new potatoes, unpeeled and halved * 2 tbsp sunflower oil * 1 pinch asafoetida (available from Bart or steenbergs.co.uk, see tip) * 1 tsp black mustard seeds * 1 tsp cumin seeds * 2 dried red chillies * 1 fresh red or green chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced * 1 pointed (sweetheart) cabbage, finely shredded * juice ½ lemon * 2 tbsp desiccated or shaved fresh coconut, toasted * bunch of coriander, roughly chopped ## Tip - Asafoetida Asafoetida has a powerful fried-onion flavour so is always used sparingly. It’s said to aid digestion, making it a natural partner to cabbage. 1. Cook potatoes in a pan of salted boiling water for 10 mins until tender. Drain well and return to pan. Lightly crush with the back of a fork, just to break, not to mash. 2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and then add the asafoetida, spices and dried chillies. Cook for a few mins until the spices pop and the chillies d

# Creamed Spinach ## Ingredients - 2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed - 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil - 2 small shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) - 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth - 2 tablespoons evaporated milk - Pinch of ground nutmeg - Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper ## Method - Squeeze all of the water from the spinach. - In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. - Add the low-fat milk and broth and cook, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. - Add the spinach and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/creamed-spinach-recipe2/index.html?oc=linkback

1. The best rice to use for separate, fluffy grains is basmati. This has long, thin, pointed grains, and is more expensive than others but, since cooking is about flavour, it is the one to buy as it has a far superior taste. Always measure rice by volume and not by weight: use a measuring jug and measure 2½ fl oz (65 ml) per person (5 fl oz/150 ml for two, 10 fl oz/275 ml for four and so on). The quantity of liquid you will need is roughly double the volume of rice; so 5 fl oz (150 ml) of rice needs 10 fl oz (275 ml) of hot water or stock.  2. The very best utensil for cooking fluffy, separate rice is a frying pan with a lid. Over the years I have found that the shallower the rice is spread out during cooking, the better. Buying a 10 inch (25.5 cm) pan with a lid would be a good lifetime investment for rice cooking. Failing that, try to find a large saucepan lid that will fit your normal frying pan. First cook some onions, which can provide extra flavour but are not a necessity as rice