The Lazy Cook's Family Favourites E-Book

Mo Smith

• Herausgeber: Allison & Busby
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 291

Beschreibung

Mo Smith understands that we want to make sure our families eat well, using the best of the season's ingredients, while realising that few of us have time for complex cooking. The result is a perfect collection of recipes that all feature a time-saving and corner-cutting tip. Find delicious traditional favourites like Bangers & Mash and Chicken Liver Pate, and be inspired by new alternatives such as Red Chicory & Avocado Salad and Plums in Pimm's. There are also sections devoted to party food and cooking with children, so The Lazy Cook's Family Favourites really is the only essential cookbook for your kitchen. It's all about making the most of your money and your time in the kitchen. Come on, get Lazy!

Leseprobe

THE LAZY COOK’S FAMILY FAVOURITES

MO SMITH

CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

FOREWORD

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

LET’S PARTY

SOUPS

STARTERS & LIGHT MEALS

FISH

MEAT

FROM PLOT TO POT

SALADS

PUDDINGS

CAKES & BISCUITS

FOOD FOR HUNGRY LITTLE TUMS

GRANDMA, CAN WE MAKE SOME CAKES?

EATING WELL WHEN SHORT ON FUNDS

STORE CUPBOARD ESSENTIALS

OVEN TEMPERATURES

INDEX

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

COPYRIGHT

FOREWORD

After many years of cooking and creating recipes, many of which I demonstrated to members of the public in my Cotswold kitchen, life suddenly changed when I became a carer for my husband. With extra household chores and a family of three teenagers to feed I had to rethink my style of cooking. I began by taking a fresh look at some of the ready-prepared ingredients available to me on the supermarket shelves and putting all my experience to the test by creating a completely new range of recipes. I called myself the ‘Lazy Cook’.

Enjoying a weekend brunch is a relaxed way of entertaining friends or guests and the section headed Breakfast & Brunch recommends recipes to make the kitchen a relaxed place as well.

Everyone loves a party but being the host can be quite daunting so there’s always the temptation to buy the canapés. But showing off your culinary skills to your friends needn’t be stressful or difficult and in Let’s Party I give you simple canapé recipes, which are prepared in advance so you can enjoy yourself and play the perfect hostess.

As well as recipes covering everyday cooking, you will find a section headed From Plot to Pot, recommending unusual ways of cooking your garden produce.

Cooking with children can be so much fun and is an important life skill for them to learn. In Food for Hungry Tums, you’ll find a selection of easy recipes to cook with the kids. And for special treats, I’ve included some easy baking ideas in Grandma, Can We Make Some Cakes?

Whether you are a new mum keen to give baby healthy, home-cooked meals or a more experienced parent looking for some short cuts in the kitchen, The Lazy Cook’s Family Favourites is for you. Using seasonal ingredients, these recipes are quick and easy to prepare and are ideally suited to the busy lifestyle of today’s family.

If you have a wealth of experience of cooking or none at all, my Lazy Cook recipes will give novices confidence in the kitchen and new recipes and flavours for talented cooks to add to their repertoire. To make things even simpler for you, I’ve highlighted the recipes that are especially quick and easy to make as Quick Fixes.

Armed with this book you are sure to impress not only yourself but your friends and family too.

Mo Smith The Lazy Cook

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

In most households a rushed weekday breakfast is limited to a quick bowl of cereal, bite of toast, or yoghurt. Many people have their breakfast standing up, on the way to work, or even worse, not at all. Thank heavens, then, for the weekend when there’s more time to stretch this meal into the day and serve it as a more substantial brunch.

Any of the recipes in this section are suitable for early-bird breakfasters, as well as those who prefer to make a more leisurely start to their weekends. Saturdays and Sundays are for socialising so why not invite some friends round for brunch?

Read carefully through the recipes and note the ease with which they are prepared. You’re sure to find something tasty to suit your guests.

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

Scrambled Egg with Chives & a Curl of Smoked Ham

Herb Omelette

All-in-One Traditional English Breakfast

Breakfast Slices

Continental Platter of Cold Meats, Fish and Cheese Fresh Bread Rolls

Bread ‘Offcuts’

Muesli

A Compote of Dried Fruits

Grilled Kippers

Kedgeree

Rice

Lamb Kidneys in a Devilled Cream Sauce

SCRAMBLED EGG WITH CHIVES & A CURL OF SMOKED HAM

*Quick Fix*

So often, scrambled egg is served as a flavourless solid mass of overcooked ingredients, whereas the perfect scrambled egg should have a creamy texture and a delicious flavour. The key to success is to cook the ingredients over a medium heat, stirring continuously. I recommend that no more than 4 large eggs are scrambled at a time and preferably in a non-stick saucepan.

FOR EACH LARGE EGG USE:

50 ml (2 fl oz) of milk

7 g (¼ oz) of unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

A few fresh chives (snipped with scissors)

1 wafer-thin slice of Black Forest or Parma ham

Gently heat the milk and butter in a pan until the butter has melted.

Add a little pepper, then crack a whole egg into the pan and immediately break the yolk using a wooden spoon or spatula.

Stir the ingredients continually until they form a soft, creamy texture, then remove from the heat.

Sprinkle in the chives, pile onto hot toast (there is no need to butter it) and serve with a curl of smoked ham on top.

LAZY COOK TIPS

Once the egg begins to cream together, the heat of the pan will continue the cooking process. At this point I recommend the pan is removed from the heat to avoid the egg overcooking and splitting – disaster! For easy cleaning, make sure you fill the saucepan with cold water as soon as the egg is removed.

HERB OMELETTE

BASIC INGREDIENTS FOR A 2 EGG OMELETTE:

12 g (½ oz) unsalted butter

2 large eggs

Freshly ground black pepper

A dessertspoon of chopped fresh parsley

Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, then add the chosen herbs and season. Using a fork, lightly whisk together – just a few turns is sufficient.

Heat a heavy-based (preferably non-stick) omelette pan over a high setting. Add the butter and, lifting the pan, swirl it around the base.

When hot, pour on the prepared eggs and immediately draw a wooden spatula through the eggs several times to build up layers of egg before they set.

Finally, tilt the pan to spread any remaining liquid egg. Fold in half and shake onto a hot serving plate.

Serve with bread and butter.

LAZY COOK TIPS

Omelettes must be cooked quickly (in seconds) over a high heat and a good pan is essential – preferably 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter. This should not be washed, but wiped with kitchen roll after each use and kept for omelette or crêpe/pancake making only. In addition to fresh herbs, grated cheese is another perfect filling for an omelette and should be added just before the omelette is folded. The heat of the omelette will melt the cheese to the perfect consistency. Other popular fillings are cooked ham or mushrooms – to be added before the omelette is folded. Not only is an omelette high in nutritional value, its speedy preparation means it’s the perfect choice for breakfast.

ALL-IN-ONE TRADITIONAL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

TO PREPARE FOR A CROWD, FOR EACH SERVING:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 slice of bread (white or wholemeal)

1 large mushroom (wiped with damp kitchen roll)

1 medium egg

1 small tomato

A pinch of granulated sugar

2 rashers of back bacon or 4 lean streaky rashers

Set oven to gas mark 6/200°C/400°F/Aga roasting oven.

Heat the oil in a shallow roasting tin. Dip in the bread and leave dipped side down.

Remove the stalk from the mushroom and discard. Place the mushroom on top of the slice of bread, cavity facing upwards.

Crack an egg into the mushroom cavity, top with slices of tomato and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar.

Finally, top with the bacon slices and put into the preheated oven.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon has cooked. Serve straight from the oven.

LAZY COOK TIPS

The choice of mushroom is important: select one which will leave a cavity to hold the egg once the stalk is removed. An excellent way of serving breakfast or brunch to a crowd.

BREAKFAST SLICES

This recipe is ideal for serving at a brunch party and is also acceptable as a lunch or light supper.

Makes 6-8 slices

8 chipolata sausages

10 slices of rindless, lean streaky bacon

1 ring of black pudding (approximately 225 g/8 oz)

2 tablespoons of frozen spinach

8 large eggs

Cook the frozen spinach following the guidelines on the packet.

Place a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat and when hot add the bacon slices and the sausages. Reduce the heat slightly and cook, turning regularly. Remove them from the pan once they’re done.

Take the black pudding and remove the skin before cutting it into thick slices. Add to the pan and brown quickly on each side before removing.

Using kitchen towel, mop up all excess fat from the pan, then toss in all the cooked ingredients and top with the cooked spinach. Whisk the eggs, then pour them over the mixture and cook until the egg begins to set and the base starts to brown.

Put under a grill (medium heat) or in an oven until the egg is set and the top begins to brown. Cut into slices and serve hot or cold.

LAZY COOK TIPS

For this recipe I use a 29 cm (11 inch) non-stick pan with a removable handle. The cooked bacon and sausages can be cut smaller (using scissors) as you return them to the pan mixing the flavours evenly. Frozen spinach is ideal for this recipe. Heat the grill before adding the egg to the pan ingredients, so that you’re ready to complete the cooking. If cooking by Aga, heat the pan on the hot hob and transfer to the cooler hob once the ingredients are added. Then put into the roasting oven, towards the top, to complete the cooking.

CONTINENTAL PLATTER OF COLD MEATS, FISH & CHEESE

This can be a refreshing appetiser at breakfast and a welcome change from many of the hot foods that are so often on offer. There is a huge range of ingredients that can be included here: smoked ham and smoked salmon, a selection of salamis and continental sausages, and an assortment of cheese slices. The colours and the individual flavours do the work for you but as always, presentation is important. I would suggest arranging all the ingredients on a large platter or tray.

You may choose to add small bunches of grapes or seasonal fresh fruit to add a little sweetness and moisture. As a final touch and for eye-catching presentation, scatter with mustard cress immediately before serving. To complete this meal and make it into a memorable feast, serve your chosen platter with Bread ‘Offcuts’ (see recipe) and/or Fresh Bread Rolls (see recipe).

Serves a few or many

ARRANGE THE FOLLOWING,OR INGREDIENTS OF YOUR CHOICE, ON A LARGE PLATTER:

Slices of cooked ham and salamis

Smoked salmon slices

An assortment of cheese slices

FRESH BREAD ROLLS

The advantage of this recipe is that the dough can be made in advance and kept in a fridge overnight, or for up to 2 days. When you’re ready just shape and bake them, and savour that freshly baked bread aroma. Light and delicious, these are ideal for breakfast. Break them open while hot and drizzle with runny honey or maple syrup. Family and friends will be so impressed and I guarantee they will ask you for the recipe.

Makes 12

175 g (6 oz) of potatoes

450 g (1 lb) of plain white flour

50 g (2 oz) of unsalted butter

½ teaspoon of salt (optional)

20 g (¾ oz) of fresh yeast

1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

150 ml (5 fl oz) each of milk and water mixed together

Scrub the potatoes and remove any blemishes. Chop into small pieces and boil until soft.

Strain, discard the water, and allow the potatoes to cool a little.

Put the yeast and sugar into a measuring jug and top up to 300 ml (10 fl oz) with the mixture of milk and water. Stir well.

Chop the butter into small pieces, then combine with the flour, salt and the potatoes in a food processor.*

Blend for a few seconds, then pour in the yeast mixture until a ball of dough is formed.

Knead the dough for a few minutes, then place it in a large floured basin. Cover with a plate and transfer to the fridge.

After several hours the dough will have risen to the top of the basin. Push it down, turn it over and cut an ‘x’ on the top.

Cover again with the plate and return to the fridge.

Repeat this process as necessary until you are ready to shape and bake the rolls as follows.

Knead the dough a little before cutting into 12 pieces. Place these on a greased baking tray, sift with flour and put aside to rise.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7/220°C /425°F/Aga roasting oven.

When the rolls have doubled in size, put them into the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

To test if the rolls are cooked, tap them on the base. If they sound hollow, then they are ready.

Cool on a wire tray before serving.

LAZY COOK TIPS

Although I sometimes use dried yeast for bread making, I have always only used fresh for this particular recipe.

Keep a tin of dried yeast in store and follow the instructions for using.

* To mix by hand – Mash the cooked potatoes and put them into a large bowl with the flour, butter and salt and rub in with fingertips. Add the yeast mixture and work together by hand into a dough.

BREAD ‘OFFCUTS’

This recipe takes me right back to my childhood when my mother’s friend visited and showed us how to make these rolls – she called them ‘offcuts’. I can see them now rising in front of our open fire. The smell as they cooked was amazing and we ate them as though there was no tomorrow. I serve them for breakfast, sliced in half and toasted, topped with scrambled egg and a curl of smoked ham (see recipe).

Makes 8-12

450 g (1 lb) of strong white flour

½ teaspoon of salt (optional)

50 g (2 oz) of unsalted butter (chopped into pieces)

25 g (1 oz) of fresh yeast

1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

300 ml (10 fl oz) of warm milk

Set oven to gas mark 7/220°C /425°F/Aga roasting oven (see Lazy Cook Tips).

Put the yeast and sugar into a measuring jug, add the milk and stir well.

In a food processor, blend the flour, salt and butter, then gently pour in the yeast mixture until a ball of dough is formed.

Lay the dough onto a lightly floured board or surface and knead until the texture is smooth and waxy. Shape into a round ball and cut into 4 pieces, then further divide these pieces into 2 or 3. Place each piece onto a lightly greased baking tray, spaced well apart, and press each down with the palm of your hand. Wait for them to rise until they double in size. Before placing in the preheated oven, press each down again with the palm of your hand. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are done (see Lazy Cook Tips).

Cool on a wire tray and serve immediately, or store in a polythene bag in the fridge or freezer for future use.

LAZY COOK TIPS

The rolls are ready when they make a hollow sound when they are tapped on the base. I would recommend the oven is set halfway through the rising process.

MUESLI

*Quick Fix*

For a delicious, healthy start to the day.

BASIC INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A LARGE BATCH:

1 kg (2 ¼ lbs) of jumbo oat flakes

225 g (8 oz) of sunflower seeds

450 g (1 lb) crimson or lexia raisins

Mix all the above ingredients together and store in an airtight container – I use a large, old-fashioned sweet jar.

To prepare a single portion for breakfast mix together:

50 g (2 oz) of the above basic mixture

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

1 tablespoon of broad bran

2-3 walnut halves (broken into pieces)

A handful of dried cranberries

Pour over 2-3 fl oz of milk

Leave for 30 minutes, or longer, before eating.

LAZY COOK TIPS

Obviously, the choice of ingredients is yours. Fresh fruit can be added and in place of milk you can top it with plain or fruit yoghurt.

A COMPOTE OF DRIED FRUITS

*Quick Fix*

I relish this simmering of dried fruits and serve it with breakfast cereals or my home-made Muesli (see recipe). A packet of mixed dried fruits is an excellent store cupboard ingredient, especially during the autumn and winter months when many soft fruits are past their best.

Makes 8-10 helpings

450 g (1 lb) packet of mixed dried fruit halves

(apricots, prunes, pears, peaches)

1 carton of fresh orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

Set the oven to gas mark 3/160°C/325°F/Aga simmering oven.

Place the fruit in a casserole or ovenproof dish, with a lid.

Add the orange juice and cinnamon stick, cover, and bring to a simmer on a hob.

Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 1 hour or until the fruits have softened.

Once cooled, cover and store in a fridge or cold larder.

Use within 4 days. Serve warm or cold.

LAZY COOK TIPS

The fruits can be soaked in the orange juice for an hour or two before cooking to begin the softening process and shorten the cooking time.

Sweeten the cooked fruit with runny honey if the flavour is too tart for your palate.

This cooked fruit is also delicious served as a pudding with single cream.

GRILLED KIPPERS

Kippers are traditionally served for breakfast, but they also make a very appetising lunch. The preparation couldn’t be quicker or easier: just put the grill on and wait a few minutes for them to heat up.

Allow one kipper per person.

Prepare and cook as follows.

Wipe each kipper with damp kitchen roll and place skin-side down in a grill pan or on a baking tray covered with lightly buttered tinfoil.

Smear a little butter over each kipper and grill at a medium-high temperature until the skin is dark brown and crisp.

Serve hot with bread and butter.

LAZY COOK TIPS

Buy kippers from a reputable fishmonger or a supermarket fish counter.

If cooking by Aga cook on the top runner of the roasting oven.

KEDGEREE

This is traditionally served in some households for breakfast on Boxing Day, but it makes an ideal dish to serve for brunch at any time of year.

Serve 6-8 breakfast portions

450 g (1 lb) of short-grain brown rice (boiled, see recipe)

450 g (1 lb) of smoked haddock

1 large onion (skinned and finely chopped)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

4 large hard-boiled eggs (shelled and chopped)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley

150 ml (5 fl oz) of single cream

Place the haddock in a pan of boiling water. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat, then cover and leave for 5 minutes.

Remove the haddock from the pan and break into flakes.

Discard the cooking water and wipe the pan dry with kitchen roll.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the prepared onions and cover.

Cook until they begin to soften, then add all the remaining ingredients, including the haddock, and stir well until hot throughout.

Serve hot or cold.

LAZY COOK TIPS

A cast-iron casserole dish is ideal for making kedgeree: it can then be served directly from the pan. You can make this with either brown or white rice, and butter can replace the cream. To speed up the process, the rice and eggs can be cooked a day or two in advance, stored in a fridge and used within 2 days.

RICE

TO BOIL BROWN OR WHITE SHORT GRAIN:

Allow 50 g (2 oz) of rice per person.

Pour the grains into a sieve and rinse well under a cold tap.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt (optional). Add the washed grains of rice and stir well.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked but with a nutty bite (see Lazy Cook Tips).

Strain into a sieve and rinse well under a cold running tap before serving.

LAZY COOK TIPS

The cooked grains should remain whole, tender and separate. If the rice is to be served hot, rinse after cooking in boiling water poured from a kettle.

The boiled rice can be stored, covered, in a fridge. Use within 2 days.

Serve cold from the fridge or reheat by rinsing in boiling water. Boiled rice is a most useful ingredient to have in store.

LAMB KIDNEYS IN A DEVILLED CREAM SAUCE

Serves 4 breakfast portions

8 lamb’s kidneys

25 g (1 oz) of unsalted butter

150 ml (5 fl oz) of stock (meat or vegetable)

½ teaspoon of ready-made English mustard

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of single cream (optional)

Prepare the kidneys by cutting each in half and removing and discarding the centre core using scissors.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high flame and when hot use a block of butter secured on a knife to grease the base. Add the prepared kidneys, cut-side down.

Reduce the flame slightly and cook for about 2 minutes on each side (or until they begin to brown) before removing from the pan. Add the stock, mustard and sauce to the pan and stir until simmering, scraping the residue from the base.

Return the cooked kidneys, cut-side down, and all the collected juices to the pan and bring to a simmer before stirring in the cream. Serve immediately in a heated dish or on toast.

LAZY COOK TIPS

A good butcher will sell the kidneys in their fat cases – all the better for storing and preservation of flavour. As the fat is removed and discarded a fine skin will remain which can easily be peeled away once the kidneys are cut in half. The pan juices from the cooked kidneys will be pink – this adds excellent flavour to the sauce. The kidneys may appear undercooked but the additional cooking in the simmering sauce will be sufficient and will preserve the delicate flavour.

LET’S PARTY

There is little I enjoy more than getting the family and friends together for a bit of a party! From the moment I greet them with either a glass of Pimm’s on a summer’s evening, or the aroma of hot punch as they enter my kitchen in winter, I am on a high.

Whether the invitation is for drinks and nibbles, or for a buffet-type meal, I make sure the food is simple but plentiful. For ease of eating, all canapés should be bite-sized, whilst a more substantial meal should be able to be served in soup bowls or dishes and eaten with a fork or spoon – enjoy!

LAZY COOK TIP

After-party essential: employ a youngster wanting to earn a little pocket money to do the washing up!

LET’S PARTY

Pastry Bases for Canapés

Wholemeal or Shortcrust Pastry

Ham & Stilton Bites

Olive & Apricot Relish

Anchovy & Sweet Tomato Relish

Chicken Liver Pâté

Fish Pâté

Cheese Savouries

In addition to the recipes listed above, I buy a selection of nuts and crisps.

PASTRY BASES FOR CANAPÉS

Makes 50

225 g (8 oz) shortcrust or wholemeal pastry (see recipe)

SUGGESTED TOPPINGS:

Chicken liver pâté (see recipe) topped with a red or white seedless grape Cream cheese seasoned with chopped parsley, topped with a piece of radish Cream cheese topped with a curl of smoked salmon or Parma ham

TO SHAPE AND BAKE THE PASTRY BASES:

Set oven to gas mark 6/200°C/400°F/Aga roasting oven.

Roll the pastry into a rectangle approximately 5mm (¼ inch) thick on a lightly floured surface, then put onto a lightly oiled baking tray.

Prick it all over with a fork before marking it into 3 cm (1 inch) squares and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry begins to change colour.

Remove from oven and snap or cut along the marked squares to separate.

Use immediately, or allow to cool before storing in an airtight tin or container until required.

LAZY COOK TIPS

This method of shaping the bases is much quicker than using pastry cutters and transferring them one by one onto a baking tray.

When serving at a drinks party, bite-sized bases should be cut.

WHOLEMEAL OR SHORTCRUST PASTRY

100 g (4 oz) of plain white flour

100 g (4 oz) of wholemeal flour

100 g (4 oz) of lard (cut into pieces)

50-75 ml (2-3 fl oz) of cold water

Set oven to gas mark 6/200°C/400°F/Aga roasting oven.

In a food processor, blend the flours and lard together for a few seconds until they form a pastry crumb texture.

Keeping the machine switched on, pour the water in slowly until a ball of pastry is formed.

Shape into a ball and roll to the thickness required on a lightly floured board.

LAZY COOK TIPS

To make shortcrust pastry substitute the wholemeal flour with more all-white flour. Although we are often advised on the importance of allowing the pastry to rest in a fridge before baking, personally it’s not something I adhere too. When I’ve tried this in the past, too often I’ve become distracted and forgotten all about it, ending up trying to roll rock-hard pastry. ‘Keep it simple’ is my motto. Make – roll – bake, then relax in anticipation of the result.

HAM & STILTON BITES

*Quick Fix*

Prepare these little savouries in readiness to bake just before or during the party to wow your guests.

Makes 30

100 g (4 oz) of plain flour

50 g (2 oz) of cooked ham (torn into pieces)

50 g (2 oz) Stilton cheese (broken into pieces)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard

Freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

4 tablespoons of water

Set the oven to gas mark 6/200°C/400°F/Aga roasting oven.

Blend the flour, ham and cheese together in a food processor.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together, then slowly add to the processed ingredients until a ball of paste is formed.

Drop teaspoons of the paste onto a lightly oiled baking tray and cook in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until they begin to colour.

Serve warm.

LAZY COOK TIPS

These can be baked a few days before serving. Store in an airtight container and reheat to serve.

OLIVE & APRICOT RELISH

*Quick Fix*

I created this relish from flavours I love. It presents a new and different taste to party canapés. This is a most unusual relish and as precious as caviar. It will intrigue your guests and you can have fun with them while they try to guess the ingredients.

50 g (2 oz) of dried apricots

50 g (2 oz) of soft black pitted olives

½ teaspoon of dried thyme

1-2 tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil

Process the apricots, olives and thyme together, then add enough oil to make a soft paste.

Store in jars and keep refrigerated. Use within 7 days.

To serve, spread a little paste onto small pastry bases (see recipe).

Serve as canapés with drinks before a meal, or at a party.

LAZY COOK TIPS

It is essential to use the excellent flavour of ‘soft’ black pitted olives with a crinkly skin. These often come from Provence and are sold by weight, or from Spain and are sold in small packets.

ANCHOVY & SWEET TOMATO RELISH

*Quick Fix*

Another Lazy Cook classic. This is quick and easy to make from everyday ingredients. It will add such interest to your meals, be they snacks, sauces or bite-sized savouries to serve with drinks.

75 g (3 oz) of fresh anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons of oil from the anchovies

4 heaped teaspoons of Italian tomato purée

2 teaspoons of runny honey

Blend all the ingredients together to form a smooth paste.

Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Use within 7 days.

To serve, spread onto bite-sized pieces of toast or small pastry bases (see recipe) to serve as canapés with drinks before a meal or at a party.

OTHER USES FOR SERVING:

On breakfast toast

With cold salmon

On hard-boiled eggs (slice the egg in half and top with the relish)

Stirred into rice or pasta

LAZY COOK TIPS

It is essential to use fresh anchovies preserved in oil and sold by weight by a reputable fishmonger or supermarket fish counter.

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ

Serves 4-6 as a starter

50 g (2 oz) of unsalted butter

1 shallot or small onion (skinned and finely chopped)

225 g (8 oz) of chicken livers

2 tablespoons of brandy

2 good pinches of dried herbes de Provence

Freshly ground white pepper

1 dried bay leaf

Extra butter for sealing

Melt half of the butter in a pan. When hot, add the shallot or onion and cook until it is soft. Remove, add a little more butter if necessary and melt, then add the chicken livers. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, turning them halfway through.

Transfer the livers and all juices into another bowl. Scrape all residue from the base of the pan, then add the brandy and boil for a few seconds.

Remove the pan from the heat and return the livers and juice, remaining butter and herbs, cooked shallot or onion, and season with pepper.

Allow it to cool slightly before putting into a food processor or liquidiser and blending to a smooth paste.

Pack into one big pot or small individual ones and press the bay leaf into the top.

If not needed for immediate use, melt approximately 50 g (2 oz) of butter and pour over the pâté to form a seal and, when set, store in a fridge.

Allow to return to room temperature before serving. Use within 7 days.

LAZY COOK TIPS

This is excellent spread onto small pastry bases (see recipe) and topped with a seedless grape to serve with party canapés. It is also good served with toast and salad for a light lunch or a starter to a meal.

FISH PÂTÉ

Rarely do I serve a more popular dish. This fish pâté is low in cost, simple to make and full of good, healthy ingredients. Hooray for tinned fish!

Serves 4

A small tin of either mackerel, sardine fillets or salmon, in olive oil

1 teaspoon of horseradish cream

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of cider vinegar

2 teaspoons of sun-dried tomato purée

4 anchovy fillets

Process or mash to a paste the chosen fish (including the oil or juices) with the remaining ingredients.

Serve in a dish or individual ramekins and top with a curl of anchovy.

Ideal served as a starter with toast, rolls or slices of bread flûte.

LAZY COOK TIPS

This pâté can be made in advance and stored, covered with cling film, in a fridge or cold larder. Serve within 3 days. Bring back to room temperature and top with curls of anchovy. Most tinned fish has excellent nutritional qualities and should be included in a weekly diet.

CHEESE SAVOURIES

These little balls made of cheese and butter and brandy - all the naughty things that should be resisted if you are attempting to shed a few pounds. But I say, why deprive yourself? Put the diet off until tomorrow!

Makes 40

50 g (2 oz) of breadcrumbs (fresh or dried, see recipe)

1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley (or 1 teaspoon of dried)

1 small onion (skinned and finely chopped)

225 g (8 oz) of Stilton cheese (crumbled)

50 g (2 oz) of unsalted butter (softened)

1 tablespoon of brandy

1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground white pepper

Mix half the breadcrumbs with all the parsley and put this mixture to one side.

In a food processor, blend together the remaining breadcrumbs and all other ingredients.

Drop teaspoons of the mixture onto the reserved breadcrumb and parsley mix; coat and shape into balls.

Serve immediately or store, in a covered container, in the fridge.

Bring back to room temperature before serving.

LAZY COOK TIPS

Stilton or any blue cheese can be used, or a mixture. This is a good recipe for using up all the leftover bits.

SOUPS

Served with crusty bread or rolls, soup will provide a nourishing meal at any time of the year. These days, with excellent vegetable stock cubes and modern food processors, as well as electric hand whisks that will purée ingredients without removing them from the cooking pot, making soup is quick and easy.

I recommend a large quantity is made for use over a few days. Store in a fridge or cold larder and heat the quantity required in a pan on a simmering hob.

Hot soups should be served hot but not piping hot and cold soups should be served icy cold.

SOUP RECIPES

Mushroom Soup

Pumpkin Soup

Bacon & Potato Soup

Celeriac & Sweet Potato Soup

Courgette & Orange Soup

Pea & Ham Soup

Parsnip & Watercress Soup

Lettuce Soup

And to accompany the soup:

Everyday Bread

GUIDELINES APPLICABLE TO SOUP MAKING

Make soup in advance, and once it’s cooled, cover and store in a fridge or cold larder. Use within 4 days.