The Good Food Guide

100 grams pasta
4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
100 grams frozen or fresh green peas/corn
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Handful of tender spinach leaves
2 tablespoons capers or halved olives
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
160 grams tuna packed in water, drained
Salt to taste
Handful of roughly torn basil leaves

Method

-Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
-Meanwhile, heat tomatoes with peas and oil for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, capers, balsamic vinegar and salt.
-Drain pasta and stir in vegetables, tuna and basil leaves.

800 grams chicken(cut into 12 pieces)
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 onion, minced
Salt, pepper, red chilli powder to taste
1 teaspoon mustard or soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey

Method

-Mix lemon juice, garlic paste, onion, salt, pepper and chilli powder.
-Pierce chicken all over with a fork and pour marinade over it.
-Set aside for a couple of hours or leave overnight in the refrigerator.
-Preheat grill to 220*C and cook chicken for 30 to 35 minutes or till well done.
-Mix mustard or soy sauce with honey. Pour over the chicken before serving.
-Can be accompanied with steamed vegetables.

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter,softened
¾ cup full cream milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla essence
3 large eggs

Method

-Preheat oven to 175*C. Line 24 muffin-pan cups with fluted paper liners.
-In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use electric beater or balloon whisk if using hand.
-Add butter,milk, vanilla essence and eggs. Beat till just blended. Increase beater speed to high; beat 1to 2 minutes or until mix is creamy.
-Spoon batter into lined muffin-pan cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes are golden brown and toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Immediately remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
-When cupcakes are completely cool, frost as desired.

For the Frosting

450 grams icing sugar
½ cup butter softened
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
4-6 tablespoons milk

Method

-In a large bowl, with mixer at medium low speed, beat together icing sugar, butter , vanilla essence and 4 tablespoons milk until thick and smooth.
-At medium – high speed, beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
-Beat in additional milk if needed to achieve easy spreading consistency.

8 pomfret fillets
300 ml fish stock (or use water with few drops fish sauce, and leave out salt)
6 whole black peppercorns
30 grams sliced carrots
20 grams sliced onions
Salt to taste

FOR THE ORANGE REDUCTION
600 ml orange juice
20 grams honey

FOR SALAD
150 grams lettuce
30 grams cherry tomatoes halved
10 grams black olives, halved
10 grams green olives, halved
10 ml balsamic or wine vinegar
10 ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Method

-In a pan , simmer fish stock with black peppercorns , carrots , onions and salt.
-Meanwhile for sauce, simmer orange juice with honey in a separate pan till sauce is thick.
-Slide pomfret fillets in simmering stock and leave for approximately 4 minutes, or till done. Turn over for a couple of seconds if required. Remove and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
-Place poached pomfret fillets on a platter. Toss together all ingredients for salad and pile on top of fish. Drizzle with the orange reduction and serve.

6 large peaches
2 cups boiling water
½ cup yogurt
2 to 3 tablespoons caster sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice and rind of 1 orange
1 ½ tablespoons gelatin
½ cup cream

Method

-Drop peaches into hot water. Let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Slip off skins and chop pulp roughly.
-Puree the pulp with yogurt. Add the caster sugar and mix well.
-Mix the gelatin with the juices. Leave to soften then dissolve over low heat or in a microwave. Stir the mix into the fruit and leave to chill for 10 minutes.
-Whip the cream till fluffy. Fold into the fruit.
-Garnish with fresh fruit. Serve chilled.

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 ½ cups chopped tomato
1 ½ cups vegetable stock (or 1 soup cube dissolved in 1 ½ cups water)
1 cup red lentils
¾ cup baby spinach

Method

-In a non stick pan heat oil on medium heat till hot. Add chopped carrots and onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly browned and fork tender. Stir in cumin powder; cook for 1 minute.
-Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, red lentils, 2 cups water; ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; cover and boil on high heat.
-Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
-Stir in the baby spinach.
-Serve hot.

2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon chilli powder
300 grams liver
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
4 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons red wine or 1 teaspoon vinegar
2 oranges
Olive oil to taste
Brown sugar to taste

TO SERVE

12 baby potatoes
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese

TO GARNISH
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Method
-Boil potatoes. Arrange on warm serving platter and keep hot.
-Meanwhile, mix together flour, salt, pepper, mustard and chilli powder.
-Slice liver thinly- there should be at least 12 slices. Coat with the seasoned flour.
-Melt half the butter with olive oil in a frying pan. Saute liver, cooking on both sides. Place liver on warmed serving dish.
-Add remaining butter, onion and garlic to the same oil; fry for 2 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt, stock and wine. Bring to boil and pour over liver.
-Peel skin of oranges and cut oranges into 12 thin slices(can keep skin on). Brush the orange slices with olive oil and sprinkle brown sugar on them. Place under hot grill to brown quickly. Place one slice of liver on each orange slice.
-Toss potatoes and cauliflower florets in olive oil. Saute in non- stick pan for 5 minutes. Arrange around liver slices. In the same pan, place halved tomatoes cut side up and sprinkle with cheddar cheese, for 1-2 minutes or till just turning brown. Place tomatoes around platter and sprinkle parsley on top. Serve hot.
-Enjoy the exotic tasty and easy to do dish.

500 grams of boneless chunks of fish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup semolina
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 teaspoon honey
2 green chillies chopped fine
A handful of coriander leaves chopped fine
2 spring onions chopped fine

Method

-Marinate the fish chunks with lemon juice and set aside in a covered bowl for 10-15 minutes.
-Sift the semolina with salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil and mix well to form a dough. Knead in the tomato puree and the honey. Add the chopped coriander leaves, green chillies, and the spring onions.
-Grease a baking dish with a little butter.
-Dip the fish pieces in the batter and place in the buttered dish.
-In a preheated oven, bake the fish at 180*C for about 25 minutes.
-Remove fish pieces and place on a wire rack. Grill for another 5 minutes for extra crispness.
-Serve hot.

4 whole mackerel or other small whole fish, cleaned and heads discarded
Zest of 1 lemon or small orange
Juice of ½ lemon or 1 lime
4 sprigs of lemon thyme , lemon or Thai basil, or fenugreek leaves finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

-Preheat grill to high heat or preheat oven to 220*C (425*F)
-Place fish on a large baking sheet. Cut three slashes along each side of the fish. Sprinkle lemon zest and herbs on both sides.
-Drizzle with oil, season to taste and squeeze over the lemon juice.
-Grill for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through- flesh should flake off easily with a fork.
-Serve with buttered rice , a green side salad and lemon wedges to squeeze over.

2 medium- small grapefruit
2 tablespoons white or brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

-Preheat grill if using.

-Cut grapefruit in half.

-Remove pips with sharp knife, then loosen segments from peel all around ,and slit into wedges so it will be easy to eat.

-Dust lightly with white or brown sugar, salt and pepper. Grill for 2 minutes or microwave on High for 1 minute.