The Good Food Guide

6 hard boiled eggs
100 grams lean cooked ham
225 grams cheese
50 grams butter
2 tablespoons flour
250ml milk
150ml single cream
Salt and freshly milled pepper
A pinch of grated nutmeg
A pinch of garlic powder
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
Fresh Parsley (optional)

Method

-Shell and thinly slice the eggs.
-Cut the ham into narrow strips.
-Grate the cheese.
-Grease an ovenproof dish with butter.
-Melt half the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour for a few minutes,then gradually stir in the milk. Bring to the boil, stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper, the nutmeg and garlic powder. Remove pan from heat.
-Fill the baking dish with alternate layers of egg, ham and grated cheese, covering each layer with a little of the white sauce.
-Finally cover with the breadcrumbs and dot with the remaining butter.
-Bake in a hot oven 220*C for 30 minutes.
-Serve hot.

1 vanilla pod
350 grams raspberries
6 tablespoons water
100 grams icing sugar
Juice of ½a lemon
1 ½ tablespoons brandy
2 fresh ripe peaches
250 ml vanilla ice-cream
150 ml double cream
25 grams vanilla sugar
Few chocolate leaves (can be bought readymade)

Method

-Slit the vanilla pod lengthways using a sharp knife and scrape out the pith.
-Sort and wash the raspberries and puree them in a blender with the water, icing sugar, lemon juice, vanilla pith and brandy.
-Strain the puree through a sieve and reserve the sauce.
-Prick the peaches several times with a fork, scald and peel them. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.
-Arrange the ice-cream in individual glasses, top with the peach halves and cover one side with the raspberry sauce.
-Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until stiff, transfer to a piping bag and pipe dream whirls around the peaches. Decorate with chocolate leaves if liked.
-Serve cold.

225 grams lean ham
50 grams butter
3 tablespoons flour
250 ml hot milk
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
2 egg yolks
3 egg whites

Method

-Cut the ham into small cubes. Puree in a blender.
-Melt the butter in a saucepan, sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring continuously. Gradually stir in the milk and simmer until thick. Season with salt and paprika. Remove from heat and stir in the egg yolks and ham.
-Grease individual ovenproof dishes.
-Whisk the egg whites until stiff, fold into the soufflé mixture and then spoon the mixture into the dishes.
-Bake the soufflé on the bottom shelf of a moderate oven 180*C for 30 minutes.
-Do not open the oven door for the first 15 minutes or the soufflé will not rise.
-Serve immediately.

150 gram plain flour
Salt and freshly milled white pepper
2 tablespoons cold water
75 grams butter
450 grams broccoli
A pinch each of dried thyme and basil
2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
4 tablespoons vegetable stock or water
150 ml cream
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons freshly grated cheese

Method

-Grease the flan case.
-Mix together the flour, seasoning, water and butter to make a shortcrust pastry.
-Cover the broccoli with salted water and boil for 10 minutes.
-Bake the flan case in a moderately hot oven 200*C for 15 minutes.
-Drain the broccoli and leave it to cool, then puree the broccoli in the blender. Season to taste and add the thyme and basil.
-Dissolve the gelatin in a little hot water in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water.
-Heat the stock. Add the gelatin to the stock, then stir the stock into the pureed broccoli.
-Whip the cream until stiff, fold into the broccoli mixture and fill the flan case with the mixture.
-Whisk the egg whites until stiff, fold in the cheese and top the flan with the meringue.
-Bake in a hot oven 230*C for 2-3 minutes until golden.
-Serve hot.

15 medium sized tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 ripe but firm avocados peeled, stoned and thickly sliced

Method

-Preheat oven to 200*C. Put the tomatoes into a shallow baking tin, cut side up. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle garlic and drizzle over 2 tablespoons oil. Roast for 40-45 minutes.
-Mix together 3 tablespoons oil, chilli and vinegar in a bowl.
-Transfer tomatoes and any cooking juices to a large serving platter and keep aside to cool.
-Add the avocado to the dressing and toss to coat. Spoon dressing over the tomatoes.

½ kg minced lamb/chicken
250ml tomato puree
1 small green/red capsicum chopped fine
6 teaspoons honey
6 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated onion
Water as required
Salt to taste
6 tablespoons oil

Method

-In a medium sized bowl mix the minced lamb/chicken, grated onion, 3 teaspoons water and 1 teaspoon salt.
-Divide into small portions and shape into marble sized meat balls.
-Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the meat balls till done and browned on all sides. Remove from oil and keep aside.
-Pour off all but 1 tablespoon dripping from the pan. Fry the capsicum in this dripping till tender, stirring occasionally.
-Stir in the tomato puree, honey, lemon juice, ¼ cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute over medium heat. Simmer gradually.
-Return the meat balls to the sauce. Bring to the boil.
-Serve hot.

4 medium aubergines
Salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons hot mustard
3 onions
2 cloves garlic
8 tablespoons breadcrumbs
50 grams butter
1 stem fresh rosemary

Method

-Wash the aubergines , halve lengthways, sprinkle generously with salt and leave to sweat for 15 minutes.
-Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in an ovenproof dish.
-Rub the salt off the aubergines and cut out two thirds of the flesh. Fry the aubergines all over in the oil, then leave them to cool. Coat with the mustard.
-Finely chop the onions, garlic and flesh from the aubergines. Fry these ingredients in the remaining oil, season with salt and spoon the mixture into the aubergines.
-Sprinkle each aubergine half with 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs, dot with butter and sprinkle with a few rosemary leaves. Place the remaining rosemary leaves between the aubergine halves in the dish.
-Crisp the aubergines in a moderately hot oven at 200*C for 15 minutes.
-Serve hot.

1 leg of lamb (about 1.5 Kgs)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato puree
1 tablespoon flour
Salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
A generous pinch of ground caraway
4 black peppercorns, crushed
3 small onions
3 tablespoons oil
250 ml hot meat stock
150 ml dry white wine
1 teaspoon cornflour

Method

-Cut a lattice pattern into the skin of the lamb. Cut the garlic into thin sticks and use to spike the lamb.
-Mix the tomato puree with the flour, salt, lemon juice, caraway and crushed peppercorns.
-Brush the mixture on the lamb and leave to marinate in a cool place for 12 hours.
-Quarter the onions. Heat oil in a roasting tin on the hob, seal the lamb and add the onions and half the stock.
-Roast the lamb on the bottom shelf on a 240*C oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200*C and roast the meat for a further 40 minutes, basting frequently with the roasting juices and gradually adding the wine and the remaining stock.
-At the end of the cooking time, turn off the oven, transfer the lamb to a plate and leave it to stand in the oven for 10 minutes.
-Dilute the roasting juices with a little hot water and thicken with the cornflour dissolved in a little cold water , serve with the lamb.

150 grams plain flour
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons water
75 grams butter plus 25 grams for topping
50 grams rindless streaky bacon
4 eggs
150 ml single cream
4 tablespoons freshly grated cheese

Method

-Sift the flour on to a worktop and make a well in the centre. Sprinkle the seasoning and water into the well.
-Cut up the 75 grams butter and scatter around the edge. Mix these ingredients quickly together to make a dough and cut the dough into 4 equal portions.
-Roll each piece to fit an individual flan dish, 8-10 cm in diameter. Lightly grease the cases and line them with the pastry.
-Finely dice the bacon, fry it for a few minutes, then sprinkle over the flan bases.
-Beat the eggs with the cream, seasoning to taste and add the cheese.
-Pour the mixture over the bacon. Dot each flan with a little butter.
-Bake the flans in a moderately hot oven about 200*C for 15-20 minutes.
-If they begin to brown too quickly, cover them with greaseproof paper.

50 grams streaky bacon
1 onion
225 grams boiled potatoes
2 tablespoons oil
450 grams frozen peeled prawns, thawed
3 eggs
3 tablespoons cream
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 slices bread
25 grams butter

Method

-Finely dice the bacon. Dice the onion. Peel and dice the potatoes.
-Heat the oil in a large frying pan, fry the bacon until crisp, add the onions and fry until transparent, then stir in the potatoes and prawns. Continue cooking stirring frequently.
-Whisk the eggs with the cream, seasoning and dill.
-Dice the bread and fry in the butter in a small pan until golden brown.
-Pour the eggs over the prawn mixture and stir gently until the egg has set.
-Before serving sprinkle with the croutons.