Ingredients

• 2 × 400g cans of chickpeas
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 avocados, stoned, peeled and chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Small pack of coriander, chopped
• 8 soft corn tortillas
• 1 small iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 150g pot of natural yogurt
• 480g jar of roasted red peppers, chopped

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Drain the chickpeas and put in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, cumin and paprika. Stir the chickpeas well to coat, then spread them onto a large baking tray and roast for 20–25 mins or until starting to crisp – give the tray a shake halfway through cooking to ensure they roast evenly. Remove from the oven and season to taste.
2. Toss the chopped avocados with the lime juice and chopped coriander, then set aside until serving. Warm the tortillas following the package instructions, then pile in the avocado, lettuce, yoghurt, peppers and toasted chickpeas at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow and red pepper, both deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 150ml vegetable stock, made with 2 tsp bouillon powder
• 500g carton of passata
• 240g pack of frozen raw, peeled, large wild red shrimp, defrosted
• 2 × 280g packs of skinless cod loin, cut into large chunks
• 9 pitted green olives, quartered (we used Amfissa olives, as they have a firmer texture)
• 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
• 320g broccoli florets or green beans
• For the saffron potatoes
• 3 generous pinches of saffron threads (about ⅓ × 0.5g sachet)
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
• 725g large potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Warm the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and fry the peppers, garlic and bay leaves for 10 mins, stirring often until the peppers have softened.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the saffron potatoes. Put the saffron threads in a small heatproof bowl with 1 tbsp boiling water, the olive oil and garlic, and stir well until the liquid turns yellow. Set aside. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, and cook the sliced potatoes for 5 mins until tender but not collapsing. Drain well.
3. When the peppers have softened, sprinkle over the paprika and stir briefly, then pour in the stock and passata and cook for 5 mins more. Remove from the heat and stir in the shrimp, cod, olives and parsley, if using. Tip the stew into a large, shallow pie dish (ours was 30 × 20cm, and about 6.5cm deep).
4. Arrange the potato slices over the stew in an even layer – they don’t have to be neat – then generously brush over the saffron mixture.
5. Bake the pie for 30–35 mins until bubbling at the edges and the fish is cooked through. When it’s almost finished cooking, boil or steam the broccoli or green beans to serve alongside the pie.

Ingredients

• 75g brown basmati rice
• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp rapeseed oil
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets (about 300g), chopped
• 1 leek (about 190g), thinly sliced
• 2 courgettes (about 215g), thinly sliced
• 160g frozen peas
• 4 walnut halves, broken
• 25g gorgonzola, chopped

Method

1. Tip the rice into a large pan with 600ml water, the bouillon powder and bay leaf. Cover, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins. When the rice has been cooking for 10 mins, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, and stir-fry the chicken for a couple of minutes over a medium-high heat until just cooked. Remove from the pan, then fry the leek until it starts to colour. Add the courgette, stir-fry for a few minutes more, then add the peas.
2. When the rice is cooked, tip it into the vegetables along with any liquid from the pan. Return the chicken to the pan or wok, then cover and cook for 5 mins more. Stir in the walnuts and cheese, and serve hot.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 sausages, skins removed
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• ½–1 red chilli, depending on how much heat you prefer, sliced
• ½ large head of broccoli, finely chopped
• 2 courgettes, sliced into half-moons
• 200g small pasta (we used ditalini)
• 1½ litres chicken stock, made with low-salt chicken stock cube
• 200g curly kale or cavolo nero, stalks removed, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 20g parmesan, shaved

Method

1. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, deep pot that has a lid. Cook the onion for 10 mins until softened and golden at the edges.
2. Crumble in the sausages, breaking them into bite-sized pieces using a spoon. Cook for 7–8 mins until golden and crisp. Stir in the garlic and chilli.
3. Add the broccoli and courgettes. Cook for 10–12 mins until soft, then pour in the pasta and chicken stock. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 8–10 mins, until the pasta is almost cooked.
4. Wilt in the kale or cavolo nero in batches and cook for a further 2–3 mins, until the kale is cooked and the pasta is al dente. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season well. Divide between four bowls and sprinkle over the lemon zest and parmesan shavings to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 green chillies, seeds removed
• A small bunch of coriander, stalks roughly chopped, leaves picked
• 1 tbsp butter or ghee
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp garam masala
• 150g bag of unsalted cashews
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 400ml chicken stock
• 400g raw king prawn
• 150ml pot of natural yogurt
• 50ml double cream
• Rice and Indian breads, to serve

Method

1. Put the onion, ginger, garlic, chillies and coriander stalks in a small food processor, or pestle and mortar, and mix to a paste. Meanwhile, heat the butter or ghee and oil in a large pan. Add the paste to the pan and stir-fry for 5 mins to soften. Add the garam masala and cook for a further 2 mins until aromatic.
2. Meanwhile, toast the cashew nuts in a small pan until golden. Tip half into the food processor and blend until finely ground. Set aside the remaining cashews.
3. Add the blended cashews, the tomatoes and the chicken stock to the pan. Season and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered with a lid, for 45 mins. Add the prawns and cook for a further 2–3 mins until they turn pink, then add the yogurt and double cream and stir well. Scatter with the coriander leaves and the remaining cashew nuts, and serve with rice and naan bread.