Ingredients

• ¼ tsp cumin seed
• 200g low-fat yogurt
• 1 medium tomato, deseeded and diced
• 50g cucumbers, diced
• a small handful chopped coriander

Directions

1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan. Grind to a powder using a pestle and mortar. Tip the yogurt into a bowl with the tomato, cucumber and coriander. Season with pepper and gently mix.

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tsp finely grated ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 5 tbsp natural yogurt
• 600g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4-5cm pieces
• 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• good pinch saffron
• 4 medium onions
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• ½ tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 5 green cardamom pods, lightly bashed to split
• 3 cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 280g basmati rice
• 700ml chicken stock
• 1 tsp garam masala
• handful chopped coriander leaves

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and yogurt with some pepper and ¼ tsp salt. Tip in the chicken pieces and stir to coat (see step 1, above). Cover and marinate in the fridge for about 1 hr or longer if you have time. Warm the milk to tepid, stir in the saffron and set aside.
2. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Slice each onion in half lengthways, reserve half and cut the other half into thin slices. Pour 1½ tbsp of the oil onto a baking tray, scatter over the sliced onion, toss to coat, then spread out in a thin, even layer (step 2). Roast for 40-45 mins, stirring halfway, until golden.
3. When the chicken has marinated, thinly slice the reserved onion. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large sauté or frying pan. Fry the onion for 4-5 mins until golden. Stir in the chicken, a spoonful at a time, frying until it is no longer opaque, before adding the next spoonful (this helps to prevent the yogurt from curdling). Once the last of the chicken has been added, stir-fry for a further 5 mins until everything looks juicy. Scrape any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, stir in the chilli powder, then pour in 100ml water, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 mins. Remove and set aside.
4. Cook the rice while the chicken simmers. Heat another 1 tbsp oil in a large sauté pan, then drop in the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Fry briefly until their aroma is released. Tip in the rice (step 3) and fry for 1 min, stirring constantly. Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 8 mins or until all the stock has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave with the lid on for a few mins, so the rice can fluff up. Stir the garam masala into the remaining 1½ tsp oil and set aside. When the onions are roasted, remove and reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
5. Spoon half the chicken and its juices into an ovenproof dish, about 25 x 18 x 6cm, then scatter over a third of the roasted onions. Remove the whole spices from the rice, then layer half of the rice over the chicken and onions. Drizzle over the spiced oil. Spoon over the rest of the chicken and a third more onions. Top with the remaining rice (step 4) and drizzle over the saffron-infused milk. Scatter over the rest of the onions, cover tightly with foil and heat through in the oven for about 25 mins. Serve scattered with the mint and coriander.

Ingredients

• 750g Desirée potatoes, skin left on
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 thinly sliced red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut the potatoes, skin left on, into fat chips. Toss with the olive oil, plenty of seasoning and the red onion, then tip onto a baking tray. Roast for 15-20 mins
2. Turn oven up to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. (If making as an accompaniment to Gordon's Rib eye steak, (see goes well with to the right), then turn the oven up when the steak is ready).
3. Roast for 15-20 mins more, turning and adding the garlic to the tray with 10 mins cooking time to go.

Ingredients

• 1l low-salt chicken stock
• 2 tsp Thai red curry paste
• 100g flat rice noodles
• 150g pack shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 125g pack baby corn, sliced
• 2 skinless salmon fillets, sliced
• juice 2 limes
• 1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• pinch brown sugar
• small bunch coriander, chopped

Directions

1. Pour the stock into a large pan, bring to the boil, then stir in the curry paste. Add the noodles and cook for 8 mins. Tip in the mushrooms and corn and cook for 2 mins more.
2. Add the salmon to the pan and cook for 3 mins or until cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar. Ladle into 4 bowls and sprinkle over the coriander just before you serve.

Ingredients

• 400g strong white flour
• ½ tsp salt
• pinch of sugar
• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions

1. Put the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt, sugar and yeast. Pour in 250ml water and the oil and mix to a soft dough. Add a little extra water if necessary.
2. Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth and then put into a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Turn the dough out onto a board, knead briefly and then cut into four. Take one piece and cut off a quarter and shape into a ball for the head. Shape the other piece into a sausage. Attach the head to the body using a little cold water.
4. Place the dough onto a non-stick baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut the bottom half of the sausage to make two legs, then cut into the sides up to the shoulders to make two arms. Using scissors, snip at intervals around the top of the head to make hair and make one snip for the mouth. Use a wooden skewer to make two eyes.
5. Take one egg and place on the dough man’s tummy. Fold the arms over the egg and secure with a little cold water. Make three more egg men with the remaining dough. Leave to prove for about 10 mins.
6. Bake in the oven for 20 mins until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack for a few mins before peeling the egg and eating with the warm bread.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp ras-el-hanout or Moroccan spice mix
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, sliced
• 300ml reduced-salt chicken stock
• 400g can chickpeas, drained
• 12 dried apricots, sliced
• small bunch coriander, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large shallow pan, then cook the onion for 3 mins. Add the garlic and spices and cook for a further min. Tip in the chicken and cook for 3 mins, then pour in the chicken stock, chickpeas and apricots. Simmer for 5 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir through the coriander and serve immediately with couscous and a green salad, if you like.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g fruits, stoned and diced weight
• 140g granulated sugar
• 1-2 tbsp citrus juice - lemon, lime or orange
• 175g very soft butter, plus extra for greasing
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 250g self-raising flour

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin and line the base and ends with a long strip of baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 5 mins until pale and creamy – the mixture will be very thick.
2. Spread one-third of the cake mix into the tin, then scatter over 50g of the fruit. Carefully dot and spread another third of the cake mix on top, and scatter with another 50g fruit. Finally dot the rest of the cake mix over and gently spread with the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 hr, until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
3. Poke the cake all over with a skewer. Put remaining 75g fruit into a bowl with the granulated sugar. Stir in 1 tbsp of the citrus juice first with a fork, mashing a little of the fruit as you go. If it’s a bit dry, add a splash more juice and spoon over the cake. Leave in the tin until the cake is cool and the topping is set and crisp.

Ingredients

• 4 of the ripest peaches, stoned and cut into eighths
• 12 slices prosciutto
• 50g chunk parmesan, shaved with a peeler
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
• 2 handfuls rocket
• very good-quality olive oil
• grissini stick, to serve

Directions

1. Arrange the peaches, prosciutto and Parmesan on a large platter, sprinkle over the chilli and scatter the rocket to finish. Just before serving, drizzle with a little oil. Serve with breadsticks to add crunch.

Ingredients

• 250g red Camargue rice
• zest and juice 2 lemons
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch of caster sugar
• 1 small ready-roasted chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
• 50g almonds, toasted and chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, deseeded, cut into diagonal chunky pieces
• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
• small handful dill, finely chopped

Directions

1. Boil the rice in plenty of salted water until just cooked, about 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing and prepare the other ingredients. Place the lemon zest and juice, and olive oil in a jam jar with a fitted lid. Add seasoning and the sugar and shake well. Drain cooled rice and tip into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the warm rice and mix well. Let it soak in a little, then toss through the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 150ml fresh orange juice
• 5 dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 100g couscous
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
• 1 large handful each flat-leaf parsley and mint, chopped, plus a few extra mint leaves to serve
• 30g pine nuts, toasted
• 2 quails (ask your butcher to spatchcock them)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice and apricots until it boils. Remove from heat and take out 2 tbsp of juice for the dressing. Pour couscous into a bowl and pour the juice and apricot mix over, cover and let sit for 5 mins. In a bowl, mix the sliced onions in 1 tbsp of the vinegar and set aside. Fluff up the couscous with a fork until the lumps are broken up. Add the herbs and pine nuts.
2. Heat a barbecue or grill until very hot. Rub the quail with some oil. Season well, sprinkle over the cinnamon and drizzle with a little of the honey. Barbecue or grill the quail for 3-4 mins each side until crisp at the edges. Mix remaining olive oil with reserved orange juice, vinegar and honey. Season and mix well. Drain onions and toss into couscous. Serve the quail on the couscous with dressing poured over, scattered with mint leaves.

Ingredients

• 2 whole mackerel, gutted and cleaned (ask the fishmonger to do this for you)
• 2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
• thumb-sized piece ginger, finely shredded
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 fat red chillies, deseeded if you like, shredded
• bunch spring onions, finely shredded
• 250g pack cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tsp Chinese rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce, plus more to serve if you like

Directions

1. Heat the grill to High, or fire up the barbecue. Slash the fish a few times on each side, then season with black pepper. Grill or barbecue the fish for 3-5 mins on each side, until charred and cooked through (see Tip).
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan (you can put the pan on the barbecue rack), then fry the ginger, garlic and chillies for about 2 mins until the garlic is lightly golden. Take off the heat and toss in the spring onions and cherry tomatoes. Lift the fish onto a plate, splash with the vinegar, then spoon over the contents of the pan and splash with soy sauce.

Ingredients

• 800g parsnips, chopped into chunks
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1?2 Savoy cabbage or 300g Brussles sprouts, finely shredded
• large handful frozen pea
• juice 1?2 lemon
• 50g butter
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 coriander sprigs, to serve

Directions

1. Tip the parsnips into a pan of cold water with the turmeric and a little salt and boil for about 12 mins until they are on the brink of collapsing. While the parsnips are cooking, blanch the cabbage or sprouts in another pan of boiling water for 3 mins until tender, adding the peas for the final min, then drain well.
2. Drain the parsnips well, then tip back into the pan and roughly mash with the lemon juice and half the butter. Then beat in all the other ingredients except the remaining butter, and season with salt. Heat the remaining butter in a non-stick frying pan about 28cm in diameter, and press the parsnip mixture into the pan. Cook until crisp underneath, then turn over with a fish slice. (Don’t worry if it breaks at this point, it will hold eventually.) Keep cooking until crisp on the other side, then slide onto a plate and flip back into the pan again. Keep on doing this until you have a crisp, puck-shaped cake. Serve on a plate or board, cut into wedges.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
• 100ml / 3 ½ condensed milk
• 300ml / ½ pt double cream
• 1 ½ tbsp sherry
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• few drops yellow food colouring, if you like
• 1 sheet gelatine
• 400g / 14 oz raspberries
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 12 sponge trifle fingers

Directions

1. Line a 900g loaf tin well with cling film, then scatter over the almonds (if you oil the tin before lining with film, it’ll help it keep in place smoothly).
2. Divide the condensed milk and double cream evenly between 2 bowls. Add the sherry to one, and the vanilla paste and food colouring, if using, to the other. Pop the vanilla bowl in the fridge for later, then whisk the sherry mixture until thick.
3. Spoon the sherry cream on top of the almonds and smooth the surface to level. Cover the tin with cling film, then freeze for about 1 hr until firm.
4. Whisk the vanilla cream until thick, then spoon over the frozen sherry cream layer. Make this layer as smooth as possible too, then put back into the freezer for another hr until firm.
5. To make the raspberry layer, soak the gelatine in a little cold water while you whizz half the raspberries in a food processor with the icing sugar and 2 tbsp water. Sieve into a small pan and heat gently to warm through. Once it starts to boil, remove from the heat, squeeze out the gelatine and add to the purée, stirring all the time, until the gelatine melts.
6. Crush half the remaining raspberries with a fork, then stir these into the purée with remaining whole raspberries and allow to cool. Spoon the raspberry mix evenly on top of the vanilla layer, press the sponge fingers lightly into it, then freeze until solid – overnight is best.
7. Remove the trifle from the freezer about 15 mins before serving. Tip the loaf tin upside down on a serving plate, then peel off the cling film and cut into neat slices using a sharp knife.

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber, peeled
• 2 limes
• 1 tbsp white vinegar (rice)
• ½ tbsp caster sugar
• a large handful of mint leaves
• 1 small chilli, finely sliced

Directions

1. Finely slice half of the cucumber into a large bowl. Cut the skin off the lime, then cut out the segments. Add these to the bowl and squeeze any juice out of the bit left in the middle. Add the vinegar and sugar, cover and leave in the fridge.
2. When ready to serve, slice and add the remaining cucumber, the mint and the chilli and toss together. Season with salt and a touch more vinegar if you like.

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, very thinly sliced
• 50g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp sugar to taste
• 2 handfuls salad leaves
• 6-8 radishes, very thinly sliced

Directions

1. Put the shallot and peas in a bowl. Pour over a kettle of boiling water, then drain. Mix the vinegar, oil and sugar to taste, then season generously. When you’re ready to eat, toss the shallot, peas, leaves, radishes and dressing together.

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe mango
• 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 2 tbsp thick cream
• 3 passion fruits

Directions

1. Peel and dice a large ripe mango; whizz to a purée in a food processor. Add 6 scoops of vanilla ice cream and 2 tbsp thick cream and whizz again. Spoon into bowls and scoop ½ passion fruit over each.

Ingredients

• 350g couscous
• 400ml warm water
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• knob of butter

Directions

1. Soak the couscous in the warm water with the salt for 10-15 mins, until it’s been absorbed. Gently break up the grains with a fork and add sunflower oil. Rub the oil into the grains to break them up. Aerate by lifting them up in your fingers and letting them fall.
2. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the couscous into an ovenproof dish and dot with little bits of butter. Soak a piece of greaseproof paper in water and squeeze out the excess before laying it over the top of the couscous. Place in the oven for 15-20 mins.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp each mustard seed and turmeric
• 1 tsp each cumin seeds, paprika, ground coriander and ground cumin
• 225g paneer cheese, cut into 2cm cubes
• 100g frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 Romano peppers

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric and cumin seeds, and cook until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin and ½ tsp black pepper with the paneer, and stir-fry until a light golden colour, about 3-4 mins.
2. Add the peas and tomato with some salt. Cook for 5 mins more until the tomatoes have softened to a pulp-like texture, then remove from the heat.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut a slit in the peppers from top to bottom, but leaving 3-4cm intact at each end. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds then stuff the peppers with the paneer mix. Transfer to a baking tray and roast for 10-12 mins until the peppers have blistered and browned lightly. Serve with the Yogurt & spice crusted roast potatoes (see 'Goes well with').

Ingredients

• 2 tsp finely chopped red onion
• 1 tsp caper
• 1 tbsp pesto
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 185g can of tuna in spring water, drained
• 100g leftover pasta shapes
• 3 sundried tomatoes, chopped

Directions

1. Mix the onion, capers, pesto and oil. Flake the tuna into a bowl with the pasta and tomatoes, then stir in the pesto mix.

Ingredients

• 4 x 250g packs softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 4 x 280g/10oz self-raising flour
• 4 x 250g/9oz caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 16 large eggs
• 4 x 150ml pots natural yogurt
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• jar each lemon curt, seedless raspberry jam and lime marmalade
• 4 x 140g desiccated coconut
• 131g bag of love hears and 60 x roughly 10cm squares of pretty paper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking or roasting tin with baking parchment. Beat 250g butter, 280g flour, 250g sugar, ¼ tsp baking powder, 4 eggs, a pot of yogurt and 1 tsp vanilla together with an electric whisk until lump-free. Spoon into tin and bake for 25 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Repeat three more times to make 4 sponges. Cool on wire racks. Sponges can be wrapped well in cling film and frozen for up to a month.
2. Trim edges off each sponge, then cut each into 15 x roughly 5cm squares. Warm jam and marmalade until runny, sieving the marmalade of its bits. Tip the coconut onto a tray. Brush each square on the top and sides with either curd, jam or marmalade – then dip into coconut. Can be made the day before and stored in airtight containers. Top with love hearts and sit on squares of coloured paper before the wedding.