
Put the onions in a food processor and whizz until very finely chopped. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan, then fry the onion with the lid on, stirring every now and then, until it is really golden and soft. Add the garlic and ginger, then fry for 5 mins more. Tip the curry paste, all the spices and the bay leaves into the pan, with the tomato purée. Stir well over the heat for about 30 secs, then add the meat and 300ml water. Stir to mix, turn down the heat, then add the yogurt. Cover the pan, then gently simmer for 40-60 mins until the meat is tender and the sauce nice and thick. Serve scattered with coriander, with plain basmati or pilau rice.

step 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole, season the shanks, then brown them 2 at a time on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch. Remove the lamb and add the onions. Fry them quite briskly, about 30 secs, add the ginger, garlic and chopped chilli, then turn the heat down and cook for 1 min. Add 1 tbsp sugar, stir, then add the star anise, lemongrass, stock, purée and seasoning. Bring to the boil. step 2 Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs, then add the sweet potatoes and cook for 1 hr more. The lamb should be completely tender and almost falling off the bones. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and 1 tsp sugar to just lift the flavour, then scatter with the mint, basil and the sliced chilli to serve.

Place the raisins and prunes into a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Add lemon juice and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain. Roughly chop the prunes. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Add cubed lamb, ground lamb, and crushed garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until browned. Pour 2/3 cup (150 milliliters) of stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender. Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed long-grain white rice and a large pinch of saffron. Stir, then cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add the drained raisins, drained chopped prunes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for a few minutes, then turn out onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out most of the pulp with a teaspoon, being careful not to break the skin. Finely chop the pulp, and keep any juices. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a little sugar to take away the acidity, then place them on a baking tray. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and garlic, then gently cook for about 10 mins until soft but not coloured. Add the lamb, cinnamon and tomato purée, turn up the heat, then fry until the meat is browned. Add the tomato pulp and juice, the rice and the stock. Season generously. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside to cool a little, then stir in the herbs. Stuff the tomatoes up to the brim, top tomatoes with their lids, drizzle with 2 tbsp more olive oil, sprinkle 3 tbsp water into the tray, then bake for 35 mins. Serve with salad and crusty bread, hot or cold.

1 Preheat the oven to 230°C. 2 Add the sugar and crumble the fresh yeast into warm water. 3 Allow the mixture to stand for 10 – 15 minutes in a warm place (we find a windowsill on a sunny day works best) until froth develops on the surface. 4 Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil. 5 Lightly flour your hands, and slowly mix the ingredients together until they bind. 6 Generously dust your surface with flour. 7 Throw down the dough and begin kneading for 10 minutes until smooth, silky and soft. 8 Place in a lightly oiled, non-stick baking tray (we use a round one, but any shape will do!) 9 Spread the passata on top making sure you go to the edge. 10 Evenly place the mozzarella (or other cheese) on top, season with the oregano and black pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. 11 Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until the cheese slightly colours. 12 When ready, place the basil leaf on top and tuck in!

▢ Cut the lamb into large pieces. ▢ Slice the cabbage into large wedges, keeping the core attached. ▢ Add a layer of lamb pieces to the bottom of a large pot, fatty side down. Sprinkle with peppercorns and salt. Add a layer of cabbage wedges on top. Repeat with more layers of lamb, peppercorns, and cabbage, ending with cabbage on top. ▢ Optional: Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on top of the lamb for a thicker stew. ▢ Add water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook on low heat for 2 – 3 hours, until the lamb gently falls away from the bone. ▢ Serve with boiled potatoes and fresh parsley, covering generously with the fårikål broth.

Use pickled vine leaves here, preserved in brine. Small delicate leaves are better than the large bristly ones but, if only large leaves are to hand, then trim them to roughly 12 by 12 cms so that you don't get too many layers of leaves around the filling. And remove any stalks. Drain the preserved leaves, immerse them in boiling water for 10 minutes and then leave to dry on a tea towel before use. Basmati rice with butter and pine nuts is an ideal accompaniment. Couscous is great, too. Serves four. First make the filling. Put all the ingredients, apart from the tomatoes, in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half, coarsely grate into the bowl and discard the skins. Add half a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, and stir. Leave on the side, or in the fridge, for up to a day. Before using, gently squeeze with your hands and drain away any juices that come out. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium pan. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for a minute or two, taking care not to burn them, then add the tomato, lemon juice and sugar. Season, and simmer for 20 minutes. While the sauce is bubbling away, prepare the vine leaves. Use any torn or broken leaves to line the base of a wide, heavy saucepan. Trim any leaves from the fennel, cut it vertically into 0.5cm-thick slices and spread over the base of the pan to cover completely. Lay a prepared vine leaf (see intro) on a work surface, veiny side up. Put two teaspoons of filling at the base of the leaf in a 2cm-long by 1cm-wide strip. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then roll it tightly from bottom to top, in a cigar shape. Place in the pan, seam down, and repeat with the remaining leaves, placing them tightly next to each other in lines or circles (in two layers if necessary). Pour the sauce over the leaves (and, if needed, add water just to cover). Place a plate on top, to weigh the leaves down, then cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook on a bare simmer for 70 minutes. Most of th

step 1 Dry-fry the pine nuts or almonds in a large pan until lightly toasted, then tip onto a plate. Add the oil to the pan, then fry the onion and cinnamon together until starting to turn golden. Turn up the heat, stir in the lamb, fry until the meat changes colour, then tip in the rice and cook for 1 min, stirring all the time. step 2 Pour in 500ml boiling water, crumble in the stock cube, add the apricots, then season to taste. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 12 mins until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Toss in the pine nuts and mint and serve.

step 1 Heat grill to high. Season the lamb, then grill for 2 mins on each side until browned, but still very rare. Meanwhile, mix the seasoning, oregano and half of the mint into one of the tubs of yogurt, smother this over the lamb, then return to the grill for another 2-3 mins or until the yogurt is blistered and the meat is cooked to your liking. step 2 Leave the meat to rest on a board for a few mins while you toast the pittas, shred the lettuce and thinly slice the red onion. Stir the rest of the mint into the second tub of yogurt. Thickly slice the meat and stuff into the pitta bread with the salad and minted yogurt. Squeeze over lemon juice before tucking in, if you like.

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 6 cups water, lentils, thyme, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer. Simmer lentils until they are tender and have absorbed most of the water, 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess water after lentils have cooked. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and reheat later. For a fuller taste, use some chicken stock and reduce the water by the same amount.

Soak: Soak corn and beans overnight in water. Cook Meats: In a large pot, brown the beef and pork. Add onions and spices, cooking until translucent. Simmer the Stew: Add soaked corn and beans, pumpkin, potato, and enough water to cover. Simmer for 2-3 hours, until thick. Serve: Enjoy hot, with bread on the side. Pro Tips: Toasting the corn slightly before adding it to the stew enhances its flavor. Add a spoonful of paprika or a dash of cumin for an extra layer of warmth and complexity

Pound the garlic with sea salt in a pestle and mortar (or use a small food processor), until the garlic forms a paste. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, zest, dill and garlic. Mix in the lamb and combine well. Cover and marinate for at least 2 hrs or overnight in the fridge. If you’re going to use bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water. If you’ve prepared the lamb the previous day, take it out of the fridge 30 mins before cooking. Thread the meat onto the soaked or metal skewers. Heat the grill to high or have a hot griddle pan or barbecue ready. Cook the skewers for 2-3 mins on each side, basting with the remaining marinade. Heat the pitta or flatbreads briefly, then stuff with the souvlaki. Add Greek salad (see 'Goes well with', right) and Tzatziki (below), if you like.

Cut the meat into strips. Heat oil in a pan and fry the strips for 6 minutes until it's ready. Bake the fries until golden brown in a deep fryrer. When ready transfer to a backing dish. Make sure the fries are spread over the whole dish. Cover the fries with a new layer of meat and spread evenly. Add a layer of cheese over the meat. You can also use grated cheese. When done put in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Chop the lettuce, tomato and cucumber in small pieces and mix together. for a basic salad. As extra you can add olives jalapenos and a red union. Dived the salad over the dish and Serve with garlicsauce and hot sauce

step 1 Finely chop the peppers in a food processor, then tip them in a sieve and press into the sieve so that the peppers release all of their juices. Tip into a bowl along with the mince, red pepper paste, pul biber, 1½ tsp flaky sea salt, and 2 tbsp of the oil. Mix together, kneading well for at least 2-3 mins. If you need to, wet your hands with cold water to prevent the mixture from sticking. The mixture should be sticky when ready. Cover and chill for at least 2 hrs, or up to 12 hrs. step 2 When ready to cook, heat the grill to high or an oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions, around 85g each. If you’d like to skewer them, divide into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Using wet hands, thread the balls onto the end of the skewers, massaging the mixture down the skewers in between the palms of your hands, until evenly distributed. Ensure that the mixture is fully wrapped tightly around the skewers without any exposed metal. Alternatively, lay them on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper if cooking in the oven, or foil if cooking under the grill. Shape into 20cm-long köfte. Wet your fingers with a little cold water and make indents all along the köfte for the traditional shape. step 3 Gently brush each köfte with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and cook under the grill, on the top shelf for 10-12 mins, turning regularly, or cook in the oven for 16-18 mins, until crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle

step 1 Melt the butter in a heavy-based casserole, then soften the shallots for 5 mins. Add the paprika and crushed garlic and cook for 1 min until the paprika becomes fragrant. Splash in the sherry, then pour the whole lot into a bowl with the breadcrumbs. Season and cool. step 2 Add the pork mince and the egg yolk to the bowl, then beat well. Shape into 18 small meatballs. Wipe the pan, put on a medium-high heat, then add the oil. Fry the meatballs for 5 mins, just to colour, then lift onto a plate, but keep the oil in the pan. Sizzle the chorizo with the sliced garlic. Add the squid and fry to give a little colour. Now tip in the white wine and bring to the boil, scraping the bottom. Stir in the pulped tomatoes, bring to the boil, then add the meatballs and the clams. Cover and cook for 5 mins until the clam shells open. Discard any that stay shut. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, drizzle with the extra virgin oil, then serve with crusty bread.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Season with saffron, salt and pepper to taste; stir in all but 4 tablespoons of the onion, and pour in the water. Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover the pan, stir in the butter and allow the sauce reduce 5 to 10 minutes to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour into a serving dish. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped onions and parsley. Garnish with lemon wedges to serve.

Add the lamb to a casserole and cook over high heat. When browned, remove from the heat and set aside. Keep a tablespoon of fat in the casserole and discard the rest. Reduce to medium heat then add the garlic, onion and spinach and cook until the onion is translucent and the spinach wilted or about 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the casserole with the onion-spinach mixture, add the tomato puree, cumin, harissa, chicken, chickpeas, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the pan. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and butter 4 small (about 200ml) ramekins. Sprinkle the Parmesan into the ramekins, turning until all sides are covered. Place the milk and bay leaves in a large saucepan over a gentle heat and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 15 mins. Discard the bay leaves, add the butter and flour, and return to a low heat. Very gently simmer, stirring continuously with a balloon whisk, for about 6 mins until you get a smooth, thick white sauce. Make sure that you get right into the corners of the pan to stop the sauce from catching or becoming lumpy. Once thickened, transfer the sauce to a large bowl and stir in the mustard powder, cayenne pepper, Gruyère and egg yolks until fully combined. In a spotlessly clean bowl and with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites just until peaks begin to form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the cheese sauce in three stages making sure you fold, rather than stir, to keep the egg whites light and airy. Fill the prepared ramekins with the soufflé mix. Top each soufflé with a slice of goat’s cheese, then place on a baking tray. Bake for 20-25 mins or until springy and well risen but cooked through. Leave to cool, then run a knife around the edge of each dish and remove the soufflés. If preparing in advance, place soufflés upside down (for neat presentation), on a tray. Cover tray in cling film. Chill for a few days or freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to re-bake, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the upside-down soufflés in a shallow baking dish, top with the remaining goat’s cheese slices and pour over the cream (this stops them from drying out when baked for the second time). Cook for 8-10 mins until golden. Serve immediately alongside some simply dressed salad.

Heat 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and season with salt, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir chicken broth and rice into beef in the saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir pine nuts in hot butter until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Mix pine nuts into beef-rice mixture before serving.

Place freekeh in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside. Combine lamb, onion, black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and salt in a pot. Stir in oil, 1/2 the cilantro, 1/2 the mint, and celery stalk until combined. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in chickpeas; pour in just enough water to cover, and return to a simmer. Stir in zucchini, carrot, and tomato paste. Set a steamer over the pot; add tomatoes. Cover and steam tomatoes until soft, about 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes using a wooden spoon, so pulp drips into soup. Remove the steamer and discard leftover tomato peels. Add potato to soup and just enough water to cover. Simmer until potato is soft, about 10 minutes. Drain freekeh and add to soup. Simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove celery stalk and discard. Sprinkle soup with remaining 1/2 cilantro and remaining 1/2 mint before serving.

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat some dripping or butter in a large shallow casserole dish, brown the lamb in batches, lift to a plate, then repeat with the kidneys. Fry the onions and carrots in the pan with a little more dripping until golden. Sprinkle over the flour, allow to cook for a couple of mins, shake over the Worcestershire sauce, pour in the stock, then bring to the boil. Stir in the meat and bay leaves, then turn off the heat. Arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat, then drizzle with a little more dripping. Cover, then place in the oven for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are cooked. Remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a little more dripping, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

step 1 Heat a griddle pan. Rub the lamb steaks with the oil, cumin and some seasoning. Griddle for about 3-4 mins on each side or until cooked to your liking. Place to one side on a plate to rest. step 2 In a large bowl, stir the sugar into the vinegar until dissolved. Add the carrots, spring onions, cabbage and some seasoning, and toss together. step 3 Blitz the whole peppers and the mayo in a food processor. Add a heap of the salad to each flatbread. Slice the lamb, trimming off any excess fat and lay on top of the salad, drizzling with the resting juices. Spoon over the mayo and scatter with a few of the sliced peppers. Roll up and eat. If using pitta, split and stuff. Serve any extra salad on the side.

Grind the cashew, poppy seeds and cumin seeds into a smooth paste, using as little water as possible. Set aside. Deep fry the sliced onions when it is hot. Don’t overcrowd the oil. When the onions turn light brown, remove from oil and drain on paper towel. The fried onion will crisp up as it drains. Also fry the cashewnuts till golden brown. Set aside. Wash the rice and soak in water for twenty minutes. Meanwhile, take a big wide pan, add oil in medium heat, add the sliced onions, add the blended paste, to it add the green chillies, ginger garlic paste and garlic and fry for a minute. Then add the tomatoes and sauté them well till they are cooked and not mushy. Then to it add the red chilli powder, biryani powder, mint, coriander leaves and sauté them well. Add the yogurt and mix well. I always move the skillet away from the heat when adding yogurt which prevents it from curdling. Now after returning the skillet back to the stove, add the washed lamb and salt and ½ cup water and mix well. Cook for 1 hour and cook it covered in medium low heat or put it in a pressure cooker for 6 whistles. If the water is not drained totally, heat it by keeping it open. Take another big pan, add thrice the cup of rice you use, and boil it. When it is boiling high, add the rice, salt and jeera and mix well. After 7 minutes exact or when the rice is 80% done. Switch off and drain the rice. Now, the layering starts. To the lamb, pat and level it. Add the drained hot rice on the top of it. Garnish with fried onions, ghee, mint, coriander leaves and saffron dissolved in milk. Cover the dish and bake in a 350f oven for 15 minutes or till the cooked but not mushy. Or cook in the stove medium heat for 12 minutes and lowest heat for 5 minutes. And switch off. Mix and serve hot! Notes 1. If you are cooking in oven, do make sure to cook in a big oven safe pan and cover it tight and then keep in oven for the final step. 2. You can skip biryani masala if you don’t have

In a glass, muddle fresh mint leaves with granulated sugar and lime wedges to release the flavors. Add white rum and stir well. Fill the glass with ice cubes and top with club soda. Stir gently and garnish with a sprig of mint. Sip and enjoy the classic and refreshing taste of a Mojito!