Home Cooked

2 × 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

75ml white wine

150g cooked white crab meat

3 tbsp single cream

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 heaped tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish

Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Bring a large pot of water to the boil over a high heat. Season with salt and pop in the pasta. Cook as instructed on the packet until al dente and then drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a steady simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and then stir through the crab meat, cream, lemon zest and juice and capers. Allow the sauce to bubble away for 2–3 minutes and then tumble in the pasta.

Mix through until the pasta is coated and serve in generous mounds on warmed plates, garnishing with the parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

THAI RICE NOODLE SALAD

Anyone who has ever travelled to Thailand will remember the wonderful balance of flavours from sweet to salty and spicy to smoky. I like to think this salad captures all this. There are so many wonderful textures and flavours from the roasted nuts, fresh crunchiness from the vegetables and then super sweet heat from the chilli and ginger dressing. This makes a really exciting midweek dinner.

SERVES 4

250g rice vermicelli noodles

3 Baby Gem lettuce, leaves separated

2 large carrots, peeled and finely sliced

½ cucumber, peeled lengthways into ribbons

6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

60g salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Large handful of coriander leaves

Large handful of mint leaves

Large handful of basil leaves

FOR THE CHILLI AND GINGER DRESSING

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water according to the packet’s instructions until they are tender. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and set aside.

For the dressing, whisk together the lime juice and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl until it has dissolved. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli and ginger and mix through. Then add the noodles, vegetables, peanuts and fresh herbs. Toss to combine and then serve.

BRAISED CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SPRING ONIONS, BABY GEM & PEAS

True comfort food in a matter of minutes; that’s what this dish is all about. Crispy chicken in a white wine sauce with wonderful braised greens and a pop of zesty citrus freshness, it really doesn’t get better than that for a speedy midweek supper.

SERVES 4

1 tbsp olive oil

100g smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped

6–8 boneless chicken thighs with skin on

1 tbsp butter

Grated zest of 1 lemon

75ml white wine

A few thyme sprigs

50ml chicken stock

200g frozen peas

6 spring onions, trimmed and sliced in half

4 Baby Gem lettuce, sliced in half

Heat the oil in a large high-sided frying pan over a high heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp. Then add the chicken thighs and fry on each side until they are also golden and crisp. Add the butter and allow it to foam, then stir in the lemon zest and fry it in the butter.

Pour in the wine and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds before adding the thyme sprigs and chicken stock. Add the peas to the liquid and then nuzzle in the spring onions and Baby Gem lettuce. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve straight away as it is or with a little rice to stretch the meal.

BEER BATTER FISH WITH PEA MASH & ROSTI POTATO CAKES

This has to be one of my absolute favourite dinners. It’s basically fish and chips, but with a great twist using crispy rosti potato cakes instead of the more laborious chip. I shallow fry my goujons rather than using a deep fat fryer, with oil I keep in a bottle specifically for this purpose. When you’re done and the oil is cold, just fill the bottle up to use again next time.