Easy Meals

* Use a spoon to make 4 wells in the mixture, then break an egg into each of the 4 spaces. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3–4 minutes or until just set.

* Grate over the cheese, replace the lid on the pan for a few seconds, then serve.

Smoked salmon and chive fish cakes (#ulink_147802ff-0fdf-5ef5-8edf-e00f14e49fa9)

With their crisp outer coating, soft fluffy mash and delicate flakes of smoked salmon, these fish cakes are a supremely comforting food.

Makes 6 fish cakes

PREPARATION TIME

15 minutes

COOKING TIME

50 minutes

500g (1lb 2oz) floury potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed clean

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

225g (8oz) smoked salmon

3 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped

Good squeeze of lemon juice

1 egg, beaten

75g (3oz) breadcrumbs

15g (½oz) butter

* Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas mark 7 and grease a small baking tray with olive oil.

* Fill a large saucepan with water, then add the potatoes and a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil for 10 minutes, then pour all but about 4cm (1½in) of the water out of the pan and cook the potatoes on a very low heat for another 20–30 minutes until a skewer goes in easily. Peel them while they are still hot and mash immediately, either by hand or using the paddle attachment in an electric food mixer, until they are free of lumps.

* Meanwhile, as the potatoes cook, place the smoked salmon on the baking tray. If it is pre-sliced, simply put the slices one on top of the other. Drizzle the salmon with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then bake in the oven for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

* Put the mashed potato, onion, chives, capers, lemon juice, egg and breadcrumbs into a large mixing bowl. Roughly tear the smoked salmon into smaller pieces and add to the mix. Use a spoon to stir everything together – the salmon will break up further as you mix. Season with salt and pepper.

* Shape the mixture in to six patties, each about 8cm (3in) wide and 2cm (¾in) thick. The uncooked fish cakes can be prepared up to this point in advance and either frozen or kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

* To cook, pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large frying pan on a medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted and starts to foam, add the fish cakes and fry for 3–5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Serve with a green salad, lemon wedges and a dollop of tartare sauce or mayonnaise.

Spaghetti with anchovies, garlic and chilli (#ulink_e40a924c-2a3e-5a53-ba7e-4d32010e4be8)

This is a great simple pasta dish with strong punchy flavours. Dried chilli flakes can be quite hot, so just add a small pinch if you prefer less of a kick.

Serves 4

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

10–12 minutes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

350g (12oz) dried spaghetti or other pasta, such as linguine or tagliatelle

4 tbsp olive oil

6–8 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

10 tinned anchovies, chopped

1–2 pinches of dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Good squeeze of lemon juice

* Fill a large saucepan with water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10–12 minutes or according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente.

* As the pasta is cooking, place another saucepan on a medium heat. (The pan should be large enough to hold all of the spaghetti once it is cooked.) Add the olive oil, followed by the garlic, and fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the anchovies and chilli flakes and cook for a further minute.

* Drain the spaghetti, reserving some of the cooking liquid, then add to the anchovy mixture with a few tablespoons of the liquid. Tip in the chopped parsley, stir to mix, then add the lemon juice. Taste, adding a further squeeze of lemon if you like. Add a grinding of black pepper and serve immediately.

Fusilli with tuna, capers and cream (#ulink_e745859c-5e2d-53ae-b125-4287bd50dd93)

A tin of tuna and some pasta are enough to make a meal, though for added interest I’ve included capers and garlic. You can also stir in a few chopped olives, if you wish.

Serves 4

PREPARATION TIME

5 minutes

COOKING TIME