Tana Ramsay’s Real Family Food: Delicious Recipes for Everyday Occasions

hearty winter soup (#ulink_7581472e-077d-56a2-a671-1f4064bc6b52)

What could be more essential than a flask of hot soup when, standing on a football sideline on a Saturday afternoon in the freezing cold? The chilli flakes give added heat which I swear can bring back the feeling in your toes. Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wah’) is rapidly becoming known as a superfood because it’s a complete protein containing all eight amino acids. It’s increasingly available in supermarkets and can be used as a substitute for rice.

3 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

1 courgette, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

50g/2oz quinoa

1 × 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes

800ml/28fl oz water

1 quality chicken stock cube

¼ tsp chilli flakes

1 × 400g/14oz tin mixed beans

large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper

grated Parmesan (optional)

1 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Fry the onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and other chopped vegetables and fry for a further 5 minutes or so.

2 Add the quinoa followed by the tinned tomatoes, water and stock cube.

3 Add the chilli flakes and stir well.

4 Simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on before adding the beans. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.

5 Add the parsley and lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper.

6 Drink from a flask or in warm bowls sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Makes: a large flask

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

chilled cucumber and mint gazpacho (#ulink_871cb87a-0c32-5644-ba1d-43ab4b4cb97f)

A light and refreshing summer option – serve in mugs for children. Mine particularly like adding extra mint leaves of their own.

4 large cucumbers

100ml/4fl oz olive oil

5 ice cubes

5–6 sprigs of fresh mint

1 small garlic clove, finely sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

dash of full-cream milk

2 tsp horseradish

1 Peel and remove the seeds of 3 of the cucumbers, leaving 1 with seeds and the skin on for good colour. Roughly chop them and place in a large bowl with the olive oil, ice cubes, mint, garlic and salt and pepper.

2 Cover the top of the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

3 Place all ingredients from the bowl into a blender and add the milk and horseradish. Blend until completely smooth and check the seasoning, adding as necessary.

4 Keep chilled until just before serving.

Makes: 3 large or 6 small portions

Prep time: ½ hour

Marinating time: 4 hours

TIP

For an extra treat, fry a little pancetta until crunchy, then sprinkle on top.

chicken skewers with sweet and sour sauce (#ulink_4b7e8296-e03d-574a-aac6-797a19c99033)

These taste just as good cold as they do hot so they make a great addition to a packed lunch.

2 skinless chicken breasts