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

FOR THE MARINADE

3 limes, juiced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp runny honey

FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

150ml/5fl oz water

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/GM4.

2 Soak 8 wooden skewers in water.

3 Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and put to one side.

4 Put the chicken breasts between two pieces of clingfilm and bash with a rolling pin until they have doubled in size.

5 Cut the chicken into strips about 1cm/½ inch wide and put them into the marinade.

6 Cover the chicken with clingfilm and leave overnight in the fridge (or for about 2 hours at room temperature).

7 Meanwhile, make the sweet and sour sauce by putting all the ingredients, except the cornflour mixture, into a saucepan and bringing to the boil. Stir in the cornflour mixture and simmer for a couple of minutes. Allow to cool.

8 When you are ready to cook the chicken, carefully weave the strips of chicken onto the skewers and place on a baking rack.

9 Cook for 15 minutes, turning the skewers over once during this time.

Makes: 8 kebabs

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus 2 hours to marinate at room temperature)

Cooking time: 15 minutes

red onion tarte tatin (#ulink_1e46bb25-3724-5882-a706-2c8eab35d709)

50g/2oz butter

1 tbsp caster sugar

500g/18oz red onions, peeled and halved

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

150g/5oz fresh, soft goats’ cheese

2 tbsp chopped thyme

375g/13oz pack puff pastry

1 Generously grease a 25cm/10 inch tarte tatin tin or circular enamel dish with the butter. Sprinkle evenly with caster sugar. Tightly arrange the halved onions in the dish, cut side downwards.

2 Place on the hob over a low heat until the butter has melted. Increase the heat slightly and continue cooking for about 30 minutes or until the onions and butter are golden brown.

3 Pour over the balsamic vinegar and remove from the heat.

4 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/GM4.

5 Allow the onions to cool a little before placing spoonfuls of the soft goats’ cheese between them.

6 Sprinkle with half the chopped thyme.

7 Roll out the pastry and cut a circle about 4cm/1½ inches larger in diameter than the dish.

8 Lay the pastry on top of the onions and carefully tuck the edge down the sides of the dish.

9 Place in the preheated oven and cook for 40 minutes until the pastry is golden.

10 Remove from the oven and carefully turn out onto a serving dish.

11 Serve immediately sprinkled with the remaining thyme.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

ham and cheese roll-ups (#ulink_ac2164a3-b2e1-5e1e-b1fd-b5dddcb5d777)

When the children are at home for lunch I sometimes like to do something different, and this is a great way of serving a simple hot lunch. The fillings can be as simple or as complicated as you like. I usually serve the roll-ups with a simple potato salad – boil some new potatoes, halve them and mix with chopped spring onions and mayonnaise.

400g/14oz puff pastry

50g/2oz mature cheese, grated