Leek, Onion and Potato Soup

As the snow is threatening to arrive it is time for some real comfort food.
This is one of the first things I ever made - and remains a real favourite - sometimes nothing else will do!
The recipe is based an old one of Delia's - I use veg stock instead of chicken - and don't add chives at the end - but pretty much everything else remains the same.

4 large leeks
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion chopped
50g butter
1 ltr veg stock
275ml milk
salt and pepper (generous)

To serve
2 tbls cream



1 Trim the leeks, cut in half lengthways, and slice finely.
2 Rinse in a colander and set aside
3 In a large sauacepan, melt the butter, and add the leeks, potato and onion. Stir well so that they all get coated in the butter.
4 Season well with salt and pepper, then cover and let the vegetables sweat over a low heat for about 15 minutes.
5 Add the stock and milk, bring to a simmer, and then cover on a gentle simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are getting soft.
6 Blend with a hand blender / liquidiser
7 Serve with a swirl of cream

I always have this soup hot - though it can be served cold as Vichyssoise (though not quite so good in the snow........)

Potato, cauliflower, parsnip and pea vegi curry

This is a good vegetarian curry - there is enough going on that you do not miss meat in this recipe.
It can be made with left over veg - eg roasties and parsnips after a roast - but I made with raw. You would reduce the cooking time if using left over veg.
The addition of the coconut milk makes a hot, sweet curry. I used the reduced fat coconut milk - it is January after all.......

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic ( or two crushed cloves)
1 tbsp minced ginger ( or 1 tbsp chopped fresh)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp garam masala
500g potato - peeled and cubed
500g parsnips - peeled and cubed
1 small cauliflower - broken into florets
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can reduced fat coconut milk
100g frozen peas
Juice 1/2 lemon

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, once it begins to soften add the garlic and ginger, and cook gently for 5 minutes.
2 Add all the dry spices, and cook with the onions for 1 minutes, stirring, making sure all of the onions are coated.
3 Add the potatoes, parsnips and cauliflower, and toss to coat in the spices.
4 Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for a couple of minutes.
5 Stir in the coconut milk and bring back to the boil.
6 Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes - until the potatoes and parsnips are just tender.
7 Add the peas, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
8 Check the seasoning - and serve with rice or naan.

Tandoori chicken (healthy!)

It is always difficult to replicate your favourite take away dishes at home. If it were that easy we wouldn't order it in!
This is a healthy chicken dish - that gives you all the flavours of tandoori chicken - without needing a tandoor oven at home.
It's not authentic tandoori chicken - but it is a good version.
I use chicken thighs for my recipe - but you can use breast if you prefer.
This is also good served cold, in salads, wraps etc.

6 chicken thighs (5-700g)
500ml fat free yoghurt
3 tablespoons tandoori masala spice mix
3 garlic cloves crushed ( or 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic)
2cm ginger, crushed ( or 1 tbsp minced ginger)
2 green chillies, finely chopped with seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

1 In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together- apart from the chicken.
2 Cut the chicken into large bite size pieces - or strips if you prefer
3 In an oven proof dish large enough to take all of the chicken - pour in a layer of the yoghurt mix, to cover the bottom of the dish.
4 Place all of the chicken in the dish - in a single layer if possible.
5 Cover with the remaining yoghurt mix.
6 Massage the chicken to ensure it is entirely covered.
7 Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
8 The following day heat the over to 200c / 400f / Gas 6.
9 Place the dish in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
10 Take out of the oven and allow to cool until you can handle the chicken.
11 Take out all of the chicken - and remove any large lumps of marinade. You can discard the remaining marinade.
12 Place the chicken on a grill rack and grill under a hot grill until one side has browned - and serve.


(The chicken is cooked at the end of stage 9 - but looks a bit anaemic - hence the browning under the grill.)

Tom Yam Gai (New Year Special)

Each year I make a decision to not worry about over indulging over Christmas - you just need to push on through to New Year.
Once I get to New Year I am ready for some healthy food and healthier living!
I always make Tom Yam Gai at this time of year - it is one of those dishes that feels like it is doing you good.
Hot, sweet and sour - it feels as though it has restorative powers. I think there is something in this - it seems that most cultures have a chicken soup that always makes an appearance when people are feeling a little under the weather - self inflicted or otherwise.......
This makes enough for four small bowls - or two generous portions - I can't get enough of it.
This recipe is from one Nigel Slater's early books - and is great.
You can make with prawns - to make Tom Yum Goong - but add them much later - depending on whether using raw or cooked.
I have also made it without chicken - just as a spicy broth - and it is still delicious.
I keep the chilli seeds in - but I do like it hot - I once served to a couple of friends, who carried on politely, whilst sweating......
If you are looking for something a little more substantial you can add noodles - though no strictly To

m Yum anymore. I cook the noodles separately, drain, put in the bowl and pour the soup over - see below.

1 chicken breast fillet (or 2 thing fillets) skin removed
1 litre chicken stock
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk - bashed and cut into large sections
3 small red chillies, thinly sliced (remove seeds if you do not want it too hot)
4 lime leaves
1 tbsp. nam pla (fish sauce)
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Small bunch of coriander, chopped

1 Bring the chicken stock to the boil and add the chicken. Simmer until the chicken to cooked - normally 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness.
2 Remove the chicken - leaving the stock. When slightly cooled - shred the chicken.
3 In the meantime add the spring onions, lemongrass, chillies and lime leaves to the stock, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4 Add the fish sauce, sugar and shredded chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes.
5 Add the lime juice, check for seasoning, and then add the coriander and serve.



You will be feeling better in no time!!!

Cauliflower Cheese (board...)

It was the end of Boxing Day, and after two days of over indulging, we were still left with quite a lot of food.
After a few days I find that I cannot face some things again - this year it was gravadlax (home cured of course...) - and cheese.
My brother had quite a lot of cheese left - and was leaving the country for a few days - so we ended up with a food parcel! From previous years I know that the cheese can hang about until the fridge begins to smell like a cheese shop - so time to use it up.
I decided to make one of my favourite comfort food dishes, with all of the various cheeses that were left. We had a hard cheese, a soft brie type cheese, and some stilton.
All of the cheese went into the sauce - if not using leftovers - then 100g of mature cheddar will do the job.
Remember you can use frozen cauliflower florets as well - which makes this a real store cupboard job when the shops are shut!
Cauliflower cheese is great to accompany some left over gammon!! - or on its own as a light meal when winding down from Christmas.

Serves 4

1 medium cauliflower, broken into large florets (or equivalent frozen cauli)
40g butter
40g plain flower
400ml milk
1 tbsp. English mustard
100g (ish) leftover cheese - or mature cheddar
salt and pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 190 / 375
2 Wash the cauliflower and place in a large pan of boiling water. Cook for 3-5 minutes - you want it a little under cooked as we are going to finish in the oven.
3 Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook over a gentle heat for at least a minute - it is very important that the flour is cooked.
4 Remove from the heat and add the milk a little at a time - stirring well after each addition.
5 Return to the heat and bring to the boil stirring all the time. Simmer for two minutes.
6 Remove from the heat again and add the mustard and two thirds of the cheese - stirring to combine the cheese.
7 Arrange the cauliflower in an ovenproof dish and pour over the cheese sauce - making sure you cover all of the cauliflower.
8 Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You want the top to be golden brown.