You melt a slice of butter in a wide, shallow pan. When bubbles appear around the edge, you slip in a fillet of fish and slowly let it cook, spooning the warm butter over and over. You watch the flesh change from pearl white to snow white and see the edges turn pale gold. You toss a salad or steam some green beans. You open a bottle of wine. You lift the fish on to a warm plate, add a little lemon juice and some chopped parsley to the butter in the pan and let it foam before pouring it over the fish. Dinner is served.
A frying pan was the first piece of kitchen kit I owned. A basic, shallow pan that saw many a meal, from a simple bacon sandwich to a full English. It helped me master everything from fish fingers to fried sea bass. I made risotto and fishcakes in it. Pork chops and hamburgers. Fried chicken and potatoes. I made curry in it, for heaven's sake. If we have only one pan, then it should probably be a frying pan.
Cooking in a shallow, long-handled pan is spirited, high-temperature cooking. A quick fix. We need to learn to control the heat. But first we must know our pan. A thin, cheap pan isn't ideal — the food burns too easily - but sometimes that is what we have. So we should get to know how the pan works, its hot spots and burning points, where food sticks on it and how long it takes to heat up. This isn’t just 'chuck it in and hope for the best' cooking. This is quick-fire food, but it needs the right pan, the right heat and the right ingredients.
I have two frying pans now, one cast iron and so heavy I need both hands to lift it, the other non-stick and light as a feather. The cast iron one is so well used it has developed its own non-stick patina, and is what T use to fry potatoes, pieces of chicken, meatballs, burgers and rashers of bacon. It is great for homemade burgers that need slow cooking. The lighter pan is for fish, rosti, frittata and flash-fried lambs liver. Its slippery surface makes it ideal for an omelette.
If you make them regularly, it might be worth investing in a small omelette pan. Steel is the way to go. Never wash it — just a quick wipe with kitchen paper.
A new pan will stick initially. I get round this by heating a film of oil in it and letting it cool several times, then wiping it with paper. This provides a seal that will stop your omelettes and frittata sticking to the surface.
A good, flat pan with a heavy base, whether stainless steel or cast iron, is a food friend to have in the kitchen. For the full English, of course, with its bacon and sausage, black pudding, tomatoes and egg, but for so much more. The pork steak or chop that needs to be watched as it cooks; the steak you don’t want to grill; the leftover steamed rice you are resuscitating as fried rice, and for vegetables, chicken and anything else that will cook in a few minutes. It’s the lifesaver pan. The one we all start with. The one Mum packs in our backpack when we leave home. Hopefully with a copy of this book.
A few favourites
Melt a thick slice of butter in a non-stick pan and add a little olive oil. Add 6 asparagus spears, each spear cut in half then into 3 or 4 pieces, and let them cook for a minute or two. Scatter in a few roughly torn dill fronds, then lay 2 lemon sole fillets into the pan carefully, skin- side down and side by side, and spoon the asparagus and butter over them. Season, then continue cooking for 4 or 5 minutes, regularly spooning the hot butter and asparagus over the fish until the flesh becomes opaque.
Fry a piece of salmon in a little oil in a shallow pan, seasoning it with salt as you go. Remove the salmon to a warm place (such as a warm plate with a cover). Put a clove of garlic, peeled and very finely sliced, in the fish pan, let it colour lightly, then add a couple of handfuls of spinach, toss them around in the hot pan, then add a slice of butter and a squeeze of lemon. Serve under the fish.
Coarsely grate about 400g carrots. Add a crushed clove of garlic, a grated thumb-sized lump of fresh ginger and a finely chopped hot chilli. Melt a little butter in a shallow pan then tip in the carrots, toss gently as they cook, then add a handful of chopped roasted cashews, 4 tablespoons of double cream and the same of yoghurt, then scatter with chopped coriander leaves.
Gently scrub 450g spring carrots, removing their leaves as you go, then cook them in a little oil in a shallow pan. Keep the heat low, rolling them over now and again and letting them brown very slightly in patches. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped mint and 3 heaped tablespoons of yoghurt to the pan. A side dish really, but satisfying enough with bread and cheese or cold cuts.
Grate some potatoes coarsely, then toss them with the beaten egg and flour. Season them with chopped thyme, shape into patties and fry in hot butter till lightly crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper for a few minutes, then top with fried sliced mushrooms and créme fraiche.
Potato rösti are wonderful slipped under grilled lamb steaks or a piece of fillet steak. Something sensational about the crisp tangled straws of potato when they pick up some of the meat juices.
Put a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, the juice of a lemon and about 20 tarragon leaves in a blender or food processor with soml olive oil and blitz to a thick purée. Whilst the cooked steak rests, tip the juices from the pan into the tarragon sauce, blend and serve with the steak.
While your cooked steak rests, add a deseeded and very finely chopped red chilli to the pan, soften over a moderate heat then add a few chopped tomatoes, some salt and let the tomatoes cook down to a spicy red slush. Crush with a fork, stir in a handful of chopped coriander and serve with the steak.
leftover chilled risotto, egg, dried breadcrumbs, Emmental or Gruyeére, lemon
Beat an egg lightly in a shallow dish. Tip a couple of handfuls of dried breadcrumbs on to a plate. Cut the Emmental or Gruyere into small dice and fold into your cold risotto. Take generously mounded serving spoons of the mixture and roll into balls or flat patties (the shape is up to you) then drop them into the beaten egg followed by the breadcrumbs.
Heat a shallow layer of oil in a frying pan and fry the cakes a few at a time, till they are crisp on all sides, turning carefully (they are fragile) as you go. Serve 2 croquettes per person with lemon halves.
Crunch and soft. Melting cheese.
It is essential to chill the rice quickly for this. Once the risotto is made, cool it quickly, if necessary by putting the pan into a sink of cold water. Chill thoroughly in the fridge overnight.
Cut 200g new potatoes into small coins, about four per potato, then let them cook in a little oil in a large frying pan. When they start to colour, add 250g good herby sausage meat in fat lumps, then cut 250g Brussels sprouts into four and add to the pan. Continue frying till everything is toasted and the sprouts are soft but bright.
beetroot, sausages, carrots, garlic, rosemary, red wine vinegar
Peel 650g raw beetroot, cut into thick segments, then cut each segment in half. Do the same with 150g carrots, but don't peel them. Peel and slice 2 cloves of garlic. Roughly chop the needles from 3 sprigs of rosemary. Fry the sliced vegetables, garlic and rosemary in
3 tablespoons of groundnut oil over a moderate heat, till approaching tenderness (the vegetables need to retain a little crispness).
Cut 400g good, herby butcher's sausages into three, then add them to the pan, letting them brown nicely. When the beets and carrots are tender, pour in 2 tablespoons of sweetish red wine vinegar, check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as you wish.
For 2-3. Sweet and sour, a sausage supper for an autumn night.
Mix 100g plain flour with 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil, 175ml sparkling mineral water and a stiffly beaten egg white to make a tempura batter. Lightly flour then batter halved, bottled or canned marinated artichokes (they're also available loose from delicatessen counters). Lower them into hot, deep oil and fry till light and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with garlic mayonnaise and half a lemon.
preserved artichokes, cannellini beans, spring onions, butter, lemon, parsley
Melt 40g butter in a shallow pan. As it melts, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Chop 2 spring onions and let them soften in the butter over a moderate heat. Drain a 300g jar of globe artichokes then slice each one in half and add to the butter.
Drain a 400g can of cannellini beans and tip into the pan. Leave to quietly bubble over a moderate heat till a sort of impromptu creamy juice has developed. Season with salt, black pepper and perhaps a little more lemon. Parsley.
For 2. A 10-minute dish with a gentle quality.
A few thoughts
This is not a recipe where anything should be allowed to brown in the pan. Keep the colours pale and the flavours mild. Rinse the artichokes well of their preserving liquor.
Tarragon is good here, as it always is with beans, and so would be mint. Add mint at the last minute, so it doesn’t discolour much. You could cook your own artichokes if you wish. Prepare and boil them till tender, then add them, halved, to the melted butter and lemon as above.
Swap the beans for Puy lentils and add more parsley for an earthier style.
prawns, basil, pine kernels, lemon, olive oil
Make the basil dressing: put 20g basil leaves into a food processor and blitz them to a rich, creamy sauce with 50g pine kernels, the juice of a lemon and 1zoml olive oil.
Cook 12 large, raw, shell-on prawns on a griddle or barbecue, or in a dry frying pan. Salt them generously as they cook and turn them regularly till their shells are pink. Remove the prawns from the heat, toss them in the dressing and eat immediately.
For 2. No forks, no knives. Prawns with tasty shells to suck at and flesh to pick.
The classic. Make a quick onion gravy by cooking sliced onions in butter for 15 minutes, until softened, stirring from time to time, then add alittle flour, let it colour, and stir in a glass of dry Marsala and enough stock to make a rich, not too thick sauce.
Boil or steam quite waxy potatoes. Peel, core and slice an equal weight of slightly sharp apples, preferably not as tart as Bramleys, then cook them in a little butter in a shallow pan. When they are soft, fluff them up with a fork. Drain the potatoes and beat them to a fluff with a little butter, then fold in the apple purée. Salt, not sugar. If using soft morcilla, best to bake. A drier, traditional black pudding is better cooked in a shallow pan.
Grill or fry the sausages. Drain canned butter beans, heat them in a little fresh water, drain, then mash to a soft purée with butter and black pepper.
chorizo sausages, sweet potatoes
Pierce 4 chorizo cooking sausages all over with a fork, then brown in a little oil in a shallow pan. Peel about s00g sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks about the size of ice cubes and add to the pan. Leave the sausages and potatoes to cook for 10 minutes, browning nicely, then add 200ml water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and allow half the liquid to evaporate, then remove the sausages to a warm place. Mash the sweet potato with a fork, adding a thick slice of butter as you go. Season the mash with black pepper and salt, then serve with the sausages placed on top. For 2. Smoke and silk.
Rinse and finely chop 3 anchovies. Stir them into the crabmeat mixture opposite with the grated zest of a lime.
Use smoked fish such as mackerel instead of crab. Ditch the chilli, and use a beaten egg to hold things together. Dill is better than coriander for this.
A little Thai green curry paste, stirred into the crab mixture opposite, produces a dazzling little crab cake.
Sardines and salmon make an instant fish cake but are best when held together with mashed potato rather than breadcrumbs. Use an equal volume of mashed potato and canned fish, then throw in chopped parsley, dill and a little smoked paprika. Drain the fish well before adding it to the potato.
crabmeat, chilli, garlic, white bread, coriander, mirin
Put a hot red chilli, including the seeds, into a food processor with a garlic clove, 100g soft white bread and a large bunch of coriander (about 20g, including both the leaves and the thinner stalks). Blitz till finely chopped, then tip into a mixing bow! and add 2 tablespoons of mirin and 400g mixed brown and white crabmeat. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix well, then shape the mixture into 12 small balls. Warm a very fine layer of sunflower or groundnut oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the crab balls and cook over a low heat till they are deep golden on the underside. Turn and continue cooking till they are coloured all over. Serve immediately with halves of lime.
For 34. Crisp, fragrant dumplings.
A few thoughts
Add enough breadcrumbs to produce a mixture that will keep its shape when rolled into balls. You will need slightly different amounts depending on the type of bread you use. Do a trial ball first to make sure they hold together.
Use a lowish heat, so the crab heats right through to the centre.
Be gentle when handling the cakes in the frying pan. Leave them to form a crisp crust on the base before carefully turning them over. That way, they should stay intact.
Replace the bacon with small mushrooms that you have sliced thinly, then tossed till dark and sticky in a little olive oil over a moderate heat.
Make the bacon gremolata as opposite. Slice medium-sized tomatoes in half, cook for a few minutes in a little olive oil then scatter the bacon mixture over them. Basil leaves in with the breadcrumb mixture would be a fragrant addition here.
courgettes, bacon, rosemary, fresh breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon, garlic
Cut 6 rashers of bacon into thick pieces, then fry them in a shallow pan, with a little butter if necessary, till they crisp lightly, then finely chop the needles from a sprig of rosemary and add them to the pan along with a clove of crushed garlic. Stir for a minute or two then add a couple of good handfuls of soft, fresh breadcrumbs. Add more butter if the crumbs prove thirsty. Let these cook till golden, turning them regularly, then toss in some chopped parsley if you have it, and the finely grated zest of a small lemon. Season generously.
When everything is crisp and golden, remove from the pan and wipe the pan with kitchen paper. Slice 4 medium to large courgettes thickly, then cook them in a little oil and butter. When they are soft and translucent, scatter over the crumbs, heat gently and serve. For 2.
A few thoughts
Keep an eye on the breadcrumbs, they will burn in seconds. Different breads will soak up more or less butter, so keep some extra butter handy to add as necessary.
As soon as the crumbs turn golden, tip them out into a dish.
Don't try to fry the courgettes in the pan without wiping it clean and adding fresh oil or butter, as any remaining crumbs will burn.
A change
Introduce some basil in with the courgettes or the crumbs. I went for a passing breeze of garlic but add more if you like.
Not exactly quick, but easy enough. Season 750g chicken pieces and brown them lightly in a little olive oil, then lift them out and set aside. Peel and chop 2 onions and let them soften in the chicken fat left in the pan. Add 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, cut into short pieces, and continue cooking till the bacon is pale gold and the onions are soft and sweet. Peel and roughly cube a parsnip, add to the pan with some salt and pepper, then return the chicken to the pan. Add 2 drained cans of chickpeas, pour in a litre of stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, transfer to an oven set at 180°C/Gas 4 and bake for 50 minutes.
Crush a clove of garlic and put it in a mixing bow! with a teaspoon of dried chilli lakes and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss 4 chicken thighs in the seasoned oil and leave for half an hour. Roast the chicken thighs, seasoned with a little salt, at 200°C/Gas 6 for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain two 400g cans of cannellini beans, tip them into a saucepan, add 200ml creme fraiche and heat gently. Season with black pepper and salt, then crush with a potato masher to give a rich, creamy mash. Eat with the chilli roast chicken.
duck breasts, cannellini beans, rosemary, dry Marsala
Score the skin of a couple of duck breasts, then place them skin-side down in a hot non-stick pan and fry until golden brown. Drain a 400g can of cannellini beans and tip them into the pan, turning the duck over as you go. Tuck a sprig of rosemary into the beans and pour in 5 tablespoons of dry Marsala. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for 5 minutes, till the skin is crisp and the flesh is still pink within. Crush the beans lightly with a fork, season and serve.
For 2. Sweet pink meat, white beans.
Lightly beat the eggs with a little chopped fresh tarragon. Trim and lightly cook a bunch of asparagus spears — the thinnest you can find, then add to the pan shortly after pouring in the egg.
Thinly slice a small to medium aubergine into discs. Soak them with olive oil, then scatter with thyme and salt. Cook under a grill orin a griddle, or, if you prefer, fry them in a non-stick pan. They should be really soft and tender. Add to the pan immediately after pouring in the egg.
goat's cheese, eggs, spinach, butter, thyme, basil, rosemary
Beat 4 eggs in a bowl and season generously. Add a tablespoon of thyme leaves and a few roughly torn basil leaves.
Heat an overhead grill. Melt 50g butter in a small non-stick pan, about 20cm in diameter. Add 150g spinach and cook for about 1 minute until the leaves soften. Add the spinach to the bowl with the eggs. Wipe the pan, then place a thin slice of butter in it. When it starts to sizzle add the egg mixture, then 150g goat’s cheese, sliced, and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary leaves and cook on a low to moderate heat.
Once the omelette is partly set — this will take about 6 minutes — finish cooking it under the grill until golden on top.
For 1. A tender, melting omelette.
A thought
A frittata is cooked a little more slowly than an omelette or scrambled eggs. The filling is usually added as soon as the eggs go into the pan. I give the base a minute or two to set then put the filling on before the centre has time to set.
Mix together equal quantities of mayonnaise and soured cream (the cream will sharpen and lighten it a little), then season with smooth Dijon mustard. Add to a classic York ham sandwich with some torn iceberg lettuce and paper-thin, toothsome Cheddar. Crisp, soft and familiar.
Fry a couple of gammon steaks in butter, then remove them to warm plates. Add a small tub of créme fraiche to the pan, together with a couple of tablespoons of mustard I suggest one each of Dijon and grain. Season with black pepper and a very little salt. Bring to a slow bubble, add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with the gammon steaks.
gammon steaks, broad beans, butter, brown mustard seeds
Boil 100g shelled broad beans in deep, lightly salted water for 8-10 minutes, till tender, then drain them and return to the pan. Using a fork or potato masher, crush the beans a little.
Melt 75g butter in a shallow, non-stick pan, let it sizzle, then add two 125g gammon steaks. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes on each side, spooning over the butter as you go. Remove the meat to a warm plate, then add a teaspoon of brown mustard seeds to the butter and let them cook briefly — they may start to pop. Stir in the crushed broad beans and a grinding of black pepper. When all is sizzling, briefly return the gammon to the pan, then serve with the broad beans.
For 2. Pink meat, green beans.
Mix a little harissa paste with enough olive oil to make a thick dressing, then stir in a teaspoon of brown sugar. Spread over the lamb and marinate for half an hour or longer if you have time.
Crush a clove of garlic, mix it with a little salt, some finely chopped rosemary, black pepper and a touch of red wine vinegar. Rub this over the lamb, then grill.
lamb steaks, garlic, fennel seeds, turmeric, ground coriander, yoghurt
Set aside 4 lamb steaks, about 200g each. Peel and crush a large clove of garlic and pound it with a pestle and mortar with half a teaspoon of fennel seeds, then add a teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of ground coriander and a little black pepper. Put 250ml yoghurt into a mixing bowl, then add the spice paste and mix well. Put the lamb steaks into the yoghurt and leave for an hour or so.
Remove the steaks from the yoghurt and fry in groundnut oil in a hot, shallow pan, still with some of the spiced yoghurt sticking to them, till a crust has developed, then turn and cook the other side. Serve with rice.
For 4. Earthy. Aromatic. Fragrant.
Some thoughts
I usually grill marinated meats, but this spiced lamb dish is one you can cook in a pan on the hob. We cooked this with lamb marinated for an hour and also overnight. The difference was negligible.
Some rice on the side would be good here, perhaps with lemon juice and coriander leaves stirred through at the last moment.
You could do this recipe with chicken breasts.
Introduce a little ground cardamom. Finish with fresh coriander leaves or mint.
For a change, fry some chopped chorizo in a deep pan, add the fish, as in the recipe opposite, and replace the clams with mussels in their shells, plus a little vermouth or dry sherry and just a little coriander leaf. Cook, covered, until the mussels open.
Make a quick, cheaty rouille by stirring paprika and a little garlic purée into a good brand of mayonnaise. Add it to the dish as you serve it.
monkfish, pancetta, clams, smoked paprika, white vermouth
Cut 100g smoked pancetta into large dice, then cook in a shallow pan over a moderate heat. As the fat starts to run and the pancetta colours a little, toss four 200g pieces of monkfish tail in 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika mixed with a little salt and pepper. Add the pieces of fish to the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning them as necessary. They need a little colour on each side. Wash 200g small clams. Pour 250ml white vermouth into the pan, let it bubble up, then add the clams. Cover the pan with a lid and cook briefly until the shells start to open. Discard any that remain shut. Check the seasoning and serve.
For 4. Pan juices that dazzle.
A few thoughts
At the time of writing, monkfish isn't particularly sustainable, but any other firm white fish is suitable. Keep the pieces large and cook them only briefly.
If the pan seems a little dry, add a trickle of olive oil before adding the fish.
Once the clams go in, put the lid on the pan to encourage them to steam quickly. They are cooked as soon as they open. Discard any that don’t open.
Warm a thin slice of butter and a glug of oil in a shallow pan. Lay 4 slices of lambs liver in the sizzling pan, fry for a couple of minutes on each side (toasty brown edges are good, but the inside should still be rose pink). Remove to a warm plate and pour a small glass of dry Marsala or red wine into the pan. Bubble, stir and scrape then reduce by half over a high heat. Stir in 4 tablespoons of coarse apple and onion chutney. Slide in the liver and serve.
lamb’s liver, banana shallots, radishes, red wine vinegar, parsley, butter, Pecorino
Peel, halve and very finely slice 300g banana shallots. Melt 40g butter in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the shallots and fry, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes till soft and pale golden. Push to one side of the pan.
Cut 300g lambs liver into small pieces and season generously. Add a thin slice of butter to the pan, then add the liver and fry for a maximum of 2 minutes on each side. Add 5 thinly sliced radishes. Pour in 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and add a handful of parsley leaves. Then add 50g finely grated Pecorino. Serve with skin-on mashed potato.
For 2. Good for you.
aubergine, paneer cheese, cherry tomatoes, garam masala, yellow mustard seeds, coriander
Warm 2 tablespoons of sunflower or groundnut oil in a shallow pan or wok. Cut a large aubergine into small dice (about 1cm), add to the oil and fry until golden and soft. As the aubergine colours, halve 200g cherry tomatoes and add them to the pan. As they soften, tear or chop 250g paneer cheese and add that to the pan too. Scatter over a tablespoon of garam masala, a tablespoon of yellow mustard seeds and a little salt. Continue frying for a couple of minutes, till the paneer is very lightly coloured, then stir in a handful of coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice.
For 4. Cheerful, singing flavours.
parsnips, potato, banana shallots, balsamic vinegar, egg, goat’s curd or cream cheese, plain flour, sugar, green peppercorns
Peel 8 banana shallots, slice them in half and unfur! the layers. Warm a thin slice of butter and 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan, add the shallots and fry over a low to moderate heat till soft and pale gold. Stir in 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar. Cook over a low heat until the shallots are sweet and sticky, then set aside but keep warm.
Coarsely grate 250g parsnips and a medium potato into a bowl. Lightly beat an egg and add it to the bowl with 2 tablespoons of plain flour. Mix well and press the grated vegetables into 6 small, thin patties. Heat a thin film of groundnut oil or butter in a frying pan, add the patties and fry till crisp and golden. Remove, drain briefly on kitchen paper and divide between plates.
Season 250g goat's curd or cream cheese with a few bottled green peppercorns, a little black pepper and some salt. Place a heaped spoonful of the curd on top of each pancake and add some of the warm shallots. Serve immediately. For 3-4.
potatoes, peppers, onion, vegetable stock
Wipe 500g new potatoes and halve them. Heat a little olive oil in a shallow pan, place the potatoes in it cut-side down and leave them to cook. Halve and deseed 2 large yellow or red peppers, cut them into long strips and add to the pan. Peel and finely slice a large yellow or red onion and add it to the potatoes and peppers, together with a large knob of butter. Leave to cook, with the occasional stir, until the potatoes are nicely golden and the onion is starting to soften. Pour in 400ml vegetable stock, bring to the boil, season, then cover with a lid and let it simmer enthusiastically for 20 minutes. Once the stock has almost disappeared, crush a few of the potatoes with a fork, allowing them to absorb the last drops of liquid.
For 2. Frugal, rich, nourishing.
A few thoughts
This is a dish born from an empty store cupboard and to add too many ingredients would miss the point. A chopped chilli at the start would add interest, as would a handful of torn basil at the end. Other appropriate additions include chopped or sliced garlic, added with the onion, a pinch of ground paprika, some fennel seeds or a little smoked garlic. An egg or two, cracked on top at the end, will bring all the ingredients together.
Sweat a couple of finely sliced, medium-sized leeks in butter till they are soft but not coloured. This is often done with a layer of greaseproof paper over the leeks and a lid, so they sweat as much as fry. Grill or fry a lamb steak, slice into thinnish strips, then toss with the cooked leeks and a little grated Caerphilly cheese. Serve over boiled fettucine or tagliatelle.
Peel and slice a couple of red onions, then let them cook in a little butter and oil till soft. Grill or shallow-fry a duck breast till tender, slice into thin strips, then toss with the onions, a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a handful of chopped parsley. Serve with the pasta.
skirt steak, tagliatelle, provolone picante cheese, onions, beef dripping
Peel and thinly slice 2 medium onions and fry them to a soft, pale gold in 2 tablespoons of oil or preferably beef dripping. Cook 150g tagliatelle in a deep pan of salted water, then drain. Grate 180g provolone picante. Slice 250g skirt steak into finger-thin strips, then add to the onions, letting the strips cook briefly, keeping their insides pink. Toss the steak, onions and pasta then add the grated provolone picante and a little black pepper. For 2-3. Intensely satisfying. Piquant and good value.
A few thoughts
Make certain the chops brown nicely on both sides before you introduce the cider; that way the pan juices will be tastier.
Use figs that are lightly ripe so they don't collapse during cooking. If you have tiny ripe figs you could leave them whole.
Include a little chopped thyme or rosemary with the chops.
Swirl a knob of butter into the juices at the end.
Cook pork chops in a little butter and oil in a shallow pan. As the chops start to colour, add sliced, unpeeled pears and continue cooking till tender and translucent. Remove the chops and fat, then add a small wine glass of both vegetable stock and perry or cider, reduce by bubbling, then spoon over the chops. On the side? A salad of chicory and walnuts.
Finely chop a tablespoon of rosemary leaves, then mash them with a thick slice of butter, a little salt and some black pepper. Melt half of the butter in a shallow pan, then, once it starts to sizzle, add 2 large pork chops and let them colour nicely on both sides. Keep the heat moderate to low whilst they cook right through. As the chops approach the end of their cooking time, add 4 halved and stoned plums and the rest of the rosemary butter. Once they are soft and the pork cooked, serve.
pork chops, cider, figs
Season 2 pork chops. Melt a little butter in a shallow pan and once it starts to sizzle, brown the chops on each side. The fat should colour nicely. Pour in 260ml dry cider, let it bubble, then lower the heat, halve 4 small figs, add them to the pan and cover with a lid. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, then remove the lid and let the cider reduce by about half,
For 2. Sweet, succulent, fruity.
Fry pumpkin instead of potato, steaming it for a few minutes first, then add pumpkin seeds and shelled pistachios for a bit of crunch.
Jerusalem artichokes can be peeled, steamed, diced and browned in butter, then scattered with chopped walnuts and salt. Slide a fried egg on to the plate.
new potatoes, hazelnuts, egg yolks, butter, chives
Wash and roughly chop 500g new potatoes. Warm 75g butter with a couple of glugs of groundnut or olive oil in a shallow pan over a moderate heat, add the potatoes and fry at a gentle sizzle till golden brown all over and tender. Roughly chop 100g hazelnuts, add them to the potatoes and let them colour a little. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Add 4 tablespoons of chopped chives and tip into a heatproof dish.
Separate 4 eggs, dropping the yolks into the potatoes, then place under a hot grill for 3 or 4 minutes, till the yolks are warm but not set.
For 2. The scrunch of hazelnuts.
Use cranberry jelly in place of the pomegranate molasses. Add a little crushed juniper and a splash of cranberry juice and cook as opposite.
A traditional rib recipe might include black treacle, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, tomato ketchup, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, cider vinegar and apple juice. The only way to find the perfect ratio for you is to keep tasting as you go along. My knee-jerk rib recipe is mostly honey, to which I add half the amount of oyster sauce, then plenty of crushed garlic, some dried chilli flakes, a little ground star anise, salt and black pepper. It works best as a long, slow bake, but also in the version opposite.
baby back pork ribs, honey, pomegranate molasses, dark soy sauce, dried chilli, mirin
Mix together 3 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes, a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses and 2 tablespoons of mirin. Slice 300g small pork ribs into individual ribs, then toss them in the dressing.
Brown the ribs quickly in a little oil in a shallow pan over a moderate heat, turning them regularly. As soon as they start to caramelise, pour over any remaining marinade and let it bubble briefly, taking care not to let it burn, then add 100ml water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, till the ribs are dark and glossy.
For 2. Sticky, spicy, fingerlicking stuff.
A few thoughts
Choose the smallest pork ribs you can find — sometimes known as baby back ribs. They need to cook quickly.
Watch carefully when browning the ribs, and when adding the marinade to the pan, as they can burn easily. Keep the heat moderate.
Try the same marinade for larger ribs and bake them slowly in a low oven. Serve with rice or bread for mopping up any sauce.
This recipe works with chicken drumsticks too. Just cook them for a little longer.
Melt a thick slice of butter in a small non-stick frying pan. Remove the skin from 200g black pudding and crumble the pudding into the hot butter, leaving it to colour to a deep golden brown. Lightly beat
3 eggs, add about 3 tablespoons of roughly chopped parsley, then pour the mixture over the black pudding. Add 50g finely grated Parmesan cheese. Cook over a fairly low heat till the bottom has formed a golden crust. The centre will hopefully still be wobbly. Slip the pan under a hot grill till the frittata has set and the top is lightly coloured. Cut into wedges to serve.
parsnip, beetroot, carrot, onion, cardamom, cumin, coriander, dried chilli flakes, black mustard seeds, canned tomatoes, eggs, plain flour
Peel and grate 250g (total weight) of mixed root vegetables, such as parsnip, beetroot and carrot. Peel, then finely shred a small onion and add to the grated roots. Stir in 2 tablespoons of plain flour, half a teaspoon each of ground cardamom, cumin and coriander, a pinch of dried chilli flakes and half a teaspoon of black mustard seeds. Mix in half a can of chopped tomatoes, drained. Lightly beat 4 eggs and add those too.
Warm a thin pool of butter in a 20cm shallow non-stick pan, then add the egg and tomato mixture. Cook till a golden crust has formed on the base but the top is still quite liquid in the centre, then place under a preheated overhead grill and cook for 2 minutes or so, till lightly set.
For 2. A soft tangle of sweet vegetables held together by lightly spiced eggs.
salmon, preserved artichokes, parsley, dill, lemon
Grill, bake or shallow-fry 350g salmon, then set aside. Slice 4 preserved grilled artichokes in half.
Flake the cooked salmon then warm in a little olive oil in a shallow, non-stick pan. Add the artichokes then season with whole parsley leaves, a little chopped dill and a squeeze of lemon.
For 2. Light, clean, delicate.
The recipe opposite works very nicely with sweet potatoes cut into small cubes. Once the potatoes are soft inside and are starting to colour, toss in a few cashew nuts, let them colour lightly, then add chopped chives and the crumbled sardines.
Slice well-scrubbed Jerusalem artichokes in half and fry them in butter and a little oil till they are soft inside and crisply golden on the outside. Add a generous amount of chopped parsley, a can of drained and broken-up sardines and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
canned sardines, new potatoes, pine kernels, spring onions, parsley
Scrub 400g new potatoes and quarter them. Brown the potatoes in a heavy-based frying pan in a little olive oil. This will take a good 15 minutes at a low to moderate heat with the occasional stir.
Chop 3 spring onions into rings and roughly crush 30g pine kernels. When the cut sides of the potatoes are crusted and golden, add the spring onions and cook briefly till soft. Add a large handful of torn parsley, the pine kernels and a little black pepper. Lastly, drain 100g canned sardines in olive oil, letting them crumble a little, and add to the pan.
For 2, as a light meal. Crunchy nuts, toasted potatoes.
Season the mixture opposite with very finely chopped rosemary, crushed garlic and a little grated lemon. Shape into balls, fry in olive oil, adding a little butter and lemon juice to the pan juices at the end.
sausages, beef stock, double cream, Dijon mustard, chives
Remove the skins from 450g really good-quality butcher’s sausages. Roll the sausage meat into about 24 balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball. Warm a little oil in a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the balls iill they colour, turn them over and continue cooking till they are evenly browned. Tip away any excess fat and pour in sooml beef stock. Bring to the boil, allow to reduce a little then pour in 250ml double cream and stir in a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes. Remove the balls to warm dishes, turn the heat up under the sauce, there will be lots of it, and let it reduce a little. It will not thicken. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and serve with a fork and a spoon for the sauce. A few snipped chives can be added if you wish.
For 2-3. My favourite meatballs, ever.
A few thoughts
Get a good sausage. Perhaps something with plenty of parsley and pepper in it. To peel them, slit the skin from one end to the other with a knife, pull the skin apart and squeeze the filling out into a bowl.
Beef up the seasoning a bit if you like, with some chopped thyme, crushed garlic, black pepper or grated Parmesan.
Use a good-quality ready-made stock. Supermarkets and some butchers have it in sachets or tubs.
Add chopped dill to the meatballs and the sauce.
Use creme fraiche instead of cream or, for a less rich dish, use just stock and forget the cream.
For a milder version use chicken stock instead of beef.
Serve with wide ribbon noodles such as pappardelle.
Instead of using shop-bought sausages, season plain sausage meat as you wish. Try juniper, thyme, garlic, cumin or ground cardamom.
Brown a pork chop, either from the loin or neck, in alittle oil. Add a diced apple - it’s quite good with the skin left on — and a couple of leaves of sage. Tip in the pearled spelt, then pour over vegetable or chicken stock and simmer for about 25 minutes, till the spelt has swelled and the chop is tender.
Use pearled spelt in place of rice in a risotto. Melt a thick slice of butter in a pan, add a finely chopped shallot, some pearled spelt, then stir in hot stock as if you are making risotto. Work on 200g of pearled spelt to 1 litre of hot stock. Mushrooms would be good here, chopped into plump nuggets and fried with the shallot, before you add the spelt. Finish with grated goat's cheese.
pearled spelt, ricotta, egg yolks, basil, tomatoes
Boil 250g pearled spelt in deep, lightly salted water for 20 minutes, drain and set aside.
Stir in 250g ricotta, a couple of egg yolks, 20g whole basil leaves, salt and black pepper. Leave for 15 minutes then shape into eight round patties. Fry gently in a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan until golden and crisp on the outside. If they appear to be browning too quickly then lower the heat a little and cover with a lid. Serve with thick slices of ripe tomato and a trickle of olive oil.
Makes 8 small patties, enough for 2-4. Gentle and mild, but with big peppery bites of basil.
Roll the mince mixture opposite into balls. Seal them in a little oil in a shallow pan over a moderate heat, then transfer to an ovenproof dish. Pour tomato sauce over them, then bake till the sauce is bubbling and the balls are cooked right through.
Make half the quantity of lamb mixture opposite and mix it with the same amount of ricotta cheese. Shape into patties and fry in a little oil, then remove from the pan. Fry sliced chestnut mushrooms in the pan until golden, adding more oil if you need to, then pour in a little brandy and scrape up the stickings from the base of the pan. Add creme fraiche or double cream. Stir, simmer for a minute or two, then pour the mixture over the patties and bake for a few minutes to cook the meat right through.
Add fresh or even dried mint to the minced lamb mixture opposite, plus a few golden sultanas and some pine kernels. Shape into patties and fry all the way through, then remove from the pan. Add a good thick slice of butter and some lemon juice to the pan, stir to scrape up the tasty pan-stickings, then tip the mixture over the patties and serve.
minced lamb, black mustard seeds, white sesame seeds, spring onions, garam masala, cucumber, yoghurt, mint
Put 500g minced lamb in a bowl, add a tablespoon of black mustard seeds, 4 tablespoons of white sesame seeds, salt, pepper, 2 spring onions, chopped, and 2 teaspoons of garam masala. Mix well, then divide into 8 and flatten into large patties, about the thickness of a digestive biscuit.
Heat a little olive oil in a shallow, non-stick pan, place the patties in it, cooking approximately 2 at a time, and fry for a minute or two on each side, till patchily golden.
Take long, thin shavings from a cucumber with a vegetable peeler and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir a tablespoon of chopped mint into 4 tablespoons of yoghurt.
For each person, place a patty on a warm plate, top with a few curls of cucumber and a spoonful of yoghurt, then add another patty.
For 4. Savoury, aromatic lamb cakes, a trickle of yoghurt.
Melt 50g butter in a shallow pan. As it bubbles, slide in 4 lightly poached eggs. Scatter them with a couple of tablespoons of chopped herbs and a few drops of lemon juice and baste gently. Serve immediately.
Toast and generously butter split English muffins. Top them with poached eggs, pile on grated cheese, then bake or grill till melted.
Same as above but place a piece of York ham under the poached eggs and use sliced provolone cheese on top of them.
squash, mustard seeds, garam masala, eggs
Peel a medium-sized squash, such as onion squash or butternut, and remove and discard the seeds, Cut the flesh into small bite-sized pieces. Steam the squash over boiling water till tender to the point of a knife, then drain and set aside.
Warm 4 tablespoons of olive, rapeseed or groundnut oil in a deep frying pan, then add a tablespoon of mustard seeds. Add the cooked squash and let it colour. Stir gently, taking care not to break up the pieces, then sprinkle over a tablespoon of garam masala. Continue to cook for a few minutes, till fragrant, then remove to 2 warm plates. Break 2 eggs into the pan and fry till just cooked. Slide them carefully on top of the squash.
For 2. Sweet, autumnal.
A few thoughts
Steaming or boiling the squash before frying ensures it is truly tender and fluffy.
Keep the heat moderate when cooking the spices, so they do not burn.
Keep the eggs lightly cooked; the runny yolk forms a dressing for the squash.
Serve with sausages instead of eggs. Try with parsnips or main-crop carrots instead of squash. Use the spiced squash as a side dish for grilled chicken, or stir it into a pilau.
rib-eye or rump steak, white miso paste, shallot, tarragon, chervil, cider vinegar, butter
Fry 2 rib-eye or rump steaks in a little butter and olive oil in a shallow pan, turning and basting regularly (T turn mine every 2 minutes and baste almost continuously). When the meat is done to your liking, lift from the pan and set aside to rest on a warm plate. Add 60g butter to the pan, let it sizzle briefly, then stir in a shallot, finely chopped, and let it soften for a minute, stirring occasionally and scraping the browned steak juices from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of white (shiro) miso and a tablespoon of cider vinegar and whisk. (If it looks like the sauce is splitting, add a spoonful of hot water and whisk.) Stir in a tablespoon of chopped tarragon and a tablespoon of chopped chervil. For 2. Steak with deeply savoury juices.
egg, potato, shallot
Cut an unpeeled medium to large potato into very, very small dice — a brunoise, as they say in cheffy circles. Melt a thick slice of butter in a small, shallow 15cm pan. Add the potatoes and cook till soft and pale gold, about 10 minutes. Add a banana shallot, peeled and very, very finely sliced, and cook for 3-5 minutes to soften. Beat an egg with seasoning, then pour it over the onion and potato. Cook for about 3 minutes, until it puffs up round the edges, then finish cooking it under a hot grill, leaving it liquid in the centre.
For 1. A potato, a shallot, a little butter and an egg.
Of all the recipes James and I have worked on together, this is the one that I think of as his and his alone. There is something quite perfect about it. Maybe it’s the Spanish in him. Whatever, this is one of the loveliest things I have ever eaten.
rump steak, butter, spring or salad onions, tomatoes
Melt 60g butter in a very large shallow pan and season a 450g piece of rump steak with salt and black pepper. When the butter is sizzling, brown the meat on both sides, remove and set aside. Cut 3 large spring or salad onions in half lengthways and add them to the pan, letting them brown a little.
Halve 650g large tomatoes, then add them to the pan, covering with a lid and letting them cook for 10-15 minutes or so till soft and lightly browned here and there. Season generously, pressing the tomatoes lightly with a spoon so their juices run into the pan.
Now that the steak has rested, slice the meat thickly, then tuck the pieces amongst the softening tomatoes. Continue cooking briefly, then serve.
For 2-3. Raw meat, ripe tomatoes, pan juices.
Coarsely grate half a small cucumber then put into a colander and season generously with salt. Leave for 20 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water. Fold the cucumber into 200ml yoghurt, then stir in a small handful of fresh mint leaves, the seeds from half a pomegranate and a generous grinding of black pepper. Thread 200g cubed pork steaks on to flat wooden skewers. Using a pestle and mortar, mash half a teaspoon of sea salt flakes, a quarter teaspoon of black peppercorns and a large, peeled clove of garlic to a coarse-grained, wet powder, then rub all over the pork. Trickle lightly with olive oil, then grill, browning nicely on all sides. Eat with the pomegranate yoghurt.
Put a lightly heaped tablespoon of light (shiro) miso in a small saucepan over a moderate heat. Pour in 3 tablespoons of mirin, then stir until the miso has dissolved. Toss the cubes of pork in the mixture, then thread on to wooden skewers and grill till the edges are deep glossy brown, turning from time to time.
Brush the cubed pork with a mixture of honey and Dijon mustard and season generously with salt. Thread on to wooden skewers, alternating pork pieces with greengages. And cook as opposite.
pork shoulder, grain mustard, mango, lemon
Cut 400g pork shoulder into large cubes, about 3cm in diameter. Put them in a dish with a tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of grain mustard, add a grinding of black pepper and plenty of salt and mix thoroughly so that each piece of meat is covered with a light coating of mustard.
Peel a ripe mango. Remove the flesh from the stone in the largest pieces possible, then cut into large cubes, roughly the same size as the meat. Thread the pieces of meat and mango on to wooden or metal skewers, pushing the pieces close together.
Brush a thin film of oil over a heavy, non-stick or cast-iron frying pan and place over a moderate heat. When the oil is hot, place the skewers in the pan and let the meat colour appetisingly, then turn and cook the other side. Check that the meat is cooked right through, then serve. (You may find a palette knife useful to slide under the meat and mango where it sticks slightly to the pan.) A fat squeeze of lemon will make it sing.
For 2. The warmth of mustard. The lusciousness of mango.
A few thoughts
The mango should be ripe, but not so much so that it is too tender to cook. Otherwise it will fall off the skewers.
If mango doesn’t tempt try plums, they go very well with pork.
I have used pork shoulder with great success, but any cut will work, although the fatty cuts will produce a lot of smoke if cooked under the grill.
Mix 2 tablespoons of maple syrup with 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and another of lemon juice. Stir in 2 large pinches of crumbled dried chilli flakes. Baste the grilling chicken pieces with this as they cook.
Dust the wings with seasoned flour and deep- or shallow-fry till the outside is crisp. Drain briefly on kitchen paper, then serve with a pot of garlic mayonnaise.
Whizz a whole clementine, with its skin, in a food processor with as much habanero chilli as you can take (they are very, very hot), a little mild mustard, then red wine vinegar and sugar to taste. If you add too much chilli, chuck in another clementine. Pour into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer till thick. Blitz, boil down, and use as a marinade for chicken wings before grilling or roasting.
chicken wings, onion, ginger, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, honey, soy sauce, garam masala, curry powder, chilli, chicken stock
In a food processor combine a peeled onion, a cork-sized piece of peeled fresh ginger, 3 cloves of garlic, 250g carrots, 350g tomatoes, 3 tablespoons runny honey and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix in 2 tablespoons of garam masala and 2 tablespoons of mild curry powder and a small, hot red chilli. Blitz to a paste, then fry for 5 minutes. Add 12 chicken wings and brown lightly, adding a little groundnut or sunflower oil if necessary, then pour in 400ml chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the wings to a non-stick frying pan and cook over a moderate heat to crisp them. Serve with the sauce.
For 2. Crisp little wings. Hot sweet gravy.
Mix together equal quantities of soured cream and mayonnaise, then season with salt, pepper and a few capers. Peel a sweet red onion and slice it into very fine rings. Spread the soured cream mixture on to squares of sticky dark rye bread, add a little of the onion (taking care not to add too much), then cover generously with smoked salmon. Top with a second piece of rye bread or serve open.
Mash some smoked trout into a coarse paste with a fork. Add about half the amount of cream cheese, then mix in a good squeeze of wasabi paste, a shot of lemon juice and a little salt. Keep tasting and adding more wasabi until it is hot enough for you. Spread thickly on sliced farmhouse bread and cover with a single layer of very finely sliced white daikon or radish. Then spread over the smoked trout paste. I like to use a light, moist brown bread for this one.
Finely slice a couple of large shallots and cook in butter in a shallow pan. When they are soft, sweet and pale gold, add a couple of coarsely sliced large gherkins, then a tin of smoked mussels, drained of their oil. Sandwich in 2 small, floury baps.
potted shrimps, cucumber, dill, lemon, sourdough bread
Tip 150g potted shrimps into a non-stick frying pan and let them cook briefly in their butter. Peel half a cucumber, slice it very thinly with a vegetable peeler, then toss with a handful of torn or chopped dill. Add a good squeeze of lemon.
Grill 2 large slices of sourdough bread, then top with the shrimps and cucumber. For 2.
ricotta, eggs, flour, butter, chives, chervil, parsley, avocado, lemon, sprouted seeds
Make a topping for the cakes. Halve, peel, stone and finely dice an avocado, put it in a bowl, then add the juice of a lemon, a little black pepper and a couple of glugs of olive oil. Cover and set aside.
To make the ricotta cakes, separate 3 eggs, putting the whites into a bowl large enough to beat them in later and the yolks into another bowl. Add 250g ricotta to the egg yolks, then stir in 50g plain flour and 30g melted butter. Chop a handful of chives, chervil and parsley and stir them in, then season with a little salt.
Beat the egg whites till light and fluffy, then stir into the ricotta mixture. Melt a little butter in a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat. Take a sixth of the ricotta mixture and pat it lightly into a small cake, about the circumference of a digestive biscuit, using the back of a spoon. Make 2 more. When the butter sizzles lightly add the cakes. When the cakes have coloured lightly on the base, flip them over with a palette knife (do this quickly and confidently and they won't break), then let the other side become a soft, pale gold. The full cooking time shouldn't be more than a few minutes. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Remove the cakes with a palette knife or spatula, rest briefly on kitchen paper then transfer to a plate. Place a heaped tablespoon of ricotta on each cake, divide the avocado mixture between them, then add a few sprouted seeds and serve.
Makes 6. Light, tender, fresh little pancakes.
Use green curry paste instead of the red. Before you add the carrot and rice to the pan, fry a few sliced button mushrooms in the butter, letting them colour lightly. At the very end, fold in a little chopped cooked spinach, or perhaps some cooked peas. Broad beans will work if there are no edamame.
Although I don’t believe fried rice should ever be used along with any old leftover you might find lurking in the fridge, it is nevertheless a good way to use up leftover sausages, thinly sliced bacon and finely chopped cooked greens. The trick is never to add more than one type of leftover at a time.
basmati rice, Thai red curry paste, edamame beans, carrot, vegetable stock, eggs, coriander
Cook 150g podded edamame beans in boiling water, then drain and set aside. Pour 400ml vegetable stock into a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste, then 200g white basmati rice. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 10 minutes till almost tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Melt a slice of butter in a frying pan, add the rice together with a large carrot, coarsely grated, and the reserved edamame beans. Stir regularly till the rice is moist but no longer wet, then add 3 eggs, lightly beaten. Season. Continue cooking, leaving the rice in place for a few minutes to let the egg colour, then stir it gently to break the mixture up. Carry on for a couple of minutes till the egg is lightly cooked and visible in patches throughout the rice. Toss in a handful of coriander.
For 2-3. A little lifesaver.
A few thoughts
Once the rice is soft and tender, add the lightly beaten egg. The trick is to leave it in place for a minute or so for the egg to partially set, before stirring and breaking it up amongst the rice. It is easy to overcook, so once the egg has had its initial setting time, stir briefly and regularly to break it up and distribute it evenly amongst the rice.
parsnips, carrots, onion, egg, cardamom, cumin, coriander, dried chilli flakes, black mustard seeds, canned tomatoes, garlic
Mix together a scant teaspoon of ground cardamom, half a teaspoon of ground cumin and half a teaspoon of ground coriander. Stir in a large pinch of dried chilli flakes, a teaspoon of black mustard seeds and a tablespoon or so of groundnut oil. Toast half this spice mix in a pan for a couple of minutes. Crush a garlic clove and add to the pan with a 400g can of chopped tomatoes and a little salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Peel and grate 250g parsnips and 250g carrots. Peel a small onion and shred it finely. Mix the onion with the grated roots and 2 tablespoons of plain flour, then lightly beat an egg and stir it in. Mix in the remaining half of the spice mix and squish the mixture into 6-8 shallow patties. Fry them in a shallow, non-stick pan in a little oil over a moderate heat till lightly crisp, then turn and continue cooking briefly. Serve with the spiced tomato sauce.
For 2, as a hearty meal. Crisp, spicy.