Harissa tomato soup

enough for: 2
takes: 20 minutes
2 onions
1 jar tomato passata (700mL)
1 can coconut cream
2 tablespoons harissa (optional)
2 handfuls hazelnuts, roasted

1. Heat a little oil in a medium saucepan. Dice onion and add to the pot. Cover and cook on a medium heat, stirring every few minutes until the onion is soft but not browned. About 10 minutes.

2. When the onion is soft, add the passata / puree (not concentrated tomato paste) and coconut cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to mingle.

3. Remove from the heat and puree using a stick blender or regular blender. Add harissa. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more harissa if needed.

4. To serve, divide between two bowls and top with roasted hazelnuts.

Beef strog

750g chuck steak, diced in big cubes
2 small or 1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp paprika
1 carrot, grated
15 ml seed mustard
400g tin crushed tomato
3 big handfuls button mushrooms
Tub sour cream

Oven at 160. Brown meat, set aside & soften onion. Add garlic then paprika, return meat & all remaining ingredients except sour cream. Cook in oven covered for 1 hr 20, uncovered 40. Stir through sour cream & salt.

Cabbage soup

enough for: 2
takes: 30 minutes
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, peeled & diced
1/2 small cabbage
3 cups chicken stock
2-3 tablespoons sherry or wine vinegar
shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Heat a large saucepan on a medium high heat. Add a little oil and your bacon and cook, uncovered, stirring every now and then for 5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

2. Remove bacon from the pan, leaving behind the oil. 

3. Pop your onion in the pan (add more oil if you think it needs it). Cover and cook, stirring periodically until the onion is soft and golden. About 10 minutes.

4. While the onion is cooking finely slice your cabbage. Then add to the pot when your onion is soft.

5. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered until the cabbage is no longer crunchy – around 15 minutes.

6. Remove from the heat. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar. Taste and season with extra vinegar, salt and pepper as needed. Remember you’re going to serve with salty bacon and cheese.

7. Divide soup between two bowls. Top with parmesan and bacon.

Herby roast chicken

Enough for: 2
Takes: 30 minutes
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves & stems
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves & stems
 1 red chilli

1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6-8 tablespoons neutral flavoured oil, (I used rice bran oil)
4 chicken thigh fillets, bone out (about 450g / 1lb)
2 limes, halved, to serve
4 handfuls baby spinach, to serve

1. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F).

2. Whizz coriander, parsley, chilli, garlic, soy sauce and oil until you have a chunky paste.

3. Toss chicken in the herb mixture. Marinate for up to 36 hours or cook straight away.

4. Lay chicken fillets out flat in an oven proof dish and pour over the herb mixture.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

6. Serve on a bed of baby spinach with lime on the side.

Buck's yoghurt cake

Line small cake tin. Chopped pear & blackberries on the bottom.

Oven to 180C

3/4 cup yoghurt

1/2 x 3/4 cup O oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 x 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

Sprinkle top with raw sugar.

Bakes about 30mins

Spiced porridge

Per adult:

1/3 cup oats

2 Tbsp chia

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp maple syrup

1/2 cup milk

pumpkin chickpea soup

1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1L veg stock
1kg chopped pumpkin
1 tin chickpeas

Serve hot or chilled with cream.

Peanut butter, tahini & honey biscuits

For a dozen:

1 cup spelt flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp (scant) sea salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

40ml tahini

40ml olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

Oven at 180C. 

Stir dry together. Mix wet together & pour over dry. Stir till just combined. Make balls (small ice cream scoop) and press with a fork.

Bake 10 minutes, turning try around halfway through.

Lemon ricotta pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup ricotta
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 
  
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Make a well in center of flour mixture and set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, ricotta, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Then, whisk lemon zest with lemon juice and add to milk mixture along with melted butter and blend until combined (it will curdle a little, that's fine, but you'll want to hurry and pour it into the dry mixture). Pour into flour mixture and whisk just to combined (batter should be slightly lumpy).

Baked French toast with caramelised pears

• 2 ripe bosc pears
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 
  
• 5 or 6 slices french or sour dough bread
• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed
• 3 eggs
• 1&1/4 cups whole milk
• 1.5 Tbsp maple syrup
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• Zest of 1/2 small orange

Fry sliced pears in butter, add maple syrup & allow to caramelise.

Oven at 175C. Layer bread, nuts & pears in buttered baking dish. Soak with mixture of remaining ingredients. Bake 40 mins or until firm.