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225g (8oz) potatoes, peeled and diced
700g (1½lb) leeks, sliced
575ml (1 pint) water
salt
575ml (1 pint) milk
freshly ground black pepper
150ml (5fl oz) single cream
2 tbsp chopped chives, to garnish
Fry the onion in the oil and butter for about 5 minutes in a large, covered saucepan but don’t let it brown.
Add the potatoes and leeks and stir until they’re coated glossy with the oil. Put the lid back on the pan, turn the heat right down and cook gently for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time and being careful not to let it brown.
Stir in the water and a little salt and bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Purée the soup very thoroughly, adding some of the milk if you like, to make the process easier. Tip the soup into a bowl or jug – pouring it in through a sieve if you want the soup really velvety – and add the remaining milk. Taste and season the soup, then chill it.
Taste the soup again before serving, then spoon some cream over the top of each bowlful. Sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.
Watercress soup
This is my family’s favourite soup and the one I get the most requests to make.
SERVES 4-6
900g (2lb) potatoes, peeled
3 tbsp olive oil
salt
2 litres (3 pints) light vegetable stock or water
vegetable bouillon powder or a stock cube
1 packet of fresh watercress
freshly ground black pepper
Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can; this is to help them soften quickly in the oil.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the potato slices with a sprinkling of salt, which also helps the softening process by drawing the water out of the potatoes. Cook very gently, covered, for 5–15 minutes, stirring often. The longer you can let them ‘sweat’ like this, the better the soup. They can get flecked with some gold, but don’t let them brown because that will spoil the flavour. Add 1–2 tablespoons of water if they start to stick.
Add three-quarters of the stock or water and the bouillon powder or stock cube. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 5–15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. The timing will depend on how long you sweated the potato for if you got it very tender, this stage will take hardly any time.
Reserve some small sprigs of watercress for garnishing (one for each bowl), and add the rest to the soup. Blend thoroughly to a smooth, bright green cream. Adjust the consistency with the remaining water to get it to the consistency you like.
Season with salt and pepper (you may not need much salt, if any). Reheat and serve with watercress leaves and a grinding of black pepper on each bowlful.
First courses, snacks and drinks (#u5a6afb13-5444-57a9-9f11-ae88a157ea7b)
Quick meals to eat on the move, snacks to rustle up in an instant and light dishes to whet the appetite in anticipation of the main course – that’s what this chapter is about.
You’ll find some stunning first courses that are perfect for a special occasion meal or weekend dinner, followed by deliciously simple bruschetta and crostini, then plenty of lunch-box sandwiches and wraps for kids and adults alike. If you’re short on time, try the tasty savouries (#ulink_a1fffb2c-a8a2-5554-b381-b17732979ed7) on toast and super-quick ciabatta (#ulink_cd769686-3add-5c87-a29e-66b2dc1c710f) or pitta pizzas (#ulink_4164b957-c3f1-5f59-8705-b83087e3d10f). Finally, wash it all down with fresh peppermint tea (#ulink_a383fbd7-801b-513d-a83b-a763450ab855) or a nutritious smoothie (#ulink_2bbc616b-c0a7-5f2b-aac1-82489f5f3b0a).
First courses
Antipasto salad
A colourful Italian-style first course.
SERVES 6
225g (8oz) button mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red pepper
2 tsp wine or cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of radishes
bunch of spring onions
2 heads of chicory
cucumber
6 tomatoes
4 hardboiled eggs
175g packet of chargrilled artichoke hearts, from the deli
175g packet of sliced roasted peppers, from the deli
12 black olives, or your favourite olives, to garnish
vinaigrette (#ulink_668243aa-364f-55ee-9fe8-d7ad8740f5c4), to serve
Wash and slice the mushrooms; fry lightly in 1 tablespoon of the oil for 5 minutes, then leave to cool.
Slice the red pepper very thinly, discarding the seeds. Place on a flat dish and sprinkle with the remaining oil and wine or cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. If possible, leave for 1–2 hours to soften.
Wash and trim the radishes and spring onions; slice the chicory lengthways into quarters, and the cucumber, tomatoes and eggs into circles.
Arrange all the ingredients attractively on individual dishes or a large platter, garnish with olives and serve with vinaigrette (#ulink_668243aa-364f-55ee-9fe8-d7ad8740f5c4).
Globe artichoke hollandaise
This is a delightful starter: cooked globe artichokes filled with hollandaise sauce. You pull off the leaves and dip the bases in the sauce, then enjoy the delicious heart. You’ll need finger bowls, and bowls in which to put the discarded leaves after you’ve sucked the flesh from them. It’s best to cook the artichokes ahead of time then gently reheat them just before serving.
SERVES 4
4 globe artichokes, stems removed
a squeeze of lemon juice
blender hollandaise (#ulink_34dc83c6-9a69-58ee-9aca-52587f5099c2), to serve
Cut the stalks off the artichokes so that they will sit level, then wash them thoroughly under the cold tap. You might like to trim the points off the leaves using scissors, so that they are less sharp; or you could leave them as they are.
Cook the artichokes in a large saucepan of boiling water, with a good squeeze of lemon juice added, for about 45 minutes, or until a leaf will pull off easily. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool quickly.
Open out the leaves to get to the centre of the artichoke, like opening out the petals of a flower. Pull off and discard the central purple cluster of tender leaves. Underneath you will find the fluffy ‘choke’, which is inedible, so you’ll need to scoop this out with a knife or pointed teaspoon, then rinse the artichoke under the cold tap.
Just before you want to serve the artichokes, reheat them in a microwave in a covered container on high for 4–6 minutes, or until heated through, or stand them in a shallow roasting tin or ovenproof dish, cover with foil and reheat in the oven preheated to 180°C (350°F), gas mark 4 for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
Place each artichoke on a warm plate. Spoon the hollandaise sauce into the centre and serve at once.
Aubergine fritters with tomato sauce v
This is one of the simplest ways of preparing aubergines, but one of my favourites, and I think it’s tasty enough to serve as an extra course or light meal on its own.
SERVES 6
450g (1lb) aubergines
plain flour for coating
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for shallow-frying
grated Parmesan-style cheese
lemon wedges
watercress
425ml (15fl oz) homemade tomato sauce (#ulink_0a661fbf-5fef-58c2-90ba-70dfb16d5d68), soured cream and herb sauce (#ulink_cf26eaf1-e3f1-59e0-9bfb-698a79e83e01) or tartare sauce (#ulink_b10e26d1-bd17-50a8-80ec-8bc98429af0b), to serve
Wash the aubergines and remove the stems, then cut the aubergines into 6mm (¼in) slices and dip them in flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper.
Just before you want to serve the aubergines, heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the slices, a few at a time, on both sides, until the outside is crisp and the inside feels tender when pierced with the point of a sharp knife.
As the fritters are ready, put them in a roasting tin lined with crumpled kitchen paper and keep them warm under the grill or in a low oven until they are all ready.
Serve the fritters sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan-style cheese and garnished with wedges of lemon and sprigs of watercress. Serve the sauce separately.
Aubergine and tapenade rolls v
These rolls are easy to make and are wonderful as part of a selection of canapés or tapas, or arranged on individual plates with some yoghurt and green herb dressing (#ulink_6fc78c6c-641a-5db8-9552-fd62163ccc55), for a starter.
MAKES 24 OR 48 ROLLS
3 large aubergines
6–8 tbsp olive oil
1 quantity of tapenade (#ulink_f28c1287-a098-5c43-a917-83cc38555e01)
a sprig of flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Heat the grill.
Cut the stalk ends from the aubergines, then cut the aubergines lengthways into slices about 6mm (¼in) thick. (You will probably get 8–10 slices from each aubergine.)
Brush the slices lightly on both sides with oil and place side by side in a single layer on a grill pan; you may have to do them in batches. Grill for about 5 minutes or until pale brown on top, then turn them over and grill the other side until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Leave to cool.
To make the rolls, spread one of the aubergine slices quite thinly with tapenade, then roll it up firmly like a Swiss roll. Place seam-side down on a serving plate. Continue in this way until you have done all of them. Serve them whole like this or cut each one in half, which makes them easier to eat if you’re serving them as canapés. Garnish parsley sprigs.
VARIATION
Aubergine and hummus rolls v
Use 250g (9oz) bought or homemade hummus (#ulink_7f6f74d4-d9db-55bc-b9d6-ea5bee9d66f9) instead of the tapenade and include a little chopped coriander in each roll. Garnish with extra coriander.
Aubergine and garlic cheese rolls v
Use 250g (9oz) dairy or vegan cream cheese with garlic and herbs instead of the tapenade. Garnish with parsley.
Avocado and grapefruit salad v
I love this combination of sharp citrus fruit and buttery avocado. The colours are very pretty and fresh-looking, too.
SERVES 6
2 grapefruit
