Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, cubed
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons black bean sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon sherry
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup raw unsalted peanuts
1 to 2 dried red chilies, crushed (or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes)
Hot cooked rice (optional)

METHOD

Combine chicken, egg white and cornstarch in small bowl.
Mix next 7 ingredients in another small bowl. Set sauce aside.
Heat oil in wok or heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts and chilies and cook until peanuts are golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Increase heat to high. Add chicken mixture and stir-fry until chicken is lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Return peanuts to wok/pan. Add sauce and blend thoroughly. Cook until heated through, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice, if desired.

Smoked mackerel pasta salad with a lemon yogurt dressing

Ingredients

350 g pasta, spirals
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
200 g peppered smoked mackerel fillet
200 g yogurt, such as Onken Natural Set Yogurt
1 tbsp freshly grated horseradish, (from a jar is fine)
1/2 lemon, juice only
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
50 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 little gem lettuce

Method

1. Plunge the pasta into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook for 8-10 minutes or according to packet instructions until ‘al dente’. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Tip into a large bowl and add the spring onions, then flake in the mackerel, discarding the skin.

2. To make the dressing: place the yogurt in a small bowl and stir in the horseradish, lemon juice and chives. Season to taste. Gently fold into the salad and then stir in the tomatoes. Arrange 3-5 gem leaves in the centre of each plate and place the mackerel salad on top and serve at once.

Lamb steaks with pomegranate, avocado and couscous salads

Ingredients

For the couscous salad

250 g couscous
100 ml olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 lemon, grated zest and juice only
large bunch (50g) parsley, leaves finely chopped
large bunch (50g) coriander, leaves finely chopped

For the avocado salad

2 large ripe avocados
1 lime, juice only
1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
handful mint, leaves only, finely chopped
handful coriander, leaves only, finely chopped

For the pomegranate salad

1 large pomegranate, seeds only
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 tbsp finely chopped mint
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

For the lamb

2 lamb steaks, about 400g each, bone in
1 tbsp vegetable oil
handful coriander leaves, to garnish (optional)
2 Arabic breads, or pitta bread, warmed, to serve
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Method

1. For the couscous salad: tip the couscous into a bowl and pour on 350ml boiling water. Cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes or until softened and the water has been absorbed. Add the olive oil, cumin, lemon zest and juice, parsley, coriander and salt to taste. Mix gently, cover and keep warm.

2. For the avocado salad: halve, peel and stone the avocados and cut into 1cm dice. Toss with the rest of the avocado salad ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, cover and chill until ready to serve.

3. For the pomegranate salad: tip half of the pomegranate seeds into a fine sieve set over a small saucepan. Use a spoon to rub them against the sieve, extracting the juice into the saucepan (you should have about 70ml).

4. Place the saucepan over a high heat and boil the juice until reduced in volume by half. Pour into a bowl, add the remaining pomegranate seeds and other salad ingredients and toss to combine. Set aside.

5. For the lamb: season the lamb steaks on both sides with salt and black pepper and run each with a little oil. Heat a barbecue, griddle pan or frying pan until hot then cook the steaks for about 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking.

6. Remove the lamb to a board and rest for 3-4 minutes then carve into slices. Stuff the lamb inside the warm bread, with a little coriander if using, and serve with the salads on the side.

Chicken tagine

Ingredients

55 g butter
3 onions, sliced
6 chicken pieces
2-3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp turmeric
black pepper
12 prunes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
10 tbsp honey
225 g basmati rice
1 tsp ground saffron
1 tbsp vegetable oil
55 g blanched almonds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
4 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

1. Melt the butter in a casserole dish. Add the onion and fry gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add the chicken portions, cinnamon sticks and ground turmeric. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook the chicken, stirring now and then, for 10 minutes.

3. Pour in enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked, for around 45 minutes.

4. Remove the chicken from the casserole dish and keep warm. Add the prunes to the casserole and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Add the ground cinnamon and honey, mixing well and simmer gently.

6. Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice to wash out excess starch. Place the rice and saffron in a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Add 300ml water and season with salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook the rice over a very low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

7. Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Fry the almonds and sesame seed, stirring constantly, until golden.

8. Return the chicken to the casserole dish and re-heat.

9. To serve, place a portion of chicken on 6 serving plates, spoon over the sauce and sprinkle over the fried almonds and sesame seeds. Serve with the saffron rice topped with parsley.