Chinese grocer Wing Yip sent along two recipes specially designed to introduce children to Asian food. Both recipes are simple enough that kids can get involved in the cooking and the ingredients have been selected for childrens’ picky palettes. I am VERY familiar with picky palettes and how easy it is to fall into the trap of fixing the same foods day in and day out (egg mayonnaise…again?!) so I love this idea.

Bananas in Coconut Milk (Kluay Buad Chee)

This is a typical Thai dessert. Choose bananas that are not too ripe as they need to hold their shape after cooking. This simple dessert is traditionally eaten warm, and sometimes as a snack. Remember to treat coconut milk as you would fresh milk or cream and refrigerate any that is left over. The addition of a little salt is important as it balances the sweetness of the sauce with the richness of the coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 4 bananas (cut each into 4 or 6 pieces)
• 400ml Mai Siam Coconut Milk
• 56g Mai Siam Palm Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Preparation

1. Peel the bananas and cut each into half down the middle of the fruit using a knife (with help from an adult) and then cut the banana across to make 4 or 6 pieces.
2. Heat the coconut milk in a pan (This must be supervised at all times) and add the palm sugar and salt.
3. Simmer gently until the sugar has melted. Do not cover the pot with its lid.
4. Gently add the banana to the coconut milk and simmer until bananas are soft. This should take about 2 minutes. (Again supervision is needed at all times)
5. Take care to keep the bananas submerged or they will change colour.
6. Adjust sugar and salt to taste.
7. Serve immediately in shallow bowls, allowing one banana per person.

• Serving – 4 children’s portions

Mild Chinese Curry

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (diced) (Any use of sharp utensils must be supervised by an adult)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp Wing Yip Chinese Curry Concentrate
• 1 medium onion (small dice) (optional)
• 1 large potato (medium dice)
• 60g frozen peas
• water

Method

1.      Heat the vegetable oil in a pan (this must be supervised by an adult)

2.      Add the diced onions and cook until they are soft and start to turn a little brown at the edges.

3.      Add the diced chicken and the curry concentrate.

4.      Mix well and after 2 minutes add 500ml of water.

5.      The curry will start to thicken as it cooks and you might need to add more water as required.

6.      Add the potatoes and cook the curry until the potatoes are soft.

7.      Add peas at this stage.

8.      Serve with rice or on jacket potatoes

Wing Yip is the UK’s leading Chinese grocer, with stores in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon.

The second installment in my what on earth do I do with all this veg series is focussing on the sleek and very versatile courgette.

Wikipedia informs us that the courgette contains useful amounts of folate, potassium and vitamin A and 100 grams of the stuff also contains 19% of the recommended amount of manganese.

So…what should we cook with courgettes?

James Ramsden’s mum says: Courgette Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 beaten eggs
• 400g caster sugar
• 250ml sunflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 500g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch each of nutmeg, allspice, and salt
• 400g courgettes, peeled and grated

Method:

Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla thoroughly. Mix the dry ingredients and tip in the wet, stirring to form a smooth batter. It will seem quite stiff but the courgettes loosen it up. Now fold in the grated courgettes and tip into 2 greased loaf tins. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for an hour and a quarter. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack. Makes two loaves.

Jamie says: Beautiful Courgette Carbonara

Ingredients:

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 medium green and yellow courgettes
• 500g penne
• 4 large free-range or organic egg yolks
• 100ml double cream
• 2 good handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• olive oil
• 12 thick slices of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, cut into chunky lardoons
• a small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped, flowers reserved (if you can get hold of flowering thyme)
• optional: a few courgette flowers

Method:

Carbonara is a classic pasta sauce made with cream, bacon and Parmesan and is absolutely delicious. Try to buy the best ingredients you can, as that’s what really helps to make this dish amazing. I’m using a flowering variegated variety of thyme but normal thyme is fine to use. When it comes to the type of pasta, you can serve carbonara with spaghetti or linguine, but I’ve been told by Italian mammas (who I don’t argue with!) that penne is the original, so that’s what I’m using in this recipe. Before you start cooking, it’s important to get yourself a very large pan, or use a high-sided roasting tray so you can give the pasta a good toss.

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Halve and then quarter any larger courgettes lengthways. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the courgettes at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne. Smaller courgettes can simply be sliced finely. Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan and cook according to the packet instructions.

To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly and put to one side.

Heat a very large frying pan (a 35cm one is a good start – every house should have one!), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp. Add the courgette slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the courgettes become coated with all the lovely bacon-flavoured oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.

It’s very important to get this next bit right or your carbonara could end up ruined. You need to work quickly. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the courgettes, bacon and lovely flavours, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you’ll scramble the eggs.)

Get everyone around the table, ready to eat straight away. While you’re tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning. If you’ve managed to get any courgette flowers, tear them over the top, then serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left too long.

BBC GoodFood says: Baked Parmesan Courgettes

Ingredients:

• 8 small courgettes , halved lengthways
• 4 plum tomatoes , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• olive oil
• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs mixed with 6 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)

Method:

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Scoop the seeds from the middle of each courgette half with a teaspoon so that you have 16 ‘boats’. Put in one large or two smaller ovenproof dishes and season. Mix together the tomatoes, garlic, chilli and rosemary with a slug of olive oil and season.

Pile the mixture into the courgettes then cover the dishes with foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender, then remove the foil and scatter the breadcrumb mix over. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for another 20 minutes until golden and crisp.

Method:

I had the thought that maybe it’s not enough just to post what’s seasonal each month. Not everyone knows how to cook every vegetable on the list. In fact, I had a random conversation with another blogger at BlogHer about how to cook beetroot (over a lovely beetroot salad).

So here is today’s spotlight vegetable, the gorgeous, sexy aubergine!

According to wikipedia, aubergines help block the formation of free radicals and are a source of folic acid and potassium. Some studies also show them to be effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol.

But enough about that! How do we cook them?

At the most basic level, Jamie says you should “cut the aubergine across into slices 1cm/½ inch thick. Chargrill the aubergine slices, turning them 4 times until nicely marked, then remove.” You can toss with olive oil and serve, or try the marinade he recommends (follow that link I just gave you!)

And if you want to try using them in recipes, here are a few that look really tasty to me:

Jamie says: Incredible Sicilian Aubergine Stew

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 2 nice large purple aubergines, cut into large chunks
• 1 heaped teaspoon dried oregano
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and stalks finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, soaked and drained
• a handful of green olives, stones removed
• 2–3 tablespoons best-quality herb vinegar
• 5 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
optional: 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Method:

Get yourself a large pan, pour in a couple of lugs of olive oil, and place on the heat. Add your aubergine chunks and oregano, season with a little salt and toss around so the aubergine is evenly coated by the oil. Cook on a high heat for around 4 or 5 minutes, giving the pan a shake every now and then. (Depending on the size of your pan you may need to cook the aubergine in batches.) When the aubergines are nice and golden on each side, add the onion, garlic and parsley stalks and continue cooking for another couple of minutes. Feel free to add a little more oil to the pan if you feel it’s getting too dry. Throw in the drained capers and the olives and drizzle over the herb vinegar. When all the vinegar has evaporated, add the tomatoes and simmer for around 15 minutes or until tender. Taste before serving and season if you need to with salt, pepper and a little more vinegar. Drizzle with some good olive oil and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley leaves and the almonds if you like. Serves 4.

Delia says: Char-grilled aubergine and roasted tomato salad with feta cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 medium aubergines
• 8 small, ripe plum tomatoes
• 7 oz (200 g) Feta cheese, cut into thin slices
• 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 heaped tablespoon torn fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 oz (110 g) assorted salad leaves
• 7 fl oz (200 ml) half-fat crème fraîche
• a little paprika
• salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).

First of all skin the tomatoes by covering them with boiling water for 1 minute, then drain them and slip off their skins. Cut them in half and place them on the baking tray, cut-side up, then season well, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over and place them on the top shelf of the oven to roast for 50-60 minutes. After this time, leave them aside to cool.

While they’re cooling, cut the aubergines across into ½ inch (1 cm) slices, lay the slices on a board and lightly sprinkle them with salt on both sides. Leave them for 20 minutes to draw out some of the excess moisture, then blot them dry with kitchen paper. Next, brush them on both sides using 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with freshly milled black pepper. Brush the grill pan lightly with olive oil and place it over a high heat, then, when it is very hot, cook the aubergines in batches for about 2½ minutes on each side (this should take about 20 minutes in all).

Now pour the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil into a large bowl, add the basil and balsamic vinegar, then toss the cooked aubergines in this marinade and leave them in a cool place until you are ready to serve.

Divide the salad leaves between 4 plates and arrange the tomatoes and aubergines alternately all around. Then place equal quantities of the Feta slices in the middle of each salad and drizzle with the remaining marinade.

Finally, put 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche on top of each salad and sprinkle a little paprika over.

GoodFood says: Aubergine curry with lemongrass and coconut milk

Ingredients:

• 3 large red chillies , deseeded and stalks removed, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves , roughly chopped
• knob of fresh ginger , peeled and chopped
• 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and chopped
• 2 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2-3 aubergines (about 600g/1lb 5oz), quartered lengthways, then halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 6 shallots , finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 400ml vegetable stock or water
• small bunch coriander , roughly chopped, to serve

Method:

Using a food processor, pulse the chillies, garlic, ginger and lemongrass to a coarse paste. Set aside. Mix the turmeric and chilli powder together and rub it all over the aubergine wedges.

Heat the olive oil in frying pan, then brown the aubergines, remove from the pan and set aside. Cook the paste, sugar and shallots for a few mins, then return the aubergines to the pan. Add the fish sauce, coconut milk and stock or water, mix well, and bring the liquid to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the aubergine is tender, but not mushy, about 15 mins. Season to taste and sprinkle the coriander over the top. Serve hot with steamed rice or bread to mop up all the juices.

Spoonfed Suppers is a great programme for mums (and/or dads, couples, singletons, anyone really) who need help with meal planning, get too busy to cook, worry about their kids getting enough nutrition or simply need some inspiration in the kitchen!

The site is run by Candy Delaney who aims to be your virtual 1950’s housewife by providing you with a free daily email with a recipe for your evening supper Monday to Friday. Each recipe has:

• No more than 550 calories
• No more than 10% saturated fat, but typically less than 5%
• A total preparation and cooking time of 30 minutes
• Wholesome ingredients, such that by the end of the week, you will have ticked off all nutritional guidelines

The best part is she sends you a weekly shopping list each Friday with the ingredients labeled by day of week so you’re extremely organised. Going out on Thursday? Don’t buy the Thursday items on the list. She also helps you sort out your kitchen from the get-go by giving you a list of “stock-up staples” – basics you should always have on hand.

Here are a few recent recipes to give you an idea of what you’re in for:

Pronto Prawn Paella

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
150g / 5 ¼ oz / ¾ cup paella rice
Pinch saffron
1 tsp paprika
400ml / 14 fl.oz / 1 ¾ cup vegetable stock (a vegetable stock / bouillon cube crumbled into 400ml of boiling water)
215g / 7 ¾ oz / 1 cup king prawns, cooked and peeled
100g / 3 ½ oz / ⅔ cup frozen peas
½ tbsp parsley

Method:
(1) Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, pepper and garlic and cook for 4 mins, or until the vegetables soften. (2) Stir in the paella rice, saffron and paprika. Combine well. (3) Pour in the stock and allow to simmer for 15 mins, or until the rice is tender. Add more stock or boiling water if necessary. (4) Add the prawns and peas for the last 4 mins of cooking time. Allow to heat through. Season to taste, stir in the parsley and serve up.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Serves 2
Average Calories: 491
Average Saturated Fat: 2.4g
3 of your 5-a-day

Moroccan Chicken Kebabs and Couscous

Ingredients:
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
10g / ⅓ oz fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cut into chunks
300ml / ½ pt / 1 ¼ cup chicken stock (chicken stock / bouillon cube crumbled into 300ml boiling water)
100g / 3 ½ oz / ½ cup couscous
1 onion, cut into wedges and then flaked
1 courgette, sliced and quartered
½ aubergine, sliced and quartered
½ tbsp harissa paste

Method:
(1) Combine ⅔ of the oil with the parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin and the lime juice and zest in a mixing bowl. Then add the chicken chunks, cover well and leave to marinade for 15 mins. (2) Preheat the barbecue or grill. Thread the marinated chicken onto two skewers. Then grill for 10 mins, or until cooked, turning halfway. (3) Meanwhile, pour the chicken stock over the couscous. Leave to soak under a silver foil cover for 10 mins. Then fluff up with a fork. (4) Heat the remaining oil in a wok and add the onion, courgette and aubergine. Stir fry for 2 mins, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Then add the harissa paste and stir fry for another 2 mins. (5) Serve the Moroccan chicken kebabs with a side of the couscous and the harissa vegetables

The Nitty-Gritty:
Serves 2
Average Calories: 525
Average Saturated Fat: 2.5g
2 ½ of your 5-a-day

Raspberry, Prosciutto and Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:
300g / 10 ½ oz / 1 ¾ cup asparagus, tough ends trimmed
2 fresh peaches, stoned and thickly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
125g / 4 ½ oz / 1 cup fresh raspberries
100g / 3 ½ oz / 3 ⅓ cups baby spinach
4 slices of prosciutto (parma ham), cut into thin strips
60g / 2 oz / ⅔ cup mozzarella, reduced fat, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 slices of wholemeal or rye bread

Method:
(1) Heat a saucepan of water and add the asparagus. Cook for 4 mins, or until tender but with bite. Then drain. (2) Dry-fry the peaches in a non-stick frying pan for 3 mins on one side, or until they look slightly charred. (3) To make the dressing, whisk the oil and vinegar together in a small bowl. Add a few crushed raspberries and then combine well. (4) Assemble the salad by placing the spinach in a salad bowl. Scatter over the raspberries, peach slices, prosciutto, mozzarella and warm asparagus. Drizzle the dressing over and gently toss everything together. (5) Serve up with a handsome hunk of bread and a refreshing glass of wine!

The Nitty-Gritty:
Serves 2
Average Calories: 398
Average Saturated Fat: 4.6g
3 of your 5-a-day

Maille Mustard sent me summer recipes for two of my favourite things – prawns and fish! These five-ingredient recipes are quick and easy and I’ve long been a fan of cooking fish in foil. They work both in the oven and on grill – so perfect regardless of what the weather chooses to do.

Maille® Honey & Mustard Prawn Skewers (snap right)
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
12 raw and peeled tiger prawns
1 tbsp Maille® Dijon Mustard
Juice of a lime
2 tsp runny honey
Good pinch of chilli flakes
Potato salad and leafy salad for serving

Store:
Extra virgin olive oil

Method
De-vein prawns by slitting them down the back and removing the tract. Place in a bowl. Mix Maille® Dijon Mustard, lime juice, honey, and chilli flakes in a bowl and pour over prawns. Toss well, so all prawns are covered, then cover and leave in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Remove from fridge and load onto skewers – 3 per person.

On the barbecue, simply place them on the grill and turn after 1 minute. Don’t overcook. If it rains, heat oil in a non-stick pan and place skewers in. Cook around 1 minute each side – or until prawns turn pink.

Serve with potato salad and a leafy salad.

Maille® Fish in Foil (snap above)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
16 spears asparagus
4 x 150g/6oz fillets of sustainable white fish
8 tsp Maille® Wholegrain Mustard
8 thin lemon slices
4 glasses dry white wine

Buttery new potatoes for serving

Method
First prepare the asparagus. Take each spear and snap off at the bottom end – it will break in the natural place where the tough stalk ends and the tender spear starts. Reserve.

Place a sheet of foil large enough to enclose each fish fillet in a parcel on a worktop. Spread each fish fillet with 2 tsp Maille® Wholegrain Mustard and place on a sheet of foil, top with lemon slices. Bring long sides of the foil up to enclose, pour in a glass of wine in each parcel then seal foil.

Place parcels on the barbecue turning half way through cooking (cooking time will depend on barbecue but check after ten minutes or so). Cook asparagus separately on the barbecue or steam.

If cooking in the oven, include asparagus in the parcel and place on a baking sheet in a pre heated oven Gas 6 / 200C / 400F for 30 minutes.

Serve either in the foil, so guests open it on their plates, or open the foil and lift on to warm plates. Spoon over juices and serve with buttery new potatoes.

The Waitrose recipe of the week is Heston’s Scotch eggs and that means all the ingredients are 1/3 off. I superlove Scotch eggs so I’m filing this one away for impressing house guests.

I’m willing to bet this is harder than it sounds. For example I can see it being a bit of a comedy show trying to get the boiling hot eggs into the ice water at precisely 1 minute 45 seconds but maybe that would just be me.

If you’re game, here is the recipe. From Waitrose.com to me to you.

Ingredients
10 medium eggs
450g Waitrose Premium Pork Sausagemeat Stuffing or 6 Waitrose Gourmet Pork Sausages, skins removed
1 heaped tsp thyme leaves (approximately ¼ packet)
45g French’s mustard
½ level tsp cayenne pepper
Seasoning
1 packet of chives, chopped
Plain flour
50ml milk
125g Cooks’ Ingredients Breadcrumbs
Ground nut oil, for frying

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190c, gas mark 5. Place 8 eggs in a large pan with enough cold water to cover them by 2cm and place over a high heat. As soon as the water starts to simmer, set a timer for 1 minute 45 seconds exactly. While the eggs are cooking, fill a bowl with cold water and ice and after the exact time has elapsed, take the eggs out of the saucepan and plunge them into the water to cool.
2. Place the sausagemeat in a bowl and add the thyme, mustard, cayenne pepper, seasoning, chopped chives and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix thoroughly and form 8 patties with your hands (dip your hands in cold water if the mix sticks). Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, gently remove the shells. Flatten each pattie into a circle and place an egg in the centre. Wrap the sausagemeat around the egg, pressing the edges in order to seal it but being careful not to press too hard.
4. Put the flour into a small bowl and season. In a second small bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs and stir in the milk. Put the breadcrumbs into a third bowl. Roll each egg in the flour, gently tapping off any excess, then dip it in the beaten egg and finally, roll it in the breadcrumbs, making sure that all sides are coated
5. Heat a deep fat fryer to 190c or fill a saucepan with oil deep enoughto cover the eggs and heat to 190c. Fry the Scotch eggs 2 at a time for 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a drying rack over a baking tray. When all the eggs have been fried, place the tray in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately while the yolks are still runny.Copyright Heston Blumenthal 2010

Serving tips
Make a mustard mayonnaise to dip the eggs in by stirring 1 tbsp of French’s mustard into 3 tbsp of mayonnaise.

I got this great tip sheet from FreshHerbs.co.uk and I thought it would be really handy to share it with you.

I usually buy a bunch of rosemary or coriander for one recipe and then the rest goes to waste (for shame!) so the ideas here are a great reminder of how to use your herbs and not waste them!

Rosemary

* Throw some fresh rosemary on the barbecue. It creates a wonderful aroma which will make your mouth water.
* Chicken is a perfect partner for Rosemary, so lay a sprig on your chicken pieces on the barbecue.
* Jazz up a tub of fresh olives by combining them with fresh chopped rosemary (discarding the woody stem first), finely chopped sundried tomatoes and a little olive oil.

Coriander

* To make a tasty marinade for the barbecue, combine two tablespoons of fresh chopped coriander with the juice of one lime, one tablespoon olive oil and crushed garlic clove with freshly ground black pepper. Use to marinade chicken or mushroom and halloumi kebabs either as a vegetarian option or side dish.
* Add a taste of the Mediterranean to your summer dishes by making a vibrant salsa. Take four large ripe chopped tomatoes, add two tablespoons chopped fresh coriander, half a red onion, two de-seeded and chopped green chillies, the juice of one lime and a pinch of sugar and season.
* Add a taste of Mexico to your summer barbecue by combining coriander with green chillies, garlic and lime juice to make a dressing for vegetables.

Chives

* For a tasty and indulgent side dish, bake your potatoes and when cooked, cut in half and carefully scoop out the insides without damaging the skins. Mix in a bowl with a dash of cream, butter, a handful of chopped chives and some grated cheese. Scoop back into the shells and place under a hot grill for a few minutes until browned.
* To add a personal touch to your summer salads, just add a handful of chopped fresh herbs. In addition to making your salad look spectacular, chopped chives, parsley, coriander and basil all add wonderful taste and texture.
* Snip chives into sour cream to create a home-made sour cream and chive dip.

Mint

* Fresh mint is the staple of the British summer. Keep it to hand to add to Pimms, decorate sorbets and desserts and to make refreshing mint tea by simply steeping a handful in hot water.
* Mint is also delicious in a mint, lime and yogurt marinade, using two tablespoons low fat plain yogurt, half a tablespoon of chopped fresh mint and the finely grated zest and juice of half a lime. The marinade is delicious with lean lamb leg steaks cut into cubes as a kebab.
* Pop some sprigs of mint on the saucepan when you’re boiling new potatoes. It gives them a fresh but subtle flavour. Discard the leaves when you drain the potatoes, but garnish with more mint just before serving.

Basil

* The refreshing flavours of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil are a classic combination which make the perfect accompaniment to barbecued meat. Simply slice beef tomatoes and mozzarella lay them on a plate, each disc overlapping and garnish with lots of torn basil leaves. The vibrant colours are sure to impress your guests and brighten up the table.
* Liven up garlic bread by adding some basil. Chop a handful of basil leaves and combine with two tablespoons butter and two garlic cloves. Spread the butter mixture on ciabatta (sliced lengthways) and grill for 2-3 minutes.
* Make the most of summer flavours by roasting tomatoes in a little olive oil and garlic. Add a few handfuls of torn basil and serve with crusty bread

Parsley

There are two varieties of parsley – curly or flat leafed. Flat leaf is used widely in Mediterranean cooking and has a stronger, sweeter flavour than curly.
*Fresh chopped parsley is delicious stirred through pasta with a little olive oil, for a simple, but tasty dish.
*For a light summer lunch, add chopped fresh parsley to a cheese omelette
*Add chopped fresh parsley to homemade croutons.

The best way to store cut herbs is to either place the bag in the salad drawer of the refrigerator or for maximum freshness, cut 2cm off the stalks and put in a cup of water in the refrigerator. Try to avoid submerging the leaves in the water.

Strawberries are in season and on sale in every shop. Our amazing British strawberries need no embellishment but if you’re looking for more ways to use them, here are a few ideas!

American strawberry shortcake – The classic American summer dessert. I’ve simplified this recipe from Waitrose.

Ingredients
250g self-raising flour
50g butter, diced
50g caster sugar
100-150ml milk

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Lightly butter a 20cm-diameter cake tin with a removable base. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and rosemary and stir in enough milk to draw the mixture into a soft dough. Knead briefly until smooth. Roll out lightly on a floured surface, and gently press evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until risen, firm to the touch and golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Serve with heaps of sliced strawberries sweetened with caster sugar and whipped cream.

Strawberry jam – Try this dead-simple strawberry jam recipe from Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients
1 vanilla pod
1kg strawberries, washed and hulled
500g high pectin sugar (jam sugar)

Method
Slit the vanilla pod in half lengthways with a sharp knife and scrape down the length of each half to remove the seeds. Put the seeds in a bowl with the strawberries and the sugar. Mush up with the end of a whisk, making sure you leave some chunks of strawberry.

Pour the strawberry mixture into a saucepan and place on a medium heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off, skim any foam or scum off the top of the jam and leave to cool a little. Pour into clean jam jars and allow to cool completely before covering and placing in the fridge. The jam will keep for about a week.

Strawberry ice cream – Nigella’s recipe looks amazing!

Ingredients
500g strawberries
175g caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
500ml full-fat milk
500ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
10 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

1. Hull and roughly chop the strawberries, put them into a bowl and sprinkle over the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and leave them to steep and infuse with flavour.
2. Pour the milk and cream into a heavy-based saucepan, and add the vanilla pod, split down the middle lengthways. Bring the pan nearly to the boil and then take it off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks and the 175g sugar until thick and pale yellow. Take the vanilla pod out of the milk and cream and pour, whisking the while, the warm liquid over the yolks. Put the cleaned-out pan back on the heat with the cream, milk, egg and sugar mixture and stir the custard until it thickens, then take it off the heat and pour it into a bowl to cool.
4. Purée the strawberries in a processor, and when the custard is cool fold in the lemon juice and strawberry purée.
5. At this point you can either freeze the ice cream in an ice-cream maker, or in a plastic tub in the freezer. If you do the latter you should whip it out every hour for 3 hours as it freezes and give it a good beating, either with an electric whisk, by hand or in the processer. That gets rid of any ice crystals that form and that make the ice cream crunchy rather than smooth.
ADDITIONAL INFO – Before you begin making the custard fill the sink half full with cold water. If you think the custard looks like splitting at any stage, plunge the pan into the cold water and whisk like mad.

We’ve been eating loads of stir fry lately because its pretty quick and so good for you. I love trying to get as many colours of veg in the mix as possible. Last night we tried this brilliant, easy and healthy stir fry recipe from Waitrose, which turned out to be SO much better than stir fry with a packet of sauce (as we usually make it).

We altered the recipe by cooking it with one chicken breast (it was a big one) and two packets of veg which comes out a bit cheaper. Now that we have the ginger and spices, we can make this a bunch of times for even less than the £2.40 estimated. And of course you can find cheaper veg at Tesco, but I did really enjoy the rainbow mix this recipe called for.

Overall this was so delicious and fresh and the flavours are perfect together. I highly recommend it!

Ingredients:

2 essential Waitrose British chicken breast fillets
1tbsp plain flour
½ tsp Chinese Five Spice (we could only find the paste version, but that was nice too)
1tbsp sunflower oil (we used sesame)
180g bag Waitrose Ready Prepared Rainbow Vegetables
¼ tsp crushed chillies
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
20g piece Chinese Stem Ginger in Syrup, chopped plus 2 tbs syrup

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into thin slices. Mix together the flour, five spice powder and seasoning, then place in a plastic bag. Add in the chicken strips and toss to coat.
2. Heat half the oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the chicken to the pan and stir fry for 3–4 minutes until cooked through, with no pink meat, and golden. Remove and set aside the chicken, then pour the remaining oil into the pan. Add the rainbow vegetables and chillies and fry for 4 minutes until almost tender.
3. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the lemon zest and juice, ginger and syrup and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes to give a sticky sauce. Serve with fresh noodles or steamed rice.

There was an amazing-looking recipe for Cumin & Coriander Hummus in my latest Netmums Foodie Team newsletter and it reminded me that I really, really want to try making hummus from scratch – not least because there are several tins of chick peas in our cupboard from a sale.

According to Jamie Oliver, “if you are a hummus eating family, making hummus at home saves money. You can make 4 cups of organic hummus for under $5.00 [about £3.50]. Stores sell 1 cup of non-organic hummus for about the same price.”

This recipe is from The New Home Larder by Judith Wills and I’m reprinting it to share it with you AND, more importantly, to remind myself to pick up the rest of the ingredients and make it!

Cumin & coriander hummus

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 level tsp coriander seed
1 level tsp cumin seed
4 or more tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, or 2-3 tsp ready-minced garlic
1 tbsp light tahini
juice of 1 large lemon
black pepper

Method:

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and mash them lightly with a potato masher or fork until you see the skins begin to separate from the peas. This is a bit of a bind, but use your fingers to pick out the skins from the peas, and discard.

Now grind the coriander and cumin seed using a pestle and mortar or electric grinder, and add to the chickpeas with half the olive oil.

Peel and crush the garlic and add to the peas with the tahini, lemon juice and some seasoning. Now blend it all together using a hand blender – or you could transfer to the goblet of an electric blender bowl and mix in there, adding more olive oil as necessary (you may need a lot more than you think.)

Don’t over mix – it is nice if you have a few lumpy bits of chickpea left at the end. Check the taste and , if you think it’s necessary, add extra seasoning or lemon juice.

Serves 4-8

Tips: To save time you could, of course, use ready ground coriander and cumin.
You can also make the hummus without removing the chickpea skins, the success of which will depend on the brand of chickpeas you are using.