Sesame and Szechuan-coated seared tuna steak with coriander, mango and chilli guacomole ‘salsa’
Serves 4
For the tuna
sesame seeds 50g
Szechuan peppercorns 1 tbsp, very finely ground
sustainably caught tuna steaks 4 (175g to 200g each)
oil a little, for spraying
rocket 75g
For the salsa
ripe avocados 3
lime juice of 1
spring onions 1 bunch, finely sliced
ripe mango 250g, chopped into small chunks
medium tomatoes 3, finely diced
red chillies 2, finely sliced (deseeded for less heat if preferred)
fresh coriander leaves from 1 large bunch, roughly chopped
fresh ginger 2cm piece, peeled and finely grated (optional)
Toss the sesame seeds, ground Szechuan peppercorns and a little salt and pepper together on a large flat plate and spread the mix out in an even layer. Spray the tuna steaks with a little oil and rub them all over to coat evenly. Press each side of the tuna steaks into the sesame mix until evenly coated. Then leave on the plate, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 10 minutes or so for the seeds to set on the steaks.
Meanwhile, make the guacamole. Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone and scoop the flesh out into a large bowl. Add the lime juice and mash the avocado well with a fork. Then gently stir through the spring onions, mango, tomatoes, chillies, coriander and ginger, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside while you cook the tuna.
Spray a little oil into a large frying pan (or two if you don’t think your four tuna steaks will fit in one) and get it nice and hot on a medium to high heat. Remove the tuna steaks from the fridge and cook them for 2-3 minutes per side until the outside is golden and the inside still a little pink.
Transfer the tuna steaks on to a serving plate and divide the rocket evenly among them. Spoon a dollop of guacamole on top of each piece of tuna and serve at once with a little soy sauce or a good squeeze of lime for the tuna.
Roasted beetroot with toasted pumpkin seeds
I serve this with a roast or just cook it to have as an on-the-go salad with some grilled chicken for lunch.
Serves 4-6
fresh beetroots 8 medium to large, trimmed, peeled and quartered
garlic cloves 4, peeled
olive oil 2 tbsp
apples 2, peeled, quartered and cored
pumpkin seeds 25g
cumin seeds 1 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp
balsamic vinegar 3 tbsp
honey a squidge
mint leaves 1 bunch, finely sliced (to give about 4 tbsp)
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
Toss the beetroots, garlic and oil together on a roasting tray and season well with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on their size) or until soft through when pierced with a sharp knife. Add the apple and pumpkin seeds after 25 minutes, tossing them through the beetroot.
Meanwhile, put the cumin seeds in a frying pan with no oil over a medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to toast and become fragrant. Remove from the heat, tip them into a pestle and mortar and crush them to a quite fine powder. Tip this into a mug and add the oil, balsamic vinegar and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk up well and set aside.
Once the beetroot and apple are soft, remove them from the oven. Whisk up the cumin dressing again and pour this over the veg. Tip everything onto a large platter, scatter over the mint and serve.
Slow-cooked Asian pulled pork with ginger, five spice and soy and spicy slaw
Serves 10-12
For the pulled pork
soy sauce 5 tbsp
mild or hot chilli powder 4 tbsp
five spice powder 3 tbsp
light muscovado sugar 2 tbsp
garlic cloves 2, finely chopped
fresh ginger 4cm piece, peeled and finely chopped
boneless pork shoulder 3kg, rind removed
For the spicy slaw
sesame oil 3 tbsp
soy sauce 2 tbsp
red cabbage ½, very finely sliced
red onion 1, finely chopped
large carrot 1, cut into thin matchsticks
red chillies 2, finely chopped (deseeded for less heat if preferred)
coriander leaves large handful (optional)
To serve
sesame seed buns 10-12, split open and toasted
Equipment
large slow cooker
Place the soy sauce, chilli powder, five spice, sugar, garlic and ginger in a large slow cooker and mix together well to give a sloppy paste. Sit the pork shoulder on top and massage the spice mixture well all over the meat. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat is so tender you can shred it with a fork.
Close to serving time, make the slaw. Mix the sesame oil and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Toss the cabbage, onion, carrot, chilli and coriander, if using, through until well mixed. Season to taste with pepper.
Once the pork is ready, shred it with a fork and serve. It is delicious piled into toasted sesame buns with a smear of mayonnaise and the spicy slaw. If you would like to serve it with a sauce, then bubble the cooking juices in a large wide pan on a high heat for 10-15 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly. Season to taste with pepper.
Flattened honey mustard and garlic spatchco*ck roast chicken with sweet potato and mint mash
Serves 4-6
large chicken 1, about 1.8kg
garlic cloves 4, thinly sliced
sunflower oil 2 tsp
Dijon mustard 4 tbsp
honey 2 squidges
hot chilli powder ½ tsp
fresh thyme 1 tbsp, roughly chopped (plus extra sprigs to garnish)
plain flour 3 tbsp
white wine ½ glass
good chicken stock 500ml
For the mash
sweet (or regular) potatoes 1kg, peeled and cut into large chunks
unsalted butter 25g
spring onions 1 bunch, trimmed and finely sliced
mint leaves ½ bunch, roughly torn
Preheat the oven to 240C/gas mark 9.
First, spatchco*ck the chicken. Turn the chicken breast-side down on a chopping board and, using a good pair of scissors, cut along each side of the backbone to remove it, cutting through the ribs as you go. Then turn it over and flatten the breast down with the heel of your hand. There will be a small crack, which means the bird will then be nice and flat. Then put the bird, breast-side up, in a roasting tin.
Use the tip of a small, sharp knife to put as many slits all over the breast and legs as there are garlic slices, and then push the garlic slices into them. Drizzle with the oil, season well with salt and pepper and then pop into the oven for 30 minutes to get some colour on the skin.
Meanwhile, mix the mustard, honey, chilli powder and thyme leaves together in a small bowl and set aside.
After 30 minutes of cooking, pull the bird out of the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 200C/gas mark 6. To help cool the oven down quickly, I like to open the oven door and, once the thermostat’s red light comes back on, I close it.
Meanwhile, smear the chicken with the mustard mixture using the back of a spoon. Once the temperature is correct, pop the chicken back into the oven for a further 15 minutes.
Boil the sweet potatoes for about 8 minutes or so (depending on the size of the chunks) until they are just tender, but not too soft. A couple of minutes before they are ready, melt the butter in a small frying pan on a medium heat and cook the spring onions for 2 minutes, stirring until softened. Drain the potatoes well and then mash with a masher. Stir the spring onions and butter in and season well. Pop a lid on to keep it warm.
To check that the chicken is cooked, insert a sharp knife into the thickest part of the leg, then press the knife down a bit. If the juices run clear and are not pink, then the chicken is cooked. Once cooked, lift the chicken out of the tray and place on a warmed platter or board and cover with tin foil to keep warm.
Holding the roasting tin with an oven cloth, tip it up until all the fat and juices run to one corner. Spoon off as much fat as possible and discard. You should be left with around 3 tablespoons of juices in the bottom of the tin. Pop the tin on the hob over a low heat and stir in the flour until well blended. Add the wine and stock a little at a time, stirring all the time so it does not go lumpy. Once all the liquid is added, bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened, stirring regularly. Pour through a fine sieve into a warmed jug and season to taste.
Carve the chicken, arrange the slices on a large serving platter and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Spoon the sweet potatoes into a serving bowl and scatter the mint over. Serve at once with the hot gravy.
Grilled peach, burrata and basil salad with Dijon dressing
Serves 4
For the dressing
extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp (not a syrupy one)
Dijon mustard 1 tsp
For the peaches
olive oil 2 tsp
peaches 4, almost ripe but not too soft, quartered and stoned
To serve
burrata 200g ball, or mozzarella 2 x 125g balls drained and torn into chunks
rocket 70g
basil leaves 1 bunch , roughly torn
First, prepare the dressing. Lightly whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Season to taste and set aside. Now, to cook the peaches, lightly grease a griddle pan or barbecue with the oil and then get it nice and hot. You may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Place the peach quarters, cut-side down, on the griddle pan for 1-2 minutes to give the nice chargrill marks on them. Use a metal fish slice to help lift them up so as not to leave the chargrill marks behind. Turn them on to their other cut side for another minute (don’t cook on their skin side). The charring will add to the flavour. You can use a frying pan to char them, but obviously you won’t get the chargrilled lines on them, though that is OK. Set the peaches cut-side up on a large serving platter as you go.
Arrange the burrata or mozzarella chunks around the peaches and scatter the rocket and basil leaves over. Scatter a little sea salt and black pepper on top. Quickly whisk up the dressing again, if necessary, drizzle it over and serve.
Baked ricotta and cream cheese cheesecake with blackberries, blueberries and figs
Serves 8-10
unsalted butter 50g
ginger nut biscuits 200g (about 20 biscuits)
full-fat cream cheese 450g
ricotta 250g
double cream 150ml
medium eggs 3
caster sugar 125g
cornflour 2 ½ tbsp
vanilla pod seeds of 1
fresh blueberries 125g
fresh blackberries 125g
figs 2, each cut into 6 even-sized wedges
icing sugar 2 tsp, sifted
mint leaves handful (optional)
Equipment
23cm springform cake tin
Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3.
First, to make the base, put the butter on to melt in a medium saucepan over a low heat (or a bowl in the microwave). Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment, brushing a little of the melted butter on the base to stick. Blitz up the ginger nut biscuits in a food processor to give fine crumbs. Mix well into the melted butter and then tip into the bottom of the prepared tin. Press the mixture into the bottom so it is packed nice and tight and level, and then place in the fridge to set for 20 minutes or so while you get on with the filling.
Put the cream cheese, ricotta, cream, eggs, sugar, cornflour and vanilla seeds into a large bowl and beat like mad for a few minutes until everything is even and smooth. An electric mixer set with the whisk attachment will make this easier than it is by hand.
Once the biscuit base is set, remove the tin from the fridge and pour the cheesecake mixture on top. Sit the tin on a baking tray and pop into the oven for 40-45 minutes. The cheesecake should be just set with a little wobble. At this stage, turn off the oven and leave to cool in there for about an hour. This (usually) stops the cheesecake from cracking. Avoid moving the cheesecake around at this stage to help prevent cracking. But don’t worry if it does crack as it will still taste delicious and will be nicely decorated.
Once the cheesecake has had its hour of cooling, remove from the oven. The cheesecake may still be a little bit warm, so you can either eat it like this or wait and eat it when it is completely cool. Either way it is delicious! Arrange the berries and figs on top, dust with icing sugar and scatter over mint leaves, if using, and serve. This will keep for a couple of days, covered, in the fridge.
Extracted from How To Be a Better Cook by Lorraine Pascale (HarperCollins, RRP £25). Click here to order a copy from the Guardian Bookshop for £18.99, with free UK p&p
