100 easiest, fastest recipes ever

1. Chef Rowley Leigh, Cafe Anglais

Peach, tomato and basil salad

Pour boiling water over six white peaches and let stand for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on the
ripeness of the fruit. Refresh in cold water and skin. Do the same for six large tomatoes, which
should still be firm and full of flavour. Slice the tomatoes thinly and salt them. Cut the peaches into
thin segments. Arrange them in an overlapping circle, alternating the two fruits. Squeeze the juice
of a lemon over the salad and drizzle lightly with oil (very lightly if you are using walnut oil). Tear six
basil leaves and scatter these over the salad. Mill some black pepper, and serve.

2. Chef Gordon Ramsay, Claridge's

Slow-roasted tomatoes

We go mad whenever English tomatoes are in season - the kitchens are filled with so many that
we could probably fill a bathtub with them. Slow-roasting is a great way to use them up and
intensifies the flavour. Heat the oven to the lowest setting and halve the tomatoes. Arrange them,
cut-side up, on a lightly oiled roasting tray and scatter over some chopped garlic, shallots and
thyme leaves. Drizzle generously with olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground
pepper. Gently roast for an hour until tender. Serve at room temperature with pasta, fish dishes or
salads or as a bruschetta topping.

3. Chef Michel Roux, Le Gavroche

Spicy crab with avocado

Buy the best-quality fresh picked claw meat you can find. Put the white crab meat into a bowl and
add one avocado, two thinly sliced spring onions, the juice of a couple of limes, sesame oil, salt
and Tabasco. Mix gently with a fork. Place a spoonful of brown meat in each serving dish, then add
the white meat mixture. Garnish with watercress.

4. Chef Giorgio Locatelli, Locanda Locatelli

Cipollotto di tropea salad

I'm in love with this salad: just blanch some runner beans in salted water for three minutes, add
mint leaves and cipollotto di tropea (which is like a spring onion and is from Calabria), and fresh
green almonds.

5. Restaurateur Henry Dimbleby, Leon

A simple ceviche

Slice any very fresh white fish as finely as possible (I like bass), and finely slice some firm radishes
and shallots. Season and soak in lemon or lime juice for 30 minutes. Drain and lay on a plate with
thin slices of ripe avocado, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with finely chopped coriander. Eat
with sourdough and very cold white wine.

6. Chef Stuart Gillies, Boxwood Cafe

Asparagus, feta and smoked salmon salad

Cut raw asparagus thinly at an angle up to the tip, then mix with crumbled feta cheese, cooked
chilled peas and broad beans, watercress leaves and a white wine and olive oil vinaigrette. Season
with salt and pepper and serve with smoked salmon.

7. Chef Henry Harris, Racine

Watermelon and feta salad
Toss cubes of watermelon, feta and mint together with a splash of olive oil and a good milling of
black pepper.

8. Baked fennel with harissa

Toss wedges of fennel in a mixture of Greek yoghurt and rose harissa. Drizzle with olive oil and
bake in the oven or in open foil in a kettle barbecue.

9. Mimolette, red onion and watercress salad

Make a salad of watercress and finely sliced red onion. Use a vegetable peeler to shave a
generous pile of mimolette cheese over the top.

10. Chef Jeremy Lee, Blueprint Cafe

Asparagus and fried egg on toast

I suggest boiling asparagus and laying on grilled, buttered bread with a fried egg atop; grated
parmesan is a welcome addition.

11. Chef Chris Galvin, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe

Creamy spiced mussel soup

Cook half a kilogram of mussels in a wine glass each of good fish stock and dry white wine, then
drain, reserving the stock. Heat some butter in a pan and add shallots, garlic and curry powder.
Add a pinch of saffron and stir in the warm stock, bring it to the boil and then add a generous
splash of whipping cream. Reduce the soup by a third and season. Serve in soup bowls and
garnish with parsley for a light and flavoursome summer soup.

12. Food writer Anissa Helou

Cod with tarator and pine nuts

Sauté onions in olive oil. Add tarator (tahini mixed with lemon juice and water) and let bubble for a
few minutes. Spoon over pan-fried black cod fillets. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.

13. Chef Richard Bertinet, The Bertinet Kitchen

The best garlic bread

In a blender blitz some butter, one shallot, two cloves of garlic, a handful of parsley and chives and
a good dollop of mascarpone. Spread on some good bread and place into a preheated oven (180º-
200ºC/Gas 4-6) until golden brown.

14. Food writer Suzanne Pirret

Roasted corn on the cob with chipotle chilli butter

Pull back the husk from a cob of fresh sweetcorn and tie tightly with butcher's twine. Remove all
silk fibres. Mix a spoonful or two of soft butter together with a good dash of chipotle chilli powder
and sea salt, and slather over the corn. Cook on a griddle pan or under a grill for about 10-15
minutes total, turning till tender and charred. Sprinkle the husk with a few drops of water so it
doesn't catch fire! (Chipotle chilli powder is available at coolchilli.co.uk.)

15. Green salad with fresh herbs

Toss a few handfuls of greens, a few thinly sliced baby fennel, and some fresh herb leaves -
tarragon, parsley, or whatever else is available to you and summery. In small bowl, mix half a
teaspoon of Dijon mustard and a small squeeze of fresh lemon, and whisk in double that of single
cream or olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper and toss through the leaves.

16. Grilled lamb with lemon grass

Finely chop three lemon grass stalks and pound in mortar and pestle. Pound in a finely chopped
red chilli, a small shallot, a spoonful of both olive oil and palm sugar (muscovado or brown works
too) and a squeeze of lime till it's a chunky paste. Season three or four lamb chops well with sea
salt and pepper, cover with paste, and if you can, marinate for an hour (or even overnight), and grill
until done - the crispier the better. Best cooked over hot coals on a barbecue.

17. Courgette and corn quesadilla

Place a layer of paper-thin sliced courgette on a flour tortilla. Sprinkle with fresh sweetcorn scraped
from a cob, a minced jalapeño pepper, some shredded Monterey Jack cheese (mild white cheddar
works, too), and place another flour tortilla on top. Fry in a little groundnut oil in a pan. Flip
carefully, press down, fry other side until brown (or just bake it) and serve warm with the
guacamole below.

18. Fresh guacamole

In a bowl, mash a ripe avocado with a spoon. Add a little finely minced red onion and jalapeño, a
squeeze of fresh lime juice, chopped fresh coriander, and a good pinch of sea salt. Nice with a
dash of chipotle chilli powder for a little smokiness.

19. Basquian lemon shrimp

In a bowl, mix together zest from half a lemon, its juice, a finely minced garlic clove, a small
spoonful of finely chopped red onion, a small handful of pitted and coarsely chopped oil-cured
black olives, a few coarsely chopped smoked anchovies, a dash of aged sherry vinegar, a glug of
extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of pimentón de la Vera. Toss in six to eight cooked and shelled
prawns and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Serve over a few thick slices of grilled
peasant bread. (Pimentón de la Vera is available at brindisa.co.uk.)

20. Broad bean bruschetta with oozy burrata

Shell several handfuls of broad beans, place beans in boiling water for a few minutes, drain, then
plunge into cold water. Squeeze beans from casings into bowl. Mash beans together in a mortar
and pestle with a finely minced garlic clove, a squeeze of half a lemon, snipped fresh mint, a glug
of olive oil, salt and pepper, and plop onto grilled bread spread with a slab of oozy burrata cheese.
Drizzle with more olive oil.

21. Lemon lime gelato

In a saucepan, stir together 60ml each of the juice of a lemon and a lime, their zests, and 100g
sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves, strain, and let cool in fridge. Stir in 125ml double cream and
pour into ice-cube tray. When frozen, spoon into one big refreshing cup.

22. Best crab cakes

In a frying pan, sweat a spoonful of a finely chopped shallot in a little butter. Add a minced jalapeño
pepper until soft and add into 300g of carefully picked-through fresh lump crab meat. Add freshly
chopped dill and enough of a well-beaten egg white so it holds together, then a little cornflour so it
stiffens. Season with sea salt, form into a thick patty, roll in breadcrumbs, and fry in a little hot olive
oil. (Serve with corn on the cob and green salad, above.)
23. Chef Claude Bosi, Hibiscus
Strawberries with hibiscus

Roughly chop 500g English strawberries. In a pan, grate a vanilla pod with 150g of sugar and add
water. Add strawberries, and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Make a pot of hibiscus-flower tea and
leave to cool. Remove strawberries from stock and portion into bowls or medium-sized ramekins.
Top with the cool hibiscus tea (to create a consommé effect) and serve with a good dollop of
clotted cream and/or chunky shortbread biscuits.

24. Chef Henry Harris, Racine

Garlic sourdough

Grill thick slices of sourdough bread and then rub with a peeled garlic clove - it acts like a grater -
then drizzle with good olive oil and eat, adding slices of prosciutto or a good salami.

25. Chef Jason Atherton, Maze & Maze Grill

Berries with meringues

Take a punnet each of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Boil up some sugar, water and
vanilla and star anise and pour it over the berries, then chill and eat with crushed meringue and
clotted cream.

26. Chef Michael Caines, Gidleigh Park & Abode

Strawberries with balsamic and mint

Quarter some strawberries and sprinkle them with sugar. Crush half of the strawberries with a fork
to extract all their juices while keeping some whole. Mix all the strawberries together with some
freshly chopped mint and leave to marinate for half an hour. Serve with a drizzle of aged balsamic
vinegar and vanilla ice cream.

27. Chef Tom Norrington Davies, Great Queen Street

Smoked mackerel with beetroot and horseradish

Flake a pair of smoked mackerel fillets roughly and toss them with cooked beetroot, watercress,
sliced shallots and capers. Grate fresh horseradish into a small tub of sour cream and season it
with salt and pepper. Serve the salad and the cream with plenty of crusty bread (and a seriously
dry cider).

28. Hot-smoked fish salad with hazelnuts

Toss hot smoked trout or salmon with an avocado pear, two heads of little gem lettuce, a generous
handful of roasted, skinless hazelnuts and your favourite vinaigrette. Garnish with chervil or flat-
leaf parsley.

29. Courgette, fennel and crab salad

Slice two courgettes and a bulb of fennel as thinly as is humanly possible. Dress the sliced
vegetables with a slug of olive oil, the juice of a lemon and a good twist of salt and pepper. Add the
meat of a dressed crab, croutons and cos or gem lettuce to the salad. Season with Tabasco if you
fancy some heat.

30. Garlicky prawns, courgettes and beans on toast

Fry a couple of cloves of garlic and one fresh red chilli in three tablespoons of olive oil. Throw in a
handful of cold water prawns and two diced courgettes or a chopped round of asparagus. Fry them
until just tender. Add the drained contents of a can of borlotti or cannellini beans. Season with
plenty more olive oil and a little salt. Serve this dish on toast or fold in cooked new potatoes.

31. Sardines on toast

Grill three or four fresh, gutted sardines per person. Chop the ripest, sweetest tomatoes you can
get hold of with a handful of black olives, two cloves of garlic, a small bunch of basil and a red
onion. Season the chopped tomatoes with olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Divide the salad
among slices of grilled bread. Serve the sardines on top of the tomatoey bread.

32. Red mullet with wilted lettuce and fresh peas

Fry a shallot in two tablespoons of butter until it is sweet and tender. Throw two handfuls of fresh or
frozen peas into the same pan and add a good pinch of salt. Add just enough fresh fish or chicken
stock (or water) to cover the peas, and cook them until they are very soft and sweet (it might take
20 minutes or half an hour). Pull a gem lettuce apart and chop it roughly. Pick two sprigs of mint or
basil. Grill two gutted and scaled red mullet with a seasoning of salt and plenty of olive oil. When
the fish is ready, toss the lettuce and herb of choice into the peas and let it wilt. Serve the fish on
top of the peas.

33. Mackerel with broccoli and spicy anchovy sauce

Grill two portion-sized mackerel for three minutes on either side and season them with sea salt and
olive oil. Let them rest and break a head of broccoli into bite-sized florets. While you steam the
broccoli, chop three anchovy fillets, two cloves of garlic and one red chilli to a near-paste. Melt the
paste in a small frying pan with two tablespoons of butter. Toss it with the warm broccoli. Serve the
broccoli next to the mackerel.

34. Lamb chops with minted new potatoes

Grill three lamb chops per person while you cook posh new potatoes (Jersey royals, Cornish mids
or French belle de fontaine are great at this time of year). Chop a generous bunch of mint with
cornichons and a red onion, then dress this modernist mint sauce with a tablespoon of the
cornichon vinegar, two tablespoons of olive oil and a really mean pinch of sugar. A meal that has
no business being eaten with cutlery.

35. Chicken with noodles

Grill two free-range chicken breasts and, once they are done, slice them thinly and toss the slices
with two cloves of chopped garlic, a small bunch of chopped coriander, the juice and zest of a
small lime and two teaspoons of sesame oil. Season with salt and a pinch of crushed dried chillies.
Boil two nests of noodles and toss them with the chicken.

36. Steak with warm new potato and rocket salad

Boil two handfuls of new potatoes in salty water until just tender. Meanwhile, grill a large, thick-cut
slab of rump or rib-eye steak as briefly as you can stand, leaving it rare or medium rare. While the
steak rests, slice then dress the still-warm potatoes with a handful of capers, two tablespoons of
Dijon mustard, a shake of balsamic vinegar and a small bunch of tarragon. Carve the steak into
thin slices across the grain. Toss it through the potatoes with rocket, salt and olive oil.

37. Lamb chops with chickpea purée and flatbread

Grill three lamb chops per person while you drain a 400g tin of chickpeas. Dry roast a teaspoon of
cumin seeds for literally half a minute and pop them in a food processor with the chickpeas, one
level tablespoon of tomato purée, three tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Blitz
the mixture. Season the chickpea purée to your liking and serve it with the lamb chops and a
flatbread like pitta or naan. A knot of coriander leaves mixed with rocket is optional as a garnish.

38. Roast chicken with chips and mayonnaise

Rub free-range chicken legs with mild olive oil and a slightly over-generous amount of celery salt.
Roast them hard and fast, and then serve with oven chips and mayonnaise, plus your favourite leaf
mix. Eat this meal with your fingers.

39. Crab with chips and mayonnaise

Alternatively, if you are a fan of oven chips and mayonnaise but not so sure about eating them with
roast chicken, buy a fresh crab - 700g (a one-and-a-half-pounder, in fishmonger speak) - is a
perfect portion. Boil it in plenty of salted water for eight minutes, and as soon as it is cool enough
to handle, spend a lazy lunchtime picking over and eating it with the above.

40. Pork chops with broad beans

Rub two pork chops with a marinade made from half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, a teaspoon of
tomato purée, a tablespoon of runny honey, a tablespoon of posh(ish) vinegar, half a teaspoon of
salt and enough mild olive oil to loosen everything up. Fry the chops until done to your liking and
let them rest. Meanwhile, boil two handfuls of freshly shucked broad beans for five minutes. Drain
them and toss them with the juices of the rested chops. Throw the beans over the chops and eat
this very loose-limbed supper with your fingers. Mop up juices with sourdough bread.

41. Penne with asparagus

Boil three handfuls of penne rigate. Meanwhile trim a bunch of the freshest asparagus you can get
and cut it into cross sections that match the size of the pasta shapes. Throw them into the same
water for the pasta's last minute. Separate two eggs, keeping only the yolks. Grate a fistful of
parmesan and pick a bunch of basil. Drain the pasta and asparagus, and return it to the pot, off the
heat. Add a tablespoon of butter, the egg yolks, the basil and the cheese. Fold together quickly,
season to your liking and eat. When asparagus goes out of season you can make the same dish
with peas straight from the pod.

42. Roast quail with puy lentils

Roast one or two quails per person. While they cook, drain a tin or vacpac of cooked puy lentils.
Dice two or three shallots as finely as possible. Deseed and chop three tomatoes and mix them
with the shallots and lentils. Dress with your favourite vinaigrette and lots of chopped parsley.
Serve the quails on top of the lentils.

43. Linguine with herbed ricotta

Boil enough linguine or spaghetti for two people. Meanwhile chop a fistful of rocket with a small
bunch of chives, and another small bunch of mint or basil or, if you prefer, oregano. Fold all this
verdant herbiness into a small tub of ricotta cheese. Loosen this mix with the juice of half a lemon
and two tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Drain the cooked
pasta only briefly, leaving it damp, and fold it with the ricotta mix before serving.

44. Pasta with roasted peppers and buffalo mozzarella

Roast two or three peppers, and as soon as they are nice and wrinkly, skin them, and then pull out
the seed cavity. Chop them to a near-paste with garlic, anchovies, capers and a small bunch of
basil or oregano. Roughly dice a ball of very good buffalo mozzarella. Boil three handfuls of penne
or fusilli pasta until done to your liking. Toss the drained pasta with the pepper mix and the cheese.
Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

45. Fettucine with roasted mushrooms

Roast four large field mushrooms with a generous slug of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. They will
take about 15 or 20 minutes. Once they are done, slice them roughly and toss them with two
tablespoons of olive oil, a chopped clove of garlic, a small bunch of chopped parsley, the grated
zest and the squeezed juice of half a lemon. Boil enough fettuccine or tagliatelle for two people
and, once it is cooked and drained, toss it with the marinated mushrooms. Season to your liking
and serve garnished with plenty of grated parmesan.

46. Spaghetti with spicy sardines

Boil enough spaghetti for two people. Meanwhile, open a tin of sardine fillets in olive oil. Chop them
to a near-paste with a chilli, two cloves of garlic, three anchovy fillets and a small bunch of parsley.
Loosen this paste to the consistency of pesto with lemon juice and olive oil. Toss the cooked,
drained pasta with this fantastic sardine sauce and season to your liking just before serving.

47. Chef Andrew Turner, The Landau at the Langham Hotel

Avocado with smoked duck

Cut a ripe avocado in half (remove the stone) and remove the flesh, leaving the skin intact. Dice
the flesh into cubes and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Then add chopped sundried tomatoes, thin
strips of smoked duck and plenty of chopped fresh mint and parsley. Place back in the skin and
serve with a crisp Riesling.

48. Chef Anthony Demetre, Arbutus & Wild Honey

English asparagus with chopped poached egg vinaigrette

Cook two bunches of asparagus in plenty of salted, boiling water and then refresh in iced water.
Set aside. Poach four eggs as normal, but cook slightly longer than you would normally - you don't
want the yolk too runny but equally not hard. Crush the eggs with a fork, add one small finely
chopped shallot, a tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley and finely chopped gherkins and the
same of miniature capers, and bind with good quality olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

49. Chef Vivek Singh, The Cinnamon Club

Roast bream with green mango and coconut

Blend together half a coconut's flesh and one green mango with an onion, red chilli flakes and
some salt and sugar. Add a little oil or water to blend into a coarse paste. This paste can be used
either as a chutney or dip on its own, or as a marinade for sea bass, gilt bream or even mackerel.
Cook the fish in either an oven or on a barbecue - ideally wrap it in a banana leaf or tin foil with a
little oil.

50. Chef Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

Fricassée of mushrooms

To enhance a simple fricassée of mushrooms, finish with a mix of chopped parsley, shallots and
garlic in a three, two, one ratio and add a squeeze of lemon.

51. Buttered summer vegetables

Instead of cooking summer vegetables in a large pan of boiling water, try using a medium-sized,
flat sauté pan with just half a cup of water, a knob of butter and a pinch of salt. Let the vegetables
half poach and half steam on full boil. To serve, add some freshly chopped herbs and pour over
the cooking juices. Perfect for carrots, asparagus, beans, leeks, cabbage or peas.

52. Chef Bryn Williams, Odette's

Courgette and pine nut salad

Slice green and yellow courgettes lengthways into ribbons, place strips in a colander and season
with a little salt. Leave to stand until the excess water is extracted. Pat courgettes dry with paper
towel and place on a plate. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and drizzle with balsamic dressing
(balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon all whisked together), then add a layer of
wild rocket leaves and finish with parmesan shavings and more of the dressing.

53. Chef Shaun Hill, The Walnut Tree

Herbed white fish with sourdough

Paint a slice of white fish (sole is nice, but then so is gurnard) with olive oil then grill, along with
some similarly treated sourdough bread. Blend some parsley, and maybe whatever other herbs
strike your fancy, along with a shot of white wine, a crushed garlic clove and some olive oil, salt
and pepper so that you have a thickish sauce-cum-dressing. Spoon this over the grilled bread, fish
and some salad leaves. Bob's your uncle.

54. Chef Thomasina Miers, Wahaca

Chilled cucumber and potato soup

Gently cook onions and potato in lots of olive oil until the onions go translucent. Add a clove of
chopped garlic and the peeled, diced flesh of two cucumbers. Whizz up, chill and serve ice cold for
a delicious summer starter.

55. Chef Anna Hansen, The Modern Pantry

Skate with clams and chorizo

Pan fry a piece of skate in a pan with some diced chorizo, a handful of clams, a handful of halved
cherry tomatoes and a pinch of saffron. Slosh over a decent slug of white wine and cover with a lid
until the fish is cooked and the clams have opened. Serve with roast sweet potatoes, endive and a
generous sprinkling of parsley.

56. Chef Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi, Caffe Caldesi

Steamed greens with garlic

Toss some freshly boiled or steamed green beans with some finely diced garlic cloves in red-wine
vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

57. Chef Richard Bertinet, The Bertinet Kitchen

Warm cherries with ice cream

Place a handful of ripe cherries in a pan with a large knob of butter and a tablespoon of caster
sugar. Stir well. Add two tablespoons of kirsch or brandy and leave to caramelise. Serve poured
over a good vanilla ice cream.

58. Braised little gem lettuce

For a delicious alternative to cold salad - cut some little gem lettuce in half lengthways and rub the
cut edge with some olive oil and the edge of a cut clove of garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
Place in a hot frying pan or on a barbecue griddle for two or three minutes on each side.
59. Pasta with cherry tomatoes, crème fraîche and rocket

While your pasta is cooking, warm a punnet of cherry tomatoes in a pan in a glass of white wine.
When it starts to simmer, add a dollop of crème fraîche. Stir well. Drain the pasta and add to the
sauce. Finally stir in a large handful of rocket. Serve with some shaved parmesan.

60. Chef Ichiro Kubota, Umu

Avocado wasabi salad dip

Mix avocado purée with the same amount of wasabi. Season with sea salt and sesame oil to taste.
Garnish with chopped chives. Serve with seasonal vegetables or crackers.

61. Chef Sally Clarke, Clarkes

Pasta with summer vegetables and goat's cheese and chives

Cook your favourite pasta, and when it is almost ready add freshly podded peas, fava beans, thinly
sliced runner beans and thinly sliced summer carrots. Strain and immediately put back over the
heat with a splash of the best olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper, snipped chive blossoms, small
pieces of fresh goat's cheese and chopped chives or chervil. Stir briefly together.

62. Chef Jacob Kennedy, Bocca di Luppo

Ginny's pasta with raw tomatoes

From Campania - as made by my beloved grandmother Ginny countless times - is pasta with raw
tomatoes. Roughly chop, seeds and all, some ripe, flavoursome tomatoes. Combine with basil and
lots of oil, salt and pepper - plus a few black olives if you like - in a large bowl. Cook some long
pasta al dente - Ginny uses spaghettini - toss into the sauce, and leave to stand for a minute
before serving.

63. Food writer Mark Bittman

Steak and mustard

Sear skirt steak to medium-rare, not more than eight minutes. Cut into chunks 1 cm-2.5cm, first
going with the grain, then against it. Spread bread with coarse mustard and/or butter. Top with
steak and coarse salt.

64. Stir-fried beef

Cut fillet or other tender beef into bite-size chunks. Toss with a lot of roughly chopped basil (say,
40g basil per 450g of meat) and peanut oil. Stir-fry with garlic and red pepper flakes until rare.
Sprinkle with soy sauce or nam pla and lime juice.

65. Broccoli and garlic

Top bruschetta or toast with chopped, well-cooked broccoli rabe or other greens tossed with
minced garlic and olive oil while still warm. Health food, practically.

66. Aioli with steamed cold vegetables

Make the mayonnaise yourself or flavour bottled mayonnaise with lemon, garlic, anchovy (if you
like it) and a little saffron (if you have it) for amazing colour. Serve with lightly cooked carrots, sugar
snap peas, purple potatoes, seafood etc.

67. Spicy lamb chops

Sprinkle rib lamb chops (rack of lamb, separated) or loin chops with good coarse curry powder or
any spice mix you like. Grill quickly, until crisp but not well done. Serve hot, with yoghurt mixed with
the same spice rub.

68. Beef tartare

Carefully pulse good beef in a food processor. For each 450g, add an egg, a teaspoonful of dry
mustard, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco to
taste, a handful of chopped spring onions and a touch of minced garlic. Salt and pepper, if
necessary. Amazing stuff.

69. Steamed asparagus wrapped in prosciutto

That's the recipe.

70. Home-made hummus

Truly one of the great culinary inventions. Mix four parts well-cooked or canned chickpeas with one
part tahini, along with some of its oil, in a food processor. Add garlic, cumin or pimentón and purée,
adding as much olive oil as needed. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste; garnish with olive
oil and pimentón.

71. Bean dip

Purée white or other beans (if canned, drain them) with garlic and olive oil in food processor,
adding olive oil as needed. Stir in lemon juice to taste. Garnish with chopped spring or red onion.
You can add cumin or chopped rosemary with lemon zest.

72. Crispy quail

Quarter a quail and rub with olive oil or peanut oil. Grill, skin-side down, for about three minutes.
Grill, skin-side up, until brown, crisp and cooked through for about five minutes more. Brush lightly
with some pesto or soy sauce and sesame oil, and serve hot or warm.

73. Stuffed endive

Fill endive leaves with crème fraîche or sour cream and caviar or salmon roe. Or use drained
ricotta mixed with chopped parsley, thyme, a little olive oil and a little minced garlic.

74. Nachos

Yes, nachos. Top a layer of tortilla chips with grated cheese (something orange is traditional) and
bake until the cheese melts. Top with warm beans seasoned with chilli powder, along with chopped
spring onions. Other possible toppings: jalapeños, sour cream, coriander, tomatoes, olives.

75. Prawn and parsley pesto

Make parsley pesto (parsley, garlic, oil, lemon juice) in a food processor. Sauté whole prawns or
small pieces of fish in oil. Arrange fish on small beds of the pesto. You can put this on bread and
forget the plates.

76. Fennel and celery salad

Cut two medium fennel bulbs in quarters lengthwise, discarding the outer layer if it is exceedingly
tough. Use a mandolin to slice quarters thinly; slice three celery ribs equally thin. Put sliced fennel
and celery into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper
and toss gently to combine. Top with lots of freshly shaved parmesan and chopped fennel fronds if
you like.

77. Pork kebabs, West Indian style

Mix together a tablespoon of garlic, half a teaspoon of ground allspice, a pinch of nutmeg, a
teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, 50g of chopped onion and the juice of a lime. Toss with 450g pork
shoulder (you need some fat or these will be tough) cut into 2.5cm cubes. Skewer and grill for
about five minutes.

78. Pork kebabs, Iberian style

Mix a tablespoon of garlic, 50g of chopped onion, one tablespoon of ground cumin, two teaspoons
of paprika, one tablespoon of grated or minced lemon zest and 50ml of freshly squeezed lemon
juice. Toss with 450g cubed pork shoulder (with fat). Skewer. Grill for about five minutes.

79. Chicken kebabs, Greek style

Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 2.5cm chunks. Toss with minced onion, minced garlic,
lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, crumbled bay leaf and oregano. Skewer. Grill, turning
occasionally, until browned.

80. Chicken kebabs, South Asian style

Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 2.5cm chunks. Toss with equal amounts ground
cardamom, minced garlic, ground allspice, ground turmeric and thyme leaves; add a dash of
nutmeg and peanut oil to moisten. Skewer. Grill, turning occasionally, until nicely browned.

81. Cheese quesadillas

Use 10cm tortillas; on each put grated cheese, spring onions and minced green chillies or chopped
poblanos. Salsa and beans are optional. Top with another tortilla. Griddle with oil, turning once, for
about five minutes.

82. Hot wings

Cut chicken wings into three sections; discard the tips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill until
browned on one side, about five minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter with vinegar, garlic and hot sauce
to taste. Pour off excess fat, baste the wings with hot sauce, turn them, baste again and brown.
Baste once more and serve, with napkins.

83. Flash-cooked squid

Marinate whole baby squid for five minutes in olive oil, a little sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Sear
on both sides in a very hot pan or under a grill for less than three minutes total. Cut into pieces and
sprinkle with more salt. You can do this with shrimp and scallops, too.

84. Lemon scallops

Cook scallops in hot butter or oil for just a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and parsley
and serve hot.

85. Bisque
Heat prawn, lobster, fish or chicken broth with minced onion and chopped tomato for five minutes.
Add chopped shrimp or lobster to the simmering stock, and cook for another two minutes. Purée,
then add double cream or half-and-half, along with salt and pepper. Serve in small cups garnished,
if you like, with a piece of cooked prawn or lobster.

86. Avocado soup

Put 150g avocado flesh in a blender with 700ml whole milk along with some salt and cayenne.
Purée, then add fresh lime or orange juice to taste, and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate or serve
immediately in small cups garnished with a piece of avocado or cooked prawn.

87. Gazpacho

Chop 900g of tomatoes and a cucumber; blend with a couple of slices of day-old bread, torn into
pieces, olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic (optional) and anchovies (optional). Add a little water (or
more oil) to the blender, if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve in small cups.
Optional garnishes include minced pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, a piece of anchovy or parsley.

88. Goat's cheese with herbs

Slice a soft goat's cheese and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped herbs,
then with breadcrumbs. Bake at 180°C/Gas 4, until soft - about 10 minutes - and serve hot.

89. Fresh strawberries with almond crème anglaise

Put 100g chopped almonds in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally,
until beginning to toast, about three minutes. Add 200ml each of milk and cream, 120g sugar and
four egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until mixture thickens
enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil. While the sauce is still hot, strain it through a
sieve and let cool a bit. To serve, put a handful of washed, hulled and quartered strawberries in
each dish, drizzle with the warm sauce and garnish with 50g slivered almonds.

90. Grilled lamb on rosemary skewers

Start a charcoal or wood fire or heat a gas grill. Thread 900g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into
chunks, and figs onto rosemary branches, three or four per skewer. Do not mix meat and figs on
same skewer. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix together 100ml
freshly squeezed lemon juice, two cloves of garlic, roughly chopped, and a tablespoon of finely
chopped fresh rosemary, and brush a little of this mixture on lamb and figs. Grill, turning skewers
as each side browns and taking care to avoid flare-ups - total cooking time should be from six to 10
minutes for medium-rare meat, and four or five minutes for the figs.

91. Meatballs

Combine 1 thick slice of white bread with 100ml milk; let sit for five minutes. Squeeze the milk from
the bread and gently mix bread with 225g not-too-lean ground sirloin, 225g ground pork, 50g
chopped onion, 50g freshly grated parmesan, 40g chopped fresh parsley leaves and salt and
pepper. Shape into 2.5cm balls. (If the mixture doesn't hold well, add more breadcrumbs and an
egg.) Grill for about five minutes, turning once or twice.

92. Cod cakes with sauce rouge

Combine 450g chopped boneless cod, an egg, four tablespoons mayonnaise, a tablespoon Dijon
mustard and some salt and pepper. Add breadcrumbs until you can shape the mixture into cakes.
If possible, refrigerate for an hour. Meanwhile, cook chopped canned tomatoes in olive oil with salt
and cayenne until saucy. Shape into small cod cakes. Dip in flour, sauté in butter and oil until
nicely browned. Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce.

93. Egg salad

Extra seasoning takes this egg salad higher: toss chopped hard-boiled eggs with spring onions,
chopped anchovies and parsley. Bind with seasoned mayo.

94. Prosciutto and parmesan

Roll prosciutto and parmesan in small tortillas. Bake gently to soften the cheese.

95. Chickpea salad with ginger

In a dry pan, toast a tablespoon of cumin seeds over medium-low heat until fragrant, about two
minutes. Grind to a powder. If using ground cumin, lightly toast. Toss 600g of cooked or tinned
(and rinsed) chickpeas; two peppers, red, yellow or orange, diced; a red onion, diced; 3cm piece
ginger, peeled and minced, or more to taste; a tablespoon of sugar (optional); three tablespoons of
fresh lemon juice, or to taste, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more salt, pepper or
lemon juice if you like, garnish with coriander, and serve.

96. 15-minute fried herbed chicken

In a blender or food processor, combine one onion, one to two tablespoons mixed fresh herbs,
such as tarragon and sage, and two tablespoons of tahini or peanut butter. As you purée the
mixture, slowly add just enough olive oil to make a thick, smooth paste - do not let it get too thin.
Put a little flour in a shallow bowl. Place six boneless, skinless chicken thighs or four half-breasts in
another bowl. Rub the puréed mixture over the chicken, then dip each piece in flour. Gently shake
off any excess, coat again with paste and dip again in the flour. Heat half a cm of olive oil in a pan;
when it is hot, fry the chicken for about four minutes each side until browned and cooked through.
Garnish with parsley and serve hot or warm, with lemon wedges.

97. Mussels and mayonnaise

Wash mussels or clams well; steam open in a covered pot. Let cool, remove from shells, and serve
with aioli, flavoured mayonnaise or vinaigrette.

98. Bream with basil balsamic

Score the sides of a whole bream and pack the cuts with a roughly pounded mix of three
tablespoons balsamic, one clove garlic and handful of basil per fish. Roast for 20 minutes or until
flaking off the bone at 190ºC and serve with fresh peas and crusty bread.

99. Paprika chicken salad

Mix a spoonful of sweet smoked paprika with crushed garlic, olive oil and chopped fresh coriander,
and toss chunks of chicken in the mixture. Skewer and grill until lightly browned. Serve in a salad
of rocket and warm chargrilled peppers, onion and cherry tomato.

100. Sweetcorn fritters

Mix cooked sweetcorn into pancake batter and fry as 10cm-wide fritters. Serve with ketchup.