Carrot & Coriander Fritters with Halloumi & Sweet Lemon Dressing

This is a pretty but complex little number: by turns salty, crisp, hot, sour, yielding and sweet. It will serve three as a swift starter or two as summery supper. Make the preparation even quicker by mixing the dressing in advance, so you have it ready in the refrigerator

INGREDIENTS

• 250g halloumi
• 4 large carrots, coarsely grated or shredded
• 5 spring onions, finely sliced
• Small bunch of coriander, leaves chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
• 20g gram or chickpea flour (or plain flour)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Method

1. Coarsely grate 50g of the halloumi and add to the carrots in a mixing bowl. Slice the remaining halloumi and set aside.
2. Add the remaining fritter ingredients to the mixing bowl, season with pepper and just a little salt and mix well. Form into 12 round cakes, flattening them with your hand, and lay out on a tray. If you have time, chill for 30 minutes to firm them up.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the cakes for a couple of minutes on each side until golden. Remove to a plate and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the halloumi for a minute or 2 on each side. You won’t need any extra oil for this. When done, the cakes should be crisp and golden.
4. Layer the fritters and halloumi slices on serving plates with the rocket, and drizzle with the sweet lemon dressing.

*To make 100ml sweet lemon dressing, combine ½ crushed garlic clove, 1 tbsp mild honey, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon and 90ml olive oil.

Buttery chilli prawns

Spicy seafood is a really versatile dish for sharing - make sure there's plenty of bread for the juices 

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 oz butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
• 1 red chilli , seeds left in and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 12-20 large raw king prawns with shells
• juice 1 lemon , plus a few slices for a finger bowl
• ½ x small bunch parsley , roughly chopped
• small loaf crusty bread , warmed to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter and oil together in a frying pan. Add the garlic, chilli and paprika, then fry for 1-2 mins until starting to turn golden. Turn up the heat, throw in the prawns and fry for a few mins, stirring, until all the prawns turn pink. Take off the heat, season and stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
2. Add some lemon slices to a finger bowl of warm water, grab a bowl for the shells, then dig straight in with your fingers and hunks of crusty bread.

Chicken with crispy Parma ham

A delicious low-fat dish in just 30 minutes, perfect if friends drop by midweek

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 16 oz new potatoes , halved if large
• 8 oz runner beans , trimmed and sliced
• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices Parma ham
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• juice 1 lemo

Method

1. Cook the new potatoes in boiling salted water for 10-15 mins, until just tender, adding the green beans for the final 2 mins. Meanwhile, put each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film and bash them with a rolling pin until they’re about 1cm thick. Season.
2. Heat a large frying pan and add the Parma ham. Cook for 2 mins, until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Add the oil to the pan and add two of the chicken breasts. Cook for 3 mins each side, transfer to a plate and keep warm. Cook the other two breasts in the same way.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the garlic and lemon juice. Toss in the drained beans and potatoes and crumble in the Parma ham. Divide the chicken and veg between four plates.

Duck burger and chips

Can your serve Burgers at a Dinner Party? Off course when there made with Duck - try this delicious burger recipe - Kids love them Too 

This is a burger like no other: a melting scoop of Vacherin cheese encased in minced duck meat and served in a brioche bun with girolle mushrooms. Delish.

Ingredients

For the duck burger

• 2 large duck breasts
• 2 tbsp Vacherin cheese, scooped from the middle
• 2 banana shallots, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 1 tbsp butter
• 250g/9oz girolle mushrooms, cleaned
• 2 brioche buns

For the chips

• vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 2 King Edward potatoes, cleaned and chipped
  
  

  Preparation method

  1. For the duck burger, roughly remove about two-thirds of the fat from each duck breast and then chop them into chunks and pass through a mincer. Season the meat well and form into two balls using your hands.
  2. Take one ball of meat and push a scoop of Vacherin into the centre. Form the meat around the Vacherin and pat down a little to make a classic burger shape. Repeat with the remaining ball and scoop of cheese.
  3. Preheat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 160C/325F (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous: Do not leave unattended.)
  4. Rinse the chipped potatoes under cold running water to remove any excess starch. Dry thoroughly on a clean tea towel and then place into the hot oil to cook for about 8-10 minutes. The chips should begin to lightly colour on the outside and be soft enough to crush between your fingers.
  5. Carefully remove the chips from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Increase the oil temperature to 180C/350F
  6. In the meantime, heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the burgers and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until nicely cooked on each side and just cooked through in the middle. If you like your burger fully cooked through, place in a hot oven for a few minutes to finish. Otherwise, place the burgers on to a plate to rest.
  7. Place the sliced shallots onto the hot griddle to caramelise. Cook for about two minutes.
  8. Heat the butter in a separate pan over a high heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until just softened.
  9. When you are ready to eat, add the chips to the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
  10. Serve the duck burgers with the shallots and mushrooms in a brioche bun.