Spring Onion Sauce

Ingredients
3 Tablespoons Spring Onions (finely chopped)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger (grated)
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil (or peanut for authenticity)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Sauce Pan
1 Heatproof Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Place all the ingredients apart from the oil in the mixing bowl.
   
2. Heat up the oil in the sauce pan until it begins to smoke then pour it over the other ingredients in the mixing bowl. Leave to stand for 2-3 hours to let the flavours infuse.
   

Curry Paste

Ingredients
50g Coriander seeds
4 Tablespoons Cumin Seeds
2 Tablespoons Fennel Seeds
2 Tablespoons Fenugreek seeds
4 Dried red Chillies
5 Curry Leaves
1 Tablespoon Chilli Powder
1 Tablespoon Ground Turmeric
150ml White Wine Vinegar
250ml Vegetable Oil

Equipment
1 Wok
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Spoon
2 Air Tight Jam Jars
Pestle and Mortar/Spice Mill

The Good Bit

1. Grind all the whole spices using the mill or mortar, then place in your mixing bowl along with the rest of the powdered spices and mix well, stir in the wine vinegar and add 5 tablespoons of water.
2. Heat the oil in the wok then pour in the spice mix and cook for about 10 minutes until all the water has been absorbed, when the oil rises to the top, it's done. allow to cool and then pour into your jars and keep in the fridge.

Makes 2 jars

Tikka Paste

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Coriander seeds
2 Tablespoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Tablespoons Garam Masala
1 Tablespoons Ground Ginger
1 Tablespoon Dried Mint
2 Teaspoons Chilli Powder
1/2 Teaspoons Turmeric
Pinch of Salt
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
150ml White Wine Vinegar
150ml vegetable Oil
A Few Drops Red and Yellow Food Colouring

Equipment
1 Wok
1 Mixing Bowl
2 Air Tight Jam Jars
Pestle and Mortar/Spice mill
1 Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Grind the coriander and cumin seeds until they make a fine powder, add to the mixing bowl, add the rest of the spices and stir well. Mix in the lemon juice and a few drops of each food colouring, then add 2 tablespoons of water and the vinegar until you have a thin paste.
2. Now transfer the mixture to the wok with the oil in it and heat, stirring occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes, once the oil floats to the top the sauce is done, spoon into the jars once cool and store in the fridge.

Makes 2 Jars

Sauce

Ingredients
175ml Milk
30g Butter
60g Button Mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)
1 Tablespoon Plain Flour (level)
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Sauce Pan
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan gently then cook the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, next add the flour and cook for a further minute, stirring all the time.
2. Now gradually add the milk and bring to the boil (if you've been cooking meat or vegetables, any juice/stock you have left in any pans is a lovely addition) Keep on stirring until the sauce thickens, season and serve.
   

Tomato Salsa

Ingredients
6 Tomatoes (skinned, seeded and diced)
1 Handful Fresh Basil (shredded finely, no stalks)
25g Black Olives (thinly sliced)
3 Shallots (thinly sliced)
2 Cloves Garlic (very finely sliced)
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Mix together all your ingredients and serve immediately.

Mexican Salsa

Ingredients
6 Tomatoes (skinned seeded and diced)
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
1 Red Onion (finely sliced)
4 Tablespoons Fresh Coriander (roughly chopped)
1 Lime (juiced)
2 Green Chillies (seeded and finely sliced)
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Juicer

The Good Bit

1. Mix all your ingredients together in your bowl and chill in the fridge for an hour or so before use. Excellent with nachos or served at a BBQ
   

Salad Dressing

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper (use freshly ground if you can)

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk

The Good Bit

1. Start by mixing the vinegar and mustard together in your bowl then whisk in the oil until you have a thick creamy mixture, now season with salt and pepper and chill until ready to use.
2. Serve drizzled over salad leaves or tossed into potatoes.
   

Jazzy Butter Sauce

Ingredients
3 Shallots (chopped as fine as you can)
100g Butter (softened)
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper (freshly ground is best)
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Pinch Of Salt
A Splash of Oil

Equipment
1 Frying Pan
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Fry off the shallots slowly for 6-8 minutes until they are soft and golden brown, leave them to cool for a couple of minutes.
2. Now gently warm up or beat your butter in the bowl to get it soft and add the shallots pepper, salt and mustard, blend in well then roll out on a piece of cling film and place in the fridge until firm and needed. Goes REALLY well with steak!!

Onion Gravy

Ingredients
1 Small Onion (finely chopped)
A Good Knob of Butter
300ml Beef Sock (if you can make this with a stock cube and the juices you have left over from cooking vegetables like carrots or peas, you'll get a very tasty gravy)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Sauce Pan

The Good Bit

1. Start by melting your butter in the pan then slowly cooking the onion 10-15 minutes is really fine, just get it to go soft and golden not burnt, then stir in the flour and cook for about a minute, you'll get a thick mess at this stage.
2. Next if you can pour some reserved juices from your vegetable pans into the pan where you cooked your meat thats good, if not just add 300ml boiling water to your onion pan, give your meat a good stir, get all the burnt bits off the bottom into your water then add to the onions.
   
3. Now crumble in a stock cube and keep stirring until you have a nice thick brown shiny gravy. If it is too thick just add a little more water, if it's to thin, keep stirring, turn up the heat and simmer off some liquid whilst you keep stirring.
   

Butter Sauce

Ingredients
25g Plain Flour
175g Butter (chopped into cubes)
300ml Water
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Salt

Equipment
1 Pan
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Balloon Whisk

The Good Bit

1. Add all your ingredients to the bowl then sit it in a pan of hot (not boiling or simmering water) Stir continuously with the spoon until you have a smooth paste. Now add in the butter and whisk with the balloon whisk.
2. Once all the ingredients are well mixed season with salt and serve, if you need to keep the bowl over the hot water whilst you finish preparing and serving the rest of your meal you can for about 30 minutes, make sure it's no longer and that the water isn't boiling or you'll make the sauce really oily. Serve with fish, asparagus and broccoli.
   

Serves 4

Onion Sauce

Ingredients
450g Onions (sliced)
50g Butter
600ml Stock (vegetable, beef, chicken, lamb stock or milk)
25g Plain Flour
Pinch of Each, Mace, Nutmeg, Salt.
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Equipment
1 Large Pan
1 Medium Pan
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Sieve

The Good Bit

1. Heat half the butter in your large pan and add the onions, cook slowly so as not to brown them, stirring occasionally, in the other pan heat your stock or milk. Once the onions are soft add the stock or milk and drop in the mace, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
2. Simmer for 10-15 minutes then strain, reserving the liquid and onions, now heat the remaining butter in one of your pans and add the flour, cook for about 2-3 minutes then remove from the heat and add in the reserved liquid.
3. Keep stirring all the time to avoid lumps, next chop up the reserved onions as fine as you can and add to the pan, stir again, reheat for a little while then serve. Works well with all meats but especially lamb.
   

Serves 4

Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients
125g Butter (diced)
2 Egg Yolks
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Pinch of White Pepper
Pinch of Sugar

Equipment
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Pan Gently Simmering Water

The Good Bit

1. Throw all the ingredients except the butter in your bowl and whisk until the mixture is light and frothy, now place the bowl over the simmering water and continue whisking until the sauce thickens and the whisk begins to leave a trail.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and start to add the butter a cube at a time whisking well between each addition until all the butter is gone, the sauce should be shiny and thick, season to taste and serve.

Makes 200ml

Parsley Sauce

Ingredients
600ml Milk
40g Butter
40g Plain Flour
4 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt and White Pepper (black will do freshly milled)

Equipment
2 Small Pans
1 Wooden Spoon
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board

The Good Bit

1. Heat your milk in one pan then cover and set aside for a while whilst you do the next stages.
2. Heat the butter in the other pan until it just begins to melt (don't allow to burn or colour) now add in the flour and stir with the wooden spoon until you have a smooth mixture, remove from the heat and add the warm milk, stirring all the time.
3. Place the sauce back on the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Just before serving add the chopped parsley and season then stir well. (do not re heat or try to cook the parsley otherwise you'll loose it's delicate flavour) Serve with white fish or broad beans and chicken!
   

Serves 4

Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients
1 Onion (quartered)
425ml Milk
2-3 Parsley Sprigs
1 Bay Leaf
A Pinch of Mace (optional)
10 Peppercorns
40g Butter
20g Plain Flour
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Equipment
1 Sauce Pan
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Slotted Spoon/Sieve
1 Bowl/Jug

The Good Bit

1. Start by putting the milk in the sauce pan along with the onion, parsley, bay leaf peppercorns and mace, bring the milk to a slow simmer taking about five minutes then remove from the heat, using the slotted spoon remove the onion, parsley, pepper corns and bay leaf. Tip the milk in your jug and rinse and dry the pan.
2. Next melt your butter in the pan, as soon as it melts stir in the flour but be careful not to burn it (you'll add colour and a nutty flavour to your sauce (which we don't want!!) until you have a nice glossy smooth paste. Slowly add the spiced milk a little at a time stirring with the wooden spoon when you have added half the milk whisk with the balloon whisk and add the rest of the milk, turn down the heat and leave to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season and serve.

Makes 425ml