ASPARAGUS WITH HERB BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

750g (1 1/2lb.) asparagus, trimmed and halved
90g (3 oz) butter
Cracked black pepper
2 tbsp sage leaves
2 tbsp oregano leaves
2 tbsp marjoram leaves
1tbsp lemon juice
chilli pasta to serve
parmesan shavings to serve

Place asparagus in a steamer or in boiling water or grill until it is tender, then drain. To make herb brown butter sauce, place butter, pepper, sage, oregano and marjoram in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 4-6 minutes or until butter is golden brown. Remove pan from heat and add lemon juice. Place asparagus on a pile of chilli pasta. Spoon herb brown butter over pasta and asparagus, and serve with shavings of parmesan cheese. Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main meal.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the fish, crust side down and cook for about 3 minutes or until the coating turns golden brown.  Turn the fish over and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until the fish is springy to the touch and cooked through.  Remove the fish to an ovenproof platter, cover loosely with foil and place in the oven.

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over high heat.  Add the garlic and tomato and cook for 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the fava beans, olives and capers and cook for 1 minute.  Add the white wine and stock and turn the heat to high.  Reduce the liquid by half, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

CHILI FLAVOURED COUSCOUS

1 small onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup couscous
2 tbsp thinly sliced scallion greens

In a heavy saucepan, cook the onion in the oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until it is golden, add the chili powder, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth, bring the liquid to a boil and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the scallion greens. Serves 2.

LENTILS WITH SPICY OIL
 
Serves 12 as part of an antipasto buffet or side dish
 
A very hot pepper such as a Scotch bonnet will infuse the oil with its heat within a half hour.
 
1/2 pound small green lentils
1 hot pepper, such as a Scotch Bonnet, jalapeno or Serrano
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
 
Sort the lentils, discarding any stones.  Rinse thoroughly.  Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 4 inches.  Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until tender but not mushy, about half an hour.  Drain; rinse with cold water.
 
Slice pepper and place in a small bowl with the oil.  Let stand until the oil tastes hot, about 30 minutes. The length of time will depend on the heat of the pepper. If the pepper isn’t very hot, heat the oil to speed the process.  Strain oil and discard pepper.  Mix oil with lentils and salt.  Serve immediately or within 2 days.

ORZO WITH BROCCOLI, FETA AND OLIVES
 
1 1/2 cups orzo
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 pound) cut into florets
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp pine nuts
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup black brine-cured olives pitted and halved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
 
Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 8 minutes.  Add broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat.  Add pine nuts and stir until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Add crushed red pepper and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.   Remove mixture from heat.
 
Drain orzo and broccoli.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Pour oil mixture over and toss to coat.  Add feta, olives, Parmesan and basil and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

ORZO WITH DRIED CHERRIES AND ALMONDS

1 cup orzo
1/4 tsp crumbled saffron threads
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted slightly
1 scallion, sliced thin diagonally

In a saucepan, boil the orzo in 6 cups boiling water with the saffron for 8 minutes, or until it is al dente, drain it, and refresh it under cold water. In a bowl, stir together the zest, the orange juice and salt to taste. Add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. In a bowl, toss the orzo, drained well, with the dressing and stir in the cherries, the almonds, and the scallion. Serve the orzo at room temperature. Serves 4.

ORZO WITH DILL

4 Servings
1/2 lb orzo (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, stir in the orzo, return to a boil and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Return the orzo to the dry saucepan and stir in the olive oil. Stir in the lemon zest, dill, salt and pepper and serve at once.

POMMES ANNA

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2 pounds russet (baking) or large yellow-fleshed potatoes

Brush the bottom of a 9-inch heavy oven-proof non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with 1 tbsp of the butter. Peel 1 potato, slice it thin, using a food processor fitted with the slicing blade, or a mandoline, or similar slicing device, and pat the slices dry quickly. Arrange the slices, overlapping them slightly, in layers in the skillet, brushing each layer with some of the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Peel, slice, pat dry and arrange the remaining potatoes, 1 at a time, in the same manner.

Cover the layered potatoes with foil, weigh them with an ovenproof saucepan and cook them over moderate heat for 5 minutes from the time the butter sizzles. Transfer the skillet with the pan weight to the middle of a preheated 425 degree oven and bake the potatoes for 30 minutes. Remove the weight and the foil and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes more, or until they are tender. The potatoes may be made 2 hours in advance and kept, covered loosely, at room temperature. Reheat the potatoes, covered with the foil, in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

POTATO GRATIN WITH MUSTARD AND GRUYERE CHEESE

3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled,
cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
1 1/2 tsp grated Gruyere cheese
(about 10 ounces)
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 1/3 cups chicken stock or low-salt broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Overlap 1/3 of potatoes in prepared dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon dillweed and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layering twice, using 1/3 of potatoes, 1.2 teaspoon dillweed and 1 cup cheese for each layer. Whisk cream, stock and mustard in a bowl. Pour over potatoes. Bake until potatoes are tender and top is crusty and brown, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes and serve. 8 Servings.

POTATOES WITH PAPRIKA SAUCE

4 Servings
3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large tomatoe, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or low-salt broth
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, tomatoe, garlic and paprika and cook 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add flour and cook 3 minutes stirring constantly. Gradually add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Before serving, bring sauce to a simmer, thinning with additional stock if necessary.)

Heat remaining 3/4 cup oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until golden brown and cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer potatoes to paper towels to drain. Divide potatoes among plates. Bring sauce to a simmer. Spoon over potatoes.

RED CABBAGE AND ONIONS

1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb red cabbage, cored, cut into 2-inch pieces and layers separated
1/2 lb red onions, cut into 1-inch pieces and layers separated
2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté cabbage, onions, thyme, salt and pepper, stirring, 3 minutes.  Cover skillet and reduce hat to moderate, then cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 12 minutes more.

SEVEN VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH CHUNKY ONION HARISSA
8 Servings

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only) minced
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup raisins
1 cup 1/2 inch cubes peeled butternut squash
1 large yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) couscous

Lemon wedges
Chunky Onion Harissa

Heat oil in heavy large dutch oven over low heat.  Add leeks and garlic.  Cover and cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Add stock and next 8 ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper.  Increase heat and bring mixture to boil.  Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are crisp tender, about 5 minutes.  Mix in tomatoes, peas, cilantro, then couscous.  Remove from heat.  Cover and let stand 10 minutes. 

Fluff couscous with fork.  Transfer to large platter.  Garnish with lemon wedges.  Serve, passing Chunky Onion Harissa separately.

CHUNKY ONION HARISSA
(Makes about 2 cups)

1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
6 green onions, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Combine tomatoe paste, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.  Whisk in vinegar.  Mix in onions and garlic.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead.  Let stand at room temperature.  Stir harissa well before using.)

CHILI SALTED SNAKE BEANS

500g (1 lb) Snake or green beans, halved
2 tsp Sesame oil
3 large red chillies
2 Garlic cloves
Black Pepper
Sea Salt

Place halved snake or green beans in a steamer over boiling water to cook until tender.  Place 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a hot wok with 3 chopped large red chillies, 2 sliced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.  Cook for 2 minutes, then toss with the beans.