Tomato & Smoked Mussel Soup

6 Tomatoes
1 White Onion
1 Red Pepper
2 cloves Garlic
1 pint Chicken Stock
1 handful Smoked Mussels
Olive Oil

Chop the onion and red pepper coarsely. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion and pepper. While this is softening, chop the tomatoes coarsely and thinly slice the garlic. Add the tomatoes, garlic and chicken stock to the onions and pepper and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the mussels. Tip everything into a blender and blend till smooth. If you're fussy you could then strain out the tomato skins with a sieve (or you could peel and deseed the tomatoes to start with) but there's no real need.

Spicy Chorizo & Mussel Stew

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 White Onion, thinly sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 Chorizo Sausages, cubed
White Wine
1 Tin Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Chilpotle Paste (see recipe)
1/2 Pint Chicken Stock
1lb Mussels

Heat the oil in a caserole dish and add the onions. Stir for a minute or two then add the garlic and the chorizo. Stir until the chorizo has cooked through. Splash in a little white wine to deglaze then add the chicken stock. Open the tin of tomatoes and wave a knief around inside to chop them, then add them to the caserole along with the chilpotle paste. Season to taste. Leave this to simmer while you debeard and clean the mussels. Steam the mussels in a little white wine for two minutes in a separate pan, then remove the mussels from their shells and add them to the stew.

Baked Chicken with Tarragon

5 Slices White Bread, preferably a little stale
1Tsp Salt
2 Tbsps Tarragon Leaves, finely chopped
1 Egg
2 Chicken Breasts, skinless

Remove the crusts from the bread. Put it in a blender or food processor and whir it into crumbs. Put them in a bowl with the salt and tarragon and mix well. Beat the egg in another bowl and then dip the chicken breasts in the egg. Roll the chicken in the breadcrubs until they are coated all over and place on a rack in a baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes in an Aga hot oven (240C ?)

Korean Beancurd Stew with Prawns

1 pt Chicken Stock
2 Tbsps Korean Chilli Soya Paste
1 block Beancurd
6 Chinese Dried Mushrooms
1/2 Courgette, split lengthways
2 Tbsps Kimchi
1 Leek
200gms Peeled Prawns
1 handful Coriander, roughly chopped
3 Spring Onions, thinly sliced
Sesame Oil

Dice the beancurd to whatever size you like. Dice size works well. Scoop out the seedy part of the courgette with a teaspoon so you have a canoe shape. Slice the leek. Soak the mushrooms in a little boiling water for 20 minutes, then slice thickly removing the stalks if they are still hard. Bring the chicken stock to the boil and add the soya paste. Add the beancurd and mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes. Cut the courgette into thick julienne slices. Add the leeks and the prawns to the stock. Simmer for a further two minutes until the prawns are almost cooked. Add the kimchi and courgettes and cook very briefly so that the courgettes are al dente. Serve in soup bowls garnished with the coriander and spring onions. Sprinke a little sesame oil over each bowl.

Sichuan Chicken with Chillis - Version 1

4 deboned Chicken Thighs
2 Tbsps Cornflour
4 Tsps Sichuan Peppercorns
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Rice Wine
1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
A couple of handfulls of dried Facing Heaven Chillis
2 Cloves of Garlic
An equivalent quantity of Ginger, sliced
5 Spring onions, cut into 1cm lengths
Pinch of Sugar
Sesame Oil

Chop the chicken into small pieces and put them in a bowl. Add the wine and soy sauce. Roast half of the peppercorns in a small saucepan, then grind them in a pepper grinder. Mix the ground pepper, cornflour and salt. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a wok. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and fry briefly until crisp on the outside. Remove from heat and set aside. It will probably be necessary to cook the chicken in several batches to avoid the oil temperature dropping too much.

Cut the chillis in half. Clean the wok and heat a couple of tablespoons of groundnut oil. Add the ginger and garlic and cook briefly. Add the chillis and remaining peppercorns and cook for 30 seconds taking care that they do not burn. Add the chicken, spring onions and sugar. Cook briefly. Sprinkle on a little sesame oil and serve.