Fried Rice

This is our version of Chinese take-away fried rice. Use whatever meat and vegetables are in the larder. Tasty meal for four

Ingredients

• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/4 white cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups of easy cook rice
• 250g chopped gammon ham
• 100g cooked prawns
• 100g petit pois
• 1 3/4 cups water or stock
• Vegetable oil

Method

1. Put a large dollop of oil into a large skillet or wok.
2. Add the onions, garlic, cabbage and carrots and place on a medium heat.
3. Cover and let the vegetables cook for a while.
4. Add the rice, meat, prawns and peas.
5. Add the water and give a good stir.
6. Cover and allow to cook until the water is absorbed.
7. Add more water if necessary.
8. It is possible to get a tasty paella-like crust on the bottom of the pan if timed just right.

Pan fried lamb’s liver, bacon and chorizo

Back in the mid 70’s, I had to do some work at Kingston upon Thames Power Station. When I stopped for lunch, I found a little Greek restaurant opposite in a parade of shops and restaurants. That whole area, including the power station has since been redeveloped, and bears no resemblance. I had their lunch time offer of pan fried kidneys, probably with rice.

When I got home, I mentioned this to she who did most of the cooking at that time and she came up with something which became her kidney special. It evolved into a completely different dish over time.

Chorizo Egg and Tomato Toasted Sandwich

This is a nice snack for two.

Ingredients

• Two eggs
• Sliced chorizo or crispy bacon
• Four slices of bread
• Tomato thinly sliced
• Cheese sliced

Method

1. Toast two slices of bread and fry two eggs
2. Meanwhile slice the tomato thinly
3. Flip the eggs, otherwise the tomato won’t stay on top
4. Layer chorizo slices, egg, tomato slices and cheese slices on each piece of toast
5. Put the toast slices on heatproof plates and put under a hot grill to melt the cheese
6. Toast the other two slices of bread
7. When the cheese is melted take the plates out and press down the other slices of toast on top
8. Slice the sandwiches in two diagonally

Slow cooked lamb

This recipe is based on the mutton in a pot in this episode of Italy Unpacked. I have converted it to a slow cooker recipe, but it could be done in a casserole in the oven or in a earthenware pot next to a wood fire. Some of the ingredients are a compromise, for example Giorgio bought a kilo of rocket in the market. I couldn’t have got all that in the pot. Not all those tomatoes or chillies either.

Sausages with Green Lentils

This recipe is based on the sausages with lentils in this episode of Italy Unpacked on BBC 2. This is enough for three or four, depending on the number of sausages. You will need a medium sized pan to cook the lentils, and a large deep pan for the sausages, onions, and everything else.

Ingredients

• One cup green lentils
• Two sticks celery, chopped
• Large garlic clove or two small, chopped
• Six or eight good quality sausages
• Two large onions, chopped
• 500g carton passata
• Olive oil

Method

1. Put lentils, chopped celery and garlic in a pot, cover with water, boil for five minutes, then simmer for about 30 minutes until tender. Add more water if necessary. The idea is for the lentils to absorb all the water.
2. Fry sausages in a deep pan until nearly done.
3. Remove sausages and replace with chopped onions.
4. Fry the onions until golden, stir to release the bits of burnt on sausage.
5. Add passata and heat through, stirring.
6. Replace sausages, add lentils.
7. Cook gently until done, add some olive oil before serving.