Grilled harissa sardines with fennel & potato salad

The oiliness of sardines can cope really well with harissa (mackerel is very good, too) and the freshness of fennel balances the richness.

SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY 900g new potatoes

2 fennel bulbs

½ lemon, juiced

24 small good-quality black olives 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil For the sardines

12 sardines, cleaned and gutted 4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp shop-bought harissa, or use Diana’s on p92

2 lemons, 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges to serve

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, about 15-20 mins. While they’re cooking, remove any tough outer leaves from the fennel and trim the tops, keeping any feathery fronds. Halve lengthways and remove the little hard core from each piece and discard. Cut the fennel into very fine slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Put them in a bowl and squeeze over the lemon juice. When the potatoes are tender, drain well and toss with the fennel, olives, extra virgin olive oil, some seasoning and the reserved fronds. 2 If the sardines haven’t been scaled, remove by hand under running water, then wash out traces of blood from the inside and dry with kitchen paper.

3 Heat the grill. Mix the oil with the harissa. Put the sardines on a grill tray covered with foil. Brush them with the harissa oil (on both sides), season with salt and put under a very hot grill and cook for 4-5 mins each side, or until cooked through. Squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter with the parsley. Serve on the fennel and potato salad with wedges of lemon for squeezing over.

GOOD TO KNOW vit c • omega-3 • gluten free PER SERVING 502 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 6g • carbs 26g • sugars 2g • fibre 5g • protein 34g • salt 0.8g

Harissa & lamb sausage rolls

If you want these to be sweet as well as spicy, add 2-3 tbsp dried fruit (chopped apricots or raisins) soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes and then drained, to the lamb. I always use Dorset Puff Pastry (available from Ocado) if I can get it.

It’s more expensive, but more buttery than other brands.

MAKES 8 PREP 20 mins COOK 25 mins EASY ❄

600g lamb mince

2 tbsp shop-bought harissa, or use Diana’s on p92

1/4 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp chopped coriander

1 garlic clove, grated

1 preserved lemon, rind finely chopped (discard the flesh) plain flour, for dusting

325g ready rolled puff pastry

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp black sesame seeds (optional)

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Mix together the lamb, harissa, spices, coriander, garlic, preserved lemon and seasoning in a bowl. Pummel it with your hands to make sure it’s well combined.

2 Lightly dust your work surface with flour and lay the puff pastry on top. Cut it down the middle lengthways, then roll each piece with a rolling pin so each piece measures about 14 x 42cm.

3 Divide the lamb mixture into four and roll each one into a sausage shape using your hands. Lay two of them, end to end, on one of the pieces of pastry. Brush some egg along one of the long sides of the pastry, just by the edge. Pull up the other side to encase the sausage shapes and press the sides together. Do the same with the rest of the meat and pastry.

4 Cut each pastry parcel into four. Transfer these to a baking sheet, then brush each sausage roll with the egg and sprinkle over the sesame seeds, if using. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden.

PER ROLL 320 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 10g • carbs 14g • sugars 1g • fibre 1g • protein 18g • salt 0.5g

Roast aubergines with yogurt & harissa

The simplest dish but absolutely delicious. Melting, slightly hot and rich with butter.

SERVES 4 as a side or starter PREP 5 mins COOK 40 mins EASY V

4 aubergines

2 tbsp olive oil

75g butter

1 tbsp shop-bought harissa, or use Diana’s on p92

6 tbsp Greek yogurt

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 Heat the oven to 200C/190C fan/ gas 6. Pierce the aubergines a few times with the tip of a knife, then brush with olive oil and put them on a baking sheet. Roast for about 40-45 mins, or until the aubergines are completely tender.

2 Melt the butter in a pan, then stir through the harissa. Cut the aubergines in half, opening them up a bit like a baked potato. Put them on a warm platter and season the inside of each one, then mix the yogurt with the garlic. Spoon some of this into each aubergine, then drizzle over the spiced butter. Scatter over the coriander and sesame seeds to serve.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 361 kcals • fat 30g • saturates 16g • carbs 11g • sugars 10g • fibre 10g • protein 7g • salt 0.5g