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SERVES READY IN MINS
200g penne 1tbsp olive oil 4 garlic
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cloves, thinly sliced 1tsp chilli flakes
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1tsp dried oregano 250ml water
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400g tin of chopped tomatoes 60g
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pitted green olives 2 peppers, deseeded
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and roughly chopped 300-400g
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sausages (Italian fennel sausages are best, but any will do), pricked all over with a fork A handful of basil or flat-leaf
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parsley leaves, torn or chopped Grated
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Parmesan or similar (optional)
1 Combine the penne, oil, garlic, chilli flakes, oregano, water and tomatoes in a large bowl and stir to mix.
2 Add the olives, peppers and sausages on top. Cover and cook for 24 mins, stirring every 8 mins.
3 Stir in the basil at the end of cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as you like (for me it usually doesn’t need any adding).
4 Garnish with grated Parmesan or a similar cheese, if you like.
SERVES
READY IN MINS PLUS RESTING
1 aubergine 1 shallot or 1⁄2 banana
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shallot, very thinly sliced with the grain
2 small tomatoes, quartered
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Generous handfuls of mint and
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coriander leaves 1 fresh lime leaf, very,
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thinly sliced (optional) A few crispy
● shallots FOR THE DRESSING 2tbsp
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light brown sugar Juice of 1 lime 1tbsp
● ● fish sauce 1⁄2tsp smoked paprika
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1 bird’s eye or similar small, hot chilli,
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very thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, very
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thinly sliced
1 Make the dressing first. Stir everything together until the sugar dissolves. This is best made at least an hour in advance to allow the flavours to mingle.
2 Cut the aubergine into quarters lengthways, so you have four long baton-shaped pieces. Bundle these pieces up and wrap them in cling film, then cook for 4-6 mins, turning the bundle once during cooking. The aubergines should be totally so , so if there are any firm bits, keep cooking for 1-2 mins. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill (this will take at least an hour).
3 To serve, unwrap the chilled aubergines and lay on a plate. Scatter over the raw shallots, tomatoes and fresh herbs, then pour over the dressing and top with a few crispy shallots (if using).
SERVES READY IN MINS
FOR THE SYRUP ● 1 pink grapefruit
2 lemons 100g honey FOR THE
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CAKE ● 200g butter 50g honey
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150g caster sugar, ideally golden
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3 eggs 200g plain flour 50g fine
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cornmeal (or polenta) 1tsp bicarbonate
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of soda 1 1⁄2tsp baking powder 1⁄4tsp
● ● salt FOR THE DRIZZLE 120g icing
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sugar 1tbsp lemon juice Pink or red
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food colouring, as needed Sprinkles
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1 For best results, have everything at room temperature before you begin.
Zest the grapefruit and one of the lemons with a fine grater, then squeeze their juices into a medium-sized bowl, catching any seeds with your hands or a sieve. Add about a third of the zest to the juice along with the honey. Cook, uncovered, for 2-3 mins until the mixture boils and infuses. Set aside while you prepare the cake.
2 Place the butter in a large plastic bowl and cook, uncovered, for 1 min on power level 5 so it becomes very so (it’s okay if it melts a bit). Tip in the honey along with the sugar and whisk hard for a few minutes until the mixture is light and smooth.
3 Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed, then add the flour, cornmeal, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined, then fold in the remaining citrus zest with a spatula, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.
4 Cover the bowl and cook for 6 mins. While the cake is still warm, poke it repeatedly with a thin skewer, then pour over half of the citrus-honey syrup. Return to the microwave and cook for 1 min.
5 Leave to cool, then turn the cake out of the bowl and onto a plate. Poke holes in the upper surface of the cake as you did with the bottom, and pour over the rest of the syrup.
6 Stir together the icing sugar, lemon juice and food colouring to make a drizzle-able pink icing, then pour all over the cake and finish with sprinkles.
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Microwave Meals: Delicious recipes to save time effort and energy by
Tim Anderson (£16.99, Hardie Grant Books)