Skewered Chicken Spirals

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 slices of smoked back bacon
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 garlic clove, crushed
large handful of fresh basil leaves
oil for brushing
salt and pepper

1 - Spread out a piece of chicken between two slices of cling film and beat firmly with a rolling pin to flatten the chicken to an even thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

2 - Mix the garlic and tomato puree and spread over the chicken. Lay a bacon slice over each, then scatter with the basil. Season with salt and pepper.

3 - Roll up each piece of chicken firmly, then cut into thick slices.

4 - Thread the slices onto 4 skewers, making sure the skewer holds the chicken in a spiral shape.

5 - Brush lightly with oil and cook on a preheated hot barbecue or grill for about 10 minutes, turning once. Serve hot with green salad.

Minty Lamb Burgers

350g lean lamb, minced (ground)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp dry wholemeal breadcrumbs
2 tbsp mint jelly
Salt and pepper

4 wholemeal baps, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
small piece of cucumber, sliced
lettuce leaves

1 - Place the lamb in a large bowl and mix in the onion, breadcrumbs and mint jelly. Season well, then mould the ingredients together with your hands to form a firm mixture.

2 - Divide the mixture into 4 and shape each portion into a round disk. Place the rounds on a plate lined with baking parchment and leave to chill for 30 minutes.

3 - Preheat the grill to medium. Line the grill rack with baking parchment, securing the ends under the rack, and place the burgers on top. Cook for 8 minutes, then turn over and cook for a further 7 minutes or until cooked through.

4 - Drain the burgers on absorbent kitchen paper (paper towels). Serve the burgers inside the baps with sliced cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce.

Pork Chops with Gorgonzola

4 large boneless pork loin chops
3 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
100g Gorgonzola, cut into 4 thick strips
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp green pesto
new potatoes and salad, to serve

1 - Pre-heat the grill to high. Brush the chops with the olive oil and season well. Lay the chops on a baking sheet and grill for 4-5 minutes. Turn over and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

2 - Remove the chops from the grill. Brush each one with pesto. Put the tomato slices on top of the chops and add the slices of cheese.

3 - Put the chops back under the grill for 2-4 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and has melted. Serve immediately with new potatoes and a salad.

Leek, Pea and Ham Pasta - Serves 4

300g spaghetti
175g frozen peas
140g thick slice of smoked ham, cut into cubes
85g cheddar or lancashire cheese, grated
25g butter
4 eggs
1 large leek

1 - Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for about 10-12 minutes, adding the peas for the last 3 minutes of the cooking time.

2 - Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan. Wash and slice the leek. Add to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes until softened.

3 - Beat the eggs in a bowl and season. Drain the pasta and immediately return to the pan. Tip in the leeks, eggs, ham and half the cheese, stir well. Adjust the seasoning and serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese.

Spicy Sausage Pasta - Serves 4

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Red pesto
1 tsp Dried oregano
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Garlic clove, chopped
6 Good quality sausages
350g Penne pasta

1 - Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the sausages over a high heat for about 8 minutes until brown. Remove from the pan and cut into 2.5cm pieces.

2 - Fry the onion and garlic in the frying pan for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sausage pieces and oregano, and season to taste. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes until just tender.

3 - When the sauce has thickened, stir in the pesto. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Stir in the sauce and serve immediately.

Chicken & Cashew Stir-fry - Serves 4

450g Chicken breast fillets
75g Cashew nuts
3tbsp Groundnut oil
2tbsp Chinese rice wine/dry sherry
3tbsp Hoi-sin sauce
6 Spring onions, green parts only
1 Red pepper
4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
2tsp Sesame oil

Heat a wok until hot, add the cashew nuts and dry fry over a low to medium heat for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Cut the red pepper in half and remove the core and seeds. Slice into thin strips. Cut the chicken fillet into thin finger length strips.

Heat the wok again until hot, add the oil and swirl it around. Add the garlic and let it sizzle in the oil for a few seconds. Add the pepper and chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add the rice wine or sherry and hoi-sin sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is tender and all the ingredients are evenly glazed.

Stir in the sesame oil, toasted cashew nuts and spring onion tips. Serve immediately.