LITMIR.BIZ

      This is a warm and comforting supper that doesn’t take too much time to prepare. You can serve it with either steamed rice or a simply dressed salad, but the two key components are the crisp prosciutto-wrapped chicken oozing with cheese and rich and creamy mushroom sauce. You won’t be able to say no!

      SERVES 4

      100g Gruyère cheese, finely grated

      100g frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed of excess liquid and finely chopped

      4 chicken breasts

      8 slices of prosciutto

      1 tbsp olive oil

      FOR THE MUSHROOM SAUCE

      50g dried mushrooms

      200ml chicken stock

      1 tbsp butter

      1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

      100g mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced

      1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

      75ml white wine

      125ml single cream

      Sea salt and ground black pepper

      Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

      Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. For the mushroom sauce, soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl with the chicken stock.

      To stuff the chicken, mix together the grated cheese and chopped spinach in a bowl. Lay the chicken breasts on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, slice horizontally to create a pocket. Stuff each pocket with the cheese and spinach mix. Wrap two slices of prosciutto around each chicken breast.

      Heat the oil in a a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the chicken breasts and fry all over until they are crisp and golden. Transfer the breasts to a roasting tin and cook on the middle shelf in the oven for about 10 minutes until the prosciutto is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

      Meanwhile, make the mushroom sauce. Add the butter to the pan and place it back on a medium heat. Fry the onion and fresh mushrooms for about 6 minutes until tender. Then add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Pour in the soaked dried mushrooms together with the chicken stock and add the white wine. Bring the sauce to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste.

      Sprinkle the cooked chicken breast with parsley and serve with the mushroom sauce and some rice, pasta or salad leaves.

      CHILLI & TOMATO CRAB PASTA

      I love taking one ingredient and really making it the star of the dish. In this recipe, crab hits the big time! Paired with the heat of chilli and the freshness of lemon juice and zest, it makes a pretty incredible pasta dish. You can buy crab meat quite easily nowadays and for a speedy supper it does save you the hassle of buying a crab, cooking it and then tearing out its insides. Hey, I’m all for shortcuts if you can take them!

      SERVES 4

      Sea salt

      300g spaghetti or linguine

      3 tbsp olive oil

      3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

      1 tsp dried chilli flakes

      2 × 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

      75ml white wine

      150g cooked white crab meat

      3 tbsp single cream

      Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

      1 heaped tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

      Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish

      Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

      Bring a large pot of water to the boil over a high heat. Season with salt and pop in the pasta. Cook as instructed on the packet until al dente and then drain.

      While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a steady simmer. Cook for 10 minutes and then stir through the crab meat, cream, lemon zest and juice and capers. Allow the sauce to bubble away for 2–3 minutes and then tumble in the pasta.

      Mix through until the pasta is coated and serve in generous mounds on warmed plates, garnishing with the parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

      THAI RICE NOODLE SALAD

      Anyone who has ever travelled to Thailand will remember the wonderful balance of flavours from sweet to salty and spicy to smoky. I like to think this salad captures all this. There are so many wonderful textures and flavours from the roasted nuts, fresh crunchiness from the vegetables and then super sweet heat from the chilli and ginger dressing. This makes a really exciting midweek dinner.

      SERVES 4

      250g rice vermicelli noodles

      3 Baby Gem lettuce, leaves separated

      2 large carrots, peeled and finely sliced

      ½ cucumber, peeled lengthways into ribbons

      6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

      60g salted peanuts, roughly chopped

      Large handful of coriander leaves

      Large handful of mint leaves

      Large handful of basil leaves

      FOR THE CHILLI AND GINGER DRESSING

      Juice of 1 lime

      1 tbsp caster sugar

      1 tbsp light soy sauce

      2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)

      1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

      1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

      Soak the noodles in a bowl of boiling water according to the packet’s instructions until they are tender. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and set aside.

      For the dressing, whisk together the lime juice and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl until it has dissolved. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli and ginger and mix through. Then add the noodles, vegetables, peanuts and fresh herbs. Toss to combine and then serve.

      BRAISED CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SPRING ONIONS, BABY GEM & PEAS

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