Steak sandwiches with chilli butter
This is a great idea for your next informal gathering
Ingredients
Four sirloin steaks; two red peppers, deseeded and cut into thick slices; two red onions, peeled and cut into thick slices; salt and lots of black pepper; one tablespoon of balsamic or wine vinegar; one to two tablespoons of oil; mixed leaves; lemon juice; and a French stick or ciabatta.
Chilli butter: 50g butter, softened; one chilli, chopped; juice of half a lemon and parsley, chopped.
Method
Combine the chilli butter ingredients and store in fridge until ready to serve. Season the steaks, red peppers, and onions with salt, black pepper, balsamic vinegar, and oil. Place the vegetables on the hot barbecue or grill, then add the steaks. Do this in two lots if the barbecue or grill is overcrowded. Mix the leaves with a little oil, lemon juice, and seasoning. Cut the bread lengthways, fill with the leaves, grilled vegetables, steak, and top with butter.
Pan-fried chicken with walnut and lemon dressing
Ingredients
Four chicken breasts with the skin on, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Dressing: 100g walnuts; two to three cloves of garlic; juice of lemon; one teaspoon of ground cumin; two tablespoons of coriander, chopped; 125ml olive oil; salt, pepper and sugar to taste; four scallions, chopped.
Method
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside. Set the oven to gas mark 4, 180°C, 350°F. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan, then tip them into the processor with the other dressing ingredients. Whiz for a few seconds. Taste for seasoning, leave in the fridge until ready to serve. Heat a pan or black grill pan. Cook the chicken skin side down for four to five minutes to get a delicious crisp skin. Turn over and cook for another two to three minutes. Finish the cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes in the hot oven. Very good served with spinach, a few new potatoes, and a spoonful of the dressing on top. Any leftover dressing will last for a week in the refrigerator.
Ice cream meringue with cranberry sauce
Ingredients
Meringue: two egg whites, and 100g caster sugar.
Ice-cream: 100g granulated sugar; 125ml water; four egg yolks; a pint of cream; and one teaspoon of vanilla essence.
Cranberry sauce: 150g of cranberries; 100g of sugar; 125ml of water; and 125ml of port.
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 1/2 , 100°C (225°F ). Line baking sheet with non-stick paper. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, add half the sugar, slowly whisking until completely dissolved, then lightly fold in the remaining sugar with a metal spoon. Pipe or spoon the mixture into small circular shapes and bake in oven for approximately one and a half hours to dry without colouring. Cool and store, until required, in an airtight container.
Make up cranberry sauce: Combine cranberries, sugar, and water and simmer until the berries are just soft, set aside to cool.
To assemble
Line a loaf tin with overlapping cling film. Break up the meringues and fill the bottom of the tin. Add half of the ice-cream, then spread two tablespoons of cranberry sauce on top. Cover with remaining ice-cream. Close with overlapping clingfilm and freeze.
