55g butter
2 tbs olive oi.
2 red onions, very finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced
400g fresh chestnuts, peeled and halved
200g EACH of 4 to 5 mushroom varieties: button, field, portobello, shitake, etc.
1 heaped tbs fresh thyme, chopped
100g low-fat yoghurt
3 tbs port
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 lettuce, for serving.

500g pork fillets
1 tbs tomato sauce
2 tbs honey
1/4 tsp five spice powder
2 tsps soy sauce

SHERRY SAUCE
2 tsps cornflour
1/2 cup / 125ml chicken stock
1 tbs dry sherry
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp oyster sauce

MANGO SAUCE
1 mango, flesh chopped
1/4 cup / 60ml orange juice
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp orange liqueur

ICE CREAM
Give yourself a break
You've prepared a busy entree and a tasty main.
Just buy a premium grade vanilla or French vanilla ice cream. (We won't tell)

1 Heat oil & butter in heavy-based frying pan and soften onion & garlic for 5 minutes.
2 Add chestnuts and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Nuts should cook through but not lose their shape.
3 Add thyme and cook a further 30 - 40 seconds.
4 Add the yoghurt & port*** and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
5 Season with salt and pepper to taste
6 Serve (warm or cold, later) on lettuce leaves with crusty bread on the side

*** For richer taste, also add 150g chestnut puree at this point.

1 Place pork in a shallow glass or ceramic dish
2 Combine tomato sauce, 1 tbs of the honey, five spice powder and soy sauce
3 Pour over pork and tun to coat. Marinate for 1 hour.
4 Drain pork and place in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 180^oC
5 Brush with remaining honey. Bake for 10 minutes longer

SAUCE
6 Combine cornflour, stock, sherry, sugar and oyster sauce in a saucepan
7 Cook over a medium heat, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until sauce boils & thickens
8 Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Simple accompaniment: Boiled / steamed new potatoes and green beans

SAUCE
1 Puree mango, orange juice, lemon juice and liqueur in food processor & chill
2 Serve ice cream balls in parfait glasses / stemmed glass bowls
3 Pour sauce over — garnish with mint sprig optional — and serve.

1 cup / 125g flour
1 cup / 155g buckwheat flour
2 tsp dried yeast
3 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups / 315ml warm milk
1 1/4 cups / 315ml double cream, lightly whipped
125g smoked salmon
60g red or black caviar, or fish roe
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 Spring onions, broadly chopped
3/4 cup / 185g sour cream

Flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup / 125g dried breadcrumbs
90g/3 oz butter
1/4 cup / 60ml dry white wine
1 cup / 250ml double cream
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs green peppercorns (canned or bottled) drained

Assorted fresh fruits — think pears, white grapes, figs, kiwifruit — for colour and tast

STRAWBERRY SAUCE
250g/8oz tofu, drained and roughly chopped
250g/8oz strawberries, roughly chopped
2 tbs honey

1 Combine flour, buckwheat flour and yeast in a bowl
2 Make a well in centre of mixture. Whisk egg yolks into milk. Pour into well.
3 Mix to make a smooth batter. Cover and stand in a warm place for 1 hour until mixture is frothy.
4 Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites and cream into batter. Stand for 15 minutes.
5 Pour 2 tablespoons batter into a lightly greased heated frying pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden. Repeat with remaining mixture.
6 Serve blinis with smoked salmon, caviar / roe, eggs, spring onions and sour cream.

1 Toss veal in flour to coat. Shake off excess. Dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs.
2 Melt butter in a frying pan over a medium heat.
3 Add veal and cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Put aside & keep warm.
4 Place wine and cream in a clean frying pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
5 Stir in mustard and peppercorns and simmer, stirring, for 3-4 minutes more or until sauce reduces and thickens.
6 Serve with veal.

Simple accompaniment: Mashed potato. Tomato and Basil salad.

1 Place tofu, strawberries and honey in a food processor
2 Process to combine. Cover and chill.
3 Serve with fresh fruit (and a nice sauterne/dessert wine)

90 g/3 oz butter.
1 onion, sliced.
250 g/8 oz button mushrooms, sliced.
1tablespoon chopped fresh chervil.
2 cups/250ml/ 16fl oz chicken stock.
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 cup/250ml/ 4fl oz milk
1/2 cup 125ml/ 4fl oz cream (double)

90 g/3 oz butter
8 pork medallions
Apricot sauce
155 g/5 oz dried apricots
1 teaspoon ground coriander

Oven temp: 180c / 350f
250 g/8 oz ricebiscuits, crushed
125 g/4 oz butter, melted
Orange Fig Filling
250 g/8 oz glace or dried figs, chopped
1 cup/250 ml/ 8fl oz orange concentrate
90 g/3 oz butter, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
30 g/1 oz pine nuts

1 Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring for 5 mins.
2 Add chervil and stock. Simmer for 20 mins. Cool slightly.
3 Puree soup and return to a clean saucepan.
4 Blend cornflour with a little milk to make a paste. Stir into soup. Stir in remaining milk. Cook, stiring constantly, until soup thickens. Stir in cream, season to taste. Heat for 3-4 minutes or until hot.

1 Soak apricots in boiling water for 30 mins. Drain. Puree apricots with coriander. Place puree in saucepan. Heat, stirring, over amedium heat for 3-4 minutes or until hot.
2 Melt butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. add pork medallions. Cook for 5 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Serve with sauce.

1 Combine crushed biscuits and melted butter. Press over base and up sides of a greased 23cm/ 9 in flan tin with a removable base. Bake for 10 minutes.
2 Filling:Combine figs and orange concentrate in a saucepan. Bring to simmering over a medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool for 5 minutes.
3 Stir in eggs. Mix well. Pour into buiscuit case. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot, warm or cold.