Recipes

Serves 4

500g sausages

150g mushrooms, sliced

a handful of green beans

200g any small dried pasta such as spirals, bows or shells

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

1 red or green chilli, de seeded and chopped

a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

100g grated cheddar cheese

Soak the sausages in cold water and then remove the meat from the skin and break into small pieces. Top and tail the beans and cut into 2cm pieces.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for about 10 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the sausage meat until brown on the outside. Add the onion and mushrooms and fry until soft. Add the garlic, chilli and beans and fry for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and toss together with the sausage mixture and stir in the cherry tomatoes and cheese.

700g assorted vegetables, prepared and cut into 2 cm chunks,

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 x 400g can coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime

to season: salt, freshly ground black pepper and brown sugar

Large handful of fresh coriander leaves

For the curry paste:

1 – 2 habanero chillies, de seeded and roughly chopped

3 cm root ginger, peeled and sliced

2 stalks lemon grass, outer leaves removed and sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled

3 shallot, peeled and sliced

handful fresh coriander leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan, add two tablespoons of the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice and bring to the boil.
Add the vegetables to the curry sauce and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender.
Scatter with fresh coriander before serving.

Polly Tyrer in Surrey Street Market

500g young Swiss chard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash the chard and cut into bite sized pieces, separate the leaves and the stalks.
Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the onion and toss over the heat until soft and golden brown. Stir in the garlic and fry for a minute.
Add the chard stalks and stir fry over a brisk heat until tender, add the leaves and cook for another minute. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper,

3 large firm pears

50g butter

1 tablespoon caster sugar

150 ml double cream

Squeeze lemon juice

Handful of blackberries or sliced plum (optional)

Peel the pear, cut into eight wedges and remove the core.
Melt the butter in a heavy based frying pan. Add the pears and fry gently for a few minutes until tender.
Scatter over the sugar and allow to dissolve. Pour in the cream, bring to the boil add the lemon juice and blackberries or plums if using. Boil briefly and serve straight away.