Focaccia

I've been making focaccia on and off for a few years, but I think the method below is the one I will be sticking with. It isn't too involved, and the end result is as good as any other focaccia I have tasted.

Ingredients
400g strong white flour
300g warm water
7g instant yeast
1 tbsp olive oil

10g salt

coarse salt, more olive oil and some sprigs of rosemary for topping

Method

1. Combine the flour, salt, water, yeast, olive oil and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, then work the dough in the bowl until it smooth. Cover and leave to prove for 1 hour.
2. Set the oven to 200oC. Lightly grease a baking tray. (Mine is 22 cm by 33 cm).
3. Gently work some of the air out of the dough, then transfer it to the tray. With wet hands, stretch the dough out to fit the tray (you can do this gradually, leaving it to rest in between) and leave the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
4. Dimple the shaped dough by pressing your wet fingertips into it, sprinkle with salt, put a few wet sprigs of rosemary on top, and drizzle with olive oil, then transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes or so, until golden brown.

Eggy bread

I find it hard, first thing in the morning, to think of more than about three breakfast options - pancakes (or some variation on them), cereal, or toast. Here is a simple alternative to toast, which my mum used to make for me, and that I now make for my kids.

Ingredients
4 slices of bread
2 eggs
salt

Method
Beat the eggs in a flat dish. Add a little salt, soak the bread in the egg, then fry in a little oil, until it is done on both sides.

Cod's roe with tomato and green pepper (huevas aliñadas)

Huevas aliñadas or dressed roe is a standard cold tapa in Cádiz, and is a big favourite of Sammy's. There was some cod's roe in my Edinburgh fishmonger the other day, so I bought it and made this simple cod's roe salad for Sammy to welcome him back from his skiing trip with Grandma and Auntie Clara.

Ingredients
250g cooked cod´s roe
2 tomatoes
1/2 green pepper
2 spring onions
3 tbsps olive oil
1.5 tbsps vinegar
1/2 tsps salt
black pepper

Method
Cut the cod's roe into smallish pieces (about 2cm square), dice the tomatoes and green pepper, and slice the spring onions. Combine in a bowl, dress with the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, mix well, and leave to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Mild chicken curry with coconut milk

This is a simple curry, mild enough for kids to eat and easy enough for them to cook.

Ingredients
vegetable oil
1 kg of chicken breast or thigh meat, cut into large chunks
250g onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tbsps mild curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tin of coconut milk

Method

1. In plenty of vegetable oil, gently fry the chopped onion until it is almost done.
2. Add the garlic and ginger, and fry for another minute.
3. Add the curry powder and salt, fry for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the chicken, stir well so that is coated in the onion and spice mixture, and fry for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk, bring to a boil, reduce heat to minimum and simmer for 30 minutes.

Simple salad dressing

This is our standard salad dressing. Simply add iPod and serve.

Ingredients
1 tsp French mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Method
Mix all of the ingredients in a jar. Put the lid on, and shake well to emulsify.

Simple meatballs

When I was small, meatballs were big. Now that I am big, meatballs are small.

Ingredients
olive oil
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
500g minced pork
500g minced beef
1 egg
75g breadcrumbs (or matzo meal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper

Method

1. Finely chop and fry the onion in olive oil. When it is nearly done, add the finely chopped garlic and fry for another 30 seconds or so.
2. In a large bowl, mix the fried onion and garlic with the minced pork and beef, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, salt and few twists of black pepper. Shape the mixture into walnut sized balls
3. Heat plenty of olive oil (about 1cm deep) in a large frying pan, and fry the meatballs in batches over a low to meadium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, until done.
4. Strain, then cook for a few more minutes in plenty of tomato sauce.

Borscht (beetroot soup)

My mum came round the other day and handed me a plastic bag. It contained a couple of bunches of beetroot and a small bag of potatoes. I looked at her quizzically. "I was going to make you some borscht," she explained, "but I couldn't be bothered, so I just brought you the ingredients instead." I was still mulling over what to do with the beetroots and whether to obey my mother's instructions, when my veggie box turned up on the doorstep with another instalment of beetroots. Apparently somebody up there was trying to tell me something.

There are lots of different types of borscht: Russian, Polish, Ukrainian; hot or cold; meaty or meat-free etc. This version is adapted from the one in Evelyn Rose's New Complete International Jewish Cookbook.

Ingredients
1 kg fresh beetroots
one carrot
one onion
1.5 l chicken stock
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
to serve
cream cheese

Method

1. Peel and very finely chop the beetroots, carrot and onion. Put in a large saucepan with the stock, lemon juice, salt and black pepper, bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to minimum and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
2. With a stick blender, blend the soup in the pan until it is smooth.
3. Add a generous spoonful of cream cheese to each bowl of soup as you serve.