Shepherd's Pie

Serves 4

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely chopped
450g lean minced beef
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
Sprig of thyme
400ml stock
Salt and black pepper
1 kg potatoes, cooked
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon butter
1 little milk or cream

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Remove from the pan. Heat a little more oil the pan and brown the meat. Add back the onions along with the carrots, tomato puree, worchestershire sauce, thyme, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C (350°F). Pour the mince mixture into a baking dish. Cream the potatoes with the egg yolk, butter, milk or cream and salt and pepper. Pile the potatoes on top of the mince and score with a fork. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the potato is nicely browned.

Gratin Dauphinois (Garlic Potatoes)

Serves 6

1kg potatoes
1 or 2 cloves garlic, mashed
2 oz butter
2 cups (500mL) whole milk
160g French or Swiss Gruyère cheese
1 pint double cream
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 360ºF (180 ºC). Slice the potatoes into thin slices (1/8 inch thick). Rinse in cold water. Drain and dry in a towel.

Put the potatoes in a pan and cover with milk. Add salt.

Bring to the boil starting at moderate heat for 5 minutes then low heat for 10 minutes. Stir from time to time.

Rub a fireproof dish with garlic and grease it well with butter. Transfer half of the potatoes in the gratin dish. Add half the cheese, double cream and pepper to the layer. Put the second half of the potatoes and cover with the cheese and double cream left.

Cook for 1 hour at 180 ºC until the top is golden brown.

Tropical Chicken Salad

Serves 4

2 chicken breasts skinned
½ cup teriyaki sauces
2 chopped tomatoes
1 small onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper diced fine
2 t chopped cilantro
¼ cup mustard
¼ cup honey
1½ Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon oil
1½ Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1½ Teaspoons juice of a lime
1 large bag mixed salad greens
1 can pineapple chunks
4 cups corn chips

Preheat your grill. Marinade your chicken in the teriyaki sauce for at least 2 hours. Mix next four ingredients, cover, and refrigerate. Mix next six ingredients, cover, and refrigerate. Take your chicken and put on grill. Cook 6-8 minutes per side. Make sure juices run clear for doneness.

Take the salad greens and put onto plates. Take out your salsa and spoon over your salads. Put a few spoonfuls of pineapple on top of them. Break up chips and sprinkle on top of salads. Next, take some of the grilled chicken and lay on top of the salad. Take your dressing out of the refrigerator and pour over the top of each salad. Serve and Enjoy!

Caesar Salad

Serves 4-6

1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups French bread, cubed
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
8 anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 coddled eggs - see how to coddle eggs below
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese

Fry bread cubes in some of the olive oil, as needed. Toss until crispy and golden. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Crush the garlic cloves and salt into a paste in a large wooden salad bowl, using the back of a wooden salad serving spoon.

Add the anchovies and do the same. Add the Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon juice and pepper. Whisk in the remaining oil until thoroughly combined.

Add the grated Parmesan cheese and whisk again until combined.

Add the shredded lettuce and toss thoroughly. Add the coddled eggs and toss until the lettuce is coated with the egg. Top with shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve

To Make Coddled Eggs:

Put egg (in the shell) in saucepan of room temperature water. Bring water to a simmer and simmer 1 minute. Drain and cool egg immediately by running cool water over it. It will be soft and the white still runny.

Adding the eggs is optional but oh so good.