Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
50 g/2 oz butter
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
250 g/8 oz broccoli, chopped
300 g/10 oz spinach, washed and chopped
900 ml/1/1/2 pints Chicken orVegetable Stock
125 g/4 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled into small pieces
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
75 g/3 oz toasted pine nuts, to garnish
warm crusty bread, to serve

Spinach and Broccoli Soup

heat the oil and butter in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.

add the chopped potatoes, broccoli, spinach and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

add the Gorgonzola to the soup with the lemon juice, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. This soup can be liquidized or left with chunky

pieces according to taste. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and serve with warm crusty bread.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
250 g/8 oz asparagus, cooked and cooled
125 g/4 oz or 4 slices smoked salmon
200 g/7 oz can tuna, drained
250 g/8 oz can artichoke hearts, drained
125 g/4 oz can sardines
125 g/4 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
125-175 g/4-6 oz cooked peeled prawns
125 g/4 oz black olives
olive oil
salt and pepper
lemon wedges, to serve

Mixed Antipasti

wrap each slice of smoked salmon loosely around the middle of 3-4 spears of asparagus.

arrange all the other ingredients decoratively on a large platter. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle a little oil over the fish. Cover closely and refrigerate until required.

serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4 ripe pears
juice and finely grated rind of 2 oranges
4 tablespoons clear honey
4 small heads radicchio, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon walnut oil
125 g/4 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
pepper

Grilled Radicchio

Cut each pear into quarters lengthways and remove the cores. Place the pears in a single layer on a large double-thickness sheet of

kitchen foil, turning up the edges slightly. Mix the orange juice, rind and honey in a bowl. Pour over the pears. Bring up the edges of the kitchen

foil and press together to seal. Place the parcel in a heavy-based frying pan and cook over a moderate heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pears are tender.

Start to cook the radicchio about 6 minutes before the pears are ready. Brush the radicchio quarters with the walnut oil and cook under a

preheated grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.

divide the pears and their cooking juices between 4 plates. Add 4 radicchio quarters to each portion, then sprinkle with the crumbled

Gorgonzola and a little pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
12 baby globe artichokes
1 lemon, halved
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
salt and pepper
lemon wedges, to garnish

Deep-fried Globe Artichokes

trim the artichokes and cut each one lengthways in half or quarters depending on their size. Rub all over the cut surfaces with the halved lemon.

heat 5 cm/2 inches vegetable oil in a deep frying pan until it reaches 180-190°C (350-375°F), or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds.

season the flour with salt and pepper, and use to coat the artichokes, then deep-fry them in batches for 1-2 minutes until crisp and golden.

Drain on kitchen paper. Serve sprinkled with salt and garnished with lemon wedges.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4 large ripe peaches, halved and pitted
8 macaroons, crushed
4 blanched almonds, chopped
50 g/2 oz sugar
25 g/1 oz cocoa powder
7 tablespoons dry white wine
40g/1/4oz butter
flaked almonds
icing sugar, to decorate

Baked Stuffed Peaches

Scoop a little flesh from the centre of each peach half, chop and place in a bowl. Add the crumbled macaroons, almonds, half of the sugar,

the cocoa and 1 tablespoon of the wine. Fill the peach halves with the mixture and top each one with a small piece of butter.

arrange the peach halves in an ovenproof dish, pour the remaining wine over them, sprinkle with the remaining sugar and top with a few

flaked almonds. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 25—30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender. Serve hot, sprinkled with icing sugar.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
500 g/1 lb spinach, shredded, or whole baby spinach leaves
1 hard-boiled egg
25 g/1 oz butter
grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Spinach with Egg

cut the egg in half and remove and reserve the yolk. Chop the white.

wash the spinach well and place in a saucepan with just the water that clings to the leaves. Cover the pan and cook for 7-10 minutes,

shaking the pan occasionally, until the spinach is tender. Drain the spinach well and return it to the pan with the butter and a sprinkling or

nutmeg, salt and pepper. Heat through, then remove from the heat and stir in the egg white, lemon juice and olive oil.

transfer the spinach mixture to a warmed serving dish and sieve the egg yolk over the top.Serve hot.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
625 g/1/1/4 lb fennel bulbs
1 thick lemon slice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
25 g/1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
25 g/1oz butter
fennel fronds, to garnish (optional)
salt and pepper

Finocchio alia Toscana

Trim the fennel bulbs and remove any discoloured skin with a potato peeler. Cut vertically into 1.5 cm/3/4 inch thick pieces. Place in a pan

with a pinch of salt, the lemon and oil and add sufficient boiling water to cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until just tender. Drain well.

melt the butter in a gratin dish or shallow flameproof casserole, add the fennel and turn to coat. Season to taste with pepper and sprinkle

with the grated Parmesan.

place under a preheated grill until lightly browned. Serve immediately, garnished with fennel fronds, if using.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive
2 leeks, cut into 1 cm/1/2 inch pieces
1 cm/1/2 inch chunks
1 orange pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into 1 cm/1/2 inch chunks
1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into 1 cm/1/2 inch chunks
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Balsamic Braised Leeks and Peppers

heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the leeks and orange and red peppers and stir well. Cover the pan and cook very gently for 10 minutes.

add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 10 minutes without a lid. The vegetables should be brown from the vinegar and all the liquid

should have evaporated.

Season well, and stir in the parsley just before serving.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 aubergines, cubed
4 tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 tablespoons pitted black olives
75 g/3 oz pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped capers
handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Italian Salad Dressing
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Aubergine Salad

heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion, garlic and aubergin saute for 15 minutes.

meanwhile make the Italian salad dressing. Place all the ingredie a jar with a lid and shake well. Set aside.

add the tomatoes, anchovies, olives, pine nuts, capers and parsley t aubergine mixture and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the salac

dressing, mix well then allow the salad to cool before serving.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
6 small courgettes, cut in half lengthways
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
200 g/7 oz arborio rice
25 g/1 oz butter
50-75 g/2-3 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepp

Stuffed Courgettes

cook the courgettes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain well. Place under the cold tap until cool. Scoop out the

seeds from each courgette half with a teaspoon and discard.

heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion until it is soft and golden brown. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a large pan of salted boiling water

12—15 minutes until tender but firm to the bite; drain well and place i bowl. Stir in the butter, half of the Parmesan and the onion. In anothei

bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and stir in the parsley and the remaining Parmesan. Season well with salt and pepper and stir into the rice mixture.

place the courgette halves in a well buttered ovenproof dish. Pile son of the rice mixture into each one and bake in a preheated oven at

200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brc Serve hot.