A perfect recipe for a feast with friends

Tiger prawn balti

Tiger prawns are expensive, but this is a great dish for a special occasion. To cut costs, you could use a mixture of tiger prawns and other cooked seafood, such as mussels and squid. Serve with Pilaf rice (see recipe tip below).

Serves 6

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 red peppers, halved, deseeded, and roughly chopped
• 6cm (2½in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 3 red chillies, halved, deseeded, and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 300ml (10 fl oz) water
• 4 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 tsp lime pickle
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1kg (2¼lb) raw shelled tiger prawns
• 1 heaped tbsp freshly chopped coriander, to garnish

Serves 12

• 5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 4 large onions, finely chopped
• 4 red peppers, halved, deseeded, and roughly chopped
• 18cm (7in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 6 red chillies, halved, deseeded, and roughly chopped
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 4 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 600ml (1 pint) water
• 8 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 heaped tbsp lime pickle
• Juice of 2 limes
• 4 tbsp honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2kg (4½lb) raw shelled tiger prawns
• 2 heaped tbsp freshly chopped coriander, to garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or saucepan, add the onions, peppers, ginger, and chillies and fry over a high heat for 2 minutes or until starting to soften.
2. Cover with a lid, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the onions and peppers are nearly soft. Add the spices and stir over a high heat to coat the vegetables.
3. Add the tomatoes, water, tomato purée, lime pickle, lime juice, and honey. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes (15 minutes for 12). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add the prawns, and cook for 5 minutes (5-10 minutes for 12) or until they turn pink and are cooked through. Garnish with the coriander and serve straightaway.

In the Aga

At step 2, cover with a lid and transfer to the simmering oven to soften for 30 minutes, then continue on the boiling plate.

Prepare ahead and freeze

The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Reheat to serve, adding the prawns at the end. Freeze the sauce without the prawns for up to
1 month.

Pilaf rice

Serves 6

• 225g (8oz) basmati rice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g (1¾oz) butter
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red chilli, halved, deseeded, and
  finely chopped
• 225g (8oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp paprika
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 50g (1¾oz) sultanas
• 25g (scant 1oz) flaked almonds
• 100g (3½oz) cooked petits pois

Serves 12

• 450g (1lb) basmati rice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g (2½oz) butter
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 red chillies, halved, deseeded, and
  finely chopped
• 350g (12oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp paprika
• Juice of 2 small lemons
• 100g (3½oz) sultanas
• 50g (1¾oz) flaked almonds
• 225g (8oz) cooked petits pois

1. Cook the rice in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain, refresh in cold water, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic, and chilli and fry for 2 minutes. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the onion is soft.
3. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat, and fry for 3 minutes or until soft. Sprinkle in the paprika, lemon juice, sultanas, almonds, and petits pois and fry for a few minutes, stirring. Add the rice and stir until it is piping hot. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

In the Aga

At step 2, cover with a lid and transfer to the simmering oven for 20 minutes. Return to the boiling plate at step 3.

Prepare ahead

The pilaf can be cooked up to 12 hours ahead. To reheat, transfer to a buttered, wide-based ovenproof dish, cover with buttered foil, and place in an oven preheated to 200°C (180°C fan/  400°F/Gas 6) for 15 minutes (25 minutes for 12) or until piping hot. Not suitable for freezing.

Chocolate and hazelnut boozy roulade

The perfect celebratory dessert for any special occasion, especially Christmas. If you haven’t time to make praline, top with a coarsely crushed bought praline bar.

Makes a 33cm (13in)  Roulade (serves 8-10)

Special equipment: 23 x 33cm (9 x 13in)
Swiss roll tin, greased and lined with
non-stick baking paper

• 175g (6oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 6 eggs, separated
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 2 level tbsp cocoa, sieved
• 50g (1¾ oz) chopped and roasted hazelnuts

For the filling:

•  300ml (10 fl oz) double cream
• 2-3 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream

For the hazelnut praline:

• 100g (3½ oz) granulated sugar
• 50g (1¾ oz) whole blanched hazelnuts, halved
• Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4). Melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Allow to cool slightly until warm but still runny.
2. Whisk the egg whites in a large mixing bowl until stiff but not dry. Put the sugar and egg yolks into a separate large bowl and whisk until light, thick, and creamy. Add the melted chocolate and stir until blended.
3. Gently stir two large spoonfuls of the egg whites into the mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites, followed by the cocoa. Stir in the hazelnuts. Pour into the prepared tin and gently level the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin.
5. Whip the cream into soft peaks and stir in the Baileys. Dust a large piece of non-stick baking parchment with icing sugar. Turn the cake out on to the paper and peel off the lining paper, then spread with the whipped cream. Make a cut part way through the roulade along the short edge nearest to you, about 2cm (¾in) in. Roll up the cake, tightly to start with and using the paper to help. Don’t worry if it cracks – that is quite normal and part of its charm! Place on a long plate.
6. To make the praline, put the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water into a stainless steel saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. When clear, bring up to the boil. Boil until a medium straw colour. Add the hazelnuts, then pour quickly on to a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper. Leave to cool slightly, then use a teaspoon to carefully group together small clusters of nuts. Leave to cool and become hard. When set, break into pieces and arrange on the top of the roulade. Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

In the Aga

Bake the roulade on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven, with the cold sheet on the second set of runners for about 18 minutes – turn round half way through.