Neven Maguire - Food from the Sun

Serves 4| VEGETARIAN

1 large aubergine

120ml (4fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 ripe beef tomato

2 x 100g (4oz) balls of mozzarella cheese

about 2 tbsp basil pesto

8 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and halved

salt and freshly ground black pepper

lightly dressed rocket salad (see page 100), to serve

8 cocktail sticks

These are great for a barbecue, as a starter or an exciting side dish with any kind of meat. They can be made in advance and simply popped on the barbecue just before you want to eat. You could also replace the mozzarella with feta or halloumi.

Trim off the stalk end of the aubergine, then cut lengthways into eight slices, 5mm (1/4in) thick, discarding the ends. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Preheat a griddle pan until very hot, or prepare a barbecue with medium–hot coals. Mix together the olive oil, garlic and lemon rind in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, then brush the mixture over the aubergine slices. Place the aubergine on the heated griddle pan or the barbecue and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side until charred. Be careful not to cook for any longer or the aubergine will become too soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little.

Slice the top and bottom off the tomato and cut the rest into four thick slices, then cut each slice in half again to make eight pieces in total. Cut each mozzarella ball into four slices. Place the cooked aubergine slices on a clean work surface and place a piece of tomato in the middle of each slice. Arrange a slice of mozzarella on top, then add a small dollop of the basil pesto. Arrange the sun-dried tomatoes on top and season with salt and pepper. Flip over both ends of the aubergine to enclose the filling and secure each parcel with a cocktail stick.

Brush the outside of each parcel with the rest of the garlic and lemon oil and return to the griddle pan or barbecue for 1–2 minutes on each side or until they are heated through and lightly golden. Again, be careful not to overcook. To serve, arrange on warmed plates with the rocket salad.

Serves 4| VEGETARIAN

675g (1 1 2lb) baby new potatoes, scrubbed

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

good pinch of dried chilli flakes

1 2tsp sweet or smoked paprika

good pinch of dark muscovado sugar

400g can of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée

1 tbsp torn fresh basil leaves

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

This is a Spanish tapas favourite and every tapas bar tends to have its own version. It makes a delicious snack in its own right, but is also a fantastic accompaniment to Butterflied Poussin (see the photograph on page 49) or with Blackened Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper and Avocado Salsa (page 41).

Wrap the baby new potatoes in a clean tea towel and hit them gently with a wooden mallet or rolling pin to crack them lightly. Flatten each garlic clove in the same way.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion for a minute or two to soften. Tip in the cracked potatoes and garlic and continue to cook for 10–12 minutes until golden, stirring regularly.

Sprinkle the chilli flakes over the potato mixture along with the paprika and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and give everything a good stir to coat the potatoes evenly. Fold in the tomatoes and tomato purée and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover the frying pan with a lid (a large enough plate would also do the job) and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to ensure that the mixture cooks evenly, until the potatoes are completely tender and coated in a thick to mato sauce. Stir in the basil and then tip into warmed individual bowls, or serve as a side dish.

Serves 4

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp clear honey

2 tsp medium curry powder

450g (1lb) skinless chicken fillets, cut into long strips

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

large pinch of salt

1 2small cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced

2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

2 tsp dark soy sauce

1tsp light muscovado sugar juice of 1 2lime

120ml (4fl oz) coconut milk

1 2red chilli, seeded and finely diced

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

6 wooden skewers (15cm (6in) in length), soaked

This is a classic South-East Asian street food that I enjoyed on a recent trip to the region. Satay has a wonderful balance of sweet and spicy flavours that penetrate the chicken. It is perfect for cooking on the barbecue; just make sure you soak the skewers first.

First prepare the pickled cucumber salad. Place the vinegar in a bowl and stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved. Tip in the sliced cucumber, stir to combine and set aside to allow the flavours to develop.

Preheat a griddle pan until smoking hot, or preheat the grill. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey and curry powder in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Heat the peanut butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and stir in the soy sauce, sugar and lime juice. Gradually whisk in the coconut milk until you have achieved a smooth sauce. Stir in the chilli and coriander, then leave to cool.

Thread the chicken pieces onto the pre-soaked wooden skewers and arrange on the griddle pan or under the grill. Cook for 4–6 minutes, turning once or twice, until cooked through.

Arrange the chicken satay skewers on warmed plates. Divide the dipping sauce between individual ramekins and place to one side of the skewers. Drain the pickled cucumber salad, add to the plates and serve at once.

Serves 4

16 oysters (Pacific if available)

25g (1oz) butter

225g (8oz) fresh spinach leaves, washed and tough stalks removed

1 tsp softened butter

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed and core finely chopped

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

150ml (5fl oz) dry white wine

100ml (3 1 2fl oz) double cream

salt and freshly ground white pepper

This is the perfect recipe if you want to try cooking or eating oysters for the first time. It might sound fancy, but it’s actually very easy and guaranteed to impress your guests. You can ask your fishmonger to remove all the oysters from their shells or follow the instructions below.

Scrub the oyster shells thoroughly. Place an oyster on a tea towel on a firm surface, flattest shell uppermost and hinge towards you. Gather the tea towel around the oyster and grip it firmly so there is a thick wad of cloth protecting your hand. With the other hand, insert an oyster knife or a sharp rigid blade into the gap in the hinge and twist upwards to snap the shells apart. Slide the blade along the inside of the upper shell to sever the muscle that keeps the shells together. Lift off the top shell and run the knife under the oyster to remove it from the bottom shell. Repeat with the rest of the oysters. Clean the bottom shells and reserve for serving.