Rachel Allen - Entertaining at Home

200g (7oz) onions, peeled and quartered

50ml (2fl oz) vegetable oil

1 tbsp ground turmeric

2 tsp caster sugar

2 tsp salt

To serve

Bunch of coriander, chopped

100g (3½oz) cashew nuts, toasted and chopped

200ml (7fl oz) natural yoghurt or crème fraîche

Large casserole dish or saucepan

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.

2 First make the paste. Place a small frying pan on a medium heat and add the coriander, cumin and chana masala. Cook, tossing frequently, for about 1 minute or until they start to pop, then crush.

3 Place the ginger, garlic, chillies, onions and vegetable oil in a food processor and whiz for 2–3 minutes or until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or casserole dish and stir in the ground spices, along with the turmeric, sugar and salt. Place on a medium–low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has reduced slightly.

4 Remove the mixture from the heat and pour half into a large bowl. Pour the coconut milk and stock into the remaining half in the saucepan or casserole dish, stirring to combine. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes to reduce.

5 Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes and cut into 2cm (¾in) cubes. Peel the onions and cut into eighths and chop the spinach.

6 Stir the yoghurt into the spice paste in the bowl, then add the vegetables and onions and stir to coat. Tip into 1–2 roasting tins and cook in the oven for about 1 hour or until lightly browned.

7 Remove the vegetables from the oven and add to the saucepan or casserole dish. Place on a medium heat for a few minutes to warm through, then stir in the spinach and spoon into bowls with a sprinkling of fresh coriander, a scattering of the toasted nuts and a spoonful of yoghurt or crème fraîche.

These burritos are great for a casual crowd. Children will especially love creating their own at the table, choosing from a variety of fillings for the tortillas. I love to see everyone passing around various bowls and plates. This is what communal food is all about.

SERVES 8 VEGETARIAN

1 quantity of guacamole (see opposite)

1 quantity of tomato salsa (see opposite)

1 × 200g jar of jalapeño peppers (optional)

250g (9oz) Cheddar or Gruyère cheese, grated

250g (9oz) crème fraîche

16 tortillas

1 quantity of refried beans (see opposite)

1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas mark 2.

2 Place the guacamole, salsa, peppers (if using), grated cheese and crème fraîche in separate serving bowls on the table.

3 Put the tortillas in a roasting tin, cover with foil or an upturned bowl and place in the oven for 5–10 minutes or until warmed through, then divide between plates. Reheat the beans, pour into a serving dish and place on the table with the other bowls. People can help themselves and assemble their own burritos by spooning each of the fillings in a line on their tortilla, then rolling up and eating!

SERVES 8 AS A SIDE DISH VEGETARIAN

25g (1oz) butter

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

½–1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 × 400g tins of pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed, or 250g (9oz) of dried beans, soaked and cooked

100ml (3½ fl oz) beef or chicken stock

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

Salt and ground black pepper

1 Melt the butter in a large frying pan ona medium heat, add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook for about 8–10 minutes or until softened and a little golden around the edges.

2 Add the beans, stock, cumin and coriander and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and mashing the beans every so often using a potato masher, for a further 7–8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced slightly, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

SERVES 8 AS A SIDE DISH VEGETARIAN

2 ripe avocados, peeled and stones removed

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Salt and ground black pepper

Juice of ½ lime or lemon

1 Place the avocado flesh in a large bowl, add the garlic, olive oil and coriander and mash together, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and lime juice.

2 Cover the bowl with cling film to stop the mixture going brown and set aside until it is needed.

SERVES 8 AS A SIDE DISH VEGETARIAN

4 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

1 tbsp chopped red onion

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated

½–1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Juice of ½ lime

Salt and ground black pepper

Pinch of sugar

1 Mix all the ingredients together, seasoning with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.

The first bite into a fish taco immediately transports me to the white sands of Puerto Escondido in Mexico. The flavours here are all so evocative: crunchy taco shells enveloping a crisp, refreshing salsa, a smooth and creamy guacamole and delicate flakes of fish. I can practically smell the sea!

SERVES 8

750g (1lb 10oz) filleted round white fish, such as haddock, whiting, hake or cod, in small fillets or one big piece

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

To serve

16 taco shells

1 quantity of guacamole

1 quantity of pepper and spring onion salsa (see below)

250g (9oz) crème fraîche

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.

2 Put the fish in a roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and cook for 10–20 minutes, depending on the size of the fish piece or pieces, until the flesh is opaque all the way through.

3 A few minutes before the fish are cooked, place the tacos in the oven to warm through, then bring to the table with bowls of the guacamole, salsa and crème fraîche. Cut or break up the fish into bite-sized chunks and place in a warmed serving bowl on the table. People can help themselves: just spoon a little from each bowl to fill the tacos, and eat!

SERVES 8 AS A SIDE DISH VEGETARIAN

2 yellow peppers (or 1 red and 1 yellow), very finely sliced

8 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

8 radishes or ⅓ cucumber, left unpeeled and cut into thin strips

½–1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced

Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Salt and ground black pepper

1 Mix all the ingredients together in another bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

This dish is perfect for any form of casual entertaining. If made in advance, it can be chilled and brought back up to room temperature.