Mango and Apple Salsa with Bacon and Feta

This dish involces very little prep time, and more importantly, has a lot elements that can be pre-prepared, requiring very little time away from your guests.

Ingredients (for 4 people)
1 Large Mango
1 mid sized apple
1 Red Chilli
8 Rashers of Smoked streaky bacon
Feta Cheese (as desired)

Instructions
1. Cut your Mango into small chunks. roughly 2 cm cubes. Place in a bowl.
2. Finely Dice a medium red chilli (to give a bit of heat, but nothing overwhelming. you want to contrast the sweetness, not hide it) and toss in with the mango
3. Cube a decent handful of feta and keep on a seperate plate.
4. Put bacon under grill and cook until really crispy but not burned. medium heat for best effect. Do not fry as the excess grease will spoil the fruit.
5. While bacon is cooking, slicy the apples into thin sheets and dice lenghtways (imagine matchstick size). Do not do this too early as the flesh could brown if exposed too much to air. Toss the apple with the mango and chilli.
6. Take the Apple, Mango and Bacon and distribute intpo equal bowls.
7. Chop the crispy bacon roughly and toss over the fruit
8. Sprinkle the cubed feta over and serve.

Serve with a garnish of rocket, and enjoy. Simple, cheap and surprisingly well received everytime i've served it.

Alternatives include substituting the apple with shredded beetroot for a less sweet, more robust flavour or for veggies, I suggest replacing the bacon with small amounts of grated carrot and some thinly shredded fennel.

Enjoy.

Smoked Mackrel in Cream

Smoked Mackrel in Cream

Again, a really easy smoked mackrel starter, and very impressive for guests. Takes very little time and effort. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 fillets of Smoked Mackrel (Peppered fillets from the supermarket are cheapest and best option, as they are generally well seasoned)
• 1 pot of cream, preferable double.
• ground nutmed
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. tear up the mackrel fillets into small flakes. Place in 4 small pots or ramekens [sic]
2. pour cream in to fill up pots leaving hals a centimeter at the top.
   
3. shake on Parmesan and ground nutmeg to give an even cover to the top.
4. Place, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until piping hot and browned on top. roughly 10-15 mins.
5. Serve with rustic bread or ciabatta as a warm and rich starter.

Alternatives of this include shrimp or crayfish tails. Any good oily smoked fish works.

Enjoy!

Smoked Mackrel Tower

Smoked Markrel tower with Wilted Spinach and Mozerella.

Ingredients:

1 bag of baby spinach (fresh)
3 Fillets of Smoked Mackrel
2 Average mozerella balls
Sweet chilli sauce.

really easy, but super impressive starter. The Key is the mould. I use a scone cutter we got from a department store, but depending on how you want the towers (thickness, height etc...) you can use whatever.
have your Mackrel broken up and then molded into discs (burger shaped). Slice the mozerella into medium thick discs.
Wilt the spinach on a medium heat in a tiny bit of water, adding salt and black pepper and one clove of garlic (in the skin, but with 3 or 4 incisions made-this lets the flavour seep out in the heat, but doesnt make it too strong).
When spinach is done, place in mould on plate and press, allowing excess liquid to drain. Then Add layer of fish. put am even spread of sweet chilli on the fist and then put mozerella on top. Press down in mould, allowing any further liquid to drain and remove mould leaving tower. I garnish with an anchovy, but depending on taste crispy bacon may suit better. A drizzle of olive oil and your sorted.

The flavour is fresh and interesting, but the presentation is also a knockout for dinner parties.

Total cooking time: 8 minutes.

Enjoy.

Classic, common and regular- Spag Bol

Everyone can do spag bol, but here's my tried and tested formula to get started with. Best to get the east stuff with first!

Ingredients (alternate ingredients in brackets):

500g lean minced Beef, preferably round steak (Lean Minced Lamb)

680g Banalun Chopped tomatoes (tin of chopped tomatoes/passata/other tomato based products)

1 medium onion

3 Cloves of Garlic

One red chilli (one teaspoon of crushed, dried chillies)

Seasoning: Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg

Herbs: Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Bay leaves (mixed herb prepacks will suffice)

3 Tablespoons of red wine (any old crap will do, provided its not total shite)

2 Teaspoons of soy sauce

Optional addidions, depending on taste: Diced red and Green Peppers, celery, carrots (chopped thin)

Spaghetti

Instructions:

1. put mince into preheated large sauce pan. No oil is needed as meat juices will suffice. Stir until meat is browned.
2. Add chopped onion and crushed garlic and stir thoroughly until smell of cooked onion starts to become apparent.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir further.
4. Add herbs now, and allow to to stew for 10-15 minutes
5. Add further optional ingredients if desired.
   
6. Taste sauce now, and add seasoning depending on taste. Salt, pepper and nutmeg.
7. After further 2-3 minutes add wine and soy sauce, again depending on taste.
8. allow to simmer on a low heat.
9. Procees to cook spaghetti in salted water with extra virgin olive oil broght to to boil. Check every minute after first ten minutes. when aldente, strain.

Serve on plates with reasonable amount of spagetti, and generous amount of sauce in the middle. Dress table with Black pepper and fresh, grated parmesan cheese.

Serve with fruity red wine, preferable a Rioja.