Calories 465 per portion
Fat 35g (11g sat) per portion

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets 4, each approx. 150g (5oz), skin removed
• Lemon ½, juice only
• Fresh dill 15g (½oz)
• Butter 20g (¾oz)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cucumber ½, thinly sliced
• White wine vinegar 2 tbsp
• Caster sugar 1 tsp
• Chives 15g (½oz), finely snipped
• Chopped watercress 2 tbsp, plus sprigs to garnish
• Soft cheese 110g (4oz)
• Light mayonnaise 2 tbsp
• Steamed new potatoes to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/Gas 4. Line a large baking tray with foil.
2. Place the salmon fillets on the foil, drizzle with the lemon juice, sprinkle with a little torn dill, dot with the butter and season with salt and pepper.
3. Enclose the salmon in the foil then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and is even in colour when pressed with a knife.
4. Meanwhile, add the cucumber slices to a bowl with the vinegar, sugar and a little salt and pepper. Reserve a few more dill sprigs for garnish, chop the rest and add half to the cucumber and the remainder to a second bowl. Add half the chives to the cucumber and the rest to the second bowl. Gently toss the cucumber together and set aside.
5. Add the chopped watercress, soft cheese and mayonnaise to the bowl of herbs and stir together until well mixed. Spoon into a serving bowl.
6. Stir the cucumber once more then spoon onto a large shallow platter. Arrange the cooked salmon on top then garnish with the watercress sprigs. Serve with the sauce and new potatoes, if using.

Cook’s tips
Thick cut pieces of smoked cod loin could also be cooked in the same way in the foil then served with the sauce on a bed of stir-fried or microwaved spinach.

Calories 429 per portion
Fat 30g (13g sat) per portion

Ingredients

• Racks of lamb 2, with 6–8 cutlets each
• Butter 50g (2oz)
• Onion 1 large, peeled and chopped
• Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
• Celery 3 sticks, sliced
• Dried apricots 50g (2oz), chopped
• Dried cherries 50g (2oz), chopped
• Pistachio nuts 50g (2oz), chopped
• Fresh breadcrumbs 110g (4oz)
• Chopped mint 3 tbsp
• Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
• Egg 1, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Steamed new potatoes and vegetables to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°fan/Gas 6.
2. Bend the racks to form a crown, fat side inward, and secure with string.
3. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion, garlic and celery for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the chopped apricots, cherries, pistachios, breadcrumbs, mint, lemon zest and juice, egg and seasoning. Leave to cool slightly, then fill the crown centre.
4. Weigh the filled crown, then transfer to a roasting tin, cover with foil and roast, allowing 15 minutes per 450g (1lb), plus 15 minutes. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving. Serve with new potatoes and a selection of vegetables, if you like.

Cook’s tip
To make gravy, transfer the lamb to a warm plate and keep hot. Pour off any fat to leave the juices then stir in 2 tbsp plain flour, cook briefly then stir in 300ml (½ pint) lamb stock, 150ml (¼ pint) dry white wine and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Season, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes then strain into a gravy boat and serve.

Calories 356 per portion
Fat 25g (14g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

• Ready-rolled puff pastry 320g pack
• Icing sugar 50g (2oz), plus 1 tbsp, plus extra to dust
• Mascarpone 250g (9oz)
• Fromage frais 200g (7oz)
• Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
• Strawberries 450g (1lb)
• Caster sugar 25g (1oz)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Roll out the pastry to about 36 x 23cm (14 x 9in), then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of icing sugar. Cut into 16 equal-size rectangles. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and golden. Cut into two lengthways and leave to cool.
3. Mix together the mascarpone, fromage frais, 50g (2oz) icing sugar and the lemon zest. Chop one third of the strawberries and stir into the mascarpone.
4. Put the remaining strawberries in a food processor with the caster sugar and lemon juice and whizz to a purée, then sieve.
5. Sandwich four pastries with three layers of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat to make eight puffs. Drizzle each serving plate with the strawberry coulis, add a strawberry puff, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Cook’s tips
Vary the fruits depending on what’s in season; autumn blackberries with a little chopped fresh mint, or forced rhubarb mixed with frozen strawberries in early spring.

Looking for something to make with little ones? These ‘sheepish’ chocolate lollies are great fun. 

Calories 231 per portion
Fat 12g (7.4g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

• White chocolate 200g bar, chopped
• Lollipop sticks 8
• Giant chocolate buttons 10-11
• White mini marshmallows 50g (2oz)
• Black and pink gel food colour to decorate

Instructions

1. 1 Using the base of a mug, draw eight circles on a sheet of baking paper. Turn over paper and weight each corner.
2. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
3. Spoon chocolate onto drawn circles. Place a lollipop stick onto each, turning once to coat. Place a button onto each circle near stick and snip remaining buttons into ear shapes and place one on each side of each button. Snip marshmallows in half with scissors and gently push into chocolate in concentric circles. Use gel to create eyes and mouth. Leave to set.