Feta, Mango and Lime Salad

Serves 4
Ready in 15 minutes

2 firm mangos
1 lime
Half a cucumber, skin partially peeled so it looks striped and finely sliced
1.5cm piece fresh ginger, shredded
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
200g pack Greek feta, drained
Small bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked
1 mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Romaine lettuce hearts, to serve

1. Peel and thinly slice the mango, then thinly slice into very fine shreds.

2. Cut the lime in half, juice 1 half and reserve. Cut the other half into thin wedges and put in a serving dish with the mango slices, cucumber slices and shredded ginger.

3. Mix the reserved lime juice, sugar and fish sauce together and pour over the fruit salad. Crumble over pieces of feta and scatter with the coriander leaves and chopped chilli. Serve with romaine lettuce leaves.

Potato and Halloumi Bake

Serves 2-3

1 large sweet potato, the orange-fleshed American variety
1 large Desiree potato or other red/firm potato
1 red onion
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
Half a head of garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
Black pepper
125g halloumi cheese, sliced as thinly as you can
Oven proof baking dish, 25 x 15cm

1.Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6.

2.Cut the sweet potato into rough 4 cm cubes and the Desiree slightly smaller (2.5cm) as the sweet potato will cook more quickly. Halve the red onion then cut the half into 4-6 segments, discarding any tough outer skin. De-seed the peppers and cut into 2.5 cm squares, and separate the cloves of garlic.

3.Put everything into a large roasting tin or whatever you want to use (it should be big, otherwise use two dishes) and, using your hands, give the vegetables a good coating of olive oil. Season with black pepper, but no salt as the cheese will make it salty (and anyway, the salt will make water leech out).

4.Cook for 45 minutes, by which time the vegetables should be cooked through and here and there tinged with brown.

5.You'll need to turn the oven up to maximum, or light the grill for the endgame: so place the thinly sliced cheese on top of the bake, and put it back in the very hot oven or under the grill until the cheese has melted and turned slightly brown on top, about 5-10 minutes. Serve straight out of the roasting tin.

California Rolls

Preparation time: 35 minutes + 15 minutes standing
Total cooking time: 10 minutes

Makes 30 pieces

Difficulty: Hard

500g (1lb) short-grain white rice
¼ cup (60ml/2 fl oz) rice vinegar
1 tablespoon caster sugar
5 nori sheets
1 large Lebanese cucumber, cut lengthways into long batons
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, toasted
30g (1oz) pickled ginger slices
½ cup (125g/4oz) mayonnaise
3 teaspoons wasabi paste
2 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Wash the rice under cold running water, tossing, until the water runs clear. Put the rice and 3 cups (750ml/24 fl oz) water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over low heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until tunnels form in the rice. Remove from the heat, cover and leave for 15 minutes.

2. Place the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar and salt dissolves.

3. Transfer the rice to a non-metallic bowl and use a wooden spoon to separate the grains. Make a slight well in the centre, slowly stir in the vinegar dressing, then cool a little.

4. Lay a nori sheet, shiny-side-down, on a bamboo mat or flat surface and spread out one-fifth of the rice, leaving a narrow border at one end. Arrange one fifth of the cucumber, avocado, sesame seeds and ginger lengthways over the rice, keeping away from the border. Spread with some of the combined mayonnaise, wasabi and soy sauce and roll to cover the filling. Continue rolling tightly to join the edge, then hold it in place for a few seconds. Trim the ends and cut into slices. Serve with wasabi mayonnaise.

Nutrition per piece

Protein 1.5g; Fat 3.5g; Carbohydrate 15g; Dietary Fibre 1g; Cholesterol 1mg; 405kJ (95kcal)