Making and eating these lamb kebabs is fun and this dish is especially popular with children. Try cooking the kebabs on a hot barbeque in the summer; otherwise they can be cooked under a grill

Ingredients

2 lb 4 oz (1 kg) of leg of lamb meat trimmed of fat
3 tbsp of olive oil
3 tbsp of natural yoghurt
2 tbsp of freshly chopped parsley
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
1 tbsp of dried oregano
4 fresh bay leaves
2 crumbled dried bay leaves
2 crushed cloves of garlic
juice of ½ lemon
salt and pepper
For the cucumber and yoghurt sauce
½ pint (300 ml) of natural yoghurt
½ peeled and finely chopped cucumber
3 tbsp of freshly chopped mint
1 crushed clove of garlic
pinch of paprika
pinch of salt

Method

Make sure that there is no fat on the lamb. Cut the meat into cubes and dry with a paper towel. This will ensure that the meat retains its crispiness during cooking.
Place the meat into a glass dish and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, natural yoghurt, wine vinegar and the lemon juice.
Add the dried oregano, crumbled bay leaves and the crushed garlic. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the marinade over the lamb and mix well, coating the cubes with the marinade mixture.
Cover the meat dish with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
In the meantime, prepare the cucumber and yoghurt sauce. Place all of the sauce ingredients except the paprika into a bowl and mix well.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate until needed.
Preheat the grill to a high heat.
Remove the meat from the fridge and divide into 4 portions.
Take a skewer and thread one portion of lamb together with one of the fresh bay leaves onto it. Repeat with the other three skewers, portions of meat and bay leaves.
Place the skewers under the grill and cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side depending on how well you like your meat. Baste the kebabs with the marinade during cooking.
Once the kebabs are done, remove them from the grill and transfer to plates. Sprinkle them with the freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Remove the yoghurt sauce from the refrigerator and sprinkle with the paprika.

Roast Duck with Apple and Apricot Purée

Duck is a very rich meat and should be eaten with foods that are refreshing and light, such as the apples and apricot sauce in this recipe, which both compliment the duck perfectly.

Ingredients

4 duckling portions (12 oz / 340 g each)
2 red apples
2 green apples
4 tbsp of dark soy sauce
2 tbsp of muscovado sugar
2 tbsp of honey
juice of 1 lemon
small handful of bay leaves
pepper
For the apricot sauce
14 oz (400 g) tin of apricots in natural juice
4 tbsp of sweet sherry

Method

Preheat the oven to a temperature of 375°F (190°).
Cut away any excess fat from the duckling portions.
Prick the skin of the duck all over with a fork and place onto a wire rack with a roasting tin situated underneath.
Using a pastry brush, brush the duck portions with the soy sauce and sprinkle with the muscovado sugar. Season with pepper.
Place into the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour or until cooked through. The skin should be crispy and the juices should be clear in colour when you insert a skewer.
Whilst the duck is cooking prepare the apples. Core the apples but do not peel them. Cut the apples into 6 wedges and place into a small roasting tin.
Add the honey and lemon juice and coat the apples in this mixture.
Scatter the bay leaves into the tin with the apples.
Add to the oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes or until soft.
To prepare the apricot purée, place the apricots with the juice from the tin and the sherry into a food processor or food blender and process until smooth.
Remove the duck from the oven and transfer to separate plates. Serve with the apples but discard the bay leaves.
Heat the apricot purée just before serving and serve with the duck and apples.

Salmon Fillet with Herbs

This dish is great if prepared on a barbeque but works equally well on a normal grill. The salmon is cooked on a bed of herbs, infusing the fish throughout with several different herby flavours.

Ingredients

2.2 lb (1 kg) of salmon fillet
5 fresh branches of rosemary
8 bay leaves
1 fennel bulb, cut into 8 pieces
½ bunch of dried thyme
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of lemon juice

Method

Use the rosemary, bay leaves and thyme to make a bed on the wire rack of your barbeque or grill. The bed should be big enough so that the salmon can lie on top.
Place the fish onto the bed of herbs.
Place the fennel pieces around the edge of the fish.
Mix together the lemon juice and the olive oil and brush onto the fish using a pastry brush.
Make a tent out of aluminium foil and place over the salmon.
Cook the fish for 20 - 30 minutes on the barbeque or under the grill. Baste frequently with the oil and lemon juice mixture.
Once the salmon is cooked, remove from the heat and cut into individual portions.
Serve immediately.