This is a refreshing salad for a hot summer' s day, although there is nothing stopping you from enjoying it all year round. Half of the carrot may be substituted for celeriac or swede.

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) of fresh carrots
4 tbsp of sunflower oil
2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp of light brown sugar
1 tsp of sesame oil
juice of ½ a lemon
grated zest of ½ a lemon
salt and pepper

Method

Wash the carrots, remove both ends, peel and grate them into a large mixing bowl.
Add the sunflower and sesame oils, lemon rind, brown sugar and 2 tbsp of the lemon juice and mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
Stir in the fresh oregano and season with salt and pepper. If necessary add more lemon juice.
Leave the salad to stand for an hour before serving.

Spaghetti with Anchovy and Pesto Sauce

This exciting pasta dish can be prepared in minutes and is delicious. You can buy pesto sauce from the supermarket or why don't you try preparing some of our homemade pesto sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) of spaghetti
3 fl oz (85 ml) of olive oil
3 oz (85 g) of grated Parmesan cheese
1 can of anchovy fillets
2 oz (55 g) of pesto sauce
2 crushed cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper

Method

Heat all of the olive oil except for 1 tbsp in a saucepan.
Add the crushed garlic and fry for several minutes stirring frequently.
Add the anchovy fillets and reduce the heat slightly. Stir the anchovies into the garlic and oil and cook for 1 or 2 more minutes.
In a separate and larger saucepan, fill the pan with enough water to cook the pasta, add a pinch of salt and the remaining tbsp of olive oil and bring the water to the boil.
Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 - 10 minutes depending on your taste and the thickness of the spaghetti.
Whilst the spaghetti is cooking, go back to the sauce and add the pesto and the freshly chopped oregano. Stir all of the ingredients together.
Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Once the spaghetti has cooked to al dente, drain the water and serve onto warmed plates.
Spoon the anchovy and pesto sauce over the pasta and finally sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Beef and Onion Stew

The beef is tender from hours of slow cooking and is flavoured with red wine, oranges, onions, mushrooms and fresh oregano. Serve with boiled rice and green beans.

Ingredients

1 lb 5 oz (600 g) of stewing steak
8 oz (225 g) of baby onions
8 oz (225 g) of fresh plum tomatoes
½ pint (300 ml) of beef stock
¼ pint (150 ml) of red wine
1 oz (30 g) of porcini mushrooms
½ oz (15 g) of butter
1 orange
4 tbsp of chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Whilst the oil is heating chop the baby onions in half.
Add the onions to the pan and cook gently for five minutes until they have browned slightly.
Remove the onions from the pan and set aside in a warm place.
Cut the steak into small chunks and add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until the meat has browned well.
Return the onions back to the frying pan with the steak and then add the beef stock, red wine and sugar. Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the beef mixture to a casserole dish.
Carefully peel the orange and cut the rind into very thin strips.
Cut the orange fruit into thin rings.
Add the orange rind and the fruit to the casserole dish with the steak and stir in.
Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook for 1¼ hour.
Whilst the casserole is cooking, pour 4 tbsp of warm water into a medium sized bowl and add the porcini mushrooms. Leave them to soak for 30 minutes.
Remove the skin from the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Add to the casserole along with the mushrooms and the chopped oregano.
Return to the oven and cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes. The beef should be tender and the juices will have thickened.
Remove from the oven and serve with boiled rice and steamed green beans.