Ingredients for 4 servings

¼ small cucumber
½ garlic clove
1kg (2Ib) ripe tomatoes
1tbsp sherry vinegar
2 spring onions, sliced
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Simply put all the vegetables and the vinegar into a food processor. Then, with the motor running, slowly add the oil through the funnel. If the soup is a little too thick, add a little water to thin it out. Chill for 4 hours.

Just before serving, add some freshly ground black pepper and adjust the vinegar balance if necessary.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Make the soup, then leave to cool at room temperature. Freeze (without garnishes or toppings) in a rigid container, leaving a bit of space for expansion, for up to 1-3 months. Reheat either from frozen or defrost in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients for 10 servings

For the dough:

1 small egg, beaten
1tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
60g butter, melted
275g plain flour
a little extra plain flour, for dusting

For the filling and garnish:

1tbsp icing sugar, for dusting
100g milk chocolate, broken into chunks

Directions

Start by preparing the empanada dough; sift together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the melted butter and start incorporate, then start pouring in 75-100ml of water and incorporate into the flour and butter until it starts to form a dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until even. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for at least 30 minutes. When ready to assemble the turnovers, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2cm thickness.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Use a 8-10cm cookie cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Arrange the broken chocolate evenly in the centre of the rounds making sure to leave a small border, then brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling so that you have semi-circles, making sure you seal the edges really well.

Transfer to lined baking trays and use the tines of a fork to crimp the sealed edge. Brush the turnovers with the remaining beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown all over.

Remove and allow to cool a little before arranging on serving plates lined with kitchen paper. Dust with the icing sugar and serve.

Ingredients for 4 servings

1 glass dry white wine
1 glass water
1 head garlic
1 Spanish onion
2 sprigs rosemary (fresh)
2 teaspoons flour
8 chicken thighs (free range)
50 ml Spanish olive oil
200 g pitted spanish olives
black pepper
salt

Directions

Place a wide pan over a high heat and add a touch of olive oil, then lightly season the chicken thighs and brown in the pan. Place skin side down first, as they will release a touch of fat, which will help to colour the meat and caramelise the rest of the ingredients.

Once both sides are golden, set them aside and start frying the thinly sliced garlic and onion.

When golden, add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute so that the flour doesn’t become doughy or lumpy.

Bring the chicken back to the pan, add rosemary and pour in the glass of white wine.

Stir the sauce to dissolve the flour and reduce the wine by half to burn the alcohol and add the acidity that the dish needs.

At this point add the black pepper, the glass of water and the olives and braise the dish for approximately 20 minutes, until the chicken has tenderised and the ingredients have come together in a juicy, rich sauce.

Taste the seasoning and serve.

Mix flour, paprika, minced garlic, salt, thyme and black pepper in small bowl. Coat chicken with 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour.

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned.

Remove from skillet. Add bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender.

Stir in tomatoes, broth and remaining seasoned flour. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Stir in red pepper, if desired. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Toss the meat in flour (seasoned with salt and pepper) and seal by frying in oil in two batches. Place on a plate.

Deglaze pan with a bit of wine and tip the resulting sauce over the meat on the plate.

Saute onion, garlic and celery then add sugar to caramelise. Add tomato puree, beef stock, cinnamon and simmer a few minutes.

Put meat and stock mixture in pre-heated casserole. As soon as it starts to bubble turn down the oven and cook for three hours at a very low setting, adding prunes at about the two-hour mark.

You can also add coarsely chopped carrots if you like.