Holiday meals

I didn't have seafood paella for my birthday this year. Of the five of us for dinner, two were vegans & one doesn't fancy shellfish so it didn't seem appropriate. But for a summer evening dining al fresco with friends it was the perfect meal. Follow this basic recipe, including chicken & chorizo, then add white fish and whole prawns to gently cook through at the end finishing up with prepared shellfish - we used mussels & cockles. You can actually cook the mussels in the paella but we have more success steaming them open in a little wine first.

The guests brought a fantastic mixed salad and an amazing pudding of cherries gently simmered in something deliciously alcoholic served with vanilla ice cream.

Ratatouille is always a summer favourite. It is forgiving if your aubergines & courgettes have been in the fridge a day or so longer than you had intended because your teenager was rebelling against "cucumber's evil cousin". We dined at friends' last week & I was reminded of Elizabeth David's wonderful ratatouille - it was even better than I had remembered. The beauty of this dish is that you can make it your own depending on what you find in your fridge. Elizabeth David says she has even known potatoes being added. I prefer to serve mine with crushed or sauted potatoes. Many years ago I always served with hasslebacks.

For 4-6 people use 1-2 onions, 1 -2 aubergines, 2 large red capsicum (or 1 red & 1 yellow or orange), 2 courgettes (try 1 green & 1 yellow), 2-3 large tomatoes, 1 lge clove garlic, some coriander seeds, basil & parsley.

In advance, slice the unpeeled aubergines & courgettes into thickish (1/2 cm) rounds & then into cubes. Put into a colander, sprinkle with salt & weight with a plate & something heavy on top such as a bag of sugar. This will press out the excess moisture. I sometimes don't bother but it is always better of you do. Leave them about an hour & then rinse off the salt.

When you are ready to start, saute the thinly sliced onions in some olive oil until soft but not brown. This is one of those instances, like risotto, when you should use more oil than seems necessary. It really enhances the final flavour. When the onions are soft and this may take 15- 2o mins, add the rinsed aubergines & courgettes, the capsicums - sliced into thin strips - and the chopped garlic. Cover the pan & cook gently about 40 minutes. Now add the skinned chopped tomatoes with a tsp or so of coriander you have pounded in your mortar & pestle, & lightly season. Add a pinch of sugar if you think your tomatoes need it. Cook another 30 minutes until the veg have all softened but are not mushy. Stir in the basil & parsley just before serving. Serve on its own or as an accompaniment to lamb or chicken or anything pretty much. This is delicious and works well reheated or even cold.

Try a variant of pork schnitzel with a variant of coleslaw. I used red cabbage because I had some in the fridge but I think I would use green if I was buying fresh.

Combine 3-4 cups finely shredded cabbage with 1/2 small red onion very thinly sliced & a crisp red (or green if cabbage is red) apple julienned. Whisk 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp pesto, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 clove garlic crushed. Add the cabbage mixture & gently mix through with a handful of roughly chopped parsley.

Slice pork fillet into 3cm thick pieces then gently bash out between 2 pieces of cling film using a rolling pin or other blunt instrument. They should end up about 1 cm thick - not paper thin, which I think often makes schnitzel dry. Mix panko crumbs with a little flour in one bowl & beat 2 eggs with a clove or garlic, crushed in another. Dip the pork pieces in egg then panko, pressing it on firmly, then cook in olive oil with a knob of butter about 2-3 minutes each side until the crumbs are golden. Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle the pork with a little grated Parmesan & serve with lime wedges - lemon would do.

And if you are missing those Christmas indulgences treat yourself to a caramel & chocolate cracker treat. I persuaded Phoebe to make these while I was gardening. She reports they are so simple that even I could make them. She promises to make them again.