One list, five meals: Caprese Salad with Herb Bread

MONDAY

Chicken Korma

Serves 4

Rice for 4

A small dash of rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely sliced

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

½ red chilli, finely chopped

4 chicken breasts, deboned and chopped

½ tbsp of korma paste

150mls of natural yogurt

300mls of stock

A handful of flaked almonds, toasted

Put the rice on to boil in lightly salted water.

Heat a small dash of oil and sauté the onions until they are turning translucent.

Add the garlic and stir until it is about to change colour.

Add the ginger, chilli and chicken pieces and stir fry until the chicken is browned on all sides.

Add the paste, yogurt and stock, stir and leave to bubble away until the chicken is cooked through.

Taste and season. Serve with the rice and with the flaked almonds sprinkled on top.

TUESDAY

Red Pepper and Goats Cheese Spaghetti

Serves 4

Spaghetti for 4

A dash of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

300g of roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

A small bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced

400g of soft goats cheese, crumbled

A handful of basil, chopped

A handful of parsley, chopped

Put your spaghetti on to boil in lightly salted water and drain when cooked.

Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until it is translucent, add the garlic and fry until it is about to change colour.

Add the red peppers and spring onions and stir through the spaghetti while it is still hot.

Add in the goats cheese and stir through. Taste and season.

Stir through the basil and parsley to serve.

WEDNESDAY

Pork Chops with Sweet and Salty Couscous

Serves 4

50g of breadcrumbs

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp of mustard

8 pork chops

260mls stock, hot

200g of couscous

A handful of dried apricots, chopped

1 tsp of honey

Juice of 1 lime

1 red chilli, finely chopped

4 spring onions, sliced

½ a red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

200g of feta cheese, cut into cubes

A generous bunch of mint leaves, chopped

Blitz together the breadcrumbs, garlic and mustard. Season the chops and spread the breadcrumb mixture on top.

Place on a baking tray into a medium oven for at least 20 minutes until they are cooked through.

Cover with tin foil if you feel the breadcrumbs are getting too brown.

Pour the hot stock over the couscous, stir in the apricots and set aside until the liquid has soaked in.

Stir the lime juice and honey together and stir them through the couscous. Stir in the red chilli, spring onions, red pepper, feta and herbs.

Taste and season.

Serve the couscous while it is still warm beside the chops.

THURSDAY

Pan Fried Sole with Spiced Salsa

Serves 4

½ cucumber, finely diced

½ red pepper, de seeded and finely diced

1 red chilli, finely chopped

A bunch of coriander, chopped

A bunch of parsley, chopped

2 tbsp of capers, finely chopped

1 tomato, chopped

Zest and juice of a lime

A large handful of flour

4 fillets of sole

Rapeseed oil

Mix the cucumber, red pepper, chilli, herbs, capers and tomato together.

Stir in the lime zest and juice, taste and season. Set aside.

Pour the flour on to a plate and add salt and a generous amount of black pepper, stir well and place the fillets on to the plate.

Coat completely in the flour mixture.

Heat the oil until it is quite hot. Place the fish into the pan skin side down.

Turn the fish after about 2 minutes and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes or until cooked.

Serve with the salsa on the side. This is good served with bread, boiled potatoes or a side salad.

FRIDAY

Caprese Salad with Herb Bread

Serves 4

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

50g of butter

A generous bunch of parsley, chopped

A generous bunch of thyme, chopped

A generous bunch of basil, chopped

A section of baguette for 4 people

2 large tomatoes, sliced

2 balls of mozzarella, sliced (I use a great buffalo mozzarella from Cork called Toonsbridge Dairy)

A dash of good-quality olive oil

4 spoons of basil pesto

Mash the butter with the clove of garlic, the parsley, thyme and half of the basil until they are completely combined.

Make slits along the baguette from the top to the base but not cutting right through.

With a knife push some of the herb butter into each slit.

Wrap the bread in tin foil and place under a medium grill.

Place the slices of tomato and mozzarella alternatively on a plate.

Season and sprinkle with the remaining chopped basil leaves.

Sprinkle with a little good-quality olive oil and serve with the pesto and the herb bread.