Basic Basil Pesto (Genovese)

Wash and dry the basil well with a tea towel. Add all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until you have a fine crumbly texture. If you have a pestle and mortar and want to do it the traditional way, bruise the basil and salt into a paste (do not bash the leaves, instead, make a continuous circular motion with the pestle). Add the chopped garlic and, when smooth, add the pine nuts. Keep mashing everything and finally add the grated cheeses. When it gets really thick, add the oil, a bit at a time. The paste will keep for several days if stored in the refrigerator, covered with a layer of olive oil.

Before serving, cook your pasta of choice in abundant salted boiling water until al dente. When ready, mix some of the pasta water with the basil paste to give it a creamy texture. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce.

Basil, Almond and Mascarpone Risotto

Heat the stock in a large pan and keep hot. Chop the basil leaves, reserving a few for decoration. Toast the almonds ina dry frying pan. Heat half the butter and 1tbsp of the oil in a deep frying pan. Cook the minced onion until softened. Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes, until it begins to look translucent. Raise the heat and add the wine, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until it has evaporated. Start adding ladlefuls of the stock, 1 or 2 at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next ladleful. Repeat this until the rice is tender but still al dente, and the risotto is creamy, about 16-18 minutes. At the last minute add the basil. Add the remaining butter, the Mascarpone cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cover and leave to rest for a couple of minutes. A good risotto is never dry: on the contrary, in the pan, it should always look as if it´s almost too wet. It will harden slightly on the plate when served.

Beef and Aubergine Curry

Slice the beef into strips. In a hot wok with oil, add the curry paste. Cook for 1 min, add the meat in batches and stir-fry until lightly browned. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the coconut milk, water and lime leaves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 12 min. Add the diced aubergine and cook for 5-10 min. Return the beef and simmer for 3min. Season with the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with jasmine rice.

Curried Beef and Vegetable Pies

Cut the meat into small dices. In a hot wok, or large pan, add the oil and then the curry paste, for 2min. Stir-fry the beef, coating it with the paste until browned. Add the fish sauce and coconut milk and simmer, covered, for 15 min. Peel, seed and cut the pumpkin and aubergine into small cubes. Seed and slice the chillies. Add them with the vegetables into the pan and cook for a further 15 min. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Cut circles from the pastry, large enough to cover the tops of 4 ramekins. Chop and add the basil to the beef. Adjust the level of salt with more fish sauce and spoon the mixture into the ramekins. Brush some beaten egg around the borders and place the pastry rounds on top. Brush the tops with egg for colour and bake for 25min, or until golden brown.

Fried Noodles with Mushrooms and Barbecued Pork

Cook the egg noodles in a pan of rapidly boiling water for 2-3min until just tender. Drain and set aside. If using dried mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 20min and drain. Cut them in quarters. In a hot wok or large frying pan, heat the oil, add the chopped garlic, grated ginger and chopped chillies. Stir for 1 min. Add the thinly sliced pork and cook for 3 min. Add the egg noodles and the mushrooms, tossing with 2 wooden spoons. Season with fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Cover and steam for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with basil, the crisp fried garlic and onions.

Linguini al Pesto Genovese

Wash and dry the basil well with a tea towel. In a pestle and mortar bruise the basil and salt to a paste (do not bash the leaves, instead, make a continuous circular motion with the pestle). Add the garlic and, when smooth, add the pine nuts. Keep mashing everything to a paste, and finally add the grated cheeses. Once the mixture becomes very dense, add the oil, a little at a time. The paste will keep for several days if stored in the refrigerator, covered with a layer of olive oil. Before serving, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. When it’s ready, mix some of the pasta water with the basil paste to dilute and give it a creamy texture. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce.

Panzanella

Peel and halve the garlic clove. Rub it round the inside of a salad bowl. Finely slice the onions and cut the cucumber into hearty chunks. Crumble the bread into the bowl, together with the onion and cucumber. Tear the tomatoes over the bowl, letting all of their juices be absorbed by the mixture. Mix the olive oil with the white wine vinegar, add the seasoning, then pour it over the salad. Delicately rub everything through with your hands. Tear the basil leaves and scatter them on the top. (Don’t cut the basil leaves as it impairs their flavour.)

Red Vegetable Curry

Chop the onion, peel and dice the potatoes, cut the green beans into short lengths, seed and cut the red pepper into strips, cut the baby sweetcorn in half lengthways. In a hot wok with oil, add the curry paste. Cook for 1 min. Add the coconut milk and water. Boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 min. Add the potatoes, cauliflower and lime leaves, and simmer for 7min. Add the green beans, red pepper, sweetcorn, and red pepper. Cook for a further 5 min. Season with fish sauce, lime juice, zest and sugar. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with jasmine rice.

Sweet Pork Red Curry with Baby Sweetcorn and Pineapple

Dice the pork meat. In a hot wok with oil, add the curry paste. Cook for 1 min, add the pork in batches and stir-fry until lightly brown. Add the coconut milk and water. Boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 min. Add the sweetcorn, pineapple and cook for 5 min. Season with fish sauce, lime zest and sugar. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve with jasmine rice.

Tagliattelli with Tomato Sauce, Basil and Mozzarella

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and brown the onion slightly. Add the garlic and fry a couple minutes more. Open the tin of tomatoes and chop them roughly inside the tin. Add them to the pan and reduce until thick, seasoning with salt and pepper. Chop basil roughly and cut the mozzarella into sticks. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Transfer to the pan (along with a drizzle of the pasta water), add the basil and mozzarella. Toss to coat and serve.