Chicken Tikka

Chop the onion, crush the garlic and cut the chicken meat into cubes. Soak the skewers in water for 30min. In a food processor, mix the onion, garlic, ginger, lemon juice and zest, coriander, turmeric, cumin and garam masala. Add the yoghurt and salt. Marinate the chicken cubes in this mixture overnight, covered in the refrigerator. Thread 4-5 chicken cubes onto each skewer and cook them on a barbecue or chargrill pan until golden brown.

Asparagus with Poached Egg

For the asparagus, bring a large pan of salted water to boil. To get rid of their fibrous base, bend them slightly and it should just pop out. Peel them half way down from the heads and blanch them in the boiling water for about 1-2 minutes (depending on the thickness). You want them still crunchy, al dente. Transfer them to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking. In another pan, bring about 10cm of water (the height is more important than the volume) to boil and turn down the heat to a simmer. Stir in the vinegar. Break your eggs separately in a little bowl, bring them very close to the water and let them fall gently over a bubble stream. With a spatula or spoon, try to help the egg whites not to spread so much. Cook them for 3 minutes exactly, so that the whites are cooked and the yolks are hot, but still soft.

If you want, you can gently brown the asparagus in butter and adjust the seasoning, before serving them under the poached eggs.

Easy Butter Chicken

Score the chicken thigh fillets with a sharp knife. Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Place half of the butter in a glass baking dish. Place in the oven for about 3 min or until melted. Swirl to coat dish and set aside. In a large deep pot, melt the remaining butter over a medium-high heat. Add half of the tandoori paste, half the ginger, 2 grated garlic cloves, chopped hot pepper, cumin and paprika, stirring for about 2 min. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to the boil. Stir in the cream and return to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 min, until thickened.;Meanwhile, in bowl, rub the chicken with the yogurt, salt, pepper, the remaining ginger, grated garlic and tandoori paste; toss to combine. Spread a single layer in a prepared baking dish. Bake in the oven for 10 min. Pour tomato sauce over the chicken; bake for about 10 min longer or until sauce is bubbling and chicken is no longer pink inside. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and lime juice.

Simple Classic Roast Chicken

Let the butter soften at room temperature and mix it with the crushed garlic and enough salt and pepper to season. Rub this all over the bird, inside and out. Stuff the herbs in the cavity, top it with any excess butter and place it in the centre of a 220C/425F pre-heated oven. Cook for 20min until light brown, baste the chicken with the melted butter and pour the wine in the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat down to 180C/350F and roast for a further 30-40min, depending on its size. Turn off the oven, open the door and leave the bird to sit for another 20min. To test if it’s done, pierce the joint between the thigh and the breast and the juices should run clear. If they are still bloody, you should cook the meat longer. Carve the bird and let the pieces fall into the pan juices. Alternatively, you can add the chopped herbs in the butter. Serve with roast potatoes, green vegetables, salad, bread, or whatever. Keep the carcass to make homemade stock!

Tandoori Chicken

Mix the lemon juice, spices, garlic and onion in a food processor. Add the yoghurt and colouring. Coat the chicken with the tandoori mixture and marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. Transfer the meat to a wire rack over a baking tray. Cook the chicken in a preheated oven at 180C for 45min, or until no longer pink and the juices run clear. Garnish with coriander and lemon wedges. Serve with rice or couscous.