Stout and Ginger Barbecue Sauce
(makes 1/2 cup sauce)

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic
2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a medium sauce pan to medium low and add olive oil. Smash the clove of garlic to break it. Add onion and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add beer and a bay leaf and bring to a low boil or aggressive simmer. Simmer until reduced to ~1/2 cup- 1/4 cup. This should take 30-40 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and stir in remaining ingredients. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste and correct for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Healthy Tartar Sauce Recipe:
(makes ~1/4 cup)

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (the squeeze of one wedge)
pepper

It’s easy, just mix together all your ingredients and taste for seasoning.

Lemon Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites

2 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Segment the lemons. Add lemon segments, sugar and salt to a blender along with any extra juice you can squeeze from the lemons. Turn on blender to medium-high and combine. Add olive oil in a steady stream and pulse until well combined but it still has texture.

Kept in a sealed jar, this should last in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Prawns with Jalapeños and White Wine:

1t butter
1t olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2lb of prawns, shelled and de-veined
1 jalapeño, sliced crosswise
1/2C white wine
1/2 lemon, juiced
2T fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1. Put a medium skillet on medium heat and melt the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and saute until it starts to brown.
2. Add the prawns and saute for 1-2 minutes per side depending on the size of the shrimp.
3. Add the white wine and cook for another minute.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and parsley. Toss with a few grinds of fresh pepper. Serve right away with lots of fresh bread and the curry mayo.

Curry mayo
Combine approximately 1/2c of mayonnaise to each teaspoon of curry powder. Taste and adjust, more mayo if it is too spicy and more curry if it needs to be spicier!

Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion: (serves 4)
1 large can Italian plum tomatoes
5 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, peeled and cut in half
1T salt

pasta
Parmagianno-Reggiano cheese, grated

1. Put the tomatoes in a saucepan and with very clean kitchen scissors cut them up. Add the butter, onion and salt and bring to a light simmer.
2. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes or until the fat floats from the tomato. Stir occasionally, using a wooden spoon to mash any large piece of tomato. Taste and correct for salt. Discard onion and toss sauce with pasta. Serve with grated cheese.

Chicken Gravy:

2T butter
1 shallot, sliced
1T flour
1C-2C chicken stock
1 chicken pan

1. Remove your chicken and veggies from the roasting tin and pour off all the fat. Turn the heat on to medium and let the pan get hot.
2. Meanwhile in a small saucepan sauté the shallots in butter over medium low heat. Continue stirring the shallots until they start to brown.
3. When the roasting pan is hot add 1C of chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon scrape the brown bits of the pan until they become part of the chicken stock. When you have gotten all the flavour off it, turn the heat off under the pan and set aside.
4. Add the flour to the shallots and whisk. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking regularly. Add the chicken stock/pan drippings (holding back a bit of the other chicken stock) while whisking. Turn up the temperature to medium and allow to simmer whisking occasionally until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it gets too thick add more chicken stock.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, strain through a fine mesh sieve and serve immediately.

Rosemary Ragu:
(serves 6)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion
1 stalk celery
2 small carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
.25 kg beef stew meat, cut into 3/4″ cubes
.33 kg ground lamb
.4 kg ground pork
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 dried red thai chillies, crushed
2 tablespoons rosemary, dried
1 cup white wine
1 large can of diced tomatoes, nice Muir Glen ones
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
6 tablespoons grated Parmaggiano

1. Roughly chop onion, celery and carrot and then process in a Cuisinart until uniformly shredded. In a large Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Saute onion, celery and carrot for 8 minutes, stirring to avoid burning. It’s fine if it browns. Add garlic and sauté another minute.
2. Push vegetables to the outside of the pan, turn up to medium heat and add the other 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot add the meat and salt and pepper, stir to cook evenly. Add rosemary and chile peppers. When almost no pink left add the white wine.
3. When 2/3 of the wine has evaporated add the tomatoes. When heated through and bubbling add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate.
4. Adjust the heat so that it is at the lightest of a simmer – an occasional bubble only. Cook for at least an hour stirring occasionally. There should be enough liquid. If it starts to dry out add a bit of water, or chicken stock.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool until appropriate to run through a blender or food processor. Just give a few pulses – you want it uniform but still to have texture. Return to heat.
6. To serve spoon over fresh pasta and garnish with the cheese and parsley.