Why not spice up your Monday with this delicious curry! It uses Panch Phoran, a Bengali five-spice mix, but if you can’t find it, use instead a pinch each of ground cumin, fennel, fenugreek and black mustard seed. (From ‘1001 One Pot, Casseroles, Soups & Stews’ by Parragon).

Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Curry, serves 4

Ingredients:

4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tsp Panch Poran

1 cauliflower, broken into small florets

350g/12 oz sweet potatoes, diced

2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp ginger pureé

2 tsp paprika

1½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

3 tomatoes, quartered

225g/8oz fresh or frozen peas

3 tbsp natural yogurt

225ml/8 fl oz vegetable stock or water

salt

1 tsp garam masala

fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

1. Heat the ghee in a large heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and Panch Phoran and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden. 

2. Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes and chillies and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the ginger pureé, paprika, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and peas and stir in the yogurt and stock. 

4. Season with salt to taste, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle they g garam masala over the curry, transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately, garnished with fresh coriander sprigs. 

Together with a side salad, these little wonders are perfect hot or cold - irresistible!

Blue Cheese & Walnut Tartlets, makes 12. Recipe from Parragon’s ‘Irish Pub Cooking’.

Ingredients:

PIE DOUGH

210g/7½ oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

pinch of celery salt

115g/4 oz cold butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing

35g/¼ oz walnut halves, finely chopped

FILLING

2 tbsp butter

2 celery stalks, trimmed and finely chopped

1 small leek, trimmed and finely chopped

225ml/8fl oz double cream, plus 2 tbsp extra

200g/7 oz blue cheese

3 egg yolks

salt and pepper

1. Lightly grease a 12 hole muffin tray. Sift the flour and celery salt into a food processor, add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the walnuts and a little cold water, just enough to bring the dough together. 

2. Turn out onto a floured counter and cut the dough in half. Roll out the first piece and cut out six 9cm/3½ in circles. Take each circle and roll out to 12cm/4½ in in diameter and fit into the muffin holes, pressing to fill the holes. Do the same with the remaining dough. Put a piece of parchment paper in each hole, fill with dried beans and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

3. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator and bake the tartlets blind in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the paper and the beans.

4. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the celery and the leek and cook for 15 minutes, until soft. Add the 2 tablespoons of cream and crumble in the blue cheese. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the remaining cream to a simmer in a separate pan, then pour onto the egg yolks, stirring all the time. Mix in the blue cheese mixture and spoon into the pastry shells. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the pan around in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.