Butter Bean, Choritzo and Tomato Salad.

In a mortar and pestle crush a clove of garlic with some good salt until it becomes a paste. Add a good dash of sherry vinegar and olive oil and mix in to an emulsion.
Warm butter beans through in slightly salted water drain and leave to cool slightly.
Chop cherry or other small tomatoes into small pieces and combine with a finely sliced red onion and chopped parsley.
Combine the slightly cooled beans with the tomatoes, onion and parsley and dress. Leave for five mins or so for all the flavours to mingle.
In a frying pan fry sliced cooking choritzo on both sides then add to the rest of the salad and serve.

Choritzo with Spring Vegetables.

you can use any seasonal veg for this dish as I cooked it in spring I used peas, broad beans, sprouting broccoli, baby leeks, french beans and spring onions,
In a saucepan melt a knob of butter in centimeter or two of water (enough to just cover all your veg).
Add the veg in batches ie the ones that take longest to cook first and boil at a fairly high heat.
While the veg is cooking heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the slices of choritzo on both sides.
Drain the veg and add the choritzo and oil to the pan with a dash of sherry vinegar.
Dress and serve.

Fried Egg, Choritzo and Asparagus.

Heat a pan with about 1cm of water, butter and seasoning - when boiling add asparagus tips and reduce heat to a simmer.
While the asparagus is cooking heat a frying pan with a little olive oil in it.
Crack an egg into the frying pan (duck egg would be good if you can get one) and place choritzo slices into the oil.
When all the ingredients are cooked plate and drizzle with a little of the choritzo cooking oil.

Garlic Soup.

In a pan very gently fry a couple of hands full of garlic cloves in the skin on a low heat. Turn often and by the time they are golden on the outside the inside should be soft and sweetened.
Drain on a piece of kitchen paper and leave to cool.
Squeeze the pulp out of their skins and puree - you can do this in a mortar and pestle or in a blender or by pushing through a fine sieve.
Chop cooking choritzo into small pieces and fry in the olive oil - when starting to crisp add finely chopped thyme and fry for a minute or so before adding the garlic pulp and a teaspoon or two of sweet smoked paprika.
Stir together before adding chicken stock and simmer to combine the flavours.
Serve with good rustic bread or you could also poach an egg in the soup before serving.

Mozzarella and Basil Sandwiches with Tomato Sauce.

To make the sauce chop the tomatoes and place in a pan with some good olive oil, a finely chopped shallot, dried oregano, chopped garlic, a small dash of good quality vinegar and a sprinkling of chilli flakes.

Cook through then simmer until you have a sauce.

Add shredded basil before serving.

For the sandwiches cut circles out of slices of bread and dip one side into milk.

Sandwich a slice or two of mozzarella and a couple of basil leaves in between two discs of bread milk side in and press together.

Repeat until you have the desired amount.

Heat a frying pan of veg oil to 170c and fry the sandwiches until golden brown on both sides then drain onto kitchen paper.

Season with sea salt.

Spoon the sauce onto a plate, top with the sandwiches and grate over some Parmesan and add a few torn basil leaves and serve.

Chicken Parmentier.

A great way to use up left over roast chicken.
Peel, slice and boil potatoes in salted water.
Place a few tomatoes that have been cut at the base in a cross shape in boiling water for a minute then drain. When cool enough to handle peel and chop.
While the potatoes are cooking fry sliced shallots, diced carrot, celery and chopped garlic in butter until softened, then add a dash of white wine and cook for a minute before adding tomato puree,  chopped tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook down for ten minutes or so before adding black olives, halved, the left over chicken and a hand full of chopped parsley, season to taste then decant into pie dishes.
When the potatoes are cooked mash with butter and/or oil and milk and/or cream - season with salt and pepper and spread on top of the pie dishes.
Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese and bake in the oven.

Marinaded Lamb Chops with Onion Sauce.

The lamb marinade for this was based on a recipe for a "three day lamb souvlaki" but simplified.
Marinade the lamb in olive oil, salt, pepper, broken up bay leaves, dried oregano, tomato puree, lemon juice, a little quality vinegar and ground cumin, best left to marinade over a few days.
For the onion sauce chop a large onion and place in a pan with a sprig or two of thyme and a few bay leaves, add enough water to nearly cover, season and bring to the boil and simmer for ten mins or so until the onions are cooked.
Drain the onions but reserve the cooking liquid, discard the thyme and bay and place in a blender add some of the cooking liquor and blitz to a fine sauce. Return to a clean pan, taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to and keep warm.
Griddle or pan fry the lamb chops and serve on top of the onion sauce.