Eat Well and Stay Well

FoodEat well and age wellDelicious and nutritious recipes

Smoked salmon rolls with prawns and grapes

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS: 150 g smoked salmon Approx 12 cooked king prawns 12 black grapes Freshly ground black pepper Juice ½ lemon 2-3 lemon wedges Approx 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce Basil leaves, torn

1. Arrange small rolls of smoked salmon with a few cooked and peeled king prawns on a pretty plate. 2. Squeeze over a little lemon juice. Season with freshly ground black pepper. 3. Add a few black grapes, some torn basil leaves and an optional small dish of sweet chilli dipping sauce, plus a couple of lemon wedges. 4. Guests can use cocktail sticks or small forks to dip the fish into the sauce. 5. Frozen prawns are fine to include also; just de-frost in the fridge overnight first and drain well, before serving. 6. Add a tomato and watercress salad, and some wholemeal bread rolls, to complete. Beverley Jarvis is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and has written more than 23 cookery books published by most of the large British publishers, including Microwave Cooking, the first colour microwave cookbook available on the general market. She has presented a series on microwave cookery for the BBC and appeared on Food and Drink plus morning TV shows. Having qualified as a home economist and cookery teacher in the 1960s, Beverley followed a career in many aspects of home economics, including writing, food styling for photography and demonstrating to large audiences. She now teaches and writes for u3a and its magazine TAM (Third Age Matters), as well as contributing to other magazines, including the recently launched Platinum.

Images © David-James Selling

Chinese chicken

Baked aubergine

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS: 1 aubergine, 100 g button mushrooms, finely chopped 1 tbsp chopped parsley, or 1 tsp dried parsley 1 tbsp fresh brown breadcrumbs 3 stoned dates, chopped 2 heaped tbsp natural Greek-style yoghurt Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp each of grated parmesan and cheddar cheese A little sweet paprika EQUIPMENT: You will need a tablespoon, small mixing bowl, microwaveable dinner plate, dessertspoon, chopping board and knife, grater and absorbent kitchen paper or greaseproof paper. 1. Halve the aubergine, lengthways, and scoop out the flesh using a tablespoon, leaving a shell 5 mm/¼ inch thick. Chop the flesh roughly. 2. Rinse both shell and pulp, drain well, then blot dry with absorbent kitchen paper. Put the aubergine pulp into the mixing bowl. 3. Stand the aubergine shells, spaced slightly apart, on the dinner plate. 4. Add the mushrooms, parsley, bread- crumbs, dates and yoghurt to the mixing bowl, season with a little salt and pepper and mix well to combine. 5. Divide the mixture evenly between the aubergine shells, piling it up. 6. Combine the two grated cheeses with the paprika then divide between the aubergine halves. 7. Cover the plate loosely with kitchen paper, tucking the paper under the plate to prevent it blowing off. 8. Microwave on High for 10 minutes, giving each aubergine half a turn, half way through cooking. 9. Allow to stand for 4 minutes before serving with the salad or coleslaw.

INGREDIENTS: 2 chicken legs Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium-size red onion, chopped 50 g button mushrooms, sliced, 1 small red pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 x 227 g can pineapple slices, drained and chopped, reserving the juice 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp runny honey, 2 tsp grated root ginger

EQUIPMENT: You will need a small browning dish with lid, absorbent kitchen paper, oven gloves, chopping board and knife, slotted spoon, 1-litre microwaveable mixing bowl, teaspoon, mug, serving dish and tin foil.

TO SERVE: Serve with a handful of parsley sprigs, chopped, 2 spring onions, chopped, and brown rice.

2. Meanwhile, blot the chicken legs dry on kitchen paper, then season all over with a little salt and pepper and set aside. 3. Using oven gloves, remove the dish from the microwave and add 1 tbsp oil. 4. Add the onion, mushrooms, pepper and garlic to the dish and stir well; the vegetables will sizzle nicely. 5. Cover with the lid and return the dish to the microwave, on High, for 4 minutes; then remove from the microwave and set aside for 1 minute. 6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to the serving dish and set aside, covered with tin foil. 7. Drain off any resulting liquid in the browning dish, and reserve. 8. Return the browning dish to the micro- wave, without the lid, for 2 minutes on High. 9. Add the remaining oil to the hot dish and press both chicken legs on to the hotsurface of the dish, turning them to searon all sides. 10. Cover with the lid and cook on High for8 minutes, turning each chicken leg over once, half way through cooking. 11. Check the chicken is cooked by piercing the thickest part with a sharp knife – the juices must run clear; should there be any sign of blood, return them to the microwave, covered, for a further 1-2 minutes, and check again. 12. Transfer the chicken to the dish holding the vegetables. Cover with foil and keep warm. Make the sauce: 1. In the mixing bowl, combine the juice from the pineapple with the reserved juices from the vegetables, the soy sauce, the honey and the ginger. 2. In a mug, blend the cornflour with a little water to form a smooth paste. 3. Stir the blended cornflour into the sauce ingredients and pour into the browning dish. 4. Microwave, uncovered, on High for 3-4 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. 5. Stir in the pineapple. To finish: 1. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and return to the microwave for 2 minutes on High. 2. Serve immediately, garnished with the chopped parsley and spring onions,accompanied by brown rice.

Potato, cheese and bacon layer

INGREDIENTS: 350 g red or white-skinned potatoes, very thinly sliced 1 medium-size onion, chopped 2 rashers back bacon, de-rinded and chopped Butter or oil for greasing Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1½ tsp dried mixed herbs 4 tbsp vegetable stock or water 75 g (approx.) grated cheese – an equal split of mature cheddar and parmesan is nice 1 tsp sweet paprika pepper, optional

EQUIPMENT: You will need a 1-litre mixing bowl, absorbent kitchen paper, a cheese grater, chopping board and knife and a microwaveable cereal bowl, dinner plate and shallow dish (about 1 litre in capacity) plus greaseproof paper for covering. 1. Put the potato slices into the mixing bowl, cover them with cold water and set aside for 20 minutes, if possible. 2. Drain the potatoes and blot them dry between sheets of absorbent kitchen paper. 3. Put the onion and bacon into the cereal bowl, muddled together. Stand this on a dinner plate and cover loosely with kitchen paper, tucked under the bowl to prevent it blowing off. Microwave on High for 4 minutes then set aside. 4. Lightly grease the shallow dish.Layer the prepared potatoes into the dish, with the onion and bacon mixture, adding ½ teaspoon dried herbs and a little salt and pepper to each layer. Finish with a layer of potatoes. 5. Pour over the stock or water. 6. Stand the dish on a dinner plate and cover with kitchen paper, again tucking the paper round and under dish so that it doesn’t blow off. 7. Microwave on High for 10 minutes. 8. Stand, covered, for 5 minutes then check that the potatoes in the centre of the dish are cooked by piercing with a sharp knife. If they are not, return the dish to microwave for a further 1-2 minutes. 9. Top the potato layer with the cheese and paprika and serve with the salad.

Elderflower and satsuma syllabub

INGREDIENTS: 125 ml whipping cream 2 tbsp elderflower cordial (I like Blossom Cottage) Juice of 1 juicy satsuma 2 rounded tbsp Greek-style yoghurt, 5% fat 2 tsp runny honey, or to taste

EQUIPMENT: You will need a chopping board and knife, medium-size mixing bowl, citrus juicer, hand-held electric whisk, tablespoon, spatula and 2 white wine glasses.

TO SERVE: 4 black seedless grapes, halved; tiny mint sprigs. 1. In the medium-size mixing bowl, using the hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream until floppy. 2. Beat in the elderflower cordial with the juice from the satsuma, just to combine. 3. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the Greek-style yoghurt, and the honey. 4. Spoon the mixture into 2 wine glasses, dividing it evenly. 5. Chill for an hour or two. 6. Serve the syllabub, straight from the fridge, decorated with the grapes and the tiny sprigs of mint.

Senior Times, in association with the publishers, Hammersmith Books, are offering three copies of the book in this competition.

Three copies of Eat Well to Age Well to be won!

To enter simply answer this question: how many books has Beverley J arvis written?

Send your entries to: Eat Well Age Well competition, Senior Times, PO Box 13215, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Or email to: john@slp.ie Deadline for receipt of entries is January 31st 2022. The first three correction entries received are the winners. Eat Well to Age Well costs €24.99 and will be available in bookshops from January 20th 2022.