Chinese-style red roast meat

Set the taste buds tingling with this gloriously delicious concoction of spicy marinated meat fillets served with crunchy stir-fried vegetables.
Ingredients
150 ml dark soy sauce plus extra for dipping
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp five-spice powder
175g caster sugar
6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 Nos. of 350g pieces of meat fillet, trimmed
Rice and stir-fried seasonal vegetables, to serve
Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Mix the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, 4 tbsp of the sugar, the sherry and 2 tbsp of the vinegar.

Step 2
Put the meat in a deep ovenproof dish and pour the soy sauce mixture over it. Cover with cling film and chill overnight, if possible, or for at least 2 hours. Turn the meat occasionally while it is marinating.

Step 3
Drain the meat, reserving the marinade and place the fillet on a rack in a roasting tin. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade, until the meat is tender and cooked through.

Step 4
Heat the remaining sugar and vinegar together in a small pan, stirring until the sugar dissolved. Boil without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes to form a syrup. Take the meat out of the oven and brush immediately with the syrup. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 5
Slice the meat and serve hot or cold with white rice, seasonal stir-fried vegetables and extra soy sauce for dipping.

Serves 6
Preparation time 10 minutes
Marinating time 2 hours
Cooking time 40 minutes
Fat per serving 7g
Calories per serving 220

Spicy pork loaf (dish of the day)

Deliciously hot and tasty, this dish is guaranteed to chase away the eating lovers. The sweet, tangy basting sauce adds a mouth-watering flavor.
Ingredients
900g pork mince
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
125g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 medium egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp French mustard
150ml pasta
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
125ml pineapple juice
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Seasonal vegetables, to serve
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Mix the pork mince, onion, breadcrumbs, chili sauce, egg and plenty of seasoning in a bowl.
Step 2
Grease a shallow baking dish. Shape the meat into a loaf and put it in the dish. Mix the remaining ingredients (except the parsley) and pour over the loaf.
Step 3
Cook in the oven for one and half hours, spooning over the juices to baste occasionally through.
Step 4
Cut into slices, sprinkle with the parsley and serve with a selection of seasonal vegetables

Serves 5
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 1.5 hours
Fat per serving 20g

Calories per serving 400

Chocolate and pear upside-down pudding

Soft sponge cake and canned pears make a classic combination in luscious pudding–just add creamy chocolate custard for the perfect finishing touch

Ingredients
Butter or margarine, for greasing
410g can pear halves in juice, drained
10 glace cherries
125g butter, softened
125g light sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
150g self-raising flour
25g cocoa powder
2 tbsp chocolate sauce
Chocolate custard, to serve

Preparation

Step1
Preheat the oven to 180/C Gas 4. Grease and baseline a 20cm Victoria sandwich tin.
Arrange the pear halves, cut-side down, over the base and tuck a cherry underneath each one. Set aside.

Step2
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, milk and 2 tbsp of the flour and cocoa over the top and fold in using a large metal spoon.

Step3
Spoon the cake mixture over the pears and smooth the top, covering the fruit completely. Put on a baking tray.

Step4
Bake for 35 to40 minutes until the sponge has risen and is firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Drizzle with the chocolate sauce or serve on plates decorated with a swirl of chocolate sauce. Serve warm with chocolate custard.

Serves 6
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
5 minutes to cooling
Fat per serving 22g
Calories per serving 430

Spaghetti with sweet peppers

To perk up your pasts, try adding honey and red vinegar to an otherwise traditional vegetarian sauce. The sweetened juices simply ooze flavor
Ingredients
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 large red peppers, deseeded and finely sliced
2 large yellow peppers, deseeded and finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
450g spaghetti
1 tbsp clear honey
Torn fresh basil, to garnish

Preparation

Step1
Toss the onion in 1 tbsp of the vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes. Drain.

Step2
Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a pan and cook the onion, garlic and peppers over a low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Step3
Meanwhile, bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti, according to the packet instructions.

Step4
Drain the pasta and toss in the remaining olive oil.

Step5
Stir the remaining vinegar and the honey into the pepper mixture, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Season well.

Step6
Add the pepper mixture to the spaghetti and toss to mix. Serve each portion with some freshly ground black pepper and torn basil leaves.

Serves 4
Preparation time 25 minutes
Fat per serving 16g
Calories per serving 590