Food & Drink

Me Come Dine With Spicy seafood spaghetti

Prep: 10 mins Cook: 25 mins Serves: 2

Indulge in this simple seafood pasta dish for two. Rich, bold avours that you can create in just half an hour. Feel free to vary the seafood to include your favourites such as prawns or crab.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 fat garlic cloves , crushed • 2 red chillies , deseeded and nely chopped • 150ml white wine (optional) • 2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes • 175g dried spaghetti (or pasta of your choice) • 140g mussels , washed and beards removed (you can ask your shmonger to do this for you) • 140g clams , washed • 100g cooked lobster meat • chilli oil or olive oil, for drizzling • ½ small pack parsley , roughly chopped

Method STEP 1

Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil and cook the spaghetti following pack instructions. Heat the oil in a deep pan, add the garlic and chilli, and fry for 1-2 mins over a medium heat. Pour in the wine (if using) and simmer for 3-5 mins until it reduces by a third. Tip in the tomatoes, burst them with a wooden spoon and bring to a gentle simmer. Season well.

STEP 2

Discard any broken or open clams and mussels, then add to the tomato sauce and cover with a lid. Cook for about 3 mins until the shells open. Remove any mussels or clams with their shells still shut using a slotted spoon. Stir through the lobster meat.

STEP 3

Drain the spaghetti, reserving a little cooking water and add to the pan. Toss the spaghetti with tongs to coat in the sauce. Serve in big bowls with a drizzle of chilli or olive oil, a scattering of parsley and a good grinding of black pepper.

Mexican bean soup with guacamole

Prep: 10 mins Cook: 20 mins Serves: 2 is warming, spiced vegetarian soup packs in goodness and is lling too. e quick-to-assemble guacamole topping tastes as good as it looks.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp rapeseed oil • 1 large onion, nely chopped • 1 red pepper, cut into chunks • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 2 tsp mild chilli powder • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp ground cumin • 400g can chopped tomatoes • 400g can black beans • 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder • 1 small avocado • handful chopped coriander • 1 lime, juiced • ½ red chilli, deseeded and nely chopped (optional)

Method STEP 1

Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion (reserving 1 tbsp to make the guacamole later) and pepper and fry, stirring frequently, for 10 mins. Stir in the garlic and spices, then tip in the tomatoes and beans with their liquid, half a can of water and the bouillon powder. Simmer, covered, for 15 mins.

STEP 2

Meanwhile, peel and de-stone the avocado and tip into a bowl, add the remaining onion, coriander and lime juice with a little chilli (if using) and mash well. Ladle the soup into two bowls, top with the guacamole and serve.

Winter warming cocktails

Indulge in a warming cocktail or a crowd-pleasing punch with some of our best ever winter drinks.

Spiced apple syrup with clementine & cloves Mix this syrup into hot apple juice or wine for a sweet and ery burst of Christmas avour. It’s also delicious drizzled over ice cream for dessert.

INGREDIENTS

• 200ml apple juice • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 tsp whole allspice • 1 mace blade • 2 whole cloves • small strip fresh ginger • 1 clementine , zest nely peeled with a vegetable peeler • 100g golden caster sugar

METHOD

STEP 1 Heat the apple juice with the whole spices, ginger, zest and sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins.

STEP 2 Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then strain the syrup into small bottles.

MULLED WINE Make perfectly spiced mulled wine at Christmas with our easy recipe. Use a good quality red wine like an unoaked tempranillo or try a twist with a dash of sloe gin.

INGREDIENTS

• 750ml bottle red wine • 1 large cinnamon stick, or 2 small ones • 2 star anise • 4 cloves • 2 strips lemon zest, pared using a vegetable peeler • 4 tbsp caster sugar

METHOD

STEP 1 Put the red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, lemon zest and sugar in a large pan. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins.

STEP 2

Remove from the heat and cool, leaving to infuse for about 30 mins.

STEP 3

To serve, heat without boiling, stir in the sloe gin (if using, see tip below) and pour into mugs or heatproof glasses.

WINTER WHISKY SOUR

is classic bourbon cocktail takes a festive turn with a splash of orange juice and edible gold glitter - perfect for Christmas parties.

INGREDIENTS

• crushed ice • 50ml bourbon • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 1 tbsp fresh orange juice • ½ tbsp sugar syrup • 2 slices of oranges • To decorate • honey • gold edible glitter

METHOD STEP 1

Using a small paintbrush (or your nger), brush some honey around the rim of two tumblers and use another small paintbrush to stick edible gold glitter around each.