Quick and easy

 Mexican Guacamole

The first time I ever used Tabasco (hot chilli sauce) was when I made my first guacamole. This spicy Mexican purée, made with fresh avocados, chillies and ripe tomatoes, is still a great favourite. Serve it as a first course with good crusty bread or as a dip with raw vegetable strips. Don't make guacamole more than three hours ahead, though, or it will discolour.

Wild Salmon and Caper Fish Cakes with Watercress Hollandaise 

Although dedicated cooks have long recognised that tinned salmon makes better fish cakes than fresh, the packaging of tinned salmon has not hitherto been very inspirational. Not so now. Marks & Spencer have been very clever here and given us a classy product.

Grilled Autumn Fruits with Sabayon Cider Sauce 

This is a very pretty and colourful dessert for the autumn or winter. It can be made well in advance as the fruits are served at room temperature, with a sauce to go with them that can either be warm or cooled.