The main event

Kashmir Spiced Prawns

This is a fresh, mildly spicy curry – and very quick to make. If you would like it a bit more fiery, I suggest you add 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder.

Cheese and herb-crusted Cottage Pie

This recipe is part of a Mixed Double. I believe it is worth going to the trouble of making twice as much mince filling as you need for this cottage pie. You can then store half the mince mixture and use it next day in the recipe for Spaghetti with Mexican Sauce.

Spaghetti with Mexican Sauce

To make this sauce you need the other half of the mince from the Cheese and herb-crusted Cottage Pie recipe, which will provide you with just the right quantity of cooked minced beef.

Braised Steak au Poivre

This is an adaptation of the famous French classic, but more economical because it's made with braising steak. The flavour is superb!

Lamb Chops baked with Aubergines

This one has a decidedly Greek flavour with its hint of cinnamon and oregano. Since both meat and vegetables are cooked together, it's an easy dish to prepare.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

This would make a perfect main-course salad for a hot summer's day, served on a bed of crisp lettuce and garnished with watercress.

Provencale crusted cod with Provencale Tomatoes

This is virtually an all-in-one meal cooked under the grill, except perhaps it needs a few new potatoes and a green salad to accompany it.

Beef Curry cooked in Yoghurt

A meat curry for one? Well, why not? By the time it's cooked your kitchen will have a marvellous spicy aroma, you'll be ravenous – and you'll really appreciate it.

Kedgeree with Kippers

I admit that, having tried kedgeree on several occasions with brown rice, I have now come to the conclusion that it is always better made with white rice (which also happens to be a lot quicker).

Chicken Tikka Kebab

These are little chicken kebabs, marinated in a spicy yoghurt mixture for several hours – after which they almost melt in the mouth!

Salmon and Caper Fish Cakes

I've adapted this from a Jewish recipe in which the cakes are coated in matzo meal before frying. If you can plan ahead, you can arrange to make enough mashed potato at a previous meal to cover this one as well.

Chicken Véronique

Another little treasure, this one, which I think goes particularly well with plain buttered noodles. 

Boboutie

This just goes to show you can make something really special with ordinary minced beef. The recipe comes from Africa, but seems to me to have an interesting mixture of European and oriental overtones.

Tagliatelle Toscana

In this recipe the pasta along with the other ingredients – aubergines, tomatoes, Mozzarella amongst other things – are finished off for a few minutes in the oven.

Frying-pan Paella

I have to confess that for years I avoided making a paella, ever since I read in one cookery book that one of the ingredients was a 'singing bird'. However, after fourteen years of marriage, my husband pressed me to make one with rather simpler ingredients and we were both delighted with the result.

Vegetarian Moussaka

There is 1 oz (35 g) of lentils in this recipe, which is a very small amount to cook in one go. So you could always cook more and use the rest the next day.

Macaroni Cheese with Courgettes and Bacon

I like this made with penne, but wholewheat macaroni makes a good alternative. The courgettes can be replaced with leeks, broad beans or broccoli sprigs.

Baked Lamb with Potato, Garlic and Rosemary

This recipe enables you to cook the meat and the potato together at the same time. I like to use an oval heatproof gratin dish for it – but a very small roasting tin would do as well.

Gammon Steak with Honey and Mustard Sauce

This is so quick and effortless – and proves that simplicity is so often the best. Excellent served with the quick stir-fried cabbage.