Julieta Parra

Pineapple smoothie

Method
STEP 1
Blitz the pineapple in a blender with the banana, lime juice and 50ml cold water until smooth.

STEP 2
Fill a tall glass with ice, if you like, pour over the smoothie and serve immediately.

Carrot cake fridge flapjacks

Method
STEP 1
Boil the kettle. Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½, butter a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Tip the dates into a heatproof bowl and cover with 60ml boiling water from the kettle. Set aside to rehydrate for 10 mins, then tip into a food processor and blitz until smooth.

STEP 2
Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Tip the carrots, oats, cranberries, apricots, chopped walnuts, mixed seeds, mixed spice, cinnamon and a small pinch of salt into a large bowl. Stir the sweetened butter and puréed dates into the dry ingredients until combined, then tip into the prepared tin and press into an even layer using a spatula. Bake for 45-50 mins, covering with foil halfway through if the flapjacks brown too quickly. Cool in the tin. Once completely cool, chill in the fridge for at least 3 hrs.

STEP 3
For the icing, whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the flapjacks and cut into 12 bars. Will keep, covered in the fridge, for three days.

Air-fryer doughnuts

Method
STEP 1
Combine the milk, melted butter, yeast, 1 tsp of the sugar and the vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer. Leave for 8-10 mins for the yeast to activate.

STEP 2
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugar, flour, ½ tsp salt and the cinnamon, if using. Mix the beaten egg into the milk mixture, then fold in the dry ingredients. Knead with a dough hook on a medium speed for 5-8 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also knead by hand for 10-12 mins, until smooth. It’s a very sticky dough, so be patient with it.

STEP 3
Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hr 30 mins until the dough has doubled in size. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to around 1.5cm thick. Cut out your doughnuts using a doughnut cutter or two cutters (1 x 7.5cm and 1 x 2.5cm for the middle). Put the doughnuts on a lined baking sheet, along with the doughnut centres, if you like, and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to rise for 40 mins or overnight in the fridge (the doughnuts will hold their shape better if proved in the fridge).

STEP 4
When ready to cook, place 2-3 doughnuts (and their centres, if keeping) in the air-fryer basket and cook at 180C for 5-6 mins, following manufacturer's instructions, until golden. (Bear in mind that some air fryers generate more intense heat, so keep checking to make sure the doughnuts don't burn.) Remove from the basket and leave to cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining doughnuts. You can place a sheet of baking parchment at the bottom of your basket if you’re worried about the doughnuts sticking and to prevent indents from the basket forming on the doughnuts.

STEP 5
While the final batch is cooking, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the milk and vanilla extract. When the doughnuts have cooled, dip the top of each one in the glaze. Leave on the wire rack for the glaze to set. Best eaten on the day but will keep for up to 24 hours in an airtight container.

Christmas jam

Method
STEP 1
Put a small plate in the fridge to chill. Tip the cranberries, orange zest and juice, the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves and sugar into a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 mins, stirring often until the cranberries have burst and the liquid has reduced – it should be thick and jammy. Put a teaspoon of the jam on the chilled plate and leave to cool. Once cool, run your finger through the jam – if it wrinkles up, it’s ready. If not, cook for 5 mins more and test again.

STEP 2
Leave to cool for 10 mins, then remove the whole spices and stir in the glitter, if using. Decant into sterilised jam jars and seal. Will keep in a cool, dark place for three months, or chilled for one month once opened.

Easy teriyaki chicken

Method
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and fry for 7 mins, or until golden. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 mins. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, vinegar and 100ml water. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 - 5 mins over a medium heat until the chicken is sticky and coated in a thick sauce.

STEP 2
Scatter over the spring onions and sesame seeds, then serve the chicken with the rice and steamed veg.

Sweet chilli-glazed pigs in blankets

Method
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with foil for easier clean-up later. Line the tray with the rashers of bacon, slightly spaced apart.

STEP 2
Using a pastry brush, coat the bacon in the chilli jam, saving some to glaze with at the end. One by one, put a chipolata at the end of a bacon rasher and tightly roll.

STEP 3
Brush the remaining chilli jam over the top of the pigs in the blankets and bake in the oven for 30 mins. Remove from the oven and glaze with a little more chilli jam for a glossy finish. Will keep for 24 hrs.

Vegan shortbread

Method
STEP 1
Whizz the flour, sugar, a pinch of salt and the cornflour in a food processor to sieve and mix briefly, then add the vanilla and drizzle in the olive oil, pulsing the food processor blades until you get a soft, golden dough. Wrap and chill for 30 mins to rest.

STEP 2
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a baking mat. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 5mm thickness and use a round or fluted cutter, about 6cm diameter, to cut out shortbread rounds. Use a small palette knife to transfer to the baking sheet. Can be frozen on the baking tray, then transfered to a box when solid. Will keep for up to three months.

STEP 3
Sprinkle the 1 tbsp sugar over the biscuits and bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool for a few mins to firm up on the tray, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Add 2-4 mins to the cooking time if baking from frozen.

Vegetable biryani with green raita

Method
STEP 1
Tip the rice into a pan of boiling water and cook for 12 mins until only half cooked. Drain, but reserve the water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan that has a lid, and fry the onion over a medium heat until golden. If it starts to catch, cover with the lid.

STEP 2
Tip in the carrots and cauliflower, and continue cooking, covered, for 5 mins. Stir in the curry powder, cinnamon and cumin seeds, the ginger and garlic. Stir well. Tip in the rice, add 2 tbsp of the yogurt and pour in 300ml of the reserved rice water mixed with the bouillon powder. Stir in the cashews and peas. Cover and cook for 10 mins over a gentle heat until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Add half the mint and half the coriander, then leave to rest for 5 mins.

STEP 3
Meanwhile, make a raita by stirring the remaining mint and coriander into the remaining yogurt, then add 1 tbsp cold water to loosen – you can whizz together with a hand blender if you want a green raita. Spoon into small bowls to serve alongside the biryani.

Barley & broad bean risotto

Method
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and gently fry for 8-10 mins or until softened. Stir through the garlic and cook for 1 min. Tip in the pearl barley and 600ml of the stock. Bring to the boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 35 mins, stirring regularly, until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and the pearl barley is tender. Add the remaining stock, a splash at a time, to loosen if it looks too thick.

STEP 2
Roughly chop half of the podded broad beans (or pulse a few times in a food processor), keeping the rest whole. Stir all the broad beans into the risotto along with the lemon zest, mint, ricotta, basil and parmesan (with a splash more stock or water if it looks dry). Season, then serve in bowls with extra mint and parmesan scattered over.

Turkey Singapore noodles

Method
STEP 1
Soak the noodles in boiling water until tender, then drain and toss in 1 tsp of the sesame oil. Beat the eggs with the rest of the sesame oil and some seasoning. Heat half the vegetable oil in a wok and pour in the eggs to make a flat omelette. Cook on one side, then flip over, cook all the way through and transfer to a plate.

STEP 2
Place the wok back on the heat with the rest of the oil and quickly fry the garlic, ginger and chilli. Add all the vegetables to the wok, fry for 1 min more, then add the turkey and ham. Tip the noodles into the pan and stir through the curry powder, turmeric, soy, Sherry and sugar. Cook everything together for 1-2 mins, then shred the omelette and stir it through the noodles. Serve the noodles scattered with coriander sprigs, sliced chilli and extra soy sauce.

Mexican salad with tortilla croutons

Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the tortilla pieces on a baking tray, toss with the oil and the seasoning mix, then cook for 10-12 mins until crisp. In a large bowl, toss the iceberg, beans and tomatoes. Toss the avocado in the lime juice and add to the bowl.

STEP 2
Drizzle over your chosen dressing and toss to coat all the ingredients. Top with the croutons and coriander, then serve.

Zoolbia (lacy saffron fritters)

Method
STEP 1
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, and add a pinch of salt and the yeast. Pour over 250ml warm water and mix well, leaving to sit for a few minutes. Add the yogurt and combine until you have a thick batter, then add the saffron liquid and mix well until the batter has a pale golden colour. Cover the bowl and leave to rest at room temperature for 2 hrs, until it begins to bubble.

STEP 2
Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large frying pan over a medium-high heat – the oil is hot enough when a drop of batter sizzles immediately. Pour the batter into a squeezy bottle, or use a piping bag with a narrow nozzle, or even a spoon, if you’re feeling confident.

STEP 3
Carefully pipe the first fritter into the oil, making a small lacy pattern – don’t go too wide as they'll expand in the pan – and fry for 90 seconds or until golden brown. Flip it and fry for a further 30 seconds until golden brown – making sure it's not too pale and not burnt either. Remove the fritter and drain onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat until all the fritters are done. Allow them to cool a little, then arrange on a large platter. Traditionally these would be soaked in a heavy sugar syrup, but you can also dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with finely ground pistachios.