Lamb Lollipops (Quick Lamb Koftas)

Don't worry, I haven't gone mad, freezing lamb in lollipop moulds... it's just that after I made these a couple of times, they became known in the family as 'lamb lollipops'. Biting it off the stick makes the children feel like they're eating a lolly. For grown-ups, of course, they're just koftas. Minced lamb, seasoned with garlic, parsley and cumin (add some chopped mint in there too if you like) wrapped around a wooden skewer and grilled until cooked.

I serve these, stacked up on a plate, at the table along with some chopped Romaine lettuce, marinated olives, sliced tomatoes, hummus and wholemeal pitta breads - the girls just dig in and it's one of those dinners where I know they're going to eat everything on their plate.

The lamb cooks in about 7 minutes under a grill, but if you like (the fat in the lamb can pop and hiss onto the bars of an electric grill, producing a lot of smoke sometimes) you can always cook them as burger shapes in a pan with a little olive oil. I love them pulled off their skewers and stuffed greedily into a hummus-spread pitta along with some Romaine lettuce.

Lamb Lollipops (Quick Lamb Koftas)
Makes 8
Ingredients
500g lean minced lamb
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
pinch of sea salt
grinding of black pepper
8 metal or wooden skewers (I use the type that holds burgers together)
few tablespoons of olive oil

Method
Put the minced lamb in a bowl and add the cumin, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined - don't overmix or the lamb can turn tough and rubbery. Divide the mixture into eight. Pick up a skewer and pick up one of the portions of lamb. Wrap the meat around the skewer until  it's evenly covered, and hides the point at the top, which if wooden, will burn while grilling.

Lay the skewers on a foil-lined grill tray and drizzle with olive oil. Slide under the grill and cook for about 7 minutes, turning once halfway through. Once they're cooked, serve straight away with salads, pittas, dips and olives. These are also great with couscous which has been seasoned with a little lemon juice and parsley. These lamb koftas would also make great barbecue food, too.

Stir-Fried Brown Basmati Rice with Soya Beans and Mushrooms

One of my favourite dinners, lately. But I know what you're thinking. How can brown rice, mushrooms and soya beans constitute comfort food? It sounds too healthy. Well, all I can say is, you have to try it. The brown Basmati rice is chewy, with a nutty flavour. The sweet, almost creamy little soya beans give colour and a soft texture. And the mushrooms, when mixed with the spring onions and garlic, just give it that intense, woody flavour on top. Add a slosh of dark and rich soy sauce and you've got dinner. Best eaten hot - in a bowl, with a spoon, in front of the telly. Miles better tasting than a takeaway, and healthier, too.

Stir-Fried Brown Basmati Rice with Soya Beans and Mushrooms

Serves 1

Ingredients

50g brown Basmati rice

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped

2 tsp vegetable oil

3-4 chestnut mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced

handful frozen soya beans

dark soy sauce - about 1 tbsp

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

Put a pan of slightly salted water on to boil. Rinse the rice with cold water and then boil for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Once cooked, drain well and rinse with cold tap water. Set to one side. 

In a frying pan, fry the garlic and spring onion in the oil until softened but not coloured. Tip in the mushrooms and the soya beans and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Tip in the cooked rice and season with the soy sauce and the sesame oil, tossing everything together. Tip into a bowl and eat straight away. 

Variations: 

You could use any veggies really in this dish that you have kicking around, but remember if you're keeping it 'elimination-safe' you need to exclude nightshades such as potatoes, tomatoes, chillies and peppers. Chuck in some chopped kale or spinach if you have any too. And if you have any coconut oil in the cupboard you can use this instead of the vegetable oil, although I do find that this gives the dish quite a strong coconut flavour, which is fine if you like it. You could also fry a handful of cashew nuts along with the spring onions if you like, which will add protein.

Sándwiches de Miga (Argentine Sandwiches)

There were many things I expected to taste in Argentina. The beef, definitely. And the hot dogs. Big, meaty, bold food, certainly. But I didn't expect to see the dainty little sandwiches that are sándwiches de miga. 

My husband's cousin runs a bakery and very kindly brought a stack of these sandwiches for me to sink my teeth into. The name translates as 'crustless sandwiches'. The bread isn't like any bread we have at home - it's bright white, extremely thin and very light. It's baked in great big loaves which are then sliced thinly just for making these. The flavour and texture wasn't unlike the milk bread we get here, although if you want to have a go at making them you'd do worse than cut the crusts off a few slices of Warburton's fluffy medium-sliced white. But it's not exactly the same. 

Sándwiches de miga - in Argentina

Sándwiches de miga are sold in bakeries and rarely made at home. Fillings-wise you'll see aubergine, creamed sweetcorn, ham, cheese and also palm hearts, thinly-sliced and snuggled up against salsa golf - a pink Marie Rose-style sauce. 

You can have three layers of bread or two: I love the three, the middle slice of bread artfully keeps any soggy ingredients (tuna mayonnaise/salsa golf) away from any crisp salad leaves or cheese. 

Here are some flavours of Sándwiches de Miga, in case you fancy making some at home:

• egg mayonnaise, lettuce, sliced green olives and ham
• ham and cheese (along with one or more of the following: tomato, avocado, lettuce, egg mayonnaise, green olives, roasted red peppers)
• ham, cheese and pineapple
• ham, lettuce, cheese and palm hearts
• anchovies
• creamed sweetcorn
• aubergines

My clumsier attempt at sándwiches de miga at home: the cheese should be very thinly sliced, not in big clumps as in the pic (daintiness was never my strong point), Tasted good, though...