Potted Stilton with pears

(SERVES 6)

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup ripe Stilton, Crumbled
• 75 g/3 oz/ 1/3 cup low-fat spread
• 1.5 ml/ ¼ tsp ground mace
• 1.5 ml/ ¼ tsp English made mustard
• 30 ml/2 tbsp port
• 4 ripe pears
• Lemon juice
• Watercress sprigs
• 16 rye crispbreads

Mash the cheese with the low-fat spread in a bowl. Work in the mace, mustard and port. Pack into a small pot and chill. Core and slice the unpeeled pears and toss in lemon juice. Arrange the pear slices attractively on serving plates and add a spoonful of the potted Stilton to one side. Garnish with watercress and serve each with two rye crispbreads.

Mushrooms Moldovia

(SERVES 4)

• 450 g/1 1b button mushrooms
• 300 ml/ ½ pt 1 ¼ cups vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube
• 60 ml/4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped mint
• A few grains of artificial sweetener
• 45 ml/3 tbsp very low-fat plain yoghurt
• 2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
• 1 green chilli, seeded and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 slices wholegrain bread

Put the mushrooms in a saucepan with the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce to the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. turn out into a bowl,. Put 60 ml/4 tbsp of the mushroom cooking liquid into the saucepan with the vinegar garlic, mint and sweetener. Bring to the boil. Drain any remaining liquid form the mushrooms, then return them to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Boil rapidly, if necessary, to evaporate any remaining liquid. Leave until cold. Stirring the yoghurt, half the spring onions and the chilli. Season to taste. Spoon into small dishes and sprinkle with the remaining spring onions. Toast the bread on both sides. Cut into triangles and arrange around the edges of the dishes just before serving.

West country Chicory

(SERVES 6)

• 3 heads chicory (Belgian endive)
• 6 slices low-fat processed cheese
• 6 thin slices lean ham (from a packet)
• 15 g ½ oz/1 tbsp low-fat spread
• 1 small cooking (tart) apple, sliced
• 300 ml/ ½ pt 1 ¼ cups medium sweet cider
• 15 ml/1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley

Cut a cone-shaped core out of the base of each chicory head, then halve lengthways. Wrap each in a slice of cheese, then a slice of ham. Lightly grease a large, shallow flameproof dish with low-fat spread. Spread the apple over. Lay the wrapped chicory in the single layer on top. Pour over the cider. Cover with the foil or a lid and bake in preheated oven at 180degree C/350degree F/gas mark 4 for about 30 minutes or until the chicory and plates are tender. Carefully transfer the chicory to warmed serving plates. Blend the cornflour with the little water and stir into the cider and apples. Bring to the boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until thickened and clear. Season to taste. Spoon over the chicory and serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Normandy Tomatoes

(SERVES 6)

• 1 green eating (dessert) apple
• Lemon juice
• 8 large beefsteak tomatoes, halved
• 225 g/8 oz/2 cups camembert cheese, chopped
• 50 g/2 oz/1 cup fresh breadcrumps
• 5 ml/1 tsp kirsch of calvados
• A little chopped parsley
• Watercress

Core and halve the apple and toss in lemon juice. Scoop the seeds out of the tomatoes. Place the shells in a large shallow flameproof dish. Mix the cheese with the breadcrumps., Kirsch or calvados and parsley. Spoon into the shells. Place under a moderate grill (broiler) until the cheese melts and bubbles and the tomatoes are hot through. Reduce the heat to low of necessary so the tops do not become do not brown. Transfer to warmed plates and garnish with watercress and the apple slices.

Baked Mozzarella with Tomatoes

(SERVES 6)

• 5 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
• 6 black olives, stoned (pitted) and sliced
• 12 basil leaves, torn
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 15 ml/1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 2 slices bread, diced
• Garlic salt

Lay the tomato slices overlapping in six individual shallow over proof dishes. Sprinkle the cheese, olives and basil over. Add a good grinding of pepper and a few drops of olive oil to each, then a small squeeze of lemon juice. Plate the diced bread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place the bread on the top shelf of the oven and the tomato dishes on the next shelf. Bake in pre heated oven at 200degree C/400degree F/gas mark 6 for about 8-10 minutes or until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheese ha s just melted. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the croutons over the cheese and tomato and serve.

Tonnatina

(SERVES 6)

• 4 hard-boiled (hard-cooked) eggs, sliced
• 4 tomatoes, sliced
• 85 g3 ½ oz/1 small can tuna in brine, drained
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 75 ml/5 tbsp low-calorie mayonnaise
• 75 ml/5 tbsp very low-fat plain yoghurt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 anchovy files
• A few basil leaves

Arrange the egg and tomato slices attractively on six small serving plates. Blend together the remaining ingredients except the anchovies and basil, seasoning to taste with pepper. Chop three of the anchovy fillets and add to the tuna mixture. Spoon over the centre of the egg and tomato. Halve the remaining anchovies and half again widthways. Lay two crossways on the tuna mayonnaise and garnish each portion with a few basil leaves scattered over.

Cheese and Pineapple Mould

(SERVES 6)

• A few drops of sunflower oil
• 1 packet sugar-free lemon jelly (jello)
• 228 g/8 oz/1 cup very low-fat cottage cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large lettuce leaves
• 6 thin slices ham

Very lightly oil six individuals moulds or ramekin dishes (custard cups). Make up jelly using the pineapple juice and water. Spoon about 5 mm/ ¼ in the base of each mould and chill until set. Arrange the pineapple pieces and chopped spring onion attractively on top of the jelly. Mix the cottage cheese with the remaining jelly , season to taste and spoon into the moulds. Chill until set. When ready to serve, lay the lettuce leaves on six serving plates and top each with a thin slice of ham. Loosen the edges of the moulds, stand very briefly in hot water, then turn out on to the ham.

Watercress Roulade

(SERVES 6)

• 1 bunch of watercress
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 15 g/ ½ oz/1 tbsp low-fat spread
• 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 15 ml/1 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
• A few grains of artificial sweetener
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 30 ml/2 tbsp snipped chives
• 45 ml/3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 cherry tomatoes, quartered

Reserve one watercress sprig for garnish and finely chop for garnish and finely chop for the remainder. Dampen an 18*28 cm/7*11 in Swiss roll tin (jelly roll pan) and line with non-stick baking parchment so it comes about 5 cm/2 in above the rim all around. Fry (sauté) the onion in the low-fat spread for 2 minutes to often. Add the chopped tomato, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes until pulpy. Stir in the tomato puree, sweeten slightly with just few grains of artificial sweetener and season to taste. Keep warm. Meanwhile, put the chopped watercress, chives, 30 ml/2 tsp of the parmesan and a little salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold in with a metal spoon. Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 200degree C/ 400degree F/gas mark 6 for 10 minutes or until golden and just firm to the touch. Lay a clean sheet of baking parchment on the work surface. Dust with the remaining parmesan. Turn the roulade out on to the cheese-covered paper. Carefully remove the baking paper with the help of a palette knife. Spread with the warm tomato filling. Roll up using the clean paper as a guide. Transfer to a warmed dish, garnish with the reserved dish, garnish with the reserved watercress and the cherry tomato wedges and serve cut into slices.

Carrot and Orange Pate

(SERVES 6)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp walnut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 450 g/1 1b carrots, thinly sliced
• 30 ml/2 tbsp clear honey
• 200 ml/7 fl oz/scant 1 cup very low-fat plain yoghurt
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
• 6 large iceberg lettuce leaves
• 2 oranges, segmented
• 6 walnut halves

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry (sauté) the onion for 2 minutes. Stirring. Add the carrots and toss for 1 minute. Add the honey and just enough water to cover the carrots. Bring to the boil, cover and cook gently for about 8 minutes or until the carrots are really tender. Drain and marsh thoroughly with a potato masher. Leave to cool. When cold, mix with the yoghurt. Stir in a little salt and pepper, the orange rind and enough orange juice to flavour without the mixture becoming too wet. Taste and re-season if necessary. Spoon the mixture on to lettuce leaves and garnish with orange segments and a walnut half on each.

Jellied Eggs and Bacon

(SERVES 4)

• 4 eggs
• 4 lean streaky bacon rashers (sliced), rinded
• 295 g/10 ½ oz/1 small can condensed beef consommé, chilled
• Chopped parsley

Put the eggs in a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes for a soft yolk and firm white. Plunge immediately into cold water to prevent further cooking. Meanwhile, gril (broil) the bacon until really crisp and brown. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Carefully shell the cold eggs and place in four ramekin dishes (custard cups). Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Chill again until ready to serve.

Seafood Cocktail

(SERVES 6)

• 350 g/12 oz/3 cups frozen seafood cocktail, thawed
• Lettuce, shredded
• 90ml/6 tbsp low-fat plain yoghurt
• 45 ml/3 tbsp tomato ketchup (catsup)
• 15 ml/1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 10 ml/2 tsp horseradish sauce
• A few drops of tobacco sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Leon juice
• Cayenne
• 6 cucumber slices
• 6 lemon slices

Drain and dry the seafood cocktail on kitchen paper. Put some shred lettuce in six individual glass dishes and divide the sea food between them. Mix the mayonnaise with the yoghurt, ketchup, Worcestershire and horseradish sauces. Add a few drops of tobacco, some pepper and lemon juice to taste. Spoon over the sea food. Dust with cayenne. Make a slit from the centre to the edge of each cucumber and lemon slice. Push one of each on the rim of each dish. Chill until ready to serve.

Crab and Cucumber Savoury

(SERVES 6)

• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 40 g/ 1 ½ oz/3 tbsp low-fat spread
• 225 g/8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 10 ml/2 tsp plain (all-purpose) flour
• 150 ml/ ¼ pt 2/3 cup fish stock, made with ½ stock cube
• 15 ml/1 tbsp dry sherry
• 90 ml/6 tbsp low-fat single (light) cream
• 170 g/6 oz/1 small cam white crabmeat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cress

Boil the cucumber in lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drain. In the same pan, melt the low-fat spread and cook the mushrooms, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cucumber, cover and cook over a gentle heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour, remove from the heat and blend in the stock, sherry and cream. Return to the heat, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the crabmeat and season to taste. Heat through. Spoon into sex individual serving dishes and garnish each with a little cress.

Scandinavian Starter

(SERVES 6)

• 350 g/12 oz new potatoes, scrubbed
• 90 ml/6 tbsp very low-fat plain yoghurt
• 45 ml/3 tbsp low-calorie mayonnaise
• 5 ml/1 tsp dried dill (dill weed)
• 4 roll-mop herrings, sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 crisp lettuce leaves
• 1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped parsley

Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Boil in lightly salted water until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl. While still warm, add the yoghurt and mayonnaise and toss gently. Add the dill, herrings and a little salt and pepper and mix together gently. Put the lettuce leaves on six serving plates. Spoon the potato and fish mixture and sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve at room temperature.

Artichoke And prawns Cocktail

(SERVES 6)

• 2*425 g/2 * 15 oz/2 large cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 225 g/8 oz/2 cups peeled prawns (shrimp)
• 45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil
• 30 ml/2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150 ml/ ¼ pt 2/3 cup soured (dairy sour) cream
• 50 g/2 oz/1 small jar Danish lumpfish roe
• 6 whole unpeeled prawns

Put the artichokes in a bowl an add the peeled prawns. Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over and season with a little salt and lots of pepper. Toss gently and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, spoon into six wine goblets. Top each with a spoonful of soured cream, the lumpfish roe. Hang a whole unpeeled prawn over the side of each glass and serve.

Spinach Mousse and prawns

(SERVES 6)

• A few drops of sunflower oil
• 450 g/1 1b spinach
• 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp low-fat spread
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 15 ml/1 tbsp powdered gelatin
• 15 ml/1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 300 ml ½ pt ¼ cups low-fat whipping cream
• 175 g/6 oz/ 1 ½ cups peeled prawns (shrimp)
• 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Very lightly oil a 1.5 litre/ 2 ½ pt/6 cup ring mould. Wash the spinach well, discard any tough stalks and tear the leaves into pieces. Melt the low-fat spread in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently for 2 minutes. Add the spinach. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the spinach. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally . Tit the pan to allow the juices to run out. Stir the gelatin into the juices until dissolved. Puree in a blender or food processor and flavour with the Worcester shire sauce and a little salt and pepper. Whip the cream until peaking. Fold in the puree with a metal spoon. Turn into the prepared mould and chill until set. Turn into the prepared mould and chill until set. Turn out on to a serving dish and fill the centre with the prawns. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

Asparagus with watercress Hollandaise

(SERVES 4)

Prepare as for asparagus with sundried tomato hollandaise but substitute 1 bunch of watercress, finely chopped, for the sun-dried tomatoes and omit the paprika.

Asparagus with Sun-dried Tomato Hollandaise

(SERVES 4)

• 750 g/1 ½ 1b asparagus
• 2 egg yolks
• 30 ml/2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ml/1 tsp paprika
• 100 g/4 oz ½ cup low-fat spread
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 30 ml/2 tbsp chopped parsley

Trim off about 5 cm/2 in from the base of the asparagus stems. Tie the spears in a bundle. Stand the bundle in a saucepan of salted water. Cover with a lid or foil. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook over a moderate heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks and lemon juice in a small bowl over a pan of hot water. Add a little salt and pepper and the paprika. Whisk gently until the sauce starts to thicken. Whisk in the low-fat spread a little at a time., whisking until thick and creamy. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and parsley. Lay the asparagus on warmed plates and spoon the sauce over, just below the tips.

Avocado Cream

(SERVES 4)

• 15 ml/1 tbsp powdered gelatin
• 450 ml/3 tbsp cold water
• 150 ml/ ¼ pt / 2/3 cup vegetable stock, made with ½ stock cube
• 1 large ripe avocado
• 10 ml/2 tsp lemon juice
• 60 ml/4 tbsp low-calorie mayonnaise
• A dash of Tabasco sauce
• 30 ml/2 tbsp snipped chives
• 5 cm/2 in piece cucumber, very thinly sliced

Mix the gelatin with the cold water in a small bowl and leave to cool. Half the avocado, remove the stone (pit) and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash well the lemon juice. Beat in the mayonnaise and flavor to taste with the Worcestershire and tobacco sauces. Stir in the chives. Stir the cool but not set stock into the avocado mixture. Divide Between four individual small dishes and chill until set. Cover the top of each with over-lapping slices of cucumber and serve cold.

Greek Stuffed Aubergine

(SERVES 6)

• 3 aubergines (eggplants)
• 40 g/ 1 ½ cups minced (ground) lamb
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 30 ml/2 tbsp tomato puree (pate)
• 5 ml/1 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 90 ml /6 tbsp water
• 2.5 ml/ ½ tsp dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 40 g/1 ½ oz/ 1/3 cup low-fat Cheddar cheese, grated

Halve the aubergines lengthways. Boil in a large flameproof casserole (Dutch oven) in lightly salted water until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a wall about 5 mm/ ¼ in thick. Chop the scored-out flesh. Cook the rice in boiling salted water until tender. Drain. Dry-fry (sauté) then minced lamb in a saucepan until the fat runs. Pour off the fat. Add the onion and continue frying for 2-3 minutes until all the grains of meat are separate and the onion is soft. Add the chopped aubergine, rice and the remaining ingredients except the cheese, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Return to the aubergine shells to the casserole in a single layer. Spoon the filling into the shells. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Add enough boiling water to come half-way up the aubergine shells. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Transfer to warmed plates and serve.

Poor Man`s Caviare

(SERVES 6)

• 3 aubergines (eggplants)
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 60 ml/4 tbsp olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 18 breadsticks

Grill (broil) the aubergines, turning occasionally, until the skin is blackened and the insides feel soft when squeezed. Cool slightly, then out open and scoop out the flesh. Chop finely and place in a bowl. Add the onion, garlic and tomatoes and mix well. Beat in the oil a little at time , then add lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Spoon into fix individual serving dishes and serve with three crisp breadsticks each to dip in.