Coconut puddings with peanuts and lime recipe

800ml coconut milk (ie, 2 tins)
50g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, slit lengthways and seeds scraped out
Shaved zest of 2 limes, plus 20ml lime juice
Flaked sea salt
6.5g sachet vege-gel (a vegetarian setting agent that’s widely available in the baking section of supermarkets – Dr Oetker is just one brand to look out for)
30g dark muscovado sugar
½ ripe mango, peeled and sliced into thin, 2mm x 5cm-long strips
2 tbsp salted and roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Put the coconut milk in a medium saucepan with the sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, lime zest and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Gently warm for 10 minutes, until the milk is steaming and aromatic and the sugar has dissolved, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Strain the milk through a fine sieve, squeezing as much liquid from the aromatics as possible. Return the milk to the pan and put on a medium heat. Add the vege-gel and cook for three minutes, whisking continuously, until the vege-gel has dissolved and the milk has thickened slightly. Take off the heat and stir in a tablespoon of lime juice, then divide between six ramekins (or bowls or glasses of a similar size and capacity) and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Put the muscovado sugar in a small saucepan with two tablespoons of water, bring to a boil, then leave to bubble for 30-60 seconds, until the sugar has melted and the syrup has thickened. Take off the heat, stir in the remaining teaspoon of lime juice and leave to cool – you should end up with two tablespoons of pourable syrup.

To serve, top each pudding with a slice or two of mango, drizzle on a teaspoon of syrup and finish by scattering over a teaspoon of peanuts.

Prawns, tomato pesto recipes

Abandon all thought of knives and forks here. These prawns, tossed in a paste of pine kernels, basil and tomato, are there to be torn apart, shells sucked and cracked, still hot from the griddle. You’ll get in a delicious mess.

Serves 2

pine kernels 4 tbsp
cherry tomatoes 150g
olive oil 100ml
basil 40g
prawns 10 large, raw, shell on

Toast the pine kernels in a dry pan till golden, shaking the pan regularly so they do not burn. Tip the pine kernels into an electric blender with the tomatoes, olive oil and basil leaves and a little salt then process to a rough, thickish paste.

Warm a griddle pan over a moderately high heat. Wash and dry the prawns, salt them lightly and grill for three or four minutes on each side. Remove them from the grill, then, while they are still sizzling hot, fold them through the pine kernel dressing and place on a serving plate.

Eat the prawns with your fingers, sucking at their shells as you peel them.

Nigel Slater’s mussels and brussels recipe

The recipe

Scrub 1kg of mussels, discarding any that are chipped or that fail to open when tapped. Cut 150g of smoked streaky bacon into small pieces about 2cm square. Cut 300g of Brussels sprouts into thin slices, about 4 or 5 to each sprout, and wash thoroughly.

Warm a large pan over a high heat, add the still wet mussels and cover tightly with a lid. Let the mussels cook in their own steam for 3 or 4 minutes or until their shells have opened. Remove as soon as they have opened then, when cool enough, pull the mussels from their shells. Reserve the cooking liquor.

Warm 2 tbsp of olive or groundnut oil in a heavy frying pan, then add the bacon and cook for 3 or 4 minutes over a moderate heat, until the fat is just starting to colour.

Peel and finely chop 1 clove of garlic then add to the pan and stir in the sliced sprouts. Let them fry in the oil and bacon fat for 5 or 6 minutes until bright and tender. Then add the shelled mussels and some of the strained juices from the pan.

Leave to bubble briefly then serve immediately. Serves 2.

The trick

I tap each mussel on the side of the sink as I wash them. Any that fail to close immediately are chucked in the bin. It is not a good idea to skip the straining of the mussel cooking liquor. Use a sieve to remove any fine grit or broken shell. This is not a dish that holds well, so eat as soon as possible while the mussels are still plump and juicy.

The twist

Long-stemmed broccoli and even kale are possible contenders to replace the sprouts. Shred into small pieces then stir into the hot bacon.