Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 400 ml fresh fish stock, chilled
• 150 ml tomato juice
• 150 ml low fat natural unsweetened yogurt
• 150 ml low fat fromage frais (or double the quantity of yogurt)
• 125 g peeled prawns, thawed if frozen, roughly chopped
• few drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• salt and white pepper
• ice cubes, to serve
• sprigs of mint, cucumber slices and whole peeled prawns, to garnish

1. Place the diced cucumber in a blender or food processor and work for a few seconds until smooth. Alternatively, chop the cucumber finely and push through a sieve.
2. Transfer the cucumber to a bowl. Stir in the stock, tomato juice, yogurt, fromage frais and prawns, and mix well. Add the Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stir in the chopped mint, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Ladle the soup into glass bowls and add a few ice cubes. Serve garnished with sprigs of fresh mint, cucumber slices and whole peeled prawns.

“For variations, instead of prawns, add white crab meat or minced chicken. For a vegetarian version of this soup, omit the prawns and add an extra 125 g finely diced cucumber. Use fresh vegetable stock instead of fish stock.”

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 medium ripe mango
• 2 kiwi fruit
• 1 medium banana
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• ½ tsp finely grated lime rind, plus extra to decorate
• 2 medium egg whites
• 425 g low fat custard
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 2 passion fruit

1. To peel the mango, slice either side of the smooth, flat central stone. Roughly chop the flesh and blend the fruit in a food processor or blender until smooth. Alternatively, mash the chopped mango flesh with a fork.
2. Peel the kiwi fruit, chop the flesh into small pieces and place in a bowl. Peel and chop the banana and add to the bowl. Toss all of the fruit in the lime juice and rind and mix well to prevent discoloration.
3. In a grease free bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and then gently fold in the custard and vanilla essence until thoroughly mixed.
4. In 4 tall glasses, alternately layer the chopped fruit, mango puree and custard mixture, finishing with the custard on top. Leave to chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
5. Halve the passion fruits, scoop out the seeds and spoon the passion fruit over the fruit fools.
6. Decorate each serving with the extra lime rind and serve.

“Other tropical fruits to try include papaya puree, with chopped pineapple and dates, and tamarillo or pomegranate seeds to decorate. Or make a summer fruit fool by using strawberry puree, topped with raspberries and blackberries, with cherries to finish.”

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 350 g black eyed beans, soaked overnight in cold water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 2 tbsp treacle (molasses)
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• 450 ml fresh vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig each of rosemary, thyme and sage
• 1 small orange
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 medium red bell peppers, deseeded and diced
• pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish
• crusty bread, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Rinse the beans and place in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Drain and place in an oven proof casserole dish.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes. Stir in the honey, treacle, soy sauce, mustard and tomato puree. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and pour the mixture over the beans.
3. Tie the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme and sage together with a clean piece of string and add to the pan containing the beans. Using a vegetable peeler, pare off 3 pieces of orange rind and mix into the beans, along with plenty of pepper. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
4. Extract the juice from the orange and blend with the cornflour to form a paste. Stir into the beans along with the red bell peppers. Cover and cook for 1 hour, until the sauce is rich and thick and the beans are tender. Discard the herbs and orange rind.
5. Garnish with chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and serve with fresh crusty bread.