This is a version of a classic Indian dish which I rather like. I make no claims for authenticity, but it is definitely very tasty!

This dish works best with lamb shanks, which are quite full of bones but are often available very cheaply from the supermarket. It also is a good one to make up in larger quantities, cooked and then frozen. Re-heating seems to enhance rather than detract from the flavour.

For this, you need a really large pan with a well-fitting cover which can be used in the oven or on the gas/electric ring on the top of the cooker. Watch out for plastic handles on otherwise heat-proof pans. You could always use aluminium foil instead of a lid.

Put four tablespoons of vegetable oil into the pan, and heat up. Wash the lamb shanks and put in the pan - they will sizzle and brown quickly, so just turn then over a couple of times to make sure every surface is sealed. Remove the shanks and put on a plate for a few minutes.

Finely-slice a large onion (or two smaller ones) and add to the oil left in the pan. Add a clove or two of garlic (optional), and a sliced green chilli (again, optional). Fry the onion for a few minutes until it is all soft. Add a tablespoon of chilli powder, a tablespoon of coriander leaf, and half a teaspoon of ground ginger. Stir thoroughly for no more than a minute.

Disolve a lamb stock cube in half a pint of boiling water and pour over the onions. Also add half a pint of Greek-style yogurt. Return the lamb shanks to the pan and bring to the boil, stiring gently. Also add four or so cardamom pods and a few strands of saffron. Finally, add a dozen or so of whole cherry (or other small) tomatoes.

Put the lid on the pan and stick it in the oven at gas mark 4 (170C). It will need to cook for at least two and a half hours, and can be cooked longer. Check occasionally to make sure that it is not drying out - if it looks as if it is, add a splash of hot water from the kettle.

This one is really quick and tasty, and works best with the whole Chorizo sausages you can sometimes find in the supermarkets. It is best done with small pieces of pasta - Penne, for example, rather than long thin pieces, like spagetti.

Fill a large saucepan half-full of cold water, and add lots of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil (to prevent the pasta from sticking). Bring to the boil and then, and only then, add the pasta. Cook at a fast boil for 8 minutes, or whatever it says on the packet.

Meanwhile, finely slice half an onion, and cook gently for a few minutes in a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Chop the Chorizo into rounds about an eighth of an inch (3mm) thick, then add them to the frying pan. Stir for a few minutes, making sure that the sausage is cooked on every side. Then add a tablespoon of my pesto (or you could just use some from a jar!) and (optionally) a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes (also from a jar).

When the pasta is cooked, add several pints of cold water from the tap and then drain - this also helps to prevent the pasta from sticking. Return the pasta to its pan, and tip in the entire contents of the frying pan. Stir gently, until all of the pasta is covered by the sauce. Transfer to two warmed bowls and serve with a little grated parmesan cheese.

Pesto is easy to make and much tastier than the stuff you get in jars from the supermarket. It will keep in a closed container in the fridge for a week if necessary.

You will need a large handful of fresh Basil leaves - no precise measurements are required here! Remove the leaves from the stalks and wash carefully in a sieve. Leave to drain.

Meanwhile, take 25 grams of Parmesan cheese, chop into lumps, then stick in a food processor. Whizz until you have lots of little crumbs. Tip the cheese out into a bowl and keep until later.

In the food processor (no need to wash it up!) put 3 peeled cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of pine nuts and two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Use the best quality oil you can find for this. Whizz up until you have a smooth paste.

Use a shallow oven-to-table dish, and wipe the inside with a teaspoon of vegetable oil, just to prevent the sausages from sticking. Wash and separate the sausages, and arrange in the dish. Place in the oven at gas mark 6 (200C) for about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly slice a large onion (or two smaller ones). Cook the onion very gently in a saucepan in a tablespoon of vegetable oil. The trick with this dish is to cut the onion into thick slices and cook them for a long time, until they are extremely soft and slightly browned.

When the sausages are nearly cooked, drain off the fan and juices which have collected in the dish. Put three or so tablespoons of the juices into the pan with the onions; any remaining should be discarded. Return the sausages to the oven to finish off cooking.

This is a recipe I remember enjoying with Tracey many years ago, and I have re-created here.

Duck legs are very cheap in the supermarket and make a tasty winter warmer. I like to combine with a dark red fruit - cherries are good, but plums can be used instead.

Wash the duck legs and place in an ovenproof dish that is just big enough for them to fit.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the following ingredients: one teaspoon of demerera sugar, one teaspoon of five-spice powder, two tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of star anise and half a stick of cinnamon. Put on the lid and shake vigorously to mix well. Pour the mixture over the duck legs, cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours, or even overnight.

Remove the stones from a dozen dark cherries. (There's a special gadget you can get for this, or you can cut them in half with a sharp knife.) Alternatively, use half a tin of stoneless cherries - you may want to omit the sugar from the marinade, since fruit is usually tinned in syrup.

Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 3. Remove the clingfilm and add the cherries to the duck. Put in the oven on the middle shelf and cook for at least two and a half hours.

Once cooked, remove the duck legs and the cherries from the dish and place on warmed plates. Sieve the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Using a spoon, skin off most of the fat. Then bring to the boil, stirring continuously, and add a teaspoon of cornflour disolved in a little cold water to thicken the sauce.

Pour the thickened sauce over the duck legs. Serve with something to sop up the delicious sauce: rice, pasta, Mashed Potatoes or even crusty bread.

This is another dish with a certain Greek style to it, although (as usual) I make no claims for authenticity.

In a food processor, put a single thick slice of white bread cut into rough chunks. Process until you have fine breadcrumbs. To the bread, add a teaspoon of dried parsley, a teaspoon of dried oregano and two teaspoons of dried mint. Add some freshly-ground black pepper and a little salt. Process again until you have green breadcrumbs! Tip the breadcrumbs into a dish.

In the same food processor (no need to wash it up!), put half an onion, cut into chunks. Optionally, add a clove or two of garlic. Process for a few seconds, then add a pound of minced lamb. Process for ten seconds, then add the breadcrumbs. Process again until the mixture is a smooth meaty paste - scrape the sides down with a spatula a time or two to make sure all the ingredients are well-mixed.

Form the meat mixture into eight or so long cylinders (think Plasticine!) and slide a skewer (bamboo ones are fine) down the centre of each one. Place in an oven-proof dish large enough so that they can all lay flat.

In a jar with a tightly-fitting lid, put the juice of a lemon, two tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of mint. Optionallly, add a teaspoon of soy sauce (not at all authentic, obviously!). Shake well to mix, then pour over the kebabs. Cover with clingfilm and stick in the fridge for a couple of hours to marinade.

These kebabs could be cooked on the griddle or barbecue, but I prefer to oven-cook them.