Lunch

Purée the vegetables and stock in a food processor or blender until it forms a smooth liquid, then return the soup to a clean pan. Add the orange juice and season. Set aside any soup for freezing. Reheat the soup you are going to serve. When piping hot, stir in the crème fraîche. Serve garnished with the chives and with 1 slice of multigrain bread per person.

TUNA WITH GREEN BEAN, QUAIL’S EGG AND LETTUCE HEART SALAD

How long it takes to grill the tuna will vary depending on thickness: the times given below are for 2cm-thick fillets; for thinner ones, allow about 2 minutes on each side. For a delicious alternative, substitute grilled salmon for the tuna. It is worth cooking extra quail’s eggs for future salads — they will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

Serves 2

200g green beans, trimmed
150g fresh tuna steak
2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 quail’s eggs
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
½ clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 little gem lettuce hearts, quartered
½ small red onion, finely sliced
2 lemon wedges (to serve)
2 x 25g slices rye bread (to serve)

Drop the green beans into a pan of boiling water. Cook for 6 minutes or until tender, then drain and spread out on a plate to cool.

Preheat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Rub the tuna with tbsp olive oil and season. Grill for about 4 minutes on each side, until the tuna still shows a faint hint of pink if you cut off a chunk. It will continue to cook once it has been removed from the heat. Leave to cool.

Drop the quail’s eggs into a small pan of boiling water. Return to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes, until hard-boiled. Check with one egg after 3 minutes. Once done, plunge them into cold water to cool, then peel and halve.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the red-wine vinegar, garlic and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Season to taste. Add the beans, lettuce hearts, red onion and halved quail’s eggs and toss in the dressing. Tear the cooked tuna into chunks and gently mix into the salad. Serve with a lemon wedge and 1 slice of rye bread per person.

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SNACK

GRILLED SOURDOUGH BREAD WITH MELTED BITTER CHOCOLATE

Use the finest-tasting ingredients you can find for this indulgent, gooey snack.

Serves 1

20g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
1 x 40g slice sourdough bread
¼ tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat a griddle pan over a high heat. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a small bowl and set over a pan of just-boiled water to melt. Next, grill the bread for about a minute on each side, until marked with griddle lines and lightly toasted. Remove to a plate and drizzle with the olive oil, then pour over the melted chocolate. Eat immediately.

ALTERNATIVE LUNCH SUGGESTIONS

HUMMUS ON RYE WITH BABY CORN

Mix 2 tbsp reduced-fat hummus with 30g fat-free fromage frais and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spread onto 2 slices (50g) of rye bread. Serve with raw baby sweetcorn.

SWEET POTATO WITH RED-PEPPER CHEESE

Mix together a few spoonfuls of cottage cheese, chopped red pepper, flat-leaf parsley and ground black pepper. Pile high into a baked sweet potato.

AVOCADO AND CHICKPEA SALAD

Peel and slice half an avocado. Chop 3 cherry tomatoes and 2 black olives. Mix together with 100g cooked (canned is fine), drained chickpeas. Grind over some black pepper and serve.

LENTIL SOUP AND RYE BREAD

Serve 300ml ready-made fresh lentil soup with lots of chopped parsley, a swirl of yoghurt and 2 slices (50g) of rye bread.

SALMON AND FENNEL ON OATCAKES

Grate ½ a fennel bulb into a bowl. Add 60g flaked, poached or tinned salmon, 1 tsp horseradish sauce, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp fat-free fromage frais and 1 tsp chopped fresh chives and mix together. Pile onto three oatcakes.