Chicken Marengo (Mushroom Sauce)

For four people
One chicken (or equivalent)
Three cloves of garlic crushed
300g of mushrooms
100ml of white wine
50ml of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Italian parsley

Divide the chicken into breast and thigh. Slice the mushrooms into 2-3mm slices. Pre-heat the oven to 180c. Put salt and pepper on the chicken thoroughly. In the pan put in the olive oil and heat the crushed garlic unti the aroma arises and then take out. Starting from the skin side put in the chicken on a medium heat. Carry on until fat is released and both sides are fox coloured. Add the mushrooms and continue to pass the heat through then add the white wine. Then put in the oven for about 15 mins. Take out and add the italian parsley.

Marinated Courgettes

500g small courgettes finely sliced, coarsley chopped or grated
3 tablespoons of olive oil
juice of at least half a lemon
two garlic cloves cut in half
salt and pepper
small bunch of parsley finely chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and leave to marinate for a day. Remove the garlic and add the parsley before serving. Can we get young enought courgettes in Japan?

Greek country salad

Serves four
Three firm ripe tomatoes cut in wedges
Half a small cucumber - peeled, split in half and then thinly sliced (may not be necessary for Japanese cucumber)
1 green pepper - thinly sliced in rings
1 mild onion (red?) thinly sliced in rings
salt and pepper
four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

For garnish:
150g of feta cheese
12 or more black olives
bunch of parsley finely chopped
1 teaspoon of dried oregano or marjoram

Put in bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well. Arrange with black olives, feta etc on top. Good for using black olives.

Cucumber and yogurt salad

450 ml of yogurt - thick or strained ewes milk best
1 large cucumber thinly sliced or finely chopped
Salt and white pepper
1-4 garlic cloves crushed - according to taste
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
fresh mint or dill - fews sprigs
1 tablespoon of dried mint
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil as garnish

Salt the cucumber and leave in a colander to allow liquid to drain away. Beat the yogurt and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Dribble the olive oil on top.

Avocado and Citrus Salad

For four to six
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 ripe but firm avocado pears
1 orange
1 grapefruit
Mint leaves for garnish

Prepare avocados - one may be OK & useful to use ones that are not so soft. Peel orange and grapefruits and remove the pith from each segment (grapefruit - can cut in half and then cut out segments - may be more difficult with orange - ruby looks good). Prepare the vinagrette.

Red and yellow pepper with mozzarella cheese

For two people

Half a red and yellow pepper
250ml pure olive oil (sounds a lot!)
One and a half cloves of garlic
60g of mozarella cheese - sounds like one pack
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper
Basil leaves

Bake over a naked flame until completely black, While still hot cover with wrap and steam, then remove the skin with a dry cloth or similar. Cut into a size you like, then put in the olive oil and garlic for half a day. Then wrap the mozarella with the piman, add salt and pepper to taste, basil leaves and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Italian Mushroom Salad

For two people
One pack of mushrooms
One stick of celery (root part)
Half a clove of garlic, chopped
Italian parsley - chopped (two to three branches)

Juice of half a lemon
100ml of pure olive oil
Two large tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Grana padona(?) cheese or parmesan cheese

Take the stalk off the mushrooms and slice thinly; peel the skin off the celery and cut diagonally. Shave the cheese with a knife etc to make thin shavings. Put the mushrooms in a bowl, the garlic and mix together. Then add the cheese.

Good for using up spare Italian Parsley.