MasterChef - MasterChef Quick Wins

Tear the radicchio and watercress leaves into a large salad bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes and olives and then mix the whole lot together with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Brush or drizzle the remaining olive oil over the fennel slices. Put a non-stick frying pan and a griddle pan on high heat.

When the frying pan is hot, add the juniper berries and, a minute or so later, throw in the pancetta cubes and toss them around until golden. There is no need to add any extra oil; the fat from the pork is more than enough. Transfer to kitchen paper to absorb the excess fat. Discard the juniper berries and leave the pancetta croutons to rest.

When the griddle is very hot, add the fennel slices. For a warm but crunchy bite, cook each side for about 3 minutes.

To serve, make a bed of salad on each plate, then lay the fennel on top and sprinkle over the pancetta croutons and the fennel seeds.

Warm Mediterranean salad with braised fennel and pancetta croutons

inspired by Jamie Barnett Professionals quarter-finalist

Preparation time 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

celeriac, about 250g (9oz)

2 Coxs apples

1 tbsp grain mustard

6 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 fillets hot-smoked Wiltshire trout

Method

Peel and coarsely grate the celeriac. Then peel and grate the apple and combine with the celeriac in a serving bowl.

Whisk together the mustard, oil, and vinegar and season well, then use to dress the celeriac and apple.

Divide the dressed salad between 4 plates and top with the smoked trout fillets.

Thai prawn soup with lemongrass

Iwan Thomas Celebrity finalist

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

16 large raw tiger prawns, shells on

1 litre (1 pints) chicken stock

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, lightly pounded, cut into 2.5cm (1in) lengths

50g (1oz) sliced fresh galangal

10 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

500g (1lb 2oz) straw mushrooms, halved or whole

4 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

3 tbsp nam prik pao (chilli paste in oil)

4 tbsp lime juice

5 crushed fresh Thai (birds eye) chillies

To garnish

10g (oz) coriander, torn

1 small red pepper, deseeded and cut into fine ribbons

Method

Wash the prawns and shell them without removing the tails. Devein them if necessary.

Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves.

Bring back to the boil, then add the straw mushrooms, nam pla, nam prik pao, and lime juice. Add the prawns and fresh chillies.

As soon as the prawns turn pink (about 2 minutes), serve the soup, garnished with the coriander and strips of red pepper.

TECHNIQUE

How to devein and butterfly prawns

If the intestinal vein running down the back of a prawn is black, cut lightly along it with a paring knife. Remove the vein with the knife tip, and rinse the prawn under cold running water.

To butterfly a prawn, cut along the deveined back and splay it open, but take care not to cut all the way through. Rinse under cold running water and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Thai prawn soup with lemongrass

Seared beef with cucumber and poppy seed salad

Cassandra Williams quarter-finalist

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 2 minutes