Entice the children into the kitchen during the long summer break

I FIND that so many children who come to stay with me would far rather come to help in my shop with the cooking than do a great many tourist things in London.
I think that children who are taught to cook then become interested in what they are eating.
At this time of year with such a long holiday, boredom can creep in so get the kids helping in the kitchen and then you may even sometimes get the meal cooked.
Don’t complain when you see the mess in the kitchen, just be grateful for small mercies.
If they are quite young then just preparing foods like rolling out dough is the safest but the older ones can be taught how to use a sharp knife and a hot oven under supervision and then you will end up with an in-house chef.

Puff Adder Pizza
The joy of this pizza is that you don’t have to make dough, the base is deliciously light and crisp and you can add any amount of things on top. I will give the amounts needed along with some choices but you can add any other foods that you like and experiment with mixtures of flavours.
For fun and extra taste you can add some quail’s eggs at the stage when adding the avocado by making indents with the back of a teaspoon and then gently breaking in some raw quail eggs that will then poach in the oven during the remaining cooking time.

Serves 4
Ingredients
One packet puff of pastry;
Four slices salami or ham;
Three ripe tomatoes.
One mozzarella or 200g of cheddar cheese;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
A few rocket leaves or young spinach leaves;
One avocado, peeled, stone removed and sliced;
A little Parmesan, freshly grated.

Method
Preheat the oven 200C 400F Gas 6. Roll out the pastry to a large rectangle about 15x25cm and place on a greased baking tray.
Cut up the ham or salami with scissors and sprinkle over the pastry.
Slice the tomatoes and place on top. Slice the mozzarella or grate the cheddar cheese and again spread over the top. Season with salt and pepper and add some rocket or spinach leaves.
Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes and then add the avocado and some Parmesan.
Cook for a further five minutes and then serve with a salad.

Chocolate Dipper
This is done with kids in mind but it is also a great favourite with adults so don’t hold back. It is a very good way to encourage young ones to eat fruit, so pick fruit that they will like.
You could throw in the odd marshmallow. I have chosen a milk chocolate base but if it is just grown ups then perhaps a lovely dark bitter chocolate bar would be better.
Go to a chocolate counter and take your pick.

Serves 6
Ingredients
Half a pineapple, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes;
One banana, peeled and sliced;
One punnet of strawberries, hulls removed;
One punnet of raspberries;
One bar of Toblerone or a Mars Bar;
A little milk.

Method
Put all the prepared fruit onto a large plate leaving a gap in the middle of the plate for the chocolate sauce.
Cut or break up the chocolate bar and put into a saucepan, with some milk to prevent sticking, and place on a very low heat stirring continuously until melted.
If you have a microwave you could put into a bowl and put on medium for one minute stirring once while melting.
Pour into a serving bowl and place in the middle of the fruit plate.
Serve with either forks or kebab sticks.

Clare’s Kitchen
41 Chalcot Road
Primrose Hill, NW1
Tel: 020 7586 8433
www.clareskitchen.co.uk