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L'Espluga de Francolí · Catalonia

The Retreat Cookbook

Healthy, varied, allergy-friendly cooking for a crowd
Prices approximate as of June 2026 — verify locally
Cooking for a crowd

Healthy, varied food — for everyone at the table

Eighty-four recipes across seven courses, each one costed for 5, 10 or 20 people, written so anyone can cook them well, with an alternative for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and vegan needs — and a note for using up the leftovers.

Costs

Approximate euros at Tarragona market & supermarket levels. Each ingredient shows its own cost, so the maths is easy to update after a real shop.

Zero waste

Cook lunch generously and it seeds the evening meal. Every main carries a “next-day” idea so almost nothing edible is wasted.

Images

Each recipe has a placeholder and a reference-image link. Add your own photos as you cook each dish.

Tag key: V Vegetarian (as written)  ·  V* Vegetarian option (see alternatives)  ·  Vg Vegan (as written)  ·  Vg* Veganisable (see alternatives)  ·  GF Gluten-free (as written)  ·  GF* Gluten-free option (see alternatives)  ·  DF Dairy-free (as written)  ·  DF* Dairy-free option (see alternatives)  ·  NF Nut-free (as written)  ·  NF* Nut-free option (see alternatives)
Dietary · combine any
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Breakfast

16 recipes
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Make-Ahead Overnight Oats Bar

VVg*GF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min (night before) · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min + chill
A self-serve breakfast you build the night before. Set out jars and toppings and the whole house feeds itself while you make coffee.
€4.22
For 5 · €0.84/head
€8.45
For 10 · €0.84/head
€16.90
For 20 · €0.84/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1 kg rolled oats — €1.50
  • 1.5 L milk (or plant milk) — €1.45
  • 500 g plain yogurt — €1.50
  • 4 bananas, sliced — €0.80
  • 400 g seasonal fruit (berries, peach, apple) — €1.00
  • Honey or maple syrup, cinnamon, pinch of salt — €1.20
  • Seeds for topping (pumpkin/sunflower) — €1.00
Method
  1. The night before, find your biggest lidded container. The simple ratio to remember is one part oats to one part liquid by volume, plus a couple of big spoonfuls of yogurt for creaminess. For this batch, that is roughly the full kilo of oats to about 1.5 litres of milk.
  2. Tip the oats into the container, pour over the milk, then add the yogurt, a pinch of salt and a little honey. Stir thoroughly so no dry oats are left clinging to the sides.
  3. Press a lid on and refrigerate overnight. As it sits, the oats drink up the liquid and soften into a thick, spoonable porridge — no cooking needed.
  4. In the morning, give it a stir. It will have thickened; loosen it back to a creamy texture with a good splash of extra milk.
  5. Set out small bowls of sliced banana, chopped fruit, seeds, ground cinnamon and a jug of syrup. Let everyone spoon oats into a bowl and top their own. Keeping toppings separate means allergy needs sort themselves out.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use oats labelled gluten-free. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are very often milled alongside wheat, so the certified label matters for coeliacs.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use oat or soy milk and a plant-based yogurt, and sweeten with maple syrup rather than honey.

Nut-free: Already nut-free — keep toppings to seeds and fruit rather than a nut granola.

Next-day / leftovers
Overnight oats keep 3 days chilled. Blend a portion with extra fruit and milk into a breakfast smoothie, or stir a few spoonfuls into muffin or pancake batter for extra moisture.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Shakshuka — Eggs Poached in Spiced Tomato

VGFDFNFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min · Total 40 min
A big, sociable pan of eggs poached in a smoky pepper-and-tomato sauce. A reliable crowd favourite that is naturally gluten- and dairy-free.
€5.38
For 5 · €1.08/head
€10.75
For 10 · €1.08/head
€21.50
For 20 · €1.08/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 onions, sliced — €0.45
  • 4 bell peppers, sliced — €2.20
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped — €0.30
  • 3 x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes — €2.10
  • Cumin, sweet paprika, chilli flakes, salt — €1.00
  • 16 eggs — €3.30
  • Olive oil — €0.60
  • Fresh parsley or coriander — €0.80
Method
  1. Choose your widest, deepest frying pan or a shallow casserole — you need room to fit all the eggs in a single layer later. Set it over medium heat with a good glug of olive oil.
  2. Add the sliced onions and peppers with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are soft and floppy and just starting to colour. Soft vegetables here are the difference between a good shakshuka and a raw-tasting one, so don't rush this.
  3. Stir in the chopped garlic and the spices (start with a teaspoon each of cumin and paprika and a pinch of chilli). Cook for just 1 minute until they smell fragrant — this 'wakes up' the spices.
  4. Pour in all three cans of tomatoes. Half-fill one can with water, swirl it and add that too. Season with salt and simmer, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a brief trail.
  5. Taste and adjust the salt — under-seasoned tomato sauce tastes flat. Then use the back of a spoon to make a shallow well, and crack an egg straight into it. Repeat, spacing the eggs out around the pan.
  6. Cover the pan with a lid (or foil) and lower the heat. Cook for 6–8 minutes. You are looking for set whites but still-soft, glossy yolks — peek after 6 minutes, as they overcook quickly.
  7. Scatter over the chopped herbs and bring the whole pan to the table with plenty of bread for dipping.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve with gluten-free bread or simply on its own.

Dairy-free: Already dairy-free; just skip any feta you might be tempted to crumble on top.

Vegan: Leave out the eggs. Instead fold a drained can of chickpeas and some cubed firm tofu into the sauce and simmer 5 minutes to heat through.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover sauce (before adding eggs) is gold. Reheat it as a quick pasta sauce, use it as the base to poach fresh eggs again tomorrow, or stir it through rice. It freezes well.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Spanish Tortilla de Patatas

VGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Total 50 min
The Catalan staple: a thick potato-and-egg omelette eaten warm or cold. Naturally gluten- and dairy-free, and arguably even better the next day.
€3.38
For 5 · €0.68/head
€6.75
For 10 · €0.68/head
€13.50
For 20 · €0.68/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg potatoes — €1.80
  • 3 onions — €0.45
  • 14 eggs — €2.90
  • Olive oil (generous, mostly reused) — €1.50
  • Salt — €0.10
Method
  1. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, about the thickness of a coin — a knife is fine, but a mandoline or the slicing disc of a food processor makes it quick. Slice the onions thinly too.
  2. Pour enough olive oil into a deep pan to almost cover the potatoes (you will strain most of it back out and reuse it, so this is not as extravagant as it sounds). Heat gently — you want to confit the potatoes, not fry them crisp.
  3. Add the potatoes and onions with a good pinch of salt. Cook over low-to-medium heat for about 20 minutes, turning gently every few minutes, until a slice crushes easily against the side of the pan. They should stay pale, not brown.
  4. Set a sieve over a bowl and drain the potatoes, keeping the oil. Let the potatoes cool for a couple of minutes.
  5. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add salt and beat well. Tip in the warm potatoes and onions and fold together. Let this sit for 5 minutes so the egg starts to soak into the potato — this gives the classic dense texture.
  6. Heat a tablespoon of the reserved oil in a non-stick frying pan (about 26 cm) over medium-low heat. Pour in the mixture, flatten the top, and cook for 6–8 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally; the edges and base should set while the centre stays loose.
  7. Now the flip: lay a large flat plate over the pan, and with one hand firmly on the plate, confidently invert the whole thing so the tortilla drops onto the plate. Slide it back into the pan, raw side down, and cook another 4–5 minutes.
  8. Slide onto a board. The centre should stay just moist. Rest 5 minutes, then cut into wedges.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free — no milk goes in a proper tortilla.

Vegan: Make a chickpea-flour version: whisk 300 g gram (chickpea) flour with 750 ml water and salt into a batter, fold through the cooked potatoes, and bake in an oiled dish at 190°C for 30–35 minutes until set.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Tortilla is a leftover classic — serve it cold the next day stuffed into a baguette as a 'bocata de tortilla' for a packed lunch, or cube it into a salad.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Big-Batch Fluffy Pancakes

VGF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min
A reliable American-style pancake batter that scales easily and has a clean swap for every allergy. Cook a stack and keep warm in a low oven.
€2.45
For 5 · €0.49/head
€4.90
For 10 · €0.49/head
€9.80
For 20 · €0.49/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g plain flour — €0.35
  • 4 tsp baking powder — €0.40
  • 4 eggs — €0.85
  • 700 ml milk — €0.70
  • 50 g butter, melted — €0.50
  • 2 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt — €0.30
  • Fruit and syrup to serve — €1.80
Method
  1. Heat your oven to its lowest setting and put a baking tray inside — this is where finished pancakes wait while you cook the rest.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mixing the raising agent through the flour while dry stops it clumping later.
  3. Make a well in the centre. Crack in the eggs, pour in the milk and the melted (but not hot) butter. Whisk from the centre outward, gradually pulling in the flour, until you have a smooth, thick batter — a few small lumps are fine and better than over-mixing, which makes pancakes tough.
  4. Set a non-stick pan over medium heat and wipe it with a little oil or butter. Test it is ready by flicking on a drop of water: it should sizzle.
  5. Ladle in rounds of batter, spaced apart. Leave them undisturbed until bubbles appear and burst across the surface and the edges look set — about 2 minutes. This is your signal to flip.
  6. Flip with a thin spatula and cook the second side for about 1 minute, until golden. Slide onto the warm tray in the oven.
  7. Repeat, wiping the pan with fat between batches. Serve in stacks with fruit and syrup.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and let the batter rest 10 minutes before cooking so it hydrates.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use plant milk and oil in place of butter. For fully vegan, replace each egg with 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes until gloopy.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — top with fruit and seeds rather than nut butter.

Next-day / leftovers
Cooled pancakes freeze flat in a stack with paper between them; reheat straight from frozen in a toaster. Or roll cold pancakes around yogurt and fruit for a children's snack.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Yogurt, Fruit & Toasted Oat Bowls

VGF*DF*NF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min · Total 25 min
Lighter than a cooked breakfast and very fast. A tray of homemade toasted oats does the job of expensive granola at a fraction of the cost.
€5.22
For 5 · €1.04/head
€10.45
For 10 · €1.04/head
€20.90
For 20 · €1.04/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg plain or Greek yogurt — €6.00
  • 500 g rolled oats — €0.75
  • Honey + olive oil for toasting — €1.20
  • 600 g mixed seasonal fruit — €1.50
  • Seeds, cinnamon — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C. In a bowl, toss the oats with a couple of tablespoons of oil, a couple of tablespoons of honey and a good shake of cinnamon until evenly coated.
  2. Spread them in a thin layer on a baking tray. Toast for about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway so the edges don't catch, until golden and smelling nutty.
  3. Take them out and leave to cool on the tray — they crisp up as they cool, so don't judge the texture while hot.
  4. Spoon yogurt into bowls. Top with chopped fruit, a generous handful of the toasted oats and a scatter of seeds.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a thick plant-based yogurt (coconut or soy work well) and sweeten the oats with maple syrup.

Nut-free: Stick to seeds; skip any almond or walnut additions.

Next-day / leftovers
The toasted oats keep a week in a sealed jar — reuse them as a crunchy topping for the fruit crumble, the chocolate mousse or the next yogurt breakfast.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Pa amb Tomàquet & Toppings

V*Vg*DF*NFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min · Total 20 min
The Catalan breakfast and brunch icon: toasted bread rubbed with ripe tomato and good olive oil. Lay out toppings for a build-your-own spread.
€5.25
For 5 · €1.05/head
€10.50
For 10 · €1.05/head
€21.00
For 20 · €1.05/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 rustic loaves, sliced and toasted — €2.70
  • 8 ripe tomatoes — €1.60
  • Olive oil, salt, garlic — €1.20
  • Cured ham / cheese / olives to offer — €5.00
Method
  1. Cut the loaves into thick slices and toast them — under a grill, in a toaster, or on a griddle pan for authentic char marks. You want them crisp outside but not bone-dry.
  2. While still warm, take a halved clove of garlic and rub the cut face lightly over each slice, if you like a garlicky note (optional, and easy to leave off some slices for milder palates).
  3. Halve a ripe tomato across its middle. Hold it cut-side down and rub it firmly over the toast so the pulp and juice soak in and the skin is left in your hand. The bread should turn pink and damp.
  4. Drizzle generously with good olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
  5. Set out plates of ham, cheese, olives and anchovies so everyone tops their own slices.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a good gluten-free rustic loaf — toast it a touch more, as GF bread softens faster.

Vegan / Dairy-free: The bread itself is vegan; offer sliced avocado, olives, roasted peppers and tomato instead of ham and cheese.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
This dish exists to rescue yesterday's loaf — slightly stale bread toasts better than fresh. Any further heels can be blitzed into breadcrumbs or cubed into croutons for salads and soups.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Cinnamon French Toast (Pain Perdu)

VGF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min · Total 35 min
A beloved weekend breakfast that turns slightly stale bread into something golden and custardy. 'Pain perdu' literally means 'lost bread' — a zero-waste classic.
€4.85
For 5 · €0.97/head
€9.70
For 10 · €0.97/head
€19.40
For 20 · €0.97/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 20 thick slices of bread (slightly stale is ideal) — €2.70
  • 10 eggs — €2.10
  • 700 ml milk — €0.70
  • Sugar, cinnamon, vanilla — €1.00
  • Butter for frying — €1.20
  • Fruit and syrup to serve — €2.00
Method
  1. In a wide, shallow dish, whisk the eggs with the milk, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, a generous teaspoon of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla until completely smooth.
  2. Heat your oven to its lowest setting with a tray inside to keep finished slices warm.
  3. Lay a slice of bread into the egg mixture, count to ten, then flip and soak the other side. Slightly stale bread soaks without falling apart; fresh bread needs only a quick dip or it turns soggy.
  4. Melt a knob of butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat until it foams but doesn't brown.
  5. Lift a soaked slice, letting excess drip off, and lay it in the pan. Cook 2–3 minutes until the underside is deep golden and set, then flip and cook the other side. Adjust the heat down if it colours faster than it cooks through.
  6. Move finished slices to the warm oven and continue, adding butter as needed.
  7. Serve hot, dusted with extra cinnamon sugar, with fruit and syrup.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free bread; it works beautifully here as the custard softens it.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use plant milk and oil/dairy-free spread. For egg-free, soak in a batter of chickpea flour and plant milk seasoned with cinnamon.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Designed to use up stale bread. Any cooked slices left over can be reheated in the toaster, or cubed and baked again into a quick bread pudding.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Baked Egg & Vegetable Breakfast Muffins

VGFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 22 min · Total 37 min
Little crustless frittatas baked in a muffin tin — grab-and-go protein that is naturally gluten-free and a brilliant way to use up odds and ends of vegetables.
€3.35
For 5 · €0.67/head
€6.70
For 10 · €0.67/head
€13.40
For 20 · €0.67/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 16 eggs — €3.30
  • 400 g vegetables (peppers, spinach, tomato, onion) — €1.60
  • 100 g cheese, grated (optional) — €1.00
  • Olive oil, salt, herbs — €0.80
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 190°C and brush a 12-hole muffin tin generously with oil, getting right into the corners so the muffins release (silicone tins or paper cases make this foolproof).
  2. Finely chop the vegetables small — they cook in the same time as the egg, so size matters. Soften the onion and pepper in a little oil for 5 minutes; wilt any spinach in at the end. Let cool slightly.
  3. Crack the eggs into a large jug, add salt, herbs and most of the cheese, and beat well. A jug makes the next step mess-free.
  4. Divide the cooked vegetables between the muffin holes, then pour the egg over to fill each about three-quarters full. Top with the last of the cheese.
  5. Bake for 18–22 minutes until puffed and just set with no liquid wobble in the centre. They will deflate a little as they cool — that is normal.
  6. Cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around each and lift out.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Leave out the cheese; the eggs and vegetables carry plenty of flavour.

Vegan: Make a chickpea-flour batter (200 g gram flour, 400 ml water, turmeric, salt), stir in the veg and bake the same way.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep 3 days chilled and reheat in seconds — ideal for a self-serve fridge breakfast. Crumble leftovers into a lunch salad or wrap.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Build-Your-Own Smoothie Bar

VVg*GFDF*NF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min
A fast, refreshing option for hot summer mornings and a great way to use up very ripe fruit before it turns. Set out the components and let people blend to taste.
€4.08
For 5 · €0.82/head
€8.15
For 10 · €0.82/head
€16.30
For 20 · €0.82/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 8 bananas (ripe) — €1.20
  • 800 g frozen or fresh berries/mango — €3.00
  • 1 L milk or plant milk — €0.95
  • 500 g yogurt — €1.50
  • Oats, honey, seeds to thicken/boost — €1.50
Method
  1. Set out a blender and bowls of the components: peeled bananas (broken into chunks), frozen fruit, a jug of milk, a tub of yogurt, and small bowls of oats, seeds and honey.
  2. Teach the simple formula for a good smoothie: one banana for creaminess, a big handful of fruit for flavour, a spoon of yogurt for body, and enough milk to blend — start with a little and add more.
  3. Blend each order until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once. Frozen fruit gives a thick, cold, milkshake-like result; fresh fruit plus a few ice cubes does the same.
  4. Add a spoon of oats or seeds to make any smoothie more filling and breakfast-worthy.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — use certified GF oats if adding them.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use plant milk and plant yogurt; sweeten with maple instead of honey.

Nut-free: Keep to seeds rather than nut butters or almond milk.

Next-day / leftovers
Pour any leftover blended smoothie into ice-lolly moulds or an ice tray — frozen smoothie cubes restart tomorrow's batch, so nothing is wasted.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Properly Soft Scrambled Eggs

VGFNFDF*
Serves 10 · Prep 5 min · Cook 15 min · Total 20 min
A genuinely good scramble is a skill worth having for a crowd. The trick is low heat and patience — these stay soft, creamy and never rubbery.
€4.45
For 5 · €0.89/head
€8.90
For 10 · €0.89/head
€17.80
For 20 · €0.89/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 24 eggs — €5.00
  • 100 g butter — €1.00
  • Salt, pepper — €0.20
  • Splash of milk (optional) — €0.20
  • Chives or herbs, toast to serve — €2.50
Method
  1. Crack all the eggs into a large bowl and beat them really well with a fork until the colour is uniform and slightly frothy. Season with salt now — salting early gives a more tender curd.
  2. For a crowd, work in two pans or two batches so the eggs aren't piled too deep. Put a non-stick pan over LOW heat and add a generous knob of butter.
  3. When the butter has melted (not browned), pour in the eggs. Now wait — let them sit for 20–30 seconds before you touch them.
  4. Using a spatula, push the eggs slowly from the edges into the centre, then tilt the pan so raw egg runs into the gaps. Keep moving them gently. Low and slow is the whole secret; if they are cooking fast, lift the pan off the heat for a few seconds.
  5. Stop while they still look slightly underdone and glossy — they keep cooking from residual heat on the way to the plate. Rubbery scramble is overcooked scramble.
  6. Stir in a tiny splash of milk or an extra sliver of butter off the heat to loosen, scatter with herbs, and serve immediately on toast.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve on GF toast.

Dairy-free: Use olive oil or dairy-free spread instead of butter and skip the milk; a little works fine.

Vegan: Make a turmeric tofu scramble instead: crumble firm tofu into oil with turmeric, salt and a splash of plant milk and cook until hot.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Scrambled eggs are best fresh, but leftovers fold neatly into a breakfast wrap or fried rice the same day.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Big-Batch Honey & Seed Granola

VVg*GF*DFNF*
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min · Total 40 min
Make one big tray and it feeds breakfast for days. Far cheaper and less sugary than shop granola, and you control exactly what goes in.
€4.10
For 5 · €0.82/head
€8.20
For 10 · €0.82/head
€16.40
For 20 · €0.82/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g rolled oats — €1.20
  • 200 g mixed seeds — €2.50
  • 150 ml honey or maple syrup — €1.50
  • 100 ml olive or seed oil — €1.00
  • Cinnamon, salt, dried fruit — €2.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 150°C — low and slow is what makes granola crisp rather than burnt. Line your largest baking tray with paper.
  2. In a big bowl, mix the oats and seeds with a good pinch of salt and a teaspoon of cinnamon.
  3. Warm the honey and oil together for a few seconds so they pour easily, then stir through the oats until every flake glistens. Even coating is what gives you clusters.
  4. Spread evenly over the tray and press down lightly with the back of a spoon — pressing encourages clumps to form.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring once after 20 minutes so the edges don't scorch, until evenly golden.
  6. This is the key step: leave it to cool completely on the tray without touching it. It crisps and clusters as it cools. Only then stir through any dried fruit and pack into a jar.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already dairy-free; use maple syrup instead of honey for vegan.

Nut-free: Use only seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame) and skip nuts entirely — still wonderfully crunchy.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 weeks in a sealed jar. Sprinkle over the yogurt bowls, the fruit crumble or ice cream; crush any dusty remnants into a cheesecake base.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Breakfast Bean & Egg Burritos

VGF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min · Total 35 min
A hearty, hand-held breakfast that keeps people full till lunch. Easy to set up as an assembly line and flex for every diet.
€7.40
For 5 · €1.48/head
€14.80
For 10 · €1.48/head
€29.60
For 20 · €1.48/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 10 large tortillas — €2.50
  • 16 eggs — €3.30
  • 2 cans black or pinto beans — €1.70
  • Peppers, onion, tomato — €2.50
  • Cheese, salsa, avocado (optional) — €4.00
  • Oil, cumin, paprika, salt — €0.80
Method
  1. Warm the drained beans in a small pan with a little oil, cumin, paprika and salt, mashing about half of them so they hold together. Keep warm.
  2. Soften diced onion and pepper in a frying pan, then push to one side or remove.
  3. Scramble the eggs softly in the same pan over low heat (beat them first, cook gently, pull off while still glossy — see the scrambled-egg method).
  4. Warm the tortillas briefly in a dry pan or microwave so they fold without cracking.
  5. Build each burrito just below the centre of the tortilla: a spoon of beans, some egg, the peppers, then cheese, salsa or avocado to taste.
  6. Fold the bottom up over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll away from you into a tight parcel. For a sealed, crisp finish, lay seam-side down in a dry hot pan for a minute each side.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use corn or gluten-free tortillas, or serve as a 'breakfast bowl' over rice.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Skip the cheese; for vegan, swap eggs for a turmeric tofu scramble and load up the beans and avocado.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Assembled burritos wrap in foil and freeze brilliantly — reheat for a fast breakfast. Leftover bean mix becomes a dip or a topping for the baked potato bar.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Turmeric Tofu Scramble

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Total 25 min
A savoury, protein-rich vegan breakfast that stands in for scrambled eggs — golden with turmeric and brilliant in a wrap or piled on toast. Naturally dairy-free and nut-free.
€6.25
For 5 · €1.25/head
€12.50
For 10 · €1.25/head
€25.00
For 20 · €1.25/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.4 kg firm tofu — €7.00
  • Onion, peppers, spinach — €3.00
  • Turmeric, cumin, garlic, black salt (kala namak) or salt — €1.50
  • Olive oil, splash plant milk — €1.00
Method
  1. Drain the tofu and press out excess water: wrap it in a clean tea towel and rest something heavy on top for 10 minutes. Drier tofu scrambles instead of stewing.
  2. Warm oil in a large pan and soften the diced onion and peppers for 5–6 minutes.
  3. Crumble the tofu in with your hands into bite-sized curds — keep some texture rather than mashing it smooth.
  4. Sprinkle over turmeric (for colour), cumin, garlic and salt. A pinch of black salt (kala namak), if you have it, gives an uncanny 'eggy' flavour; ordinary salt is fine too.
  5. Cook, stirring, for 5–8 minutes until heated through and a little golden. Add a splash of plant milk if it looks dry.
  6. Fold in the spinach to wilt at the very end, taste for salt, and serve on toast or in wraps.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve on GF toast or as is.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Fold leftovers into a lunch wrap or fried rice, or stir through pasta with extra veg.
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Coconut Chia Pudding with Fruit

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min (night before) · Cook 0 min · Total 10 min + chill
A make-ahead, spoonable pudding that sets in the fridge overnight — creamy, naturally vegan, gluten-free and nut-free, and endlessly toppable.
€5.05
For 5 · €1.01/head
€10.10
For 10 · €1.01/head
€20.20
For 20 · €1.01/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 250 g chia seeds — €4.00
  • 2 L coconut or oat milk — €2.60
  • Maple syrup, vanilla — €1.50
  • 700 g fresh fruit to top — €2.00
Method
  1. The night before, whisk the chia seeds into the plant milk with the maple syrup and vanilla. The ratio to remember is roughly 1 part chia to 6 parts liquid.
  2. Whisk again after 5 minutes — this second stir breaks up any clumps, which is the secret to a smooth, even set rather than lumps.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The chia swells and sets the whole thing into a soft pudding.
  4. In the morning, stir and loosen with a little more milk if too thick.
  5. Spoon into bowls or glasses and top with chopped fresh fruit.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Use coconut or oat milk (not almond) to keep it nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled — make a big batch as a grab-from-the-fridge breakfast. Layer leftovers with fruit in a jar for a quick parfait.
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Fluffy Vegan Banana Pancakes

VgGF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min
Light, sweet pancakes with no eggs or dairy — mashed banana and plant milk do all the work. A reliable vegan breakfast that children love.
€2.48
For 5 · €0.49/head
€4.95
For 10 · €0.49/head
€9.90
For 20 · €0.49/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g plain flour, baking powder — €0.40
  • 4 ripe bananas — €0.70
  • 800 ml plant milk — €1.05
  • Oil, sugar, vanilla, pinch salt — €0.80
  • Fruit and maple to serve — €2.00
Method
  1. Mash the bananas very smooth in a big bowl — lumps become gummy spots in the pancakes.
  2. Whisk in the plant milk, a little oil, sugar and vanilla.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt, and stir just until combined; a few lumps are fine, and over-mixing makes them tough.
  4. Let the batter rest 5 minutes — it thickens as the flour hydrates, giving fluffier pancakes.
  5. Cook spoonfuls on a hot, lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Wait until bubbles form and the edges look set (about 2 minutes) before flipping, then cook 1 minute more.
  6. Keep warm in a low oven and serve with fruit and maple syrup.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and rest the batter 10 minutes.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Use oat or soy milk rather than almond; top with fruit, not nut butter.

Next-day / leftovers
Cooled pancakes freeze in a stack with paper between; reheat in the toaster.
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Smashed Avocado & Tomato Toast

VgGF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min · Total 20 min
A fresh, fast vegan breakfast that feels generous — smashed avocado with lemon and chilli over good toast, topped with ripe summer tomatoes.
€6.95
For 5 · €1.39/head
€13.90
For 10 · €1.39/head
€27.80
For 20 · €1.39/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 8 ripe avocados — €8.00
  • 20 slices good bread — €2.70
  • Lemons, chilli flakes, garlic — €1.20
  • Tomatoes, olive oil, salt — €2.00
Method
  1. Toast the bread well — a sturdy, crisp slice holds the topping without going soggy.
  2. Halve the avocados, remove the stones, and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Use ripe avocados that yield to a gentle squeeze.
  3. Smash roughly with a fork and season immediately with plenty of lemon juice, salt and a pinch of chilli. The lemon keeps it green and lifts the flavour.
  4. Rub the warm toast with a cut garlic clove if you like, then spread the avocado on thickly.
  5. Top with sliced or chopped tomato, a thread of olive oil and a final pinch of salt and chilli. Serve at once.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use good gluten-free bread, toasted well.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Avocado is best fresh, but leftover smash keeps a few hours with lemon and cling film pressed onto the surface; stir into a salad dressing.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Lunch

13 recipes
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Hearty Lentil & Vegetable Soup

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min · Total 50 min
A thrifty, filling one-pot everyone at the table can eat. Cook a big batch deliberately — it anchors the zero-waste flow into the evening meal.
€3.70
For 5 · €0.74/head
€7.40
For 10 · €0.74/head
€14.80
For 20 · €0.74/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 600 g dried lentils — €1.20
  • 3 onions, 4 carrots, 3 celery sticks — €2.00
  • 6 cloves garlic — €0.30
  • 2 x 400 g cans tomatoes — €1.40
  • Cumin, paprika, bay, salt — €1.00
  • Olive oil + 2.5 L stock — €1.50
Method
  1. Dice the onions, carrots and celery roughly the same small size so they cook evenly — this trio is the flavour base of countless soups.
  2. Warm a big glug of oil in your largest pot over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables and a pinch of salt and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and the onion is translucent. Don't rush — this gentle sweating builds the soup's depth.
  3. Stir in the chopped garlic, a teaspoon each of cumin and paprika and a couple of bay leaves. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add the lentils (no need to soak brown or green lentils), the tomatoes and the stock. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer.
  5. Simmer, partly covered, for about 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are completely tender. Top up with water if it gets too thick — lentils drink up a lot of liquid.
  6. Season well with salt — lentils need more than you'd expect. For a creamier soup, blend about a third of it and stir it back in. Serve with bread.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free stock; serve with GF bread.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Make extra on purpose. The soup thickens overnight into a lentil 'ragù' — pile it over rice or baked potatoes for dinner, or loosen with stock and blend smooth for a second, different-looking soup.
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Andalusian Gazpacho

VgGF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min + chill
Cold blended tomato soup — perfect for the summer heat in Tarragona. No cooking, made ahead, and served ice-cold from a jug.
€4.60
For 5 · €0.92/head
€9.20
For 10 · €0.92/head
€18.40
For 20 · €0.92/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg very ripe tomatoes — €4.00
  • 2 cucumbers, 2 peppers — €3.00
  • 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves — €0.60
  • Stale bread (optional), olive oil, sherry vinegar — €1.50
  • Salt — €0.10
Method
  1. Use the ripest tomatoes you can find — this raw soup is only as good as they are. Roughly chop them along with the cucumbers (peel if the skins are tough), peppers and onion.
  2. If using bread to thicken (traditional and good), tear a couple of handfuls of stale bread and soak it in a little water for a few minutes.
  3. Put everything in a blender with the garlic, a good slug of olive oil, a splash of sherry vinegar and a big pinch of salt. Blend in batches if needed until very smooth.
  4. Taste and balance: it should be savoury, bright with vinegar and well salted. Adjust until it tastes vivid rather than flat — cold dulls flavour, so season a touch more boldly than seems right.
  5. For a silky restaurant texture, pass it through a sieve, pressing with a ladle. For a rustic version, skip this.
  6. Chill at least 2 hours (it must be very cold). Serve in glasses or bowls with a little diced cucumber and pepper on top and a thread of olive oil.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Leave out the bread, or use gluten-free bread to thicken.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free (avoid the almond 'ajoblanco' variation).

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled and the flavour only deepens. Pour leftovers over ice as a savoury drink, or use as an instant cold dressing for a pasta or rice salad.
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Homemade Hummus & Mezze Platter

VgGF*DFNF*
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min · Total 25 min
A generous grazing lunch built around silky homemade hummus. Cheap, plant-based and easy to flex around every allergy at the table.
€7.35
For 5 · €1.47/head
€14.70
For 10 · €1.47/head
€29.40
For 20 · €1.47/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 x 400 g cans chickpeas — €3.40
  • Tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin — €2.50
  • Olive oil — €0.80
  • Carrots, peppers, cucumber to dip — €3.00
  • Flatbreads / pita — €2.50
  • Olives, cherry tomatoes — €2.50
Method
  1. Drain the chickpeas but keep the liquid from one can. For extra-smooth hummus, simmer the drained chickpeas in fresh water for 10 minutes and slip off a few skins — optional, but it makes a noticeable difference.
  2. Put the chickpeas in a food processor with 3–4 generous tablespoons of tahini, the juice of two lemons, a small clove of garlic, a teaspoon of cumin and a good pinch of salt.
  3. Blend, and while it runs, drizzle in olive oil and then splashes of the reserved chickpea liquid (or cold water) until it turns pale and whips up light and creamy. This takes longer than you think — keep going for a couple of minutes.
  4. Taste and adjust: more lemon for brightness, more salt for depth. Spread onto a platter in a swoosh and pool good olive oil in the dip.
  5. Arrange raw vegetable sticks, olives, cherry tomatoes and warm flatbread around it. Warming the bread for a minute makes everything feel more generous.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Offer gluten-free crackers and extra vegetable sticks instead of pita.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Tahini is sesame, not a tree nut, and is safe for most nut allergies — but always check with the individual, and offer a sunflower-seed dip as a backup.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover hummus becomes a sandwich spread, a sauce loosened with lemon and water over roast vegetables, or the base layer of tomorrow's grain bowl.
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Loaded Vegetable Frittata

VGFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
The original 'use up the vegetables' lunch. Whatever roast veg or greens you have, bound in egg and finished in one pan.
€3.60
For 5 · €0.72/head
€7.20
For 10 · €0.72/head
€14.40
For 20 · €0.72/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 16 eggs — €3.30
  • 700 g mixed veg (leftover roast veg is ideal) — €1.80
  • 2 onions — €0.30
  • 100 g cheese (optional) — €1.00
  • Olive oil, herbs, salt — €0.80
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 190°C. Use an oven-safe frying pan (wrap a plastic handle in foil if unsure).
  2. Soften the sliced onion and any raw vegetables in oil over medium heat until tender. If you are using already-cooked leftover roast veg, just warm it through.
  3. Beat the eggs in a bowl with salt, herbs and most of the cheese. Spread the vegetables evenly across the pan and pour the egg over them.
  4. Cook on the hob for 2–3 minutes without stirring, until the bottom begins to set — you'll see the edges firm up.
  5. Scatter the last of the cheese on top and slide the pan into the oven. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the centre is just set and no longer wobbly when you nudge the pan.
  6. Let it sit for 5 minutes — it firms as it rests and slides out more cleanly. Cut into wedges; serve warm or at room temperature.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Leave out the cheese; a frittata is perfectly good without it.

Vegan: Make a chickpea-flour 'frittata': whisk 300 g gram flour with 700 ml water, turmeric and salt, fold in the veg, and bake in an oiled dish until firm.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
This dish is itself a leftover-user, but any frittata that remains slices cold into lunchboxes or a baguette the next day.
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Build-Your-Own Rice & Grain Bowls

Vg*GF*DF*NF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min · Total 45 min
A flexible assembly lunch: a big pot of rice, a protein, roast veg and a couple of sauces. Everyone composes their own bowl, so allergies look after themselves.
€4.97
For 5 · €0.99/head
€9.95
For 10 · €0.99/head
€19.90
For 20 · €0.99/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g rice — €1.05
  • 2 cans chickpeas or 600 g chicken — €2.00
  • 800 g mixed veg, roasted — €2.40
  • Yogurt-lemon sauce + soy/tahini sauce — €3.00
  • Herbs, seeds, lemon — €1.50
Method
  1. Cook the rice: rinse it until the water runs clearer, then cook in plenty of salted water or by the absorption method on the packet. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.
  2. Roast the vegetables: chop them into even pieces, toss with oil and salt, and roast at 200°C for 20–25 minutes until tender and caramelised at the edges.
  3. Prepare the protein: pan-fry seasoned, drained chickpeas in a little oil until crisp, or cook diced chicken until golden and cooked through.
  4. Mix the two sauces in small bowls: stir yogurt with lemon, garlic and salt for one; whisk tahini (or soy sauce) with lemon and water for the other.
  5. Lay everything out in separate bowls — rice, protein, veg, sauces, herbs and seeds — and let people build their own bowls to taste.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce; everything else is naturally GF.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Choose the chickpeas and the tahini sauce; skip the yogurt sauce or make it with plant yogurt.

Nut-free: Top with seeds rather than nuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Cook double rice on purpose — cold cooked rice is the start of tomorrow's fried rice or a rice salad. Roast extra veg for the frittata or a soup.
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Grilled Vegetable & Halloumi Wraps

VGF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min · Total 35 min
Warm wraps stuffed with charred courgette, peppers and griddled halloumi. Quick to assemble in a line for a hungry group.
€7.75
For 5 · €1.55/head
€15.50
For 10 · €1.55/head
€31.00
For 20 · €1.55/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 10 large tortillas / flatbreads — €2.50
  • 500 g halloumi — €5.00
  • 3 courgettes, 3 peppers — €4.00
  • Yogurt-herb dressing — €1.50
  • Salad leaves, olive oil — €2.50
Method
  1. Slice the courgettes lengthways into ribbons and the peppers into wide strips. Toss with a little oil and salt.
  2. Get a griddle or frying pan really hot. Griddle the vegetables in batches without crowding the pan — crowding steams them instead of charring. Cook until soft and marked with colour, then set aside.
  3. Slice the halloumi about 1 cm thick and pat dry. Griddle 1–2 minutes per side until golden with crisp edges — don't move it too soon or it won't release.
  4. Stir the dressing: yogurt, chopped herbs, a squeeze of lemon, salt.
  5. Warm the wraps briefly so they roll without splitting. Fill each with leaves, vegetables, halloumi and a spoon of dressing, then fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free wraps, or serve everything as a bowl over leaves.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Swap halloumi for marinated, griddled firm tofu or extra roast veg plus chickpeas; use a plant-yogurt dressing.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Griddled vegetables keep well — fold leftovers into the next frittata, a pasta, or a grain bowl.
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Tuscan Bean & Vegetable Minestrone

VVg*GF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 35 min · Total 55 min
A substantial Italian vegetable-and-bean soup that turns a handful of cheap veg into a satisfying meal. Endlessly adaptable to whatever is in the fridge.
€5.83
For 5 · €1.17/head
€11.65
For 10 · €1.17/head
€23.30
For 20 · €1.17/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 onions, 4 carrots, 3 celery sticks — €2.00
  • 4 garlic cloves — €0.20
  • 2 cans chopped tomatoes — €1.40
  • 3 cans cannellini/borlotti beans — €2.55
  • 200 g small pasta — €0.50
  • Courgette, green beans, cabbage — €3.00
  • Stock, olive oil, herbs, parmesan rind (optional) — €2.00
Method
  1. Finely dice the onion, carrot and celery. Soften them slowly in olive oil with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes — this 'soffritto' is the backbone of the soup.
  2. Add the chopped garlic and cook 1 minute, then the tomatoes and about 2.5 litres of stock. If you have a parmesan rind, drop it in now for savoury depth (fish it out before serving).
  3. Add the harder vegetables (carrot is already in; add diced courgette and chopped green beans) and simmer 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in the drained beans and any quick-cooking greens like shredded cabbage or spinach, plus the small pasta. Simmer another 8–10 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the soup is thick.
  5. Season generously. It should be almost stew-like; add stock or water to reach the consistency you like. Serve with olive oil and grated cheese.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta, or replace it with extra beans or a handful of rice.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Skip the parmesan and cheese; the beans make it rich enough.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Minestrone thickens overnight into something closer to a stew — loosen with stock, or serve thick over toasted bread (the Tuscan 'ribollita' trick). Freezes well without the pasta.
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Baked Potato Bar

Vg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 75 min (mostly hands-off) · Total 85 min
Fluffy baked potatoes with a spread of toppings — almost no work, very cheap, and every diet is covered just by choosing different toppings. A perfect 'use up the leftovers' lunch.
€7.85
For 5 · €1.57/head
€15.70
For 10 · €1.57/head
€31.40
For 20 · €1.57/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 12 large baking potatoes — €4.00
  • Cheese, butter, soured cream — €4.00
  • 2 cans beans (baked or chilli-style) — €1.70
  • Tuna, leftover stew, coleslaw as toppings — €4.00
  • Salad, chives, oil — €2.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Scrub the potatoes and prick each a few times with a fork (this lets steam escape so they don't burst). Rub with a little oil and salt for crisp skins.
  2. Place directly on the oven shelf and bake for about 60–75 minutes. They are done when the skin is crisp and a knife slides into the centre with no resistance — give the largest one a squeeze; it should yield.
  3. While they bake, set out the toppings in bowls: grated cheese, butter, soured cream, warmed beans, and any leftovers worth using up (yesterday's stew, chilli or roast veg are ideal here).
  4. Split each potato open, fluff the inside with a fork, season, and let everyone load their own.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — check any beans/chilli are GF.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Offer olive oil, dairy-free spread, beans, and a plant soured cream instead of dairy toppings.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
This meal exists to clear the fridge. Any leftover baked potato becomes tomorrow's fried potato hash, a topping for soup, or the base of fish cakes.
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Crustless Vegetable Quiche

VGFNFDF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Total 60 min
All the comfort of quiche without the fiddle of pastry — which also makes it naturally gluten-free. A great way to turn eggs, cheese and a few vegetables into a generous lunch.
€4.85
For 5 · €0.97/head
€9.70
For 10 · €0.97/head
€19.40
For 20 · €0.97/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 14 eggs — €2.90
  • 400 ml milk + 200 ml cream — €1.50
  • 150 g cheese, grated — €1.50
  • Leeks/onion, spinach, peppers — €3.00
  • Oil, salt, nutmeg, herbs — €0.80
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and oil a large baking dish well.
  2. Soften the sliced leeks or onion and peppers in a little oil until tender; wilt in the spinach at the end so it loses its water (wet vegetables make a soggy quiche). Spread over the base of the dish.
  3. In a large jug, whisk the eggs with the milk and cream, a good pinch of salt, a grating of nutmeg and most of the cheese. The custard ratio to remember is roughly one egg to 50 ml of liquid.
  4. Pour the custard over the vegetables and scatter the rest of the cheese on top.
  5. Bake for 35–40 minutes until puffed, golden and just set — a gentle wobble in the very centre is fine; it will firm as it cools.
  6. Rest 10 minutes before cutting so it slices cleanly. Lovely warm or cold.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free (no pastry).

Dairy-free: Use plant milk for all the liquid and a dairy-free cheese, or simply more vegetables and herbs.

Vegan: Better to make the chickpea-flour frittata version, which sets reliably without eggs.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Slices beautifully cold for a picnic or packed lunch the next day, and freezes in portions.
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Toasted Sandwich & Panini Bar

V*GF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min · Total 30 min
A fast, satisfying lunch that lets everyone choose their own fillings — and a brilliant way to use up odd ends of cheese, ham, roast veg and leftovers.
€7.50
For 5 · €1.50/head
€15.00
For 10 · €1.50/head
€30.00
For 20 · €1.50/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 large loaves or 20 bread slices — €3.00
  • Cheese (several types) — €5.00
  • Ham, roast veg, tomato, pesto fillings — €6.00
  • Butter or oil for the outside — €1.00
Method
  1. Set out all the fillings in bowls and let people build their sandwiches: a layer of cheese against each slice of bread acts as 'glue' and melts to hold everything together.
  2. Butter or lightly oil the OUTSIDE of each sandwich — this is what gives a golden, crisp crust.
  3. Cook in a sandwich press if you have one; otherwise use a frying pan over medium heat. Lay the sandwich in, then press it down with a spatula (or a second pan on top) to get good contact.
  4. Cook 2–3 minutes until the underside is deep golden, then flip and repeat. The cheese should be molten and the bread crunchy.
  5. Cut in half on the diagonal and serve hot, with a green salad alongside.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free bread (it toasts very well).

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use dairy-free cheese and plant spread; load with roast veg, pesto and tomato.

Nut-free: Choose a nut-free pesto or skip it.

Next-day / leftovers
The whole point is using up leftovers — yesterday's roast vegetables, cheese ends and cold meats all find a home here.
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White Bean, Tuna & Tomato Salad

GF*DFNFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min
A protein-rich, no-cook Mediterranean lunch that comes together in minutes and works as a salad, a sandwich filling or a topping for bread.
€8.20
For 5 · €1.64/head
€16.40
For 10 · €1.64/head
€32.80
For 20 · €1.64/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 cans white beans (cannellini or butter beans) — €3.40
  • 4 cans tuna (or extra beans) — €6.00
  • Red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley — €3.50
  • Lemon, olive oil, garlic — €1.50
  • Bread or leaves to serve — €2.00
Method
  1. Drain and rinse the beans well and tip into a big bowl. Drain the tuna and flake it in.
  2. Finely slice the red onion. To take the harsh raw edge off, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain — this small step makes it sweet and mild.
  3. Chop the tomatoes, cucumber and parsley and add to the bowl.
  4. Dress simply but generously: lots of good olive oil, the juice of two lemons, a small crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper. Beans love salt, so taste and adjust.
  5. Fold everything together gently so the beans stay whole. Let it sit 10 minutes for the flavours to mingle, then serve with bread or over leaves.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve over leaves or with GF bread.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Vegan: Leave out the tuna and double the beans, adding olives and capers for a savoury, briny hit.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps a day chilled. Mash leftovers lightly for a sandwich filling, or stir through hot pasta with extra oil for a fast dinner.
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Giant Couscous & Roasted Vegetable Bowl

VVg*DF*NFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
Nutty pearls of giant couscous tossed with roasted vegetables, herbs and a lemony dressing. Filling, colourful and just as good warm or cold.
€8.10
For 5 · €1.62/head
€16.20
For 10 · €1.62/head
€32.40
For 20 · €1.62/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 600 g giant (pearl) couscous — €2.50
  • Aubergine, courgette, peppers, red onion — €7.00
  • Chickpeas (2 cans) — €1.70
  • Lemon, olive oil, herbs, spices — €2.50
  • Feta or olives to finish (optional) — €2.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Chop all the vegetables into similar bite-sized pieces, toss with oil, salt and a little cumin and paprika, and spread over one or two trays in a single layer. Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once, until soft and browned at the edges.
  2. Meanwhile cook the giant couscous like pasta: boil in salted water for 8–10 minutes until tender with a slight bite, then drain. Toss with a little oil so it doesn't clump.
  3. Add the drained chickpeas to the vegetable tray for the last 10 minutes to warm and crisp slightly.
  4. Make a dressing: whisk lemon juice, olive oil, a little crushed garlic and salt.
  5. Combine the couscous, roasted veg and chickpeas in a big bowl, pour over the dressing and fold through plenty of chopped herbs. Crumble feta or scatter olives on top if using.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Giant couscous is wheat; swap in cooked quinoa or rice for a gluten-free bowl.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Leave off the feta or use a vegan version; olives add the salty note.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Excellent cold the next day as a packed lunch. Stir leftovers through salad leaves, or stuff into the baked peppers or wraps.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Spanish Chickpea & Spinach Stew (Garbanzos con Espinacas)

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
A beloved Andalusian tapas-bar dish — smoky, garlicky chickpeas and spinach in a rich tomato base. Hearty, cheap, vegan and naturally free of gluten, dairy and nuts.
€5.60
For 5 · €1.12/head
€11.20
For 10 · €1.12/head
€22.40
For 20 · €1.12/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 cans chickpeas — €3.40
  • 600 g spinach (or frozen) — €3.00
  • Onion, garlic, 2 cans tomatoes — €2.50
  • Smoked paprika, cumin, bay, sherry vinegar — €1.50
  • Olive oil — €0.80
Method
  1. Soften the chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until soft and sweet.
  2. Add lots of chopped garlic, the smoked paprika and cumin, and cook for a minute until fragrant — keep the heat moderate, as paprika scorches and turns bitter quickly.
  3. Add the tomatoes and a bay leaf, season, and simmer 10 minutes until thickened and darkened.
  4. Stir in the drained chickpeas and a splash of water, and simmer 10 minutes so they take on the flavour. For a thicker, silkier stew, mash a ladleful of chickpeas against the side of the pan.
  5. Add the spinach in handfuls, stirring until wilted (a couple of minutes for fresh; a little longer for frozen).
  6. Finish with a splash of sherry vinegar and check the salt. Lovely with bread, or over rice for a bigger meal.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve with GF bread or rice.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Even better the next day. Reheat with a splash of water, spoon over rice or a baked potato, or blend into a spiced soup.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Salads

13 recipes
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Herby Quinoa Tabbouleh

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min · Total 35 min
A bright, herb-heavy grain salad that holds up for hours on a summer table — naturally gluten-free thanks to quinoa.
€4.55
For 5 · €0.91/head
€9.10
For 10 · €0.91/head
€18.20
For 20 · €0.91/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g quinoa — €3.50
  • 4 tomatoes, 1 cucumber — €2.20
  • Big bunch parsley + mint — €2.00
  • Lemon, olive oil, salt — €1.20
  • 1 red onion — €0.20
Method
  1. Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cold water for 30 seconds — this washes off its natural bitter coating (saponin) and is the step most people skip.
  2. Tip it into a pot with double its volume of salted water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until the little spirals uncurl and the water is absorbed.
  3. Spread it on a tray to cool quickly and stay fluffy rather than stodgy.
  4. Meanwhile, chop the herbs finely — tabbouleh should be very green and herb-forward. Finely dice the tomato, cucumber and red onion.
  5. In a big bowl, toss the cooled quinoa with the herbs and vegetables. Dress with lots of lemon juice, a generous pour of olive oil and plenty of salt.
  6. Let it rest 15 minutes before serving so the grains soak up the dressing and the flavours marry. Taste again and add more lemon or salt — grain salads need a bold hand.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free with quinoa. (Classic bulgur tabbouleh is NOT gluten-free.)

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Holds 2 days chilled. Stuff leftovers into peppers and bake, or fold through warm chickpeas for a next-day lunch.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Greek-Style Tomato & Feta Salad

VGFNFDF*Vg*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min
Ripe summer tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta with oregano and good oil. No cooking, maximum reward — a guaranteed table favourite.
€6.10
For 5 · €1.22/head
€12.20
For 10 · €1.22/head
€24.40
For 20 · €1.22/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg ripe tomatoes — €3.00
  • 2 cucumbers, 1 red onion — €2.20
  • 400 g feta — €4.00
  • Olives, dried oregano, olive oil — €3.00
Method
  1. Cut the tomatoes into big, rustic wedges — a proper Greek salad is chunky, not finely chopped. Cut the cucumber into thick half-moons.
  2. Slice the red onion thinly. Soak it in cold water for 5 minutes and drain to mellow its bite.
  3. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion and a good handful of olives in a wide bowl. Resist over-mixing.
  4. Lay the feta on top in thick slabs (traditional) or crumble it, then shower with dried oregano.
  5. Dress only with plenty of good olive oil and a little salt — no vinegar needed, as the tomatoes and feta bring the acidity and salt. Serve right away while the tomatoes are at room temperature, which is when they taste best.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Leave out the feta or use a marinated firm tofu or vegan feta; add extra olives.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Spoon the leftover tomatoey, oily juices over bread or stir into gazpacho. Chopped leftovers go into an omelette or frittata.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Warm Roasted Veg & Chickpea Salad

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
A warm, substantial salad that doubles as a light main. The perfect use for a tray of vegetables roasted alongside something else in the oven.
€7.03
For 5 · €1.41/head
€14.05
For 10 · €1.41/head
€28.10
For 20 · €1.41/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 cans chickpeas — €2.55
  • 2 aubergines, 3 peppers, 2 courgettes — €6.00
  • Salad leaves — €2.00
  • Lemon-tahini dressing — €2.50
  • Olive oil, cumin, paprika — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry on a tea towel — dry chickpeas crisp instead of steaming.
  2. Chop the vegetables into even chunks. Spread them and the chickpeas over one or two trays (don't overcrowd), toss with oil, cumin, paprika and salt, and roast 25–30 minutes until soft and golden, turning once.
  3. Make the dressing: whisk tahini with lemon juice, a little crushed garlic, salt and enough water to make it pourable. It will seize and thicken first, then loosen — keep adding water a splash at a time.
  4. Spread the salad leaves on a platter. Pile the warm roasted veg and chickpeas on top so they slightly wilt the leaves.
  5. Drizzle generously with the dressing just before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Tahini is sesame; offer a simple lemon-and-oil dressing as an alternative for anyone sensitive to sesame.

Next-day / leftovers
Bulk-roast the veg whenever the oven is on. Leftovers go into wraps, a frittata, or blended with stock into a quick soup.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

VVg*DF*NFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 12 min · Total 32 min
A picnic-style pasta salad with tomatoes, olives, peppers and herbs — feeds a crowd cheaply and travels well to the pool or terrace.
€5.70
For 5 · €1.14/head
€11.40
For 10 · €1.14/head
€22.80
For 20 · €1.14/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1 kg short pasta — €2.40
  • Cherry tomatoes, peppers, olives — €5.00
  • 200 g cheese cubes (optional) — €2.00
  • Olive oil, lemon, basil, garlic — €2.00
Method
  1. Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until just tender (check a minute before the packet time). Drain, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it — this is the one time rinsing pasta is correct.
  2. Toss the drained pasta with a little olive oil so it doesn't clump while you prep the rest.
  3. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the peppers, and add with the olives.
  4. Make a simple dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, a crushed garlic clove, salt and lots of torn basil. Pour over and fold through.
  5. Season well and let it sit 15 minutes. Cold pasta dulls seasoning, so taste again and add more lemon and salt before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use corn or rice gluten-free pasta and rinse it well, as GF pasta sticks more.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Omit the cheese or use a vegan one; add white beans for protein.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 2 days. Refresh leftovers with a squeeze of lemon and a little oil, and fold in any leftover roast veg or grilled chicken.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Beetroot, Orange & Leaf Salad

VgGFDFNF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min
A jewel-coloured, refreshing side that cuts through richer mains. Uses pre-cooked beetroot to stay well under 20 minutes.
€5.15
For 5 · €1.03/head
€10.30
For 10 · €1.03/head
€20.60
For 20 · €1.03/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g cooked beetroot — €3.00
  • 5 oranges — €2.50
  • Salad leaves / rocket — €2.50
  • Olive oil, balsamic, mustard — €1.50
  • Seeds to top — €0.80
Method
  1. Cut the cooked beetroot into wedges. (Wear an apron — beetroot stains.)
  2. Segment the oranges over a bowl: slice off the top and bottom, cut away the peel and white pith following the curve of the fruit, then cut between the membranes to release clean segments. Squeeze the leftover membranes to catch the juice.
  3. Make the dressing right in that juice: whisk in olive oil, a little balsamic, a small spoon of mustard and salt.
  4. Arrange the leaves on a platter, scatter over the beetroot and orange segments.
  5. Drizzle with the dressing and finish with a scatter of seeds. Dress it at the last minute so the leaves stay crisp.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Use seeds (pumpkin/sunflower) rather than walnuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover beetroot blends into a pink hummus or a quick soup; spare orange segments go into the breakfast fruit bowl.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Big House Green Salad with Two Dressings

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min
The everyday workhorse salad for almost any meal. Two dressings on the side keep it interesting and allergy-safe for everyone.
€5.40
For 5 · €1.08/head
€10.80
For 10 · €1.08/head
€21.60
For 20 · €1.08/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • Mixed leaves (≈600 g) — €4.80
  • Cucumber, tomato, carrot, radish — €3.00
  • Classic vinaigrette ingredients — €1.50
  • Creamy yogurt dressing — €1.50
Method
  1. Wash the leaves and dry them thoroughly — a salad spinner or a clean tea towel. Wet leaves can't hold dressing and turn the salad soggy.
  2. Combine the leaves with sliced cucumber, tomato, grated carrot and thinly sliced radish in your biggest bowl.
  3. Make the vinaigrette by shaking 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar with a teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper in a jar until thick and combined (the mustard helps it emulsify).
  4. Stir the second dressing: yogurt, lemon juice, a little crushed garlic and salt.
  5. Keep the salad undressed and put both dressings on the side, so guests choose and the leftovers don't wilt.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — keep any croutons separate (use GF bread).

Dairy-free / Vegan: Offer only the vinaigrette, or make the creamy dressing with plant yogurt.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Undressed leaves keep a day in the fridge. Slightly wilting leaves go into a smoothie or the soup pot rather than the bin.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Crisp Caesar-Style Salad

V*NFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 10 min · Total 30 min
Crunchy cos lettuce, garlicky croutons and a creamy, savoury dressing — a perennial favourite that you can make from scratch without raw eggs.
€5.90
For 5 · €1.18/head
€11.80
For 10 · €1.18/head
€23.60
For 20 · €1.18/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4–5 cos/romaine lettuces — €4.00
  • Bread for croutons — €1.50
  • Parmesan, 150 g — €2.50
  • Yogurt or mayo, garlic, lemon, mustard, anchovy/capers — €3.00
  • Olive oil — €0.80
Method
  1. Make croutons first: tear or cube bread, toss with olive oil, salt and a little crushed garlic, and bake at 190°C for about 10 minutes until golden and crunchy, shaking once.
  2. For the dressing (a no-raw-egg version), whisk together thick yogurt or mayonnaise, a small crushed garlic clove, lemon juice, a teaspoon of mustard, a little grated parmesan and finely chopped anchovy or capers for the savoury punch. Loosen with water to a pourable cream and season.
  3. Wash and dry the lettuce really well, then tear into big pieces into a wide bowl.
  4. Add most of the dressing and toss with your hands so every leaf is lightly coated — Caesar should glisten, not drown.
  5. Scatter over the croutons, shave or grate the rest of the parmesan on top, and finish with black pepper. Serve immediately so the croutons stay crisp.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free bread for the croutons.

Vegetarian: Use capers instead of anchovy and a vegetarian hard cheese.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a plant yogurt/vegan mayo base, nutritional yeast for the cheesy note, and capers; skip the parmesan.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Best eaten fresh. Undressed lettuce and spare croutons keep separately for a day; croutons also top soups.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Crunchy Homemade Coleslaw

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min · Total 25 min
Fresh, crunchy and a world away from the gloopy tub version. A brilliant side for grilled meats, burgers and baked potatoes, and very cheap to make.
€3.05
For 5 · €0.61/head
€6.10
For 10 · €0.61/head
€12.20
For 20 · €0.61/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1 white cabbage (½ red for colour) — €2.00
  • 4 carrots — €1.00
  • 1 onion or 4 spring onions — €0.40
  • Mayo + yogurt, mustard, vinegar, sugar — €2.50
  • Salt, pepper — €0.20
Method
  1. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can — a sharp knife, a mandoline or the slicing disc of a food processor. Fine shredding is what makes coleslaw pleasant rather than chunky.
  2. Grate the carrots and finely slice the onion or spring onions.
  3. Optional but worth it: toss the shredded cabbage with a teaspoon of salt, leave 15 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid. This keeps the slaw crunchy and stops it going watery.
  4. Mix the dressing: equal parts mayonnaise and yogurt, a spoon of mustard, a splash of vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Lighter on the mayo than shop versions.
  5. Fold the dressing through the vegetables. Taste — it should be tangy and fresh. Chill for 30 minutes if you have time for the flavours to come together.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use all vegan mayo (or a plant yogurt) — works perfectly.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 2–3 days and the flavours deepen. Pile leftovers into wraps and sandwiches, or onto pulled meat or burgers.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Caprese Platter

VGFNFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min
The simplest of Italian classics, and unbeatable with ripe summer tomatoes. Three ingredients, no cooking, on the table in minutes.
€6.25
For 5 · €1.25/head
€12.50
For 10 · €1.25/head
€25.00
For 20 · €1.25/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg ripe tomatoes — €3.00
  • 600 g fresh mozzarella — €6.00
  • Big bunch fresh basil — €1.50
  • Best olive oil, flaky salt, (balsamic) — €2.00
Method
  1. Bring the tomatoes and mozzarella to room temperature — fridge-cold dulls the flavour of both, and this dish lives or dies on flavour.
  2. Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella into rounds of similar thickness.
  3. Arrange them overlapping on a big platter, alternating tomato and cheese, tucking whole basil leaves between.
  4. Finish only with a generous drizzle of your best olive oil and a scatter of flaky salt. A few drops of balsamic are optional.
  5. Serve at once — it doesn't sit well, so assemble it just before the meal.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a vegan mozzarella, or make it a tomato-and-avocado platter instead.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover tomatoes and their juices go straight into gazpacho, a sauce or onto bread; mozzarella melts onto a toastie.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Herbed Potato Salad

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min · Total 35 min
A creamy-but-fresh potato salad that's a backbone side for any gathering. The trick is dressing the potatoes while warm so they soak up flavour.
€3.95
For 5 · €0.79/head
€7.90
For 10 · €0.79/head
€15.80
For 20 · €0.79/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg waxy potatoes — €2.40
  • Spring onions, gherkins, herbs — €2.50
  • Mayo + yogurt, mustard, vinegar — €2.50
  • Olive oil, salt — €0.50
Method
  1. Use waxy potatoes (they hold their shape). Cut into bite-sized chunks so they cook evenly and there's no chopping after.
  2. Put them in cold salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer 12–15 minutes until a knife slides in easily but they aren't falling apart. Drain well and let the steam escape for a minute.
  3. While the potatoes are still warm, toss them with a splash of vinegar and a little olive oil — warm potatoes absorb seasoning, which is the secret to a flavourful salad rather than a bland one.
  4. Once cooled to just warm, fold through the dressing (mayo, yogurt, mustard), the sliced spring onions, chopped gherkins and plenty of fresh herbs.
  5. Season generously and chill. Taste again before serving — add more mustard or vinegar if it needs lifting.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use all vegan mayo or a lemony olive-oil dressing instead of the creamy one.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 2 days chilled. Fry leftovers in a hot pan into crisp potato hash for breakfast, or fold into a frittata.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Puy Lentil & Feta Salad

VGFNFVg*DF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min · Total 40 min
Earthy little lentils, salty feta and a sharp dressing make a protein-rich salad substantial enough to be a light main. Holds beautifully on a buffet.
€5.25
For 5 · €1.05/head
€10.50
For 10 · €1.05/head
€21.00
For 20 · €1.05/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g puy or small green lentils — €1.50
  • 300 g feta — €3.00
  • Red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley — €4.00
  • Lemon/red wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil — €2.00
Method
  1. Rinse the lentils and simmer in plenty of unsalted water for 20–25 minutes until tender but still holding their shape — puy lentils keep a pleasant bite and don't turn to mush. Salt only at the end (salting early can keep them firm).
  2. Drain well and, while still warm, toss with the vinegar, mustard, olive oil and salt so they drink in the dressing.
  3. Let them cool to room temperature, then fold through finely diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber and lots of chopped parsley.
  4. Crumble over the feta and fold gently — keep some chunks visible. Taste and sharpen with more lemon or vinegar.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Leave out the feta or use a vegan feta; add olives for the salty note.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days and travels well. Spoon leftovers over leaves, into a wrap, or alongside any roast or grilled main as an instant side.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad

VGFNFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min
The ultimate hot-weather salad: sweet, juicy watermelon against salty feta and cool mint. Surprising, refreshing and perfect for a summer lunch.
€5.00
For 5 · €1.00/head
€10.00
For 10 · €1.00/head
€20.00
For 20 · €1.00/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1 large watermelon — €4.00
  • 300 g feta — €3.00
  • Fresh mint, red onion — €1.50
  • Lime, olive oil, (chilli) — €1.50
Method
  1. Cut the watermelon into bite-sized cubes, removing any seeds, and drain off excess juice (save it for a drink).
  2. Slice the red onion very thinly and, if you like, soak in cold water 5 minutes to soften its bite.
  3. Scatter the watermelon over a platter. Crumble the feta over the top and tuck in torn mint leaves and the onion.
  4. Dress lightly with lime juice and a thread of olive oil, plus a pinch of chilli flakes if you like a little heat.
  5. Serve immediately and cold — it's at its best straight from assembly.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Leave out the feta or use a vegan version; the salad still sings with mint and lime.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Best fresh, but blend any leftovers with the reserved watermelon juice and a little lime into a cooling agua fresca drink.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Three-Bean & Roasted Pepper Salad

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min
A protein-packed, no-cook salad of mixed beans, sweet roasted peppers and herbs in a sharp mustard dressing. Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and it holds beautifully on a buffet.
€5.28
For 5 · €1.06/head
€10.55
For 10 · €1.06/head
€21.10
For 20 · €1.06/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 5 cans mixed beans (kidney, cannellini, chickpea) — €4.25
  • Jarred roasted peppers, red onion, celery — €3.50
  • Parsley, mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil — €2.50
  • Salt, garlic — €0.30
Method
  1. Drain and rinse all the beans well and tip into a large bowl — rinsing removes the tinny, starchy liquid and keeps the salad fresh-tasting.
  2. Slice the roasted peppers into strips and dice the red onion and celery. To soften the onion's bite, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.
  3. Whisk a sharp dressing: a heaped teaspoon of mustard, a good splash of red wine vinegar, a crushed garlic clove, three times as much olive oil, and salt.
  4. Fold everything together with plenty of chopped parsley.
  5. Let it sit at least 15 minutes (or longer) so the beans drink up the dressing. Taste and add more vinegar and salt — bean salads need a confident, tangy hand.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days and improves. Pile leftovers into a wrap, spoon over leaves, or stir through cooked grains for a fast lunch.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Vegetarian & Vegan Mains

12 recipes
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Coconut Chickpea & Spinach Curry

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
A fragrant, budget-friendly curry that happens to be vegan, gluten-free and nut-free — so it feeds almost everyone in the house from a single pot.
€7.35
For 5 · €1.47/head
€14.70
For 10 · €1.47/head
€29.40
For 20 · €1.47/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 cans chickpeas — €3.40
  • 3 cans coconut milk — €3.60
  • 2 cans tomatoes — €1.40
  • Onion, garlic, ginger — €1.50
  • Curry spices / paste — €2.00
  • 400 g spinach — €2.00
  • Rice to serve (600 g) — €0.80
Method
  1. Finely chop the onion and soften it in oil over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden — properly softened onion is the sweet base of a good curry.
  2. Grate or finely chop the garlic and ginger, add to the pan with your curry spices or paste, and fry for 1–2 minutes until intensely fragrant. Cooking the spices like this removes any raw, dusty taste.
  3. Pour in the tomatoes and let them bubble and reduce for 5 minutes, stirring, until darkened and jammy.
  4. Add the coconut milk and the drained chickpeas. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
  5. Stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, letting it wilt. Season well with salt and a squeeze of lemon to brighten.
  6. Serve over rice cooked while the curry simmers.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Check the curry paste is gluten-free; everything else is.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Coconut is a fruit, not a tree nut, and is safe for most nut allergies — confirm with the individual.

Next-day / leftovers
Even better the next day. Reheat as is, thin with stock into a soup, or wrap cold in a flatbread with salad for lunch. Freezes well.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Paella de Verduras (Vegetable Paella)

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 35 min · Total 55 min
A showpiece vegetable paella — local, naturally gluten-free, and a brilliant centrepiece when the table is full. The prized crispy bottom layer is called the 'socarrat'.
€6.85
For 5 · €1.37/head
€13.70
For 10 · €1.37/head
€27.40
For 20 · €1.37/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g paella/bomba rice — €2.50
  • Peppers, green beans, artichoke, tomato — €6.00
  • Onion, garlic, smoked paprika, saffron — €2.50
  • 2.2 L vegetable stock — €1.50
  • Olive oil, lemon — €1.20
Method
  1. Use the widest pan you have (a paella pan if possible) so the rice spreads thin. Warm the stock in a separate pot with the saffron steeping in it.
  2. Soften the chopped onion, peppers and green beans in olive oil over medium heat until starting to colour.
  3. Push the veg aside and add grated tomato, garlic and smoked paprika. Cook this 'sofrito' down for 5 minutes until thick and darkened — this is where the flavour comes from.
  4. Stir in the rice and toast it for 1 minute so each grain is coated. Pour in the hot saffron stock and spread the rice evenly.
  5. Now the golden rule: do NOT stir again. Stirring releases starch and makes it gluey. Simmer over medium heat 18–20 minutes, turning the pan for even cooking, until the liquid is absorbed.
  6. For the socarrat, turn the heat up for the last 1–2 minutes until you hear gentle crackling and smell toasting — stop before it burns.
  7. Cover with foil or a towel and rest 5 minutes. Serve from the pan with lemon wedges.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover paella fries up beautifully — crisp it in a hot pan, or bind cold rice with a little flour into cakes and pan-fry.
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Ratatouille with White Beans

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Total 60 min
A slow-simmered Provençal vegetable stew, bulked with white beans into a satisfying main. The ultimate dish for a summer glut of vegetables.
€8.35
For 5 · €1.67/head
€16.70
For 10 · €1.67/head
€33.40
For 20 · €1.67/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 aubergines, 4 courgettes — €7.50
  • 4 peppers, 6 tomatoes — €5.00
  • 2 cans white beans — €1.70
  • Onion, garlic, herbs de Provence — €1.50
  • Olive oil — €1.00
Method
  1. Cut all the vegetables into similar bite-sized chunks. The secret to good ratatouille is browning, not boiling, so work in batches.
  2. Heat oil in a large pan and brown the aubergine first until golden (it drinks oil — be patient and don't add too much). Set aside. Brown the courgette the same way and set aside.
  3. In the same pan, soften the onion, garlic and peppers for 8–10 minutes.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and dried herbs and cook down for 10 minutes into a sauce.
  5. Return all the browned vegetables, add the drained beans, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is meltingly soft and the flavours have melded.
  6. Season generously and finish with a thread of fresh olive oil. Serve with rice, bread or polenta.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve over rice or polenta rather than couscous.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
A true leftover hero: spoon over baked potatoes, fold through pasta, layer into a frittata, or blend into soup. Tastes even better the next day and freezes well.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Rice-Stuffed Baked Peppers

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 35 min · Total 60 min
Peppers stuffed with a savoury rice-and-vegetable filling — a tidy, attractive way to turn yesterday's cooked rice into tonight's main.
€5.75
For 5 · €1.15/head
€11.50
For 10 · €1.15/head
€23.00
For 20 · €1.15/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 10 large peppers — €5.00
  • 600 g cooked rice (great use of leftovers) — €0.80
  • Onion, garlic, mushrooms, tomato — €3.00
  • 150 g cheese (optional) — €1.50
  • Herbs, olive oil — €1.20
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 190°C. Halve the peppers through the stem and scoop out the seeds. Sit them snugly in a baking dish, cut-side up, and rub with a little oil.
  2. Make the filling: soften chopped onion, garlic and mushrooms in oil, then stir in chopped tomato and cook a few minutes until jammy.
  3. Mix this through the cooked rice with plenty of herbs and seasoning. If the filling tastes good now, the dish will — so season it properly at this stage.
  4. Spoon the filling generously into the pepper halves, mounding it up. Top with cheese if using.
  5. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the peppers are soft and slightly charred at the edges and the tops are golden. A splash of water in the base of the dish keeps them from drying out.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Skip the cheese or use a vegan one; add white beans to the filling for protein.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover stuffed peppers chop into a next-day rice salad or omelette. Make the filling double to also stuff tomatoes or courgettes.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Golden Red Lentil Dahl

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min · Total 40 min
Comforting, cheap and quick — red lentils need no soaking and collapse into a creamy, golden dahl. A reliable vegan main that pleases almost every dietary need at once.
€4.95
For 5 · €0.99/head
€9.90
For 10 · €0.99/head
€19.80
For 20 · €0.99/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 700 g red lentils — €1.40
  • 2 cans coconut milk (or 1 + stock) — €2.40
  • Onion, garlic, ginger — €1.50
  • Cumin, turmeric, garam masala, chilli — €2.00
  • Spinach or tomato to finish — €1.80
  • Rice to serve — €0.80
Method
  1. Rinse the red lentils in a sieve until the water runs clear, which stops them foaming and sticking.
  2. Soften the chopped onion in oil for 6–8 minutes, then add grated garlic and ginger and the spices. Fry for a minute or two until fragrant — this 'tempering' is what gives dahl its depth.
  3. Add the rinsed lentils, the coconut milk and enough water or stock to cover by a couple of centimetres.
  4. Simmer gently for about 25 minutes, stirring regularly (especially toward the end so it doesn't catch), until the lentils have completely broken down into a thick, soft purée. Add water if it gets too stiff.
  5. Stir in spinach to wilt, or chopped tomato, and season well with salt and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rice.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free; coconut is not a tree nut.

Next-day / leftovers
Thickens to a paste overnight — spread in wraps, thin with stock into soup, or top with a fried egg for a fast breakfast.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

VGFVg*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min · Total 50 min
Savoury, creamy and naturally gluten-free. It needs a bit of attention at the stove, but the method is forgiving and the result is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
€7.05
For 5 · €1.41/head
€14.10
For 10 · €1.41/head
€28.20
For 20 · €1.41/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g risotto rice — €2.60
  • 800 g mushrooms — €5.00
  • Onion, garlic, white wine — €2.50
  • 2.2 L vegetable stock — €1.50
  • 100 g butter + 100 g parmesan — €2.50
Method
  1. Keep the stock warm in a pan beside you — adding cold stock to risotto shocks the rice and slows cooking.
  2. Slice the mushrooms and fry them hard in a little oil in batches until deep golden and any water has evaporated. Set aside; this concentrates their flavour.
  3. In the same wide pan, soften the chopped onion and garlic in a little butter. Add the rice and stir for a minute until the edges look translucent (toasting the grains).
  4. Pour in the wine and stir until it's absorbed. Now add the warm stock one ladle at a time, stirring often and only adding more once the previous ladle is nearly absorbed.
  5. Continue for about 18 minutes. The rice is done when it's creamy and tender with the faintest bite in the centre — taste a grain to check.
  6. Take off the heat, stir the mushrooms back in along with the butter and grated parmesan. Cover and rest 2 minutes, then beat briefly — this final step (the 'mantecatura') makes it glossy and creamy. Loosen with a splash of stock if needed and serve at once.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free (rice); use gluten-free stock.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Finish with olive oil and nutritional yeast instead of butter and parmesan.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Cold risotto makes superb 'arancini': roll into balls (tuck in a cube of cheese), coat in breadcrumbs and pan-fry until crisp and golden for a next-day snack or starter.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

VGF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 30 min · Cook 40 min · Total 70 min
A hearty layered bake of roasted vegetables, tomato sauce and creamy béchamel. The classic big-tray dinner that satisfies a full house.
€8.65
For 5 · €1.73/head
€17.30
For 10 · €1.73/head
€34.60
For 20 · €1.73/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • Lasagne sheets (≈500 g) — €1.80
  • Aubergine, courgette, peppers, spinach — €8.00
  • 3 cans tomatoes + onion/garlic — €3.00
  • Béchamel: 1 L milk, 80 g flour, 80 g butter — €2.50
  • 200 g cheese — €2.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Chop the vegetables, toss with oil and salt, and roast on trays for about 25 minutes until soft and lightly charred. Wilt the spinach in at the end.
  2. Make the tomato sauce: soften onion and garlic, add the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar and salt, and simmer 10 minutes until thickened.
  3. Make the béchamel: melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute to a paste (this is a 'roux'). Add the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly so it stays smooth, until it thickens to a coating sauce. Season with salt and nutmeg. (Whisking off the heat first prevents lumps.)
  4. Assemble in a large dish: a little tomato sauce on the base, then layers of pasta sheets, roasted veg, tomato sauce and béchamel. Repeat, finishing with béchamel and a good layer of cheese.
  5. Bake at 190°C for 35–40 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Rest 10 minutes before cutting so the layers hold.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free lasagne sheets and make the béchamel with cornflour or GF flour.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Make the béchamel with plant milk and oil, use vegan cheese, or top with breadcrumbs instead of cheese.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Lasagne reheats perfectly — portion leftovers for lunches or freeze. Trimmed roast-veg edges go into soup or a frittata.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Smoky Bean Chilli (Chili sin Carne)

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min · Total 50 min
A rich, smoky three-bean chilli that nobody misses the meat in. Cheap, deeply satisfying and a reliable feed-everyone main with rice or in wraps.
€6.25
For 5 · €1.25/head
€12.50
For 10 · €1.25/head
€25.00
For 20 · €1.25/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 cans mixed beans (kidney, black, pinto) — €3.40
  • 3 cans chopped tomatoes — €2.10
  • Onion, peppers, garlic — €2.50
  • Cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, chilli, cocoa/dark choc — €2.00
  • Sweetcorn, rice to serve — €2.50
Method
  1. Soften the chopped onion and peppers in oil for 8–10 minutes until sweet and soft.
  2. Add the garlic and spices — cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and chilli to taste — and fry for a minute to bloom them.
  3. Add the tomatoes and a splash of water, and let it simmer and reduce for 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in the drained beans and the sweetcorn. Here's the secret ingredient: a teaspoon of cocoa or a square of dark chocolate, which adds depth and roundness without sweetness.
  5. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and glossy. Season well; the chilli should taste smoky, savoury and a little sweet.
  6. Serve over rice with whatever toppings you have — yogurt, avocado, coriander, lime.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — check the chocolate/cocoa is GF.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both; use dairy-free chocolate and skip yogurt topping or use plant yogurt.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Chilli is famously better the next day. Reheat over rice, spoon into baked potatoes or wraps, or use as a topping for nachos. Freezes brilliantly.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

VNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 30 min · Cook 35 min · Total 65 min
Pasta tubes filled with a creamy spinach-and-ricotta mixture, baked under tomato sauce and cheese. A comforting, popular Italian bake that looks impressive for the effort.
€7.50
For 5 · €1.50/head
€15.00
For 10 · €1.50/head
€30.00
For 20 · €1.50/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • Cannelloni tubes (≈500 g) — €2.50
  • 1 kg spinach (or 500 g frozen) — €3.00
  • 750 g ricotta — €4.50
  • 3 cans tomatoes + onion/garlic — €3.00
  • 150 g cheese, nutmeg — €2.00
Method
  1. Wilt the spinach (fresh in a dry pan, or thaw frozen), then squeeze out as much water as you possibly can with your hands or a tea towel — wet filling ruins cannelloni. Chop it.
  2. Mix the squeezed spinach with the ricotta, half the cheese, a grating of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Taste and season well.
  3. Make a quick tomato sauce: soften onion and garlic, add tomatoes, sugar and salt, simmer 10 minutes.
  4. Fill the tubes: spoon the mixture into a piping bag or a freezer bag with a corner snipped off, and pipe it into each dry cannelloni tube. This is far easier than using a spoon.
  5. Spread a layer of tomato sauce in a baking dish, lay the filled tubes on top in a single layer, cover completely with the rest of the sauce, and scatter with cheese.
  6. Bake at 190°C for 30–35 minutes until the pasta is tender (the sauce cooks it) and the top is golden and bubbling. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free cannelloni, or roll the filling in cooked GF lasagne sheets.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a blended firm tofu or cashew-free vegan ricotta and dairy-free cheese.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Reheats well in the oven or microwave; portion for lunches. Leftover tomato sauce becomes a pasta or pizza base.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Baked Falafel with Flatbread & Salad

VgDFNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Total 50 min
Crisp, herby chickpea patties served with flatbread, salad and a tahini or yogurt sauce — a vibrant, build-your-own vegan main everyone enjoys.
€7.00
For 5 · €1.40/head
€14.00
For 10 · €1.40/head
€28.00
For 20 · €1.40/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 700 g dried chickpeas, soaked (or 5 cans) — €3.00
  • Onion, garlic, big bunch parsley/coriander — €2.50
  • Cumin, coriander, flour, baking powder — €1.50
  • Flatbreads, salad, tahini sauce — €6.00
  • Olive oil — €1.00
Method
  1. Best results come from dried chickpeas soaked overnight (not cooked) — they blend to the right texture and fry up crisp. If using canned, drain and dry them very well and expect a softer patty.
  2. Blitz the chickpeas in a food processor with the onion, garlic, a big handful of herbs, the spices, salt, a couple of tablespoons of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. Pulse to a coarse, mouldable paste — not a smooth purée.
  3. Chill the mixture for 20 minutes if you can; it holds together better. Then shape into walnut-sized balls or small patties.
  4. For a healthier, hands-off version, brush with oil and bake at 200°C for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. (They also shallow-fry in 3–4 minutes.)
  5. Warm the flatbreads and set out salad and a tahini sauce (tahini loosened with lemon and water). Let everyone build their own.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Bind with gram (chickpea) flour instead of wheat flour; serve in GF wraps or over salad.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both — use the tahini sauce rather than yogurt.

Nut-free: Tahini is sesame; offer a lemon-oil dressing for sesame-sensitive guests.

Next-day / leftovers
Cooked falafel reheat well and freeze. Crumble leftovers over a salad bowl, or stuff into a wrap with hummus for lunch.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Vegetable & Chickpea Tagine

VgGF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 35 min · Total 55 min
A fragrant North African stew of vegetables, chickpeas and warm spices with a hint of sweetness from dried fruit. Aromatic, healthy and naturally plant-based.
€7.28
For 5 · €1.46/head
€14.55
For 10 · €1.46/head
€29.10
For 20 · €1.46/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 cans chickpeas — €2.55
  • Squash/sweet potato, carrots, peppers — €5.00
  • 3 cans tomatoes + onion/garlic — €3.00
  • Cumin, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, dried apricots — €2.50
  • Couscous or rice to serve — €1.50
Method
  1. Soften the chopped onion in oil, then add garlic and the warm spices — cumin, a little cinnamon, ginger and paprika — and fry briefly until fragrant.
  2. Add the chunked squash or sweet potato, carrots and peppers and stir to coat in the spices.
  3. Pour in the tomatoes and enough water to almost cover, add a handful of chopped dried apricots, and bring to a simmer.
  4. Cover and cook gently for about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the drained chickpeas and simmer 10 more minutes to thicken.
  5. Season well and balance with a squeeze of lemon. The apricots should give a gentle sweet-savoury background. Serve over couscous or rice with herbs on top.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Serve over rice or quinoa instead of couscous (couscous is wheat).

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — leave off any almond garnish.

Next-day / leftovers
Deepens in flavour overnight. Reheat as is, blend leftovers into a spiced soup, or pile into wraps with salad and yogurt.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Aubergine Parmigiana

VGFNFDF*
Serves 10 · Prep 30 min · Cook 40 min · Total 70 min
Layers of roasted aubergine, rich tomato sauce and melting cheese — a beloved Italian bake that's naturally gluten-free and deeply comforting.
€9.00
For 5 · €1.80/head
€18.00
For 10 · €1.80/head
€36.00
For 20 · €1.80/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 6 aubergines — €6.00
  • 4 cans tomatoes + onion/garlic/basil — €4.00
  • 400 g mozzarella + 150 g parmesan — €6.50
  • Olive oil — €1.50
Method
  1. Slice the aubergines into rounds about 1 cm thick. Brush both sides with oil, lay on trays, and roast at 200°C for about 20 minutes until soft and golden, turning once. (Roasting instead of frying keeps it lighter and uses far less oil.)
  2. Make the tomato sauce: soften onion and garlic, add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, salt and torn basil, and simmer 15 minutes until thick. A thick sauce is essential or the bake turns watery.
  3. In a baking dish, build layers: a little sauce, then aubergine, more sauce, torn mozzarella and a dusting of parmesan. Repeat, finishing with sauce and a generous layer of both cheeses.
  4. Bake at 190°C for 25–30 minutes until bubbling and browned on top.
  5. Rest at least 10 minutes before serving — this lets it set so it holds its shape on the plate rather than collapsing.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use vegan mozzarella and a nutritional-yeast topping; the dish still works well.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Arguably better the next day once fully set — reheat slices in the oven, or serve cold like a savoury cake. Leftover sauce becomes a pasta dressing.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Meat & Fish Mains

12 recipes
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Herb Roast Chicken & Vegetables

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 70 min · Total 90 min
Two whole chickens on a bed of vegetables — a centrepiece roast that runs largely hands-off in the oven, and the engine of two or three more meals afterwards.
€10.45
For 5 · €2.09/head
€20.90
For 10 · €2.09/head
€41.80
For 20 · €2.09/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 whole chickens (≈3.2 kg) — €14.40
  • 1.5 kg potatoes — €1.80
  • Carrots, onions, lemon, garlic — €3.50
  • Olive oil, herbs, salt — €1.20
Method
  1. Take the chickens out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so they roast evenly, and heat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Pat the skin really dry with kitchen paper — dry skin is the secret to crisp, golden skin. Rub all over with olive oil and a generous amount of salt and herbs. Push a halved lemon and a few garlic cloves into each cavity.
  3. Chop the potatoes, carrots and onions into chunks, toss with oil and salt, and spread in a large roasting tin. Sit the chickens on top, breast-side up, so they baste the vegetables with their juices.
  4. Roast for 70–80 minutes. To check they're done, pierce the thickest part of the thigh: the juices should run clear, not pink (or 75°C on a thermometer). If the skin browns too fast, loosely tent with foil.
  5. This is the most important step: lift the chickens onto a board and rest, loosely covered, for 15 minutes before carving. Resting lets the juices redistribute so the meat stays moist instead of bleeding out onto the board.
  6. Carve and serve with the roast vegetables and the pan juices spooned over.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — thicken any gravy with cornflour rather than wheat flour.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: For non-meat eaters, roast a tray of chickpeas and vegetables, or a whole stuffed squash, alongside.

Next-day / leftovers
The classic leftover engine of the week. Strip every scrap of meat: it becomes tomorrow's chicken salad, tacos, fried rice, curry or pie. Then simmer the carcasses with an onion and carrot for a couple of hours to make a stock that powers the lentil soup, minestrone and risotto.
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Roast Pork Loin with Apples

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 60 min · Total 75 min
A lean, economical roast (llom de porc) with sweet apples and onions. Simple, generous and naturally free of gluten, dairy and nuts.
€8.65
For 5 · €1.73/head
€17.30
For 10 · €1.73/head
€34.60
For 20 · €1.73/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.8 kg pork loin — €10.80
  • 6 apples, 4 onions — €4.00
  • Garlic, thyme, bay — €1.00
  • Olive oil, cider or stock — €1.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Pat the pork dry and season it all over with salt, pepper and thyme.
  2. Get a roasting tin or oven-proof pan hot on the hob with a little oil and brown the loin on all sides until golden — this 'sear' builds flavour and colour you can't get from the oven alone. Don't rush it; let each side colour before turning.
  3. Cut the apples and onions into thick wedges and scatter around the pork with the garlic and bay. Pour in a splash of cider or stock to keep everything moist.
  4. Roast for about 55–60 minutes. Pork loin is lean and dries out if overcooked, so check with a thermometer if you can: 63–65°C in the centre is juicy and safe.
  5. Rest the meat, loosely covered, for 10 minutes before slicing — essential for a lean cut. Slice and serve with the soft apples, onions and pan juices spooned over.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free; thicken the juices with cornflour if you want gravy.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Roast a tray of seasoned chickpeas and chunks of squash with the same apples and onions.

Next-day / leftovers
Cold sliced pork is excellent in sandwiches, fried rice or shredded into a quick ragù with the leftover apple-onion juices. Trim and bones go into the stock pot.
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Albóndigas — Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

GF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 30 min · Total 55 min
Spanish-style meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce. A family favourite that stretches a kilo of mince across a big, happy table.
€8.65
For 5 · €1.73/head
€17.30
For 10 · €1.73/head
€34.60
For 20 · €1.73/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.2 kg minced beef/pork — €9.60
  • Breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, garlic, parsley — €2.00
  • 3 cans tomatoes + onion — €3.00
  • Paprika, olive oil — €1.20
  • Pasta or rice/bread to serve — €1.50
Method
  1. Make the meatball mix: combine the mince with a handful of breadcrumbs, the beaten eggs, crushed garlic, chopped parsley and plenty of salt and pepper. The breadcrumbs and egg keep the meatballs tender rather than dense.
  2. Mix gently with your hands just until combined — overworking makes tough meatballs. Roll into balls a little smaller than a golf ball. Wet hands stop the mix sticking.
  3. Brown the meatballs in batches in a little oil, turning to colour all over. They don't need to cook through here, just get a golden crust. Set aside.
  4. In the same pan, soften the chopped onion in the tasty browned bits, then add the garlic, paprika and tomatoes. Add a splash of water, season, and simmer 10 minutes.
  5. Return the meatballs to the sauce, nestling them in, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has thickened around them.
  6. Serve with pasta, rice or crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Bind with gluten-free breadcrumbs or a little cooked rice; serve with GF pasta or bread.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Make lentil-and-mushroom 'meatballs', or simply simmer chickpeas in the same sauce.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover meatballs and sauce become a sub-style sandwich, a pasta bake, or a topping for flatbread 'pizzas' the next day. Freezes well.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Baked White Fish with Tomatoes & Olives

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min · Total 40 min
A light Mediterranean tray bake of white fish with cherry tomatoes, olives and potatoes — fast, healthy and naturally free of gluten, dairy and nuts.
€9.50
For 5 · €1.90/head
€19.00
For 10 · €1.90/head
€38.00
For 20 · €1.90/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg white fish fillets — €10.50
  • Cherry tomatoes, olives, capers — €5.00
  • 1.2 kg small potatoes — €1.50
  • Garlic, lemon, parsley, olive oil — €2.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Fish cooks much faster than potatoes, so give the potatoes a head start: slice them thinly, toss with oil and salt, and roast for about 15 minutes until they begin to soften.
  2. Lay the fish fillets on top of the part-cooked potatoes. Pat the fish dry first and season it.
  3. Scatter over the cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, sliced garlic and lemon slices, and drizzle everything with olive oil.
  4. Return to the oven for 12–15 minutes. The fish is done the moment it turns opaque and flakes easily when nudged with a fork — fish overcooks quickly and turns dry, so check early.
  5. Finish with chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon, and serve straight from the tray.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Swap the fish for thick slabs of firm tofu or large flat mushrooms; same toppings and timing.

Next-day / leftovers
Flake leftover fish into next-day fish cakes (with leftover mash), a quick chowder, or a cold salad with the potatoes.
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Catalan Beef & Vegetable Stew

GF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 60 min · Total 85 min
A deep, comforting braise of beef with carrots, potatoes and a tomato-and-wine base. Largely hands-off once it's simmering, and only improves with time.
€10.85
For 5 · €2.17/head
€21.70
For 10 · €2.17/head
€43.40
For 20 · €2.17/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.4 kg stewing beef — €11.20
  • Carrots, potatoes, onions — €4.00
  • 2 cans tomatoes + red wine — €3.50
  • Garlic, bay, paprika, stock — €2.00
  • Olive oil, flour to dust — €1.00
Method
  1. Cut the beef into large chunks and pat dry. Toss in seasoned flour. Brown it hard in batches in a hot pan with a little oil — don't crowd the pan or the meat steams instead of browning, and browning is where the deep flavour comes from. Set aside.
  2. Lower the heat and soften the chopped onions in the same pot, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom (that's pure flavour).
  3. Add the garlic and paprika, then the wine, and let it bubble for a minute. Return the beef with the tomatoes and enough stock to almost cover.
  4. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook low for about 45 minutes. Then add the carrots and potatoes and cook a further 30–40 minutes until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft.
  5. Season to taste. If the sauce is thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce. Serve with bread or rice.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Skip the flour dusting (or use cornflour); thicken at the end with a cornflour slurry stirred in.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Make the same braise with mushrooms, butter beans and extra root veg, using vegetable stock.

Next-day / leftovers
Stew always tastes better the next day. Leftovers fill a pie under pastry or mash, pack into jacket potatoes, or thin into a hearty soup. Freezes beautifully.
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Lemon & Paprika Chicken Traybake

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 45 min · Total 60 min
Chicken thighs roasted on a bed of peppers, potatoes and onions — one tray, minimal washing up, big flavour. Ideal for a relaxed retreat dinner.
€9.62
For 5 · €1.93/head
€19.25
For 10 · €1.93/head
€38.50
For 20 · €1.93/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2.5 kg chicken thighs/drumsticks — €11.25
  • 1.2 kg potatoes, 4 peppers — €4.50
  • Onions, lemon, garlic — €2.00
  • Smoked paprika, olive oil, herbs — €1.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. In a big bowl, toss the chicken and the chunked potatoes, peppers and onions with olive oil, smoked paprika, crushed garlic, lemon juice and salt until everything is well coated.
  2. Spread it all out across one or two large trays in a single layer — crucially, don't pile it up, or it steams and goes pale instead of roasting golden.
  3. Arrange the chicken skin-side up so the skin crisps, and tuck lemon halves among the vegetables.
  4. Roast for 40–45 minutes until the chicken is deep golden and cooked through (juices run clear) and the potatoes are tender and crisp at the edges. Turn the vegetables once halfway.
  5. Squeeze over the roasted lemon and serve straight from the tray.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Roast a tray of chickpeas, halloumi or firm tofu with the same vegetables and seasoning.

Next-day / leftovers
Shred leftover chicken for wraps, fried rice or a quick soup. Leftover roast peppers and potatoes go straight into a frittata or hash.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Seafood Fideuà

DFNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Total 50 min
A Catalan coastal classic — like paella, but made with short toasted noodles and seafood. A festive centrepiece that tastes of Tarragona.
€10.75
For 5 · €2.15/head
€21.50
For 10 · €2.15/head
€43.00
For 20 · €2.15/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g fideuà noodles (or short pasta) — €2.50
  • 800 g mixed seafood (squid, prawns, mussels) — €12.00
  • Tomato, onion, garlic, paprika — €2.50
  • Saffron + 2 L fish stock — €2.50
  • Olive oil, lemon, alioli — €2.00
Method
  1. Warm the fish stock with the saffron in a separate pot. In your widest pan, make a sofrito: soften chopped onion, then add grated tomato, garlic and paprika and cook down for 5 minutes until thick and dark.
  2. Add the dry noodles and toast them in the sofrito for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden — this toasting is what distinguishes fideuà from a simple pasta.
  3. Pour in the hot stock to just cover, spread everything level, and tuck in the seafood (add quick-cooking prawns and mussels a little later so they don't overcook).
  4. Simmer 10–12 minutes without stirring, letting the noodles drink up the stock and the bottom crisp slightly. The noodle tips should stand up a little.
  5. Rest 5 minutes off the heat. Serve with lemon wedges and a dollop of garlicky alioli.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free short pasta; the texture differs but it works.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free (alioli is just egg, oil and garlic).

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Make it with mushrooms, artichokes and white beans in vegetable stock instead of seafood.

Next-day / leftovers
Reheat leftovers in a hot pan to re-crisp the base, or fold into a seafood-and-noodle omelette.
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Spaghetti Bolognese

DF*NFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 60 min (mostly simmering) · Total 80 min
The universal crowd-pleaser. A proper slow-simmered meat ragù is mostly hands-off and miles better than a quick version — make a big pot and everyone's happy.
€10.20
For 5 · €2.04/head
€20.40
For 10 · €2.04/head
€40.80
For 20 · €2.04/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.2 kg minced beef (or beef+pork) — €9.60
  • Onion, carrot, celery, garlic — €2.50
  • 3 cans tomatoes + tomato purée — €2.80
  • Milk + red wine (optional) — €1.50
  • 1.2 kg spaghetti, parmesan — €4.00
Method
  1. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery (the 'soffritto') and soften slowly in oil for about 10 minutes until sweet and soft — the foundation of the flavour.
  2. Turn up the heat and add the mince. Break it up and let it brown properly, cooking off the liquid until it sizzles and catches a little colour. Browning, not greying, is what gives a rich ragù.
  3. Add the garlic and a couple of tablespoons of tomato purée and cook 2 minutes. Pour in the wine if using and let it bubble away.
  4. Add the tinned tomatoes and, the secret to a mellow ragù, a splash of milk. Season, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat right down.
  5. Simmer gently, partly covered, for at least 45 minutes (longer is better), stirring occasionally. It's ready when it's thick, glossy and deeply savoury. Taste and season again.
  6. Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until just al dente. Toss the drained pasta with a few spoonfuls of sauce so it clings, then top with more sauce and grated parmesan.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free spaghetti.

Dairy-free: Skip the milk and parmesan (or use dairy-free versions); still excellent.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Use a plant mince or a mix of lentils and finely chopped mushrooms in place of the meat.

Next-day / leftovers
Bolognese is a leftover champion. Turn it into a quick lasagne or pasta bake, top a baked potato, or spread on toast with cheese and grill. Freezes perfectly.
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Coconut Chicken Curry

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 35 min · Total 55 min
A mild, creamy, family-friendly chicken curry that's naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free. Easy to scale and reliably popular with all ages.
€8.25
For 5 · €1.65/head
€16.50
For 10 · €1.65/head
€33.00
For 20 · €1.65/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.6 kg chicken thighs, diced — €7.20
  • 3 cans coconut milk — €3.60
  • 2 cans tomatoes — €1.40
  • Onion, garlic, ginger — €1.50
  • Curry spices/paste — €2.00
  • Rice + 600 g to serve — €0.80
Method
  1. Season the diced chicken with salt. Brown it in batches in a little oil over high heat until golden on the outside (it needn't be cooked through yet). Set aside — browning adds flavour.
  2. In the same pot, soften the chopped onion for 6–8 minutes, then add grated garlic and ginger and your curry spices or paste, frying for a minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the tomatoes and cook down for 5 minutes, then pour in the coconut milk and stir to a smooth sauce.
  4. Return the chicken and any juices, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Thighs stay juicy and forgiving even if cooked a little longer.
  5. Season with salt and a squeeze of lime, and serve over rice.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Check the curry paste is gluten-free; the rest is.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free (coconut milk, not cream).

Nut-free: Coconut is not a tree nut; confirm with the individual.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Swap chicken for chickpeas, cauliflower and potato (see the chickpea curry).

Next-day / leftovers
Better the next day. Reheat gently with a splash of water, wrap cold in a flatbread, or shred any leftover meat into a fast curried fried rice.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Sizzling Chicken Fajitas

DF*NFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min · Total 40 min
Spiced strips of chicken and peppers served sizzling with warm tortillas and toppings — a fun, build-your-own dinner that lets everyone dodge their allergens.
€12.75
For 5 · €2.55/head
€25.50
For 10 · €2.55/head
€51.00
For 20 · €2.55/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.6 kg chicken breast/thigh, sliced — €10.00
  • 6 peppers, 3 onions — €4.50
  • Cumin, paprika, oregano, lime, garlic — €2.00
  • 20 tortillas — €3.00
  • Salsa, soured cream, cheese, avocado — €6.00
Method
  1. Slice the chicken into finger-width strips and toss with oil, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, crushed garlic, lime juice and salt. If you have 15 minutes, let it marinate — it deepens the flavour.
  2. Slice the peppers and onions into strips the same size as the chicken so they cook together.
  3. Get a large frying pan or griddle really hot. Cook the chicken in batches without crowding so it browns and chars rather than stews. Set aside as each batch is done.
  4. In the same hot pan, fry the peppers and onions until softened and singed at the edges, then return the chicken to warm through and combine.
  5. Warm the tortillas. Bring the sizzling pan to the table with bowls of salsa, soured cream, cheese, avocado and lime, and let everyone build their own.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use corn or gluten-free tortillas, or serve over rice as a bowl.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Skip cheese and soured cream (or use plant versions); for vegan, swap chicken for strips of mushroom, pepper and tinned beans.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover chicken and peppers fill a quesadilla, top a rice bowl, or fold into tomorrow's frittata or fried rice.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Herb & Lemon Baked Salmon

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min
A quick, elegant main that feels special but takes almost no effort. A whole side or large fillets of salmon baked with lemon and herbs stay moist and flake apart.
€15.00
For 5 · €3.00/head
€30.00
For 10 · €3.00/head
€60.00
For 20 · €3.00/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg salmon fillets / a side — €24.00
  • Lemons, garlic, dill/parsley — €2.50
  • Olive oil, salt — €1.00
  • Potatoes or greens to serve — €2.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a tray with baking paper and lay the salmon on it, skin-side down. Pat the top dry.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Scatter over crushed garlic, plenty of chopped herbs and thin lemon slices.
  3. Bake for 15–20 minutes depending on thickness. Salmon is best slightly underdone in the very centre — it's ready when it flakes gently at the edges but is still a touch translucent in the middle, as it keeps cooking out of the oven. Overcooked salmon turns dry and pale, so check early.
  4. Rest a couple of minutes, then serve in portions with a fresh squeeze of lemon, alongside potatoes or greens.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Bake marinated thick tofu steaks or whole portobello mushrooms with the same herbs and lemon.

Next-day / leftovers
Flake cold leftover salmon through a salad or pasta, into fish cakes with leftover mash, or onto toast with cream cheese for breakfast.
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Chilli con Carne

GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 50 min · Total 65 min
A big, comforting pot of spiced beef and beans — one of the best-value crowd dinners there is, and naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free.
€9.88
For 5 · €1.98/head
€19.75
For 10 · €1.98/head
€39.50
For 20 · €1.98/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.2 kg minced beef — €9.60
  • 3 cans kidney/mixed beans — €2.55
  • 3 cans chopped tomatoes — €2.10
  • Onion, peppers, garlic — €2.50
  • Cumin, smoked paprika, chilli, oregano, cocoa — €2.00
  • Rice to serve — €1.00
Method
  1. Soften the chopped onion and peppers in oil for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and fry for a minute to release their aroma.
  2. Push the veg aside, turn up the heat, and brown the mince well, breaking it up — let it colour rather than just go grey.
  3. Add the tomatoes, a splash of water and a teaspoon of cocoa powder (the secret to a deep, rounded chilli). Bring to a simmer.
  4. Turn the heat low and simmer, partly covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rich and thickened.
  5. Stir in the drained beans and simmer 10 more minutes. Season well — it should be smoky, savoury and as spicy as you like. Serve over rice with toppings.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free (check the cocoa).

Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free — offer plant yogurt instead of soured cream.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Vegetarian / Vegan: Make the bean chilli (chili sin carne) version instead, or swap the beef for plant mince.

Next-day / leftovers
Famously better the next day. Pile over baked potatoes or nachos, stuff into wraps, or fold through pasta. Freezes perfectly, so make a double batch.
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Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Total 50 min
The trick to sweet potato fries that are actually crispy (not soggy) is a light dusting of cornflour and plenty of space on the tray. A favourite alongside burgers, chilli or fajitas.
€3.20
For 5 · €0.64/head
€6.40
For 10 · €0.64/head
€12.80
For 20 · €0.64/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg sweet potatoes — €4.00
  • Cornflour — €0.40
  • Olive oil — €1.00
  • Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 220°C — a hot oven is essential for crisp fries. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into even sticks about 1 cm thick; even sizing means they cook at the same rate.
  2. Soak the cut fries in cold water for 15 minutes if you have time, then drain and dry them very thoroughly — surface moisture is the enemy of crispness.
  3. Toss in a bowl with a tablespoon of cornflour first (this is the secret to the crunchy coating), then with oil and the spices.
  4. Spread out on two trays in a single layer with space between each fry — crowding steams them soft. Don't overload the trays.
  5. Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and crisp at the edges. Season with salt the moment they come out and serve immediately, as they soften as they sit.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Cornflour is gluten-free — this recipe already is.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Best fresh, but reheat leftovers in a hot oven (not the microwave, which makes them soggy) to revive the crunch, or mash into a sweet potato hash.
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Perfect Crispy Roast Potatoes

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 55 min · Total 70 min
Fluffy inside, shatteringly crisp outside — the side everyone fights over. The method matters more than the ingredients, and it's simpler than it looks.
€2.75
For 5 · €0.55/head
€5.50
For 10 · €0.55/head
€11.00
For 20 · €0.55/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2.5 kg floury potatoes — €3.00
  • Olive oil (or other fat) — €1.50
  • Salt, garlic, rosemary — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Peel the potatoes and cut into large, even chunks.
  2. Put them in a pot of cold salted water, bring to a boil and parboil for about 8 minutes until the outsides are soft but the centres still firm. This par-boiling is the key step most people skip.
  3. Drain well, then return to the empty pot and shake them hard with the lid on. The roughed-up, fluffy edges are what turn gloriously crispy.
  4. Meanwhile, heat a generous amount of oil in a roasting tin in the oven until almost smoking. Carefully add the potatoes — they should sizzle — and turn to coat in the hot fat.
  5. Roast 45–50 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden and crunchy all over. Add crushed garlic and rosemary for the last 10 minutes so they don't burn. Salt generously and serve at once.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use olive oil or another plant fat.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover roast potatoes fry up into a breakfast hash, get smashed into patties, or go into a frittata or soup.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Patatas Bravas

Vg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min · Total 55 min
The Spanish tapas classic: crisp potato cubes with a smoky, spicy 'brava' sauce. A local crowd-pleaser that works as a side or a snack.
€3.70
For 5 · €0.74/head
€7.40
For 10 · €0.74/head
€14.80
For 20 · €0.74/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg potatoes — €2.40
  • Olive oil — €1.50
  • Tomatoes/passata, paprika (sweet+smoked), chilli, garlic — €2.00
  • Mayo/alioli for drizzling (optional) — €1.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes, dry them well, toss with oil and salt, and roast 35–40 minutes until crisp and golden, turning once. (Frying is traditional, but roasting is easier and lighter for a crowd.)
  2. Make the brava sauce: soften garlic in a little oil, stir in sweet and smoked paprika and a pinch of chilli, cook for a few seconds, then add passata or chopped tomatoes. Cooking the paprika briefly in oil deepens its flavour, but watch it as paprika burns easily.
  3. Simmer the sauce 10 minutes until thickened, season, and blend smooth if you like.
  4. Pile the crisp potatoes on a platter, spoon over the warm brava sauce, and add a drizzle of garlicky mayo or alioli if using.
  5. Serve immediately with cocktail sticks.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: The potatoes and brava sauce are vegan; skip the mayo or use a vegan alioli.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Reheat leftover potatoes in a hot oven to re-crisp. Leftover brava sauce is great on eggs, rice or as a pasta sauce.
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Garlic Bread

VVg*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Total 25 min
Warm, buttery, garlicky bread — the perfect partner to the bolognese, lasagne, soups and salads. Quick to make and always the first thing to disappear.
€3.35
For 5 · €0.67/head
€6.70
For 10 · €0.67/head
€13.40
For 20 · €0.67/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 3 baguettes or 2 ciabattas — €2.70
  • 150 g butter, softened — €1.50
  • Garlic, parsley, salt — €1.00
  • Optional cheese to top — €1.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 190°C. Mash the softened butter with plenty of crushed garlic, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt into a smooth garlic butter.
  2. Slice the bread at an angle almost all the way through at 3 cm intervals, keeping the base intact (so it stays as one loaf), or simply split it lengthways.
  3. Spread or push the garlic butter into every cut and across the surface, getting right into the slices.
  4. Wrap loosely in foil and bake 10 minutes, then open the foil and bake another 5 minutes to crisp the top. Scatter cheese on before the final 5 minutes if using.
  5. Serve hot, pulled into pieces.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free baguette or ciabatta.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a dairy-free spread or olive oil mashed with the garlic; skip the cheese.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Day-old garlic bread blitzes into fantastic garlicky breadcrumbs for pasta and gratins, or cubes into croutons.
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Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
A colourful tray of caramelised peppers, courgette, aubergine and red onion — the most versatile side there is, and the cornerstone of the zero-waste flow into other meals.
€5.10
For 5 · €1.02/head
€10.20
For 10 · €1.02/head
€20.40
For 20 · €1.02/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • Aubergine, courgettes, peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes — €8.00
  • Olive oil, garlic — €1.20
  • Herbs, salt, balsamic — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Chop all the vegetables into similar bite-sized chunks so they roast evenly.
  2. Toss in a big bowl with olive oil, salt and any herbs until lightly coated — don't drown them in oil, just enough to glisten.
  3. Spread over one or two trays in a single layer. Crowding is the number-one mistake: piled-up veg steams pale and soft instead of caramelising, so give them room.
  4. Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once, until tender and browned at the edges.
  5. Toss with a splash of balsamic and the garlic for the last 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Roast a double tray on purpose — leftovers become the frittata, the grain bowls, a pasta sauce, a soup, a sandwich filling or a quick lasagne. This is the single most useful leftover in the book.
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Garlicky Sautéed Greens

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 10 min · Total 20 min
A fast, healthy green side — spinach, chard or any greens wilted with garlic and oil. Brings freshness and colour to any heavier main.
€3.05
For 5 · €0.61/head
€6.10
For 10 · €0.61/head
€12.20
For 20 · €0.61/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg spinach, chard or kale — €4.50
  • Garlic, chilli flakes — €0.60
  • Olive oil, lemon, salt — €1.00
Method
  1. Wash the greens well. If using chard or kale, strip the leaves from the tough stems (slice the stems thinly and cook them a little first, as they take longer).
  2. Heat olive oil in your largest pan over medium heat and gently fry sliced garlic with a pinch of chilli for under a minute — just until fragrant and pale gold, not browned, or it turns bitter.
  3. Add the greens in handfuls. They look like far too much but collapse dramatically as they wilt, so keep adding as space appears.
  4. Toss for 2–4 minutes until just wilted and still bright green (overcooking makes them grey and dull).
  5. Season with salt and a good squeeze of lemon to lift them, and serve straight away.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Stir leftover greens into a frittata, soup, pasta or rice, or pile onto toast with an egg for breakfast.
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Green Beans with Garlic & Toasted Almonds

VVg*GFDF*NF*
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 10 min · Total 20 min
Crisp-tender green beans tossed with garlic and a scatter of toasted almonds — a simple, elegant side that dresses up any main. An easy nut-free swap is built in.
€4.00
For 5 · €0.80/head
€8.00
For 10 · €0.80/head
€16.00
For 20 · €0.80/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg green beans — €4.50
  • Flaked almonds (or seeds) — €2.00
  • Garlic, olive oil/butter, lemon — €1.50
Method
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the beans and boil for 3–4 minutes until just tender but still with a little snap.
  2. Drain and, for the brightest colour, plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking, then drain again. (Skip this if serving straight away.)
  3. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often, until golden — watch closely, as they burn in seconds. Tip out and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, warm a little oil or butter and gently cook sliced garlic until fragrant, then add the beans and toss to heat through.
  5. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and salt, and scatter the toasted almonds over just before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use olive oil instead of butter.

Nut-free: Swap the almonds for toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds — same crunch, no nuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Chop leftover beans into a salad or a frittata, or stir through pasta with extra oil and lemon.
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Spanish Saffron Rice

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Total 35 min
Fragrant golden rice that turns any main into a meal — lovely under stews, curries and grilled meats. Simple, but a few small steps make it fluffy, not sticky.
€2.40
For 5 · €0.48/head
€4.80
For 10 · €0.48/head
€9.60
For 20 · €0.48/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 800 g long-grain rice — €1.30
  • Onion, garlic — €0.50
  • Saffron (or turmeric), stock — €1.50
  • Olive oil, salt, peas/peppers (optional) — €1.50
Method
  1. Steep a pinch of saffron in a few tablespoons of warm stock for 10 minutes to release its colour and aroma (or use a little turmeric as a cheaper substitute).
  2. Soften the finely chopped onion in oil in a wide pan, then add the garlic for a minute.
  3. Add the dry rice and stir for 1 minute to coat it in the oil — this helps the grains stay separate.
  4. Pour in the saffron and its liquid plus hot stock (about 1.5 times the volume of rice). Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover and turn the heat right down.
  5. Cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Resist lifting the lid — the steam finishes the cooking. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free stock; rice is naturally GF.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Cook extra on purpose — cold rice is the base for fried rice, stuffed peppers or a rice salad. Always cool and refrigerate cooked rice promptly and reheat until piping hot.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Grilled Corn on the Cob

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Total 25 min
Sweet, charred corn brushed with herby or smoky butter — a fun, summery side that's perfect for the barbecue or a griddle pan. A guaranteed favourite with all ages.
€4.50
For 5 · €0.90/head
€9.00
For 10 · €0.90/head
€18.00
For 20 · €0.90/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 10–12 corn cobs — €5.00
  • 100 g butter — €1.00
  • Garlic, paprika or herbs, lime, salt — €1.50
  • Optional cheese/chilli to finish — €1.50
Method
  1. If the corn is very fresh you can grill it raw; otherwise boil the cobs for 5 minutes first to ensure they're tender, then drain.
  2. Make a flavoured butter by mashing soft butter with crushed garlic and paprika or chopped herbs.
  3. Heat a barbecue, griddle or grill until hot. Cook the cobs, turning often, for 8–10 minutes until charred in spots all over — those charred kernels are where the flavour is.
  4. Brush generously with the flavoured butter as they come off the heat so it melts in.
  5. Finish with a squeeze of lime, a little salt and, if you like, crumbled cheese and chilli (a nod to Mexican elote).
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use olive oil or a dairy-free spread instead of butter; skip the cheese.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Cut leftover kernels off the cob with a knife and stir into salads, the bean chilli, savoury muffins or a frittata.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Honey-Roasted Carrots & Parsnips

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min · Total 50 min
Sweet, sticky roasted roots with a hint of honey and thyme — a comforting side that pairs especially well with the roast chicken, pork and beef stew.
€2.50
For 5 · €0.50/head
€5.00
For 10 · €0.50/head
€10.00
For 20 · €0.50/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg carrots + parsnips — €3.00
  • Honey or maple, olive oil — €1.20
  • Thyme, garlic, salt — €0.80
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut into similar-sized batons so they cook evenly (parsnips can be a touch smaller as they cook faster).
  2. Toss on a tray with olive oil, salt and thyme, and spread out in a single layer.
  3. Roast for 20 minutes, then drizzle with the honey and add the garlic, and toss. Adding the honey partway through stops it scorching before the veg is tender.
  4. Roast another 12–15 minutes until soft, golden and glazed at the edges.
  5. Taste, adjust salt, and serve warm.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey; everything else is plant-based.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Blend leftover roasted roots with stock into a quick soup, mash them, or chop cold into a grain bowl or salad.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min · Total 40 min
Smooth, buttery mash — the ultimate comfort side for the beef stew, meatballs and roasts. A few simple rules turn out a silky mash every time.
€2.75
For 5 · €0.55/head
€5.50
For 10 · €0.55/head
€11.00
For 20 · €0.55/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2.5 kg floury potatoes — €3.00
  • 150 g butter, 300 ml milk — €2.00
  • Salt, pepper, optional garlic — €0.50
Method
  1. Peel the potatoes and cut into even chunks. Put them in COLD salted water and bring to a boil — starting in cold water cooks them evenly through, while hot water cooks the outsides first.
  2. Simmer 15–20 minutes until completely tender (a knife slides in with no resistance). Undercooked potato makes lumpy mash.
  3. Drain very well and let them steam-dry in the colander for a minute — dry potatoes make fluffier mash.
  4. Mash thoroughly (or pass through a ricer for extra-smooth results) while still hot.
  5. Warm the milk and melt the butter, then beat them in gradually until smooth and creamy. Warm milk keeps the mash hot and stops it going gluey. Season well with salt and pepper.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a dairy-free spread and warm plant milk (or olive oil and a little stock) — still creamy.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover mash makes fish cakes, potato patties, a shepherd's-pie topping, or gets stirred into bread dough for soft rolls.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Escalivada (Catalan Roasted Peppers & Aubergine)

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min · Total 55 min
A smoky Catalan classic of whole-roasted peppers, aubergines and onions, peeled and dressed simply with olive oil. Deeply flavoured, local, and naturally free of all common allergens.
€5.00
For 5 · €1.00/head
€10.00
For 10 · €1.00/head
€20.00
For 20 · €1.00/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 6 peppers, 3 aubergines, 3 onions — €8.00
  • Garlic, olive oil — €1.20
  • Sherry vinegar/lemon, salt — €0.80
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (or use a barbecue for an authentic smoky flavour). Prick the aubergines a few times so they don't burst.
  2. Roast the whole peppers, aubergines and unpeeled onions on a tray for 35–40 minutes, turning once, until the skins are blistered and blackened and the flesh is completely soft and collapsing.
  3. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes — the trapped steam loosens their skins so they peel easily.
  4. Peel away the charred skins from everything and tear the soft flesh into long strips with your fingers (a fork works too). Discard the seeds and stems.
  5. Arrange on a platter and dress simply with good olive oil, a little sherry vinegar or lemon, crushed garlic and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Escalivada keeps several days in oil in the fridge and improves. Pile leftovers onto bread (pa amb tomàquet style), into sandwiches, omelettes, or onto the pizza.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Snacks

12 recipes
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Seasonal Fruit Platter with Two Dips

VVg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min
The easiest healthy snack for a crowd — a big board of ripe summer fruit with a sweet yogurt dip and a dark-chocolate dip to make it feel like a treat.
€5.40
For 5 · €1.08/head
€10.80
For 10 · €1.08/head
€21.60
For 20 · €1.08/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg mixed fruit (melon, grapes, peach, berries, apple) — €5.00
  • 400 g Greek yogurt + honey + vanilla — €2.00
  • 150 g dark chocolate + splash of cream/milk — €3.50
  • Lemon to stop browning — €0.30
Method
  1. Wash all the fruit. Cut the larger fruits into easy-to-grab pieces and leave berries and grapes whole. Toss any cut apple or pear in a little lemon juice so it doesn't brown.
  2. Make the yogurt dip: stir the Greek yogurt with a spoonful of honey and a drop of vanilla until smooth and creamy.
  3. Make the chocolate dip: gently melt the chocolate with a splash of cream or milk (in short microwave bursts, stirring between each) until glossy and pourable. Let it cool slightly so it thickens to a dip.
  4. Arrange the fruit generously over a big board or platter, grouping each fruit together so it looks abundant.
  5. Set the two dips in small bowls in the middle and serve. Provide cocktail sticks for easy dipping.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a plant yogurt and a splash of plant milk in dairy-free chocolate; sweeten with maple instead of honey.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — keep the dips nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover cut fruit goes into the breakfast bowls, smoothies or fruit salad. Leftover chocolate dip sets firm — reheat it, or spread on toast.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Frozen Yogurt & Berry Bark

VVg*GFDF*NF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min + freeze
A cooling, make-ahead snack for hot afternoons — a sheet of sweetened yogurt scattered with fruit, frozen and snapped into shards.
€4.50
For 5 · €0.90/head
€9.00
For 10 · €0.90/head
€18.00
For 20 · €0.90/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1 kg Greek yogurt — €4.00
  • Honey/maple + vanilla — €1.00
  • 400 g berries + other soft fruit — €2.50
  • Seeds, dark chocolate to scatter — €1.50
Method
  1. Line a large baking tray with baking paper, leaving overhang so you can lift the bark out later.
  2. Stir the yogurt with honey and vanilla to taste — remember freezing dulls sweetness, so make it a touch sweeter than you'd want at room temperature.
  3. Spread it over the tray in an even layer about 1 cm thick, right to the edges.
  4. Scatter over the berries, sliced fruit, a few seeds and a little chopped chocolate, pressing them in lightly so they stick.
  5. Freeze for at least 4 hours until solid. Lift out using the paper and snap or chop into rough shards. Serve straight from the freezer, as it softens quickly.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a thick plant yogurt (coconut works beautifully) and maple syrup.

Nut-free: Top with seeds and fruit, not nuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep the shards in a tub in the freezer for up to a month — an instant snack whenever someone wants one. Blend any broken bits into a smoothie.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Real Fruit Ice Lollies

VVg*GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min + freeze
Homemade fruit lollies with no added rubbish — just blended ripe fruit and juice. A brilliant way to use up very ripe fruit and keep everyone cool in summer.
€2.65
For 5 · €0.53/head
€5.30
For 10 · €0.53/head
€10.60
For 20 · €0.53/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.2 kg ripe fruit (mango, berries, peach, melon) — €3.50
  • Orange/apple juice (500 ml) — €1.00
  • Lemon/lime, optional honey — €0.80
Method
  1. Blend the fruit with the juice until smooth. Taste — it should be pleasantly sweet and a little tart; add a squeeze of lime or a little honey if needed.
  2. For a two-tone effect, blend two different fruits separately and layer them.
  3. Pour into ice-lolly moulds (or small cups), leaving a little space at the top as the mixture expands when frozen.
  4. Push in lolly sticks. If using cups, freeze for 40 minutes first, then add sticks so they stand upright.
  5. Freeze at least 5 hours or overnight. To release, dip the mould briefly in warm water and pull gently.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both — use maple instead of honey for vegan.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Any leftover blended fruit purée is a smoothie base or a topping for yogurt and pancakes — freeze it in an ice tray for later.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

No-Bake Oat & Seed Energy Bars

VVg*GF*DF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min · Total 20 min + chill
Chewy, filling bars that come together in one pan with no baking — perfect for grabbing before a walk or hike. Naturally nut-free, using seeds for crunch.
€3.15
For 5 · €0.63/head
€6.30
For 10 · €0.63/head
€12.60
For 20 · €0.63/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g rolled oats — €0.60
  • 150 g mixed seeds — €2.00
  • 150 g honey or syrup + 100 g butter/oil — €2.00
  • 100 g dried fruit (raisins, apricots) — €1.50
  • Pinch salt, cinnamon — €0.20
Method
  1. Line a baking tin with paper. Mix the oats, seeds, chopped dried fruit, a pinch of salt and a little cinnamon in a big bowl.
  2. In a small pan, gently warm the honey (or syrup) with the butter or oil until melted and runny, stirring so it doesn't catch.
  3. Pour the warm syrup over the dry mix and stir thoroughly until every oat is coated and sticky — this even coating is what holds the bars together.
  4. Tip into the tin and press down very firmly with the back of a spoon or a second tin. Firm pressing is the secret to bars that don't crumble.
  5. Chill at least 1 hour until set, then lift out and cut into bars with a sharp knife.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use oil or dairy-free spread and maple syrup instead of honey.

Nut-free: Built nut-free with seeds — keep it that way for allergy safety.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep a week in a tin or freeze. Crumble a stale bar over yogurt as an instant granola-style topping.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Crispy Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 35 min · Total 45 min
A crunchy, protein-rich nibble that's a much healthier alternative to crisps — and very cheap. Great for grazing or scattering over salads and soups.
€2.60
For 5 · €0.52/head
€5.20
For 10 · €0.52/head
€10.40
For 20 · €0.52/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 cans chickpeas — €3.40
  • Olive oil — €0.80
  • Smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dry them really thoroughly on a tea towel, rolling them around — any leftover moisture stops them crisping, so this step matters most.
  2. Spread them on a baking tray (or two) in a single layer. Roast plain for 20 minutes first.
  3. Take them out, drizzle with oil and toss with the spices and salt. (Adding spices after the first roast stops them burning.)
  4. Return to the oven for another 10–15 minutes until deep golden and crunchy. Shake the tray once or twice.
  5. Let them cool on the tray — they crisp up further as they cool. Eat the same day for maximum crunch.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — a safe crunchy snack for nut-allergic guests.

Next-day / leftovers
They soften overnight but are still tasty — scatter any leftovers over the next day's salad, soup or grain bowl for crunch.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Cheese Straws

VNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min · Total 30 min
Flaky, golden, savoury straws that vanish in minutes — a crowd-pleasing baked snack made quick by using ready-rolled puff pastry.
€2.75
For 5 · €0.55/head
€5.50
For 10 · €0.55/head
€11.00
For 20 · €0.55/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry — €3.00
  • 200 g strong cheese, grated — €2.00
  • 1 egg, paprika/mustard — €0.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C and line two trays. Unroll a sheet of puff pastry.
  2. Brush it all over with beaten egg, then scatter half the grated cheese and a little paprika or mustard powder evenly across it. Press the cheese down gently so it sticks.
  3. Fold the pastry in half to sandwich the cheese, then roll lightly to seal. Cut into long strips about 1.5 cm wide.
  4. Twist each strip a few times into a spiral (this gives the pretty twisted look and extra crunch) and lay on the tray, pressing the ends down so they don't unravel.
  5. Brush with a little more egg and bake 12–15 minutes until puffed, deep golden and crisp. Cool slightly — they firm up — before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free puff pastry (available chilled or frozen).

Dairy-free: Use a dairy-free hard cheese and dairy-free pastry.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep 2 days in a tin; re-crisp in a warm oven for a few minutes. Crumble stale ones over soup like savoury croutons.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Rosemary Grissini Breadsticks

VgDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min (+ rise) · Cook 15 min · Total 40 min hands-on
Thin, crisp Italian breadsticks to serve with dips, cheese or just to nibble. Simple yeast dough, hand-rolled — fun to make and far better than shop-bought.
€1.50
For 5 · €0.30/head
€3.00
For 10 · €0.30/head
€6.00
For 20 · €0.30/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g strong flour, yeast, salt, sugar — €0.80
  • Olive oil, water — €1.20
  • Rosemary, sea salt, (sesame) — €1.00
Method
  1. Mix the flour, a sachet of yeast, a teaspoon of sugar and 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Add about 280 ml warm water and a good glug of olive oil, and bring together into a dough.
  2. Knead for 5–8 minutes until smooth, then cover and let rise about 45 minutes until doubled.
  3. Heat the oven to 200°C. Knock the air out of the dough and roll it into a rectangle. Cut into thin strips with a knife or pizza cutter.
  4. Roll and stretch each strip between your hands into a long thin stick — the thinner you make them, the crispier they bake.
  5. Lay on lined trays, brush with oil, and press on chopped rosemary and flaky salt (or sesame seeds).
  6. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden and snappable. Cool on a rack to keep them crisp.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: This relies on gluten for the chew/snap; use a GF bread-flour blend with psyllium for a workable version.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free (use sesame or rosemary, not nuts).

Next-day / leftovers
Keep in a tin up to a week. Serve leftovers with the hummus or mezze platter, or crush over a salad.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Three-Ingredient Banana & Oat Cookies

VgGF*DFNF*
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min · Total 25 min
A wholesome, barely-sweet cookie from just bananas, oats and a handful of extras — naturally vegan and a perfect use for very ripe bananas. Great for kids.
€1.83
For 5 · €0.37/head
€3.65
For 10 · €0.37/head
€7.30
For 20 · €0.37/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 5 very ripe bananas — €0.90
  • 350 g rolled oats — €0.55
  • Raisins / chocolate chips / seeds — €2.00
  • Cinnamon, pinch salt — €0.20
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line two trays. Mash the bananas thoroughly in a bowl until almost smooth — the riper and softer they are, the sweeter and better the cookies.
  2. Stir in the oats, a little cinnamon and a pinch of salt, then fold through your raisins, chocolate chips or seeds. Let it sit 5 minutes so the oats absorb moisture and the mix firms up.
  3. Spoon small mounds onto the trays and flatten each slightly with the back of the spoon — they don't spread, so shape them as you want them.
  4. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden at the edges and set on top.
  5. Cool a few minutes on the tray before moving, as they're soft when hot.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both — use dairy-free chocolate chips if adding them.

Nut-free: Use raisins, seeds or chocolate chips rather than nuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep 3 days in a tin or freeze. A little drier the next day — lovely crumbled over yogurt for breakfast.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Guacamole with Baked Tortilla Chips

VgGF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 12 min · Total 32 min
Fresh guacamole with homemade baked (not fried) tortilla chips — a healthier, cheaper take on a universally loved snack that's quick to put together.
€6.15
For 5 · €1.23/head
€12.30
For 10 · €1.23/head
€24.60
For 20 · €1.23/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 6 ripe avocados — €6.00
  • Lime, red onion, tomato, coriander, chilli — €3.00
  • 10 tortillas (for chips) — €2.50
  • Olive oil, salt, paprika — €0.80
Method
  1. Make the chips first: brush tortillas with oil, sprinkle with salt and paprika, and cut into triangles. Spread on trays in a single layer and bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes until crisp and golden, watching closely at the end as they burn fast.
  2. For the guacamole, halve the avocados, remove the stones, and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Use ripe avocados — they should yield to a gentle squeeze.
  3. Mash to the texture you like (chunky is nice) and immediately squeeze in plenty of lime juice — the acid keeps it green and stops it browning.
  4. Stir in finely diced red onion, chopped tomato, coriander, a little chilli and salt. Taste and add more lime and salt until it's bright and savoury.
  5. Serve straight away with the warm chips. Pressing cling film directly onto the surface keeps it green if it must wait.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use corn tortillas (most are GF) for the chips.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Guacamole is best fresh but keeps a day with film pressed onto the surface — spread leftovers in wraps and burritos. Stale chips crush into a salad topping.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Savoury Cheese & Veg Muffins

VNFGF*DF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 22 min · Total 37 min
Soft savoury muffins studded with cheese, sweetcorn and herbs — a satisfying baked snack that travels well for hikes and packed lunches, and uses up odd vegetables.
€2.10
For 5 · €0.42/head
€4.20
For 10 · €0.42/head
€8.40
For 20 · €0.42/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 350 g flour, baking powder — €0.50
  • 2 eggs, 250 ml milk, 80 ml oil — €1.00
  • 150 g cheese, sweetcorn, spring onion, herbs — €2.50
  • Salt, pepper, paprika — €0.20
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 190°C and line a muffin tray. As with sweet muffins, the rule is one dry bowl, one wet bowl, mixed together at the last minute.
  2. In the dry bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and a little paprika. In the wet bowl whisk the eggs, milk and oil.
  3. Stir most of the grated cheese, the drained sweetcorn, sliced spring onion and herbs into the dry mix.
  4. Pour in the wet ingredients and fold just until combined — lumpy batter is correct; overmixing makes tough muffins.
  5. Spoon into the cases, top with the remaining cheese, and bake 20–22 minutes until risen, golden and firm to the touch.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free self-raising flour blend.

Dairy-free: Use plant milk and a dairy-free cheese.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep 2 days or freeze. Warm leftovers briefly and split with butter, or pack alongside soup for lunch.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Date & Oat Energy Balls

VgGF*DFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 15 min + chill
Naturally sweet no-bake bites bound with dates — a wholesome, nut-free energy snack that needs no oven and keeps for a week.
€2.95
For 5 · €0.59/head
€5.90
For 10 · €0.59/head
€11.80
For 20 · €0.59/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g soft dates, pitted — €3.00
  • 250 g rolled oats — €0.40
  • Seeds (sunflower/pumpkin), cocoa — €2.00
  • Pinch salt, vanilla, oil — €0.50
Method
  1. If the dates aren't very soft, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain — soft dates are essential to bind everything.
  2. Blitz the dates in a food processor to a thick paste. Add the oats, seeds, a little cocoa, a pinch of salt and a drop of vanilla.
  3. Pulse until the mixture clumps together when pressed between your fingers. If it's too dry, add a teaspoon of water or oil; too wet, add more oats.
  4. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls between your palms. Roll some in extra cocoa or seeds to coat if you like.
  5. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Made nut-free with seeds instead of the usual nuts — keep it that way.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep a week chilled or freeze. They're an ideal pre-walk snack to grab on the way out.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Stovetop Popcorn, Two Ways

Vg*GFDF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 5 min · Cook 10 min · Total 15 min
Freshly popped popcorn costs almost nothing and beats any packet — make a big bowl sweet and a big bowl savoury for a film night with the group.
€1.70
For 5 · €0.34/head
€3.40
For 10 · €0.34/head
€6.80
For 20 · €0.34/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 150 g popcorn kernels — €1.00
  • Oil for popping — €0.60
  • Butter + sugar (sweet) — €1.00
  • Salt + paprika/cheese (savoury) — €0.80
Method
  1. Use a large pot with a lid. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil and 3 kernels, then cover and heat over medium-high. When those 3 kernels pop, the oil is ready.
  2. Add the rest of the kernels in a single layer, cover, and shake the pot occasionally. Cooking with the lid slightly ajar lets steam escape so the popcorn stays crisp.
  3. When the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, take it off the heat immediately to avoid burning.
  4. For sweet: drizzle with a little melted butter mixed with sugar (or a quick caramel) and toss while warm.
  5. For savoury: toss with melted butter or oil, salt and paprika or fine grated cheese. Serve straight away.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use oil instead of butter for both versions; nutritional yeast makes a great 'cheesy' savoury topping.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps a day in a sealed bag but is best fresh. Stir stale popcorn into the energy-bar mix, or freshen in a warm oven.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Dessert

16 recipes
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Seasonal Fruit Crumble

VGF*DF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 35 min · Total 55 min
A warm, forgiving pudding built on whatever fruit is ripe in summer — peaches, plums, apples, berries. Easy to make for every allergy.
€4.32
For 5 · €0.86/head
€8.65
For 10 · €0.86/head
€17.30
For 20 · €0.86/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.5 kg seasonal fruit — €3.75
  • 250 g flour, 150 g oats — €0.60
  • 150 g butter — €1.50
  • 150 g sugar, cinnamon — €0.80
  • Cream/yogurt to serve — €2.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Chop the fruit into chunks and spread in a baking dish. Toss with a couple of spoons of sugar and a little cinnamon. If the fruit is very juicy, a spoon of flour or cornflour stops it flooding.
  2. Make the crumble: rub the cold butter into the flour, oats and sugar using your fingertips, lifting and crumbling until it looks like coarse, lumpy breadcrumbs. Don't overwork it — a few bigger lumps give nice crunchy clusters.
  3. Scatter the crumble evenly over the fruit. Don't press it down; a loose topping crisps better.
  4. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the topping is golden and you can see the fruit bubbling up at the edges.
  5. Let it sit 10 minutes (the fruit is molten straight from the oven). Serve warm with cream, custard or yogurt.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free flour and certified GF oats — the topping is very tolerant of this.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a dairy-free spread in the crumble and serve with plant cream or coconut yogurt.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — leave out any flaked-almond topping.

Next-day / leftovers
Cold crumble is a legitimate breakfast over yogurt. Leftover cooked fruit blends into a smoothie or spoons over pancakes and porridge.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Chocolate Mousse

VGFNFDF*Vg*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 5 min · Total 25 min + chill
A surprisingly elegant make-ahead dessert. The classic version uses just chocolate and eggs; a clever aquafaba version makes it fully vegan.
€6.03
For 5 · €1.21/head
€12.05
For 10 · €1.21/head
€24.10
For 20 · €1.21/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g dark chocolate — €8.00
  • 8 eggs (separated) — €1.65
  • Sugar, pinch of salt — €0.40
  • Berries to top — €2.00
Method
  1. Melt the chocolate gently — either in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each, or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Let it cool until just warm, not hot, or it will scramble the yolks.
  2. Separate the eggs carefully: yolks in one big bowl, whites in another spotlessly clean, grease-free bowl (any fat stops the whites whipping).
  3. Whisk the whites with a pinch of salt until they hold firm peaks — when you lift the whisk, the peak should stand up and only slightly curl. Whisk in a spoon of sugar at the end for stability.
  4. Stir the yolks into the cooled chocolate (it will thicken — that's fine).
  5. Now fold the whites in gently in three additions, using a large metal spoon in a cutting-and-lifting motion. The first third loosens the mix; fold the rest in slowly to keep all the air — this lightness is the whole point of a mousse.
  6. Spoon into glasses and chill at least 2 hours until set. Top with berries to serve.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Use dairy-free dark chocolate.

Vegan / egg-free: Whip the drained liquid from 2 cans of chickpeas (aquafaba) with a little sugar to firm peaks — it behaves just like egg white — and fold into melted dairy-free chocolate.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled. Freeze leftover mousse in its glasses for an instant chocolate semifreddo.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Flan (Crème Caramel)

VGFNFDF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min · Total 65 min + chill
The classic Spanish baked custard with a glossy caramel top. Make-ahead, naturally gluten-free, and loved by all ages.
€2.52
For 5 · €0.51/head
€5.05
For 10 · €0.51/head
€10.10
For 20 · €0.51/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 12 eggs — €2.50
  • 1.2 L milk — €1.15
  • 250 g sugar (custard + caramel) — €0.60
  • Vanilla / lemon zest — €0.80
Method
  1. First the caramel: put about 150 g sugar in a dry pan over medium heat. Leave it to melt without stirring (swirl the pan gently if needed) until it turns a deep amber. Watch it closely — it goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Immediately pour it into your moulds or one large dish, tilting to coat the base. Take care, as caramel is extremely hot.
  2. Heat the oven to 160°C and boil a kettle for the water bath.
  3. Warm the milk with the vanilla or lemon zest until steaming, not boiling. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar until smooth, then slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking (adding it slowly stops the eggs scrambling).
  4. Strain the custard through a sieve over the caramel — straining removes any cooked egg and gives a silky flan.
  5. Sit the moulds in a deep tray and pour hot water around them to come halfway up the sides. This gentle water bath stops the custard overcooking and splitting.
  6. Bake 40–45 minutes until just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Cool, then chill several hours. To serve, run a knife around the edge and invert onto a plate so the caramel runs down.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free: Use a barista-style oat or soy milk; the set is slightly softer but works.

Vegan: Egg-free baked custard is unreliable at this scale — make the aquafaba chocolate mousse instead.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled — ideal, since it must be made ahead anyway. Serve any extra alongside the breakfast fruit salad.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Cinnamon Rice Pudding (Arròs amb Llet)

VGFNFDF*Vg*
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 40 min · Total 50 min
Creamy stovetop rice pudding scented with cinnamon and lemon — a thrifty, comforting Catalan classic made entirely from pantry staples.
€1.95
For 5 · €0.39/head
€3.90
For 10 · €0.39/head
€7.80
For 20 · €0.39/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g pudding/short rice — €0.80
  • 2 L milk — €1.90
  • Sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon peel — €1.20
Method
  1. Put the rice, milk, a couple of cinnamon sticks and a strip or two of lemon peel (no white pith) into a heavy pot. The lemon and cinnamon infusing the milk is what gives this its lovely fragrance.
  2. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to low.
  3. Cook for about 35–40 minutes, stirring often, especially toward the end — rice pudding sticks and catches easily, and stirring also releases the starch that makes it creamy.
  4. When the rice is soft and the mixture is thick and creamy (it thickens more as it cools, so stop while it's still loose), stir in sugar to taste.
  5. Fish out the cinnamon sticks and lemon peel. Serve warm or chilled, dusted with ground cinnamon.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use oat or coconut milk; coconut gives a particularly rich result.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Thickens overnight — loosen with a splash of milk, or layer cold with fruit compote for a breakfast pot.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Macerated Summer Fruit Salad

VVg*GFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min · Total 20 min
The lightest possible finish to a big meal — ripe summer fruit macerated in citrus and mint. Naturally free of every common allergen.
€3.85
For 5 · €0.77/head
€7.70
For 10 · €0.77/head
€15.40
For 20 · €0.77/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 2 kg mixed ripe fruit (melon, peach, berries, grapes) — €5.00
  • Oranges/limes for juice — €1.50
  • Mint, optional honey — €1.20
Method
  1. Chop all the fruit into bite-sized pieces, keeping any delicate berries whole. Put everything in a large bowl.
  2. Squeeze over the juice of a couple of oranges and a lime. This is 'macerating' — the citrus and a little honey draw the juices out of the fruit and create a light natural syrup.
  3. Tear in fresh mint, add a drizzle of honey if the fruit needs it, and toss gently.
  4. Let it sit 15 minutes so the syrup forms, then serve cold.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use maple or agave instead of honey for a vegan version.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Leftover fruit salad is tomorrow's breakfast over yogurt or porridge, or blends straight into a smoothie with the syrup.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Fudgy Tray Brownies

VGF*DF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
One tray, deeply chocolatey, cut into many squares — the easiest big-group sweet there is. Clean swaps make a version for every diet.
€4.33
For 5 · €0.86/head
€8.65
For 10 · €0.86/head
€17.30
For 20 · €0.86/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 200 g dark chocolate + 150 g butter — €6.00
  • 250 g sugar, 4 eggs — €1.65
  • 150 g flour, cocoa, salt — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 175°C and line a tray (about 20x30 cm) with baking paper, leaving overhang to lift the brownies out later.
  2. Melt the chocolate with the butter gently (microwave in bursts or over simmering water), then let it cool slightly.
  3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together hard for a couple of minutes until pale and thick — this little bit of air is what gives brownies their shiny, papery top.
  4. Fold in the cooled chocolate, then sift in the flour, cocoa and a pinch of salt and fold just until no streaks remain. Don't overmix.
  5. Pour into the tray and spread level. Bake 25–30 minutes. The secret to fudgy (not cakey) brownies is to pull them out while the centre still has a slight wobble and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs, not clean.
  6. Cool completely in the tin before lifting out and cutting — warm brownies fall apart, but they firm up as they cool.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend — brownies are very forgiving of this.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Dairy-free spread and chocolate; for vegan, replace eggs with 150 g whipped aquafaba or 4 tbsp ground flax in water.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — leave out any nuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep 4 days in a tin and freeze well. Crumble a stale brownie over the chocolate mousse or ice cream for an instant dessert.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

No-Bake Tiramisu

VNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 30 min · Cook 0 min · Total 30 min + chill
The most-requested Italian dessert: coffee-soaked sponge fingers layered with a light mascarpone cream. No oven, made entirely ahead — perfect for a busy retreat kitchen.
€6.35
For 5 · €1.27/head
€12.70
For 10 · €1.27/head
€25.40
For 20 · €1.27/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g sponge fingers (savoiardi) — €3.00
  • 750 g mascarpone — €6.00
  • 6 eggs, 150 g sugar — €1.70
  • Strong coffee (500 ml), cocoa — €2.00
Method
  1. Make strong coffee and let it cool in a shallow dish (add a splash of liqueur if you like). Cold coffee soaks better than hot.
  2. Separate the eggs. Whisk the yolks with the sugar until pale and thick, then beat in the mascarpone until smooth and lump-free.
  3. In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks, then fold them gently into the mascarpone mixture in stages — this keeps the cream light and airy rather than dense.
  4. Dip each sponge finger briefly into the coffee — a quick one-second dunk on each side. They soak fast and turn to mush if left, so be quick. Lay them in a single layer in your dish.
  5. Spread over half the mascarpone cream, then repeat: another layer of dipped fingers, then the rest of the cream, smoothed flat.
  6. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, ideally overnight — this set is essential for clean slices. Dust thickly with cocoa just before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free sponge fingers (available in larger supermarkets).

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a vegan mascarpone or whipped coconut cream and an aquafaba 'meringue' in place of egg whites.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Egg-free note: If raw egg is a concern, fold whipped cream through the mascarpone instead of raw whites.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled and only improves. Scoop leftovers over fruit, or freeze into a tiramisu semifreddo.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Three-Ingredient Lemon Posset

VGF*NF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min · Total 20 min + chill
An astonishingly elegant dessert from just cream, sugar and lemon — it sets to a silky, tangy cream with no gelatine and no fuss. A reliable showstopper.
€6.60
For 5 · €1.32/head
€13.20
For 10 · €1.32/head
€26.40
For 20 · €1.32/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1.2 L double cream — €6.00
  • 300 g sugar — €0.70
  • 6–8 lemons — €4.00
  • Berries / biscuit to serve — €2.50
Method
  1. Pour the cream and sugar into a wide pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle boil and let it bubble for about 3 minutes, stirring so it doesn't catch.
  2. Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice (and a little zest). The magic happens here: the acid reacts with the hot cream and thickens it — no setting agent needed.
  3. Let it cool for a few minutes, then pour into small glasses or cups.
  4. Chill for at least 3 hours until set to a soft, spoonable cream.
  5. Serve topped with fresh berries and a crisp biscuit for contrast.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free — serve with a GF biscuit or just berries.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Posset relies on dairy cream to set; for a dairy-free table, serve the macerated fruit salad or aquafaba chocolate mousse instead.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled. Spoon leftover posset over fruit, or use as a quick lemon cream filling for the scones.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Spanish Apple Cake (Tarta de Manzana)

VNFDF*GF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min · Total 65 min
A moist, homely cake packed with apple and topped with glossy fan of slices — a beloved everyday cake that doubles as dessert or an afternoon treat.
€4.47
For 5 · €0.89/head
€8.95
For 10 · €0.89/head
€17.90
For 20 · €0.89/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 6–7 apples — €4.00
  • 300 g flour, baking powder — €0.50
  • 250 g sugar, 4 eggs — €1.65
  • 150 g butter, milk, vanilla — €1.80
  • Apricot jam to glaze — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line a round springform tin. Peel and thinly slice the apples; keep the best slices for the top.
  2. Cream the soft butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy — a couple of minutes with electric beaters. This builds the cake's light texture.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then a splash of vanilla.
  4. Fold in the flour and baking powder alternately with a little milk until you have a thick, smooth batter. Fold most of the chopped apple through it.
  5. Spoon into the tin and level it, then fan the reserved apple slices over the top in overlapping circles.
  6. Bake 40–45 minutes until risen, golden and a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Warm a little apricot jam and brush it over the top for a bakery-style glossy finish.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free self-raising flour blend.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use oil or dairy-free spread and plant milk; for vegan, replace eggs with flax 'eggs' (expect a denser cake).

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days in a tin and freezes in slices. Day-old cake is lovely gently warmed with custard, or layered into a quick trifle.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

No-Bake Berry Cheesecake

VNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 30 min · Cook 0 min · Total 30 min + chill
A cool, creamy make-ahead cheesecake with a buttery biscuit base and a berry topping — no oven needed, which is a blessing in a summer kitchen.
€8.40
For 5 · €1.68/head
€16.80
For 10 · €1.68/head
€33.60
For 20 · €1.68/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g biscuits + 180 g butter — €3.50
  • 800 g cream cheese — €6.00
  • 400 ml cream, 150 g sugar — €3.00
  • Lemon, vanilla — €0.80
  • 400 g berries + jam — €3.50
Method
  1. Make the base: blitz or bash the biscuits into fine crumbs, mix with the melted butter until it looks like wet sand, then press very firmly into the base of a lined springform tin. Pressing hard (use the back of a spoon) is what stops it crumbling later. Chill while you make the filling.
  2. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold it into the cream cheese — folding rather than beating keeps it light and helps it set.
  4. Spoon the filling over the chilled base and smooth the top flat.
  5. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight until firm. Don't rush this — a no-bake cheesecake needs the full set to slice cleanly.
  6. Top with fresh berries tossed in a little warmed jam, and release from the tin to serve.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free biscuits for the base.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use vegan cream cheese and whippable plant cream; works well and sets the same way.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — check the biscuits.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled and freezes well in slices. Crumble any leftovers with extra berries into a quick dessert pot.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Crema Catalana

VGFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 15 min · Total 40 min + chill
Catalunya's own answer to crème brûlée — a citrus-and-cinnamon custard set on the stovetop and finished with a crackling caramelised-sugar top. The iconic local dessert.
€2.83
For 5 · €0.57/head
€5.65
For 10 · €0.57/head
€11.30
For 20 · €0.57/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 12 egg yolks — €2.50
  • 1.5 L milk — €1.45
  • 250 g sugar (+ extra to brûlée) — €0.70
  • Cornflour, cinnamon, lemon/orange peel — €1.00
Method
  1. Infuse the milk: gently heat most of the milk with strips of lemon and orange peel and a cinnamon stick until steaming, then turn off and let it sit 10 minutes to take on the flavours. Unlike crème brûlée, crema catalana is fragrant with citrus and cinnamon.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and a couple of tablespoons of cornflour (the cornflour is what lets it set on the stovetop rather than in the oven). Slacken with the reserved cold milk.
  3. Strain the warm infused milk, then pour it slowly onto the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
  4. Return everything to the pan over medium-low heat and stir continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon. It will gradually thicken; keep stirring and don't let it boil hard or the eggs scramble. When it coats the back of a spoon thickly, it's ready.
  5. Pour into shallow dishes and chill until set, a few hours.
  6. Just before serving, sprinkle each with a thin even layer of sugar and caramelise it with a blowtorch (or under a very hot grill) until it forms a hard amber crust. Eat soon after, while the top still cracks.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free (cornflour, not wheat).

Dairy-free: Use a rich plant milk such as oat or soy; the set is a touch softer but works.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
The custard keeps 2 days chilled — only brûlée the tops you're about to serve, as the crust softens once it sits.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Eton Mess

VGFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 0 min (uses ready meringue) · Total 20 min
Crushed meringue, whipped cream and summer berries tumbled together — gloriously simple, naturally gluten-free, and assembled in minutes for a crowd.
€6.40
For 5 · €1.28/head
€12.80
For 10 · €1.28/head
€25.60
For 20 · €1.28/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • Meringue nests (ready-made) ×12 — €3.00
  • 1 L double cream — €5.00
  • 800 g strawberries/raspberries — €4.00
  • Sugar, vanilla, lemon — €0.80
Method
  1. Hull and chop most of the strawberries. Mash a handful with a little sugar and a squeeze of lemon to make a quick berry sauce, and keep the rest in pieces.
  2. Whip the cream with a little sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks — stop before it's stiff, as it should be billowy. Over-whipped cream turns grainy, so watch it near the end.
  3. Roughly crush the meringues into chunks (keep some texture — it's meant to be a 'mess').
  4. Gently fold the cream, meringue pieces, chopped berries and ripples of the berry sauce together so it stays marbled, not uniform.
  5. Spoon into glasses or a big bowl and serve straight away, before the meringue dissolves, topped with the last berries.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free (meringue is just egg white and sugar).

Dairy-free / Vegan: Whip a plant cream; use aquafaba meringues for a vegan version.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Best eaten fresh, but leftovers are delicious the next day even once softened — almost like a berry trifle.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min · Total 20 min + chill
A rich, glossy chocolate mousse made with ripe avocado instead of cream and eggs — you genuinely can't taste the avocado, just deep chocolate. Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free.
€8.50
For 5 · €1.70/head
€17.00
For 10 · €1.70/head
€34.00
For 20 · €1.70/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 6 ripe avocados — €6.00
  • 150 g cocoa powder — €2.50
  • Maple syrup or sugar syrup — €2.50
  • 200 g dark chocolate (dairy-free), vanilla, salt — €4.00
  • Berries to top — €2.00
Method
  1. Melt the dark chocolate gently (short microwave bursts, stirring between) and let it cool slightly.
  2. Scoop the flesh of very ripe avocados into a food processor — ripe is essential for a smooth, sweet result.
  3. Add the cocoa, maple syrup, melted chocolate, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
  4. Blend until completely smooth and silky, scraping down the sides a couple of times. Taste and add more syrup if you'd like it sweeter.
  5. Spoon into small glasses and chill at least 1 hour to firm up and let the flavours settle.
  6. Top with fresh berries to serve.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both — use dairy-free dark chocolate.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 2 days chilled (press cling film onto the surface to keep it from darkening). Spread leftovers on toast or between biscuits.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Coconut & Mango Panna Cotta

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min · Cook 5 min · Total 25 min + chill
A silky set coconut cream topped with fresh mango — an elegant, make-ahead vegan dessert set with agar instead of gelatine. Gluten-free and nut-free.
€6.15
For 5 · €1.23/head
€12.30
For 10 · €1.23/head
€24.60
For 20 · €1.23/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 4 cans coconut milk — €4.80
  • Sugar, vanilla — €1.50
  • Agar-agar powder — €2.00
  • 3 ripe mangoes (or other fruit) — €4.00
Method
  1. Whisk the agar-agar into the coconut milk in a pan while cold (agar must be dispersed before heating to set properly). Add the sugar and vanilla.
  2. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking, and let it bubble for 2 minutes — agar, unlike gelatine, needs to actually boil to activate.
  3. Pour into glasses or moulds and leave to cool. Agar sets at room temperature, then firms further in the fridge; chill at least 1 hour.
  4. Blend or finely dice the mango into a fresh topping.
  5. Spoon the mango over the set panna cottas just before serving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both (agar, not gelatine; coconut, not cream).

Nut-free: Coconut is not a tree nut; confirm with the individual if needed.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled — ideal as a make-ahead. Blend any leftovers with fruit and extra coconut milk into a smoothie.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Grilled Peaches with Coconut Cream

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 10 min · Total 20 min
Warm, caramelised summer peaches with cool whipped coconut cream — a barely-there-effort dessert that makes the most of ripe summer fruit. Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free.
€4.60
For 5 · €0.92/head
€9.20
For 10 · €0.92/head
€18.40
For 20 · €0.92/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 10 ripe peaches — €4.00
  • 2 cans coconut cream (chilled) — €3.00
  • Maple syrup, cinnamon — €1.20
  • Olive oil or dairy-free spread, vanilla — €1.00
Method
  1. Chill the cans of coconut cream beforehand (overnight is best) so the thick cream separates and sits on top.
  2. Halve the peaches and remove the stones. Brush the cut sides with a little oil or melted dairy-free spread and a touch of maple.
  3. Heat a griddle or frying pan until hot and lay the peaches cut-side down. Cook 3–4 minutes without moving them, until caramelised with char lines, then turn for another 2 minutes.
  4. Scoop only the thick cream from the top of the chilled cans into a bowl (save the watery part for smoothies). Whisk with a little maple and vanilla until soft and billowy.
  5. Serve the warm peaches with a spoonful of coconut cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Chop leftover grilled peaches over the breakfast oats or yogurt; leftover coconut cream sweetens a smoothie or tops the chia pudding.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Spiced Poached Pears

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min · Total 40 min
Elegant pears gently poached in spiced fruit juice (or wine) until tender and glossy — a light, fragrant vegan dessert that looks far fancier than the effort involved.
€4.15
For 5 · €0.83/head
€8.30
For 10 · €0.83/head
€16.60
For 20 · €0.83/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 10 firm pears — €4.00
  • 1 L red wine or grape/apple juice — €2.50
  • Sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, orange peel — €1.80
Method
  1. Peel the pears but leave them whole with the stalk on — they look beautiful and hold together. Slice a little off the base so they can stand up.
  2. In a pot just wide enough to hold them, combine the wine or juice with sugar, a cinnamon stick, star anise and strips of orange peel. Use firm, slightly under-ripe pears, which keep their shape rather than collapsing.
  3. Bring to a gentle simmer and lower the pears in, lying them down so they're mostly submerged.
  4. Poach gently for 25–30 minutes, turning occasionally for even colour, until a knife slips in easily.
  5. Lift the pears out. Boil the poaching liquid hard for 5–10 minutes until reduced to a glossy syrup, then spoon it over the pears. Serve warm or chilled.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both — use juice instead of wine for an alcohol-free, family version.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 4 days in the syrup, improving as it sits. Slice leftovers over porridge, or use the spiced syrup to sweeten drinks.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

Baking

15 recipes
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Rosemary & Olive Focaccia

VgDFNFGF*
Serves 10 · Prep 20 min (+ rise) · Cook 25 min · Total 45 min hands-on
A big slab of dimpled, olive-oil-rich bread to tear and share. Mostly waiting while it rises, so it's easy to fit around the day, and almost impossible to get wrong.
€2.05
For 5 · €0.41/head
€4.10
For 10 · €0.41/head
€8.20
For 20 · €0.41/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 750 g strong flour — €0.60
  • Yeast, salt, sugar — €0.50
  • Olive oil (generous) — €1.50
  • Rosemary, olives, flaky salt — €1.50
Method
  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, a sachet of dried yeast, a big pinch of sugar and 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Pour in about 500 ml warm (not hot) water and a good glug of oil.
  2. Stir to a wet, sticky, shaggy dough — focaccia dough is much wetter than normal bread dough, and that's what gives the open, airy crumb. No kneading needed.
  3. Cover the bowl and leave somewhere warm for about 1 hour, until roughly doubled in size and bubbly.
  4. Generously oil a baking tray. Tip the dough onto it and, with oiled hands, gently stretch it to fill the tray. Let it rest 15 minutes if it springs back.
  5. Now dimple it: press your oiled fingertips straight down all over the dough to make deep dents. Drizzle with more oil (it pools in the dimples — this is correct), and push in rosemary and olives. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
  6. Bake at 220°C for 20–25 minutes until deep golden on top and underneath. Lift it out onto a rack so the base stays crisp.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free bread flour blend with added psyllium husk; treat it more like a thick batter and expect a denser crumb.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Day-old focaccia makes the best sandwiches, croutons or pa amb tomàquet. Split and toast it, or blitz the very dry ends into breadcrumbs.
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Brown Banana Bread

VGF*DF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 55 min · Total 70 min
The definitive way to rescue over-ripe bananas — and with a crowd, you'll always have some. Moist, sweet and very forgiving for beginner bakers.
€1.65
For 5 · €0.33/head
€3.30
For 10 · €0.33/head
€6.60
For 20 · €0.33/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 5 ripe bananas — €0.90
  • 250 g flour, baking powder — €0.40
  • 150 g sugar, 2 eggs — €1.00
  • 100 g butter or oil — €1.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 170°C and line a loaf tin. The blacker and softer your bananas, the sweeter and more flavourful the bread, so don't use under-ripe ones.
  2. Mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork in a big bowl until almost smooth.
  3. Beat in the sugar, the eggs and the melted butter or oil until combined.
  4. Add the flour and baking powder and fold in gently, stopping the moment there are no dry streaks. Overmixing develops gluten and makes a tough, rubbery loaf — a few lumps are good.
  5. Pour into the tin and bake for about 50–55 minutes. It's done when it's risen and domed and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean (banana bread has a long bake; if the top darkens too soon, tent with foil).
  6. Cool in the tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use oil instead of butter; for vegan, replace the eggs with 2 flax 'eggs' or an extra mashed banana.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — skip the walnuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Stale banana bread toasts beautifully with butter, or becomes a quick trifle or bread-pudding layer.
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Blueberry Breakfast Muffins

VGF*DF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 22 min · Total 37 min
A dozen-plus tender muffins for grab-and-go breakfasts or an afternoon snack with coffee on the terrace. The classic quick bake.
€2.35
For 5 · €0.47/head
€4.70
For 10 · €0.47/head
€9.40
For 20 · €0.47/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 350 g flour, baking powder — €0.50
  • 150 g sugar, 2 eggs — €1.00
  • 250 ml milk, 100 ml oil — €0.70
  • 300 g blueberries (or any fruit) — €2.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 190°C and line a muffin tray with cases. The key rule for muffins: have two separate bowls, one dry and one wet.
  2. In the dry bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt. In the wet bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and oil.
  3. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just a few times with a spoon until barely combined — the batter should look lumpy and a little floury. Overmixing is the number-one cause of tough, peaked muffins, so stop early.
  4. Gently fold in the blueberries. (Tossing them in a little flour first stops them sinking.)
  5. Spoon into the cases, filling each about three-quarters full for a good dome.
  6. Bake 20–22 minutes until risen, golden and springy when pressed. Cool a few minutes before eating, as the fruit is molten.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free self-raising blend.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use plant milk and oil; for vegan, replace eggs with flax 'eggs' or 4 tbsp aquafaba.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Muffins freeze individually — pull out what you need and defrost. Stale ones crumble into a fruit-crumble topping.
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Quick Cream Scones

VGF*DF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min · Total 30 min
A fast bake for a leisurely retreat afternoon — serve warm with jam and butter or cream. Start to finish in under 30 minutes.
€2.40
For 5 · €0.48/head
€4.80
For 10 · €0.48/head
€9.60
For 20 · €0.48/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g self-raising flour — €0.40
  • 100 g butter, 50 g sugar — €1.20
  • 250 ml milk, 1 egg to glaze — €0.70
  • Jam, butter/cream to serve — €2.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Rub the cold butter into the flour and sugar with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Cold butter and a light touch keep the scones tender.
  2. Make a well, pour in most of the milk, and bring it together quickly with a knife into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add the last of the milk if it's dry. Handle it as little as possible — overworking makes tough, flat scones.
  3. Tip onto a floured surface and pat (don't roll thin) to about 2.5 cm thick. Cut out rounds with a floured cutter, pressing straight down without twisting (twisting seals the edge and stops them rising evenly).
  4. Place on a tray, brush the tops (not the sides) with beaten egg for a golden finish.
  5. Bake 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden. Best eaten warm the same day with jam and butter or clotted cream.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use gluten-free self-raising flour and handle very gently.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Dairy-free spread and plant milk; brush with milk instead of egg for vegan.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Day-old scones split and toast well, or cube into a quick bread-and-butter pudding.
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Gluten-Free Seed Crackers

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 10 min · Cook 35 min · Total 45 min
A crisp, naturally gluten-free and vegan cracker that gives coeliac and allergy guests something special to dip — and it uses no specialist flour at all.
€2.90
For 5 · €0.58/head
€5.80
For 10 · €0.58/head
€11.60
For 20 · €0.58/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 200 g mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax) — €3.00
  • 100 g chia or extra flax — €2.00
  • Water, salt, herbs, olive oil — €0.80
Method
  1. Mix all the seeds in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, any dried herbs and a little oil. Pour over about 400 ml water and stir.
  2. Leave for 15 minutes. The chia and flax absorb the water and turn gel-like, binding everything together — this gel is what holds the cracker together with no flour or egg.
  3. Heat the oven to 160°C. Spread the mixture as thinly and evenly as you can on a lined tray — the thinner it is, the crisper the cracker.
  4. Bake for about 20 minutes, then take it out and score it into squares or shards with a knife (scoring now means clean snapping later). Return to the oven for a further 12–15 minutes until completely dry and crisp.
  5. Cool fully on the tray — they crisp as they cool. Snap along the score lines.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Seed-based with no tree nuts — a safe, special cracker for nut-allergic guests.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep a week in a tin. Crumble broken crackers over salads and soups as a crunchy topping.
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Crusty No-Knead Bread

VgDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min hands-on (+ long rise) · Cook 45 min · Total 50 min hands-on
A bakery-quality crusty loaf with a chewy open crumb, made with no kneading and no skill — just time. The dough does the work overnight while you sleep.
€0.43
For 5 · €0.09/head
€0.85
For 10 · €0.09/head
€1.70
For 20 · €0.09/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g strong bread flour — €0.40
  • Dried yeast, salt — €0.40
  • Water — €0.05
  • (makes 1 large loaf — scale up x2–3) — €0.00
Method
  1. In a big bowl, mix 500 g flour, half a teaspoon of dried yeast and 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Add about 350 ml cool water and stir to a shaggy, sticky dough — no kneading. It will look rough; that's fine.
  2. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 12–18 hours. The long, slow rise is what builds the flavour and the airy holes that kneading usually provides.
  3. The next day the dough should be loose and bubbly. Tip it onto a floured surface, fold the edges into the middle a few times to shape a rough ball, and let it rest 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, put a lidded cast-iron pot (Dutch oven) into the oven and heat to 230°C. Baking inside a hot covered pot traps steam, which gives the crackling crust.
  5. Carefully drop the dough into the hot pot, cover, and bake 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake another 12–15 minutes until deep golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
  6. Cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before cutting — bread is still cooking inside as it cools, and slicing hot makes it gummy.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: This method relies on gluten for structure; for a GF loaf use a dedicated GF bread recipe with psyllium instead.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
The whole reason to bake bread for a crowd. Day-old loaf becomes toast, croutons, breadcrumbs, French toast, or pa amb tomàquet. It freezes well sliced.
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Chocolate Chip Cookies

VGF*DF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 12 min · Total 30 min
Soft-centred, golden-edged chocolate chip cookies — the most universally loved bake there is, and a great one to make a huge batch of for a crowd.
€4.10
For 5 · €0.82/head
€8.20
For 10 · €0.82/head
€16.40
For 20 · €0.82/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 300 g flour, baking soda — €0.40
  • 200 g butter, 250 g sugar (mix white+brown) — €2.00
  • 2 eggs, vanilla — €0.80
  • 300 g chocolate chips/chopped chocolate — €5.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line two trays. Beat the soft butter with the sugars until creamy and lighter in colour — using some brown sugar gives chewier, deeper-flavoured cookies.
  2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Add the flour, a teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt, and mix just until combined. Stir through the chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop golf-ball-sized mounds onto the trays, spacing them well apart — they spread a lot as they bake, so don't crowd them.
  5. Bake 10–12 minutes until the edges are golden but the centres still look slightly underbaked and pale. This is the secret to soft cookies: they firm up as they cool, and a fully 'done' look means hard cookies.
  6. Let them sit on the tray 5 minutes to set before moving — they're too soft to lift straight away.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend; chill the dough 30 minutes so they spread less.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Dairy-free spread and chocolate; for vegan, replace eggs with flax 'eggs'.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — use chocolate chips, not nut-studded chocolate.

Next-day / leftovers
Dough balls freeze raw — bake straight from frozen (add a couple of minutes) for fresh cookies any time. Baked ones keep a week and crumble over ice cream.
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Cinnamon Rolls

VDF*NFVg*
Serves 10 · Prep 30 min (+ rise) · Cook 25 min · Total 55 min hands-on
Soft, spiralled sweet rolls with a cinnamon-sugar filling and a simple glaze — a weekend treat that fills the house with an irresistible smell. Worth the rise.
€3.15
For 5 · €0.63/head
€6.30
For 10 · €0.63/head
€12.60
For 20 · €0.63/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 600 g flour, yeast, sugar, salt — €0.80
  • 300 ml milk, 1 egg, 80 g butter — €1.50
  • Brown sugar + cinnamon + butter (filling) — €2.00
  • Icing sugar / cream cheese (glaze) — €2.00
Method
  1. Warm the milk until just lukewarm and stir in the yeast and a spoon of sugar. In a big bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt; add the milk, egg and softened butter.
  2. Bring together and knead on a floured surface for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic — push the dough away with the heel of your hand, fold back, turn, and repeat. It should become soft and bounce back when poked.
  3. Cover and leave to rise about 1 hour until doubled.
  4. Roll the dough into a large rectangle. Spread with soft butter and scatter generously with brown sugar and cinnamon, right to the edges.
  5. Roll it up tightly from the long edge into a log, then slice into about 12 rounds (a piece of thread slipped under and crossed over cuts them cleanly without squashing).
  6. Sit the rolls cut-side up in a buttered dish, slightly apart, and let them rise 20–30 minutes until puffy and touching.
  7. Bake at 180°C for 20–25 minutes until golden. While warm, drizzle with a glaze of icing sugar and water, or a cream-cheese icing.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Gluten-free enriched dough is tricky; use a dedicated GF recipe with xanthan/psyllium for best results.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use plant milk and dairy-free spread; for vegan, brush with plant milk instead of egg and use a dairy-free glaze.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Best warm, but day-old rolls revive with 10 seconds in the microwave, or split and toast them. They also freeze well.
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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

VNFGF*DF*
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min · Cook 40 min · Total 65 min
A moist, spiced, crowd-favourite cake — made nut-free here — topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. Reliable, generous and always disappears fast.
€4.25
For 5 · €0.85/head
€8.50
For 10 · €0.85/head
€17.00
For 20 · €0.85/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g carrots, grated — €1.20
  • 350 g flour, baking powder, cinnamon/ginger — €0.80
  • 300 g sugar, 4 eggs, 250 ml oil — €2.50
  • Cream cheese, butter, icing sugar (frosting) — €4.00
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 175°C and line two round tins (or one large tray). Grate the carrots finely — fine grating means they melt into the cake and keep it moist.
  2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and oil together until smooth. Using oil rather than butter is the trick to carrot cake's famous moistness.
  3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, a good amount of cinnamon and ginger, and a pinch of salt, mixing just until combined. Fold through the grated carrot.
  4. Divide between the tins and bake 35–40 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in the tins — you cannot frost a warm cake, as the frosting just melts and slides off.
  5. Make the frosting: beat the soft butter with icing sugar until smooth, then beat in the cold cream cheese just until combined (overbeating makes it runny).
  6. Spread or sandwich the frosting over the cooled cake.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free self-raising flour blend.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use dairy-free cream cheese and spread for the frosting; for vegan, replace eggs with flax 'eggs' or aquafaba.

Nut-free: Made nut-free here — simply leave out the walnuts a traditional recipe might add.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days chilled (bring to room temperature to serve) and freezes well un-iced. Crumble offcuts into 'cake pops' with a little frosting.
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Lemon Drizzle Loaf

VNFGF*DF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 45 min · Total 60 min
A zingy, moist lemon loaf soaked in a crunchy lemon-sugar drizzle — a teatime classic that's quick to make and keeps brilliantly.
€2.25
For 5 · €0.45/head
€4.50
For 10 · €0.45/head
€9.00
For 20 · €0.45/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 250 g flour, baking powder — €0.40
  • 200 g butter, 200 g sugar — €2.00
  • 4 eggs, 3 lemons — €1.80
  • 100 g sugar for the drizzle — €0.30
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 170°C and line a loaf tin. Cream the soft butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy — a few minutes of beating, which gives the loaf its light crumb.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time. If the mixture looks curdled, add a spoon of the flour to bring it back.
  3. Fold in the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt and the zest of all the lemons until just combined.
  4. Spoon into the tin and bake 40–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
  5. While it bakes, mix the juice of the lemons with the 100 g sugar (don't dissolve it — you want it grainy).
  6. As soon as the loaf comes out, prick it all over with a skewer and spoon the lemony sugar over the hot cake. Pouring it on while hot lets the syrup soak in and leaves a crunchy sugar crust on top. Cool in the tin before slicing.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free self-raising flour blend.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use dairy-free spread or oil; for vegan, replace eggs with flax 'eggs' (denser but works).

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 4 days in a tin and freezes in slices. Day-old slices are lovely lightly toasted, or layered into a lemon-and-berry trifle.
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Homemade Pizza Dough & Pizzas

Vg*DF*NFV
Serves 10 · Prep 25 min (+ rise) · Cook 12 min each · Total 45 min hands-on
A make-your-own pizza night is one of the best ways to feed a big, mixed group — everyone tops their own, so allergies and preferences sort themselves out. The dough is genuinely easy.
€7.10
For 5 · €1.42/head
€14.20
For 10 · €1.42/head
€28.40
For 20 · €1.42/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 1 kg strong flour, yeast, salt, sugar — €1.20
  • Olive oil, water — €1.00
  • Passata + mozzarella (base toppings) — €6.00
  • Assorted toppings — €6.00
Method
  1. Mix the flour, two sachets of yeast, a teaspoon of sugar and two teaspoons of salt in a big bowl. Add about 600 ml warm water and a glug of oil, and stir to a rough dough.
  2. Knead on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and stretchy — it should spring back when poked. Kneading develops the gluten that gives pizza its chew. (Or use a mixer with a dough hook.)
  3. Put it in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise about 1 hour until doubled.
  4. Heat the oven as hot as it goes (250°C+) with a baking tray or stone inside — a really hot oven is the home cook's substitute for a pizza oven and gives a crisp base.
  5. Divide the dough into balls and stretch each out thinly by hand on a floured surface or paper (rolling pins knock the air out; gentle stretching keeps it light).
  6. Spread thinly with passata (less is more — too much sauce makes it soggy), add torn mozzarella and toppings, and bake one or two at a time for 10–12 minutes until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese bubbles.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free bread-flour blend, or buy GF bases for those who need them.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use vegan cheese or skip it and load with vegetables; the dough itself is vegan.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — offer a nut-free pesto if using.

Next-day / leftovers
Spare dough balls keep in the fridge 2 days or freeze. Cold leftover pizza is a legitimate breakfast, or re-crisp slices in a dry pan.
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Quick Yogurt Flatbreads

VVg*NFDF*
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min · Total 30 min
Soft, pillowy flatbreads from just flour and yogurt — no yeast, no rising, no waiting. Perfect alongside the curries, dahl, tagine and mezze, and made in half an hour.
€1.20
For 5 · €0.24/head
€2.40
For 10 · €0.24/head
€4.80
For 20 · €0.24/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 500 g self-raising flour — €0.40
  • 400 g yogurt — €1.20
  • Salt, oil, optional garlic/herbs — €0.80
Method
  1. Mix the flour, yogurt and a good pinch of salt in a bowl. The yogurt provides both the moisture and the lift, so no yeast is needed.
  2. Bring it together and knead briefly on a floured surface, just a minute or two, until you have a soft, smooth dough. Add a little flour if sticky or a splash of water if dry.
  3. Divide into balls and roll each out thinly into a rough oval, about 3–4 mm thick.
  4. Heat a dry frying pan (or griddle) over medium-high until hot. Lay a flatbread in and cook for about 1–2 minutes, until bubbles puff up across the surface and the underside has brown spots, then flip and cook the other side.
  5. Brush with a little oil or garlic butter as they come off, and keep warm wrapped in a clean towel while you cook the rest.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free self-raising blend with a little extra yogurt; handle gently.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Use a plant yogurt — works just as well.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free.

Next-day / leftovers
Best fresh, but reheat in a dry pan or toaster. Cut stale flatbreads into wedges, brush with oil and bake into crisp dipping chips.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min · Total 50 min
A deeply chocolatey, moist celebration cake with no eggs, dairy, gluten or nuts — proof that a 'free-from' bake can be the best one on the table.
€4.55
For 5 · €0.91/head
€9.10
For 10 · €0.91/head
€18.20
For 20 · €0.91/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 300 g gluten-free flour blend, cocoa, baking soda — €2.50
  • 300 g sugar — €0.70
  • 400 ml plant milk + 1 tbsp vinegar — €1.20
  • 150 ml oil, vanilla — €1.20
  • Dairy-free dark chocolate for icing — €3.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line a round tin. First make 'vegan buttermilk': stir the vinegar into the plant milk and leave 5 minutes to curdle slightly — this reacts with the baking soda to give a light rise without eggs.
  2. In a big bowl whisk the gluten-free flour, cocoa, sugar, a teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt.
  3. Pour in the curdled milk, oil and vanilla, and whisk just until smooth. Gluten-free batters have no gluten to overwork, so a good whisk is fine here.
  4. Pour into the tin and bake 30–35 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in the tin — gluten-free cakes are fragile when warm and firm up as they cool.
  5. For a simple icing, melt dairy-free chocolate with a splash of plant milk, let it thicken slightly, then spread over the cooled cake.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Gluten-free as written (use a good 1:1 GF blend).

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — use a nut-free GF flour blend and check the chocolate.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days in a tin and freezes well in slices. Crumble offcuts over the coconut panna cotta or chocolate avocado mousse.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 55 min · Total 70 min
Moist, sweet banana bread with no eggs, dairy, gluten or nuts — the ripe bananas do the binding and sweetening. A safe bake almost everyone at the table can enjoy.
€2.65
For 5 · €0.53/head
€5.30
For 10 · €0.53/head
€10.60
For 20 · €0.53/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 6 very ripe bananas — €1.10
  • 300 g gluten-free flour blend, baking powder — €2.20
  • 150 g sugar, cinnamon, salt — €0.80
  • 120 ml oil, splash plant milk, vanilla — €1.20
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 170°C and line a loaf tin. The riper and blacker the bananas, the better — they sweeten and bind the loaf in place of eggs.
  2. Mash five of the bananas thoroughly in a big bowl (keep one to split on top).
  3. Stir in the sugar, oil, vanilla and a splash of plant milk.
  4. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, cinnamon and a pinch of salt, and fold in just until combined.
  5. Pour into the tin and lay the last banana, halved lengthways, on top. Bake 50–55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean — GF loaves take a little longer, so tent with foil if the top darkens.
  6. Cool fully in the tin before slicing; gluten-free bakes crumble if cut warm.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Gluten-free as written.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Naturally nut-free — leave out any nuts and use a nut-free GF blend.

Next-day / leftovers
Keeps 3 days and freezes in slices. Toast day-old slices and spread with dairy-free spread or jam.
Add your dish photoSee reference images ↗

Gluten-Free Vegan Oat & Raisin Cookies

VgGFDFNF
Serves 10 · Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min · Total 30 min
Chewy, wholesome oat cookies with no eggs, dairy, gluten or nuts — sweetened with banana and maple. A genuinely allergy-friendly treat for a crowd.
€3.00
For 5 · €0.60/head
€6.00
For 10 · €0.60/head
€12.00
For 20 · €0.60/head
Ingredients (for 10)
  • 400 g certified gluten-free oats — €1.50
  • 3 ripe bananas, 120 ml maple syrup — €1.80
  • 120 ml oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt — €1.20
  • 150 g raisins (or seeds) — €1.50
Method
  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line two trays. Mash the bananas smooth in a big bowl.
  2. Stir in the maple syrup, oil and vanilla until combined.
  3. Add the gluten-free oats, cinnamon and a pinch of salt, then the raisins, and mix well. Let it sit 10 minutes so the oats absorb moisture and the mixture firms up enough to shape.
  4. Spoon mounds onto the trays and flatten each slightly — these cookies don't spread, so shape them how you want them to look.
  5. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden at the edges. They'll be soft straight from the oven and firm up as they cool, so let them sit on the tray 5 minutes before moving.
Allergy & diet alternatives

Gluten-free: Gluten-free as written — be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

Dairy-free / Vegan: Already both.

Nut-free: Use raisins or seeds rather than nuts.

Next-day / leftovers
Keep 4 days in a tin or freeze. Crumble stale cookies over the chia pudding or coconut panna cotta.
Font de l'Oca Kitchen

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