Boil the eggs for 8 minutes from cold. Drain and plunge into cold water. Shell and submerge eggs in a bowl of water until cold. Sprinkle the rice into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 8-10 minutes, then drain. Turn into a greased ovenproof dish. add a few flakes of butter and cover with kitchen foil. Place in an oven heated to 325°F (160°C) or Gas no. 3 for 30 minutes to dry.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Peel, core and dice the apple. Add to the pan along with the curry powder. Cook gently for 1 minute to draw out the flavour of the curry powder. Stir in the flour and gradually add the hot stock. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time to make a smooth sauce. Lower the heat and add the chutney (chop up any large pieces), sugar, lemon juice and sultanas. Cover with a pan lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cut the eggs in quarters and add to the sauce. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Spoon the curried eggs on top and serve.

Boiled eggs: Soft-boiled eggs are nice with hot asparagus and hard-boiled eggs can be stuffed with sardines or smoked cod’s roe.

Eggs should not be cooked at a full rolling boil. Place them in cold water to cover and bring just to the boiling point, then lower the heat and simmer — 4 minutes for soft-boiled eggs and 8 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

When serving eggs cold, such as in salads, the eggs are more digestible if the yolk is set but still moist — 6 minutes is the time I use.

Before cooking, prick a small hole in the shell at the rounded end with an egg pricker or needle to prevent shells cracking.

Stir eggs gently as they come to the boil to get yolks that set in the centre of the egg.

Drain eggs as soon as they are cooked and plunge into a bowl of cold water for a moment to arrest cooking.

Roll eggs between the palms of the hand or on work surface to crack the shells all over and they will be easier to peel. New-laid eggs are always obstinate; eggs that are 4-5 days old will peel best.

For salad, peeled eggs can be kept in a bowl of cold water to cover for up to 24 hours to keep the whites moist.

Poached eggs: Serve these on Welsh rarebit to make buck rarebit, on a spinach puree with cheese sauce topping or try them on poached smoked haddock cutlets.

Use the freshest eggs possible — the white is tighter and doesn’t spread so much.

Use a shallow pan; a frying pan is best as it’s more roomy. There’s no need to add salt or vinegar to the water.

Crack the egg into a teacup, and holding the cup close to the water surface, tip the egg into simmering water. Cook until egg white is set, basting with the simmering water.

Lift poached eggs from the pan with a perforated spoon to drain off the water.

Eggs can be poached in advance: leave cooked eggs covered with cold water. To reheat, immerse them in simmering water for 30 seconds.

Scrambled eggs: Serve on toast or buttered biscottes and top with grated cheese or a little lumpfish caviar.

Mix eggs lightly with a fork to blend yolks and whites; season with salt and pepper.

Add 1 tablespoon milk per egg to enrich the mixture; use single cream for a special occasion.

Cook gently over direct heat; let the butter melt in the pan first, then add the eggs. A silicone- lined pan makes washing up afterwards easier.

Don’t stir scrambled eggs. Instead, draw mixture up with a spoon in creamy folds as eggs begin to set.

Draw pan off the heat when mixture is set but still moist — the heat of the pan will continue to cook it.

A nut of butter added at the end of cooking helps keep scrambled eggs moist and soft.

Omelettes: Fill omelettes with mushroom, prawns, cooked mussels tossed in hot butter e hot ratatouille.

Mix eggs lightly with a fork to blend yolks and whites. Add salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon per egg to lighten the mixture.

Use the right pan — an omelette pan which about 6-8 inches (15-20cm) in diameter is ideal.

Otherwise use a small frying pan so the mixture does not spread too thin.

Add unsalted or clarified butter to the hot and tilt pan to grease evenly. Then add egg mixture and cook quickly.

Use a fork to stir, then draw edges of mixture to centre so uncooked egg on top flows on to hot pan surface.

When set but still moist, loosen edges and slide omelette to edge of pan away from the handle_ Add hot filling at this stage and turn sides oi omelette to centre. Hold pan edge close to serving dish and tip out quickly so omelette turns over or to plate.

Use day-old bread slices from a sliced loaf to make melba toast. Start by toasting bread slices on both sides. While hot, trim away the crusts, then slice the toast in half horizontally. Cut each half diagonally into a triangle and toast the untoasted sides. The melba toast will curl up and become crisp. Allow to cool and serve at once or store in an airtight tin.

Peel and finely slice the onions. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onions and toss them in the butter. Cover with a pan lid and cook gently for about 30-40 minutes so that the onions stew in their own juices and are soft and translucent Remove the pan lid and cook the onions briskly, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

Add the stock and season with salt and plenty of pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. Blend the cornflour with the cold water and stir into the soup, then bring to the boil stirring all the time, until soup thickens. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring, and check seasoning.

Toast the bread on one side under a hot grill. Remove from the grill and spread each slice with a little butter and sprinkle over a little grated cheese, then grill until bread is crisp and cheese is melted. Put 1 teaspoon grated cheese into four warmed soup bowls. Ladle in the hot soup and float the cheese bread on top. This soup is filling enough to serve as a lunch or supper dish. Or serve as a first course for 6, in which case use 6 slices of bread.

Soak the split peas overnight and drain. Trim the leeks, cut in half lengthways and wash well, then shred finely, reserving a little of the white part for garnish. Peel and finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onion and leeks and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Meanwhile, peel and cut the potatoes in even-sized chunks. Add to the pan and toss them with the onion and leeks.

Add the split peas and pour in the water. Crumble the stock cube into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 45 minutes until peas are tender. (Test by squeezing a split pea between the fingers.) Pass soup mixture through a food mill, or puree in an electric blender or food processor.

Return the soup to the rinsed pan. Reheat and check seasoning Gently fry the reserved leek in a nut of butter to soften. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and garnish with the leek.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots and potatoes in even-sized chunks. Add-to the pan and toss the vegetables in the hot butter.

Add the lentils to the pan along with the stock and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 45 minutes until lentils are tender. (Test by squeezing a lentil between the fingers.) Discard bay leaf and pass soup mixture through a food mill, or puree in an electric blender or food processor. Return the soup to the rinsed pan. Reheat and check seasoning.

Soak the butter beans overnight and drain. Peel and chop the carrots. Peel and cut the potatoes in even-sized chunks. Trim and coarsely chop the celery. Peel and finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Add the prepared vegetables to the pan and toss them in the hot butter and onions.

Add the butter beans and pour in the water. Crumble the stock cube into the pan, add the bay leaf and tomato puree and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 1 hour, until beans are tender. (Test by biting a bean — they can have a hard centre even when they feel soft on the outside.) Discard the bay leaf and pass soup mixture through a food mill, or puree in an electric blender or food processor. Return the soup to the rinsed pan. Reheat and check seasoning. Serve with fried croutons sprinkled on top.

Drain the sweetcorn and put into a large saucepan along with the stock. Cook gently, covered, for 10 minutes, until sweetcorn is quite soft. Pass mixture through a food mill, or puree in an electric blender or food processor. Reserve for adding to the soup.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in the rinsed and dried saucepan over low heat, add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring all the time, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring, to make a smooth sauce. Stir in the reserved corn puree, season with salt and pepper and reheat to simmering. Stir in the cheese, prawns and cream. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Pour cold soup into cartons leaving 1/2 inch (1cm) head space to allow for expansion; freeze in amounts you are likely to use at one time.

Partially thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator. Or stand carton of frozen soup in cold water to loosen, then transfer contents to a saucepan. Bring frozen soup for serving hot just to the boiling point.

Thawed soup will blend perfectly as it is stirred and brought to the boil. For serving soup cold. thaw in refrigerator and if necessary, puree in the blender to achieve original smooth consistency.

Rinse the fish and cut in 4 pieces. Put into a large saucepan along

with the milk, bay leaf and parsley. Simmer gently (do not boil or milk may separate), covered, until fish is tender. Strain cooking liquid into a jug. When cool enough to handle, flake the fish discarding skin and bones.

Peel and finely chop the onion and peel and dice the potatoes. Melt the butter in the rinsed and dried saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and fry gently for about 5 minutes to soften but not brown. Then add the potatoes and 3/4 pint (400ml) of the water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the reserved cooking liquid and peeled prawns. Blend the cornflour with the rest of the cold water and stir into the soup. Bring just to the boiling point and draw off the heat. Season with freshly milled pepper, add the flaked fish, a dash of tomato ketchup and a squeeze of lemon juice. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Chowder is filling enough to make a good lunch or supper dish. Serve with crusty bread or rolls and butter.