With even the weather as unpredictable as the World Cup scores, at this time of the year your meals should begin to be not only a tad lighter, but a little more on the creative side.

Before you start to rant and rave about the already horrendous supermarket bills, it’s important to understand that lighter, more creative meals do not necessarily translate into higher food costs.

Start with a look around your own garden: the cherry trees are in bloom, as are the ackees, the breadfruit tree is pretty laden, Scotch bonnet peppers are green, and although the lime tree is perhaps promising more than it’s actually delivering, miracles are not necessarily restricted to the Bible.

Take your blinkers off at the supermarket. It is, admittedly, a difficult task since that ubiquitous list keeps us on the tried and tested path, but do what Thursday Food did recently and you might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Firstly, cheese is not just for Easter buns and it doesn’t always come in a tin. Why not add a small packet of goat or Parmesan cheese to the trolley?

Across in the tinned section, add a few cans of corn, broad beans and green peas – you’ll be surprised how colours can immediately stimulate the appetite. Sardines are no longer the tins of boredom they once were. How can they be with the pop-up opener and the many exotic flavours from which to choose?

Pasta, anybody? Why not, it’s by far the cheapest luxe meal. Yes, even with Ragu sauce and fresh, grated Parmesan cheese.

At the sauce section, think beyond the ketchup bottles and add Pickapeppa sauce, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, jerk, sweet and sour, Hollandaise, Shake ‘N Bake, ground pepper, white pepper, curry. there’s so much to add lots more oomph to meats. Rice choices are equally exciting, so be seduced by Basmati and Jasmine and check out the latest Uncle Ben dinner suppers.

At the grocery section you’ve got tomatoes, broccoli, plantains, corn, Irish, yams, etc, etc. There’s no need not to splurge. Why? Adding lots more vegetables and/or introducing stir-fries reduces how much you spend on meat. On the matter of that wok, think too about exciting the taste buds with olive oil or coconut oil.

Now that we’ve got you in experimental mode, check out these super-fabulous menus on the following pages.

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Pork fillets with mozzarella, spinach and pancetta

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

What to know: Fresh mozzarella is a soft Italian cheese. It is packaged in water to prevent drying and to preserve its delicate flavour. Its smooth elastic texture makes it ideal for melting, hence its popularity as a pizza topping.

Thursday Food tip: Chop mozzarella and mix with grated cheddar to melt in recipes. Mozzarella melts beautifully for a soft, golden finish.

Ingredients

375g pork tenderloin fillet

125g pack of diced mozzarella

250g callaloo, cooked and

squeezed dry

50g finely chopped vine tomatoes

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

85g Parma ham or slices of your

own favourite.

Method

Trim the pork, then cut almost in half, lengthways. Place between

two sheets of greaseproof paper

and using a rolling pin, flatten to

1cm thick.

Mix together the mozzarella, callaloo, tomatoes and seasoning.

Place the mixture evenly down the centre of the pork. Using wet hands, roll up the pork fairly tightly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Wrap the ham around the pork to hold secure. Place in a lightly oiled roasting pan or a baking sheet.

Roast for 40 minutes until cooked through and golden.

To serve, cut diagonally into four, place on a bed of fine green beans with sweet potatoes or yam.

Parmesan-crusted fish with tomato and olive dressing

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the fish:

75g breadcrumbs

60g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

20g pack of flat leaf parsley (try JoJo’s or Sovereign Liguanea)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 fillets of snapper/parrot

15ml spoon of olive oil

For the dressing:

4 plum tomatoes, skin and seeds removed and chopped

50g of olives, pitted and chopped

2X15ml spoons of olive oil

20g pack of basil, leaves torn

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 190?C, 375?F or gas mark 5.

Mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and seasoning.

Brush the haddock fillets with olive oil and coat with the breadcrumb mixture.

Place on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Meanwhile, mix together the dressing ingredients and season. Top the fish with the dressing and serve with tomatoes and a salad.

Chicken satay

with peanut butter

Serves 6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken satay:

4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2cm pieces (boneless chicken thighs are a good option too)

8 wooden skewers soaked in cold water

15ml spoon of oil

1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1/2 (medium) jar of crunchy peanut butter

400ml coconut milk

For the rice:

15ml spoon of oil

100g bunch of spring onions, chopped diagonally

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

2X275g pouches of pre-cooked Indian basmati rice.

Method

Preheat grill to a moderate heat.

For the satay: thread the chicken onto the soaked skewers. Heat the oil in a pan and saute the garlic, onion and chilli over a moderate heat until soft – about 3-4 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes or until thick. Brush half the satay sauce over the chicken.

Place the chicken satay under the grill and cook for 8-10 minutes turning occasionally.

For the rice, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the spring onions and pepper and saute over a moderate heat for 2 minutes.

Add the rice and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, until piping hot.

Spoon the remaining satay sauce over the chicken satay and serve two per person with the rice.

Cook’s tip: To enhance the flavour of the satay sauce, add a few drops of soy sauce or serve with a dish for dipping.

Smoked Scottish salmon and cream cheese parcels

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

100g of asparagus

200g of full fat soft cheese

20g of fresh chives, finely chopped, reserving 12 whole chives for garnish

grated zest of 1 lime

salt and freshly ground black pepper

230g of smoked Scottish Salmon

Method

Blanch the asparagus in a pan of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and refresh in cold water.

Remove 5cm from the bottom end of each asparagus spear and finely chop, reserving the tops.

Place the soft cheese, chopped asparagus, chopped chives, lime zest and seasoning in a bowl and mix together well. Cut the salmon slices into 12 lengths. Place a spoonful of the soft cheese mixture at one end of each length, top with an asparagus spear and roll up to enclose the filling.

Tie a reserved chive around each parcel and serve 2-3 per person as a starter or as canapes.

NB Smoked marlin is just as delicious.