Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Tip in the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook gently on low heat for about 5 minutes to soften without browning.

Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir. Cover and leave to sweat for 10 minutes.

Add cilantro, stock or water, coconut milk, orange juice, a squeeze of lime, and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until carrots are soft. This could take 30 to 40 minutes.

Let cool, then liquidize in a blender until smooth. Reheat gently on a low flame, stirring, and check seasoning. Serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

MIXED-UP CHICKS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise almost all the way through. Open out.

Spread the insides of two breasts with pesto, two with cheese. Close them up. Wrap a couple of slices of prosciutto around each one, and lay them in a baking dish. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Add lemon wedges. Scatter basil leaves over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: The book calls for bacon, as available in Britain. The recipe was tested in an American kitchen with prosciutto.

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Put some cherry tomatoes in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add some garlic, fresh herbs and salt. Roast for 10 minutes. (Nutrition is based on amount of oil and salt.)

Makes 4 servings.

VEGGIE STIR-FRY

Finely chop garlic. Grate ginger. Trim, cut in half, and slice the green onions lengthwise. Cut the beans, peas and corn into short diagonal lengths. Break broccoli into small bits.

Heat the oils in a wok or large frying pan until hot. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute. Add the other veggies in turn, stirring between each addition.

Stir for 5 more minutes. Season with sugar, salt and pepper. Add the soy sauce and the lime juice, cilantro and/or cashews, if using.

Makes 4 servings as a side dish, 2 as a main dish.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Separate eggs: yolks in one large bowl, whites in another.

Fill a saucepan, or the bottom pan of a double-boiler, one-third full with water. Bring to a very gentle simmer. Break the chocolate into the top pan of the double boiler or a heatproof bowl big enough to fit into the saucepan without touching the water.

Add the coffee and let the chocolate melt into the coffee slowly — too fast and hot and it will spoil. Stir twice with a wooden spoon to combine.

Remove from heat. Working quickly, stir in the egg yolks. Add the butter and orange juice. Beat fast and furious till glossy.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until white and stiff but not dry.

With a big metal spoon, fold the whites into the chocolate in figure-eight movements. Don't overwork it: You want to keep the air in. The odd spot of white doesn't matter.

Spoon the mousse into dishes or cups. Chill for a couple of hours or longer. Delicious.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.