Tom Kerridge's 'Fresh Start': Recipes from crab mayo to creamy butternut squash pasta bake

This is not a diet book, and Tom is keen to stress that. Instead it's about breaking bad habbits and tkaing back control of your diet – wihthout relying on convenience

Scandi-style open sandwiches are extremely versatile – just be sure to include a bit of crunch

Crab mayo on griddled sourdough

This is basically just a fancy open sandwich with layers of crisp, fresh ingredients piled on top of a thick slice of griddled sourdough bread. Of course, you can create your own version using your favourite toppings – just be sure to include a bit of crunch and to balance the flavours with a little sharp acidity.

Serves 4

505 calories per serving
6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, halved
1 sourdough loaf 
1 tbsp olive oil
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
1 tbsp butter
100ml water
1 ripe avocado, thickly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pickled radish

16 radishes, thinly sliced
25g caster sugar
4 tbsp white wine vinegar

For the crab mayo

75g brown crab meat
75g reduced-fat crème fraîche 
75g reduced-fat mayonnaise 
A squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
300g white crab meat

To serve (optional)

Tabasco

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

For the pickled radish, mix the ingredients together in a bowl and leave to pickle.

Lay the bacon on the baking tray and place in the oven for 15 minutes, or until crispy.

Meanwhile, cut 4 long slices from the middle of the sourdough loaf, each 1cm thick. Preheat a griddle. Brush both sides of the sourdough slices lightly with olive oil and cook on the hot griddle until lightly charred on each side.

Place the asparagus in a small frying pan with the butter, water and some salt and pepper. Cook over a medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes or until tender and all the liquid has evaporated.

Meanwhile, for the crab mayo, mix together the brown crab meat, crème fraîche, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and gently fold through the white crab meat.

Lay each piece of griddled sourdough on a plate. Spread with crab mayo, then top with 3 pieces of bacon, 3 pieces of asparagus and a couple of slices of avocado. Drain the radish from its pickling juices and scatter over the top. If you like things spicy, add a little Tabasco before you tuck in!

Creamy butternut squash pasta bake

Rich and creamy, this could easily become a new favourite at home. It’s also a great way of getting a big portion of veg into your family without them even noticing! It’s all about the toppings: crunchy seeds and breadcrumbs, sweet chunks of butternut squash and nuggets of acidity from the sun-blushed tomatoes.

Serves 6

575 calories per serving
1kg butternut squash, cut into chunks (about 2cm)
1 tbsp olive oil
500g macaroni
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the cheese sauce

60g butter
60g plain flour
1 litre whole milk
1 tbsp liquid aminos
60g Parmesan, finely grated
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 

For the topping

A handful of sage leaves
40g sun-blushed tomatoes, roughly chopped
50g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp pumpkin oil (or use olive oil)
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Line a large roasting tray with baking parchment.

Place the squash in the roasting tray. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cook on the top shelf of the oven for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender and browned at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly for a couple of minutes. (Keep the oven on.)

Tip three-quarters of the roasted squash into a blender and blitz to a purée; set the rest aside.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook until almost al dente (2–3 minutes less than the time suggested on the packet).

Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens slightly. Lower the heat and add the liquid aminos, Parmesan and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has melted, then stir through the squash purée to make a rich, smooth sauce. Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the macaroni, add to the sauce and stir well. Tip into a large, deep baking dish, about 25 x 30cm. Scatter over the rest of the roasted squash, the sage, sun-blushed tomatoes and breadcrumbs. Drizzle with the oil. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, turning on the oven grill at the same time. Bake for 10 minutes.

Take out the dish, scatter the pumpkin seeds evenly over the surface and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve at once, with a green salad.

To freeze: Cool and pack in a lidded foil tray (or several trays). Defrost fully in the fridge, then remove the lid and reheat in an oven preheated to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6 for 30 minutes, until hot all the way through. If the surface appears to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Asian-style griddled squid salad

Squid is a useful ‘convenience’ food, as it freezes well and cooks quickly; the freezing process even helps to tenderise it. In this fresh, crunchy salad, squid’s subtle flavour and meaty texture is a lovely contrast, and a punchy dressing pulls it all together.

Serves 4

275 calories per serving
4 large squid tubes, cleaned
Vegetable oil spray, for cooking

For the dressing

3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only and tough outer layer removed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime

For the salad

2 shallots, thinly sliced
100g mixed baby leaves
2 handfuls of beansprouts
A handful of coriander leaves
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 sprigs of mint, leaves picked
1 long red chilli, finely sliced

To serve

Sweet chilli sauce, to drizzle
Lime wedges

Carefully slice open each squid tube so it can lie flat, and score a lattice pattern on the softer, inner surface. Cut each one into 6 equal-sized pieces and place in a bowl.

To make the dressing, heat the oil in a small pan, add the lemongrass and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Leave to cool completely.

Add half of the dressing to the squid. Stir to coat and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

For the salad, toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour on the rest of the dressing, toss again and place on a large plate or divide between individual serving plates.

Heat a large griddle pan over a high heat. When it is smoking hot, spray with a little oil, add the squid pieces in a single layer and cook for 30 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Depending on the size of your griddle, you may need to cook the squid in batches.

Place the griddled squid on top of the salad and drizzle with a little sweet chilli sauce. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

'Fresh Start' by Tom Kerridge (Bloomsbury Absolute, £26) is out now