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Recipes for the enthusiastic home cook
Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bread is delicious sliced and spread with butter for breakfast, at teatime, or as a snack. A few days after baking, try it toasted to bring out even more flavour. Soaking the raisins before adding to the dough ensures they’re plump and juicy. …Read more
Hummus Soup is a delicious, easy way of using up leftovers of the ever-popular chickpea and tahini dip. Light and refreshing, but so tasty, it can be ready in just five minutes. Perfect for a quick lunch or unusual first course, I like to top …Read more
Simple White Bread or Split Tin Loaf is a classic that’s perfect for sandwiches and toast. In this recipe, the dough is enriched with a little butter to add flavour and aroma to this tasty bread with a soft crumb and lightly chewy exterior. With …Read more
Wild garlic, in season from March to June, is a wonderful (and free!) ingredient. Found in most of Britain, it’s probably the most easily recognisable foraged food, making it perfect for beginners. In this post I’ll tell you where to look for wild garlic, how to identify …Read more
Savoury Oat Bake makes an easy and satisfying vegetarian main course, packed with vegetables, nutritious oats, nuts, seeds, plus cheese and eggs. Serve with salad or cooked veggies, plus a baked potato if you like, for a healthy and surprisingly delicious dinner. Leftovers are great …Read more
Hash Brown Waffles are golden brown on the outside, soft, and tender within. So easy, but so delicious, enjoy them for breakfast or brunch with eggs, bacon or sausage, or as a side to your favourite meals. I use my mini waffle maker to cook …Read more
This Chilli Bean Cheese Toastie is inspired by the flavours of a Tex-Mex chilli but is put together in minutes. The warmly spicy bean, corn, onion, and melting cheese filling is a great contrast to the buttery, crunchy and crispy golden bread. Perfect on its …Read more
This selection of meatless dinner recipes will satisfy both vegetarians and omnivores alike. From comforting, creamy risottos and stews, veggie curries, main meal salads, to spicy delights and hearty bakes, you’ll find lots to enjoy. CREAMY MUSHROOM RISOTTO Risotto is classic comfort food, but …Read more
Soft White Baps with an attractive floury top are a British favourite. Whether you call them rolls, buns, or baps, these fluffy breads are perfect for simple, traditional fillings like egg, ham, cheese, burgers, or breakfast goodies like bacon or sausage. Enriched with a little …Read more
Chickpea, Chorizo & Kale Soup, simple but hearty and delicious, is inspired by the cocidos and caldos of central and northern Spain. Smoked paprika intensifies the chorizo flavour of a garlicky broth that’s subtly spiced with cumin and chilli. Add in chickpeas, potatoes, kale, or …Read more
White Bean Puree with Rosemary & Garlic makes a simple yet utterly delicious accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats (lamb, pork, chicken, sausages, meatballs – you name it), seafood, or vegetables. Best served warm, you’ll find so many uses for this versatile puree rich with …Read more
Bean & Pulse Soups are great winter warmers that can be tasty, nutritious and comforting. Whether you’re looking for something chunky and hearty like minestrone or more delicate like simple lentil soup, you’ll find lots to enjoy in this round-up featuring some of my favourite …Read more
Ham & Cheese Puff Pastries are warm pockets of flaky, buttery pastry, filled with a deliciously savoury filling of cooked ham and cheese flavoured with mustard, a little onion, plus fresh herbs. I love larger ones as a main meal with salad or veggies. But they’re …Read more
Minestrone Soup is a tasty and hearty one pot meal. Packed with vegetables and beans plus pasta, you can adapt the ingredients according to the seasons and whatever you have in your fridge and cupboards. This winter version includes carrots, potatoes, kale (you can swap …Read more
Sausage, Sage & Onion Cheese Scones just might be the ultimate savoury scone. Inspired by the flavours of sausage stuffing, there’s temptingly browned sausage meat, softly sauteed red onion plus a subtle herbiness. Put those in a classic cheese scone with a generous amount of …Read more
Venison Sausage Casserole is a rich and comforting, hearty dish that’s full of flavour. Meaty sausages and whole mushrooms are cooked with bacon, vegetables, garlic, chestnuts, red wine, beef stock, and sage. The result is a special but easy and delicious stew that’s perfect for …Read more
Easy Cheese Straws are a crispy and light, flaky, cheesy delight! Perfect as a party nibble with drinks or to eat alongside soups, they really are easy. Simply grate butter and cheese into seasoned flour and mix with iced water to make a dough. Chill …Read more
Mincemeat Biscuits are a great alternative to mince pies. Sweet, fruity, and with a subtle spicy flavour, even people who don’t like mince pies can enjoy these moreish biscuits! As well as quality mincemeat, I include chopped walnuts or pecans for a nutty bite. Finished …Read more
Lentil & Bacon Soup is a nutritious, simple yet tasty soup that’s perfect for chilly days. Made with quick cooking split red lentils, plus smoked bacon and vegetables, everyday ingredients are transformed into something hearty, comforting and delicious. SPLIT RED LENTILS I’ll bet …Read more
Corned Beef & Potato Pasties are a British favourite. Simple, budget-friendly but oh so tasty. Crisp shortcrust pastry filled with tinned corned beef mashed with cooked potatoes and onions makes for perfect comfort food served with gravy and veg. Growing up in the …Read more
Chickpea, Potato & Coconut Curry is subtly spiced but delicious. Chickpeas and potatoes in a coconut-yogurt sauce flavoured with earthy spices like cumin, coriander, mustard, turmeric, and fennel seed. Not your average chickpea and potato curry, here chunks of crispy roasted potato are stirred in …Read more
Deep into autumn now, I’m regularly craving rich, meaty stews and braises for dinner. As the evenings get chillier, tasty, tender meat served with the delicious sauce it was cooked in is exactly the type of hearty food I’m after. In this post I share …Read more
Pork Braised in Cider with Apples is a delicious, rich, comforting dish that’s perfect for the cooler months. Pork rib eye steaks (or you can substitute pig cheeks) become beautifully tender cooked in cider and chicken stock. Along with onions, garlic and sage, apples add …Read more
Homemade Cheese Crackers are simplicity itself to make but taste incredible. With just a handful of everyday ingredients (flour, salt, pepper, butter, water, Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, plus optional garlic powder) you can have crispy, delicious, cheesy crackers in little more than half an hour. …Read more
Apple recipes, both sweet and savoury, to make the most of either homegrown bounty, or just a few fruits languishing in the fruit bowl. In this post I bring together some of my favourites including scones, tarts, salads, soups, and main courses. APPLE RECIPES …Read more