Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
Smoky Lentil & Vegetable Soup is a tasty, warming dish for Autumn and Winter. Or any other time you want a hot, comforting bowl of goodness. The soup is full of smoky flavour whether you make the original with bacon, or follow my tip for …Read more
I don’t claim authenticity for my version of Caesar Salad. But if you love robust flavours, it tastes divine. My quick, delicious version of the dressing combines mayo with plain yogurt to lighten it. Flavoured with anchovy, garlic, and Parmesan, it’s a knockout over lettuce …Read more
Beef Short Rib Ragu must be one of the best things I’ve made this year. The meaty ribs are cooked with garlic, wine, tomatoes and a few other goodies until meltingly soft. The beef is then shredded and added to the semi-pureed sauce to make …Read more
I’ve called my Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry Pad Thai-style because its flavouring is very similar to the Thai original. But the big difference is that instead of the traditional rice noodles, I use thin julienned vegetables like courgette and carrot. Not only does this taste …Read more
Venison Stew is rich, comforting, warming and utterly satisfying. In short, it’s just what’s needed at this time of year, with Autumn turning to Winter. Even better, cook some traditional, fluffy Suet Dumplings on top of the stew and let them soak up all that …Read more
Split Pea & Ham Soup is a fabulous warming dish for Autumn or Winter. Packed with nutritious, fibre and protein-rich dried peas, plenty of vegetables and tasty ham, it’s top-notch comfort food. SPLIT PEA & HAM SOUP: A BRITISH CLASSIC Versions of …Read more
Cobb Salad is one of those dishes we rarely see in Britain. But I think this hearty, main course salad, a classic in its US home, is one more of us really ought to try. With chicken, bacon, avocado, eggs, tomatoes and blue cheese, all …Read more
Stuffed Breast of Lamb, filled with feta, red pepper and mint, turns an underused cut of meat into a delicious treat. I think it’s about time economical and tasty breast of lamb starting appearing on more tables. And this magnificent slow roasted dish might just …Read more
Whether you’re new to the spicy North African dish of Shakshuka or already love it, you’ll want to try this incredible version. To the rich pepper and tomato stew with its topping of eggs, I’ve added merguez spiced meatballs to make it extra special. …Read more
Kleftiko is a traditional and delicious Greek lamb dish. Marinated overnight then slow-cooked, the lamb is fabulously moist and tender. Cook potatoes underneath the lamb and you’ll get the best roast potatoes ever. And the great news is, kleftiko is dead easy to make as …Read more
Succulent and spicy, these Harissa Lamb Chops are a real feast. Marinaded in my easy Harissa Dressing and then fast roasted or grilled, the chops stay tender within but with a charred, caramelized exterior. For extra spice, serve with harissa spiked yogurt. CAN …Read more
You won’t believe how simple Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder is. Yes, it does take four hours to cook, but you really can just put it in the oven and forget about it. This is a classic roast lamb dish although, with meat this tender, you …Read more
Brisket of beef is an economical cut of meat that’s full of flavour. But bringing out the best in it usually requires long, slow cooking over many hours. In this post I show you how to reduce that time to just an hour using an …Read more
My contribution to the Columbo Bowl Chili Cook-Along, celebrating the publication of Cooking with Columbo. There’s a word for the effect on my brain of watching Swan Song, episode seven of season three of Columbo: an earworm. An ear worm is a piece of music …Read more
Winter is traditionally the time for slow-cooked stews, and oxtail with its rich flavour and soft, silky texture teased out by long cooking, is understandably a contender for this sort of comfort food. But for me, oxtail evokes thoughts of warmer climates; specifically the southern …Read more
Thai Spring Rolls with Pork & Prawns are crispy, crunchy, and absolutely delicious. Inside is the perfect mix of rice noodles, mushrooms, prawns, minced pork, carrots, bamboo shoots and beansprouts. All flavoured with garlic, chillies, coriander and fish sauce. Fantastic with some sweet or hot …Read more
Turkey, Sage & Cranberry Dog Biscuits are an easily made Christmas treat, full of natural ingredients that your pooch will love. I’ve posted quite a few Christmas recipes for us humans, including Mincemeat, Mince Pies, Panettone Bread & Butter Pudding and Turkey Stock. …Read more
Although I’ve put this post in the ‘recipes’ category, it’s hardly a recipe at all. To make turkey stock, or any other meat stock really, it’s simply a case of putting the bones plus any scraps of meat, skin and fat plus selected vegetables in …Read more
Forget those over priced, palm oil laden packet stuffing mixes. My Homemade Sage & Onion Sausagemeat Stuffing is so much better and contains just a few simple ingredients: onions, garlic, dried sage, fresh parsley and crumbs made from leftover bread. Delicious mixed with pork sausagemeat …Read more
Food – dogs – books – films It’s always satisfying when I come across something that combines at least two of my major passions. And, for the record, my major passions include: food (obviously), dogs (especially English cocker spaniels), books and films. For instance, as Ernest …Read more
Sausage, Vegetable & Lentil Stew allows you to stretch good quality, free-range sausages by adding vegetables and pulses. Warming and full of flavour, a portion of this stew will provide at least three of your minimum five a day fruit and vegetables. Sausages: quality …Read more
In this post, you lucky people are getting two recipes in one. Besides telling you about my ultimate meatballs and sauce for pasta, I’m also going to show you how to turn them into a fabulous pasta bake with a cheesy topping. MEATBALLS? YES …Read more
This Spicy Mutton Stew is inspired by the tagines of Morocco, but I’ve resisted the urge to call it a tagine. As you’re probably aware, that name comes from the conical pot it’s traditionally slow-cooked in. However, my spicy mutton stew isn’t cooked in a …Read more
Although it’s felt like Autumn’s been coming on a while now, it doesn’t officially start until 22 September. This is the 2017 date of the Autumn equinox when the sun is exactly above the equator so that day and night are of equal length. The …Read more
This easy one pot chicken dish is great comfort food. Browned chicken thighs are cooked in a buttery, cider cream sauce, made slightly tart with apples and smoky from good bacon Potatoes are cooked in the sauce to make a one pot meal, but it would …Read more