Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
Pinchos Morunos are wonderful little kebabs of spicy pork. Literally meaning ‘Moorish Skewers’, they’re an easy addition to a tapas spread. Or eat them as a main course with salad plus bread or potatoes. Quick-cooking pork tenderloin is marinated with garlic, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, …Read more
Rough Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls are surprisingly easy to make at home. Once you’ve tried them, I think you’ll agree that the homemade version of this popular British savoury snack is miles better than any mass produced offering. If you’ve never made rough puff pastry before, …Read more
Roasted Pepper, Salami & Cheese Scones are my latest take on the classic cheese scone. Inspired by the flavours of Italy, these savoury scones are studded with roasted red and yellow peppers, nuggets of sun-dried tomato, garlicky salami, fresh basil and, of course, plenty of …Read more
Aubergine with Pork & Chilli-Garlic Sauce is an utterly delicious but easy Chinese-inspired stir-fry. Chunks of aubergine are first fried until golden. Next, they’re quickly braised in a heady sauce including juicy minced pork, ginger, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, and chilli …Read more
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf, made with quality beef mince and smoked bacon, tastes so good there’s no need for any sauces, gravy or toppings. Without fillers such as breadcrumbs, but flavoured with herbs, onion and a little cheese, this easy but tasty loaf is also suitable …Read more
Chorizo, Bean & Cavolo Nero Soup is rich, hearty and with a good whack of chilli heat if you want. Although the chorizo is a must, you can change around the beans and type of greens you include. I like cannellini beans and cavolo nero, …Read more
Celery Soup, made with onions, garlic, a little potato, half stock and half milk, finished with a dash of double cream, is beautifully flavoured with a subtle taste of celery. For top notch Autumn and Winter comfort food, top each creamy, satisfying bowl with cubes …Read more
Chinese Pork Meatballs are my version of a dish often called Lion’s head meatballs. Pork mince is turned into wonderfully light meatballs with flavourings such as Chinese rice wine, garlic, ginger, soy and sesame. For contrasting texture there’s crunchy water chestnuts too. After browning, I …Read more
Five Spice Pork Belly is a rich blend of cubed pork braised in a spicy tomato sauce. As well as Chinese flavours like five spice mix and Shaoxing rice wine, there’s a Thai influence too. The best of both worlds! Try Five Spice Pork Belly …Read more
Cheese & Ham Scones with Wild Garlic are great when you fancy a change from classic cheese scones. Still with plenty of cheese, they’re also studded with little morsels of ham. When wild garlic is in season, I love the subtle flavour it brings. At …Read more
Pork Burgers make a welcome change from the usual minced beef. Subtly flavoured with sage and garlic, I top the cooked patties with slices of creamy Stilton cheese before popping under the grill to melt. Add a crunchy, tangy apple and cabbage slaw to your …Read more
Smoky Bacon, Leek & Potato Soup is a welcome change from the usual creamy leek and potato version. Made in around 45 minutes, this golden coloured soup has bags of flavour, including smokiness from bacon or pancetta. Say ‘leek & potato soup’ and what …Read more
Bean, Bacon & Cabbage Soup is nourishing and flavour-packed. Using tinned cannellini beans speeds up the process and each bowlful will give you three to four portions of vegetables. Perfect comfort food for Autumn and Winter. As if the fact that Autumn is …Read more
Savoury Tear & Share Star Bread looks impressive, but it’s actually not difficult to create. Filled with layers of sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, basil, salami, roasted onions and garlic plus fennel seeds, you won’t be able to resist pulling off a piece and eating it warm …Read more
Pork Rillettes are a rich treat for unashamed meat lovers. Made with tasty, free-range pork, slowly cooked in home-rendered pork fat, the soft spread is wonderful on toasted bread with homemade, quick-pickled vegetables on the side. FRUIT & VEG ARE NOT MEAT (YES, THAT …Read more
I found this recipe for Homestead Eggs in an old booklet produced by the British Egg Information Service. Onions, apple and bacon are sauteed in butter, then eggs cooked on top. Although egg and apple may sound like a strange combination, I think it’s a …Read more
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’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
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
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
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
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