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Sweet & savoury snacks
Smoked Mackerel Paté is incredibly easy but so good. Fillets of smoked mackerel are whizzed together with butter and a few simple seasonings, then topped with a horseradish-flavoured butter. Simplify the recipe further by leaving off the topping if you like. But, as the whole thing …Read more
Mincemeat Shortbread Squares with Almond Crumble are a great alternative to mince pies at Christmas. Incredibly quick and easy, there’s no pastry to make and no cutting and rolling out. A substantial, buttery shortbread base is covered in rich mincemeat. This is topped with a spiced …Read more
Potato Farls, sometimes called Irish potato cakes or potato bread, are really easy to make. Containing just seasoned mashed potato, butter and flour, they’re surprisingly tasty too. Fantastic with a dab of butter and softly poached eggs, or include in a big breakfast with sausages, bacon, black …Read more
Homemade Baguettes, with a tasty, light crumb and thin, crunchy crust, really aren’t difficult to achieve. With no nasties like the palm oil found in many mass-produced baguettes, unless you live next door to a great artisan baker, I don’t think you’ll get better than …Read more
Apple Tart is always a crowd pleaser. Sweet-tart apples, cooked to soft perfection, caramelized with a cinnamon and sugar topping. But what about the base? In this version, you can forget making pastry, rolling and cutting out. That’s because a simple shortbread type dough is …Read more
Scottish Oatcakes are traditional savoury biscuits or crackers that are perfect with cheese. So easy and satisfying to make, I think they’re head and shoulders above shop bought ones. Containing just oats, salt, olive oil or butter plus water, you’ll be surprised just how good homemade …Read more
Apple & Cinnamon Cake makes the most of apple season in this simple but beautifully flavoured bake. Rustic and homely, the cake is a comforting treat with a cup of tea or coffee. To make it extra special, try Apple & Cinnamon Cake warm as …Read more
Beetroot, Blueberry & Mint Smoothie may sound like an odd combination, but it’s one of my absolute favourites. Naturally sweet, but with a little earthiness from the beetroot, plus mint and lime juice to give a fresh zing. Perfect as a light breakfast or snack, …Read more
Spinach & Avocado Smoothie is a quick breakfast, but one that will keep you full for hours. A beautiful shade of green from spinach, but with avocado, banana, peanut butter and yogurt, it packs a hefty nutritional punch too. I came up with …Read more
Thai Pickled Shallots are a great little item to have tucked away in the cupboard or fridge. Flavoured with chilli, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and coriander, you only need a few, thinly sliced, to perk up salads and virtually any dish with a South-East Asian …Read more
Za’atar is a versatile Middle Eastern spice blend that’s a useful addition to your kitchen cupboard. Eat it with bread and olive oil, sprinkle over roasted vegetables, salads, eggs or yogurt, in marinades or as a dry rub. While za’atar is becoming more widely available, …Read more
Labneh is a creamy, Middle Eastern style yogurt ‘cheese’ that’s easily made at home. All you do is strain plain, full-fat yogurt for 24-hours until it’s rich and soft like cream cheese. Great for spreading or dipping into, you can flavour it how you like …Read more
Coconut & Lime Cake brings together a classic flavour combination in a light and fluffy treat. The moist, buttery cake has a great balance of sweet coconut and tart lime, and is coated in a simple lime icing. Perfect for dessert or afternoon tea with …Read more
Empanada de atún is a traditional pie from Galicia, up in Spain’s north west corner, where I’ve enjoyed it many times. Filled with tinned tuna, onions, peppers, olives and hard-boiled eggs in a tomato sauce, the simple ingredients nevertheless create a pie that’s incredibly good. Best …Read more
Turkish Eggs with garlic yogurt, or çilbir to give its Turkish name, is a strangely addictive little dish. Gently poached eggs sit on thick and creamy, garlic-scented yogurt, topped with a drizzle of melted spiced butter. Perfect for a light meal on its own, or …Read more
Fresh Mint & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is probably my favourite flavour of ice cream. And whether you have an all-singing, all-dancing ice cream maker, a simple one like mine, or none at all, this creamy, fresh and indulgent treat is really easy. …Read more
Cheesejacks are moreish little bites of oats baked with cheese and whatever seasonings you fancy. A crispier version of savoury flapjacks, I love them with drinks or just as a tasty nibble on their own. Adapted from The Cranks Recipe Book. CHEESEJACKS & …Read more
Apricot & Almond Scones take a classic combination and use it to flavour wonderfully light, American-style scones. Dried apricots are soaked to bring them back to plump lusciousness and are complemented by flaked almonds and a touch of almond extract. Heavenly with a light drizzle …Read more
Raspberry & Coconut Scones might just be my best ever scone. Bursting with juicy raspberries and with the sweet taste of coconut brought by desiccated coconut, coconut milk and a light coconut drizzle, I think they’re irresistible. Use fresh or frozen raspberries in these American-style …Read more
Dandelion Syrup made at home is an interesting little project if you’ve plenty of pesticide-free flowers. Use the golden, delicately flavoured syrup as you would honey: over pancakes, at breakfast with yogurt or oats. Indeed anywhere you want to add sweetness with a little intriguing flavour. …Read more
Sourdough Crackers are a satisfying way of using up excess sourdough starter. But I think they’re so good it’s worth making extra starter just so you can bake them. Great on their own as a tasty nibble, or eat with cheese, dips or as a …Read more
Blueberry & Lemon Scones, studded with juicy fruit & flavoured with zingy lemon zest, are a not-too-sweet, easy to make treat. Use fresh or frozen blueberries in these American-style scones. To most Brits, a scone is something you slice through the middle and …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
Gazpacho Smoothie with Wild Garlic is a refreshing drink or light meal with lots of raw blended vegetables. Perfect on a hot day, you can substitute a small clove of garlic and greens such as spinach when wild garlic isn’t in season. If you want …Read more
Coconut Oil Popcorn made at home is a fraction of the price of those expensive shop bought bags of ‘posh’ popcorn. Ready in less than 10 minutes, you’ll never go back to the packet stuff once you’ve tried this. We all need a …Read more