Sharing a love of good food - recipes from my kitchen - eating out - great producers & suppliers
My first experiment with savoury flapjacks turned out even better than expected. These quickly and easily made squares, packed with courgette, onion, carrots, nuts, seeds, oats and cheese, flavoured with sage, are great for a snack, picnics and packed lunches. I’ve also discovered they can …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
Cauliflower-Broccoli Tabbouleh is my take on a refreshing Lebanese salad traditionally made with bulgur wheat, lots of parsley, mint, lemon, olive oil and tomatoes. To increase the amount of vegetables in the dish, I substitute cauliflower and broccoli for the bulgur and include tasty roasted …Read more
I love shortbread. It’s so quick, easy and made with simple ingredients (flour, butter and sugar) that all bakers will have to hand. To take it up a notch, in this recipe I add just two more staples to create Jammy Shortbread Squares with Oat Crumble …Read more
Baked Falafel, simply brushed with olive oil before cooking, have all the flavour of the deep fried original without the faff. My foolproof method will give you delicious results without them ever falling apart. Enjoy Baked Falafel in the traditional flatbread, or in a salad …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
Gooseberry Jam is a great all-round preserve. Try it on crusty buttered bread or toast, a dollop on porridge or natural yogurt. Or how about a classic gooseberry fool whipped with cream? With a few tweaks you can even use my homemade Gooseberry Jam alongside …Read more
My introduction to this beautifully renovated country pub near Stone in Staffordshire was a top-notch lunch with, as the star of the show, an unexpectedly impressive – and enormous – pork chop. Combining traditional with modern in both character and its food offering, The Fitzherbert …Read more
Courgetti in Avocado, Cashew & Basil Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes is a super-quick, plant-based bowl of goodness. Much lighter than traditional pasta sauce, the dressing goes excellently with spaghetti-like courgette strands. Hence the term ‘courgetti’. Perfect for a light lunch or dinner, this meal contains …Read more
Shortbread is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. In this post I share an easy, no fuss recipe for sweet and buttery shortbread. I also give a few suggestions for how to vary the flavour of this simple yet always satisfying treat. …Read more
I’ve been going to north and mid wales for almost thirty years, and to Anglesey for the last six. I fell for this fabulous island straight away and, recently returned from our latest stay in Rhosneigr, in this post I share some of the great …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
If you’re new to juicing, this Fennel Apple, Orange, Lemon Ginger & Mint combination is a great one to start you off as it’s really light and refreshing. Although I usually try to include lots of vegetables in my homemade juices due to the high …Read more
Cheese Scones. Is there anyone who doesn’t love a cheese scone? Warm from the oven and eaten slathered in butter, there can’t be many home baked savouries that are so comforting yet take hardly any time to make from scratch. Here I share my easy and …Read more
Rhubarb, Apple & Ginger Jam is so good I hope it’ll encourage beginners to get jam making and become a favourite of old hands too. Great not just on buttered toast or scones, this medium-sweet, tart and slightly spicy homemade jam is perfect over yogurt …Read more
Green Gazpacho? Maybe purists would take exception to me calling this refreshing, raw cold soup gazpacho. That’s because, unlike the Spanish original, it isn’t based on tomatoes. Instead, I’ve used cucumber, avocado and yellow pepper, which I find much less acidic. Perfect for a hot …Read more
In this post, inspired by a favourite picnic food from the past, I create an easy recipe for homemade bread studded with roasted peppers, onions and garlic plus sun-dried tomatoes, salami, cheese and basil. This flavour-packed bread is great to take with you on a …Read more
Classic Sultana Scones are so quick and easy, yet always feel like a treat. Serve with double or clotted cream and jam, or simply spread with a generous amount of butter. I think a recipe for Classic Sultana Scones should be in every cook’s repertoire. …Read more
This post is the third in a series where I show you how meals based around roasted vegetables, accompanied by a range of tasty mix and match dressings, are a great way to help you reach your recommended daily intake of fruit and veg. In …Read more
At this four-star, family-run hotel set in rural Staffordshire, I found solid modern British cooking using local and seasonal ingredients in an impressive, 14th century moated manor house. My first visit to The Moat House Acton Trussell was in 2017 as a guest at a …Read more
I’ve just discovered my new favourite smoothie for hot summer days: blueberry and mint. I love blueberries and I love mint so it was a no-brainer that I would like this one, but I wasn’t quite prepared for just HOW GOOD it was. We’d been …Read more
Carrot Cake Oat Bars have all the spicy flavour and moist richness of carrot cake. But are made in a fraction of the time. Studded with sultanas, nuts and coconut, with the scent of orange and spice, Carrot Cake Oat Bars are so easy. Eat as …Read more
Crusty Homemade Bread with no kneading is perfect for bread making beginners. Perhaps you want to make your own bread but think it’s too difficult? Or maybe you struggle to fit traditional bread making into your day? In this post I show you that getting …Read more
It seems to me that there are two distinct strands of food culture in Britain today. The first is a desire for cheaper food at all costs, whether those costs are reduced animal welfare, mind-boggling food miles, a degraded environment or tougher times for …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