Cooking for the people you love
There are some ingredients that are unbeatable with smoked fish, and you’ll find them all here. Horseradish gives the butter an icy heat, and the chives add a spiky freshness, but they’re both tempered by the cool green watercress.
Read MoreYou can end up kissing a lot of frogs in the search for the perfect man, and the same applies to finding the perfect Onion Marmalade recipe. In the interests of research I periodically try new versions but inevitably withbitter jars of gloop. This recipe makes marmalade like the very best of men, sweet yet spicy, goes with everything, and will never let you down......
Read MoreThis is a crumbly, broken up state of affairs, but the combination of melt- in- the- mouth pastry and sharp apples makes a moment for you and whoever you're feeding. If it's elderly friends or family, they will be transported back to times when life moved at a gentle pace. The young ones will wonder why they don't eat more pies. Cook for pudding after a classic Sunday lunch orafternoon tea after a lazy walk.....
Read MoreTruffles are a wondrous thing, but for most of us, they hide away in shady fairy tale forests , to be rootled out only by well trained pigs and secretive hunters. At about the same price as gold, they certainly aren’t your average family food. But by investing in a bottle of truffle oil you can have the deep muskiness and whiff of luxury in a meal that is as humble as they come......
Read MoreIf you follow me on Facebook, you’ll have seen that this has been my summer of love – and baking, which means that I’ve taught pretty much everyone I’ve met how to make bread. Without exception, they all managed to turn out a tasty soft loaf and they were all amazed at how easy it was.
Read MoreIf you're a cook who always makes food from absolute scratch, or are in any way disapproving of packets and mixes, I suggest you move swiftly on because this is not going to make you happy.
Read MoreTomato soup is a funny thing. On a student budget, we lived on cans of the stuff, and I even grew to like its weird acid burn and fluorescent orange colouring. Sure, it bore little resemblance to the real thing but with a pile of sliced bread, still made a cheap, salty meal.....
Read MorePicnic food has become so sophisticated that it often feels as if you're planningan outing to Glyndebourne rather than throwing bits and pieces together for a lazy lunch outside. That's not to say I don't like the smart stuff, but I have fond memories of childhood...
Read MoreA pavement special is what we call our much-loved hound, who I'd like to say was carefully selected by us from a host of other rescue dogs. In truth, she was the first dog we saw at the shelter and it was mutual love and slavish adoration at first sight. Like many mongrels, she's from the streets and boasts an impressive collection of genes, which come together in one fabulous doggie package......
Read MoreAlthough mangoes aren't exactly seasonal in the UK, my family still has a big fondness for these stars of the fruit world, with their heavenly flavour and velvety flesh. Perfectly ripe, they make the best breakfast, with just a little Greek yoghurt and a sprinkling of toasted almonds to up the ante.
Read MoreThis makes big, fat, crunchy, proper sized fish cakes. Just add a bowl of fresh green beans for a perfect light lunch. You can make the cakes in advance and keep in the fridge for a couple of hours if you want the mess out of the way before sitting down to enjoy your hard work.....
Read MorePrawns are the ideal BBQ food but they do require your full attention. It’s best to treat them as the stroppy treat food they are, expensive and demanding on your time and pocket, but worth it for the subtle flavours they absorb into their velvety flesh......
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