Food & drink
I confess that I was seduced by the man who made this dish for me.
I love rhubarb and used to grow it outside my window in east London.
If you’re a lemon-lover you will adore these decadent, keto-friendly, luscious lemon bars studded with succulent raspberries and fragrant rosemary. Beware! – HIGHLY ADDICTIVE :)
The magic of warm, runny eggs and cold garlicky ricotta with a spicy kick of bolshy butter will blow your mind. . . So simple but so delicious, a magical dish to impress with ease.
There is, I have to confess, no need to put the vodka in the blackberry compote that accompanies these, but it does add to the sense of occasion.
What appeals to me about this salad is the combination of lightly poached chicken, bean sprouts, spring onions and herbs with roasted chopped nuts and sesame seeds, and the slightly gloopy fish sauce, lime juice and chilli dressing.
These chickpeas have had their fair share of Insta fame for a multitude of reasons.
Sweet beetroot, perfumed nectarine, peppery watercress and creamy burrata — don’t take this to your next BYO barbecue or people will fight over it. Save it for home instead.
This recipe, from my wonderful sister-in-law Jenny Corry, is world famous in my family. Stick rigidly to the instructions to end up with perfectly cooked lamb. The varying thickness of the joint means that some bits will be well done while others are delectably pink.
This is a fast and fabulous dinner — put the pasta water on to boil as soon as you get home, keep your wits about you and in under 30 minutes you will be sitting down to eat.
A simple pasta dish that you can whip up in minutes from Claudia Roden's Med.
Serving pulled beef over a small kūmara not only looks attractive but is a clever way to help control portion size. The meat rub for this dish is great – it gives the dish all the flavour it needs. It keeps well, too, so try doubling this rub recipe and keep it in your kitchen cupboard to sprinkle over roast chicken or barbecued lamb chops.
If you thought that risotto was about slaving over a hot stove, drizzling stock into a pan over the course of an hour, think again. This risotto is quick, easy and satisfying. Plus you can fry whatever vegetable is in season to put on the top. Making risotto just became an easy choice.
I created my first version of this tart when I was living in France with Douglas for a couple of months, relishing the crispy pastry, creamy cheese, juicy flavourful tomatoes, fresh herbs and spicy cracked pepper. Back then I used a lovely soft salty white French cheese riddled with herbs and garlic. Naturally, I’ve created a new version of this, and it’s still amazingly good.
Braised in a beautiful balsamic sauce, these slow-cooked beef cheeks are so meltingly tender you could devour them with a spoon! Eight hours of cooking ensures that the braising liquid turns into a luscious, gravy-like sauce. I encourage you to enjoy it spooned over creamy potato mash or fluffy cooked grains such as quinoa or bulgur wheat.
This sticky date pudding is one of my favourite things to make during the colder months. What makes this dessert really special is the hint of ginger and cardamom in the coconut butterscotch sauce. I bet you can’t wait to grab your spoon and dig in! Just remember to get your dates on to soak a bit beforehand. If you don’t need this to be vegan, you can use regular milk, cream and butter.
This recipe has been a fan favourite for over a decade. Cut it into slices for the kids or into tiny squares as a treat with your cuppa. It also freezes well, so you can stash a few squares away for when no one is looking.
