Think of these pork and greengage skewers as a sort of Suffolk souvlaki … the tenderest meat, seasoned with citrus and oregano, combined with the sweet/tart juiciness of the plums. They’re almost self-saucing. Continue reading
I’ve got a new recipe in development featuring greengages, but while I perfect it (hopefully before the wasps get them), here’s a reminder of some of the other plum and autumn fruit recipes you could be cooking. Continue reading
I know, Scallops with Black Pudding and a Tomato and Pernod Sauce is a long-winded title for a simple dish but my word, it tastes good. The flavours really complement one another. And it is at least descriptive. Continue reading
My roasted tomato sauce is very straightforward but it gets maximum flavour out of British tomatoes, especially when the summer’s been as sunless as this one. And it’s very versatile – turn it into a soup, toss it into pasta, use it as a base for other sauces, add it to stews and risottos and chillis. Continue reading
Smaller flatfish such as lemon sole, dabs and flounder are vastly underrated compared to their posher cousins and usually very good value for money. Their flesh is delicately flavoured and best suits a simple treatment. I like them lightly seasoned and floured, then fried in brown butter, with a good squeeze of lemon juice and a scattering of parsley. Real fast food. But they adapt well to being stuffed and rolled. Continue reading
This nectarine galette is another very summery dessert, easy to make and even easier to scoff. I served it to guests recently and it vanished in a matter of minutes. Continue reading
No jelly, no custard, definitely no Hundreds and Thousands, but these individual lemon, passionfruit and blackberry trifles are worthy of the name all the same. Ring the changes with different berries and citrus – they’re very versatile. They’re summery little desserts but you can make them all year round if you have fruit in the freezer. Continue reading
Panzanella is one of those excellent Italian recipes where frugality transcends virtue to become something greater. It marries stale bread with sweet, juicy tomatoes to give you the perfect summer salad, one with flavour and a bit of heft. Continue reading
This beetroot hummus is (honestly) subtler than its day-glo colour suggests. It’s a great way of using up beets if you’ve got a glut in the garden or had an itchy trigger finger doing your online shop. Continue reading
I really felt for Kathy Slack when I read about her tomato disaster, her lovingly nurtured seedlings run over and crushed by a Range Rover in a Cotswold lane. It wasn’t entirely the driver’s fault but anyone who grows their own will feel Kathy’s pain.
It’s one of the anecdotes in her new book, From The Veg Patch, published by Ebury Press. Full disclosure: Kathy is a friend and Guild of Food Writers colleague, but I wouldn’t be writing about the book if I didn’t rate it highly. She takes ten vegetables or fruits and gives ten recipes for each, along with bonus cooking ideas and growing tips. (Getting your seedlings run over is more of a cautionary tale.) Continue reading