Anyone who has a passing acquaintance with me knows how fond I am of asparagus. My Instagram pal @stephencooksfrench (he makes good food and bad puns) even put it into verse: Linda loved asparagus/She thought it was so yummy/She slathered it with Hollandaise/And put it in her tummy.
And I cannot lie to you, I do love it served that way, but sometimes you want to ring the changes. Continue reading
It’s Chinese New Year tomorrow and Valentine’s Day on Sunday, so of course I’m going to suggest a romantic Asian-inspired menu, right? Well, no. Continue reading
I know that sounds a bit Addams Family but there are so many delicious things you can put on toast, and there are times when a mere sandwich won’t do. Times when it really has to be hot, comforting, crisp, crunchy toast, whether it’s artisanal sourdough or a sliced white. I was profoundly shocked to read recently that most Americans don’t eat toast. Can this be true? No wonder they threw such a hissy fit at that tea party. Continue reading
Pretty much every burger I’ve had recently that I’ve most enjoyed has been loaded into a brioche bun. This isn’t exactly fast food – you need to prepare the dough the night before you plan to bake – but I’d like to share the recipe because they are streets ahead of supermarket brioche. Continue reading
It’s one of my favourite times of the year in the vegetable garden. The peas and asparagus may be over for another year but the French beans, the first tomatoes and cucumbers and above all, the sweetcorn are ready for picking. Continue reading
It’s Shrove Tuesday next week so whether you like stacks of buttermilk pancakes dripping with maple syrup or more delicate thin, lacy crepes with lemon juice and sugar, I’ve got a few suggestions. Continue reading
No, these aren’t the muffins, they’re the builders. Meet James, Andy and Mick
It’s a lucky cook who has willing guinea pigs to experiment on. Usually it’s Him Outdoors but at the moment I have three extra: our builders James and Mick and Andy the roofer, who’ve worked through rain, hail and snow this week and have earned a bit of TLC.
A shout of “tea’s up” will usually bring them scrambling down the scaffolding and they’re always game to sample whatever I’m cooking that day. This time though I blackmailed them into having their photos taken: no picture, no banana muffins. Continue reading
I’m putting this out there ahead of my usual schedule because you might just want to plan ahead. In fact nip out to the shops right now and buy the ingredients because these American-style, strawberry-jammed pancakes are so good I very nearly inhaled them. Continue reading
I’ve loved kedgeree ever since a schoolfriend’s mum cooked a salmon version when I went round for sleepovers. She must have got rather tired of me begging for it every time I visited but to a child who’d grown up on traditional English pies and roasts it was the height of sophistication and exoticism. Continue reading
Oops, forgot the tomatoes
Shakshuka is a flavoursome mix of tomatoes, peppers and onions with eggs baked on top, which you can spice up or not, depending on your personal tastes. In North Africa, where this dish originates, it is usually served for breakfast. I prefer to start the day with something a bit less pokey but I think it makes a fantastic brunch, lunch or supper. Continue reading