Category Archives: Sauces

Duck with Quince

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Image of a basket of quince

Quince is one of my favourite fruits, which is fortunate as we’ve had a bumper harvest this year and I literally can’t give them away. Seriously, I’ve been putting out tweets begging people to take some. This is probably infuriating to read if you live in London or somewhere else where quince are only available at vast expense from upscale food markets. What can I say? Move to Suffolk and you can have some of mine next year. Of course next year I’ll probably only get three wizened fruits, which will serve me right.

Quince partners duck very well, its perfumed sharpness cutting through the rich fattiness of the bird. I’ve used it three ways in this recipe Continue reading →

Lamb Rump with Sauce Soubise

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Image of Suffolk Feast cookbookI spent so much money at last weekend’s Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival that I may have to take out a second mortgage. It’s not that the produce was outlandishly expensive, far from it. I just got a bit carried away. It’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by arguably the best food and drink East Anglia has to offer.

Included in my booty was a new cookery book, Suffolk Feast, by Tessa Allingham and Glyn Williams (details below). It showcases not only 20 of the county’s top chefs but also their favourite producers. Continue reading →

Coriander and Cashew Nut Pesto

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Image of fresh coriander

Normally I make pesto the traditional way, or at least with the traditional ingredients of basil and pine nuts – I don’t pound it by hand with a pestle and mortar although it would probably taste even better if I did.

Image of a bowl of coriander and cashew nut pestoBut I’m obliged to Rachel Roddy of Rachel Eats, whose recent blog post reminded me that it’s perfectly possible to ring the changes. Continue reading →

Moorish Kebabs

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… or pinchos morunos, as they’re known in Spain. These are tasty little skewers of meat marinated in a mixture of paprika, cumin, cayenne and thyme and they make a good but not overwhelming starter, or you can use them as part of a tapas-style meal. Continue reading →

Pork Chops With Spiced Blackberries

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Image of blackberries in close up

If you’ve been brambling and have an armful of scratches and only a small bowl of blackberries to show for your efforts, this is a good way of getting your own back.

Tangy and fruity with a touch of warm spice, this sauce would work well with duck breasts, lamb or venison as well as the pork chops I plumped for.   Continue reading →

Chicken Fajitas With Tomatillo Salsa

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Image of a handful of tomatillos

North American readers (and Mexicans) can look away now because this is everyday stuff to them, but I’d never eaten a tomatillo until we were staying with our friends Matthew and Richard in north New York state. Matthew, a superb cook, bought some in the local market and made a fabulous green salsa. Continue reading →

National Vegetarian Week

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Image of the Portly veg plot

The UK Vegetarian Society has declared May 19-24 to be National Vegetarian Week.

Regular readers will know I’m a confirmed carnivore but I do cook quite a lot of veggie recipes, partly for non-meat-eating friends, partly because they make a pleasant and healthy change and partly because Him Outdoors is a demon gardener and we have a lot of home-grown fresh veg. A keen eye will spot the baby broad beans behind the chives.

So to save you from trawling through a year’s worth of recipes, here are my edited vegetarian highlights. Continue reading →