Keripic: caramelised chilli & kamrut lime crisps

I first tried these fabulously addictive crisps at an Indonesian restaurant many decades ago and I still adore making them either for a snack or as an accompaniment to a meal. Continue reading “Keripic: caramelised chilli & kamrut lime crisps”

Baked caramel lemon custard

This dessert is a cross between a crème caramel and a baked cheesecake, with a slightly denser texture than a crème caramel while retaining the divine, slightly bitter liquid caramel element. Continue reading “Baked caramel lemon custard”

Yorkshire curd tarts with a twist

My take on this great British classic is certainly not fully authentic – but in my opinion no recipe should be so precious that it can’t cope with being tinkered with! Continue reading “Yorkshire curd tarts with a twist”

Kung po-style prawns

Another sticky, spicy takeaway-style dish: this time, with prawns, but it works brilliantly with chicken pork or vegetables such as cauliflower or broccoli. Continue reading “Kung po-style prawns”

Smoked mushroom & Dolcelatte tarts

With the smoked mushrooms, blue cheese and hint of tarragon sitting on crisp, buttery puff pastry, these easy tarts are full-on comfort food. Continue reading “Smoked mushroom & Dolcelatte tarts”

Crispy ginger & soy chicken bao with spiced mayo

Quite simply, this delicious food is perfect eaten in the garden for a street-food vibe or piled onto plates inside for people to assemble themselves! Continue reading “Crispy ginger & soy chicken bao with spiced mayo”

Chorizo, Manchego & caramelised onion tartlets

Packed with flavour, I return to these gutsy mini tarts frequently for simple snacks, as part of an Afternoon Tea spread or even for a picnic in the garden! Continue reading “Chorizo, Manchego & caramelised onion tartlets”

Crispy air-fried harissa chicken

These very simple chicken wings are packed with flavour, take moments to prepare and will have you coming back for more. Continue reading “Crispy air-fried harissa chicken”

Teriyaki cauliflower “popcorn”

The combination of crispy, sticky, spicy and utterly delicious ticks every box for me. Ingredients such as soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chilli, sesame seeds and panko breadcrumbs combine with the cauliflower to give an exceptional dish. Continue reading “Teriyaki cauliflower “popcorn””

The best sticky BBQ wings with blue cheese dip

Sticky chicken wings and a punchy blue cheese dip: two very compatible bed-fellows that always guarantee foodie happiness. Not to mention very messy fingers! Continue reading “The best sticky BBQ wings with blue cheese dip”

Kaspressknödel – cheese dumplings

Deliciously simple pan-fried cheese patties, using left-over bread and a few staple ingredients. Continue reading “Kaspressknödel – cheese dumplings”

Rum baba stollen bites

A simple, kind of “throw it all together” bake, this is basically stollen crossed with rum babas and is a popular sweet treat in this house. It is not just for making and eating at Christmas either; I often make it for Easter and at various other times of the year. Continue reading “Rum baba stollen bites”

Fabulous fishcakes: my ultimate store-cupboard standby!

This is what I think is a real store-cupboard winner: they are delicious, take minutes to prepare and taste like you have spent ages making them!

Continue reading “Fabulous fishcakes: my ultimate store-cupboard standby!”

Simple vegetable tarts

Very delicious tarts using practically whatever vegetables you have…..an ideal lunch or light main course. Continue reading “Simple vegetable tarts”

The perfect gravy for a roast dinner

A delicious gravy brings together all the accompanying dishes in the most harmonious way to really make a roast shine. This recipe is my go-to gravy for all manner of roasts. A selection of some of my favourite roast accompaniments (including fool-proof Yorkshire Puddings and the best roast potatoes) is at the bottom of the page. Continue reading “The perfect gravy for a roast dinner”

Honey-glazed pigs in blankets with cranberry & apricot

For me, a roast is just as much about all the vegetables and other sides than the centrepiece itself: perhaps more so! And it’s little treats such as pigs in blankets that add even more bursts of pleasure when tucking into a roast.

Continue reading “Honey-glazed pigs in blankets with cranberry & apricot”

Chocolate and cinnamon mini pavlovas

These mini pavlovas are not only a favourite dessert in my kitchen in the summer, when freshly picked fruit from the allotment gets put to good use, but it is a dessert I make over the winter months, often using fruit I had frozen months earlier. Continue reading “Chocolate and cinnamon mini pavlovas”

Steamed buns incl. bao, hirata… & filling ideas

I get SO much pleasure from street food, but I would say that steamed buns – whether Chinese bao, Japanese hirata – are right up there among my favourites.

Continue reading “Steamed buns incl. bao, hirata… & filling ideas”

Smoked cheese & chive scones

A return to fabulous basics with these simple scones that are packed with flavour, thanks to the smoked cheese and the allium bursts of the chives in there. Continue reading “Smoked cheese & chive scones”

Vegan “sausage” rolls

Forget those indifferent vegan “sausage rolls” that were sold by a certain UK high street chain bakery; these rolls are packed with flavour.

Continue reading “Vegan “sausage” rolls”

Meatballs in tomato sauce

Proper comfort food using thrifty ingredients, these easy meatballs are a far cry from the tinned meatballs or those ones that come vac-packed in the supermarket! Continue reading “Meatballs in tomato sauce”

Harissa chickpea flour flatbreads

These very simple flatbreads are perfect if there is a shortage of traditional flour (which is certainly hard to come by in some shops currently), but they are also great if you can’t have gluten. Continue reading “Harissa chickpea flour flatbreads”

Quick chocolate and orange mousse pots

Food always makes me happy, especially in the most uncertain of times, and indulgent treats using what is probably already in the kitchen never fail to do their bit to create pockets of joy. Continue reading “Quick chocolate and orange mousse pots”

Coriander glass dim sum

The joys of Har Gow: transluscent steamed dumplings, with a pork and prawn filling. Little bites of sheer pleasure. Continue reading “Coriander glass dim sum”

Black truffle arancini

Light, crisp risotto balls bursting with the flavours of black truffle, garlic and Parmesan, with a melting Fontina cheese centre: terrific little bites. Continue reading “Black truffle arancini”

Christmas stuffing sausage rolls

Well, a sausage roll is for any time of the year, but I quite like to add a few festive flavours around Christmas: chestnuts, dried apricots, Stilton, perhaps a few cranberries: oh, and just a kick of mustard. Continue reading “Christmas stuffing sausage rolls”

Perfect & fool-proof Yorkshire Puddings

An essential accompaniment to any roast – even (or especially!) with Christmas lunch – Yorkshire Puddings have a reputation for being very hit and miss in terms of them working. My fool-proof recipe and top tips will guarantee crisp, light and towering puds. Continue reading “Perfect & fool-proof Yorkshire Puddings”

A light Christmas pudding with no-weighing out

Whenever I have served this to people who claim they do not like Christmas pudding, they have eaten their words – and the pud!

Continue reading “A light Christmas pudding with no-weighing out”

Smoky butternut squash hummus

Roasted squash, smoked chickpeas and gently warming spices give what I think is a lovely autumnal twist on hummus.  Continue reading “Smoky butternut squash hummus”

Butternut squash gratin

Whether served as an accompaniment to a roast, with some slowly cooked sausages or simply eaten by itself with some bread to mop up the cheesy sauce, this gratin is real autumnal comfort food. Continue reading “Butternut squash gratin”

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